Canada will increase annual defence spending by $13.9 billion over the next decade, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said Wednesday as he unveiled the Liberal government91裸聊视频檚 long-awaited vision for expanding the Canadian Armed Forces.

The money will be used to put another 5,000 troops in uniform and add new modern capabilities, such as letting the military conduct cyberattacks and to buy armed drones for unmanned airstrikes.

It will also go towards offsetting the skyrocketing financial 91裸聊视频� and political 91裸聊视频� cost of buying new warships and fighter jets.

91裸聊视频淚f we91裸聊视频檙e serious about our role in the world, we must be serious about funding our military,91裸聊视频� Sajjan told a news conference.

91裸聊视频淎nd we are.91裸聊视频�

Sajjan described the plan as being focused on necessary outputs and capabilities in order to ensure Canada is strong at home, secure within North America and able to meet its international responsibilities.

91裸聊视频淭his is a significant investment in defence, 70 per cent incerase in our budget within 10 years,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淭his allows the Canadian Armed Forces now to be able to have the right resources and planned sustainable funding to be able to create the right plan and sustain itself for the future.91裸聊视频�

Sajjan did not directly answer, however, when he was asked whether the additional spending would be financed by higher deficits or spending cuts elsewhere.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau characterized the plan as a 91裸聊视频渘ew course91裸聊视频� for Canada91裸聊视频檚 military to both 91裸聊视频渕eet the complex defence challenges of today91裸聊视频� as well as prepare for future demands.

It means, once fully realized, an increase in annual defence spending of about 70 per cent, Garneau said.

The government will also commit a large amount of money to better support Canada91裸聊视频檚 military personnel, particularly the ill and injured, as well as family members.

Still, while some of the money will start flowing right away, the long-awaited defence policy document shows the taps aren91裸聊视频檛 expected to open all the way until after the next election.

Officials say the delay is necessary to make sure money is available for when it91裸聊视频檚 needed.

But the delay in major new funding is expected to raise concerns among those who wanted to see immediate spending increases as a hedge against future cost-cutting efforts aimed at fighting the deficit.

That is what happened with the last such vision, unveiled by the previous Conservative government in 2008 but quickly rendered unaffordable and subjected to billions of dollars in spending cuts.

The Liberals91裸聊视频� much-anticipated defence policy has been a year in the making and represents the first comprehensive vision for Canada91裸聊视频檚 military in more than a decade.

The policy makes the case for a major expansion of Canada91裸聊视频檚 military capabilities by three trends: growing tension between global powers; the changing nature of conflict; and rapid technological advancements.

The plan also comes as Canada and other NATO allies have faced pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to dramatically increase defence spending to reach two per cent of GDP.

Canada currently spends about one per cent of GDP on defence, which puts it at the back of the pack among NATO members.

But the policy document says Canada has been under-reporting its defence spending for years by not including the money spent by other departments on such items as peacekeeping and veterans91裸聊视频� benefits.

As a result, it says defence spending is actually closer to around 1.19 per cent this fiscal year, and that it will increase to 1.4 per cent of GDP by 2026-27.

In real terms, that will mean an increase in cash spending from about $18.9 billion this year to $32.7 billion in 2026-27, with the biggest jump 芒鈧�91裸聊视频� at least in the short term 芒鈧�91裸聊视频� in 2020-21.

That increase, officials said, lines up with when the government plans to begin spending in earnest on 15 new warships, which are now expected to cost up to $60 billion to build instead of the previous estimate of $26 billion.

The government also plans to buy 88 new fighter jets at a cost of between $15 billion and $19 billion, which is significantly more than the $9 billion the Conservatives budgeted for 65 F-35s.

But the defence policy also puts off much of the spending until after the next election in 2019.