On the sidelines of the 28th Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense Conference in Victoria, BC, Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), met privately with his Chinese counterpart, General Yang Zhibin, commander of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command. This was the first time in more than two years that senior commanders Read More…
As NATO countries increase defence spending amid rising geopolitical tensions, Canada faces pressure to strengthen its military. The federal government has committed billions of dollars to modernizing the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), but increased spending does not automatically translate into greater military capability. Major defence projects have faced years of delays, while personnel shortages and Read More…
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.
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.
What happens when a trusted source of credible evidence becomes something just about anyone can fabricate? Google’s short-lived integration of its Nano Banana 2 image-generation technology into Google Earth offered a glimpse. Dorigen Gray examines how increasingly accessible generative AI tools lower the barriers to manipulating trusted sources of evidence, and what this means for verification, disinformation, public trust and national security.
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.
NATO Mission Iraq seeks to include WPS in its longstanding operations. However, the recent killing of Iraqi-Canadian women’s rights activist Yanar Mohammed highlights that insecurity for women remains prominent in Iraq, as women’s rights lag in the face of continued instability. As it supports Iraq’s reconstruction, NATO Mission Iraq must undertake a renewed commitment to implement WPS across its operations, support a safe environment for women’s rights defenders and civil society, and foster sustainable peacebuilding and societal resilience.
As geopolitical competition intensifies across the Arctic, Canada and NATO’s Arctic security strategy must extend beyond defence capabilities. This article explores how meaningful partnerships with Inuit and Indigenous communities strengthen Arctic sovereignty through Indigenous leadership, environmental stewardship, and generations of lived experience and permanent presence.
Through the manipulation of human mobility, states are transforming human desperation into a weapon. As migrants and refugees are increasingly being employed as weapons of war, NATO must be prepared to respond to this hybrid challenge, which carries significant security and humanitarian implications.
Although Canada achieved its 2% NATO target, it still struggles to turn that spending into modern, ready, and deployable military capability. With the new 5% pledge, Canada must rethink how it budgets and delivers defence investments to generate usable and efficient military power.