Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a $2 billion retroactive pay hike for the Canadian Armed Forces.He described it as a step toward meeting his commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defence. According to Blacklock's Reporter, the increase, which covers about one-fifth of the amount needed to reach the NATO target, will boost salaries for thousands of service members who Carney says have gone too long without meaningful raises.“These are men and women we trust to wear the maple leaf and risk their lives for it,” Carney said Friday. “Your pay should reflect the weight of your responsibilities.”Non-commissioned volunteers will see a 20% raise — worth more than $8,600 for an Army private earning an average of $43,000 a year. Junior officers will receive an average 13% increase, raising annual pay from $79,000, while senior officers will see an 8% bump from $147,000. Additional benefits such as seniority pay will be introduced over the next 12 months..Carney said the military has gone years without significant pay adjustments, though records show cost-of-living increases of 2.3% last year, 3% in 2023, and 5% in 2022. “It’s a question of fairness,” he told reporters, adding that the armed forces have been making sacrifices for Canadians without adequate compensation.The government still needs to find an additional $9.4 billion annually to meet the NATO threshold. Carney has pledged to reach the 2% goal by the end of this year and has set an ambitious target of spending 5% of GDP on defence by 2035 — a level no NATO member currently meets.“We are protecting Canadians against new threats,” Carney said. “I wish we didn’t have to, but it is our core responsibility.”
