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NATO is losing patience with one of its own members β and itβs not who you think
(www.politico.com)
this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2024
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For anyone wondering why Canada is not eager for military spending, it's because very little goes into our own Canadian economy. We don't have much military industry (and we're not big enough to ever get much) so most of the money spent goes to buying foreign equipment. It's like a permanent export of cash. Planes, rifles, even ship building - we can build the ship, but then we buy all the electronics and weapons systems from someone else.
And not to sound too crass, but for what reason? No one is going to invade Canada because of geography. The US? We have no chance anyway. We could leave NATO and pretty much disband our military entirely. The only reason we're in NATO and have a military is to help others. Again, at extraordinary expense because we don't have our own domestic military industry.
TBF, being a member of a military alliance does give us certain economic advantages since it keeps us friendly with the other members, many of whom we trade with. But you're right that the military industrial complex doesn't pay back into Canada very much. And I say that as someone who grew up in London and so knew lots of people employed by General Dynamics. But one of Canada's biggest exports after our natural resources has long been STEM graduates, many of whom go to work in private industry in Europe or the US. It would be great if we could entice them to stay more often. But that's more a conversation about free trade agreements than military alliances.
We definitely build small arms here (though not the handguns anymore I suspect), there's no reason we couldn't have local industry doing the manufacturing with licensed designs.
I think as well what should the 2% spending be used for? Size of the forces? Equal split between army/navy/air force? Tech development? Tech manufacturing? Until those are answered that 2% spending would do nothing for the CF.
P.S. the F35 procurement shows even the best intentions can have the worst cock ups.