Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that Canada is exploring the possibility of joining the second phase of the AUKUS alliance, a defense partnership led by the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. The initial focus of the alliance, established in 2021, centered on developing nuclear-powered submarines for Australia.
Trudeau indicated that Canada will assess whether acquiring nuclear-powered submarines is necessary to enhance its ability to defend Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic. The announcement came as the federal government released its long-awaited defense policy review, emphasizing the protection of Canadian sovereignty in the North.
The defense policy review includes significant new spending commitments, including investments in submarines, long-range missiles, and early-warning aircraft. However, it falls short of NATO’s spending target of two percent of GDP, with military spending projected to reach 1.76 percent by 2030.
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