Canada, Australia similar allies on the defence front

The Canadian Forces, like every part of the federal government, is facing stiff budget cuts. Before the hatchet falls, it is worth considering how little, rather than how much, Canada spends on national defence.

Australia may not immediately spring to mind as the country with which to best compare Canada's defence spending, but is not that much of a stretch. They share the same values and allies, have similarly robust resource-based economies, generous welfare nets and military histories from the Boer War through to the war in Afghanistan that usually have dovetailed.

Although Canada's economy is nearly twice the size of Australia's - and has about 40 per cent more people - Canada lags far behind its Antipodean cousin in defence spending.

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