Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he wants his country to join the European Union’s “ReArm Europe” plan to strengthen defense and increase defense spending. The statement was made to CBC Tv, with the Canadian PM expressing his intention to reduce dependence on the US, IPN reports.
“75 cents of every Canadian dollar spent on defense goes to the United States. Not a good idea,” said Mark Carney, quoted by BBC.
His statements come amid tensions with Washington after US President Donald Trump’s threats, although Carney had earlier said he was open to joining an air defense project proposed by Trump.
Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty said his country wants to rapidly increase its defense capabilities in the face of growing global threats: the “global security environment today is volatile and uncertain,” citing Moscow’s war of aggression in Ukraine.
The subject of defense was also featured in King Charles III’s “Speech from the Throne”, the opening event of the new parliament. The speech also included commitments to “rebuilding, rearming and reinvesting” in Canada’s military, as well as outlining the executive’s goal of strengthening defense relations with European allies and joining the “ReArm Europe” plan.
