Mr. Speaker, I want to take the opportunity to both address the important question raised by the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands about Canada's long-standing commitment and leadership on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and also to thank her for continually raising what I believe personally, and I believe our government believes, to be a critically important issue for humanity.
Canada's reputation as a champion for peacekeeping and human rights has already been well noted. It did not emerge by accident or nostalgia. It was built because Canada chose to lead, and we continue to choose to lead through diplomacy, through multilateral engagement in institutions and through the difficult technical and often incremental work that actually reduces nuclear risks. That work continues today.
Our approach is anchored in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the NPT, which is the cornerstone of the global non-proliferation and disarmament architecture. The NPT remains the most effective pathway towards verifiable and irreversible nuclear disarmament. It is based on three pillars or assumptions. First, non-nuclear weapon states commit not to acquire these weapons, so no new nuclear states. Second, nuclear weapon states commit to pursue good-faith negotiations on disarmament; they never stop talking. The third is that all parties commit to supporting peaceful uses of nuclear technology.
We are a nuclear country. We have nuclear energy. We will continue to look at the importance of non-arm uses of nuclear power. Canada takes each of these pillars incredibly seriously. We are fully committed to the universal adoption and full implementation of the NPT. We continue to advocate for halting the spread of nuclear weapons, reducing existing stockpiles and ultimately eliminating them altogether. This work is not theoretical. It is practical. It is sustained. It is results-driven.
Under Canada's G7 presidency this year, we convened the G7 Non-Proliferation Directors Group, driving forward nuclear transparency and risk reduction. At the recently concluded UN General Assembly First Committee, Canada urged member states to reject the notion that the geopolitical situation can ever justify slowing progress on nuclear disarmament. Canada has called for, instead, renewed urgency and tangible actions by all parties.
As the Prime Minister has said, we are living in an increasingly dangerous world. Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, Iran's nuclear non-compliance and the looming expiration, in February 2026, of the new START arms control treaty between the U.S. and Russia underscore the fragility of global norms, including the taboo against nuclear weapons use.
Canada's response is twofold: We will increase defence spending to protect Canadians and our sovereignty, and we will double down on diplomacy to advance nuclear disarmament. For the last 30 years, we have been a leader at the UN on the fissile material cut-off treaty, which is a treaty that would ban the production of materials that are needed for nuclear weapons. These are foundational steps we will continue to take.
We recognize the sincere intentions behind the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. However, Canada's view, as shared by our NATO allies, is that progress on nuclear disarmament must involve those who actually possess nuclear weapons; otherwise, it is talk.
As long as nuclear weapons exist, NATO will remain a nuclear alliance. Our alliance is equally clear that the circumstances in which such weapons might ever be used are extremely remote. We will continue to stand with our partners around the world to reduce risk—