Author: NATO Association of Canada
The NATO Association of Canada (NAOC) strives to educate and engage Canadians about NATO and its goals of peace, prosperity and security. The NAOC ensures Canada has an informed citizenry able to participate in discussions about its role on the world stage.
Canada’s Submarine Supposition
By: Ryerson Neal A seemingly innocuous off-the-cuff remark made last week by Defence Minister Peter McKay inspired a flurry of headlines suggesting that the federal government might be interested in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy. Minister McKay sparked the furor while speaking with reporters about the future of the Navy’s chronically dockyard-bound Read More…
Stuck in the Middle with You: Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Indian Nexus
By: Kavita Bapat On 4 October, India and Afghanistan signed a significant partnership pact agreeing to increase cooperation on counterterrorism efforts, the training of security forces, and boosting trade relations. Though the pact is a considerable step forward for the India-Afghanistan nexus, it has raised concerns of antagonizing Pakistan at a decisive juncture in the Read More…
The International Implications of a Socialist Victory in France
By: Simon Miles France’s socialist party last prevailed in the 1988 presidential election, won by François Mitterand (the incumbent) by a solid majority. Now, in the run-up to the 2012 elections, many French Socialists hope to repeat that success with François Hollande at the helm. This electoral cycle saw the Parti Socialiste (PS) engage in Read More…
Kenyan Troops Go Where Others Fear to Tread
By: James Bridger Despite attempts to brand itself as a luxury tour destination, Kenya has been unable to escape the harsh reality that it borders a failed state of Hobbesian proportions. Instability has spilled over in recent weeks, as Somali militants launched a series of daring raids into Kenyan territory: On 11 September Judith Tebbutt, Read More…
Canada-NATO Relations, the Future of Afghanistan and its Implications on the Transatlantic Alliance
By: Kavita Bapat In July Canada began the process of withdrawing troops from Afghanistan after nearly a decade of engagement in the war torn country. In the early days of the Afghan conflict Canada contributed troops to Joint Task Force 2 with the aim of routing out remaining Taliban and al Qaeda forces. In 2003 Read More…
Newsletter – October 2011
New Interns at the NCC NCC Roundtable Reports West African Piracy NATO’s Future in the Abkhazia Dispute NATO Study Tour Lessons Learned from Libya Hunger Strikes and Indian Democracy Newsletter – October 2011
Starving for Change: Is the Hunger Strike a Legitimate Democratic Tool?
By: Nabila F. Qureshi For thirteen days, a frail old man wrapped in homespun cotton captured widespread media and public attention across India. Channelling the anger and frustration of Indians over a series of poorly handled government corruption scandals, 74-year-old political activist Anna (“Elder Brother”) Hazare staged a hunger strike for nearly two weeks. He Read More…
NATO’s Future Role in the Abkhazia Dispute
By: Simon A. Miles Following the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia declared the Georgian breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and even Georgia itself, to be within Russia’s sphere of influence. Though Russia has deescalated to a war of words, the dispute over Abkhazia remains an important concern Read More…
A Russian Job Trade
By: Gemma Louise Thom During an address to the United Russia Party congress, Vladimir Putin accepted an offer to run for Presidency in the March 2012 elections. The proposal, made by the current President, Dmitry Medvedev, came as no surprise. This decisive move will potentially allow Putin, the current Prime Minister and former President, to Read More…