February 2019 Speaker's Night

Our Guest speaker for February will be Mr. Gordon Venner, Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of National Defence.

Mr. Venner will provide an update on the steps that DND is taking to implement the "Stong, Secure, Engaged" Defence Policy.

Mr. Venner was appointed as Associate Deputy Minister for the Department of National Defence.  Prior to assuming this role, Mr. Venner was Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy) from July 2014 to Oct 2017. 

Previously, he has held the following positions within the Government of Canada: Assistant Deputy Minister, G8 Sous-Sherpa and APEC Senior Official, at Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada; Assistant Deputy Minister for the Middle East, Maghreb and Afghanistan in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet for Foreign and Defence Policy in the Privy Council Office; Director General of the Middle East and North Africa Bureau at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He has also served as Director of the International Economic Relations Division at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade where he was responsible for G8, APEC, and OECD issues.

From 2004 to 2006, he served as Canadian Ambassador to Iran. From 1996 to 2000 he was Counsellor at the Canadian Mission to the European Union.

Mr. Venner holds a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Western Ontario.