CBC Archives

As a class, visit One For All: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site and listen to Clip # 3. Ask students to describe Canada’s original reason, in 1949, for participating in the NATO alliance. Discuss Lester Pearson’s commitment to “convert the promise of peace into performance.” What did he mean?

Explain that students will determine whether Canada has lived up to its NATO commitments in the 50 years since the alliance was founded. Have them view Clip #8 in the topic One For All: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, including the Story and Did You Know? sections, as well as the Additional Clip “NATO Celebrates 50 Years.” Ask students to make a T-chart, and using the information they have gathered, record evidence that Canada has either lived up to its NATO commitments or has not lived up to its NATO commitments.

Ask students to share their findings. Record their responses on a T-chart on the board. Then discuss the following questions as a class:

In general, has Canada honoured its commitment to NATO? Explain.

What problems has Canada encountered in trying to honor its commitments to NATO?

What lessons has Canada learned from its involvement in NATO?

Should Canada continue to be part of the NATO alliance?

Working in partners, students can consider different perspectives on the question of whether Canada has honoured its commitment to NATO. Have them complete the sentence, “If Canada had never joined NATO…” from the point of view of the following people:

the current Canadian Prime Minister

a current federal Leader of the Opposition

a Canadian peacekeeper

a family member of a Canadian soldier killed in the line of duty on a NATO mission

a Canadian journalist who has worked in countries where NATO forces are present

the current President of Russia

a human rights advocate

the current Secretary-General of the United Nations

the current president of Afghanistan

Have each student complete the same sentence from his or her own point of view, and write a persuasive essay defending that position.