Canada is not quite as far ahead on defence spending as NATO predicted last year, according to the latest annual report compiled by NATO's secretary general. That's a slight dip from the 1.39 per cent of GDP projected for Canada's defence budget in the western military alliance's last assessment of member nations, which was published last June. Out of 30 NATO nations, Canada ranks 25th in terms of its military spending. After Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, alliance members agreed to increase their defence budgets to bring them up to the two per cent benchmark by 2024. "Allies agreed that we must redouble our efforts to invest more, and more quickly, in our defence," Stoltenberg said.

Source: CBC News March 31, 2022 20:15 UTC