At this year’s NATO conference, Canada was pushed to commit more to the imperialist arms race.
But the money to pay for these new weapons will not fall from the sky. It will mean cuts to schools, healthcare and other services that workers depend on.
American imperialism looks for partners in crime
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an alliance of most of the world’s main imperialist powers. Its purpose is to maintain the dominance of Western imperialism.
But NATO’s chief power, the U.S.A., is declining. After past defeats in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is incapable of mobilizing its war-weary population to be the world’s police as it could before. Meanwhile, they now face rising imperialist rivals, like China and Russia, which are flexing their muscles and increasing their own military spending.
The U.S.’ economic crisis and growing political instability further compels it to push NATO’s other members to “share the weight” and share the political risk.
Prior to the NATO 75th anniversary conference this year, Donald Trump made headlines for pointing this out. He even went so far as to suggest he’d encourage Russia to attack NATO’s lagging defence spenders.
More politely, Biden has also ramped up the pressure for all members to hit NATO’s target—two per cent of GDP on military spending. At the NATO conference, Biden stated proudly that “the number of Allies spending at least two percent on defense has gone from nine to 23.”
But, so far, Canada is not one of these 23 countries. And, officials from the U.S. had sharp words for Trudeau—rebuking his government for riding “America’s coattails.”
Trudeau’s ‘iron-clad’ commitment to NATO
Since 2016, the Liberals have, in Trudeau’s words, “stepped up massively” within NATO. They’ve almost doubled Canada’s annual military spending to $33.8 billion, and extended Canada’s supply of “hard power” with new warships and fighter jets.
But this is still short of NATO’s militarization plans.
Acknowledging the pressure from “certain people,” Trudeau bent and pledged to reach the two per cent target by 2032. This will mean spending roughly $60 billion per year and more, going forward.
The planned military spending hike was eagerly applauded by Canada’s corporate press—who insist that “we” need NATO “now more than ever.”
Bay Street too is eager to see Trudeau commit more to NATO. The main lobby representing Canada’s ruling class—the Business Council of Canada—implored Trudeau to meet the NATO target and “work cooperatively with our NATO allies” to defend “our interests.” By this, the Council clarified that they mean the interests of “Canadian companies” that are supposedly “in the crosshairs” of economic rivals “abroad.”
Interestingly, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre agreed that Canada needs to answer NATO’s call with a “warrior culture”—but he also let slip that this will be difficult to finance—because “the country is broke.”
Crucially, while these bourgeois mouthpieces are all unanimous about the need for more military spending, none are willing to say what more they want cut to finance it.
Money for bombs and guns but none for workers
Since 2022, the Trudeau government has done its best to boost Canada’s military spending, while “belt-tightening” elsewhere.
Federal bureaucrats have already been tasked with finding cuts in provincial transfer programs—the largest being healthcare and social programs via the Canada Social Transfer—and axed thousands of public sector jobs. With Canada’s economy stagnating, the pressure to cut more to meet NATO’s pledges will be all the more intense.
Meanwhile, there is little public appetite for Canada to be a more aggressive imperialist power.
Most Canadians opposed the U.S.-led war on Iraq in 2003 and NATO’s war on Afghanistan.
Trudeau and his advisors are already warning about growing “polarization” and a “tear” in the “fabric” of Canadian society. If Canada is to “share the weight” in the militarization plans, the government will be forced to introduce austerity measures. The ability of the government to avoid polarization and discontent will only be whittled away.
Food not bombs, healthcare not warfare
This increased military spending is not unique to NATO. Tensions are growing between rival imperialists blocs, worldwide. We are entering an epoch of increasing conflicts, trade wars and wars. In fact, 2023 saw the largest global military spending ever, with a jump of seven per cent.
Workers have no interest in these turf wars between imperialist gangsters. The enemy is at home : it’s our ruling class that is attacking workers at home in order to fund their wars abroad. The labour movement must oppose all efforts towards militarism.
But war and militarism are not caused simply by nefarious politicians. War is inevitable under the imperialist phase of capitalism—more so in the current world crisis of capitalism as the major powers desperately fight for their share of a shrinking loot.
We will only have genuine, lasting peace, when we overthrow the imperialists and sweep away the capitalist system. Only in a communist world, with the wealth of society in the hands of the whole working class, would there be no need for “military alliances,” arms build ups or wars. We would, instead, use the wealth that is currently wasted on war and killing to provide schools, houses, education and jobs for all.
