For the third time in NATO history, the NATO Association of Canada hosted an honourary event for NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday, June 19th, 2024. Stoltenberg was awarded the Louis St. Laurent Award for outstanding contributions to the ideals and principles of maintaining peace and order enshrined in the Washington Treaty. Past recipients of the St. Laurent Award include Rt. Hon. Jean Chrétien, Peter C. Newman and Dr. Ignat Kaneff.
This event was proudly supported by Gold Sponsors OMERS, Lockheed Martin, Power Corporation of Canada, Silver Sponsors Labatt, TD, and Bruce Power, and Forward Operating Base Sponsor Fortin Consulting Group.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arriving at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with NATO Association Chair the Honourable David Collenette,
NATO Association CEO and President Robert Baines presenting his welcome remarks
Held in Ottawa, the room was full of special guests, including Canada’s former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Joe Clark, Julie Dzerowicz, Chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association, members of Canadian Senate and Members of Parliament, various NATO country Ambassadors, different business executives, Canadian military personnel, as well as directors and members of the NATO Association of Canada. As part of NATO’s 75th anniversary celebrations, the program included a speech by the Secretary-General and a fireside chat with Lisa LaFlamme.
In his introductory remarks, the Honourable David Collenette, NATO Association chair, presented NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as “the man of the moment as NATO prepares itself to protect the freedom, democracy and territorial integrity of its member nations.”
The Honourable David Collonette presenting his opening remarks
“It is good to be back in Canada,” Stoltenberg addressed the crowd “…I feel at home in this country.” Preparing for the upcoming Washington Summit, that celebrated NATO’s 75th anniversary, Stoltenberg stated that the Allies would discuss three main issues.
To begin, NATO must continue to strengthen its defence and deterrence. Stoltenberg expressed NATO’s gratitude for Canada’s contribution to the alliance over the years but was firm in expecting all member allies to reach the target of 2% of GDP contribution to defence. Canada agreed in 2014, along with the other allies, to spend a minimum of 2% of GDP on its defence budget. However, Canada is actively failing to reach that target, spending only 1.33% on defence. In response to international pressures, Canada released a new defence spending plan that projects Canada to spend 1.79% on defence by the year 2029 – still shy of 2%. During the summit in Washington, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Canada would reach the benchmark by 2032.
Stoltenberg addressed the importance of NATO allies reaching 2%, warning, “If we’re not able to prevent war, if you’re not able to preserve peace, then what you do on health and climate change and education anyway, it will fail. So a precondition for success in all the other areas is that we preserve peace, and therefore, we need to invest in security, and 2% is our minimum.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg presenting his remarks
He explained that the second pressing issue covered at the Washington Summit would be the war in Ukraine. Since the Russian invasion in 2022, NATO member allies have provided unprecedented support for Ukraine. Stoltenberg emphasized how important Canada’s billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine has had a major impact on the defence of Ukraine: “The more credible our long-term support, the quicker Moscow will realize it cannot wait us out, the sooner this war will end…to convince President Putin that he cannot win on the battlefield. We must ensure that Putin’s aggression doesn’t pay off today or in the future”. Stoltenberg indicated that support for Ukraine is a collective responsibility and requires all NATO allies to step up to support Ukraine’s defence militarily and fiscally to take the burden off of the United States.
The final main issue Stoltenberg addressed in his speech was global partnerships, specifically in the Indo-Pacific. In his remarks, the NATO Secretary General addressed the evolving dynamics between NATO member countries and Indo-Pacific relations, emphasizing China’s dual approach. He highlighted the paradoxical situation in which China seeks to foster relations with the West, yet it simultaneously supports Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, “fueling the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War Two”. Stoltenberg indicated that “last year, Russia imported 90 per cent of its microelectronics from China, used to produce missiles, tanks, and aircraft. China is also working to provide Russia with improved satellite capability and imagery”.
The Secretary-General also pointed to North Korea and Iran, both of which are supplying artillery to Russia. He underscored that Indo-Pacific relations are critical to Canada, the war in Ukraine, and all NATO members. As much as forging ties between NATO members and Indo-Pacific states is desirable to ensure regional security, countries like China playing on both fronts -Russia and the West- hinder potential collaboration and even threaten global security. In his speech, Stoltenberg alerted NATO member states, indicating that for the first time in history, the United States and NATO will have to face two nuclear threats—Russia and China—both of which lack transparency and act as significant threats to global stability.
The Louis St. Laurent Award
After his speech, the NATO Association Chair Emerita Kathryn E. Langley Hope presented the Louis St. Laurent award to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, alongside NATO Association Chair the Honourable David Collenette, NATO Association CEO and President Robert Baines and Julie Dzerowicz, Chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association.
In the fireside chat with Lisa LaFlamme, Stoltenberg displayed his diplomatic personality, joking with the audience about his ‘Canadian heritage’ with his mother attending McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. The fireside chat ranged from Leonard Cohen to NATO’s position on China. Stoltenberg emphasized that China, “cannot have it both ways”, alluding to its desire to strengthen its ties with the West yet at the same time continue to be “the main supporter of the Russian war efforts in Ukraine”, according to Stoltenberg. Stoltenberg and LaFlamme had a spectacular conversation, celebrating the recognition of the Secretary General’s ten years as the head of NATO.
From the fireside chat with Lisa LaFlamme
As part of the event, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and her long-time mentor, President of the NATO Association Robert Baines, presented Antalya Popatia with the NATO Intern Alumni Trailblazer Award in recognition of five years of invaluable volunteer work for the NATO Association of Canada.
The NATO Association of Canada was honoured to host an engaging afternoon with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, whose insights on the evolving global security landscape left a lasting impact on all attendees. His address highlighted the critical role of NATO in maintaining international stability amidst the complexities of Indo-Pacific relations and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Secretary General’s discussion underscored the importance of unity and transparency among member nations. This visit reinforced the strong ties between Canada and NATO and inspired a renewed commitment to collective security and cooperation in the face of emerging global challenges.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with NATO Association Hon. Chair Emerita Kathryn E Langley Hope, NATO Association Chair the Honourable David Collenette, CEO and President Robert Baines, Interim Executive Director Lana Kharlip and a group of NATO Association directors
This event could not have been done without the tireless efforts and contributions of NATO Association interim executive director Lana Kharlip and the NATO Association members and staff. We would also like to acknowledge the invaluable leadership of our President and CEO, Robert Baines, and our Chair, Honourable David Collenette as well as Hon. Chair Emerita Kathryn E Langley Hope. We also wish to acknowledge the contributions of all NATO Association board directors and those who attended this special event.
NATO Association CEO and President Robert Baines with Interim Executive Director Lana Kharlip
NATO Association CEO and President Robert Baines and Interim Executive Director Lana Kharlip with NATO Association interns team behind the event
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with NATO Association interns and alumni
A gracious thank you to our guest of honour, Jens Stoltenberg. It was a pleasure hearing you speak about Canada’s contribution to NATO, and we hope to see you in Canada again soon!
A heartfelt thank you to Lisa LaFlamme for her support and contribution, which sparked deep discussions while maintaining an inspiring yet light-hearted atmosphere. We also wish to gratefully acknowledge our two sustaining donors, our Hon. Chair Kathryn E. Langley Hope and the Trisha A. Langley Estate, for contributing to the event’s success. A very special thank you to all of our sponsors.
Lisa LaFlamme with a group of NATO Association interns
Interim Executive Director Lana Kharlip with a group of NATO Association interns
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