Former foreign affairs minister Stéphane Dion says Canada needs to substantially staff up its embassies in Europe and set deadlines for following through on the flurry of agreements Brussels has signed with Ottawa.

Dion’s comments come after Canada’s former military chief said Ottawa must stop cutting back on diplomats to boost defence spending.

“These agreements and partnerships must not remain on paper. They must be fully implemented,” Dion told the Senate foreign affairs committee on Wednesday.