Canadian Global Affairs Institute

The Canadian Global Affairs Institute (Global Affairs) is an independent, non-partisan research institute based in Calgary with offices in Ottawa. Incorporated as a charitable organization in 2000, the institute pursues new ideas to focus the national debate and understanding of Canada's international policies with the ultimate aim of ensuring a more globally engaged Canada.

Global Affairs believes that doing so enhances Canadian security and prosperity. Global Affairs is dedicated to educating Canadians, and particularly those who have leadership roles in shaping Canadian foreign policy, about the importance of Canada being proactive in world affairs with tangible diplomatic military and aid assets.

Activities

The Dispatch

The Canadian Global Affairs Institute produces a quarterly newsletter called ''The Dispatch''. The Dispatch invites Global Affairs fellows to provide insight on international issues of relevance to Canada.

Strategic Studies Working Group

The Strategic Studies Working Group (SSWG) is a partnership between the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and the Canadian International Council (CIC), which incorporates the former Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies. The SSWG is administered by Global Affairs, which also conducts research and produces publications on security and defence issues on behalf of the partnership. All projects undertaken by the SSWG are first approved by CIC and are co-published or co e-published according to CIC standards.

The SSWG has begun to host E-Conferences on issues related to defence and security. The e-conferences are structured to take place over a number of weeks, with each week having a specific topic. The e-conferences include regular commentaries by academics and practitioners, Twitter Q&A's, live chats and major articles placed on national media.
* The Future of Fighting conference focused on what the Canadian Forces might look like in the coming decade to reflect the changing funding and combat environment.
* The Drone Week conference was focused on understanding some of the practical, legal and moral questions surrounding the current use of drones and the future use of unmanned aerial vehicles.

The SSWG produces Research Papers which keep in line with the partnership's purpose of focusing on defence and security topics. The Strategic Profile Canada is a project which provides a comprehensive overview of Canada's demographic, economic and military information.

3Ds Blog

The 3Ds Blog is a site managed by Global Affairs and provides defence and security news from Canada and around the world. Blog updates are made by Global Affairs fellows, the majority coming from Mark Collins.

Speakers Series

The Canadian Global Affairs Institute organizes a speakers series which is annually themed on a specific topic of importance to Canadian defence, security, and foreign affairs issues. The speaking events are held quarterly in Calgary and bring together business people, academics, and praticioners to listen to some of Canada's mosat important and influential thinkers. Former speakers include Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence; Michael Bell, former diplomat; and Yuen Pau Woo, president and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, among others.

Ross Munro Award

The Ross Munro Media Award was initiated, in 2002, by the Conference of Defence Associations, in concert with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Its purpose is to recognize, annually, one Canadian journalist who has made a significant and outstanding contribution to the understanding, by the general public, of Canada's defence and security issues.

Military Journalism Course

The Military Journalism Course was started in 2002 as a nine-day course, which introduces university students to military journalism and the Canadian Armed Forces. The course is run in partnership with the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary and includes a combination of media-military theory in a classroom setting, coupled with field visits to Armed Forces regular and reserve units. The stated goal of the program is to enhance the military education of future Canadian journalists who will report on Canadian military activities domestically and abroad.
In 2007, the program introduced its first Francophone Military Journalism course held at the Université de Montréal and Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, near Québec City.

Advisory Council

A group of advisers provide feedback on current and future programs.
* Ian Brodie
* Jean Charest, PC
* Laura Dawson
* Richard Fadden
* Robert Fowler, OC
* Dan Hays, PC
* Marie-Lucie Morin, PC
* John Manley, PC OC
* Bob Rae, PC OC
* Christopher Waddell
* Robert Wright

Fellowship Program

Fellows

* David Bercuson, OC, FRSC
* Jean-Christophe Boucher
* Brett Boudreau
* Brian Bow
* David Carment
* Joseph Caron
* Andrea Charron
* Howard Coombs
* Barry Cooper
* Daryl Copeland
* Jocelyn Coulon
* D. Michael Day
* Ferry de Kerckhove
* Paul Durand
* Ross Fetterly
* Patricia Fortier
* Julian Lindley-French
* Frédérick Gagnon
* Sarah Goldfeder
* Andrew Griffith
* Marius Grinius
* Robert Hage
* Rolf Holmboe
* Rob Huebert
* Peter Jones
* Thomas Juneau
* Tom Keenan
* Adam Lajeunesse
* Randolph Mank
* Eric Miller
* Robert Muggah
* David Perry
* Vanja Petricevic
* George Petrolekas
* Joël Plouffe
* Andrew Rasiulis
* Tom Ring
* Colin Robertson
* Lindsay L. Rodman
* Stephen Saideman
* Darren Schemmer
* Hugh Segal, CM
* Elinor Sloan
* Gary Soroka
* Hugh Stephens
* Alan Stephenson
* Stéfanie von Hlatky
* Charity Weeden

Notable alumni

* Perrin Beatty, PC
* Derek Burney, OC
* Paul Dewar
* Andrew Godefroy, CD
* J.L. Granatstein, OC
* Hrach Gregorian
* Mike Jeffery, CMM, CD
* Andrew Leslie, CMM, MSC, MSM, CD
* George Macdonald
* Paul Maddison
* Roland Paris
* David Pratt
* Stephen Randall, FRSC

Recognition

Global Affairs Fellows regularly provide commentary and analysis of ongoing international events in TV and print new media. Its Vice-President Colin Robertson was named in Embassy Magazine 2012 edition of the "Top 80 Influencing Canada Foreign Policy". The University of Pennsylvania has consistently ranked the Canadian Global Affairs Institute 4th or 5th its list of Top Think Tanks in Canada.

Criticism and controversy

In an article from July 2016, ''The Globe and Mail'' examines the Institutes support of Canada's $15-billion combat-vehicle sale to Saudi Arabia at a time of a humanitarian crisis in Yemen, and the think tank's acceptance of donations from defense contractor General Dynamics–the parent of the arms maker in the export contract.

An article in 2017 from ''The Huffington Post'' goes on to say about the Saudi Arms deal "At least four of the General Dynamics-funded institute's "fellows" wrote columns justifying the sale, including an opinion Perry published in ''The'' ''Globe and Mail'' Report on Business titled "Without foreign sales, Canada's defence industry would not survive."

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Canadian Global Affairs Institute
Military of Canada
Think tanks based in Canada
Foreign policy and strategy think tanks
Organizations established in 2001
2001 establishments in Alberta
Internet properties established in 2001
Non-profit organizations based in Alberta
Political and economic think tanks based in Canada
Think tanks established in 2001