B.A.L.L. Lecture Series
Geopolitics: what in the world is going on?
Lecturer – Adam Chapnick
Adam Chapnick is a professor of defence studies at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) and the deputy director of education at the Canadian Forces College. He holds a BA (Honours) from Trent University, an MA in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, and a PhD in History from the University of Toronto. He is the award-winning author or editor of ten books and over 50 academic essays and book chapters on historical and contemporary issues in Canadian foreign and public policy. He has appeared as a foreign policy expert on Global News, CTV News, CBC News, The Agenda with Steve Paikin, and CBC radio.
Thursday, Feb 12, 2026
Canada and the World in 2026
Canada is a G7 country, a founding member of the United Nations and NATO, and an active player in world affairs. We spend over $30 billion per year on our military, distribute over $11 billion per year in international assistance to countries in need, and maintain a staff of over 13,000 diplomats, trade policy experts, and developnment assistance professionals at Global Affairs Canada. These investments are supposed to promote and defend “the national interest.” This lecture will help you understand what the national interest really means and why Canada behaves the way it does on the world stage by examining the past, present, and future of Canadian foreign policy.