A look at Canada’s defence spending and NATO obligations, by the numbers
OTTAWA — A new NATO report says Canada’s defence spending increased in 2016, but that the country remains near the back of the pack when spending is expressed in the military alliance’s preferred measure: as a percentage of GDP. The federal Liberal government, meanwhile, points to a sharp increase in spending on equipment as an equally valid measure of Canada’s NATO commitment.
Here is a look at Canadian defence spending, by the numbers:
— All NATO members agreed in 2014 to spend two per cent of their gross domestic product on defence. The target was designed to help ensure all allies shouldered their fair share of responsibility.
— The NATO report released Monday estimates Canada spent 1.02 per cent of its GDP on defence, which would represent a slight increase from 0.98 per cent in 2015. But it is still only about half the NATO target.