Canada’s Defence Policy Update

Today’s defence policy update includes an important and welcome commitment to publish a national security strategy. This is something the Business Council of Canada (BCC) called for in our 2023 report “Economic Security is National Security.” Canada is in dire need of an over-arching national security strategy that explicitly recognizes and responds to the evolving threats facing our country.

We also acknowledge the government has pledged to increase defence spending. The BCC has long advocated for the government to honour Canada’s commitment to its NATO allies that we will invest two per cent of our GDP in defence. As we look ahead to next week’s federal budget, we reiterate our strong view that any new spending be offset by savings identified elsewhere in government by way of a comprehensive strategic policy review.