Ozerdinc Grimes Family Annual Lecture – The Development and Future of Canadian-Turkish Relations

Thursday, October 30, 2025 from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm

• In-person event
• 5320D, Richcraft Hall, Carleton University
• 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6

We are pleased to invite you to this year’s Ozerdinc Grimes Family Annual Lecture, featuring Dr. Chris Kilford, President of the Victoria Branch of the Canadian International Council. Dr. Kilford will deliver a talk titled “The Development and Future of Canadian-Turkish Relations”, offering expert insights into the evolving dynamics of this important bilateral relationship.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with one of Canada’s leading voices on international affairs.

This event has reached registration capacity. Please email annmorneau@cunet.carleton.ca to be added to the wait list.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Chris Kilford is a member of the national board of the Canadian International Council, the editor (articles) of CIC’s online foreign policy magazine Open Canada, president of the CIC Victoria branch and a sessional professor with the Canadian Forces College where he teaches courses focused on Canadian foreign and defence policy. He also holds a PhD in history from Queen’s University with a focus on civil-military relations in the developing world. Chris also enjoyed a 36-year career in the Canadian Army, commanding 4th Air Defence Regiment, followed by various senior positions in the Department of National Defence, including Director, Future Security Analysis and Military Liaison Officer to the Senate Committee on National Security and Defence. From July 2009 until July 2010, Chris deployed to Canada’s Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan as the Deputy Military Attaché. On his return to Canada, he commenced Turkish language training, after which he was sent to Canada’s Embassy in Ankara as the Canadian Defence Attaché with cross accreditation to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkmenistan. He was in this post from July 2011 until July 2014. Chris retired from the military in September 2014.  Chris has also become a recognized expert on Turkish foreign policy and Middle Eastern political issues. His book chapters, articles and opinion pieces on Canadian defence and foreign policy issues, plus Turkish and Middle Eastern matters, have appeared in numerous Canadian and international publications. In addition, he has spoken at home and internationally on Turkish and Middle Eastern foreign policy issues and the current war in Ukraine on many occasions and conducted numerous television, podcast and radio interviews covering similar subjects.