Location: University of Calgary
Dates: September 26-27, 2025
In 2024, Minister of National Defence William Blair introduced the Government of Canada’s defense update with a warning.
The world is at an inflection point. Democracy, free trade, and the rules and values that underpin them are increasingly being contested by authoritarian states. In parallel, the character of conflict is changing as technology evolves rapidly.
Today, Canada faces a more complex and dangerous security landscape than at any time since the Second World War. The country is at an inflection point, facing two great power competitors, a complicated ecosystem of malign non-state actors, persistent pressures eroding the rules based international order, and an uncertain partnership with the United States.
This conference will bring together academics, experts, and serving and retired naval and coast guard personnel to examine the emerging maritime security threats facing Canada and offer ideas for a path forward. Presentations and discussion will focus on several key questions:
- What threats does Canada face and how do we prioritize them?
- What platforms and capabilities are needed to meet emerging challenges?
- How does Canada manage hybrid and below-threshold security threats?
- How does Canada recapitalize its fleets to fit into a broader alliance framework?
- How does Canada manage a hostile USA?
- How does Canada prepare for war?
