Liberal leadership contender Mark Carney says if he becomes prime minister, he would meet the NATO defence spending benchmark two years ahead of the Trudeau government's official target.But to hit that target of two per cent of gross domestic product by 2030,

The 23 EU members who also belong to NATO are likely to agree to raise the defence spending target above the current 2% of national output at a June summit of the alliance that will set a new level, European Council President Antonio Costa said.

In a campaign event in Windsor on Wednesday, Liberal leadership contender Mark Carney promised that he would be able to reach NATO’s two per cent defence spending target by 2030, two years before Justin Trudeau’s plan.

OTTAWA — Liberal leadership contender Mark Carney says he would reach Canada's NATO defence spending target by the end of the decade — two years ahead of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's schedule.