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The mission of the CIC is to promote an understanding of international affairs and Canada’s role in a changing world by providing Canadians with a non-partisan, nationwide forum for informed discussion, analysis and debate. Accordingly, the cornerstone of the CIC’s work is our events program. The CIC national office and our branches hold more than 150 events per year in cities across the country. In particular, our branch events give members an opportunity to directly engage with global issues that often intersect with local concerns. The CIC also supports events outside of Canada, often in partnership with other global think tanks, that can introduce Canadian perspectives to global audiences. CIC events take on many different forms, from academic lectures and panel discussions to town hall meetings and pub nights. Please consult our events calendar for a listing of CIC-organized and sponsored events.

If you have an idea for a CIC event, please contact us at info@thecic.org.

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CIC Vancouver Island: ‘How Benjamin Franklin set the stage for Donald Trump and his talk of the 51st State’

November 27, 2025 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm EST

Before Donald Trump in 2025, before James Madison in 1812, Benjamin Franklin had designs on Canada.

Madelaine Drohan will talk about how he rationalized that desire, what he did about it, why he failed, and why the events of 250 years ago have an impact on bilateral relations today.

About our Speaker

We are very fortunate to have as our speaker Madelaine Drohan, a senior fellow at the Graduate School of Public and International Policy, University of Ottawa, a former Canada correspondent for The Economist, and a former foreign correspondent for The Globe and Mail. During her long journalism career, she covered politics, economics, and business in Africa, Asia, Canada, and Europe.

Her latest book is titled He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada. Copies of this book will be available for purchase at this event.

Visit Madelaine’s personal website at madelainedrohan.org.

Click here to read Madelaine’s recent article published on Open Canada to read Madelaine’s article titled ‘Canada’s difficulty in dealing with the victim in chief’.

Location: Yates Memorial (Allsbrook Room), 1000 Allsbrook Road, Parksville

Cost: $30.00 each | A light lunch and refreshments will be served followed by our speaker. For special dietary or seating requirements email vancouverisland@thecic.org.

Tickets: Click here to purchase tickets.

For special dietary or seating requirements email vancouverisland@thecic.org.

Details

Venue

  • Yates Memorial
  • 1000 Allsbrook Road
    Parksville, BC V9P2A9 Canada     + Google Map

Organizer

  • CIC Vancouver Island Branch