About Defence Studies

Sir Lawrence Freedman, PhD, Professor of War Studies at King's College, London, addresses a DSC Roundtable on June 20, 2008

Defence Studies is a vital part of the Institute's activities, and contributes to the satisfaction of a significant need for neutral and unbiased public information on matters relating to national defence, security, and sovereignty of Canada, as well as Canada's role in international security and peacekeeping arrangements, and the relevance of military art and science thereto.

The Institute's Defence Studies programmes, involving original research and study of historic and contemporary defence issues, are a key component of our ongoing effort to become the leading Toronto-based thinktank in military and strategic affairs.

These activities take place under the auspices of the Defence Studies Committee, a committee of active member volunteers interested in Institute's contribution to military and strategic affairs, and is under the direction of Col (Ret'd) Chris Corrigan CD, MA, Executive Director and Chair of Defence Studies (former Director of Strategic Studies, the Canadian Forces College). Mr. Eric Morse is the Vice Chair of the Committee.

The changing nature of conflict in the past two decades has presented new challenges to Canada's National Security. National security policy requires a 'Whole of Government' approach with horizontal integration between all government departments and agencies and further integrated with their counterparts in the United States. Renewed emphasis on counterinsurgency and intrastate interventions, the concern with weapons of mass destruction (WMD) including the resurgence of nuclear proliferation, and the realities of 'asymmetric warfare' are no longer new threats to the Canada and will continue to be the future challenges for the Canadian Armed Forces. Equally, the problems associated with 'Homeland Defence,' 'Smart Borders' with our most important and closest geopolitical and economic partner needs continuous nurturing. The Canadian commitment to Afghanistan has increased the awareness of Canadians of the utility of maintaining and sustaining a war-fighting capable military in the nation's diplomatic 'toolbox.'  Thus, our research agenda and educational mandate remains as critical as ever and our publications are designed to be useful public resources.

The Defence Studies Committee has an increasingly robust programme of activities. These activities include sponsoring or hosting various Roundtables and Conferences on contemporary strategic and military issues, as well as an expanding publications programme, which includes not only SITREP, our principal bi-monthly defence publication, but also The General Sir William Otter Papers, The Heritage Papers, and The Selected Papers series, Conference Proceedings, and occasional reports on topics of interest. We hope to expand our publications programme in the future.

As the result of our work, members of our Defence Studies Committee are regularly invited to participate in Department of National Defence activities. This includes providing input into ongoing defence reviews and discussion roundtables.  In addition, RCMI members are often priviledged to get ‘updates’ from senior Canadian and foreign military leaders, as well as ‘background briefings’ on foreign affairs relating to Canada’s place in the world.

As part of the Defence Studies Outreach Programme, the Institute participates in shared research activities with other institutions active in the areas of the Institute's interest, including the fields of strategy, foreign affairs and the structure and role of Canada’s armed forces. This has led to joint activities with such organizations as the Canadian Forces College, the Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies (CISS), the Canadian Institute of International Affairs (CIIA) (now the Canadian International Council - CIC), the Atlantic Council of Canada, the Dominion Institute and the Canadian Defence Association and Institute. 

The Institute also makes its facilities available to other organizations whose purposes or activities are broadly consistent with those of the Institute for the conduct of meetings and lectures, as well as to certain charitable organizations whose purposes are felt to be of such public benefit and so congruent with the interests of the RCMI that it is appropriate to assist them indirectly through making its facilities available to them for meetings.