Research publications

On 30 April 1949, the Government of Canada ratified the North Atlantic Treaty, becoming one of the 12 founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). A political, military and economic alliance, NATO has been a central pillar of Canada’s international security policy for the past 70 years.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) conflict over almost 20 years was unprecedented for the Alliance in terms of both its origin and its scope. Following the unexpectedly swift collapse of the Afghan government and military in August 2021, NATO foreign ministers pledged to “fully reflect on our engagement in Afghanistan and draw the necessary lessons.” These lessons are relevant to Canada, not least because Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan was its largest military deployment since the Second World War and saw its highest fatalities since the Korean War. It also involved significant integration with the other aspects of Canada’s international policy, including diplomacy and development. Moreover, the Alliance’s reflection on how it will consider and implement future activities beyond its immediate area of responsibility will be important given the priority Canada places on an effective and credible NATO.

Domestically, discussions about Canada’s defence spending are generally focused on the Department of National Defence (DND), including the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). However, in reporting their defence spending to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Canada and other NATO member states can also include expenditures relating to other departments and agencies. This HillNote provides information to help understand the amount of DND spending that is included in the parliamentary estimates and the amount of defence expenditures reported to NATO.