Canadian Politics Today

thanks for going through the list - if I find time, I'll bite away at your response; in that vein:

- Increased support for NATO, and renewed Canadian leadership in the world

What exactly does 'renewed leadership' actually mean? Sounds like one of these phrases that doesn't really MEAN anything, but easy to claim.

As for NATO, prior to COVID our military spending (as a percentage of GDP) has risen slightly since Trudeau took office, but we are still a long way from meeting our commitments.

latest figure (this 2021 year) has Canada spending @1.45% of GDP... yes, it's not yet reaching the bullshyte 2% level... but, officially, that aligns to expected monies for 2024-2025. Renewed leadership? One of those ways is through ongoing and continued Canadian troops deployed on behalf of NATO... and UN... engagements.

in any case: that 2% figure was initially a target guideline recommendation, never mandated - no penalties for not meeting the guideline. More pointedly, it's an arbitrary figure that was chosen simply based on declining spending after the end of the 'cold war'... and reflected what some countries were budgeting over the 1990s period - a figure of convenience, rather than one of strategy. Its also recognized as an improper measure that doesn't properly reflect upon a respective country's actual spending or NATO alliance preparedness... notwithstanding, there is no commonality of definition in what constitutes "defense spending"... there is no commonality of definition in how a country arrives at its GDP figure and military spending percentage of that GDP... there is no commonality of applying exchange rates for local currencies to IMF's GDP data/U.S. dollar equivalents... etc..

on a more pointed level, as I understand, in calculating that 2% figure, Canada does not include spending towards the coast guard or veterans programs... while, for example, the U.S. does. I trust you might appreciate the scope of Canada's Coast Guard/Search & Rescue given the size of our 3 ocean boundaries - yes? In that same vein, as some countries do, Canada also does not include the costs for federal policing, border security, etc.., in calculating that 2% figure... on this latter point, I've just tried (unsuccessfully) to ascertain if the U.S. also includes costs for U.S. federal policing and border security. And again, the flawed 2% figure is 'input spending' and doesn't account for the actual contributions respective members bring to the alliance - so-called output contributions, like troop/equipment deployments in campaigns, peace-keeping contributions, etc..

as an aside (dated Feb article): Canada set to benefit as NATO considers compensation for military deployments

The head of NATO is proposing member states be compensated for contributing troops to some alliance missions, saying it is unfair that countries like Canada must bear all the costs when participating in operations that benefit the entire organization.

Yet NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg also expects all members, including Canada, to make good on their commitments to spend more on their militaries in the face of growing instability throughout the world.