“The NATO association of Canada’s youth protégé, 16-year-old Jaden Braves, who is “co-president of the Green Party of Canada’s youth wing and CEO of the Young Politicians of Canada” recently posted a video of himself firing a semi-automatic firearm while leaning on a NATO flag. These events have ignited outrage from peace activists across the country — including sharp condemnation from Green Party of Quebec leader Alex Tyrrell.”
Braves is an outspoken advocate for increased military spending and other NATO-aligned policies. He is a self identified Zionist. Trained by the NATO Association of Canada, a transnational organization, Jaden Braves has become a frequent guest on mainstream Canadian media, including the CBC, CTV and CPAC. He has participated in international NATO meetings, met with federal cabinet ministers, ambassadors, and even joined a delegation to the White House as part of a “National Security Task Force”.
In his social media posts and public statements, Braves repeatedly argues that Canada and its allies must ramp up military spending and prepare for future conflicts. His Instagram reels juxtapose calls for “standing up for our future” with footage of tanks rolling by a dead body “it’s about our future” says Braves in the video recorded at the NATO public form in Washington D.C. last year standing in front of the official convention backdrop “if we do not stand up now we will not have one. If it’s not young people looking out our world leaders may not.”
Green Party of Quebec leader Alex Tyrrell issued a strong rebuke, writing:
“This is the kind of youth that the Green Party has attracted to its membership under Elizabeth May’s hawkish leadership.”
Tyrrell also criticized the NATO Association of Canada for what he describes as a deliberate strategy to counter growing anti-war sentiment among youth:
“The Canada NATO Association recently published a study detailing how young people are less and less likely to support militarism and western global domination. They see this as a problem and this child politician/propagandist is part of their efforts to counter this generation’s opposition to war.”
An article on the NATO Canada website reads “The main purpose of scrutinizing youth attitudes to international security is understanding the influence young people can have on security policy. It can be difficult to determine how salient foreign or military policy is for Millennial and Generation Z voters in determining their voting patterns. However, the high-profile youth opposition to ongoing American support for Israel in the war in Gaza is likely one of the main reasons for the Biden Administration’s shift of rhetoric. This suggests that the influence of international security issues on young people’s attitudes may be considerable. In turn, a lack of youth support for assertive security policy could potentially push Western governments to modulate security policy in order to accommodate that electoral constituency, at least in part, as happened with some aspects of the Biden Administration’s policy towards Israel’s war in Gaza.“
The article continued “Millennials and Gen Z respondents in the United States were both split approximately 50/50 on whether the United States should “maintain an active role abroad.” As it relates to the preceding generations, Generation X supported this active role at 56%, Boomers at 73%, and the Silent Generation (one generation before Boomers) at 71%.”
What have the Canadian Greens and their “Youth Wing” Become?
The contrast between Elizabeth May’s early activism and Braves’ current role is not lost on critics. At a similar age, May was advocating against pesticide spraying in Nova Scotia. Now, under her leadership, the Green Party has been linked to a youth leader who publicly promotes NATO military buildup.
“This is what the federal Green Party has become. This is what NATO Canada has become with their youth indoctrination program. This is what the peace movement is up against,” Tyrrell wrote.
NATO Canada has a youth wing with 17 representatives from across Canada that appear on their website.
From their website “The Youth Atlantic Treaty Association of Canada (YATA Canada) is the youth organization of one of the 37 member organizations or chapters of the Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA). Founded on the constitution of YATA International, YATA Canada is at arm’s length with Canada’s ATA chapter, the NATO Association of Canada (NAOC). It is an organization driven by a network of young professionals, students, and academics willing to engage with topics relating to international security, NATO member states relations, and Canadian foreign policy.”
“It’s outrageous that Jaden Braves is co president of Green Party youth wing. The notion that promoting the belligerent NATO military is compatible with ecological sustainability, peace and equality is absurd. What’s the point of the Green Party if it just echoes the other militarist, pro-US empire, parties?”
Author and activist Yves Engler
The Young NATO association’s recently held an international youth summit to “shape leaders”
Tyrrell also called for more robust peace education programs for youth to counterbalance the kind of NATO propaganda that he says Braves represents:
“Where are the peace advocacy training programs for youth? Who is equipping youth to counter balance this kind of NATO propaganda? I have not seen it yet. Things need to change. NATO is winning the propaganda war, prepping for WW3 and manipulating Canadian politics.”
Tyrrell concluded with a scathing critique of those giving Braves a platform:
“Shame on all of the mainstream TV news outlets giving this child a platform to spew this bullshit propaganda. Shame on Elizabeth May for encouraging this garbage and shame on the NATO Association of Canada for indoctrinating and exploiting Canadian youth on behalf of a military alliance.”
Dimitri Lascaris, a well known lawyer, activist, journalist and runner up in the 2020 Green Party of Canada leadership race added
“Braves seems to be operating under the mistaken belief that machismo is a core value of the Greens. I have some news for this young green: there’s no miitary solution to the climate crisis.
As debates over Canadian militarism intensify, the emergence of young pro-NATO influencers like Braves has become a flashpoint — raising critical questions about the role of youth, media, and political leadership in shaping the country’s foreign policy future.
