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 | | Senator Pamela Wallin addresses Member/Daughter Night on May 28, 2009. |
The Institute provides members and their guests the opportunity to attend regular Speaker Events, typically organized by the Institute's Special Events Committee. These events feature a unique and truly dynamic series of special speakers, ranging from senior military and business leaders to journalists, authors, historians and academics. These talks provide critical information and expert analysis on a whole host of contemporary and historical military and strategic issues.
The Institute also co-hosts dinners periodically with fraternal organizations such as the Fort York Legion (Branch 165) and the Churchill Society. Members of both organizations and their guests are cordially welcomed to these events.
Speaker events are held regularly, except during the summer months. There are two types (general timings shown): Defence Studies Committee Luncheons at 12:00 hours for 12:30 hours sit down; and Dinners at 18:30 hours for 19:30 hours sit down. There are also Defence Studies Committee Roundtables (for members only) which are held from 10:00 am to 12 noon.
In 2008 and 2009, the Institute was involved in supporting and/or organizing a number of Special Events, including:
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June 4, 2009: Dr Eric McGeer addressed the D-Day Dodgers' luncheon on the Sicilian campaign, describing how the terrain of the island made advance by mechanized armies very difficult, and adding some valuable insights into why the Germans resisted the advance through Italy so ferociously.
A slideshow of the event is available in the Members' Area.
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May 28, 2009: Senator Pamela Wallin addressed a packed Main Dining Room on the topic 'No Longer a Spectator Nation'. This was a delightful evening with a full house of members and their good looking daughters, granddaughters and goddaughters. Col Hugh Stewart and Col Ted Taylor both had parties of ten which is probably a Guiness Book of Records statistic and also credit to some renowned charm school. The speaker, Senator Pamela Wallin made the evening a great success. A wonderful speaker with such a wide range of knowledge and experience and such a change to some of our recent speakers, who flash a chart onto a screen full of unintelligible information and then talk on different subjects! Senator Wallin's subject was "No Longer a Spectator Nation" and her knowledge gained by her four year experience as Consul General of Canada in New York enabled her to explain very clearly the need for close cooperation and understanding of how and why the United States works. We in Canada had the Quebec crisis in the Trudeau era and we all remember the government reaction. Senator Wallin related this to the 9-11 crisis in New York when 3,000 were killed. This analysis explains the strong reaction of most Americans for strong Home Land Security, better intelligence and effective action in Iraq and Afghanistan. Good Canada- US relations are essential and we need a better understanding of our neighbours to the South. A great supporter of our Armed Forces and the concept of cross Canada grass roots militia representation, from all areas, to ensure the long term security of Canada from any future threats. The Senator talked with all the guests before dinner, which enhanced a lively and inspiring evening enjoyed by all. LCol (ret'd) Michael Stevenson, CD Chair of Special Events
A slideshow of the evening can be viewed in the Members' Area.
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February 5, 2009: BGen John Collin, Commander, LFCA, addressed Reserve Forces’ Night on the status of the Reserves after six years of combat commitment in Afghanistan.
January 14, 2009: LGen Andrew Leslie, Chief of the Land Staff, addressed the Annual Joint Dinner with the Fort York Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. The General emphasized that the Canadian Army was now one army and no longer had two components of Regular and Militia organizations. We were also brought up to date on the current status of military equipment and the extensive wear and tear brought about by the harsh conditions in Afghanistan as well as extensive damage caused by a very aggressive Taliban.
November 12, 2008: The RCMI Remembrance Day Dinner was well attended with Professor Jack Granatstein, RCMI’s Honorary Historian, giving an excellent talk on “Learning from Military History”.
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 | | October 29, 2008: Kathryn Langley Hope, The Hon James Bartleman, Gertrude Kearns |
October 29, 2009: Unveiling of the commissioned portraits of Tecumseh and Brock by war artist and Member Gertrude Kearns.
October 18, 2008: Professor Peter H. Russell, OC addressed a joint meeting with the International Churchill Society of Canada. His subject “Churchill and Parliamentary Government” and his entertaining knowledge of all things “Churchill” emphasized the Churchill approach to minority government when the Conservatives were in opposition; confidence, critical but constructive, compromise but not open to wheeling and dealing.
September 25, 2008: For Police Appreciation Night with a full house in attendance, RCMP Commissioner William Elliott spoke of the proud past of the RCMP. With present restructuring, a very bright and successful future was in store for this famous Canadian Institution. Police Appreciation Night is an annual event started in 1992 and is always well attended by military and police members.
June 11, 2008: Canadian journalist Captain (ret’d) Peter Worthington, spoke at the Member and Son Dinner. He regretted very much that during Canada’s long peacekeeping roles, that we had not sent members of our armed forces as observers or on attachments to allied forces directly involved in anti-terrorist operations, where we would have learnt many lessons which would have been useful today and probably saved lives.
May 6, 2008: The Honourable Annemarie E. Bonkalo, Chief Justice of the Ontario Court spoke at the Member and Daughter’s Dinner and told the story of her career in the legal world.
March 19, 2008: The Honourable Bill Graham PC, a former Minister of Defence gave a very interesting and thoughtful dinner talk on Afghanistan and the challenges and opportunities for Canada’s Foreign Policy.
January 29, 2008: The joint Annual Dinner of the Fort York Branch of the Legion and the RCMI was a great evening with the Commandant of the Canadian Forces College, Brigadier General David Fraser telling us of the extensive efforts being made to broaden and improve the serving regular force officers’ standards of education and intellect.
November 2007: Remembrance Day Dinner with a talk by Paul Dickinson on the subject of his recent book. “A Thoroughly Canadian General, General Harry Crerar.” This was the first ever biography of Gen Crerar.
November 2007: H.E. David Wilkins, United States Ambassador to Canada spoke at a breakfast meeting. He was optimistic that a few areas of the US and Canada trading conflict could be improved. Several members expressed concerns that the U. S. border restrictions with attendant delays severely handicapped their business operations.
October 2007: Matthew Kidd, the UK permanent representative to NATO gave a very interesting talk on the subject of “NATO – Still Worth Saving”. NATO has a twin focus today, collective self defence and supporting post conflict reconstruction, notably in Afghanistan and the Balkans.
October 2007: Reserve Forces Night, supported by 7th Toronto Artillery Regiment, presented BGen A. J. Howard, CD Commander Land Force Central Area. |