The proposal was approved by 303 votes to 27, with the Conservatives, Liberals and the Quebec Bloc all voting in favor.  The NDP and the two MPs of the Green Party voted against it.  NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has long called the goal “arbitrary.”
Conservative defense critic Kerry-Lynne Findlay, who backed the proposal, said the result of the vote was “worrying” given the Liberal and NDP trust and offer agreement.
“How can our NATO allies be confident that Canada will continue to be a credible security partner when members of Prime Minister Trinto’s NDP-Liberal government vote against the principle of meeting our NATO spending commitments?” , she said in a statement.
Although not binding, the proposal is symbolic, leading to the liberalization of the Liberals’ budget on Thursday, as they face growing calls to boost military spending.
Several countries have increased their defense spending commitments under the 2014 NATO Summit Declaration of Wales following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg praised Canada for its contribution to the alliance, but called on all allies to “strengthen” in the light of the crisis in Eastern Europe.
A new NATO report shows that Greece spent the most defense spending among NATO members in 2021, contributing 3.59 percent of its GDP, followed by the US with 3.57 percent, Poland with 2.34 percent. one hundred and the United Kingdom with 2.25 percent.
Canada, meanwhile, spent 1.36 percent of its GDP on defense last year.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer told the Power Play on the CTV News Channel that in order for Canada to reach 2%, it would have to spend between $ 20 billion and $ 25 billion a year.
“Because GDP is growing, there is inflation … This means that if you want to cover 2% of the growing base you have to spend more and we are a long way from that 2% target, so anywhere between $ 20 in 25 “billions more every year, every year, to achieve that two percent goal,” he said.
Both Secretary of Defense Anita Anand and Secretary of State Melanie Joly have indicated that Canada intends to bring more to the table, but has not committed to a specific amount.