4. Programs

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Cyber Security and Emerging Threats

Is NATO Ready for the Brain Battlefield? Navigating the Governance Window for Neurotechnology

In the shadow of artificial intelligence, governments are pouring billions into technologies that collapse the distinction between human thought and machine computation. If NATO does not intervene early, it risks ceding strategic influence to competitors who view the mind as a domain for military advantage. Yet the strategic promise of neurotechnology is matched by questions about control, accountability, and exploitation that the Alliance cannot afford to ignore. NATO must move quickly, but through a phased approach that balances innovation with the protection of cognitive integrity.
Canadian Armed Forces

2 Years On: What “Our North, Strong and Free” has — and hasn’t — Delivered  

This April marks two years since the Department of National Defence released its updated policy titled “Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence,” which pledged $8.1 billion over five years and $73 billion over 20 years in national defence, signifying a new commitment to a military that had previously been underfunded Read More…
Indo-Pacific and NATO

Uncertain Course: Japan’s Indo-Pacific Strategy Under Review

As Chinese pressure on Japan intensifies across military activity, economic coercion, and political influence, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s has undertaken a review of Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy in response to a harsher strategic environment. Tasneem Gedi argues, however, that FOIP’s credibility will ultimately depend on whether Tokyo can build a framework durable enough to hold as American support becomes less predictable and the alliance structure underpinning it comes under greater strain.
Society, Culture, and Security

La violence sexuelle : une arme de guerre oubliée de la sécurité internationale

En temps de guerre, certaines formes de violence s’imposent immédiatement à l’attention : bombardements, combats de rue ou destructions d’infrastructures. D’autres formes de violence, pourtant comparables en termes d’impact social et politique, demeurent structurellement sous-intégrées aux cadres d’analyse sécuritaire. C’est le cas de la violence sexuelle, largement documentée dans de multiples conflits contemporains. Cette violence Read More…
Morgan Singer Women in Security

The Parity Imperative: Why Women’s Political Representation is Imperative to NATO’s Peace and Security Agenda

Women’s political representation is an integral condition for achieving durable peace, however, progress toward parity has begun stalling recent years. This article examines the mechanisms through which women’s substantive political representation produces positive outcomes for NATO’s peace and security agenda. The NATO Alliance must cultivate a political order where women lead, not only as a gender equity imperative but as a peace imperative, as women’s leadership presents the surest defence against adversaries seeking to destabilize the Alliance.
Security, Trade and the Economy

Truly Transatlantic: German-Norwegian Submarines for a European-Oriented Canada

Like much else in the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Navy’s submarine fleet is rapidly aging out. The RCN’s second-hand Victoria-class diesel-electric submarines, built for the Royal Navy in the 1980s, will reach the end of their service life in the 2030s. The four Victoria-class submarines are already showing signs of their age, having become Read More…
NATO and Canada Uncategorized

Iran Precedent: Canada’s Support Without Participation

As the US and Israel’s campaign against Iran continues, it has potential to draw NATO, and Canada as a member of the alliance into uncharted territory. Canada finds itself walking a diplomatic tightrope: offering political support to its allies while firmly keeping its troops out of the fight. This “support without participation” stance has allowed Canada to preserve alliance solidarity and avoid military overreach, but it’s increasingly tested as missiles enter NATO airspace and resources grow thin across theaters. With European allies diverging in their responses, the big question remains: how long can political backing alone satisfy an alliance under mounting pressure? For now, Canada is banking on de-escalation but the Tehran precedent, though on a two-week pause, is still very much a work in progress.
Canadian Armed Forces Jasmine Doobay-Joseph

Canada’s C7 and C8 Transition in the Context of NATO Modernization

This article examines Canada’s decision to replace the Canadian Armed Forces’ C7 and C8 rifles alongside similar service rifle modernization efforts in France, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. It examines that the replacement is not driven by age alone, but by the need for greater adaptability, compatibility with modern accessories, and continued effectiveness across different operational settings. Rather than pointing to a single NATO-wide process, these cases reflect a broader pattern among several allies seeking to update the equipment carried by frontline personnel. Together, they show that service rifle replacement has implications not only for readiness, but also for interoperability, training, maintenance, and longer-term defence planning.
Security, Trade and the Economy Uncategorized

Canada’s Dual Exposure to the Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz is barely 30 miles wide at its narrowest point, yet it is arguably one of the most consequential stretches of water on earth. Through this narrow corridor connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman flows approximately 20 million barrels of oil per day (b/d); roughly 20% of global petroleum Read More…