Canadian Studies Seminar: The Future of Modern Warfare

The UCL Canadian Studies programme, hosted by the UCL Institute of the Americas and in conjunction with the British Association for Canadian Studies (BACS), is holding its next event on Wednesday, 19 November via Zoom at 18.00 (UK time) until 19.30.  

The Future of Modern Warfare – The Annual Report of the Canada-UK Colloquium, September 2025

The current conflict in Ukraine has brought to the fore the widespread use of drones in modern warfare.  The versatility of drones in surveillance, reconnaissance, and direct combat, makes them extremely effective while also reducing risks to personnel at relatively low cost.  They have transformed battlefield dynamics by providing real-time intelligence, enabling precision strikes, and even changing the balance of naval power, as seen in the Black Sea. Drones have become the symbol of modern warfare but while they provide a tactical advantage, especially in asymmetric conflicts, they also create new vulnerabilities and pose new challenges for defence systems and international law, not least in Canada and the UK.

The use of drones was but one aspect of modern warfare discussed at the annual meeting of the Canada-UK Colloquium that took place in Montreal from 12 to 14 September 2025 under the chairmanship of David Collenette, the former Canadian Minister of National Defence. He presided over a distinguished gathering of British and Canadian academics, military and naval personnel, businesspeople, diplomats and politicians, including several former Defence Ministers and the former Premier of Quebec and Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Charest.

The BACS-UCL Zoom event on Wednesday 19 November will begin with a brief account of the on-going work of the annual Canada-UK Colloquium which began life over fifty years ago and since then has discussed a wide range of issues of importance to Canada and the UK. This includes the previous Colloquium, held in Cardiff in December 2024, chaired by the UCL academic Sir Michael Marmot, which discussed his recent highly regarded report on the Social Determinants of Health.

The speakers on 19 November will be:

Anthony Cary CMG, UK Co-Chair of the Canada-UK Council and a former British High Commissioner in Canada

Nicolas Maclean CMG, UK Co-Chair of the Canada-UK Council and a Senior Member at the Institute for Strategic Studies

Rear-Admiral Alex Burton (Ret), former Commander of the UK surface fleet

Thomas Nightingale, CUKC Council Member and Co-Convenor of the CUKC Youth Leadership Forum

The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A with members of the on-line audience.  

Attendance at the event is free and open to all. 

To register please email Tony McCulloch, BACS President, by Tuesday 18 November: tony.mcculloch@ucl.ac.uk 

The Zoom link will be sent to registered attendees on or before 18 November.