About
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization Parliamentary Association (NATO PA) is an interparliamentary organization of legislators that was founded in 1955. It is institutionally separate and independent from the official NATO structure but serves as a liaison for NATO and member parliaments. The NATO PA strengthens parliamentary awareness, understanding and oversight of key defence and security issues, and provides greater transparency of NATO policies. The Assembly also plays a significant role in deepening the crucial transatlantic relationship that underpins the NATO Alliance. It has 269 parliamentary delegates from the 30 NATO member countries, and around 100 more delegates from associate or observer countries, as well as representatives from other parliamentary assemblies. Each spring, the Assembly gathers to discuss draft reports and hear from experts about pertinent international security issues. During the fall session, the Assembly meets to vote on and adopt reports and resolutions of the NATO PA’s five thematic committees and sub-committees. The resolutions adopted during these meetings reflect a broad range of subjects and become policy recommendations that are widely distributed to governments and parliaments of NATO member and associate member nations. The Honourable Wishart McLea Robertson was instrumental in the formation of the NATO PA and became the Assembly’s first President in 1955. Since that time, Canadian parliamentarians have been actively engaged in Assembly activities and consistently assumed leadership roles in the Assembly, including as members of the Bureau, rapporteurs, chairs and vice-chairs of committees. The International Secretariat, based in Brussels, is responsible for the administration of NATO PA matters. In addition to producing the documents and research for NATO PA committees and additional structures, it organizes around 40 Assembly activities that take place each year around the world, including election monitoring and fact-finding missions.
Established in 1955, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) is an inter-parliamentary organization of legislators from the national parliaments of the 29 member countries of NATO, as well as associate member countries. It is institutionally separate and independent from the official NATO structure, but serves as a liaison for NATO and member parliaments. The NATO PA strengthens parliamentary awareness, understanding and oversight of key defence and security issues, and provides greater transparency of NATO policies. The Assembly also plays a significant role in deepening the crucial transatlantic relationship that underpins the NATO Alliance. The Canadian NATO PA has actively engaged in Assembly activities since its founding. The Honourable Wishart McLea Robertson was instrumental in the formation of the NATO PA and became the Assembly’s first President in 1955. Since that time, Canadian parliamentarians have consistently assumed leadership roles in the Assembly, including as members of the Bureau, rapporteurs, chairs and vice-chairs of committees. Canada has hosted seven NATO PA sessions: 1971, 1979, 1987, 1992, 2001, 2006, and most recently in November 2018 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
- Céline Ethier, Association Secretary
- Allison Goody, Advisor
- Andrés León, Advisor