Canada has failed to meet its commitments with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has chosen to applaud it.
Seventy-five years ago, Trudeau said Canada helped found NATO.
“Today we’re 32 nations strong — united in the fight for our collective freedom, security, and peace,” tweeted Trudeau on Wednesday.
The voiceover said in the video 12 countries formed NATO.
“Sworn to stand together against aggression,” said the voiceover.
“An attack against one would be an attack against all.”
Trudeau followed up by calling NATO “the strongest military alliance in the world.”
“To protect that collective strength, Canada plans to reach 2% of GDP spending on our defence by 2032,” he said.
Haultain Research Institute President Marco Navarro-Genie said Canada has not been doing enough with NATO.
“On your watch and with your direction, Canada has become a parasitical member,” said Navarro-Genie.
Canadian business advisor Kirk Lubimov said Canada was not putting in enough money to NATO and other countries were becoming annoyed.
“Today, Canada is trying to free rife our allies' contributions and our allies are tired of it,” said Lubimov.
US Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) led a bipartisan group of senators in urging Trudeau to develop a plan to increase the required 2% of GDP for NATO spending in May.
READ MORE: US senators ask Trudeau to increase Canada’s NATO spending
Canada’s most recent projection showed it will not meet the 2% spending commitment this decade. Without meaningful, immediate action to increase defence spending, Shaheen said Canada will fail to meet its NATO obligations, jeopardizing the collective security of its allies.
“The 2023 Vilnius Summit agreement reiterated and expanded upon prior agreements of the 2% defense spending baseline, which Canada’s Defence Minister and Canada’s Head of Government agreed to in 2006 and 2014, respectively,” said the US senators.