David Cohen, the US Ambassador to Ottawa, stated that judging Canada’s contribution to global military security based on the amount of money it spends on defence is a common and bad mistake. Cohen was speaking in response to a Washington Post report stating that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had privately informed NATO officials that Canada would never reach the military alliance’s two percent of GDP spending target.
Cohen refused to comment on the report, but he defended Canada’s contribution to the military, highlighting its support for Ukraine and its plans to strengthen Arctic defense. Cohen stated that Canada should be assessed by more than just one metric. The current government of Canada, which has voluntarily agreed to the two percent target set by NATO in 2006, decides on its priorities and budget allocation. Cohen suggested that Canada’s contribution to global security should be measured through its actions, such as its support for Ukraine, rather than the amount of money it spends on defence.
In contrast, one of Cohen’s predecessors, David Jacobson, stated that he fears the consequences of Trudeau’s reported comment. Jacobson stated that it could make resolving future bilateral irritants between the US and Canada more difficult.