Defence minister highlights $8B in Alberta military spending ahead of referendum
The announcement comes with less than two weeks before Albertans vote on whether the province should stay in Canada.
EDMONTON · Federal Defence Minister David McGuinty visited Alberta on Wednesday to promote billions in military investments as the province prepares for a referendum on its place in Canada. Standing alongside Premier Danielle Smith at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton, McGuinty said Ottawa is committing $8 billion to ongoing defence projects in Alberta. He framed the province's 1905 entry into Confederation as a deliberate choice that generations have upheld through their contributions. McGuinty argued that in a dangerous world, the current generation must strengthen the country, with Alberta playing a leading role.
"Confederation was not an accident," McGuinty told an audience at a base training facility. "It's a bargain of reciprocity, and that bargain is tested most profoundly when the country is called to defend itself." Smith said the funding reinforces Alberta's key position in national defence. She added that the event demonstrated her government's ability to collaborate with Ottawa. "Hopefully these kinds of announcements will give people more and more confidence to vote to remain on Oct. 19," Smith said.
On that date, voters will face a ballot with ten questions, including proposals on immigration and constitutional reform. The central question asks whether Alberta should remain in Canada or proceed to a binding referendum on separation. Smith noted her administration has worked with federal officials for some time to use Alberta's military assets. This cooperation supports the national goal of spending five per cent of GDP on defence by 2035.
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McGuinty said the funding announcement was part of a deliberate and urgent plan to bolster the armed forces. "This is the execution of a plan that we've been devising and working on for some time," he stated. The $8 billion in spending includes $550 million to set up the western operating base for the Royal Canadian Air Force's CC-330 Husky fleet. Nearly $4 billion is allocated to support fighter capabilities at Cold Lake, and over $580 million will fund maintenance and repairs at Alberta bases over three years.
"We're not simply rebuilding bases," McGuinty said. "We're rebuilding Canadian military power, hard power." He described Alberta as a national example of ambitious thinking and construction. McGuinty said the Confederation bargain is renewed by how Canadians support each other, especially during wars. Smith agreed the investment highlights Alberta's role in air defence and shows that the province and the federal government can cooperate effectively.
With files from The Canadian Press, CBC News and Global News