Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. A Supply and Confidence Agreement between the Liberal Party and the NDP speaks to the support that the NDP is giving, under conditions, to the government with regard to confidence motions. There are many areas where individuals within a party — or the parties themselves — differ. The position of Canada is and shall remain one of supporting a just peace between Israel and Palestine. Canada is a firm friend of Israel as it is of the Palestinian people, and this chamber should rest assured that foreign policy in the hands of this government will remain steady in that regard.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): A supply and confidence arrangement does not — and I will insist on using those terms, colleagues, because in any serious parliamentary institution, facts should matter. However, that is not to deny you the right to continue to call the arrangement whatever you want. It’s your privilege, but it is mine to insist on the terms that are accurate.

There is nothing in the arrangement that has been communicated publicly or to me that speaks to this issue, nor is it the case that the call for 2% of GDP is necessarily the same thing as doing one’s fair share. The position of Canada has been for some time that it does indeed do its fair share, notwithstanding the fact that according to certain calculations, Canada has not and does not provide spending as requested by NATO.

Canada continues to re-evaluate its needs. The crisis in Ukraine has certainly shone a spotlight on it. As I said in my response to our colleague’s questions, details of what the government’s intentions and plans are for its defence spending will be revealed in the budget. Until then, we’ll just have to be patient.