Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he hopes to sign a major European defence rearmament plan by 1 July.
The remarks were made on CBC’s Power and Politics following the Speech from the Throne, which committee his government to join ReArm Europe, a plan created aimed at bolstering European defence capabilities.
Joining would mark a major step towards reducing Canada’s dependency on the U.S. for weapons and munitions.
"Seventy-five cents of every dollar of capital spending for defence goes to the United States. That's not smart," Carney said.
Carney took office before the spring election and has been in conversation with the European Union since then about joining the plan.
The plan expects the nations on the continent to spend C$1.25 trillion on defence over the next five years.
"We're making great progress on that, and by Canada Day, we'd like to see something concrete there," Carney said.
Not long after Carney made these remarks, Donald Trump took to Truth Social, claiming that Canada is considering joining the U.S. defence system.
“I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State,” he posted.
“They are considering the offer!”
Carney has rejected Trump’s proposal that Canada become the 51st state on multiple occasions.
Remarks from Canadian officials about joining European defence plans come after NATO Secretary General, Mart Rutte, said he expected alliance members, including Canada, to grow annual defence spending to a level equivalent to 5% of each nation’s GDP.
The previous target was 2% GD,P but Rutte said members must prepare to defend themselves against powerful adversaries like Russia and China.
"Russia has teamed up with China, North Korea and Iran," Rutte told a Nato forum in the US on Monday.
"They are expanding their militaries and their capabilities.
“They are preparing for long-term confrontation."
Canada’s current defence spending is 1.37% of GDP but Carney has committed to increasing this number, however, he cautioned that it had to be done in a manner that benefits the country.
"We are going to have to spend more, sooner," Carney said.
"That's one of the reasons why we will have a fall budget, not a budget tomorrow, because we're part of deeper discussions on the defence side."
