Stephen DeBoer: Canadian Foreign Policy

The Canada-United States Law Institute welcomes students, faculty, staff and alumni to attend Canadian Foreign Policy: Reflections on the international (dis)order with Stephen de Boer, LLB '89, Foreign and Defence Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada. Mr. de Boer will speak about current developments in Canadian foreign relations.

A pizza lunch will be provided for those in attendance.

About Stephen de Boer

Stephen de Boer was appointed Foreign and Defence Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister in June 2023.

Previously, Stephen was Assistant Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s International Affairs Branch and, prior to that, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Stephen was a member of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) starting in 2005 and held various positions in the department, including in the Investment Trade Policy and North America Trade Policy Divisions. In 2006, he was named the Director of the Softwood Lumber Division. From 2008 to 2010, he served as the Director of the Oceans and Environmental Law Division and as Lead Counsel for Canada’s international climate change negotiations. In 2010, he joined Environment Canada as the Deputy Chief Negotiator for climate change and the Director General responsible for Canada’s international climate change negotiations and partnerships. Mr. de Boer returned to the department in 2013 as the Director General of the Trade Controls Bureau. In 2015, he was appointed Ambassador to Poland and in 2016, Ambassador to Belarus. Prior to joining the public service, he worked for the Government of Ontario.

Mr. de Boer has a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from Western University and a Master of Laws in International and Comparative Law from Georgetown University.