Senator Boisvenu: We know that the NDP has already stated that it is against purchasing the F-35s. It opposes any increase in Canada’s military spending, and that includes NATO.

Has the minister negotiated with her NATO partners to have Canada welcome 400,000 Ukrainian refugees instead of contributing the 2%? Have the provinces been informed of that? Has Quebec, who has an immigration ceiling, been informed that it may have to welcome more immigrants than the 50,000 it set as a target for 2022?

Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Honourable senators, my question is for Senator Gold.

Canada contributes barely 1.2% of its budget to NATO, but the target is 2%.

Recently, Minister Joly travelled to Europe to meet with her NATO member nation counterparts and negotiate the Government of Canada’s contribution to NATO.

Can you confirm for everyone here that, instead of upping our contribution to 2%, the minister’s offer to NATO was for Canada to accept 10% of the Ukrainian refugees, or 400,000 refugees?

Was that deal the result of a Liberal-NDP agreement to avoid contributing to Canada’s military effort?