Canada has “work to do” beyond defence policy update to meet military needs: Bill Blair | FULL

Following a meeting with the Atlantic Council and U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon on Monday, Canadian Minister of National Defence Bill Blair revealed Canada has "more work to do" in order to meet the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) current "requirements."

Despite Canada’s recently released “Our North, Strong and Free” defence policy update — which entailed a $7.9 billion investment in new spending on the CAF over the next five years — Blair admitted "we are going to need a new underwater surveillance capability [submarine fleet]."

Blair's response came after being asked if Canada was on track to meet its NATO spending target of two per cent of GDP.

The defence minister also doubled down on the nation's position on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, that while Israel has the "right to exist and defend itself as a nation," that Canada still has not "issued any new export permits for military equipment to Israel," as the Israeli military continues to bombard Gaza in its pursuit to "destroy" all Hamas militants.

Blair briefly touched on Canada’s NORAD Modernization Plan and the Canada-U.S. defence relationship, and is set to meet with American cybersecurity and defence industry leaders on the second and final day of his trip to Washington, D.C.

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