Chris is a member of the CIC national board and the Vice-Chair CIC Branches & Membership, the volunteer co-editor of CIC’s online foreign policy magazine Open Canada, and president of the CIC Victoria branch. He holds a PhD in history (2009) from Queen’s University with a focus on civil-military relations in the developing world. His dissertation was published in 2010 by the Canadian Defence Academy Press under the title, The Other Cold War – Canadian Military Assistance to the Developing World 1945-1975. In addition, Chris is a Fellow with the Queen’s Centre for International and Defence Policy and a sessional professor with the Canadian Forces College teaching courses focused on Canadian foreign and defence policy.

Chris enjoyed a 36-year career in the Canadian Armed Forces and is a graduate of the Advanced Military Studies Course and the year-long National Security Program (equivalency granted). He commanded 4th Air Defence Regiment from 1999-2001, followed by positions including Acting Director Future Security Analysis and Military Liaison Officer to the Senate Committee on National Security and Defence. From July 2009 until July 2010, he deployed to Canada’s Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan as the Deputy Military Attaché. On his return to Canada, he commenced Turkish language training before heading to Canada’s Embassy in Ankara, Türkiye as the Canadian Defence Attaché with cross accreditation to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkmenistan from July 2011 until July 2014. Chris retired from the CAF in September 2014.  

Since retiring from the military, Chris has become a recognized expert on Canadian and Middle Eastern political issues. His book chapters, articles and opinion pieces on Canadian defence and foreign policy, and Turkish and Middle Eastern matters, have appeared in numerous Canadian and international publications. He has also conducted numerous television, podcast and radio interviews covering similar subjects.

Marilyn MacLean Denton retired in Victoria after 27 years working for the federal government. Among her assignments with Global Affairs Canada were five years as Trade Commissioner for Vancouver Island, Senior Trade Commissioner for Pakistan and Afghanistan, and International Education Marketing officer Asia Pacific branch. She also worked in the private sector on various contracts and was one of two founding staff for the Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America, the Fulbright Scholarship Program. In retirement, she is active with St. Matthias Anglican Church, is the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Associates newsletter editor, and on the Board of Directors for Rogers Court (a 24-unit low-income seniors’ housing). She is an avid gardener and plays music with a recorder group.

Jennifer is an independent justice and governance consultant, following a 28-year career as legal counsel with the British Columbia Ministry of Justice. During her tenure at the Ministry of Justice, Jennifer provided legal and policy advice particularly on constitutional law, but also environmental law, gender issues, human rights law, judicial independence, rule of law, and intellectual property. She has also volunteered with the Canadian Bar Association (chiefly, the International Law section), the American Bar Association-UNDP International Legal Resource Center (ILRC) in Washington, and Lawyers Rights Watch Canada, among other organizations. Her international work includes working as a Visiting Professional with the International Criminal Court in The Hague, providing advice as a gender expert to UNDP Belarus, conducting training on principles of constitutional law for the judges and senior staff of the Supreme Court of Somaliland, and writing reports for the Commonwealth Secretariat and Canada’s Department of National Defence.

Colonel (retired) Chris Weicker is a native of Victoria, British Columbia. He attended the University of Victoria where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science in 1982. At the same time, he was an officer in the local Communication Reserve unit and a father of two children. In 1983, he transferred to the Regular Force, serving in Army and communication units in Canada and Germany. His last posting was as Canada’s Defence Attaché in Beijing, China. He has a combined military service of more than 36 years.

On retirement in 2013, he and his wife, Major (retired) Evamarie Weicker, completed a Bachelor of Arts in Pacific and Asian Studies with a focus on Chinese language, history, geography and culture at the University of Victoria. He continued to study Chinese history by completing a Master of History at the University of Victoria. His thesis was on the secret history of young Chinese Canadians who volunteered for very dangerous duties behind enemy lines during the last few years of the Second World War. In April 2023, he completed a two-year German language and culture proficiency certificate.

Roger was a career banker, most recently in Asian risk management; following retirement he worked for the financial institutions’ regulator, OSFI, and – in Victoria – for the Provincial Ministry of Finance. Roger is now definitely retired, but active with the outdoor hobbies for which he now has time.

Ann Wilson retired after a 25-year career as legal counsel with the British Columbia Ministry of Attorney General. Ann advised the provincial government on Crown land and resource matters as well as transportation infrastructure development. Her expertise included diverse areas of law including real property, contracts, ski area and resort development, insurance, environmental, aboriginal, resource, park and administrative law and the law governing competitive public processes.

Since retiring, Ann has served on the board of several organizations as secretary, corporate secretary, membership director, vice-president and president. She has been instrumental in dealing with governance issues and writing new bylaws for those organizations.

Currently a project manager at a local Instructional Design and eLearning Development company, Anna Tsurkan has always had several streams in her career: research and analysis, public service and election administration as well as full-cycle recruitment and teaching. She grew up in Russia, where she obtained all her degrees, including a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Institute of the U.S.A. and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Here in Canada, as an independent scholar, Anna occasionally writes and gives presentations on a broad range of security and political topics mostly connected with Canada-Russia relations.

With a keen interest in international security and geopolitics, Francesca is passionate and deeply committed to fostering meaningful dialogue to advance both Canadian foreign policy and international affairs. Holding a MA in Conflict Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science, Francesca specialized in the privatization of security and international law, with an emphasis on physical and cyber battle spaces, as well as the evolving nature of conflict. Prior to this, she completed her BA in political science at the University of Victoria. 

Before transitioning into the private sector, Francesca cultivated valuable experience in the public sector while working for National Defence Canada, Executive Operations for various Deputy Ministers, and a Cabinet Minister. Her diverse career also includes positions in oil and gas and aviation. In addition to her professional endeavors, Francesca devotes her time to a non-profit organization focused on combating human trafficking and modern-day slavery, demonstrating her commitment to making a positive impact in the world.

Emily is a student at the University of Victoria majoring in Political Science with a minor in Applied Ethics. During her time at UVic she has been actively involved in the school community working at the First Peoples House, collaborating with other students to initiate the re-commencement of the Model United Nations Club, and serving as the Secretary-General during the February 2024 VicMUN conference.

Corey Levine is a human rights and peacebuilding policy expert, researcher and writer. She has spent more than 25 years working in conflict areas, including Afghanistan, Bosnia, East Timor, Iraq, Kosovo, Mali, Palestine, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Ukraine. She has also worked with various non-governmental, bilateral and multilateral organizations, including various UN organizations (DPKO, UNHCR, UN Women, OHCHR), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, CIDA, the UK Stabilization Unit, and Amnesty International. 

 Corey also taught at the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica, the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Centre in Ghana, and the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs in Ottawa. Her writing has been published in various academic journals and books as well as with a wide number of media outlets, including CBC Online, the Globe and Mail, The Hill Times, and the Ottawa Citizen. For the last four years she has been working as a volunteer to assist at-risk Afghans to leave and find safety in other countries.

Corey is the recent recipient of the King Charles III Coronation medal and the Wallenberg-Sugihara Civil Courage award for her work in assisting Afghans at-risk.

Debbie Bell, with a Master’s Degree in Adult Education from the University of British Columbia and over 35 years of experience, has significantly impacted adult education and community development across North America. Her work, which focuses on strategies to support the social, political, and economic inclusion of marginalized communities – predominantly Indigenous, newcomer, and refugee women – has been particularly influential.

As the founding Director of Simon Fraser University’s Community Education program, Debbie spearheaded the development of project-based educational programs that harnessed university resources to address real-world issues. Her leadership was instrumental in leading two Canadian International Development Agency funded initiatives in northern Mexico, which provided crucial support to low-income, low-literacy women.

 This commitment continued during her tenure as the founding Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) Canada now called Mothers Matter Canada until her retirement in September 2023. The program, still operational in 40 communities nationwide, empowers low-income and socially isolated parents with the skills necessary to support their children’s success both academically and in life.

 Debbie has consistently demonstrated a remarkable ability to turn ideas into action, showcasing her success in designing and leading initiatives for social change. Her track record of bringing innovative ideas to fruition is a testament to her leadership and vision.

Dr. James Boutilier was the former Special Advisor (Policy) at Canada’s Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters in Esquimalt, British Columbia and retired in 2020. He was responsible for advising the Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific on matters of defence and foreign policy and maritime security in the Asia Pacific region. Prior to his appointment at MARPAC, Dr. Boutilier spent twenty-four years on staff at the Royal Roads Military College in Victoria as Head of the History Department and then as Dean of Arts. Dr. Boutilier’s field of expertise is Asia-Pacific defence and security. Some of his recent lectures have focused on the Canadian Navy’s role in the Asia-Pacific, the new Asian security architecture, Northeast Asian security issues, and the new naval order in Asia. Dr. Boutilier lectures frequently at the NATO Defense College, the Canadian Forces College, the Australian Defence College, and the National Defense University of the Philippines.

Alan was a federal public servant for 30 years, working in various departments and agencies, mainly in intelligence, and provided consulting services for several years thereafter. He moved to Victoria in 2007, where he maintains an interest in intelligence studies and is active in several professional associations.

Philip is a Senior Fellow with the China Institute of the University of Alberta, a Senior Research Associate with the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives at the University of Victoria, and an Honorary Research Associate at Vancouver Island University. He served in Beijing as a Trade Commissioner (1984-87), Economic Counsellor (1994-1997) and Minister & Deputy Head of Mission (2004-2008). In Global Affairs Canada he served as Director General for North Asia, Deputy Chief Negotiator for Canada during China’s accession to the WTO and as Director of the Technical Barriers to Trade Division. Most recently he spent 2012-2016 as Canada’s ambassador to Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos.

Mary has worked in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She was the Member of Parliament for Capilano-Howe Sound from 1984-93 and served as Associate Minister of National Defence, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women and Minister of Health. She has been involved in projects to support women in political life in Vietnam, Ukraine and Mongolia and spent five years living in Russia working on health policy.

Kaya Dupuis is an Honours undergraduate student in Political Science at the University of Victoria, specializing in international relations with a research thesis focused on the historical and contemporary rearmament of Germany especially as it concerns Berlin’s future strategic ambitions. She currently serves on the executive board of the Undergraduates of Political Science Union and is an active member of the UVic Model United Nations Club. Kaya also provides editorial advice to ‘OnPolitics’ the department’s student-run academic journal. Alongside her education, Kaya has a strong background in the security industry. She served a two-year term as a regional board member for the Canadian Security Association, is currently a student member of Women in International Security Canada and was an integral part in her father’s security company for over three years. Her interest in politics was sparked early through her five years of service in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. In her free time, Kaya enjoys reading military history and taking walks along Dallas Road.

Jonathan Manthorpe has worked for 40 years as a foreign correspondent and international affairs commentator for Canadian newspapers. He has been based in Europe, Africa and Asia and is the author of Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan (2008), Claws of the Panda (2019), Restoring Democracy in an Age of Populists and Pestilence (2020) and On Canadian Democracy (2024). Jonathan has also been involved in special projects for governments and international organizations, including work for the United Nations, the World Bank, the Asia Development Bank, the Canadian International Development Agency, and various NGOs. He is currently working on his memoirs.

Lieutenant Commander (Retired) Seguna served in the Canadian Armed Forces, in both the Regular and Reserve components, for over 42 years and retired in 2017. During his career, he served at sea with the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, as the Flag Lieutenant (Aide de Camp) to the Commander Maritime Forces Pacific and later as the Public Affairs Officer for Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. Paul transferred to the Public Affairs Branch in 1992, serving in a variety of positions, including overseas with UN and NATO missions in Rwanda, Kosovo and Bosnia and in his last four years of service he was posted to NATO’s Allied Maritime Command Headquarters in London, UK. Paul also holds a BA in history from Dalhousie University and he has had a lifelong interest in art, especially aviation and marine themes. He is a founding member of the Canadian Aerospace Artists Association with his artwork having been on exhibit in aviation and military museums and used in aviation history books.

Reeta Tremblay is Professor Emerita of Comparative Politics and Global South at the University of Victoria. During her career, she has held several administrative positions including Vice President Academic and Provost at the University of Victoria; Vice President (Academic) and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Pro Tem) at Memorial University in Newfoundland; Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Memorial; and, Chair, department of Political Science at Concordia University, Montreal. She is Past President of the Canadian Political Science Association (CPSA), Canadian Asian Studies (CASA), and the Canadian Council of Area Studies of Learned Societies. Reeta also holds an MA and PhD. in Political Science from the University of Chicago and an MPhil degree from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. She has authored or co-authored several books, articles, and reviews. Her work is widely reviewed and cited – in particular, her writings on Kashmir and India-Pakistan relations, a subject on which she is widely considered the leading North American expert. 

Reeta’s selected recent publications include: “Unpacking the Equity Myth: Diversity and Leadership Deficit” (2023); “The Political Economy of Natural Resource Funds” (2021 with Eyene Okpanachi); “Religion and Politics in Jammu and Kashmir” (2020) “India: Federalism, Nationalism, and the Marginalized – Covid India” (2020); “Kashmir Elections: A Precursor to ‘No More Two Flags, Two Constitutions” (2019); “Modi’s Foreign Policy”; “Contested Governance, Competing Nationalisms, and Disenchanted Publics: Kashmir beyond Intractability?” (2017); “Kashmir’s Contentious Politics: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same” (2015). She also has contributed policy commentaries on Kashmir and South Asian regional politics to South Asia Monitor (New Delhi-based think tank, Society for Policy Studies) and to Kashmir Connected (UK). In 2015, she was recognized as one of the top 40 prominent Indo-Canadians and was profiled in The Indian Diaspora’ A-List.