Kris's current research examines the strategic culture of the Government of Canada and its impact on our ability to mount a credible whole-of-government response to prevailing national security threats. Kris proposes a model to build culture through common executive development, thereby overcoming the fragmented and competitive nature of interdepartmental policies and advice to deliver a unified national security strategy that ultimately guides subordinate foreign, defence and security policies. 

Bio:

Colonel Kris Purdy enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 2000, serving as a Military Police Officer before transferring to the Intelligence Branch in 2004.

He has held various staff and command positions at all levels with the majority of his service spent within the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, Canadian Forces Intelligence Group, and Canadian Joint Operations Command.

Col Purdy has served internationally in Afghanistan, Jordan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most recently, he deployed on Operation CROCODILE as the Canadian Task Force Commander and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Saint Mary’s University, a Master of Defence Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada and is a graduate of the Canadian Forces College Joint Command and Staff Program. He was named to the Order of Military Merit in 2018 and has been awarded Chief of Defence Staff and Vice Chief of Defence Staff Commendations.

Colonel Purdy is currently a Visiting Defence Fellow at the Centre for International and Defence Policy at Queen’s University, where he is conducting research on Canada’s strategic culture and professional development of national security executives.

The CIDP at Queen's University presents "Discussion on Defence". These talks are with the current CIDP VDFs to engage undergrad students. Come join us for an engaging discussion on AI in the CAF and DND at Robert Sutherland Hall 334, Queen's University.

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A US Military member’s review and analysis of the Canadian Armed Forces’ readiness as a member of NATO and closest ally to the USA. LTC Drew Lanier will present his findings of CAF readiness from post-WWII to current day; identify objective components that have contributed to a decrease in readiness; review recent initiatives that the CAF has pursued; and he will make some recommendations for improving personnel strengths and the CAF’s ability to respond to a threat to NATO allies.

*a light lunch will be provided, registration is free and required.

*please note that the online webinar portion of this event has been cancelled, we apologize for the inconvenience. We hope you can join us in-person for this event.

 Bio:

LTC PATRICK ANDREW (DREW) LANIER is the United States Army Visiting Defense Fellow to the Centre for International and Defence Policy, Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario. Drew has 21 years of service with the United States Armed Forces as a Senior Human Resources Officer. Drew has operational deployments to Tal Afar and Rabiah, Iraq focusing on security and stability operations; and Buchanan, Liberia to stop the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease.

Drew has served in various command and staff positions. He is a United States Army Command and General Staff College graduate. Drew received a Master’s Degree in Management from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. He has earned multiple awards to include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and Army Commendation Medal.

This IDP seminar will examine the role of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA, 1943-47) in providing emergency humanitarian aid to displaced persons and refugees in the aftermath of the Second World War. It will trace the evolution of humanitarian policy and explore how early international relief efforts paved the way for modern human rights, culminating in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The talk will also consider the contemporary relevance of these developments, focusing on how past humanitarian efforts continue to shape current policies and practices toward refugees and asylum seekers in Canada and the United States.

Bio:

Dr. Katherine Rossy is Assistant Professor of International History at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, and Deputy Director of Research at the CIDP. She completed her PhD in History from Queen Mary University of London in 2018, where she held a Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Doctoral Scholarship before becoming a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow at Carleton University from 2019-2022. Dr. Rossy’s expertise lies in the Second World War and early Cold War eras, particularly the history of humanitarianism, human rights, and the laws of armed conflict. She is currently working on a monograph about the evolution of United Nations emergency humanitarianism in all theatres of conflict during the Second World War and its immediate aftermath (1943-48). She is the recipient of a number of awards, including the Alice Wilson Award from the Royal Society of Canada (2019) and the Young Alumna of the Year Award from Concordia University (2020).

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This student event is sponsored by the CIDP's VDF Undergraduate Mentorship Program. *A light meal will be offered for those who register for the event.

Join Col Kris Purdy, and LTC Drew Lanier for a discussion on Lessons from the War in Ukraine and Implications for CAF Procurement and Doctrine. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A.

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*A light meal will be provided to those who register.