OTTAWA: Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to visit Trenton, Ontario today. Reports suggest that during his visit, he will make a major announcement related to the Canadian Armed Forces. Carney had previously told the media that he wanted to spend time with the military to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities. As part of his visit, he will also tour the military base.
At the NATO summit last June, Canada and other allies had decided to increase their defense budget to five percent of the country’s annual GDP by 2035. Of this, 3.5 percent will be invested in major defense needs such as fighter jets and other equipment, while 1.5 percent will go to related areas like infrastructure and cybersecurity. Carney had then stated that this new agreement would increase Canada’s annual defense budget to approximately $150 billion.
