Robert Baines

Robert Baines is President and CEO of the NATO Association of Canada, a charitable non-governmental organization dedicated to informing Canadians about the value of international security and the importance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (www.natoassociation.ca). In this capacity, he oversees more than 100 engagements annually across Canada, addressing issues of Canadian and international defence and security. He is a frequent commentator on NATO and international security in the Canadian media and regularly participates in public discussions on defence and foreign policy.

Robert has participated in the side conferences accompanying four NATO Summits: Warsaw (2016), Brussels (2018), London (2019), and The Hague (2025). In addition to his leadership role at the NATO Association, he serves as Chair of the Canadian Forces College Foundation and as a Director of the Canada-Türkiye Business Council.

Previously, Robert served as Executive Director of the Canada-Albania Business Council, where he played a role in facilitating Albania’s largest foreign direct investment.

Beyond his work in international security and trade, Robert has been actively involved in Toronto’s arts and cultural community. His involvement has included committees and initiatives at the Royal Ontario Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Toronto Arts Foundation, the Toronto International Film Festival, and Business / Arts. He has also served as Co-Chair of the Young Professionals Board of the Canadian Opera Company and as President of the St. George’s Society of Toronto, the city’s oldest charitable organization.

Robert holds a BA in Politics, Philosophy and History from Trinity College, University of Toronto, and an MA in History from York University. He has also completed the MBA Essentials programme at the London School of Economics.

A member of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve, Robert has served in the Canadian Army, with the Toronto Scottish Regiment, and currently in the Royal Canadian Navy, aboard HMCS York. He has deployed to Canada’s High Arctic, in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, as part of Operation NANOOK in 2010 and been awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration in recognition of his military service.

Robert is also among the Canadians sanctioned by the Russian Federation.

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  • The mission of NATO Association of Canada is to promote peace, prosperity, and security through knowledge and understanding of the importance of NATO.

    We strive to educate and engage Canadians about NATO and NATO’s goal of peace, prosperity and security. NATO Association of Canada ensures that we have an informed citizenry able to contribute to discussions about Canada’s role on the world stage.

    As a leading member of the Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA), NATO Association of Canada has strong and enduring ties with sister organizations in many of the alliance countries, as well as members of NATO’s “Partnership for Peace” and “Mediterranean Dialogue” programmes. The NAOC has had a leading role in the recent transformation and modernization of the ATA, and helped to create and develop the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association (YATA).

    The NAOC has strong ties with the Government of Canada including Global Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence. We are constantly working to create and maintain relationships with international organizations such as the World Bank Group, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, NATO Headquarters, the International Criminal Court, and other prominent international NGOs and think tanks.

     

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