Conference of Defence Associations Institute Information

The Conference of Defence Associations Institute is a non-partisan, registered charitable organization that conducts research and education programming on defence & security. We publish peer-reviewed articles & journals, as well as shorter opinion pieces on our website. The readership tops tens of thousands of hits on our website monthly. Our “Metro Expert Series Webinars”, which began in 2020 have attracted on average 650 participants per event with people tuning in from 40 different countries. The flagship event is the annual Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence (est. 1932), which brings together defence ministers, thought leaders, generals and senior public servants from all corners of the world to Ottawa to discuss international security and Canada’s alliances and engagement in the world. In 2021, over 2,000 guests attended the event. The Student Engagement Programme offers mentorship and paid work opportunities, as well discounted pricing for our events and travel stipends to help students gain access to our network of decision makers & experts. Our awards and recognition programme includes the Vimy Award (a prestigious lifetime achievement award in the defence & security sector whose selection committee includes the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Chief of the Defence Staff, and the Deputy Minister of Defence), the Captain Nichola Goddard Leadership Award, and the Ross Munro Award for Journalism.