PM Trudeau, Merkel diverge in response to Trump’s NATO spending call

[Tennis]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle34065401/

Canada and Germany are both pledging to boost defence spending, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is not offering the same firm promises as his German counterpart.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted the Canadian Prime Minister for a lunch at the German Chancellery Friday, which followed a private dinner between the two leaders the night before.

When they later addressed the media, they were asked to respond to calls this week from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration for NATO allies to boost defence spending.

The Trump administration put its NATO allies on notice this week with a warning that the United States will look at moderating its commitment to the trans-Atlantic military organization if members don’t start contributing their fair share.

The U.S. has long called on its NATO partners to contribute 2 per cent of their country’s GDP toward defence spending. Canada’s commitment is currently around 1 per cent, while Germany contributes 1.2 per cent.

Ms. Merkel said Friday that Germany is committed to meeting the target within a decade. She also said her government approved an 8-per-cent increase in defence spending this year.

“We intend to pursue this,” she said. “Obviously we have to absorb those additional funds so I think Germany shows that it is ready and willing to acknowledge its responsibility in this respect.”

Mr. Trudeau, in contrast, said Canada supports the 2-per-cent target but he offered no firm timelines. The Prime Minister instead pointed to Canada’s plans to boost military procurement and its willingness to play a leadership role in NATO missions.

“Obviously it is important that there be the financial contributions and the 2-per-cent target is one that we all agreed to, but we also recognize that there are many ways of evaluating one’s contributions to NATO,” Mr. Trudeau said. “When you look at the countries that regularly step up delivering troops, participating in missions, being there to do the heavy lifting in the alliance, Germany and Canada have always been amongst the strongest actors in NATO.”

A Canadian official said this week that Mr. Trudeau made that case to Mr. Trump directly at Monday’s White House meeting.

“The Canadian contribution to NATO is appreciated,” the official said. “We send real soldiers to do the difficult things.”

Canada’s defence spending is far less than the 3.6 per cent – an estimated $664-billion a year – that the U.S. spends, which is more than double the rest of all NATO countries combined.

At a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels this week, U.S. Defence Secretary James Mattis urged NATO members to step up.

“America will meet its responsibilities, but if your nations do not want to see America moderate its commitment to this alliance, each of your capitals needs to show support for our common defence,” he said.

Mr. Trudeau is on a brief tour of France and Germany that is primarily focused on celebrating the adoption of a free-trade pact with the European Union. After years of negotiations, the EU Parliament gave its final vote of approval this week to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada.

Nearly a year-and-a-half after his election victory, Mr. Trudeau’s foreign travels continue to attract celebrity-like attention.

His image appears on the cover of the Friday edition of Germany’s Die Welt newspaper with the caption “Sexiest politician alive.” The newspaper went on to describe Mr. Trudeau as the “anti-Trump.”

On Friday morning, Mr. Trudeau took a moment to tour Berlin’s National Holocaust Memorial, where he laid a wreath and then took a short walk in the rain among the sombre monument’s grey pillars.

Later in the afternoon, he visited the site of December’s deadly terrorist attack in the capital’s Christmas market.

Less than two months have passed since a truck ran into a public square, killing 12 people and injuring dozens more just days before Christmas.

On Friday evening, the Prime Minister is scheduled to deliver a speech to a black-tie audience at the St. Matthew’s Day banquet in Hamburg.

Canadian Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Germany is Canada’s sixth-largest trading partner and that many German companies will be eager to take advantage of the new trade deal.

“It’s important to have countries like Germany on-board. If you look at the industries that could benefit from CETA, there are a number of exports that would benefit the German industry. I think they’re very much aware. The auto industry, for example, would be very much interested in the benefit of CETA,” he said.

“It’s for us to make the case that there’s a number of markets that will open up in Canada. That’s going to be beneficial for small– and medium-sized businesses. Every government in Europe is looking for jobs and what we have achieved is a progressive trade agreement which is really the gold standard.”

I consider this great news. Canada should spend on its people and its interests not on a large military which it does not need. I'm glad PM Trudeau is not getting pulled in. It's a shame that Chancellor Merkel is though..

[Independent voter]

Guess who's on the other side of the North Pole? Will Canada roll over and expose its soft underbelly?





Russia Launches Biggest Arctic Military Expansion Since Fall Of USSR

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-0...sion-fall-ussr

n what will likely be interpreted as the latest "test" by the Kremlin to gauge western military preparedness, Reuters reports that Russia has quietly unleashed the biggest military build up targeting the Arctic since the fall of the Soviet Union. "It is part of a push to firm Moscow's hand in the High North as it vies for dominance with traditional rivals Canada, the United States, and Norway as well as newcomer China." It is also part of the ongoing scramble for resources above the commodity rich arctic circle.


Russian servicemen of the Arctic mechanised infantry brigade participate in a military
drill on riding reindeer and dog sleds near Murmansk, Russia January 23, 2017.

As Reuters notes, under Putin, Moscow is scrambling to re-open abandoned Soviet military, air and radar bases on remote Arctic islands and to build new ones, as it pushes ahead with a claim to almost half a million square miles of the Arctic. It regularly releases pictures of its troops training in white fatigues, wielding assault rifles as they zip along on sleighs pulled by reindeer.

[NED funded]

"Sexiest politician alive"

I call BS on that. Macron is ten times sexier than Trudeau.

[Tennis]

"Sexiest politician alive"

I call BS on that. Macron is ten times sexier than Trudeau.

Never even heard of this Macron and I'm pretty sure almost nobody else on here has too.

[Grimbold21]

Never even heard of this Macron and I'm pretty sure almost nobody else on here has too.

That's cause you're a nutcase

[NED funded]

Never even heard of this Macron and I'm pretty sure almost nobody else on here has too.

He is one of the french candidates. But that is irrelevant, he is sexier than Trudeau.

[Tennis]

He is one of the french candidates. But that is irrelevant, he is sexier than Trudeau.

The only person getting any press out of there is Le Pen and the fellow being investigated. So he really doesn't qualify.

[Deleted]

I consider this great news. Canada should spend on its people and its interests not on a large military which it does not need. I'm glad PM Trudeau is not getting pulled in. It's a shame that Chancellor Merkel is though..

The problem is that Canada is far away and we germans are part of europe, and Putin brought war back to Europe.

So we have to invest more into our security. It is in our own interest to be able to stop putins ambitions if needed.

[NED funded]

The only person getting any press out of there is Le Pen and the fellow being investigated. So he really doesn't qualify.

An AI predicted his victory, so I would not really be sure.

[PickleballAce]

"Sexiest politician alive"

I call BS on that. Macron is ten times sexier than Trudeau.

Trudeau has those uber-fine Cuban genes though.

[the game]

Never even heard of this Macron and I'm pretty sure almost nobody else on here has too.

You've never heard of him so he doesn't exist. got it.

[Shadee]

Canada spends 0.99% of their GDP on defense, falling well short of their NATO pledge of 2%. Disgraceful!

[Uvwaex]

An AI predicted his victory, so I would not really be sure.

Was it the same AI that did trump, or am I not remembering that correctly? Marcon seems like a good guy generally.

[monkmastaeq]

Doesn't surprise me coming from trudeau, not living up to commitments and promises as well as flat out lying seems to be the theme of his administration

BUT HE SO GOOD LOOKING THOUGH

people these days =/

[Theodarzna]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle34065401/

I consider this great news. Canada should spend on its people and its interests not on a large military which it does not need. I'm glad PM Trudeau is not getting pulled in. It's a shame that Chancellor Merkel is though..

Wait, you mean Canada first? Isn't that racist and jingoistic?

[Skroe]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle34065401/



I consider this great news. Canada should spend on its people and its interests not on a large military which it does not need. I'm glad PM Trudeau is not getting pulled in. It's a shame that Chancellor Merkel is though..

We've litterally had this discussion for.

(1) Your CF-18 Hornets, which are first Generation F/A-18A Hornets, need to be retired before your pilots die.

(2) If you buy the F-35 to replace them, it will last you until the 2040s. That's a 25 year investment.

(3) Or you can buy some Super Hornets or Gripens, to save some money now, but you'd be replacing them all after 2030. The next spending would be greater. You'd be buying two seperate aircraft instead of one.

(4) If the F-35 is so offensive, buy the Eurofighter. It'll get you further than the Hornets or Gripens.


Honestly, this is barely a defense issue. it is a "is this how you REALLY want to spend your money issue?". You need item X. You can spend somewhat more now, or spend less now and a lot more later, for a higher next expendiature.

I know what I'd choose. But hey, don't let Uncle Sam stop Canada from making a boneheaded decision with what to do with its taxpayer dollars. If you want to buy aircraft twice, go right ahead. Just be aware: the Super Hornet production line is in it's last few years, and the Navy will replace them all after 2030, so any new build Super Hornets will be reliant on after-market and second hand parts after 2030, much as the ancient CF-18 is today. And that goes for the Eurofighter as well.

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Canada spends 0.99% of their GDP on defense, falling well short of their NATO pledge of 2%. Disgraceful!

Canada's military is built largely around territorial defense, due to it's tight relationship with NORAD. It has the most barebone expeditionary capability.

Dropping another 1% of GDP on tanks won't help NATO. If it needs to spend more, it's on more aircraft, small surface craft and Icebreakers. In fact, there is a good chance Canada and the US are going to engage in a joint procurement program for Icebreakers.

[minteK917]

Heres the thing. You have 3 Canadian party. Conservative wanted to buy 10 F-35. Neo democrats wanted to buy nothing. Liberal havent decided what to buy. Canada is never gona hit 2%, its political suicide. Even the 10 F-35 werent gona be 2% GDP. Like Skroe said Canada is unlikely to ever hit 2%. Alot of our Operation are joint project with the USA. Canada is not europe on that particular topic, we are pretty much a service state for the USA, which is why Trump was all peachy and cool when he visited. Fact is when Trumps threatening Nato, hes threatening the European members. Just like when Trump is threatening NAFTA, hes really just threatening mexico.

Nato could vanish and have no effect on Canada what so ever, it has no effect on NORAD. Plus future programs joint with the USA has Skroe suggest for procurement of Icebreakers, is again not gona make Canada hit 2% GDP. Because which ever party decides to spend that cash would not be able to keep office.

[Malacrass]

Trudeau literally looks like he just jumped out of a Disney movie.

The handsome, yet scummy prince who wants to shag the heroine and kill the male protagonist.

[Wyrt]

Why does Canada need NATO anyway? Who's going to attack them?

[Tennis]

You've never heard of him so he doesn't exist. got it.

H's not a player on the world stage so why are we going to be impressed by him?

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Why does Canada need NATO anyway? Who's going to attack them?

Why indeed. Should go the Ireland route.