The NATO Association of Canada (NAOC) has established several programs to address issues that we believe to be important and which deserve attention. These programs will feature articles, be the focus of our round tables, and will feature in discussions during our conferences. In these fields the NATO Association of Canada is proud to have developed sustained conversation in areas that have had limited or disjointed coverage in the past.
The NATO Association of Canada currently publishes articles under 10 programs, at least once a week:
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Since its inception in 1949, Canada has played an integral role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its numerous military and non-military engagements. As a founding member, Canada’s involvement over the past 70 years has varied from troop deployment and training in Europe during much of the Cold War, to activity abroad in places like Afghanistan and Libya. The articles in the NATO and Canada program examine NATO’s operational history and Canada’s role from a multitude of perspectives. The NATO Association of Canada aims to supply Canadians with a greater insight into the inner workings of this long-standing alliance and its Canadian contributions.
The NAOC’s Emerging Security Program features an in-depth look at the latest trends in the field of Canadian and international security – drones, cyber security, emerging technology, and natural resources. The program’s mandate is to provide Canadians with security related analysis and perspective so as to equip Canadians with the knowledge they need to form a full and balanced opinion of Canadian and international affairs.
The Expanding Community program at the NAOC has two aims. First, the program seeks to explore the growth of the NATO alliance, prospective members and relationship with partners. Secondly, it features Canada’s global connections, including our links to other nations on a bilateral basis, and the role Canada plays within international and multilateral institutions. Check back regularly for original articles, as well as links to related news, blog posts and videos from around the world.
Global Horizons: High School Outreach
The NAOC’s Global Horizons program is our outreach initiative oriented specifically towards high school students interested in learning more about international affairs, Canadian foreign policy, and NATO. Our website is dedicated to educating the public on current events in international affairs, and this page is devoted to making that process easier for high school students by providing resources that help guide them into this world and offer advice on pursuing a career in political science or international relations.
In addition, to promote youth participation, we have created two avenues of interaction: a series of presentations our staff give in high school history and civics classes, and student essay contests giving entrants the opportunity for their work to be published online on this site.
International Business and Economy
The International Business and Economy program aims to provide Canadians with relevant and accessible analysis on current international economic policies with a focus on Canadian interests and trade security. Additionally, the program examines our country’s commitment to NATO’s mandate of encouraging economic collaboration and eliminating economic conflict.
On the ground, in the air and on the water, the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces stand watch over the country and defend its interests at home and abroad. The Canadian Armed Forces Program aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the issues facing Canadian soldiers across all branches of the military in order to give Canadians varying perspectives on the men and women who defend their country.
The NATO Association of Canada’s Procurement Program provides Canadians with analyses of trends relating to Canadian and international defense procurement and illustrates how these trends affect NATO’s collective mission capabilities. The program also provides in-depth discussion regarding the bureaucratic management, specific trade controls and various other institutional processes governing the defense industry and defense acquisitions, while integrating elements of international trade and economics.
Society, Culture and International Relations
The NATO Association of Canada’s Society, Culture, and International Relations program takes a look at the issues that impact Canadians’ every day lives while connecting them to international relations. The program covers a wide range of topics, which include: pop culture, art, film, global events, and socio-political relations. In addition, Society, Culture, and IR aims to examine and provide in-depth analyses that relate international affairs to the interests of Canadian society.
Women in Security covers a wide-range of issues as it explores the link between women, security, and development. As a forum to stimulate discussion and instructive debates, the NATO Association of Canada will examine the ways in which women both contribute to and are the focus of Canadian and NATO defence and security initiatives. This program also offers a critical look at the structures and institutions that shape the role of women in security at home and abroad.
From Southeastern Europe and the Caucasus, to the streets of Baghdad and Damascus, waves of instability and military conflicts have led to the emergence of an “arc of crisis.” The international security situation has clearly changed, and consequently NATO is now forced to respond actively to situations and asymmetrical threats beyond the scope of its former mandate, such as terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and a host of other humanitarian and political crises. Given this outlook, exactly how prepared is the Alliance for this reality, and what structures are currently in place to tackle it?
In response to these growing questions, the NATO Association of Canada has risen to the occasion with the emergence of its newest program, NATO’s Arc of Crisis. The security environment has changed, and just exactly how NATO responds will ultimately shape its existence and relevance as a global military alliance. From Ukraine to Syria, and wherever an opportunity for the Alliance to advance its security goals becomes available, the NATO Association of Canada will be there, providing commentary on developments within the arc and the implications for NATO. Additionally, it will attempt to provide readers with a greater analytical understanding of the Alliance’s response, and of the resources available at its disposal.
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