On Monday, June 9th, 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada will accelerate its defence spending to reach 2% of GDP by the end of the 2025–2026 fiscal year, moving the target forward by several years.

CDAI Board Member and former NSIA to the Prime Minister, Vincent Rigby, joined the Expert Series to analyze the announcement, discussing the challenges of getting to 2%, matching new investments with appropriate personnel amid a recruitment and retention crisis, and the necessity of procurement reform in reaching the 2% target on time. He also addresses  the challenges inherent in juggling the stated goal of diversification away from the U.S. while maintaining cooperation on continental defence, defence integration, and shared security concerns.

What are the main challenges Canada faces in actually reaching the accelerated 2% target goal by 2025–26, and what does the timeline suggest about Canada's understanding of global security threats?

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The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

Learn more: CDA Institute (https://cdainstitute.ca/)

The CDA Institute is a non-partisan think tank that conducts research and education programming on defence and security.

Learn more: CDA Institute