The good news is that senior government officials confirm that the two per cent target remains firmly on track. For readers surprised that defence spending could advance so smoothly, despite historically slow procurement systems and few headline-grabbing announcements, here is the explanation: much of this early spending has been deliberate, foundational and largely invisible to the public. The most visible investment arrived last August with a significant boost to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) pay and benefits. Taken together, these investments suggest the government is actually positioned to meet its two per cent commitment this fiscal year. National PostAdvertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementGen. (ret’d) Tom Lawson is board chair and Wendy Gilmour is vice-chair of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute.

Source: National Post January 25, 2026 11:40 UTC