On September 26, in the latest development in the ongoing diplomatic row between Canada and Saudi Arabia, the Saudi foreign minister, Adel Al-Juebir, asked that Canada stop treating his country “like a banana republic.” Al-Juebir repeated demands that the Government of Canada apologize for its August 2018 Tweets which called for the release of a Read More…
Society, Culture, and Security
The NATO Association of Canada’s Society, Culture, and Security 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.
Iranian interest in Iraq and ramifications on NATO
In this article, Sivan Ghasem highlights Iran’s role in Iraq and the current umbrella of militia’s that operate under Iran’s direction. She underscores the measures of hard and soft power executed by the Iranian regime and how this could effect relations with NATO.
Strongman Domination in World Politics: Why Political Systems Matter
Although many strongman leaders are portrayed as authoritarian, power hungry, and egotistic control freaks, Junior Research Fellow Ramesh Balakrishnan discusses how there is a world of difference between those leaders at the head of democracies versus those who are unelected and rule over dictatorships.
On the Sidelines of FIFA, a Ukrainian Drama
Isabelle Ava-Pointon discusses political action and statements during the 2018 Fifa World Cup, and how sporting events are increasingly subject to geopolitical shifts.
Opinion: Helsinki and the Effects of Trump’s Pivot to Russia
The 2018 Helsinki Summit, held between Russia and the United States, indicates a pivot towards Russia by the Trump administration. In this article Junior Research Fellow Adam Zivo shares his thoughts on why that matters and what American Russophilia might mean for the future of Europe.
How Putin Won the World Cup
Following the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Alison MacPhee investigates if host countries can truly keep politics out of international sport.
Canadian International Relations and Law: Cannabis
Demyan tackles the recent Canadian cannabis legislation and its potential dilemma with international agreements. In response to the pressure that Canada faces, Demyan provides several actions that can be taken by Canada on the international stage to avoid international dispute.
A Shifting Moral Compass: Gina Haspel and the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program
Gina Haspel was confirmed as the 7th Director of the CIA on May 17th. In his latest article, McCartney Lee discusses Haspel’s history with the agency’s Detention and Interrogation program, and whether or not institutionalized torture is an effective method of gathering information.
A Captive State in Democratic Clothing: A Discussion with Consul General Andrii Veselovskyi
In a four part series, the NATO Association of Canada discusses the advance of Russia and Ukraine’s bid to join NATO with Ukrainian Consul General Andrii Veselovskyi. The inaugural feature discusses the reality of Russian intervention in Central and Eastern Europe, and analyzes how western misconceptions and acquiesce have led to a negligent disregard of Read More…
The Case Of The Returning Jihadi: A Talk by Rukmini Callimachi, Janice Stein and Amarnath Amarsingam
Ideology A peculiar thing about those that choose a life of extremism, is that despite all their flair for violence, they are extraordinarily ordinary. They are people, just like us, and they have a deeply articulated cause that they think is worthy of death. Amarnath Amarsingam wonders why we’re asking the wrong questions when it Read More…