Rapid change in both the political and physical world must be met with a greater sense of urgency in rebuilding the Canadian Armed Forces, says retired Gen. Wayne Eyre, former chief of the defence staff.
Speaking to The West Block host Jeff Semple in an interview that aired Sunday, Eyre said he’s been encouraged by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s pledge to make generational investments in the CAF and bring Canada’s defence spending up to par with NATO allies.
But Eyre warned that the government needs to ensure Canadians understand the threats the country faces in order to maintain public support to foot the bill.
“The real danger, the critical vulnerability that the government is going to face, is if the berating from south of the border changes, and the very real threats to our country remain, the government will lose their social licence to continue,” Eyre said in the interview.
“And that’s why they need to lead through this moment, continue to educate Canadians on the very real threats to our sovereignty, our security and our way of life.”
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After years of lagging behind NATO allies, the Carney government announced in 2025 that Canada expected to hit the alliance’s target of spending two per cent of GDP on defence that year.
The government’s 2025 budget committed the government to grow defence spending to four per cent of GDP by the end of the decade, but has yet to reveal a plan to reach that target.
The price tag will be substantial, and is not yet fully accounted for in the government’s fiscal framework. A Global News analysis of the government’s 2026 Spring Economic Statement suggests Canada will need to spend a total of $163 billion on an annual basis to meet the four per cent commitment by 2030 — $34.9 billion more annually on core defence spending compared to the government’s 2025 budget.
Asked about the lack of transparency around defence spending plans, Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in January to stay tuned to the government’s 2026 budget, expected later this year.
“Obviously when we’re going to present Budget 2026 … we’ll be looking at measures to make the Canadian economy strong and make sure that, you know, the systems and procurement we’re doing meet the NATO requirement, but at the same time that the Canadian economy can finance these big investments,” Champagne said.
Eyre said time is of the essence, because defence investments take time to translate into actual new capabilities and “readiness” — which he defined as “our ability to respond fast enough with enough forces long enough” to a crisis.
The retired general said the CAF’s readiness has been suffering for a long time — from the end of the Cold War to the war in Afghanistan — and it can’t be changed overnight.
“We need a sense of urgency, much more of a sense of urgency in getting things done. The security environment is changing so rapidly, whether its geopolitical reordering, whether its technology, whether it’s climate change, all of those mean there’s multiple future scenarios that we could face and need to be prepared for,” Eyre told Semple.
“In the face of that uncertainty, the nation’s ultimate insurance policy is the military. And so getting things done as quickly as possible in terms of capability procurement? Essential.”
With files from Global’s Jillian Piper.
Yada Yada Yada, who do you think is funding the far right in the EU, Britain and other democratic countries? Not that long ago the same Americans funded Arab Spring and the Orange wave in eastern European countries (even the Alberta separatists get American funding) Yes they cut food aide to starving kids, both American and international, but can still find money to sponsor unrest in other countries.
Ben,
Trudeau was full of it, just like you are. He did jack for the military.
Before Trudeau, we had Harper who cut the miltary down to 1% of GDP and still left us with a fiscal deficit after Mr. Economist recklessly cut the GST to starve social programs. Trudeau raised military spending to 1.35% and Carney raised it to 2%.
Before Carney, the Trudeau government had Defense Ministers such as Anita Anand.
She provided zero leadership, made no progress towards the NATO commitment, ordered no new equipment and then got reassigned to another cabinet post.
She is part of the reason we have such dire circumstances now.
The Liberals keep moving her around. Her trail is full of bad results.
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Canada’s current military includes the option of wearing long hair, not high and tight. What’s the future hold under a liberal Cànadian Army. ? Makeup? Optional training?
We did not have to worry about our military prior to Trump. Canadians have gone in as peace keepers in many of the conflicts. Times have now changed. It’s a good change to bolster our military as it is with everything else we have been forces to do now that the US has made it clear we are not considered their ally.
Carney moves at a glacial pace. Nothing will be accomplished.
You don’t need military training to pull a trigger, young or old it’s easy peasy, good ole USA, kids are born with guns in their hands, and that’s a good thing!
@Anonymous at 130 pm. With respect, Germany may be considering conidering conscription, as my post stated, but it hasn’t been formalized. My point is, this has nothing to do with conscription being considered in Canada. It’s another conspiracy theory like chips in vaccines.
@ 1:28 Anonymous – The only reason anyone in these comments is talking about conscription is because of events in Germany. The thin thread of EU association is being used to create the boogeyman of conscription in Canada.
Stop with the credulous denials.
Trudeau Wokified our military and that is why many left and why they can’t attract good recruits, so perhaps quickly filling the quotas will mean conscription.
@ 1:26 Anonymous – Canada is #1 on the GIIA list of countries to invest in. Foreign direct investment is at it’s highest in ~20 years. GDP growth was $3.4% in Q2.
You claiming that little gets done does not make it true. He has a majority now. By the time he has to call an election there will be lots of tangible changes. I expect him to be around for a while.
Remember Carney’s idea of a civilian force ready to fight ? Well why wouldn’t he use conscription to bolster the Canadian military quickly.
@Ben if Germany wasn’t considering conscription why would they make the young males over 18 get a medical. It was reported the medicals were in place in preparation for conscription.
@Anonymous 12:27
No one suggested that Germany could conscript in Canada , but Carney sure CAN !!!
@Anonymous
Carney says a lot of things but very little ever gets done.
@ We Are Poor Because of This Government and its Waste – Carney has said we are going to increase military spending. That is different from both Trudeau and Harper.
Asserting nonsense does not make it true.
Same as Trudeau, he talks and gives speeches while cutting military funding behind the scenes. The money then goes to special interest groups, daycares that sit vacant, and foreign aide. Let each country pay for it’s own problems and focus on fixing Canada first.
@ WM – Distancing ourselves from the US militarily will keep those manufacturing jobs here. See how the proposals for the aircraft from Saab (Global Eye and Gripen) differ from the F-35 program.
Meanwhile Clowney already said the work is done but nothing has been completed or even purchased.
do you think the liberals will stomach spending multiple billions to rebuild the military? when it funds all sorts of insane projects, efforts abroad when there are many canadians struggling with housing, food, jobs, etc. at home.
Germany does not have any power to conscript the citizens in the other 26 EU nations. They certainly don’t have any power to conscript citizens in any future EU Associate member countries.
There is no boogeyman hiding in EU association.
Why didn’t he do any of that when he was CDS?
The idea that Canada would introduce conscription because one member of the EU MAY introduce conscription is false. Really a canard!
Carney getting closer to the EU could be dangerous for our young people. Germany is taking steps to bring in conscription again and Carney just signed an intelligence pact to get closer ties. Today our military says we have bolster numbers faster and there is no faster way than conscription
Ah Global that great censorship tool of the Carney government. It is sure getting close to 1984 censorship when they remove logical and valid comments that criticize Carney and the Liberals.
Signing a security deal with Germany and students protesting against conscription in Germany. Today our military says we need to bolster numbers faster well conscription would be a fast way of getting military personnel
Today in Germany there were demonstrations in a hundred cities by an estimated 40,000 young people against having to take medical exams in preparation for conscription into their military. Maybe Carney will also consider boosting our military by conscription considering Germany is his new best friend and that he already floated the idea of a trained civilian force.
Canada disarmed the majority of people who might have been interested in joining. Government will jail you for defending your property but expects people to fight for them?
Hey Ben, was this a good idea by Trudeau? Is the funding you speak of?
“Canadian soldiers carry guns in ‘full fighting order’ at Toronto’s Khalsa Day — the Forces called it ‘misguided’”
Remember when the Trudeau government thought it would be a good idea to put together a loosely organized troops of our soldiers who happened to be Sikh, and ask them to march in the Kalsa Day parade, with weapons in their hands no less? That was the focus of the JT government. Optics, not proper funding.
Don’t sign up for the military…unless you want to die for the rich men who profit from war.
Feeling Curious ? BWA HA HA HA ! Forward to Justin Trudeau the weirdo
DDon’t laugh, but maybe the military should do some recruiting at these homeless camps and at the social services offices , around Canada. The military does offer a home and career, for those who are falling through the cracks. The one thing the military does well is their aptitude testing, which finds what you are good at. The military community tends to embrace those who feel disenfranchised and gives them a shot at a life long career. Slackers are weeded out quickly and I don’t endorse mandatory service, but the military needs more members and the homeless need a ray of hope.
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Harper cut military spending to 1% of GDP. Trudeau raised it to 1.35%, and Carney pushed it further to 2%. Eyre has a point. Bureaucratic and political foot dragging by both the Conservatives and Liberals are to blame here. We need to proceed with due haste.
GREAT
Eyre is definitely an Elbozo and sounds like part of the Liberal Propagandist team