Join us September 15, 2026 at the Seaforth Armoury in Vancouver
What does Europe’s changing security environment mean for Canada and Germany?
Decisions about defence, alliances and geopolitical stability increasingly shape the conditions in which companies operate. They affect investment, energy security, supply chains, technological development and the movement of people and goods across borders.
The German-Canadian Business Association, in collaboration with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Canada, invites members and guests to an evening at the Seaforth Armoury to hear from and connect with high-level security scholars and practicioners.
This evening will be a unique opportunity for you to hear directly from international security experts and learn how they approach topics like leading international teams and projects.
International Expert Speakers
The event will open with remarks from Alexander Jecht, Vice President of the German Canadian Business Association.
The keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Alexander Moens, Professor of Political Science at Simon Fraser University and Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. A leading Canadian scholar of NATO, transatlantic relations and foreign policy, Dr. Moens will examine how Canada and Germany can contribute to a stronger and more resilient European security architecture and how the transatlantic alliance must adapt to a period of sustained geopolitical pressure.
Brigadier-General Cédric Aspirault, Director General Operations at Canadian Joint Operations Command, will then provide a brief introduction to two of Canada’s most significant military commitments in Europe: Operation REASSURANCE, Canada’s contribution to NATO’s deterrence and defence measures in Central and Eastern Europe, and Operation UNIFIER, the Canadian Armed Forces’ training and capacity-building mission in support of Ukraine.
Expert Panel
The evening will continue with a panel discussion featuring:
Lieutenant-Colonel Vincent Virk, a Canadian Armed Forces leader with experience on Operation UNIFIER and a background in examining leadership, technology and information in modern warfare.
Brigadier-General Cédric Aspirault, whose extensive operational and command experience includes serving as the first Commander of NATO’s Multinational Brigade Latvia.
Fen Osler Hampson, Chancellor’s Professor & Professor of International Affairs at Carlton University.
Professor Hampson holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University where he also received his A.M. degree. He also holds an MSc. (Econ.) degree (with distinction) from the London School of Economics and a B.A. (Hon.) from the University of Toronto. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, he is the author or co-author of 15 books and editor or co-editor of 32 other volumes.
Dr. Bernd Althusmann, Director of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation in Canada.
Dr. Bernd Althusmann is Head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Canada Office and a former Deputy Minister-President and Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour, Transport and Digitalisation of Lower Saxony. A longtime CDU politician and former KAS representative in Namibia and Angola, he brings extensive experience in government, international cooperation, and transatlantic affairs.
The panel will be moderated by Franziska Schwarzmann, Director of Communications at the German-Canadian Business Association. A former scholarship recipient of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, she brings a background in transatlantic affairs, strategic communication and international security to the discussion.
Together, the speakers will offer perspectives from strategy, policy and military operations. Their discussion will explore the different challenges associated with deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank and military support for Ukraine, as well as the responsibilities Canada and Germany carry within the wider transatlantic partnership and leadership.
A fitting location: Vancouver’s Seaforth Armoury
Hosted at Vancouver’s historic Seaforth Armoury, the event offers GCBA members and guests a rare opportunity to hear directly from senior military leaders and one of Canada’s foremost scholars of NATO and European security.
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Location: Seaforth Armoury, Vancouver
Time: 6 – 9 (Doors open at 5.30)
Registration: https://www.showpass.com/canadas-and-germanys-role-in-europes-security-architecture/
We look forward to welcoming you to this event!
