NATO allies should take Canada’s lead and spend less on defense

Authors

Erika Simpson, University of Western Ontario (Western University)Follow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-24-2023

Journal

Hill Times

Abstract

In the article "NATO allies should take Canada’s lead and spend less on defense," Erika Simpson discusses Canada’s defense spending in relation to NATO’s two-percent-of-GDP target. Although Canada appears to lag in military spending when expressed as a percentage of GDP, it ranks high on a per capita basis. Simpson argues that NATO should consider Canada's broader contributions to peace and security, beyond just military expenditures. She highlights Canada’s new military spending commitments, including the purchase of F-35 fighter jets, and critiques the pressure from the U.S. for allies to meet the spending target. The article advocates for a reevaluation of how NATO measures contributions, suggesting that non-monetary factors, such as Arctic sovereignty and UN peacekeeping efforts, should be included.

Notes

First published in The Hill Times, Canada' foremost foreign and defense policy magazine.