Canada needs more ‘urgency’ on military spending amid ‘very real threats’: former defence chief

Canada needs to move faster to rebuild its military as global security threats rapidly change, former chief of the defence staff Wayne Eyre has warned.

Speaking to Global News’ The West Block, the retired general welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s plans for major investments in the Canadian Armed Forces but said greater urgency was needed.

“We need a sense of urgency, much more of a sense of urgency in getting things done,” Eyre told Global News, pointing to geopolitical change, new technology and climate change.

Canada has committed to raising defence spending to four percent of GDP by 2030, although the government has not yet detailed how it will reach that target.

According to Global News, their analysis estimates Canada would need to spend $163 billion annually by 2030 to meet the commitment, including $34.9 billion more in annual core defence spending than outlined in the 2025 budget.

Eyre said military investments take time to translate into operational capabilities and warned Canada’s military readiness has suffered for years.

“In the face of that uncertainty, the nation’s ultimate insurance policy is the military,” he said.

Eyre also said the government must explain security threats to Canadians to maintain public support for increased defence spending.