
Cabinet ministers watch their words as pressure builds on defence file
OTTAWA — National defence is becoming an increasingly thorny topic for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government as Canada comes under heavy pressure from its allies to do more and spend more.
But with just weeks to go until NATO member nations assemble in the Netherlands for a summit that could put Ottawa in the hot seat on defence spending, several of his ministers took the unusual step of removing themselves from discussions with defence reporters this week at Canada’s largest defence industry show.
On Thursday, TV cameras chased Industry Minister Mélanie Joly halfway across the show floor at the CANSEC conference in Ottawa. The previous day, Defence Minister David McGuinty ignored media questions at the conference and ducked into a VIP area to evade reporters.
Other key figures in cabinet, such as Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound, also attended the trade show but did not speak to media.