National

NATO leaders agree to spend at least two per cent of their countries' GDP on defence

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 11 Jul, 2023 10:05 AM

NATO leaders have pledged to spend more on national defence, even as Canada and others are failing to meet the previous target.

A statement released this afternoon in Vilnius, Lithuania, says NATO members pledge to make two per cent of GDP the minimum spend each year, with one-fifth of that going to equipment.

The allies say they acknowledge that more is needed urgently to meet their commitments as members of the military alliance.

Only about a third of the 31 members are spending two per cent or more on defence.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas says her message to allies is that the threat from Russia is real and that more is needed.

She and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met earlier today, and she thanked him for Canada's commitment to send more troops and more money to a NATO mission in Latvia.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Pandemic support lowered B.C.'s child poverty rate

It's the largest one-year drop in the rate since 2000, but one in eight children were still living in poverty, and the report says rates were "dramatically higher" among children living on First Nation reserves and those who recently immigrated.

Pandemic support lowered B.C.'s child poverty rate

MPs want more earthquake donations matched

The federal government has offered to match up to $10 million in donations to the Canadian Red Cross for their partners on the ground to help people who are suddenly homeless. Conservative, Bloc Québécois and New Democrat MPs want to see that expanded to include other groups, an idea that is supported by at least one Liberal MP, Sameer Zuberi.

MPs want more earthquake donations matched

Canadian's body found in Turkey earthquake rubble

Saad Zora says his twin sister Samar was found earlier today by searchers as an excavator dug through pieces of a five-storey building in the city of Antakya. He said, "Samar was found," and added, "she didn't make it."

Canadian's body found in Turkey earthquake rubble

Across the continent, eyes on the sky — and Norad

Three separate objects were blown out of the sky in as many days over the weekend, a flurry of close encounters that followed what U.S. officials say was a Chinese surveillance balloon that floated across the continent two weeks ago.

Across the continent, eyes on the sky — and Norad

Big grocery store CEOs called to testify in Ottawa

The proposal to hear from the grocery leaders came from NDP MP Alistair MacGregor, and it received unanimous support from Liberal, Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs. Executives from all three companies, as well as Save-On-Foods, have testified at past committee meetings focused on the rising cost of food — but not their CEOs.

Big grocery store CEOs called to testify in Ottawa

Photojournalist, news outlet sue RCMP over arrest

The claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court on Monday argues Bracken didn't breach the injunction because she was there as a journalist and the RCMP were notified that she was a member of the media before, during and after her arrest.