Latest news with #ReArmEurope
Epoch Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Canada Looking to Join Major European Military Expansion Plan by July 1: Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is hopeful Canada will join the European Union's defence rearmament plan by July 1 in a bid to decrease its reliance on the United States for arms and ammunition. The government's throne speech on May 27 committed the country to joining ReArm Europe and Carney told CBC in an interview the same day he wants to move quickly on joining the initiative.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's former secretary of state says Canadian sovereignty not under threat
OTTAWA — Canada does not have to worry about its sovereignty being threatened by the United States, U.S. President Donald Trump's former secretary of state Mike Pompeo said Wednesday. While Trump has launched tariff barrages that threaten the Canadian economy and has called repeatedly for Canada to become a U.S. state, he's now urging the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney to join a planned multi-billion-dollar space-based missile defence project. "Canada is going to do all the things necessary to protect its own sovereignty, I'm convinced of it," Pompeo told a press conference on the margins of the CANSEC military trade show in Ottawa Wednesday. While he urged Canadians to trust the U.S., he said he can't recall Trump musing about annexing Canada during his time in the president's first administration. "It was new to me when I saw it," Pompeo said. "He's a consummate deal-maker." Pompeo's comments came a day after King Charles delivered a speech from the throne in Parliament that emphasized Canada's status as a sovereign nation and said the "true North is strong and free." As Canada's economy reels under the impact of Trump's stop-and-go tariffs, the president is also putting new pressure on Canada's treasury. Trump and NATO allies are pressing Ottawa to bulk up its national defence budget by tens of billions of dollars a year. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Monday that he expects NATO allies to commit to spending five per cent of their GDP on defence at the NATO meeting in The Hague next month — well beyond the current 2 per cent benchmark that Canada has failed to meet. Defence Minister David McGuinty told the CANSEC audience of military brass and industry merchants Wednesday that the new Carney government intends to move with "immediate and decisive action" to rebuild Canada's military. He described its sense of urgency by citing the speed at which Canada built up its navy at the start of the Second World War. McGuinty also warned that countries around the world are adjusting quickly to a changing global threat environment. "I read yesterday that the Netherlands let 22 per cent of their public servants go — except for the defence department — to meet their obligations," he said in a state-of-the-union style speech at CANSEC. "Others are increasing corporate taxes or running larger deficits in anticipation of the troubles that might be forthcoming." McGuinty said some countries are "doing away with national holidays" — a reference to Denmark's recent decision to abolish a long weekend holiday called "Great Prayer Day" in an attempt to bring in more tax revenue to cover its NATO defence spending target. The Liberal party's election platform states that the single largest sum in Prime Minister Carney's spending plan — more than $30.9 billion — is earmarked for defence over the next four years. McGuinty's remarks came just a day after the Liberal government signalled Canada plans to join ReArm Europe, a major European defence procurement pact. McGuinty said joining that plan will diversify Canada's defence partnerships and give it access to new opportunities in Europe's $1.25 trillion defence marketplace. McGuinty refused to answer reporters' questions after his speech and ducked out through a back door by the stage. In an interview with CBC News Tuesday evening, Carney said his government wants to join ReArm Europe by Canada Day. The Canadian Press has asked the European Commission whether Carney's timeline is realistic. A spokesperson for security policy said Wednesday the commission will provide a response but has not done so yet. ReArm Europe is a plan to leverage loans and redraw fiscal rules to pump funds into rearming European nations and build up domestic defence industries. The initiative was launched after Trump suspended U.S. military aid supporting Ukraine's defence in its ongoing war with Russia, which has recently intensified. The Canadian Press asked Pompeo whether he worries that Canada joining the ReArm program might divert procurement away from the U.S. and toward Europe. "I always worry about that at one level. Conversely, the United States is the security partner for Canada and Canada is incredibly important for the United States," he said. "In the end, the relationship between Canada and America is going to remain through Democrats, Republicans and everything in between that." One defence procurement project is top-of-mind for the federal government right now. Carney has ordered a review of Ottawa's purchase of F-35 fighter jets — a contract won by the U.S. firm Lockheed Martin but hotly contested by European-based companies. Ottawa has been tight-lipped about where that review is headed. Asked about the F-35 review at the CANSEC event Wednesday, Lt.-Gen. Eric Kenny of the Royal Canadian Air Force said he'll have to wait and see where the government lands. He was more open when speaking about what ReArm Europe might mean for Canada. 'The lessons that we're seeing through the brutal war in Ukraine and the loss of countless of lives unnecessarily by the illegal invasion of Russia … show us that we need to be prepared for potential future threats,' he said. 'ReArm Europe is one of those ways of diversifying portfolios and I think it'll probably be good for Canadian business.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2025. Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Carney says he wants Canada to join major European defense plan
OTTAWA — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he wants his country to join a major European plan to bolster defenses by 1 July. Speaking to CBC on Tuesday, Carney said he hoped Canada would sign on to ReArm Europe — a plan to dramatically increase defense spending on the continent to in the next five years — in a bid to reduce reliance on the US. "Seventy-five cents of every (Canadian) dollar of capital spending for defense goes to the United States. That's not smart," Carney told the public broadcaster. His remarks come amid tension with the US after threats from President Donald Trump — though Carney has also previously said he is open to joining a missile defense project proposed by Trump. A day after Carney's remarks, Canada's defense minister told a military trade show that his country wanted to quickly boost defense capacity in the face of growing global threats. "The global security environment is today volatile and uncertain," said defense minister David McGuinty on Wednesday, citing Russia's war in Ukraine, as well as a more assertive China. McGuinty said there would be a future focus on the Arctic, where competing nations were challenging Canada's sovereignty. Defense also featured on Tuesday in the Speech from the Throne — an event that opened the new parliament and outlined the sitting government's agenda. The address was read in person by King Charles III, Canada's monarch, as part of a royal visit that was designed to highlight Canada's identity and sovereignty. The speech contained commitments to "rebuilding, rearming, and reinvesting" in Canada's military. It also outlined the government's goal of strengthening defense relationships with European allies, and made mention of joining the ReArm Europe plan. The remarks by Canadian officials come after Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said he expected members of his Western defense alliance — including Canada — to grow their annual defense spending to a level equivalent to 5% of each nation's GDP. The Nato target was previously 2% of GDP, but Rutte said members must prepare to defend themselves from increasingly 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." The plan to increase Nato's spending target still has to be approved by member-country leaders, who are set to meet in the Netherlands in late June. Canada has long faced pressure for failing to meet Nato targets, and was accused last year by US House Speaker Mike Johnson of "riding on America's coattails". Canadian business leaders have also called on their government to majorly boost spending in the defense industry, touting this as a way to boost the economy. In Wednesday's remarks, McGuinty told defense industry representatives that Carney's government would prioritize procuring military technology and equipment from Canadian companies. Last week, Carney said that "high-level" talks were also taking place with the US about joining Trump's Golden Dome missile defense system. The King's throne speech noted that Canada wanted to continue talks with the US on security on trade. The US president posted on his Truth Social network later on Tuesday evening that the Golden Dome project would cost Canada US$61bn "if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation." "But will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State," he added, repeating his often-repeated view that Canada should be absorbed by the US. "They are considering the offer!" he claimed. In response, Carney's office said in a statement that the prime minister "has been clear at every opportunity, including in his conversations with President Trump, that Canada is an independent, sovereign nation, and it will remain one". Meanwhile, Canada's UN ambassador reposted the US president's comment on X with the response: "In another context this would called a 'protection racket'." — BBC
Global News
3 days ago
- Business
- Global News
Canada's new military investment urgency will rival WWII, minister vows
The federal government will take 'immediate and decisive action' to rebuild Canada's military, Defence Minister David McGuinty told an audience of military contractors at a trade show in Ottawa Wednesday morning. He described the government's sense of urgency by citing the speed at which Canada built up its navy at the start of the Second World War. McGuinty also warned that countries around the world are adjusting quickly to a changing global threat environment. 'I read yesterday that the Netherlands let 22 per cent of their public servants go — except for the defence department — to meet their obligations,' he said in a state-of-the-union style speech at the CANSEC trade show in Ottawa. 'Other countries are doing away with national holidays. Others are increasing corporate taxes or running larger deficits in anticipation of the troubles that might be forthcoming.' Story continues below advertisement That comment cites Denmark's recent decision to abolish a long weekend holiday called 'Great Prayer Day' in an attempt to bring in more tax revenue to cover its NATO defence spending target. The Liberal party's election platform states that the single largest sum in Prime Minister Mark Carney's spending plan — more than $30.9 billion — is earmarked for defence over the next four years. 1:57 Canada election 2025: Carney vows to bolster Canada's military McGuinty's remarks come just a day after the Liberal government signalled in its throne speech, read by King Charles, that Canada plans to join ReArm Europe, a major European defence procurement pact. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy McGuinty said joining the plan will diversify Canada's defence partnerships and give it access to new opportunities in Europe's $1.25 trillion defence marketplace. But McGuinty refused to answer reporters' questions after his speech and ducked out through a back door by the stage. Story continues below advertisement In an interview with CBC News Tuesday evening, Carney said his government wants to join ReArm Europe by Canada Day. ReArm Europe is a plan to leverage loans and redraw fiscal rules to pump funds into rearming European nations and building up domestic defence industries. The initiative was launched after U.S. President Donald Trump suspended U.S. military aid supporting Ukraine's defence in its ongoing war with Russia, which has recently intensified. Trump's former secretary of state Mike Pompeo also addressed the crowd of defence industry insiders in private at the CANSEC trade show Wednesday. Carney spoke about the ReArm plan with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in March, not long after he first took office. He also quickly arranged a trip to the U.K. and France to bolster relationships with those major arms-producing nations. 1:51 Canada election 2025: Carney promises to revamp defence procurement Speaking with reporters at the CANSEC trade show, Lt.-Gen. Eric Kenny of the Royal Canadian Air Force said it's important to have a strong supply chain in place for times of crisis. Story continues below advertisement 'The lessons that we're seeing through the brutal war in Ukraine and the loss of countless of lives unnecessarily by the illegal invasion of Russia … show us that we need to be prepared for potential future threats,' he said. 'ReArm Europe is one of those ways of diversifying portfolios and I think it'll probably be good for Canadian business.' Canada's commitment to ReArm comes at a time of profound trade tensions with the U.S., which has long been its most important trading and security partner and remains a key part of its military supply chains. It also comes as Trump continues to pressure Canada and other NATO allies to ramp up defence spending. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Monday that he expects NATO allies to commit to spending five per cent of their GDP on defence at the NATO meeting in The Hague next month. That would amount to a massive hike in Canada's defence budget requiring tens of billions of dollars in new spending. Roughly 1.5 per cent of that five per cent commitment may end up being accounted for through broader investments in things like defence infrastructure and cyber security. Some experts warn Canada's persistent low level of defence spending is making it increasingly isolated in NATO. Story continues below advertisement McGuinty will head to Brussels for a meeting of NATO defence ministers next week. Ottawa Police, meanwhile, said officers arrested 11 protesters outside the CANSEC show Wednesday on charges of mischief and assaulting police. Anti-war protesters gather every year outside the event venue near the Ottawa airport to demonstrate against the sale of arms and military vehicles, blocking the road and slowing traffic to a crawl.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Carney says he wants Canada to join major European defence plan
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he wants his country to join a major European plan to bolster defences by 1 July. Speaking to CBC on Tuesday, Carney said he hoped Canada would sign on to ReArm Europe - a plan to dramatically increase defence spending on the continent to in the next five years - in a bid to reduce reliance on the US. "Seventy-five cents of every (Canadian) dollar of capital spending for defence goes to the United States. That's not smart," Carney told the public broadcaster. His remarks come amid tension with the US after threats from President Donald Trump - though Carney has also previously said he is open to joining a missile defence project proposed by Trump. A day after Carney's remarks, Canada's defence minister told a military trade show that his country wanted to quickly boost defence capacity in the face of growing global threats. "The global security environment is today volatile and uncertain," said defence minister David McGuinty on Wednesday, citing Russia's war in Ukraine, as well as a more assertive China. McGuinty said there would be a future focus on the Arctic, where competing nations were challenging Canada's sovereignty. Defence also featured on Tuesday in the Speech from the Throne - an event that opened the new parliament and outlined the sitting government's agenda. The address was read in person by King Charles III, Canada's monarch, as part of a royal visit that was designed to highlight Canada's identity and sovereignty. The speech - which was written by both the King with his advisers and the Canadian government - contained commitments to "rebuilding, rearming, and reinvesting" in Canada's military. It also outlined the government's goal of strengthening defence relationships with European allies, and made mention of joining the ReArm Europe plan. Canada 'strong and free' and other takeaways from King's throne speech King's Canadian speech doesn't mention you-know-who The remarks by Canadian officials come after Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said he expected members of his Western defence alliance - including Canada - to grow their annual defence spending to a level equivalent to 5% of each nation's GDP. The Nato target was previously 2% of GDP, but Rutte said members must prepare to defend themselves from increasingly 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." The plan to increase Nato's spending target still has to be approved by member-country leaders, who are set to meet in the Netherlands in late June. Canada has long faced pressure for failing to meet Nato targets, and was accused last year by US House Speaker Mike Johnson of "riding on America's coattails". Canadian business leaders have also called on their government to majorly boost spending in the defence industry, touting this as a way to boost the economy. In Wednesday's remarks, McGuinty told defence industry representatives that Carney's government would prioritise procuring military technology and equipment from Canadian companies. Last week, Carney said that "high-level" talks were also taking place with the US about joining Trump's Golden Dome missile defence system. The King's throne speech noted that Canada wanted to continue talks with the US on security on trade. The US president posted on his Truth Social network later on Tuesday evening that the Golden Dome project would cost Canada US$61bn "if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation." "But will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State," he added, repeating his often-repeated view that Canada should be absorbed by the US. "They are considering the offer!" he claimed. In response, Carney's office said in a statement that the prime minister "has been clear at every opportunity, including in his conversations with President Trump, that Canada is an independent, sovereign nation, and it will remain one". Carney says Canada in talks to join Trump's Golden Dome defence system Canada faces pressure at Nato summit for riding on 'coattails'
