For our CIC Victoria members, regisration information will be sent to you on 29-30 December.

🍁 Union Club lunch: An Inside Look at Canada-U.S. Defence Relations

When: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Where: The Union Club, 805 Gordon Street
Time: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm (registration desk opens at 11:25 am)
Speaker: Major General (MGen) Michel-Henri St-Louis (Retired)

This is a CIC member event only.

Our focus:

Building on our previous talk about the new U.S. National Security Strategy, MGen Michel-Henri St-Louis (Retired), the former Canadian Defence Attaché to the United States, will give us his views on relations between the U.S. and Canadian militaries in a time of strained political relations with a very key ally. Furthermore, after leaving Washington and prior to arriving in Victoria, he was appointed as the Director General responsible for planning for the Defence of Canada, a role that placed him at the centre of national security policy and continental defence modernization.

His talk will offer a glimpse into the inner workings of Canada-U.S. defence relations, plans for the defence of Canada and the overall continental defence modernization efforts of the Canadian Armed Forces.

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Our speaker:

MGen St-Louis (Retired) is a highly decorated senior officer currently transitioning to civilian life following a career that has shaped Canadian defence policy, international military cooperation, and coalition operations across multiple theatres. His final appointment before retirement was Director General responsible for planning the Defence of Canada, a role that placed him at the centre of national security policy and continental defence modernization.

Immediately prior, he served as Canada’s Defence Attaché to the United States, representing Canadian defence interests in Washington, D.C., and strengthening bilateral military and diplomatic coordination at a time of evolving geopolitical pressures. Indeed, his service in Washington, D.C. placed him at the nexus of military strategy, diplomacy, and global security engagement.

During his long career, MGen St-Louis (Retired) also served as Acting Commander of the Canadian Army, following his tenure as the Army’s Training Authority, where he oversaw the development, readiness, and professional excellence of the Canadian Army’s force generation system. In addition, he led Joint Task Force IMPACT—Canada’s mission in the Middle East—from mid-2019 to mid-2020. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Commanding General for Operations of America’s First Corps (I Corps, U.S. Army) at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, working directly with U.S. and allied forces across the Indo-Pacific region. His earlier commands include 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2015–2017) and the final Canadian Battlegroup in combat operations in Panjwai, Kandahar (2010–2011).

MGen St-Louis (Retired) is an Officer of the Legion of Merit (United States), a recipient of Brazil’s Ordem do Mérito Militar, and an Officer of the Order of Military Merit (Canada). He also earned the Meritorious Service Medal for his leadership of combat operations in Panjwai and the Meritorious Service Cross for his command of Joint Task Force IMPACT.