The Secretary General of NATO said yesterday, Wednesday, that Canada needs to meet the minimum defense spending set by NATO and provide a plan on how to achieve it as a means to demonstrate the alliance of authoritarian regimes with Western allies.

The figures released by NATO this week show that Canada is expected to spend 1.37% of its GDP on defense this year, which is well below the target of 2%.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's Secretary General, said during an event hosted by the NATO Association in Canada: "Canada's standing in NATO is strong, but at the same time we expect of course that all allies will fulfill their promise to invest 2%," in Ottawa.

Prior to Stoltenberg's statements, Defense Minister Bill Blair pledged that the target would eventually be met, as the Russian war in Ukraine poses a threat of expanding the conflict in Europe.

Last year, members agreed on 2% as a minimum, reflecting concerns about the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Stoltenberg acknowledged that it is difficult for politicians to prioritize defense over social services, but he said that the prerequisite for success in any Western country is to maintain peace and invest in security.

He stated that Canada faces the same challenges that all allied countries with budgets face.

He said, "They are concerned about fiscal balance. They want to spend money on health, education and other things."

But ultimately, if those countries are unable to prevent war, their efforts in health, education, and climate change "will fail."

His comments regarding spending received enthusiastic applause from the NATO Association in Canada, including former Defense Minister Anita Anand, who slipped in the back to listen to his comments.

A handful of protesters gathered outside a building in the parliamentary precinct where Stoltenberg spoke. On the sidewalk in front of the building, it was chalked, "Canada lags behind our NATO allies," along with "Trudeau and Blair are the world's laughing stock." And "Canadians are not laughing."

Stoltenberg's visit comes on the same day that Russia and North Korea signed an agreement stipulating mutual assistance if either country faces "aggression."

Stoltenberg expressed concern that Russia may provide support for North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, and that China "supports the Russian war economy" by providing electronics used in weapons and fighting against Ukraine.

He said, "So the answer is that when all authoritarian regimes like North Korea, China, Iran, and Russia are increasingly allied, it is more important than ever that we are allied as countries that believe in freedom and democracy."