The Canadian Institute of International Affairs has always encouraged a deeper understanding of the international affairs and of Canada's role in a changing world by providing members with an objective, nation-wide forum for an informed discussion, analysis and debate. The organization brings together all interested parties - a private sector, government, academia, NGO representatives as well as the concerned public to examine global issues.
With the aim to provide an unprejudiced and nationwide discussion, and an enhanced understanding of the foreign policy and global issues, the Canadian Institute maintains numerous conferences, meetings, speaker's events, publications and other services.
A number of events, organized in 2006 by the Canadian Institute, shows an unfeigned interest of the Canadian Institute in global matters as well as profound professionalism and extensive research done in the recent years in Canada. The meeting on January, 25, 2006 was held under the theme "Why Treaties Work or Don't Work, and What To do About It". The topic was researched and discussed by Dr. Trevor Findlay, an Associate Professor of International Affairs and a Director, the Canadian Centre for Treaty Compliance, NPSIA at the Carleton University.
Dr. Trevor Findlay is an Associate Professor of International Affairs and a Director of the newly established Canadian Centre for Treaty Compliance at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) at the Carleton University. He has a B.A. (Honors) in political science from the University of Melbourne and an M.A. and PhD in international relations from the Australian National University (ANU).
The interest and profound research of the subject has resulted from the fact that in recent years, treaties, their workings and their observance or non-observance have claimed a great deal of public attention in Canada in segments, ranging from softwood lumber to water resources to nuclear proliferation.
Dr. Findlay concentrated particularly on multilateral treaties, connected with weapons of mass destruction, an area of critical importance in the light of current tensions in South and East Asia as well as the Middle East. He offered policy recommendations to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of such treaties and suggested where Canada's post-election government can play a role in bringing these changes into execution.
In addition to this research and conclusions, Dr. Findlay's new Centre at NPSIA concerns itself with the theory and practice of conformity with international agreements, with a focus on arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, especially in respect of weapons of mass destruction.
Dr. Findlay spent thirteen years in the Australian diplomatic service with postings in Tokyo, Mexico City and Geneva. Later, he became a Foreign Affairs Disarmament Fellow at the ANU's Peace Research Centre and subsequently a Senior Fellow and an acting head of the Centre for two years. This was followed by four years at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in Sweden, where he established its program on peacekeeping and regional security. From 1998 to early 2005, Dr. Findlay was an Executive Director of a London-based non-governmental organization, the Verification Research, Training and Information Centre (VERTIC). Hence, Dr. Findlay has accumulated an enormous experience and knowledge to judge about the efficiency and effectiveness of treaties, especially in the disarmament context.