Lesson Plan: All for One?

Lesson Plan

Before Exploring

As a class, visit the topic One For All: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization on the CBC Digital Archives website and listen to the clip "'A pledge for peace and progress.'"  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?

Outline the Opportunity

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 the clips "The Kosovo question" and "NATO Celebrates 50 Years," including the Story and Did You Know? Sections.  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.

Revisit and Reflect

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

Extension