Speakers
Honourable Anita Anand
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Honourable Anita Anand was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Oakville in 2019. She has previously served as Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, as President of the Treasury Board, as Minister of National Defence, and as Minister of Public Services and Procurement.
As Minister of Public Services and Procurement, from 2019 to 2021, Minister Anand led contract negotiations to secure vaccines, personal protective equipment, and rapid tests for Canadians during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, as Minister of National Defence, she brought in reforms to address sexual misconduct in the military and to ensure culture change in the Canadian Armed Forces for the benefit of all who serve. During this time, she also led Canada’s efforts to provide comprehensive military aid and personnel to train Ukrainian soldiers following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
As President of the Treasury Board, Minister Anand spearheaded a government spending review and engaged in work to reduce regulatory burdens for small businesses and entrepreneurs. She also supported the development of the Government of Canada’s first-ever Action Plan for Black Public Servants and the launch of the Greening Government Strategy, helped modernize and strengthen the federal government’s digital capabilities, and revived the Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council.
As Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, Minister Anand prioritized investments in supply chains and shipping corridors. In the midst of U.S. tariff threats, she pushed to reduce barriers to internal trade between provinces and territories at an unprecedented pace, with the federal government removing more than half the exceptions in the Canadian Free Trade Agreement to open up competition across the country.
As Minister responsible for Innovation, Science and Industry, Minister Anand focused on strengthening Canada’s tech leadership, industrial competitiveness, and economic resilience, while also overseeing the country’s science and innovation agenda. She also announced key supports for Canada’s steel and aluminum sectors.
And now as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister Anand is focused on utilizing strategic diplomacy to advance Canada’s economy. She will be looking to strengthen the country’s collaboration with reliable trading partners and allies around the world while forging new economic relationships.
Minister Anand has worked as a scholar, lawyer, and researcher. She has been a legal academic, including as a Professor of Law at the University of Toronto, where she held the J.R. Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance. She served as Associate Dean and was a member of the Governing Board of Massey College and the Director of Policy and Research at the Capital Markets Institute, Rotman School of
Management. She has also taught law at Yale Law School, Queen’s University, and Western University.
Minister Anand holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Studies from Queen’s University, a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Jurisprudence from the University of Oxford, a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University, and a Master of Laws from the University of Toronto. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1994.
Born and raised in rural Nova Scotia, Minister Anand moved to Ontario in 1985. She and her husband, John, raised their four children in Oakville.
Anne-Raphaëlle Audouin
CEO, Nukik Corporation
With over 15 years of experience in the natural resources and infrastructure sectors, she specializes in shaping innovative, large-scale initiatives that support Indigenous leadership and sustainable regional development. At Nukik, she is spearheading groundbreaking work, including the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link — a first-of-its-kind project delivering renewable electricity and broadband to Nunavut — while building cross-jurisdictional partnerships and securing federal, provincial, and Inuit support. Previously, Anne-Raphaëlle served as President and CEO of WaterPower Canada, where she strengthened the organization’s influence, grew its membership, and helped position hydropower as a key pillar of Canada’s clean energy future. A recognized thought leader, she is frequently featured in national media and policy forums, and contributes to several boards and think tanks focused on sustainability, Indigenous partnerships, and energy transition. She was appointed by the Government of Canada to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation – Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC), and elected Chair in 2025, where she promotes trilateral collaboration on climate and environmental protection between Mexico, Canada and the United States.
Derron Bain, MPA, BA, rmc, PMP, C.Dir
Chief Executive Officer, Concert Infrastructure
As Chief Executive Officer of Concert Infrastructure, Derron is responsible for leading the strategy, origination, development, investment, financing, and asset management activities of the Concert Infrastructure Fund. Concert Infrastructure is a Canadian union and management pension plan owned equity investor, developer, and manager, established to partner with governments to deliver critical public infrastructure assets supporting essential public services that strengthen the economic and social fabric of Canadian communities. Concert Infrastructure is the lead majority investor and manager of the Iqaluit International Airport.
Derron has a demonstrated record of successfully leading complex public private partnership infrastructure projects and multi-disciplinary teams, in multi-stakeholder, regulated environments on behalf of both the Ontario Government and Concert Infrastructure. Prior to joining Concert Infrastructure at its inception in 2010, Derron was a founding team member of the government agency, Infrastructure Ontario. With this collective experience, he brings a unique perspective and understanding of the Canadian infrastructure sector and specifically the intersection of government and private sector investment to meet public policy objectives through public private contracting.
A graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada and Dalhousie University, prior to his career in the Canadian infrastructure sector, Derron was a Maritime Warfare Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy.
Derron holds the Chartered Director (C.Dir) designation from the McMaster University Degroote School of Business and The Directors College. He serves on the Board of Directors of True Patriot Love Canada’s foundation for the military community, supporting Canadian Armed Forces members, Veterans, and their families and the Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships.
Committed to veteran support initiatives, in 2023 and 2024 he participated in the True Patriot Love Foundation’s expedition in tribute to the joint Canada-US First Special Service Force or Devil’s Brigade. The expedition honoured the over 2,000 lives lost during their 251 days of combat in World War II, while creating awareness, raising funds and a new team to support the physical and mental wellness of current members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans, and their families. Additionally, he is an active supporter of the Royal Military College of Canada Men’s Varsity Hockey Program.
Paul Barrett
Chief Communications Officer,
Davie Shipbuilding
As a purpose-driven global corporate affairs leader across multiple industries, I advise CEOs, help drive industry-shaping mergers and acquisitions, manage complex global issues, deliver policy priorities and champion purpose and culture agendas. I lead large, diverse international teams and have a passion for helping people reach their potential.
Tjorven Bellmann
German Ambassador to Canada
Tjorven Bellmann has served as German Ambassador to Canada since September 2024. She will share this position with her husband – they will alternate every 8 months.
She previously held the position of Assistant Deputy Minister at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin.
In this role, her responsibilities included bilateral relations with Canada, the United States, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Central Asia, the Western Balkans, EFTA countries and Russia, as well as the G7, NATO, Arctic Policy, the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, the OSCE and the Council of Europe.
Before that, she was Director for Security Policy and served in various roles in the field of security policy, in the Press Division at the Foreign Office as well as at the German Embassies in Tel Aviv and Tehran.
She has been awarded the Lithuanian Medal of Honour “Lithuanian Diplomacy Star” and the Polish award ”Bene Merito”.
She studied Islamic Studies and European Political Studies.
Tjorven Bellmann is married to Matthias Lüttenberg. They have three children.
Garry Best
President and CEO, Nunatsiavut Group of Companies (NGC)
Garry Best is a Beneficiary of the Nunatsiavut Land Claim Agreement and the President and CEO of the Nunatsiavut Group of Companies (NGC). Prior to this role, Garry served as Board Chair of the Labrador Inuit Capital Strategy Trust. Garry holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Memorial University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Naval Architecture from University College London, UK. His career includes over 23 years as an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy and 17 years as an executive in the Federal Public Service.
Garry has extensive experience in leadership, strategic planning, and Indigenous-government relations. He has held senior roles such as Regional Executive for the Ontario First Nations and Inuit Health Branch and National Director of Land Administration. Garry is committed to community service, having contributed to Indigenous education programs and executive recruitment. His achievements have been recognized with awards including the Deputy Minister Award for leadership in First Nations Infrastructure and the DND Diversity Award.
Danielle Bochove
Senior Fellow, Arctic360
Danielle Bochove is a Senior Fellow at Arctic 360 and veteran journalist who has followed Arctic issues for three decades. Her very first scoop, as a summer reporter working at The Globe and Mail, was a story about Cold War waste beneath the waters of Cambridge Bay. More recently, she served as senior reporter for the Global Arctic at Bloomberg News, traveling extensively throughout the region and writing award-winning stories. In between she spent four years as Bloomberg’s Toronto Bureau Chief, covered mining in polar and non-polar latitudes, and worked as a print and television journalist for Reuters in Chicago, Tokyo and London. She also spent eight years as a national television and radio presenter for The CBC.
Her freelance work has appeared in numerous publications, including Macleans Magazine and the Economist Intelligence Unit. Danielle studied International Relations at Trinity College at the University of Toronto and is also a Senior Fellow at the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History.
Patricia Boeg-Jensen
Business Sweden, Swedish Trade Commission, Toronto
Before joining Business Sweden, Patricia spent more than a decade in Kiruna, Sweden’s northernmost city. She worked eight years with LKAB, the state‑owned mining company, gaining deep experience in both hands‑on operations and strategic development. During this time, she led several global mining R&D projects, collaborating across innovation ecosystems and research partners. Patricia also worked as a Project Manager within the Kiruna Urban Transformation Department, where she oversaw the complex relocation of residents, homes, businesses, and infrastructure needed to secure land access for continued mining operations – one of the world’s largest and most intricate community relocation projects.
Sean Boyd, FCPA, FCA
Chair of the Board, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited
Mr. Boyd serves as the Chair of the Board of Agnico Eagle Mines Limited. Prior to this role, he was the Executive Chair of the Board from February 2022 until his retirement in December 2023, and Vice Chairman and Agnico Eagle’s CEO from 1998 to 2022.
Before his appointment as CEO, Mr. Boyd served as the Chief Financial Officer from 1990 to 1998 and Comptroller from 1985 to 1990.
During Mr. Boyd’s tenure as CEO, Agnico Eagle grew from a small, single mine gold producer to a multi-mine international gold mining company. In December 2020, the Globe and Mail ROB Magazine recognized him as its Global Visionary of the Year CEO. He was recognized as The Northern Miner’s Mining Person of the Year in 2007 and 2017 and appeared on the list of The Best-Performing CEOs in the World in the Harvard Business Review in 2010, 2016 and 2017. In 2019, Mr. Boyd was recognized by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario) as a Fellow, the highest honour bestowed upon a CPA within the accounting profession. In 2021, he received the degree Doctor of Laws honoris causa, from St. Francis Xavier University (Nova Scotia).
Mr. Boyd served on the Board of Directors of The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (2013-2022). He has also served on the Boards of the World Gold Council and the St. Francis Xavier University Board of Governors.
Prior to joining Agnico Eagle in 1985, Mr. Boyd was an accountant with Clarkson Gordon (Ernst & Young). He is a Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA, FCA) and a graduate of the University of Toronto (B.Comm.)
Stephanie Carvin
Associate Professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University
Stephanie Carvin is an Associate Professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University. Her research interests are in the area of international and national security, and technology. Stephanie holds a PhD from the London School of Economics. Among other university press publications, she is the author of Stand on Guard: Reassessing Threats to Canada’s National Security (University of Toronto Press) which was nominated for the 2021 Donner Prize. From 2012-2015, she was an intelligence analyst with the Government of Canada focusing on national security issues.
Isabella Chan
Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of the Lands and Minerals Sector, Natural Resources Canada
Isabella Chan has over 20 years of experience working in the public sector at the federal and provincial levels. She is the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of the Lands and Minerals Sector at Natural Resources Canada. Prior to this role, she worked at the Privy Council Office as the Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Social Development Policy, and as the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch at Health Canada. Isabella has also occupied a number of executive positions at Finance Canada and Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, including the role of Director General, Intergovernmental Tax Policy, Evaluation and Research Division in the Tax Policy Branch, and Executive Director, Social and Cultural Sector. Isabella started her career in her hometown of Vancouver, working for the British Columbia Ministry of Health Planning, and has a Master of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia.
Known for her empathetic leadership and collaborative spirit, Isabella is always exploring ways to bring her full humanity to the workplace in the interest of fostering meaningful connections, all while creating a safe and inclusive space.
Steven Chase
Senior Parliamentary Reporter, The Globe and Mail
Steven Chase is a senior parliamentary reporter for The Globe and Mail. He has covered federal politics in Ottawa for The Globe since mid-2001, arriving there a few months before 9/11. He previously worked in the paper’s Vancouver bureau where he covered Silicon Valley and the tech sector, and Calgary, where he covered energy. Before that, Mr. Chase reported on Alberta politics for the Calgary Herald and the Calgary Sun.
In four instances, Mr. Chase has been part of a Globe team that won a National Newspaper award. In 2023, he was a recipient of the Parliamentary Press Gallery Charles Lynch Award for outstanding national affairs coverage. In 2024, he and colleague Robert Fife won the Sidney Hillman Prize for their work on foreign interference. That same year Mr. Chase and Mr. Fife also won the Ross Munro Award, again for their coverage of foreign interference.
He covers foreign affairs, defence and trade and has travelled in the Arctic for work, reporting from Iqaluit, Arctic Bay, Resolute and King William Island as well as Inuvik, Cambridge Bay, and points south including Yellowknife and Whitehorse and Fort Liard.
Honourable Caitlin Cleveland
Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, NWT
The Honourable Caitlin Cleveland was first elected in the 19th Assembly as the MLA for Kam Lake in 2019, and has served as the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment since 2023 after being acclaimed to the 20th Assembly.
In addition to owning and operating a northern business for over 20 years, Minister Cleveland worked in a variety of communications and policy roles in both the public and private sectors before entering politics.
Between 2019 to 2023, she chaired the Standing Committee on Social Development, fulfilling a goal to be a part of the discussions and decisions affecting social programs in the Northwest Territories. Her noteworthy work on the Committee included guiding the considerable review and input into recommendations on housing in the NWT, suicide prevention, and improvements to caring for children in care and building supported families.
Within the scope of her portfolios, Minister Cleveland is focused on helping children grow into successful NWT residents that recognize opportunities and develop successful careers that contribute to a growing economy. She advocates for new approaches to sector diversification and innovation, and ensures the North is welcoming both skilled foreign workers and investment in the critical mineral resources across the territory. She persistently explores solutions for efficient and equitable access to programs and services, upholding a shared vision of an NWT where people are supported in the ways they wish to live, work, and grow.
Minister Cleveland is a lifelong resident of Yellowknife where she lives with her husband and their three children.
Commodore D. Coates
Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), former Commander, Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2)
A native of Halifax Nova Scotia, Cmdre Coates is a Naval Warfare Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy. He graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada Kingston, with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1998, and from Salve Regina University in 2010 with a master’s in management.
Cmdre Coates has held numerous staff and sea-going appointments, deploying multiple times on operations around the globe. Memorable highlights include a 2011 deployment as Executive Officer in HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN in support of NATO operations off the coast of Libya, and his appointment in 2013 as the Commanding Officer of HMCS IROQUOIS, a Tribal Class Destroyer. After his time in IROQUOIS, he assumed command of Sea Training Atlantic where he was responsible for at-sea ship readiness and certification training.
He is a two-time graduate of the United States Naval War College in Newport Rhode Island where he attended the Naval Staff College (class of 2010) and Naval Command College (class of 2017).
In July 2017, he assumed the post of Director Naval Strategy, providing Force Development guidance in support of the future Navy. During this time Cmdre Coates was selected to participate in the RIMPAC 2018 Executive Steering Committee, responsible for planning major aspects of the multi-national exercise. He then deployed with the Chilean Navy as Deputy to the Combined Force Maritime Component Commander for the exercise.
In July 2019, he assumed the post of Director Human Rights and Diversity within Chief Military Personnel, working to ensure the Canadian Armed Forces, along with the Defence Team, are an inclusive, equitable and diverse organization.
After two rewarding and educational years in CMP, he returned to Navy lines, moving to Victoria BC to take up the appointment as Commander, Naval Personnel and Training Group.
Evolving the Naval Training System to be best positioned to meet the needs of the RCN’s future fleet, Cmdre Coates completed three busy years prior to his appointment as Commander Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, during a ceremony 1 July 2024 in Toulon, France.
When not at work, Matthew and his wife Meghan, enjoy time camping with their two boys, and cheering them on at the ball park and hockey arena.
Rebecca Connelly
Vice President, Strategy and Engagement, Det’onCho
Rebecca is Vice President of Strategy and Engagement for the Det’on Cho Group of Companies. She oversees Det’on Cho’s corporate development program focused on the Group’s diversification strategy and has launched a stakeholder engagement strategy that amplifies Det’on Cho’s mission. By connecting commercial success and community values, she works to ensure that Det’on Cho’s achievements creates meaningful, lasting value for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.
Rebecca serves as the 1st Vice President of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Yellowknife Airport Economic Advisory Committee. She and her dog, Kirby, also participate in St John Ambulance’s Therapy Dog Program. Originally from Florida, she holds a BSBA from Georgetown University and an MBA in Airport Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband in the outdoors, cooking, and traveling.
Clint Davis
CEO, Cedar Leaf Capital
Clint Davis is CEO of Cedar Leaf Capital, Canada’s first majority Indigenous-owned investment dealer focused on fostering greater Indigenous participation in capital markets. He has over 10 years of experience in the financial sector, primarily in commercial banking.
He served at the executive level for one of the big five banks where he developed and led the Indigenous Banking strategy. He was on the Board of Directors for Vancity Community Investment Bank (VCIB), the Schedule 1 bank wholly owned subsidiary of Vancity and Chair of the Governance and Executive Compensation Committee. He was also a member of the Investment Committee for the first and only Indigenous venture capital fund, Raven Capital Partners, in Canada.
Clint is a recognized national leader in Indigenous business and worked with Indigenous communities and development corporations from coast to coast to coast for over 20 years.
He is the former Board Chair of Nunatsiavut Group of Companies, the economic development corporation for his community. He is also the former CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal (now Indigenous) Business and the former CEO of Nunasi Corporation, an Inuit Development Corporation headquartered in Iqaluit, Nunavut.
Clint was recognized for his contribution to Indigenous business with the Indspire Award in the Business and Commerce category, the highest honour awarded to an individual by the Indigenous community. In 2015, Clint was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni by Acadia University. He recently received the King Charles III Coronation Medal from the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami for his contribution to Canada and specifically to Inuit.
A graduate of Harvard University, Clint holds his Master in Public Administration degree in business and government policy. He was also a Canada-US Fulbright Scholar. Prior to earning his master’s degree, Clint completed his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at Dalhousie University, as well as his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance from Acadia University. Clint has an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. He is Inuk from Labrador and a Beneficiary under the Labrador Inuit Land Claim Agreement.
Masha May Fotheringham
Amautiit
Masha-May Fotheringham is a young Inuk woman who has grown up between Rankin Inlet, Nunavut and Winnipeg, Manitoba. Masha-May graduated high school and attended the Nunavut Sivuniksavut program. She manages Amautiit: Nunavut Inuit Women’s Association’s social media and most recently supported the Nunavut Inuit Women’s Leadership Conference in Iqaluit. Masha-May has done a number of video interviews on important topics affecting Nunavut women and youth. She also works at Arctic Buying, an Inuit family business registered under the Nutrition North Program that helps source southern goods to ship to northern Indigenous communities to help address the high cost of living. Masha-May is on her own journey of exploration and learning that include facilitating discussions on issues that affect Inuit especially youth. Her contributions to these often difficult conversations are necessary as a part of raising awareness and advocating for solutions that improve lives.
Brian Gallant
CEO, Space Canada
April Hayward, Ph.D., MBA
Chief Sustainability Officer, Li-FT Power Ltd.
Dr. April Hayward leads the environment, permitting, engagement, and corporate social responsibility programs for Li-FT Power Ltd. – a Canadian critical minerals exploration company with assets in the Northwest Territories and Quebec. April has over 25 years of experience working in the fields of environment and sustainability in the academic, public, and private sectors. For more than a decade, Dr. Hayward’s career has been dedicated to developing collaborative relationships between industry, Indigenous communities, regulatory agencies, and academic researchers to advance sustainable development in the mining industry in northern Canada. April has a Ph.D. in ecology from McMaster University (2007) and an MBA from the Haskayne School of Business (2022).
Michel Miraillet
Ambassador of France to Canada
Born in April 1960, Michel Miraillet is the Ambassador of France to Canada since 22 September 2022. Before that, he was the Director general for Global affairs of the French ministry of Foreign Affairs and the G7/G20 sous-sherpa from March 2020 to September 2022. He was previously from September 2017 the French Ambassador to Brazil and to the United Arab Emirates from 2013 to 2017, after six years spent from August 2007 to August 2013 as the Director for strategic affairs and the defence policy director of the French Ministry of Defense.
A career diplomat, M. Miraillet, before joining the Ministry of Defense, served as the Director for International and Strategic Affairs of the Secretariat General for National Defense, an agency attached to the Prime minister’s office conducting the coordination of governmental action on issues concerning France’s internal and external security.
As a member of the French diplomatic service, Michel Miraillet held various posts abroad: deputy head of mission in Israel (2001-2004), political advisor to the French mission to Nato (1997-2000), Political counsellor in Cairo (1995-1997) and counsellor to the French mission to the United Nations in New York, in charge of security, disarmament and UNSCOM affairs (1992-1995).
He served from 1988 to 1992 in Paris as the desk officer for Iraq/Iran issues and as the deputy head of the MFA’s body in charge of the control of armament exports. From 2004 to 2006, he joined the Administration directorate of the Quai d’Orsay as the deputy head of the staff department.
Michel Miraillet was appointed in 2007 and in 2013 as a member of the commission drafting the French white papers on defence and national security issued in 2008 and 2013.
He is graduated from ENA, France’s school for public administration, the Paris Institute for Political Sciences and various Paris universities (Masters in law and economics, Bachelor in Arts).
Lisa Mitchell
President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships
Lisa Mitchell is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP), a national, member-driven organization that brings together leaders from all orders of government and the private sector to shape the future of Canada’s infrastructure. Under her leadership, the Council is advancing national dialogue on how innovative partnerships and delivery models can help build resilient, sustainable, and high-performing infrastructure across the country.
With more than 20 years of experience in leadership, communications, and public affairs—and over a decade dedicated to advancing public-private partnerships—Lisa has helped shape Canada’s modern infrastructure agenda. Before joining the Council, she served as Senior Director, Investments, Partnerships and Innovation at Infrastructure Canada, and as Director, Strategy and Market Development at PPP Canada Inc., where she led corporate strategy, policy, and communications for the federal Crown corporation.
An advocate for Canada’s P3 model and market, Lisa has spearheaded major research and policy initiatives positioning Canada as a global leader in infrastructure delivery. She is a recognized voice both nationally and internationally and is the former Chair of the OECD’s Network of Senior PPP and Infrastructure Officials, where she worked with global counterparts to share best practices and strengthen public investment frameworks worldwide.
Pippa Norman
The Globe and Mail’s Innovation Reporter
Pippa Norman is The Globe and Mail’s innovation reporter. She regularly reports on the Canadian defence industry, as well as emerging technologies at the intersection of research and commercialization.
Honourable Erin O’Toole
President and Managing Director of ADIT North America; former MP, Durham and Leader of Conservative Party
Erin O’Toole is a leading Canadian thought leader on foreign policy, trade, national security, mental health, and economic resilience, with an informed perspective forged through a unique career that has spanned service in the military, law, politics, business, and philanthropy.
Erin began his military career as a cadet at the Royal Military College before becoming an officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He served as a Tactical Navigator on the Sea King helicopter, conducting anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance, and search-and-rescue missions. He was promoted to the rank of Captain, awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration, and received the Sikorsky Helicopter Rescue Award for a rescue mission at sea. These experiences shaped his lifelong commitment to the well-being of veterans, military families, and mental health initiatives, leading to the founding of the True Patriot Love Foundation in 2009. Since that time, True Patriot Love has raised over $100 million to support military families and has hosted the Invictus Games in Canada on two occasions.
Following his military service, Erin earned a law degree from Dalhousie University and practiced corporate law at Stikeman Elliott LLP before serving as in-house counsel for Procter & Gamble in Canada. In 2012, he was elected Member of Parliament for Durham in a by-election, beginning a decade-long parliamentary career that saw him re-elected with strong margins three more times before he decided to leave public life. In government, he served as Parliamentary Secretary for International Trade, contributing to major Canadian trade negotiations, and later as Minister of Veterans Affairs, where he worked to modernize the department and expand mental health and family supports for veterans.
As an opposition MP, Erin served as the Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs before serving as the Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2020 to 2022. During this time, he helped guide the country through the COVID-19 pandemic and advanced a series of policies on national defence, Arctic sovereignty, trade resilience, and mental wellness that continue to resonate in Canada today.
Erin O’Toole now serves as the President and Managing Director of ADIT North America, which is part of the Paris-based Groupe ADIT, a leading risk advisory and business intelligence firm. In this role, he advises Canadian and international clients on trade, investment, and geopolitical risk. He remains an active public policy commentator in Canada through his Blue Skies podcast, various speaking engagements, and extensive writing for magazines, newspapers, and his Blue Skies Substack. He is a Distinguished Fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington, an advisor to the Transition Accelerator, and serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Governance, Leadership and Ethics program at Huron University in London, Ontario.
Tom Paddon
Non-Executive Chairman of Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation
Tom is the Non-Executive Chairman of Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation. The company operates Canada’s newest and most northerly iron ore mine, the Mary River Project, located on Baffin Island in the Qikiqtaaluk region of Nunavut. The operation began producing high grade iron ore in 2015 and Tom is now focused on the company’s growth plan. Born in North West River, Labrador, Tom has played a pivotal role in negotiating and implementing agreements that successfully reconcile the commercial interests of developers with the rights of Indigenous peoples, as well as the implementation of strict environmental performance standards in northern regions.
Tom sits on the Board of Directors for the Mining Association of Canada, and on its Toward Sustainable Mining (TSM) committee. He sits also on the Board of Directors of the Battle Harbour Historic Trust and regularly sails the Arctic as a member of Adventure Canada’s Expedition Team. He is the founding chairman of the Arctic Economic Council, a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, an Honorary Captain in the Royal Canadian Navy, and the delighted grandfather of identical twin boys.
Dinesh K Patnaik
High Commissioner of India to Canada
- Shri Dinesh K. Patnaik is a career diplomat of the Indian Foreign Service with experience of over 35 years in a variety of interesting and challenging assignments.
- He has served in Indian Missions in Geneva, Dhaka, Beijing and Vienna.
- At Headquarters, he has served in the Europe West, External Publicity, Africa and UN Divisions.
- Shri Patnaik served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Vienna from 2009 to 2012.
- He was India’s Ambassador to Cambodia from 2012 to 2015.
- He was India’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco from 2015 to 2016.
- He was Deputy High Commissioner of India to London from 2016 to 2018.
- He was Additional Secretary (Indian Ocean Region) from November 2018 to July 2019 and thereafter Additional Secretary (CPV&OIA) from July 2019 to January 2020 in the Ministry of External Affairs.
- He held the post of Director-General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
- Ambassador Patnaik holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kolkata. He also holds a Master’s degree in Advanced International Studies from the University of Vienna and Certificate in International Studies from the Diplomatic Academy, Vienna.
- Ambassador Patnaik is married to Poonam who is an international educator. They have two daughters.
- Prior to this posting, Shri Dinesh K. Patnaik was Ambassador of India to Spain and Andorra from January 2022 till September 2025.
Honourable Dennis Patterson
Director, West Kitikmeot Resources Corp; former Senator of Nunavut
The Honourable Dennis Glen Patterson is a Canadian politician and lawyer who was a senator from Nunavut from 2009 until his retirement in 2023. He was also the fifth Premier of the Northwest Territories, serving from 1987 to 1991. He has been a long time advocate of the Grays Bay Road and Port Project, and serves as a Director of West Kitikmeot Resources Corp, the project proponent.
Eliot Pence
Founder and CEO, Dominion Dynamics
Eliot Pence is a builder of frontier defense and industrial companies. He is the founder of Dominion Dynamics, a defense firm working to establish sovereign capability in aerospace, autonomy, and command-and-control. From 2018–2022, Eliot led global growth at Anduril Industries, joining as one of the company’s very first business development hires and playing a central role in building it into one of America’s most consequential defense technology companies. He created Anduril’s international go-to-market strategy from scratch, bootstrapped overseas growth, and built teams across three continents—shaping how Anduril scaled as a global defense prime. He was the Chief Business Officer at Osmo and Cambium Biomaterials, leading government and enterprise go-to-market efforts to translate frontier R&D into deployable platforms. Previously, he was a senior director at McLarty Associates, the Washington, DC–based advisory firm. He serves on the U.S. Trade Representative’s Advisory Committee and the Yale University President’s Council on International Activities. Eliot earned his M.A. from Yale University and his B.A. from the University of Victoria.
Charlene Porter
Gjoa Haven, Nunavut
Charlene Porter, Inuk woman from Gjoa Haven, Nunavut. Charlene has worked in various sectors including hospitality, administration and lands administrator. Her frontline work has given her experience working directly with wide variety of people from all walks of life. She has worked at the local and territorial governments including with the Department of Transportation and Economic Development plus Environment. While working within the Lands Division at the municipality, she gained experience with land and property management and development including land records, applications, compliance with legislation and policies. Charlene graduated from Qiairtaq Ilihakvik with her secondary diploma and completed the Outward Bound Canada outdoors education program in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Madeleine Redfern, LL.B.
COO CanArctic Networks Inc., Arctic360 Northern Director
Claude Véron-Réville
EU Special Envoy for Arctic Matters,
Head of Division for Western Europe, European External Action Service
Claude Véron-Réville is since September 2024 the Special Envoy for Arctic matters. She heads at the same time the European External Action Service’s division for Western Europe, Arctic and Regional matters, which Prior to that, she occupied different managerial positions in the EEAS Human Resources Department and was notably in charge of the selection and recruitment of EEAS staff. Previously, she worked several years on the Eastern Europe and Russia files as Deputy Head of the Russia Division in the EEAS and Deputy Head of Division for Eastern Partnership, the OSCE and Regional Organisations, including the Northern Dimension and BEAC. Between November 2011 and August 2013 she was posted as a European exchange diplomat (Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellow) in the US State Department in the Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova Office and in the Russia Office. Claude holds a Master’s Degree from the College of Europe and graduated from the Paris Institute of Political Sciences. Her mother tongue is French and she speaks English and Russian.
Dr. Jessica M. Shadian, Ph.D.
President and CEO, Arctic360
Her expertise is regularly solicited by media organisations, governments, the private sector, academia, and think tanks. Shadian’s 2014 book: The Politics of Arctic Sovereignty: Oil, Ice, and Inuit Governance (Routledge) is the first in-depth history of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) and Inuit sovereignty in global politics reaching back to pre-European discovery. Her consulting work began while living in the Norwegian Arctic as the co-creator and organizer of an Arctic Dialogue series that brought together state and local political and industry leaders, local and Indigenous communities, and academia to increase information sharing about Arctic resource development.
Dr. Shadian holds a Ph.D. in Global Governance from the University of Delaware (2006) during which she wrote her doctoral dissertation at the Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI), University of Cambridge, UK on an NSF award. She spent the following 5 years in Norway at the Barents Institute and then as a Senior Researcher at the High North Center for Business and Governance, Nord University, Bodø after which she was awarded an Associate Professor, Marie Curie COFUND Fellowship, at the Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS), Denmark. In June 2017, Shadian completed a two-year Nansen Professorship co-funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the University of Akureyri, Iceland after which she turned to dedicate herself full-time to build Arctic360.
Shadian lives in Toronto with her husband and two children.
Sarah Taylor
Ambassador of Canada to Russia
Sarah Taylor is Canada’s ambassador to the Russian Federation. She has 35 years’ experience in diplomacy and intelligence analysis, largely focussed on Asia. From 2020 to 2023 she was ambassador to Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia and from 2011 to 2015 deputy head of mission in Beijing. She has also served abroad in Jakarta, on an earlier assignment in Beijing, and in Hong Kong.
In Canada, she was Director General for North Asia and Oceania at Global Affairs Canada from 2016 to 2019, and Executive Director (acting) and Deputy Executive Director of the Intelligence Assessment Secretariat at Privy Council Office from 2009 to 2011. Other previous roles include director of the Development Policies and Institutions Division, and departmental liaison officer and speech writer for then-Minister of Foreign Affairs Lloyd Axworthy.
In addition to Asia, areas of focus in her diplomatic career include foreign policy; economic and public diplomacy; human rights and good governance; geopolitics, authoritarian states and transnational repression.
A strong advocate for diversity and equality, she was Champion for Women at Global Affairs Canada from 2016 to 2019.
She trained as an archaeologist, retains an interest in that field, and has written and published on the intersection of archaeology with modern international relations.
She has also strongly supported language and cultural training within the foreign service career, based in part on her own experience having studied in China, Korea, Japan and the UK. In 2015-2016 she led Global Affairs Canada’s Asia Competencies Project.
Hillary Thatcher
Managing Director, Investments, Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB)
Hillary Thatcher is Managing Director of Investments, leading the CIB’s Indigenous Infrastructure team. In her role, Hillary is responsible for the CIB’s engagement with Indigenous communities, advancing investments in Indigenous infrastructure projects consistent with key priority areas.
Previously Director General of Innovation and Services at Indigenous Services Canada, Hillary spent 15 years with the Ontario government in senior roles across Indigenous Affairs, Energy and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources. Hillary has a proven track record of building linkages among Indigenous, government and industry interests.
Hillary is Métis and has been an active member of the urban Indigenous community of Toronto through her volunteer roles at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, Red Sky Performance and the Downie Wenjak Fund.
Hillary graduated from Concordia University in Montreal and the University of Victoria.
Rob Tinline
British High Commissioner to Canada
Rob Tinline has been British High Commissioner to Canada since February 2025. He represents the British Government in Canada and oversees the High Commission in Ottawa and Consulates in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary.
He is a career diplomat. Prior to arriving in Canada, he was Director Americas at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office from May 2022 to January 2025, advising on policy and overseeing the UK diplomatic network across the region. Before that he worked on the response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, having been Director for COVID-19 from 2020 to 2022 and Chief of the Assessments Staff for the Joint Intelligence Committee from 2017 to 2019. He was the founding head of the UK Government Counter Proliferation and Arms Control Centre. His overseas postings have included to British Embassies in Bogota and Madrid, to the UK Mission to the UN in New York, as Head of the Multinational Provincial Reconstruction Team in Basra, and as Deputy Head of Mission at the (then) UK Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels.
Geneviève Tuts
EU Ambassador to Canada
Genevieve Tuts began her tenure at the helm of the Delegation of the European Union to Canada in September 2024. She has extensive experience gained in several EU institutions, the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the legal profession. She served as the Head of Cabinet for European Commissioner for Justice between December 2019 and August 2024.The portfolio included Justice, Rule of law, data protection, and consumer law.
Ambassador Tuts started her career as a lawyer specializing in EU law before becoming a magistrate with the Belgian Ministry of Justice. In 2002, she transitioned to the cabinet of the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, where she held key roles focused on European and external policies. As Belgium’s Representative in COREPER I in the EU Council of Ministers, she addressed a wide range of EU policies, including energy, environment, climate, and digital. She also served 13 years as Director in the Council of Ministers, leading the work of 3 Directorates: Transport, Telecom, Energy- inter institutional affairs and Legal service’s Directorate Quality of legislation.
The Ambassador holds a Master’s in European Law and a Law degree. She has been an assistant at Liege University at the law faculty and Master of Conference at ENA. She speaks French, English, and Dutch. She has practised improvisational acting and has a deep appreciation for diverse music genres, playing both piano and guitar. Passionate by cinema she is also an outdoor enthusiast, she enjoys running along rivers, lakes, and coastlines.
As the EU Ambassador to Canada, Geneviève Tuts leads the EU Delegation in its work to strengthen ties between the European Union and
Per Unheim
Head of Public Affairs and Trade, Embassy of Iceland in Ottawa
Per Unheim is Head of Public Affairs and Trade at the Embassy of Iceland. His work focuses on deepening bilateral relations between Iceland and Canada through cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, and culture. He also serves in the capacity of Iceland’s deputy head of mission in Ottawa. Prior to joining the embassy, he worked for over 15 years in international development consulting and cooperation. He holds an M.Sc. in Public Management and Governance from the London School of Economics & Political Science, an M.A. from Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from McGill University.
Michael Walsh
Director General, Policy and Planning, CanNor
Michael has spent most of his 24 years in the public service focused on Northern and Indigenous issues. This includes a much enjoyed six year posting in the Yellowknife Regional Office in the Northwest Territories to start his career.
After moving to Ottawa, Michael has been lucky enough to hold a number of executive positions related to Land Claim, Self-Government and Fiscal Negotiations as well as work related to Lands and Economic Development and Individual Affairs.
Michael is currently the Director General of Policy and Planning here at the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, which provides him the opportunity to help foster sustainable economic development with Northern and Indigenous partners, to the benefit of all Canadians.
Ollie Williams
Editor, Cabin Radio
Ollie Williams is the editor of Cabin Radio, a newsroom based in Yellowknife that serves Canada’s Northwest Territories. He and four other Yellowknife residents founded Cabin Radio in 2017. Previously, Ollie was a senior broadcast journalist for the BBC based in London and Manchester, England, and volunteered with youth in the Northwest Territories hamlet of Fort Liard.
Kanji Yamanouchi
Ambassador of Japan to Canada
KANJI YAMANOUCHI has been the Ambassador of Japan to Canada since May, 2022. Prior to this assignment, he was the Consul-General (Ambassador) of Japan in New York (2018 – 2022).
Ambassador Yamanouchi has been serving Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for over 40 years, during which he has held the positions of: Director of the First Southeast Asia Division in 2003; Director of the Press Division in 2004; Director of the First North America Division in 2007; Executive Assistant to the Prime Minister in 2009; Deputy Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau in 2011, and Assistant Minister / Director-General for the Economic Affairs Bureau in 2016.
His diplomatic postings include assignments to the Embassy of Japan in the U.S. as First Secretary in 1997 and the Embassy of Japan in Korea as Counsellor in 2001. In 2013, he was posted to the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C. for the second time as the Minister for Economic Affairs.
Ambassador Yamanouchi graduated from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and went on to receive his M.A. in Political Science from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.
He is married and has one daughter.
Strengthening the
North American Arctic
Arctic360 is dedicated to educating and engaging with the public about the pressing issues and potential solutions for building a prosperous and sustainable Arctic region. Contact us if you have any questions about our activities or if you would like to be more involved.
