WASHINGTON, D.C. — Canada has invested over $65 billion in defense and security in the past year and has met NATO's 2% GDP spending target, but Washington now demands more. The United States paused its participation in the Permanent Joint Board on Defense (PJBD), a historic U.S.-Canada defense board established during World War II, on May 18. Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby stated that Canada has not made credible progress toward its defense commitments, specifically a plan to reach 5% of GDP by 2035. He also criticized recent Canadian rhetoric, urging Ottawa to prioritize hard power.
Prime Minister Carney's Response
Prime Minister Mark Carney urged the public not to 'overplay the importance' of the pause and vowed to diversify defense ties. On Wednesday, Carney announced that Ottawa has entered negotiations to purchase the GlobalEye, Saab's Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft platform. If successful, this would see Canada choose a European product over two American options: Boeing's E-7A Wedgetail and L3Harris's Aeris X.
Expert Analysis on the PJBD Pause
Jennifer Kavanagh, senior fellow and director of military analysis at Defense Priorities and adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Center for Security Studies, described the pause as 'mainly symbolic.' She noted that the Joint Board has met only seven times in the past decade and not at all since Trump returned to the White House. 'This board was much more important during World War II than it is today,' she said. 'Getting rid of it entirely would have no practical effect on Canada's defence or its cooperation with the United States.'
Richard Shimooka, senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, agreed, stating that the board has little demonstrable policy or operational impact. 'Its effect is more latent,' he said, adding that he could not recall any significant decisions made by the PJBD.
Continental Defense Remains Secure
Experts emphasize that North American defense remains secure despite the PJBD's status. Kavanagh noted that continental defense occurs through multiple channels, including NATO, NORTHCOM, and NORAD, and that cooperation is 'unlikely to be damaged by the pause.' However, she views the pause as a punitive measure. 'Trump has signalled a willingness to act punitively toward allies he perceives as not doing enough on defence,' she said.
Katherine Thompson, senior fellow for defence and foreign policy studies at the CATO Institute, said the pause reflects 'America First' prioritization in action. 'This is exactly what prioritization is meant to be in practice … if this thing is not working for American interests, we have to reevaluate it.' She added that the pause signals that longstanding arrangements are no longer automatic.
