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| Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute | |
|---|---|
| Name | Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute |
| Formation | 2001 |
| Type | Think tank |
| Headquarters | Calgary, Alberta |
| Leader title | President |
| Leader name | David Bercuson |
Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute is a Calgary-based think tank focusing on Canadian defence and foreign policy, engaging with policymakers, military officers, diplomats, and scholars. It publishes research, hosts conferences and seminars, and participates in debates involving NATO, NORAD, the United Nations, and bilateral relations with the United States, China, and the United Kingdom. The institute connects contemporary issues relating to the Arctic sovereignty dispute, Afghanistan campaign assessments, and peacekeeping operations with historical episodes such as the Korean War, the Suez Crisis, and the Cold War.
Founded in 2001, the institute emerged amid debates following the Kosovo intervention, the 9/11 attacks, and the Afghanistan campaign, drawing attention to alliances including NATO, NORAD, and partnerships with United States Department of Defense and United States Northern Command. Its early work referenced precedents like the Suez Crisis and the Yom Kippur War while interacting with Canadian institutions such as Department of National Defence (Canada) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police studies. Over time the institute engaged with scholarship on figures and events like John A. Macdonald, William Lyon Mackenzie King, Pierre Trudeau, Brian Mulroney, and policy shifts after the Gulf War (1990–1991). It established networks alongside think tanks including Canadian Global Affairs Institute, Macdonald-Laurier Institute, C.D. Howe Institute, and international partners like RAND Corporation, Chatham House, Heritage Foundation, and Brookings Institution.
The institute states objectives emphasizing informed analysis of defence and diplomacy issues tied to institutions such as Parliament of Canada, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Canada), and multilateral bodies like the United Nations Security Council and Organization of American States. It aims to influence debates on procurement programs referencing platforms such as the CF-18 Hornet, CP-140 Aurora, Royal Canadian Navy vessels, and Arctic capabilities involving Polar Epsilon Project and Canadian Rangers. Strategic priorities align with concerns about relations with People's Republic of China, Russian Federation, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and stabilization missions referencing International Security Assistance Force and Operation Athena (Canada).
Governance has included academics, retired officers, and public figures connected to institutions like University of Calgary, Royal Military College of Canada, Canadian Forces College, and former officials from Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. Leadership has featured scholars such as David Bercuson and advisors with service in commands like Canadian Expeditionary Force Command and liaison links to diplomats from postings in Ottawa, Washington, D.C., and London. The advisory board and fellows network includes experts who have written about events such as the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the Battle of Normandy, and policy debates after the Falklands War.
The institute produces reports, monographs, and commentary on topics spanning procurement debates over platforms like the CC-177 Globemaster III, the Victoria-class submarine, and discussions of force posture informed by case studies such as the Korean War, Bosnian War, and Iraq War. Publications analyze doctrines tied to alliances including NATO-Russia Council, draw lessons from the Munich Agreement era, and assess legal frameworks like the North Atlantic Treaty and the United Nations Charter. Its scholars publish in venues alongside works referencing authors like Stephen Harper, Jean Chrétien, Lester B. Pearson, and historical treatments of campaigns in Afghanistan and Sierra Leone.
Regular programs include seminars, roundtables, and conferences attracting participants from Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force, as well as diplomats from embassies such as Embassy of the United States, Ottawa and delegations from Australia, United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Events have featured panels on Arctic security with experts on the Northwest Passage, workshops on counterterrorism referencing Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and lectures on international law involving the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Funding sources have included private donors, foundations, and partnerships with academic institutions such as University of Toronto, McGill University, Queen's University, and corporate supporters active in aerospace and defence sectors including firms comparable to Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Boeing, and General Dynamics. Affiliations and collaborative projects have linked the institute to research consortia involving NATO Defence College, European Union External Action Service, and Canadian departments like Public Safety Canada for seminars and policy exercises.
The institute has influenced public discourse on procurement choices, force structure, and Canada’s role in missions such as Operation APOLLO and Operation MOBILE, contributing to debates in media outlets and parliamentary committees like the House of Commons of Canada Standing Committees on National Defence and Foreign Affairs and International Development. Critics have raised concerns about ties to industry stakeholders and potential conflicts similar to controversies faced by think tanks associated with defence contractors like SIPRI critiques, prompting comparisons with watchdogs such as OpenSecrets and debates seen around Revolving door (politics) issues. Supporters point to contributions to scholarship on the Cold War, post-9/11 security, and Arctic sovereignty as evidence of policy relevance.
Category:Think tanks based in Canada