The U.S. Department of Defense announced today that it is “pausing” the Permanent Joint Board on Defense (PJBD), the bilateral forum for U.S.-Canada defense cooperation created in 1940 — during World War II — by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Mackenzie King, to coordinate continental defense planning, policy, and security issues.
U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby said of the move: “A strong Canada that prioritizes hard power over rhetoric benefits us all. Unfortunately, Canada has failed to make credible progress on its defense commitments.”
A strong Canada that prioritizes hard power over rhetoric benefits us all. Unfortunately, Canada has failed to make credible progress on its defense commitments. DoW is pausing the Permanent Joint Board on Defense to reassess how this forum benefits shared North American…
— Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby (@USWPColby) May 18, 2026
With a link to Prime Minister Mark Carney‘s speech at Davos in January, in which Carney said “We’re doubling our defence spending by the end of this decade,” Colby wrote: “We can no longer avoid the gaps between rhetoric and reality. Real powers must sustain our rhetoric with shared defense and security responsibilities.”
[NOTE: In a March 2026 statement, Carney acknowledged that “by 2014, Canada’s defence spending had fallen to just 1% of our GDP, half of our obligations as a NATO member,” and proudly announced that Canada had recently hit its 2% defense spending goal and was on track to hit 3.5% by 2035.]
Great hosting @USAmbCanada Pete Hoekstra at the Pentagon recently. We’re working closely to ensure every NATO partner, including Canada, reaches the Hague Summit’s 3.5% GDP defense spending target, a vital investment for North American and Arctic defense. pic.twitter.com/1bquniMmsi
— Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby (@USWPColby) May 18, 2026
With the announcement of the pause, Colby is also pushing U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra to have Canada reach the 3.5% mark.
Sharing a photo of him with Hoekstra, Colby wrote on Tuesday: “Great hosting @USAmbCanada Pete Hoekstra at the Pentagon recently. We’re working closely to ensure every NATO partner, including Canada, reaches the Hague Summit’s 3.5% GDP defense spending target, a vital investment for North American and Arctic defense.”
This is profoundly misguided and quite strange coming right after the President’s visit to China. Canada has been and will be an ally that shares values of liberty. As a Canadian whose grandfather deployed to Alaska for joint defence in WWII, I hope we don’t lose sight of that. https://t.co/rvEkZxbnSg
— Erin O’Toole (@erinotoole) May 18, 2026
Former Minister of Veterans Affairs of Canada and leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, Erin O’Toole, who has long supported meeting Canada’s NATO commitments, criticized Colby’s announcement to pause the Joint Board.
O’Toole wrote: “This is profoundly misguided and quite strange coming right after the President’s visit to China. Canada has been and will be an ally that shares values of liberty.”
When an X user suggested to O’Toole that Canada purchase defense-related systems from countries other than the U.S., O’Toole said, “This makes decisions like this much more likely.”
[NOTE: Due to trade tensions with the U.S., Canada’s C$19 billion (US$13.9 billion) plan to buy 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets has been delayed. Canada’s Defence Minister David McGuinty said in April, “The question of other jets from other countries is something that is on the table, that is part of the review.”]
The now-paused Joint Board hasn’t met since 2024. Carney also responded to the Pentagon’s action, saying his country’s cooperation with the U.S. continues, but that Canada “will also be cooperating with other partners and diversifying our defense cooperation as we should as a member of NATO and lastly as we should in critical areas such as Ukraine.”