David Collenette: As NATO celebrates 75 years, the alliance is needed now more than ever – The Star
July 8, 2024
Many Canadians still question our role in NATO and the expenditures required to maintain a robust military deterrent. However, if we want global stability, we must convince a younger generation that NATO is as relevant today as it was when at its creation in 1949 and deserving of our support.
This week, heads of government gather to mark the 75th anniversary of the Washington Treaty that gave birth to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, when global turmoil is at a point not seen in many decades.
The term “crossroads of history” is often used to describe a critical juncture in time. This is certainly the case with the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine and challenges to the rules based international order established after the Second World War.
Those of us who grew up in the aftermath of that war were keenly aware of the existential threat posed by the Soviet Union over 40 years. There is no question that NATO, as a defensive alliance whose mission is to deter aggression that threatens its members, preserved a trans-Atlantic peace, allowing generations of North Americans and Europeans to grow up in prosperous and democratic societies.
