Canada – NAOC

NATO’s Balancing Act: Deterring Russia Without Prompting Escalation

With rumblings that Russia might provoke neighbouring NATO member states, Zev Wood seeks to unravel Putin’s rationale and strategy. He argues that to counter potential military encroachments by Russia, Canada and NATO should remain steadfast in increasing deterrence posture, while simultaneously remaining aware of the potential blowback effects that accompany such a path. Using deterrence theory, Zev concludes that Canada should advocate for a strategy that combines credible deterrence and diplomatic off-ramps to reduce the potential for further escalation.

Isabelle Zhu Women in Security

Food for Thought: The Intersection of Gender, Climate, and Trade Policy in Global Supply Chain Resilience and Food Security

Women play an important role in agricultural and food systems, where food security, climate, and trade are connected and reinforce concepts that have economic and societal impacts. Recent geopolitical events and disruptions in the global supply chain have highlighted the necessity of including gender provisions in climate and trade agreements through mechanisms such as the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, which contribute to the security and well-being of women around the world.

Women in Security

When Surveillance Becomes Wearable: AI Smart Glasses and the New Threat to Women’s Security

Joelle Reimer explores the intersection of emerging technology, privacy, and women’s security in her latest article for the NATO Association of Canada, “When Surveillance Becomes Wearable: AI Smart Glasses and the New Threat to Women’s Security.” The article examines how AI-enabled smart glasses can facilitate non-consensual surveillance, including covert recording, stalking, and image-based abuse, and why addressing the gendered security implications of wearable AI is increasingly important as these technologies become more widespread.

NATO and Canada

Alliance Liability: Ramifications of Alleged Canadian NATO Spy

Is Canada an alliance liability? Zev Wood examines the arrest of an alleged Canadian spy at NATO, arguing that NATO’s decentralized vetting structure places greater importance on domestic security screenings, which increases the risk of Canada being perceived as a liability because of its structural vulnerabilities. Amid Canada’s renewed efforts to reaffirm its centrality within the alliance, Zev argues that the espionage case risks undoing meaningful strides made by the current government. To address this and protect NATO’s operational cohesion, Zev proposes institutional reforms to close gaps in Canada’s vetting architecture that allowed this case to occur.

NATO and Canada

The Sahel’s Security Imperative: How Resurgent Jihadist Violence Challenges Africa’s and the West’s Economic Potential

Terrorism is no longer at the top of NATO’s agenda. After decades of war supporting the United States in its fight against terror, the pendulum has swung back to Europe. The war in Ukraine carries very clear security implications for NATO’s European members, who are rightly concerned that the emboldenment of a victorious Russia will lead to expanded aggression. At the same time, China has become a strategic competitor with military capacities that cannot be overlooked. As the alliance seeks to defend Europe, navigate the shifting priorities of the United States, and position itself to the threat of China, terrorism has become a secondary concern.

NATO and Canada

Flags of Convenience: Russia’s Shadow Fleet and Canadian Maritime Security

Russia’s Shadow Fleet is more than a sanctions-enforcement issue. Despite the economic utility these intentionally ambiguous vessels present to Moscow, Jonah Moffatt argues its activities demonstrate how Russia has fused its economic, intelligence, and security interests into one overarching hybrid strategy. The increased prevalence of the shadow fleet in the Arctic requires Canada to not only recognize the security implications of this threat, but work towards a coordinated response strategy with its regional NATO allies.

NATO and Canada

Canada’s Pivot from Washington to Europe and What This Recalibration Means for NATO

Rachel Potter examines Canada’s accelerating defence integration with the European Union, arguing that the durability of instruments like SAFE and Canada’s bilateral agreements with countries like Poland and Sweden reveal a structural recalibration rather than opportunistic hedging, one that positions Europe as a genuine alternative to Canada’s reliance on Washington and raises deeper questions about whether NATO’s traditional U.S.-anchored architecture can remain.

Centre For Disinformation Studies

The Price of Shelter: How Canada’s Housing Crisis Fuels Disinformation

Canada’s housing crisis has made the public more susceptible to scapegoating and disinformation. Ji Young Kim examines how Russia’s Tenet Media operation exploited domestic culture wars, weakening societal resilience and undermining Canada’s reliability within NATO.

NATO and Canada

Behind the Northern Flank: Security Beyond Deterrence in the Canadian Arctic

The Arctic has become a key fixture of transatlantic security and Canada has taken significant steps to expand the securitization of the region. In his latest piece, Jonah Moffatt argues that security extends beyond deterrence in already vulnerable Northern communities, underscoring the necessity of investment with dual military and civilian outcomes. In doing so, Canada can lead NATO’s polar pivot by ensuring the homeland behind the flank benefits from the region’s growing strategic importance.

Centre For Disinformation Studies Environment, Climate Change, and Security

Weaponizing Climate Uncertainty: Climate Disinformation as a Hybrid Threat

While climate change is undoubtedly an urgent security challenge for NATO, its risks extend beyond physical and environmental consequences. This article examines climate disinformation as a hybrid threat that exploits uncertainty to delay climate action, divide allies, and undermine trust. Rather than attempting to convince populations to reject climate change entirely, climate disinformation can create enough doubt and disagreement to weaken collective action.