How Does Canada’s Military Fare Without the United States?

Canada is beginning to increase its military strength, with a new government pledging to meet NATO’s 2% of GDP spending target and investing an additional CA$82 billion in defense. This follows a 2024 assessment that the nation's military was in a death spiral and unready for a serious conflict. Despite these efforts, which include increased salaries to boost recruitment and retention, significant challenges remain. Recruitment is still very difficult, and it is uncertain if the Canadian Armed Forces will have enough personnel to operate newly acquired capabilities.