No Canadian Forces deployment to a foreign combat zone without a vote of the House of Commons. Redirect 25% of the defence budget increase toward Arctic sovereignty. Restore humanitarian assistance to $1.3 billion annually.
Canada has participated in military operations in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine — some under NATO mandate, some under UN authorisation, some under neither — without a full debate and vote in the House of Commons. Canadians have not been asked whether they consent to these commitments. Soldiers have been deployed, money has been spent, and in some cases lives have been lost, on the basis of decisions made by cabinet rather than Parliament.
The 2025 federal budget committed $81.8 billion to defence over the next decade. This is a significant increase in military spending. But it comes with no corresponding increase in parliamentary accountability for how and where that spending is deployed. Canada's Arctic sovereignty — the most pressing and most Canadian of all security concerns — remains underfunded while resources flow to commitments in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Canada spent approximately $10.2 billion on overseas development assistance in 2023-24, representing 0.35% of Gross National Income. The 2025 budget announced $2.7 billion in cuts to foreign aid over four years — breaking a specific campaign promise by Prime Minister Carney. Meanwhile, the federal government increased defence spending significantly. The message this sends is that Canada is more willing to spend money on weapons than on the humanitarian assistance that prevents the conflicts requiring those weapons.
Compare current defence spending with what our policy would change — within the same total budget.
Sources: Budget 2025 — $81.8B defence commitment over 10 years; Global Affairs Canada Statistical Report 2023-24; CBC News, Budget 2025 foreign aid cuts November 2025.
Parliamentary authorisation for all military deployments. No Canadian Forces personnel deployed to a foreign combat zone without a full debate and majority vote of the House of Commons.
Arctic sovereignty first. Redirect a minimum of 25% of the new defence spending increase toward Arctic patrol vessels, northern airstrips, and Indigenous community infrastructure in the territories.
Restore humanitarian assistance to $1.3 billion annually. The 2025 cuts to foreign aid are a false economy. Every $1 spent on conflict prevention saves up to $60 in military intervention costs later.
Parliamentary authorisation: free. Arctic sovereignty: within existing $81.8B commitment. Humanitarian aid restoration: ~$500M/yr, funded by cutting DND consultancy budget.