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PM Justin Trudeau's Canada

Freeland hints upcoming budget could have more money for military​

From link.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland hinted Wednesday that the upcoming federal budget could contain new money for the Canadian Armed Forces, as Canada faces pressure to invest more into its military following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Freeland said one of the reasons she is accompanying Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on his four-country European tour this week is to consult with allies and others in the region ahead of the budget's release.

“The geopolitical situation has just changed tremendously, the geopolitical and geo-economic situation,” Freeland said in reference to Russia's attack on Ukraine, which has caused shock waves across Europe and the world.

“And it's very important and valuable for me as we finalize the budget to have some firsthand conversations about exactly the changes on the ground. And certainly, defence spending is something we have to look at carefully.”

Freeland, who described Russia's invasion as a pivotal moment for Canada and the world, also said the government is taking into account the “economic consequences” of the war, which has coincided with skyrocketing inflation and energy prices.

Trudeau earlier this week opened the door to Canada investing more in its military, though the prime minister stopped short of any specific commitments.

That stood in stark contrast to Germany and some other European allies who have responded to the invasion of Ukraine by ending their long-standing opposition to meeting NATO's target of spending two per cent of their GDP on defence.

While all NATO allies agreed in 2014 to spend two per cent of their GDP on defence within the next decade, Canada has lagged behind most of its allies by consistently spending far less than that.

Canada spent about 1.39 per cent of its GDP on the military last year, according to NATO. And despite promising $535 billion in new military spending over 20 years, the Liberals' 2017 defence strategy did not include a plan to reach the two per cent target.

Successive Canadian governments have argued that dollars alone aren't a sufficient measure of this country's contributions to the NATO military alliance, and that its deployment of troops and equipment should count for more.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a defence conference in Ottawa on Wednesday that Canada is contributing to NATO in many different ways.

That includes leading a multinational NATO battlegroup in Latvia and, following Russia's attack on Ukraine, committing an additional warship, aircraft and troops to the alliance's defensive efforts in eastern Europe.

But Stoltenberg was also clear that he would like to see all NATO allies do even more - including Canada.

“I call on all allies to step up,” he said. “I welcome the message from Prime Minister Trudeau that in light of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, Canada will also then assess the need for further increases in defence spending.”

One area where the government is expected to add money is the modernization of North America's main defensive systems, including the string of 1980s-era radars in Canada's Far North known as the North Warning System.

The government has said upgrading the North American Aerospace Defence Command, as the entire system is known, is a priority and many experts are expecting movement on that front, particularly with Russia threatening nuclear war.

Andrea Charron, an associate professor and director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at the University of Manitoba, said Canada and the U.S. face a daunting task when it comes to a modernized, unified front against threats to North America.

A truly integrated continental defence framework would require breaking down long-standing bureaucratic and military silos and barriers both within and between the two countries, a willingness to confront deep-seated concerns about sovereignty and independence, and a great deal of money, among other things, Charron said.

“It is no longer a case of Canada just being a laggard, or contributing just enough and that this will satisfy our U.S. partners, or that North America is never a target of attack,” she said while appearing on a panel at the Conference of Defence Associations Institute event after Stoltenberg.

“North America is under considerable risk, has been for some time and will continue to be. And a North America at risk is a liability for NATO and its partners, unless we contribute significantly to continental defence.”

Lindsay Rodman, a former Marine Corps judge advocate and Obama administration adviser who serves as a fellow in residence at the University of Ottawa's Centre for International Policy Studies, sounded less certain that Canada will be forced to spend more.

“I think Canada will probably feel peer pressure; there will be increased defence expenditure on the European continent from our NATO allies and Canada may feel left out if there's less of a contribution from Canada,” Rodman said.

“Even so, I think that American rhetoric about our allies ponying up and contributing will probably dissipate a little bit - if we see some folks picking up the mantle a little bit, and that may allow Canada to … perhaps not get close to two per cent, but still remain a valued contributor to the NATO alliance.”

Stoltenberg also revealed that NATO defence ministers will be discussing the alliance's long-term plan for the Baltics and eastern Europe, including whether permanent forces are required to guard against and deter a broader Russian attack.

A final decision on any proposal, he added, won't come until leaders meet in Madrid at the end of June.
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The government’s pre-budget consultations ended on 25 February 2022. The 2022 budget is widely expected to be tabled in late March or early April.
 
mjl08 said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1506080438330273796
Click to expand...

A report from The Star is currently behind the paywall:

www.thestar.com

Deal in the works between Liberals and NDP that would keep Justin Trudeau’s government in power in exchange for NDP-friendly measures

If the Liberal-NDP deal goes ahead, and sources were saying negotiations were still going on late into Monday night, Canada would be spared a federal election until 2025.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com

It lines up w/the Tweet roughly.

Salient points:

- Deal would be a supply and confidence motion w/the NDP backing the Trudeau gov't in exchange for action on key files
- Primary files would some version a Dentalcare program and partial, but material Pharmacare
- Possible secondary items (housing/reconciliation etc.)
- Deal runs to 2025

- Also noted, nothing is final til the caucuses of both parties approve the deal

- Conservatives have issued a statement calling the whole thing a 'power grab'
 
Northern Light said:
A report from The Star is currently behind the paywall:

www.thestar.com

Deal in the works between Liberals and NDP that would keep Justin Trudeau’s government in power in exchange for NDP-friendly measures

If the Liberal-NDP deal goes ahead, and sources were saying negotiations were still going on late into Monday night, Canada would be spared a federal election until 2025.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com

It lines up w/the Tweet roughly.

Salient points:

- Deal would be a supply and confidence motion w/the NDP backing the Trudeau gov't in exchange for action on key files
- Primary files would some version a Dentalcare program and partial, but material Pharmacare
- Possible secondary items (housing/reconciliation etc.)
- Deal runs to 2025

- Also noted, nothing is final til the caucuses of both parties approve the deal

- Conservatives have issued a statement calling the whole thing a 'power grab'
Click to expand...

Bringing in a level of dentalcare and pharmacare, on top of the affordable childcare that's in the works would give Trudeau a significant legacy, even if a lot of it is actually proposed by the NDP in the background.

Now if only they would do something about the housing crisis...
 
Towered said:
Bringing in a level of dentalcare and pharmacare, on top of the affordable childcare that's in the works would give Trudeau a significant legacy, even if a lot of it is actually proposed by the NDP in the background.

Now if only they would do something about the housing crisis...
Click to expand...

The childcare deal seems like its real and will stick, which is great.

I won't count on anything else until its delivered; but I agree both of those things would be positive steps forward.

I'll also concur that if delivered, in addition to childcare they would probably represent the biggest expansion of social programs in 2 generations, or, since Trudeau the elder.
 
Looks like it passed both caucuses as Trudeau is formally announcing the deal this morning.


From the above:

1647958351498.png


****

Also

1647958375796.png


There's also a 1 year extension of the Rapid Housing Initiative.

****

The NDP news release has additional details:

www.ndp.ca

Delivering for Canadians Now

Today, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced an agreement reached by Canada’s New Democratic Party and the Liberal Party of Canada in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement.
www.ndp.ca www.ndp.ca

1647958666462.png


***

1647958709922.png


***

There are additional sections on reconciliation, improving democracy, fairer taxes and climate action.
 
W. K. Lis said:
The Canadian oligarchs do not like it a lot.
Click to expand...
Not sure what you mean. Canada leans to the left as always. Universal pharmacare and dental care would be great. I'm paying $200 for paltry coverage right now. However, this is all the purview of the provinces, so good luck. And at the moment I'm mostly interested in defence spending.
 
Bayer said:
Not sure what you mean. Canada leans to the left as always. Universal pharmacare and dental care would be great. I'm paying $200 for paltry coverage right now. However, this is all the purview of the provinces, so good luck. And at the moment I'm mostly interested in defence spending.
Click to expand...
The right, which includes the oligarchs, do not want universal pharmacare and dental care.

From link.

"Throughout history, oligarchies have often been tyrannical, relying on public obedience or oppression to exist. Aristotle pioneered the use of the term as meaning rule by the rich, for which another term commonly used today is plutocracy. In the early 20th century Robert Michels developed the theory that democracies, like all large organizations, tend to turn into oligarchies. In his "Iron law of oligarchy" he suggests that the necessary division of labor in large organizations leads to the establishment of a ruling class mostly concerned with protecting their own power."​
​
 
I'm shocked we haven't yet had some unhinged Con backbencher declare this to be "treason" or a "coup". There's gotta be someone talking about "this is what Hitler did" at some point too to complete the trifecta.
 
Northern Light said:
Looks like it passed both caucuses as Trudeau is formally announcing the deal this morning.


From the above:

View attachment 387032

****

Also

View attachment 387033

There's also a 1 year extension of the Rapid Housing Initiative.

****

The NDP news release has additional details:

www.ndp.ca

Delivering for Canadians Now

Today, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced an agreement reached by Canada’s New Democratic Party and the Liberal Party of Canada in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement.
www.ndp.ca www.ndp.ca

View attachment 387040

***

View attachment 387041

***

There are additional sections on reconciliation, improving democracy, fairer taxes and climate action.
Click to expand...
A bit of a step away from 'universal' dentalcare, but it is not insignificant. As always, the devil will be in the details as to how dentalcare is defined. If it follows most supplementary health coverage plans, services like crowns, implants, surgery, etc. as well as orthodontics are treated and covered differently than fillings, cleaning, etc.

As is most matters of federal funding, I suspect Quebec, and possibly Alberta if their current government lasts, will say 'give us the money without strings and we'll spend it as we see fit'.
 
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