NATO Minister's Conference

During the summer of 1999, Roberts was contacted by a Maj Tony White from DGPA (Public Affairs) in Ottawa, and asked if he was interested in working in the Media Centre of the NATO Minister Conference in Toronto. The conference was taking place at the Metropolitan Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC), 21-22 September 1999.

The plan called for a public affairs staff of seven working in several locations within MTCC. Their roles were to provide background material, act as facilitators, arrange interviews, act as media escorts to specific events and the catchall, other duties as required. For co-ordination purposes all staff would be in position a couple of day before the conference.

Initially, the scenario was to have staff rotate through all positions, but this was changed after the first shift as people developed a routine and comfort level in their current role. Roberts' primary task was to operate the media liaison desk in the media centre, his secondary was to be an escort officer during the several photo opportunities that were conducted.

On the morning of the first day, as he was walking away from the media liaison desk, the phone rang, and Sgt Steve Hawken answered it. Hawken, called for Roberts to take the call. It was from a friend at the headquarters of Ontario Power Generation, who was a member of the North Atlantic Council. The Council is a group of interested citizens who support NATO and this individual had been invited to take part in a debate on a CBC Newsworld's program that evening called "Counter Spin". Because the NATO Ministers were in Toronto, he was looking a quick briefing before going in front of the cameras. After co-ordinating the briefing, Roberts asked his friend how he managed to reach him? The telephone number had only been active for a couple of days. His friend said that despite the fact he was in Toronto, and only a couple of kilometres away, he had to call NATO Headquarters in Brussels, and they gave it to him.

Capt Stephen Roberts (L), Maj Nigel Fountaine, Capt Yvonne Cooper, Toronto Police Sgt Lorna Kozmik, Mr. Jamie Shea, Sgt Steve Hawken, and RCMP Constable Michele Paradis

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