OpenCanada Staff

The stories that stayed with us — and were critical to our understanding of the world this past year.

Julie Savard-Shaw, director of Women Deliver 2019 Mobilization Canada, speaks with OpenCanada in advance of the Vancouver conference on gender equality.

A podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

Proposals for symposium papers and longform-style essays are due March 22.

A podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new
podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of
International Affairs.

A new
podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of
International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org
and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast
series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International
Affairs.

A new podcast series
from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new
podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of
International Affairs

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org
and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new
podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of
International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org
and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org
and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series
from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org
and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org
and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series
from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new
podcast series from OpenCanada.org and the Balsillie School of
International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and The Balsillie School of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and The Balsillie School
of International Affairs.

A new podcast series from OpenCanada.org and The Balsillie School of International Affairs.

Finalists will present their ideas in Waterloo and Kingston in the fall of 2018.

From representing Canada at the United Nations and supporting the […]

On July 1, Canada celebrates 150 years of nationhood — […]

As the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival takes over Toronto April 27 to May 7, here are 10 films for the internationally minded viewer.

“Dear Canada, I’m asking you to lead once again,” the 19-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner said in Ottawa Wednesday.

As global interest in Canada continues, and new voices from […]

Winners will be announced Nov. 7 in Toronto.

This week, we marked five years of OpenCanada with a panel on leftist foreign policy in Toronto. 

Five years ago, in the national offices of the Canadian […]

With
a June 9 panel on the state of leftist foreign policy, OpenCanada marks its
fifth anniversary! Join our team, The New Republic’s Jeet Heer, The Nation’s Sarah Leonard, and Postmedia’s Terry Glavin at CSI Spadina.

Missed the International Studies Association annual conference last week? Or, were you too busy with panels to take it all in? We’ve got you covered. 

When you get a room full of policy experts and enthusiasts,
new insights are bound to come out. Here’s our top 10 list. 

With talks by Canadian ministers of foreign affairs and defence, Fareed Zakaria and many more, this year’s forum promised to be two days of lively debate. 

The 25 pieces you read, shared and
engaged with most this past year.  

Work with the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor to help produce dynamic, multimedia content about international affairs for OpenCanada.org.

How many fighters? How many countries fighting ISIS? How many refugees?

Is the current Canadian military campaign too risky, costly or inaccessible for the media to cover? Watch our panel.

Watch Tuesday’s NYC launch of new book by OpenCanada editor-in-chief Taylor Owen.

A discussion with Bob Fowler, Meg French and Josh Scheinert.

The annual convention of the International Studies Association was held this year in New Orleans. The critiques were sharp as ever, the views even better and yes, there was even one internet-loving unicorn.

In an interview with CBC News, Mohamed Fahmy’s brother says family is “devastated. We literally had our bags packed.”

John Baird confirmed his resignation Tuesday in Ottawa. Early reaction to the news was full of surprise, early analysis and predictions.

Rob Muggah explains his solutions for fragile cities in newly launched TED Talk video.

Photographer Johan Hallberg-Campbell captures rebuilding efforts since a devastating earthquake hit on Jan. 12, 2010.

Our favourite non-fiction from the past year.

12 must-read pieces from the past year.

Throughout the year, we search the web for the best reads on global affairs. Here are our 10 favourites from 2014.

After decades, the U.S. and Cuba announced a thaw in diplomatic relations. Here are 15 key reactions to the news.

Is this a turning point for Mexico? And if so, where are its continental partners? A panel discussion with David Agren, Marina Jimenez, and Luis Horacio Nájera.

What do borders mean today? In this graphic, we consider a number of ways of conceptualizing the divisions between us beyond just nationality.

Images from the 57th World Press Photo Contest.

We charted the speeches of 17 of the biggest powers in the world at the UN.

Urbanization is increasingly an Asian and African phenomenon.

While the consumption of renewable energy is growing, the world still has a long way to go if it wants to phase out fossil fuels.

Beach reads for IR nerds.

The benefits of cross-border education go beyond the fees that international students pay. It is increasingly a way for a country to project itself on the world stage. This graphic breaks down the flow of international students and where Canada fits in.

How many people in the world have the vote? How many people are free? We crunch the numbers in this graphic.

Dr. Lawrence H. Summers’s remarks at the CIC Globalist of the Year Gala on the upheavals of the 20th century and how to avoid them in the 21st.

How much carbon a given economy produces isn’t the only measure that matters in the climate change debate. How much economic bang an economy gets for its energy buck is also important.

An interview with the former head of the Communications Security Establishment Canada.

An interview with the former senior National Security Agency official and whistleblower.

Our virtual panel weighs in.

Peter Bouckaert from Human Rights Watch on how his organization raises awareness of the crisis in the Central African Republic.

We chart the growth of the former Soviet economies to get a better sense of the economic balance of power in the region.

An interview with Canada’s former ambassador to Iran, Egypt, and Jordan, about Iran’s current leadership and the broader role of religion in Middle Eastern politics.

We crunch the numbers on where Canada and the United States stand in terms of their immigrant populations.

Trade among Canada, the U.S., and Mexico is now almost four times greater than it was before NAFTA. Here we map out the flow of that trade.

The Sochi Olympics will cost Russia $50 billion. In this graphic, we look at why the bill got so high.

Our virtual panel weighs in.

Our annual list of who’s driving the Canadian foreign policy conversation on Twitter.

Margot Salomon on how globalization has shaped the concept of human rights and how to keep international organizations and companies accountable.

We track the violent civilian deaths compiled by Iraq Body Count next to major events in the country.

A rare interview with Sylvia Ostry about the creation of the G7 and the future of global economic governance.

As Morsi’s trial resumes, OpenCanada runs down what you need to know.

OpenCanada looks at the year that was.

We add up Canadian foreign policy in 2013.

Throughout the year, OpenCanada.org scours the web for the best […]

Over the course of 2013, OpenCanada.org published 324 blog posts […]

We chart out the current balance of naval power between Pacific countries.

Debate continues over the role of public-private partnerships in providing development assistance. We spoke to World Food Programme Ass. Exec. Dir. Elisabeth Rasmusson about that agency’s approach.

We follow the money by comparing average spending per student with how well those students performed in mathematics on the 2012 PISA ranking.

We ask our virtual panel.

We asked the experts at the Toronto Global Forum to tell us what they consider to be the biggest shift now under way in the global economy.

Many are wondering when or if the Eurozone will shake off the recession. OECD Chief Economist and Deputy Secretary-General Pier Carlo Padoan explains why achieving higher sustainable growth defies simple solutions.

We map out the regional responsibilities of each member of the Five Eyes intelligence network.

One month in, the task of destroying Syria’s chemical weapons is on schedule. In this infographic, we take a closer look at what is involved.

An Embassy News and OpenCanada series on the issue of digital surveillance.

Our Rapid Responders weigh in.

Companies today are grappling with the challenge of enforcing standards across globalized supply chains. OpenCanada asked Hershell Ezrin how Canadian companies are faring, and where the concept of corporate social responsibility is headed.

We map out who the new Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development is reaching out to on Twitter.

OpenCanada interviewed Werner Wnendt, Germany’s ambassador to Canada, about Merkel’s election victory, Germany’s role in Europe, and its relationship with Canada.

OpenCanada talked to Bruce Jentleson about the clash between old weapons and new norms currently playing out in Syria.

Many girls in the developing world will grow up without ever entering a classroom. The Girl Rising campaign aims to change that. We asked Holly Gordon, the campaign’s executive director, to tell us how.

Our Rapid Responders weigh in.

With 153 million orphans worldwide, many Canadian families choose to adopt children from other countries. OpenCanada breaks down the international adoption process.

PRISM is an American program, but the questions it raises should concern Canadians.

Our Rapid Responders weigh in.

Beach reads for IR nerds.

Our Rapid Responders weigh in.

Matthew Rojansky on the present and future of U.S.-Russia relations.

Daniel Levy on the EU’s new directive on Israeli settlements.

The U.S. spent almost $34 billion on foreign assistance last year. Over $9 billion of that was spent on security and military aid. We break down how much economic vs. security aid went to the 10 top recipients.

Dr. Arvind Sharma on religious identity, soft power, and crafting a Canadian strategy for promoting religious pluralism in the developing world.

Gary Hufbauer spells out what’s at stake in the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership as talks begin.

Dr. Chris Seiple on why religion needs to be treated as a real factor for analysis by foreign policymakers.

Speeches will begin at 6:15pm. Douglas Goold, Director, Asia Pacific […]

Anne Leahy, Canada’s representative to the Vatican, on how Canadian foreign policy can help protect religious freedom abroad.

Our Rapid Responders weigh in.

We talked to Michael Adams, head of the research company Environics, about the evolution of Canadian versus American social values.

Obama says he wants a low-carbon, clean energy economy. That would be a change. Here we track the history of carbon emissions as new sources of energy have come online.

We asked Canada’s Ambassador to Brazil, the Honourable Jamal Khokhar, about Brazil’s economic prospects in the face of challenging global trends.

Ralph Pentland, author of Down the Drain: How we are Failing to Protect our Water Resources, debunks three of the biggest myths about Canada’s water resources.

The Palestinian refugee crisis continues, but it doesn’t have to. Dr Rex Brynen explains.

16 leading experts on managing risk and leveraging opportunity in the new economic cycle.

Natural resources are playing an important role in Africa’s economic growth. Experts from NSI’s Ottawa Forum explain why governance of the extractive industry is critical if the benefits and risks are to be shared equitably.

In 1970, we committed to spending 0.7% of our GDP on aid. In the 44 years since, only a small handful of countries have reached that goal. Canada never has. Here we track the progress made by eight countries.

Pamela Constable in the The Washington Post canvasses opinion on whether power will really change hands when Afghans head to the polls to vote for a new president in April 2014.

An interview with Hamadi el-Jebali, Tunisia’s first democratically elected prime minister, about his country’s transition to democracy

Graeme Smith on the prospect of democratic elections, his new book, and Canada’s continuing responsibility to Kandahar.

An OpenCanada series on why the Iranian regime’s human rights record should worry us as much as their nuclear program

Not Talking to Iran The Harper Government has adopted a […]

Saeed Rahnema is a professor of political science and public […]

John Mundy is a former Canadian diplomat. John was appointed […]

Linda Frum is a Conservative member of the Canadian Senate, […]

You’ve travelled across the Muslim world to study the effects […]

The Canadian government, among others, has been focused on the […]

How has your own experience, detailed in your two memoirs, […]

Richard Perle is a Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, […]

Minister John Baird on Canada’s advocacy on the issue of human rights in Iran.

The distribution of power among Canada’s provinces is changing. Darrell Bricker on what this means for Canadian foreign policy.

The North American energy landscape is being transformed. CFR Fellow Michael Levi on why it would be a mistake to choose just one path.

Dr. Alexandra Guáqueta, member of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, on state versus corporate responsibility to protect the human rights of workers in Bangladesh and beyond.

Our interview with Mukesh Kapila, head of the United Nations mission in Sudan in 2003-2004, about the ongoing violence in Darfur

OpenCanada interviews six Hot Docs directors

Our conversation with Patrick Reed, director of “Fight Like Soldiers, Die Like Children” on his new film with Romeo Dallaire.

Our conversation with Dan Krauss, director of the Kill Team, on the stark choices that confront soldiers in war.

Our interview with Ann Shin, director of the The Defector: Escape from North Korea, about the risk and hardship North Korean defectors face.

Our interview with Khoa Lê, director of the film Ba Noi, about coming to Canada and the family left behind.

Our conversation with Corey Ogilvie, director of Occupy, on the social movement that may define our generation.

Our conversation with director Matt Anderson on his exploration of the origins of the coming global catastrophe and the attitude changes that could avert it.

Our conversation with Ric Esther Bienstock, director of Tales from the Organ Trade, about the morally ambiguous world of organ trafficking.

Our in depth series on the Canada-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement

OpenCanada talked to Gelber Prize winner Chrystia Freeland about a fundamentally new kind of global inequality.

Canada’s economic relationship with Japan, the third largest economy in the world, is an important one – and will become only more important should the two countries agree on a free-trade deal.

Highlights from the 2013 Munk Graduate Student Conference “A World in Flux”.

Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance on the state of drug policy reform around the world.

OpenCanada talked to Dr. Malte Brosig about how the Responsibility While Protecting differs from the Responsibility to Protect.

OpenCanada talked to Naomi Kikoler about the need to clarify when and how the international community should step in to prevent mass atrocities.

OpenCanada talked to Gilberto Rodrigues about Brazil’s increased interest in and impact on R2P.

Canadians have a way of taking their plentiful water resources for granted. Yes, we have a lot of fresh water, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to manage it sustainably.

OpenCanada asked Bernadette Connant about water risk management and how we can better leverage our competitive advantage in water.

OpenCanada talked to Dr. Diane Dupont about the effectiveness of putting a price on water.

OpenCanada talked to Bob Sandford about the threat posed by water-related impacts of extreme weather.

Andrew Preston, author of the award-winning book, Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith, on the role of religion in U.S. foreign policy.

OpenCanada talked to the Managing Director of ICT Development Associates about how the spread of new communication technologies are challenging understandings of sustainability.

OpenCanada talked to the professor of global practice at the Munk School about re-imagining the relationship between corporations and sustainability.

OpenCanada talked to Columbia University Professor Saskia Sassen about building smarter cities out of smarter technology.

OpenCanada talked to a DND official about how the Canadian Forces can play an important role in the Arctic.

The Millennium Consumption Goals were created to address the challenge of resource shortages. This infographic considers where we stand on energy use.

OpenCanada talked to the former mayor of Toronto and current adviser to the World Bank about how action at the municipal level can contribute to global sustainability.

Whether for their military, surveillance, or humanitarian capabilities, UAVs have begun to make a mark.

The RCMP goes to Algeria, Hillary Clinton is grilled on Benghazi, more threats from North Korea, and David Cameron wants to reconsider the EU.

President Obama’s second inauguration brought out an unfortunate Canadian tendency in relation to our American neighbours: smugness.

Canadian links to the Algerian hostage crisis, albeit unconfirmed, are raising concerns among security experts.

How UAVs could potentially be used in eight different situations of concern identified by the Sentinel Project for Genocide Prevention.

As France seeks to partner with the UAE on the Mali intervention, HRW draws attention to the ongoing issue of migrant worker exploitation in the Gulf.

David M. Malone

John Mundy

Our list of who’s driving the Canadian foreign policy discussion on Twitter.

Louise Arbour President and CEO, International Crisis Group | @louise_arbour […]

Visiting Scholar, Massey College, University of Toronto | @avrilbenoit Avril […]

Mark Carney Governor of the Bank of Canada Carney is […]

National Office Staff The CIC@TheCIC The International Relations and Digital […]

John Baird Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs | @HonJohnBaird John […]

Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada @AsiaPacificFdn From the Trans-Pacific Partnership […]

Matthieu Aikins Journalist | @mattaikins Matthieu Aikins has reported from […]

Our favourite long-form international affairs readings from the past year.

“Omnishambles” was the U.K.’s word of 2012. We consider the top omnishambles in international relations from the past year.

OpenCanada’s Rapid Responders and Roundtablers share their favourite non-fiction reads from the past year.

OpenCanada’s interview with the author of The Last Refuge.

OpenCanada’s interview with the president of the Center for Financial Stability on the state of the global economy.

Where are Canadian soldiers serving? Who are those soldiers? A collaboration with CDFAI.

OpenCanada’s interview with Ketty Anyeko, former team leader of the Gender Justice division of the JRP.

OpenCanada’s interview with Carla Suarez, co-coordiator of the Surviving Violence workshop.

A comprehensive manual governing drone warfare is needed – simply admitting so is not enough.

Cities are increasingly becoming global players – hubs for information, goods, and people. And they’re increasingly networked together.

Tibetan activists catch ‘Gangnam style’ fever.

OpenCanada’s interview with the Chinese journalist and dissident.

The Canadian International Council-Edmonton branch and the University of Alberta […]

Romeo Dallaire, Art Eggleton, and Martha Hall Findlay on Canada and the Responsibility to Protect.

OpenCanada interviews Robert Kaplan, the author of The Revenge of Geography.

Noah Richler on Myth Making, War Making, and the Link Between the Two.

OpenCanada’s interview with economist Tyler Cowen, author of The Great Stagnation.

Ken Taylor, Canada’s former ambassador to Iran, on the U.S. embassy demonstrations.

OpenCanada’s list of 12 IR classics to bolster your reading list when the theoretical going gets tough.

Were the London Olympics worth it? We add up the hefty price tag of the Games.

Thirty-one months after the earthquake, Haiti is still struggling to […]

OpenCanada’s list of the top reads about the Games.

When you have an event as high profile as the […]

Plenty of athletes win trophies or medals, but only a […]

The OpenCanada teams bids a fond farewell to Anouk Dey, […]

Our list of the best books on IR from 2012 for those lazy days at the beach.

From a united Europe to American exceptionalism.

As the world’s superpower, the United States has cultivated friendships […]

In name, they are one thing. In function, they are […]

A conversation with CBC correspondent Nahlah Ayed about refugee camps, the future of journalism, and Egypt.

The real question here is whether it was appropriate to […]

The real question here is whether it was appropriate to […]

A live conversation with Brown University’s James Der Derian and […]

A year ago, John Baird became Canada’s minister of Foreign […]

A live conversation on the militarization of aid with Retired […]

First, let’s make one thing clear. I play no role […]

Last week, world leaders met at the NATO Summit in […]

It’s a give and take relationship. An infographic on what Canada has given NATO and what it hasn’t.

The Court has opened 7 investigations – all in Africa. An interactive map detailing each.

OpenCanada talks to the director of the documentary Buzkashi!
.

This week, OpenCanada.org launched our biggest series yet, The Future […]

President Obama did not nominate Jeffrey Sachs to the presidency […]

This week, OpenCanada.org tackled the French, the World Bank and […]

April 16, 2012, James Wright, Vancouver Sun There is no […]

An interactive timeline tracking the relationship between Canada and Israel.

Does the Invisible Children campaign deserve your support?

A campaign and an NGO became the talk of the Internet in just one week.

Should Assad lose power, what would happen to Syria’s neighbours? A visual explanation.

Is this really the end of the free market? A series on state capitalism and what it means for Canada.

Isabel Studer, founding director of the Centre for Dialogue and […]

KeystoneXL is no environmental victory. WWF Canada CEO Gerald Butts on why it will eventually be built.

Happy birthday Tahrir! Canadian correspondent for the BBC, Lyse Doucet, takes us back to the square.

CIDA is paying private contractors to build houses in Haiti. Dr. Samantha Nutt elaborates on her Globe op-ed.

Last year, Canada gave over $1.5 billion to poor countries – but which ones? The answers may surprise you.

Questions for Author Robert R. Fowler: 1. What is the […]

The Iraq War suggests no, argues Dr. Leslie Roberts.

Canadian International Council Position: Production Editor Location: Toronto, ON Closing […]

The telecom exec-turned-politician spoke at the CIC’s annual gala on building a civil society in Egypt.

Economist Stephen Blank on how manufacturing jobs will change – and why there will be less of them.

Would Twitter have prevented the Rwandan genocide? Roméo Dallaire is skeptical.

The Canadian International Council presents a book launch in celebration […]

The CIC presents its research, Rights and Rents: Why Canada must Harness its Intellectual Property Resources.

An interview with Catherine Swift At the beginning of the […]

The Thunder Bay branch of the Canadian International Council is […]

Foreign Minister John Baird vowed, during his July 16-20 trip […]

CIC: What, generally, do you think the killing of Ahmed […]

Was the current European crisis caused by a “lack of […]

Could you help us comprehend the scale of the emergency […]

PRIO Director, Kristian Berg Harpviken by opencanada

The Canadian International Council (CIC) presents: CANADA AND THE GLOBAL […]

The Canadian International Council and the Center for Hemispheric Policy […]

FIFTH ANNUAL CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL GALA DINNER  Jim Balsillie and […]

While he didn’t get the details right, Joel Garreau was […]

CIC: Will Wikileaks revelations require revising the historical record? Will […]

Since its inception in 1946, the International Journal has been […]

Last fall, the Canadian International Council (CIC) decided that it […]