Event Date: December 8, 2025 - 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Location: FSS 4006, 120 University Private, University of Ottawa

Presented by CIPS

Before Donald Trump in 2025, before James Madison in 1812, Benjamin Franklin had designs on Canada. Madelaine Drohan has written a book about how he came to have that desire, how he rationalized it, and why he failed in his attempts to annex Canada. Far from being ancient history, the events of 250 years ago continue to shape bilateral relations between the United States and Canada. Franklin’s failures, including his inability to salvage the 1775-76 invasion of Canada by American colonists, have been pushed far to the back of collective memory in both countries. Revisiting these events would help Canadian policymakers better understand and deal with Mr. Trump’s oft-stated desire to make Canada the 51^st state.

Learn more about Madelaine Drohan’s book, He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada.

Speaker:

Madelaine Drohan is a senior fellow at the Graduate School of Public and International Policy, University of Ottawa, a former Canada correspondent for The Economist, and a former foreign correspondent for The Globe and Mail. During her long journalism career, she covered politics, economics, and business in Africa, Asia, Canada, and Europe. Her latest book is: He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada.

Chair:

Alexandra Gheciu is a Professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) and the Director of CIPS.