Bill blair in ottawa, welcome to hardtalk. Thank you very much, stephen. Its a pleasure to have you on the show. As Minister Of Defence in canada, how embarrassed are you that your country is still significantly failing to meet the collective commitment of nato Member States to spend at least 2 of your gdp on defence . Stephen, im not embarrassed at all because canada, under our government, has been investing very significantly in defence and theres been a very strong upper projectory of Defence Spending. Weve just introduced our latest Defence Policy, which injects a significant amount of new investment into Defence Spending. It builds up greater capabilities, it moves us much closer to the target of 2 , and with some of the other things that weve articulated in this Defence Policy, i think we are on a strong and inevitable path to achieving that 2 goal. Canada is well aware of its responsibilities to our nato allies, to our continental allies, through norad in the United States, and
A few months ago after a long negotiation between myself and republican speaker, of the house of representatives, we came to agree on a Budget Agreement precisely to avoid a Manufacturing Crisis that we just witnessed. But the last few days and weeks, extreme maga republicans tried to walk away from that deal, voting for deep, drastic Spending Cuts from 30 to 80 that would have been devastating for millions of americans. They failed again and we stopped them. But im under no illusions that they will be backing it. A short while back i spoke with an analyst to ask how Global Markets will react to the latest development out of washington. I think it is. We have 45 days, its kicking the can down the road. I feel that will be relatively positive as far as Market Sentiment over the next trading week and certainly this week and the next couple of weeks. So overall, its a short term reprieve and we will have to see where it is in 45 days. Ratings agencies say a shutdown will hurt us credit ra
Brutaim 0h heinous crimes. And we sexually brutal. On the people who are campaigning for nothing more than their freedoms. We have consistently helped their freedoms. We have consistently helped the their freedoms. We have consistently helped the worst off in the world lift themselves out of poverty. We have consistently fought injustice where have consistently fought injustice where we see it and we have consistently led the way in terms of international crisis. But some People International crisis. But some people ask me, when they talk to me, they say, people ask me, when they talk to me, they say, james, that is all well and good, they say, james, that is all well and good, that is great, but what does and good, that is great, but what does Foreign Affairs matter to the british does Foreign Affairs matter to the british people . How does it help the people british people . How does it help the people of british people . How does it help the people of braintree or belfast or bahchor
Withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash from my personal savings account, which i have kept for emergencies and the history of my family Facing Confiscation in cuba. He did address these on your screen, the gold bars, the stash of gold bars. He did address the gift of the mercedesbenz convertible. And of course, he is absolutely innocent until Proven Guilty in a court of law. And he is not the first lawmakers to even face corruption allegations. In a moment, im going to talk to former illinois democratic governor ron blagojevich. He served eight years of 14 year sentence for a pay for play crimes. Plus, as you, know we are on the brink yet again of a shutdown of the federal government as of 11 59 pm this saturday. And as a pretty stark choice to make, will he save his job or the government, is that really the Rock And A Hard Place were at right now . Well, right hardliners are threatening just that. And now, while, donald trump. And everyone, she also spoke and broke the internet over t
Rejected the report. And huw edwards has resigned from the bbc. He says he is leaving on the medical advice of his doctors. He had been off air since lastjuly. The bbc has confirmed that he has not received a payoff as part of his departure. So we could be in for a late night in westminster. Let me tell you what has been happening in the last few minutes. There has been another bout, another division in the House Of Lords. I think i can show you live pictures from the lords. They have voted 240 in favour, 2ii have voted 240 in favour, 211 against on resubmitting an amendment to the bill. This was the amendment that would mean rwanda could only be declared a safe country after an independent report. The Second Amendment which was removed from the bill earlier as part of this ping pong process where it goes from the comments to the lords, the Second Amendment on whether or not afghan veterans who had served with uk forces should be allowed to stay in the country. The government has made