This year's speaker is Professor John English, a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo, where he has been a Professor of History, Director of the Centre on Foreign Policy and Federalism, and Director of International Studies.  He is also the founding Executive Director of the Centre on International Governance Innovation, the largest Canadian think tank devoted to the analysis and discussion of international affairs.  In addition to being an educator, Professor English has also been a politician and prolific writer.  His political career includes active service in both the Kitchener Provincial and Federal Liberal Associations, and in October 1993 he was elected as Member of Parliament for Kitchener, Liberal Party of Canada, and he served one term to 1997.  His many books and articles have won numerous literary and professional awards.  For example, Professor English was the official biographer of former Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson, whose biography was published in two volumes and earned various awards.  At the request of the Trudeau family, he wrote the biography of Pierre Trudeau – Citizen of the World: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Volume One: 1919-1968 (2006) and Just Watch Me: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Volume Two: 1968-2000 (2009), both of which have received numerous honours.  Professor English is also a Member of the Order of Canada, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and a lifetime member of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs.

Come and meet Prof. John English: