Canada to hit 2% defense NATO spending target this year: Carney [Video]

Canada will reach NATO’s defense spending target of two percent this year, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Monday, arguing the country had to revitalize its military “to defend every inch of our sovereign territory.”

Carney’s speech at the University of Toronto included stark warnings about the global security order being shaken by US President Donald Trump.

But it extended beyond his concern over future US relations. The prime minister warned Canada has not done enough to prepare itself for evolving threats from China, Russia, cyberattacks and the advancing national security implications of climate change.

“The long-held view that Canada’s geographic location will protect us is becoming increasingly archaic,” Carney said.

With threats facing the country multiplying, the prime minister said Canada “will achieve NATO’s two percent target this year — half a decade ahead of schedule.”

“We are too reliant on the United States,” he added.

Trump has repeatedly pressured …