Overview

Canada is embarking on one of the most significant expansions of defence spending in decades, driven by evolving security threats, shifting global alliances and growing pressure to strengthen the country’s military readiness.

But where will the capital go, which capabilities are most urgently needed, and can Canada’s industrial base scale quickly enough to meet the demand? What role will procurement policy, international partnerships and domestic supply chains play in shaping the investment landscape?

Hear perspectives from former military, industry and policy experts as they examine the strategic forces reshaping Canadian defence.

The discussion will explore:

• Canada’s emerging priorities
• The opportunities and constraints facing the domestic defence sector
• The potential implications for companies, capital markets and investors

The session will run for 1 hour and 30 minutes, followed by a networking reception.

Speakers

Glenn Cowan is a Canadian venture capitalist, retired special operations officer, accomplished investor, adventurer, father, and skydiving world record holder. Glenn founded ONE9 in 2013 while serving as an Assaulter Officer in Joint Task - Force 2 and has grown ONE9 into one of Canada’s leading defense and security ecosystems with a focus on investing in dual-use technologies that are validated by national security end-users.

Having deployed on multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, sensitive information operations in the Middle East and hostage recovery efforts in Africa, he experienced first-hand how decisive action, technological implementation and high functioning teams are a force multiplier for success.

Glenn sits on the board of North Vector Dynamics, and holds board observer positions with Tomahawk Robotics, Strider, and Hidden Level.

Glenn is a graduate of McGill University, The Army Operations Course, The Special Operations Assaulters Course, Canadian Securities Course, and Ivey’s Executive Leadership program.

Alexander Moens is the Founder and Director of The NATO Field School and a Professor of Political Science at Simon Fraser University, where he has taught since 1989. He is a specialist in American foreign policy, Euro-Atlantic security, and defence, and has authored and edited numerous books, journal articles, and book chapters on foreign policy, international security, Canada-US relations, Canadian defence, and Christian Realism. 

His latest publication “Conclusion: NATO’s Redoubled Relevance,” co-authored with Alexandra Richards, appears in The Oxford Handbook of NATO. Alexander served as Chair of the Department of Political Science at Simon Fraser University from 2017 to 2022 and has held visiting fellowships with Global Affairs Canada, the National Defence University in Washington, D.C., and the NATO Defense College in Rome. He has also served as a Senior Fellow with the Fraser Institute and the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

Mark Norman was raised in Kingston, Ontario, the son of Major-General Francis John Norman, a former Commandant of the Royal Military College of Canada. Educated at KCVI and Queen's University, Norman joined the Naval Reserve in Kingston in 1980. He held several high-ranking positions, including serving as Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy's Atlantic Fleet and was widely respected for his strategic acumen and leadership. Mark was instrumental in leading several key strategic initiatives, including the Canadian military's response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and the deployment of Canadian forces to support the NATO-led mission in Libya in 2011.

Since retiring from the Navy, Mark has continued to be involved in public service, serving as a member of the board of directors of several organizations, including the Royal Canadian Navy Benevolent Fund, the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and the Conference of Defence Associations. He is also a sought-after speaker on issues related to leadership, strategy, and national security.

MODERATOR

Amar Pandya is a Portfolio Manager at PenderFund Capital Management, where he manages the Pender Alternative Special Situations Fund and the Pender Alternative Arbitrage Plus Fund. He is also Associate Portfolio Manager of the Pender Small Cap Opportunities Fund. Amar joined Pender in 2017 and focuses on event-driven and special situations investing, with particular expertise in mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations and other catalyst-driven opportunities. He also invests across public equities using a contrarian, value-oriented approach to identify high-quality businesses trading at a meaningful discount to intrinsic value.

Amar began his investment career in 2011 through a portfolio management training program at a global financial services firm before moving into fundamental equity investing. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance from the University of Manitoba and earned the CFA designation in 2015. Amar is actively involved with CFA Society Vancouver, where he serves as Co-Chair of the Programs Committee.

Registration 

MEMBERS:
Pre-registration for CFA Society Vancouver members until Sep 21

Early Bird Rate - $75
until Oct 7

Regular Rate - $95
from Oct 8

NON-MEMBERS:
Registration opens Sep 22

Early Bird Rate - $95
until Oct 7

Regular Rate - $115
from Oct 8

Details

WHEN

WHERE

The Vancouver Club
915 W Hastings St, Vancouver