BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//ChamberMaster//Event Calendar 2.0//EN METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:P3D REFRESH-INTERVAL:P3D CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20260609T113000Z DTEND:20260609T170000Z X-MICROSOFT-CDO-ALLDAYEVENT:FALSE SUMMARY:Defence Forum 2026 DESCRIPTION:The Ottawa Board of Trade Defence Forum is a half-day event focused on advancing awareness\, alignment\, and opportunity within Canada's evolving defence and security sector\, with a particular emphasis on executing the country's Defence Industrial Strategy. As the Ottawa Gatineau region continues to strengthen its position as a national Defence Innovation Hub\, the forum will convene leaders from business\, government\, and academia to examine how regional capabilities can support national priorities and deliver on strategic outcomes.\n\n \n\nThrough focused discussions on emerging technologies\, Arctic sovereignty\, procurement modernization\, and next-generation security\, the forum will highlight the critical role of innovation and industry collaboration in building a more resilient and globally competitive defence ecosystem. At a pivotal moment for both economic and national security priorities\, the event will provide a platform for insight\, dialogue\, and partnership that positions the National Capital Region for long-term growth\, diversification\, and leadership in Canada's defence sector.\n\n\n\nAgenda:\n\n7:30 a.m. - Registration & Networking Breakfast\n\n8:00 a.m. Opening Remarks \n\n Sueling Ching\, President and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade\n The Honourable Jenna Sudds\, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Government Transformation\, Public Works and Procurement and to the Secretary of State (Defence Procurement)\n His Worship Mark Sutcliffe\, Mayor of Ottawa\n Chris Pogue\, President\, Defence & Space at Calian\, Premier Sponsor \n\n8:50 a.m. KEYNOTE: Executing Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy - What Happens Now \n\n\n Lieutenant General Darcy Molstad\, CD - Commander of the Canadian Joint Forces Command\n\n9:20 a.m. - PANEL 1: Autonomous Systems & the New Battlespace - Canada's Opportunity to Lead\n\n\n Aubrey Bajador\, Program Manager\, 49 North Defence\n Jordan Freed\, President & Managing Director\, Kongsberg Geospatial\n Josh Ogden\, CEO & Co-Founder\, AVSS\n Rebecca Thompson\, Market Director of Defence & Security\, and Site Operations\, Area X.O/Invest Ottawa (Moderator)\n\n10:05 a.m. - Networking Break\n\n10:25 a.m. - PANEL 2: Arctic Sovereignty - Where Defence\, Energy\, and Infrastructure Converge\n\n\n Coming soon!\n\n11:10 a.m. - PANEL 3: From Innovation to Contract - Fixing Procurement and Scaling Canadian Firms\n\n\n Bruno Couillard\, CEO & Co-Founder\, Crypto4A Technologies\n Mike Nelson\, CEO\, TACTIQL\n Chris Pogue\, President\, Defence & Space\, Calian Group\n Devinder Gill\, Regional President\, Ontario North & East\, RBC (Moderator)\n\n12:00 p.m. - KEYNOTE: Senior Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence\, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard\, and Canada's Fentanyl Czar Kevin Brosseau \n\n\n\n12:15 p.m. - Networking Lunch\n\n\n\n\n\nKeynote speaker: Lieutenant General Darcy Molstad\, CD - Commander of the Canadian Joint Forces Command\n\n\n\n \n\nLieutenant-General Darcy Molstad was born and raised in Edmonton\, Alberta. He joined the Canadian \n\nArmed Forces (CAF) in 1996 after completing a Bachelor of Science at the University of Alberta. As a CF-18 pilot\, he flew operational tours in Bagotville\, Cold Lake\, and South Carolina on exchange with the United States (US) Marine Corps. He commanded 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron in Bagotville\, Deployed Air Task Forces in Iceland\, Romania\, and in Hawaii\, and 3 Wing / Canadian Forces Base Bagotville. As a General Officer\, he deployed as Director of the US Combined Air and Space Operations Center in Al Udeid\, Qatar\, and served a two-year tour as Deputy Commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command\, second in command of all deployed CAF personnel. His executive staff experience includes serving as an Attach in the United Kingdom and Iceland\, as the Special Advisor to the Minister of National Defence\, as Director General of Strategies\, Effects\, and Readiness at the Strategic Joint Staff\, and most recently as the Chief of Force Development designing the Joint Force of the future. \n\n\n\nKeynote speaker: Kevin C. Brosseau\n\n\n\nKevin C. Brosseau is currently serving in three key national leadership roles: Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard\, Senior Associate Deputy Minister\, Department of National Defence\, and Canada's Fentanyl Czar\, responsible for leading Canada's actions to address the illicit fentanyl trade.\n\nMr. Brosseau has held multiple high impact positions across the Government of Canada\, overseeing complex national portfolios involving maritime operations\, emergency management\, transportation security\, and national security. He is recognized for his collaborative leadership style and his ability to navigate complex\, multi-jurisdictional environments across government. Prior to taking on his current roles\, Mr. Brosseau served as Deputy National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister\, where he provided strategic leadership on some of Canada's most sensitive security and intelligence issues.\n\nHis federal career also includes serving as Associate Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada\, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Safety and Security at Transport Canada\, and Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Emergency Preparedness) at the Privy Council Office. Earlier in his career\, he spent more than 20 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police\, including serving as Deputy Commissioner and Commanding Officer in Manitoba.\n\nMr. Brosseau holds a Master of Laws degree from Harvard University and has also practiced law in both Canada and the United States. He is originally from Bonnyville\, Alberta and of Metis descent.\n\n\nSpeakers:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA special thanks to Calian\, our Premier Event Sponsor.\n\n\n\nAdditional sponsorship opportunities are available and start at $2\,500. View all sponsorship opportunities here. Please contact Christian Robillard at christian.robillard@ottawabot.ca for more information. X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:The Ottawa Board of Trade Defence Forum is a half-day event focused on advancing awareness\, alignment\, and opportunity within Canada&rsquo\;s evolving defence and security sector\, with a particular emphasis on executing the country&rsquo\;s Defence Industrial Strategy. As the Ottawa&ndash\;Gatineau region continues to strengthen its position as a national Defence Innovation Hub\, the forum will convene leaders from business\, government\, and academia to examine how regional capabilities can support national priorities and deliver on strategic outcomes.
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\nThrough focused discussions on emerging technologies\, Arctic sovereignty\, procurement modernization\, and next-generation security\, the forum will highlight the critical role of innovation and industry collaboration in building a more resilient and globally competitive defence ecosystem. At a pivotal moment for both economic and national security priorities\, the event will provide a platform for insight\, dialogue\, and partnership that positions the National Capital Region for long-term growth\, diversification\, and leadership in Canada&rsquo\;s defence sector.
\n
\nAgenda:
\n7:30 a.m. - Registration &\; Networking Breakfast
\n8:00 a.m. &ndash\; Opening Remarks​\;\n\n8:50 a.m. &ndash\; KEYNOTE: Executing Canada'\;s Defence Industrial Strategy - What Happens Now \n\n\n9:20 a.m. - \;PANEL 1: Autonomous Systems &\; the New Battlespace - \;Canada'\;s Opportunity to Lead\n\n\n10:05 a.m. \;- Networking Break
\n10:25 a.m. - PANEL 2: Arctic Sovereignty - \;Where Defence\, Energy\, and Infrastructure Converge\n\n\n11:10 a.m. - PANEL 3: From Innovation to Contract - \;Fixing Procurement and Scaling Canadian Firms\n\n\n12:00 p.m. - KEYNOTE: \;Senior Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence\, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard\, and Canada&rsquo\;s Fentanyl Czar Kevin Brosseau \;
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\n12:15 p.m. - Networking Lunch
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\nKeynote speaker: Lieutenant General Darcy Molstad\, CD - Commander of the Canadian Joint Forces Command
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\nLieutenant-General Darcy Molstad was born and raised in Edmonton\, Alberta. He joined the Canadian \; \;
\nArmed Forces (CAF) in 1996 after completing a Bachelor of Science at the University of Alberta. As a CF-18 pilot\, he flew operational tours in Bagotville\, Cold Lake\, and South Carolina on exchange with the United \; States (US) Marine Corps. He commanded 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron in Bagotville\, Deployed Air Task Forces in Iceland\, Romania\, and in Hawaii\, and 3 Wing / Canadian Forces Base Bagotville. As a General \;Officer\, he deployed as Director of the US Combined Air and Space Operations Center in Al Udeid\, Qatar\, \;and served a two-year tour as Deputy Commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command\, second in \;command of all deployed CAF personnel. His executive staff experience includes serving as an Attaché\; in the United Kingdom and Iceland\, as the Special Advisor to the Minister of National Defence\, as Director General of Strategies\, Effects\, and Readiness at the Strategic Joint Staff\, and most recently as the Chief of Force Development designing the Joint Force of the future. \;
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\nKeynote speaker: Kevin C. Brosseau
\n\n\n

Kevin C. Brosseau is currently serving in three key national leadership roles: Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard\, Senior Associate Deputy Minister\, Department of National Defence\, and Canada&rsquo\;s Fentanyl Czar\, responsible for leading Canada&rsquo\;s actions to address the illicit fentanyl trade.

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Mr. Brosseau has held multiple high impact positions across the Government of Canada\, overseeing complex national portfolios involving maritime operations\, emergency management\, transportation security\, and national security. He is recognized for his collaborative leadership style and his ability to navigate complex\, multi-jurisdictional environments across government. Prior to taking on his current roles\, Mr. Brosseau served as Deputy National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister\, where he provided strategic leadership on some of Canada&rsquo\;s most sensitive security and intelligence issues.

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His federal career also includes serving as Associate Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada\, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Safety and Security at Transport Canada\, and Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Emergency Preparedness) at the Privy Council Office. Earlier in his career\, he spent more than 20 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police\, including serving as Deputy Commissioner and Commanding Officer in Manitoba.

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Mr. \;Brosseau holds a Master of Laws degree from Harvard University and has also practiced law in both Canada and the United States. He is originally from Bonnyville\, Alberta and of Metis descent.

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\nSpeakers:
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\nA special thanks to Calian\, our Premier Event Sponsor.
\n
\nAdditional sponsorship opportunities are available and start at $2\,500. \;View all sponsorship opportunities here. Please contact Christian Robillard at christian.robillard@ottawabot.ca for more information. \;
\n \; LOCATION:National Arts Centre - Canada Room 1 Elgin St\, Ottawa ON K1P 5W1 UID:e.3330.5326 SEQUENCE:3 DTSTAMP:20260524T024947Z URL:http://ottawaboardoftrade.chambermaster.com/events/details/defence-forum-2026-5326 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR