President and CEO of the NATO Association of Canada speaks to UNBC students.

The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) recently hosted a lecture by Robert C.J. Baines, president and CEO of the NATO Association of Canada.

The NATO Association of Canada is a non-profit organization focused on educating Canadians about the importance of security and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Baines spoke to students on Friday, March 28 about the significance of Canada’s relationship with NATO during uncertain times, highlighting how the country's contributions align with its values and interests.

Baines began his lecture by discussing NATO’s formation in response to the horrors of the two world wars and the global desire for security and sovereignty.

He linked NATO’s founding principles to the current political climate, stressing the relevance of these ideals, especially in light of political actions from the United States. This included recent calls for Canada to become the 51st state.

“This is an absolute horror,” Baines said. “At the end of the Second World War, the United Nations was built upon the rock of immutable borders — borders that could not be changed anymore. No longer are we allowed to use force, the threat of force, or financial force to change borders. That was the foundation of the United Nations. It seems, however, that the United States no longer respects this fundamental element of the United Nations. Even questioning someone's borders or sovereignty, throwing it out as a joke, disrespects all the lives lost in the First and Second World Wars. All that we learned from that death and suffering was based on the idea that you don’t mess around with borders.”

Baines also emphasized the importance of Canada’s relationship with NATO and how the security and global community provided by the alliance benefit Canadians across the country.

“It may seem a thousand feet above you, but it affects your life, I guarantee you, day after day,” Baines said. “One of my jobs is to articulate how this happens so we can point to specific things in your life that are the result of this order we’ve enjoyed for so long. I guarantee it will pop up in ways you can’t imagine. I really do think it’s Canada’s moment. I hope that, even if you're not politically active, you’ll at least talk to your friends and loved ones about the importance of Canada’s role globally to maintain our sovereignty — to even wave the flag a little bit and make sure people are proud to be Canadian.”

In an interview with The Citizen, Baines discussed the importance of NATO and how Canada can define its role within the organization on the global stage during times of uncertainty and rapid change.

“Canada survives as a middle power, and it can only do so if it remains committed to a rules-based international order,” Baines said. “That order is based on the idea that borders can no longer be changed, that we defend those borders, and that we stand up for one another. This is where NATO comes in. NATO is probably the best tool for Canada to succeed in an uncertain world. It has shown its success, resilience, capacity to adapt, and its ability to maintain links with other middle powers, which will be increasingly important.”

With U.S. President Donald Trump discussing the possibility of reducing U.S. support for NATO, Baines noted that Canada could play a role in filling the gap.

“The urgent thing is to show that we are paying our way,” Baines said. “Trump views NATO as a protection racket, but it’s not that we’re paying money to someone else. A lot of our defence budget is spent within Canada, but we need to meet the benchmark of spending 2 per cent of our GDP on defence. As much as some may complain about that metric, it’s a signal. It shows how much you're willing to contribute to your friends and allies. So as a symbol, it’s essential that we reach that goal as soon as we can.”

Baines also discussed one of the toughest aspects of his role: influencing public opinion and communicating NATO's importance to those who may take it for granted.

“It’s like anything else when you’re trying to change culture,” he said. “It’s about raising awareness, adding a dimension to people's thinking so they realize their everyday experiences — whether having coffee with friends or whatever it may be — are connected to security. The most difficult thing about my job is doing that in a way that’s neither annoying nor distressing. It’s easy to be seen as wagging a finger at people, saying, ‘You should be more thankful for what you have,’ or to scare people into taking defence seriously. We try to find a balance in between.”

Despite Prince George’s relatively small role in the global community, Baines noted that the city still has an important part to play.

“Prince George has a spot in this,” Baines said. “Every Canadian needs to make their voice heard and realize they’re all part of it. That’s why I was thrilled to speak at four different locations during my visit. I’m glad to help Canadians across the country understand the importance of security and their role as citizens.”

Baines expressed his gratitude to Sean Simmons of the Prince George chapter of the Canadian International Council for helping facilitate his visit to the city.