Investing.com -- On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the nation from the Irving Shipyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia, outlining a robust plan to reinforce the country's military capabilities and sovereignty. Amidst increasing global tensions and shifts in international norms, Carney emphasized the importance of unity and action over negativity and division.
Carney is currently campaigning as head of the Liberal Party, running against the Pierre Poilievre-led Conservative Party in the current election, with voting commencing on April 28.
The Prime Minister acknowledged the challenges posed by emboldened adversaries and the changing priorities of the United States, which have put traditional alliances and the sovereignty of nations like Canada at risk. In response, Carney announced measures to shield Canadian workers affected by tariffs, utilizing retaliatory tariffs to bolster their protection. He stressed that strength lies in togetherness and warned against allowing politicians to sow discord among citizens.
Carney's speech highlighted the underfunding of Canada's military, currently less than 1.5% of GDP on defense, and his commitment to doubling down on the national shipbuilding industry, creating jobs, and modernizing the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). He also mentioned plans for investing in new technologies, building new military installations, and increasing the presence of Canadian Armed Forces in the Arctic.
The Prime Minister detailed a significant increase in defense spending, which has more than doubled since the tenure of most recent Conservative Party Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Carney's strategy includes rebuilding, reinvesting, and rearming to expand the Navy's capabilities with new submarines and heavy icebreakers, as well as accelerating investment in the armed forces.
Carney assured full commitment to all orders within the national shipbuilding strategy and outlined steps to address the Canadian Armed Forces' personnel shortage, which Carney's administration has deemed short of manpower by over 14,000. These steps include modernizing the recruitment process, raising salaries, building new housing on bases, and improving access to healthcare services.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister plans to enhance the reach of the Canadian Coast Guard, integrate it into NATO defense capabilities, and create a first-class drone capability to defend the Arctic and other critical areas. He emphasized the importance of utilizing Canadian resources, including steel and aluminum, and relying on Canadian suppliers and workers for procurement.
Carney concluded his speech by declaring the current election as the most consequential of Canadian's lifetimes and assured that his government is meeting the current moment with purpose and force, seeking solutions and positive action for Canada.
