Michael Black on Canada’s Defence Spending Challenges and NATO’s Future Targets | Policy Magazine
June 11, 2025 | MPP ’25 Michael Black examines in Policy Magazine Prime Minister Mark Carney’s pledge to meet NATO’s 2% defence spending target by 2026 and the upcoming NATO Summit’s proposal to raise it to 5%. He highlights challenges like strained defence industries and production bottlenecks revealed by the Ukraine war, noting Canada’s difficulty replenishing artillery shells. While buying U.S. equipment offers a quick fix, reliance on the U.S. poses political and capacity risks. Black advocates for multinational co-development and joint procurement to gain scale and maintain autonomy, citing successful European partnerships and Canada’s private-sector efforts. He urges a strategic national defence industrial policy to leverage initiatives like the EU’s ReArm Europe and Canada’s growing ties with South Korea, positioning Canada as a key player in a global allied defence network.
