The CIC Nipissing District branch, established in 2008, is a vibrant group that brings together interested members of the North Bay community, the District of Nipissing, and the Nipissing First Nation to consider international issues and questions related to Canada’s foreign policy. Our members and supporters are from all walks of life. We strive to provide Nipissing with timely and enlightening discussions on international affairs.

As a branch, we hold 6-7 speaker events a year on a variety of topics.  In the 2021 season, we recently hosted Canadian Speaker of the House of Commons, Anthony Rota, and former Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Dr.  Thomas Axworthy, among others. Please continue to visit the CIC events calendar for further event listings and we hope to welcome you to one of our events soon!

North Bay is a small city in Northeastern Ontario nestled on the shores of Lake Nipissing. One of its central roles is that of a crossroads. North Bay has a rich history in Canada’s aerial defence, is home to one of only four airports in Ontario capable of handling wide-bodied long-haul aircraft, and is the site of the eastern command of NORAD. Our role as a crossroads also extends to the airspace above us as aircraft crisscross our skies daily enroute across Canada, to Europe, to Asia and beyond.

With the completion of the dual-laning of Highway 11 in August 2012 we are also closer to Southern Ontario than ever before. In the future, the city’s links to James Bay may become more important in international trade as global warming makes shipping and air links across the Arctic basin a distinct possibility.

North Bay is also a very diverse community. The city is neighbours with several First Nations communities including the Nipissing First Nation. There are also energetic Franco-Ontarian and English speaking communities within the city. Additionally, immigration has rounded out our population, bringing people from around the world to settle in “the Bay.” Finally, we have two excellent academic institutions in the city: Nipissing University and Canadore College. Nipissing University started life as a teacher’s college over 100 years ago and remains committed to excellence in education to this date.