The Cold War was a period of tension between the USSR and the United States; although at one point the Soviet Union and the United States were allies because of the enemy they had in common, Nazi Germany. The Cold War was not a real physical war, only the Korean War was a physical war. This period of tension began due to mistrust between the two nations. Canada, as a founding member of NATO, played a significant role in the Cold War and contributed greatly during the tense period. In addition to NATO, Canada was also heavily involved in many other aspects of the Cold War such as NORAD, the Korean War, and the Gouzenko case. Canada had an influence in the development of NATO; had been a member of NATO since its founding in 1949. The purpose of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was to unify the Western allies and strengthen the armed forces as a reaction to a possible threat from the Soviet Union and its allies . In 1949, many countries signed a contract to join the organization, including: Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, Iceland, Luxembourg, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Portugal.² Canada gained benefits from the being part of NATO, such as the ability to have a say in alliance politics, and Canada would now be able to “deal with the United States in a multilateral context.” ¹ NATO also provided security for Canada from potential aggression by the Soviet Union. The Canadian Armed Forces have been the most engaged and responsive armed forces within NATO. Canada's priority in NATO was to ensure that all allies remained modern and capable of addressing threats throughout the period. Canada was not only a member of NATO, but was also part of NORAD. NORAD is the North American aerospace defense command. It's a USA-Can......middle of paper......y in many ways; this includes the NORAD, NATO and Korean War portion. The Cold War was just a time of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union due to trust issues between the two nations. The United States and the Soviet Union were allies at one point during World War II. Therefore it was called the Cold War because of the tension. Works Cited Historica Canada. Cold War. Accessed December 16, 2013. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/education/008-119.01-e.php?item_id_nbr=48cbc. Canadian Cold War. 2001: cbc Accessed December 16, 2013. http://www.cbc.ca/history/SECTIONSE1EP15CH1LE.htmldfait-maeci. Canada and the Cold War. Accessed December 16, 2013. http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/bkhan/canadian_history_11/Assignments/canada_and_the_cold_war1.html.The Canadian Encyclopedia. Cold War. Accessed December 16, 2013. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/cold-war/.