The former U.S. ambassador to Canada, who served under former U.S. President Donald Trump, said Canada needs to spend more on defense and do it faster than the federal government’s current plans.
“Canada, you can do more. I know you can do more,” Kelly Craft told CTV’s Question Period host Vassie Kapelos during a panel interview with former Canadian Ambassador to the United States David McNaughton. ” he said.
Following years of pressure from allies, the Canadian government pledged in July to meet the NATO alliance’s goal of spending 2% of GDP on defense by 2032. The original deadline, agreed by member states as part of the Wales summit in 2014, was to reach the 2% target by this year.
According to NATO statistics, 23 of 32 member states are on track to meet their commitments this year. And until last summer, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to meet the goal by 2032, Canada was the only NATO country without a plan.
Craft, who served as the U.S. special envoy to Canada from 2017 to 2019 under the Trump administration, said defense spending, especially as part of alliances like NATO, is important for collective deterrence and fending off adversaries such as Russia and China. said that it is important.
For Canada, she said, it’s particularly relevant when it comes to the Arctic.
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft speaks at the Taipei Security Dialogue in Taipei, Taiwan, September 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Yingying Chiang)
He also said, “I believe Canada needs to wake up and understand that once we work from within and strengthen ourselves, we have no better friend than the United States under President Trump, because we… Because we have a proven track record.”
According to a recent report from the Congressional Budget Officer (PBO), if the federal government wants to meet its committed goals by 2032, it will need to double its current defense spending. Such an increase would require a “fundamental” political shift. David Perry, director of the Canadian Institute for Global Affairs, told CTV News this week.
Mr. McNaughton has also long advocated for Canada to take a more active role in defending the continent.
“I understand that when we talk about things like spending targets, it’s almost like a gamble,” he told Kapelos and Kraft. “But what I want is a real commitment to be a trusted defense and security partner by actually taking action, whether it’s through 2032 or 2035 or whatever it is.”
Craft, who also served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under the Trump administration, agreed, adding that “2032 is not enough” for Canada’s timeline.
When asked about President Trump’s previous statements related to military alliances, specifically his repeated threats to pull the U.S. out of the military alliance, Kapelos said why Canada thought involvement in NATO was dangerous. Why should we take guidance from someone else?” Craft argued, the former commander-in-chief. The chief of staff and current Republican candidate is “committed to NATO.”
“Donald Trump, if you say you expect people to pay their fair share, they will do it,” Craft said. “He’s a negotiator.”
“He understands the importance of it,” she added. “He’s not going to walk into a room and show his cards. He’s not going to allow the American people to shoulder the burden of NATO countries.”
During their panel discussion, Mr. Kraft and Mr. McNaughton also discussed trade, the trilateral agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico, known as the USMCA. The agreement is scheduled for review in 2026, and President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have signaled they would be willing to fully restart it once they take office.
With files from CTV News’ Brennan McDonald and Judy Trinh
