About

Founded in 1982 under the leadership of Dr. John English, the Waterloo Region Branch of the then Canadian Institute of International Affairs (CIIA) attracted high-level speakers to the community. As “CIC Waterloo”, our branch has traditionally maintained relation-ships with the Centre for International Governance (CIGI), the Balsillie School of International Affairs, the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Guelph and Conestoga College. Located in Canada’s tech-triangle and geographically positioned as the gateway to South Western Ontario.

With the aid of an active program of public lectures, discussions and conferences, our branch is committed to engaging the Waterloo Region and the neighbouring communities in a dialogue on world issues, Canada’s global role and our multicultural identity.Upcoming topics will deal with an array of international affairs issues, including trade and protectionism, technology and globalization, global migration, refugee integration and protection, and indigenous rights.

Branch Articles

Canadian Foreign Policy Making from Below. By: Laszlo Sarkany
My Winter 2019 CIC Internship: More Than Foreign Policy. By: Neala Hayratiyan 

Previous Events

Sergio Marchi Book Launch
November 12, 2025 – Pursuing a Public Life: How to Succeed in the Political Arena

May 28, 2025 – “Making the Most of Canada Internationally,” Lunch & Speech by The Right Honourable Prime Minister Joe Clark

May 12, 2025 – “Canada First, Not Canada Alone: The Past, Present, and Future of Canadian Foreign Policy,” Dr. Adam Chapnick, professor of defence studies at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC)

November 25, 2024 – Book Launch of “My Life in Politics” by Lloyd Axworthy, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs

September 22, 2020 – International Education at a Cross Roads in Canada

October 29, 2020 – Commanding Hope: The Power We Have to Renew a World in Peril featuring Dr. Thomas Homer-Dixon

December 9, 2020 – Rewind: Canada’s Decision Not to Support the 2003 US Invasion of Iraq

June 22, 2020 – Propelled by the Pandemic – Explosive Digital Growth, 5G Adoption and Beyond

June 10, 2020 – Two Virtual Programs: Global Health Governance and the Science of COVID-19 and Bottom-Up Public Health Approaches to Dealing with Disease and Pandemics (with CIC Saskatoon and Calgary Branches)

May 7, 2020 – Virtual Program – CIC Members Only – Canada’s Ambassador to China, Dominic Barton

January 20, 2020 – Dinner with Canada’s Ambassador to Brazil, Jennifer May

October 9, 2019 – “Let’s Talk Foreign Policy”

October 2, 2019 – “Is Modern Diplomacy Dead? Navigating Global Challenges in Turbulent Times,” Senator Peter Boehm, former Personal Representative (Sherpa) of Canadian Prime Ministers to G7 and G8 Summits from 2013 to 2018, and former Canadian Ambassador to Germany and to the Organization of American States

June 21, 2019 – “War and Peace in Cyberspace: The Prospects for Cyber-peacekeeping and Cyber-sanctions,” Dr. Walter Dorn, Professor at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, and Dr. Danielle Stodilka, Canadian International Council Fellow

March 26, 2019 – “Protecting Canada from the Threat of Populism,” Ben Rowswell, President of the Canadian International Council and former Canadian Ambassador to Venezuela

February 26, 2019 – “Canada and World Oil – Pipelines and Politics,” John Foster, Author of “Oil and World Politics: The real story of today’s conflict zones – Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ukraine and more”

November 29, 2018 – Global Migration Film Festival, “The Merger”, followed by Panel Discussion with Waterloo Region Immigration and Refugee Organizations

For information about CIC Waterloo events please see the national events calendar