Can You Spend $9 Billion on Defence Without Lighting It on Fire?

This week, we crack open a UK import—Hawkstone Lager from Jeremy Clarkson’s farm—and break down Canada’s biggest defence spending announcement in decades. PM Mark Carney has committed to meeting NATO’s 2% target this year, nearly a decade ahead of Trudeau’s original pledge. That’s over $9 billion in new spending—including raises for CAF members, $2B in military aid to Ukraine, and major procurement commitments. But can it all be spent wisely? In this episode: 🇨🇦 Why this announcement matters—and why it hits close to home for Joseph 💸 The risks of rushing defence procurement (and why it’s rarely done well) 🇬🇧 What the UK’s new Strategic Defence Review signals for joint defence priorities 🤝 Why now might be the right time for a Canada–UK security compact Plus: 🧨 Labour’s massive U-turn on winter fuel benefits: smart politics or panic move? 🎯 Is there still room in politics for a sensible, fiscally responsible conservative party? 🇺🇸 Trump sends the Marines to California—why it may be a turning point. Or not. 📉 Canada’s jobless rate rises—are we seeing the limits of the Carney honeymoon? And don’t miss: 🍺 Beer of the week: Hawkstone Lager • Andrew tastes a biscuit-forward Italian Pilsner with a crisp finish • Joseph declares it “a Helles lager met an Italian Pilsner and the two had a baby”