Post by McKenna York

What an amazing day with the Conference of Defence Associations Institute Graduate Student Conference! We heard from students and professionals on a wide array of timely topics including Critical Infrastructure (CI), critical minerals and rare earth elements (REE), procurement reform strategies, force reconstitution in the Canadian Armed Forces, climate change as a threat multiplier in the Arctic, and so much more. Congratulations to everyone who shared their research! I had the opportunity to present my working research paper, titled “Reimagining Canada’s Arctic Defence Policy Through Inuit Partnership”, wherein I explore the critical juncture of tradtitional security policy and Canada’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation. Thank you to Kevin Budning, PhD, Emmylou Sergent, and Kawtar Kathi for facilitating the event. This was a fabulous opportunity to conduct research and contribute to dynamic conversations around Canada’s security and defence policy. A heartfelt congratulations to the winners, Soha S., Brian Wu, Blair Maddock-Ferrie, and Sophia Garofalo! 🥳