Trudeau says Canada can meet NATO's military spending benchmark by 2032

Following a blizzard of criticism from allies — most notably the United States — the Liberal government announced Thursday that it hopes to meet NATO's military investment benchmark of two per cent of alliance members' gross domestic products by 2032.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the statement at the close of the alliance's annual summit in Washington — even as he sharply questioned the worthiness of the goal.

«We continually step up and punch above our weight, something that isn't always reflected in the crass mathematical calculation that certain people turn to very quickly,» Trudeau said. «Which is why we've always questioned the two per cent as the be-all, end-all of evaluating contributions to NATO.»

The timeline was delivered with few details. Trudeau said the goal will be met by investing in new defence capabilities, such as submarines, which are not yet costed or approved.

Multiple western leaders attending this week's NATO summit in Washington have said that all allies need to meet the military investment benchmark in an increasingly volatile world.

NATO has asked each of its 32 members to deliver a plan to meet the two per cent goal, if they haven't already. Twenty-three NATO allies are meeting the two per cent commitment now.

Canada currently sets aside a sum equivalent to 1.3 per cent of its GDP for the military. It has a plan to reach 1.76 per cent by the end of the decade, but NATO, the United States and the Canadian business community have been insisting that the federal government deliver some kind of plan to get to two per cent.

Trudeau met with U.S. lawmakers and representatives of the business community this week. He insisted he faced no pressure either on Capitol Hill or at the summit table.

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