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Join us for the 2026 Banff Forum Toronto Regional Event on Tuesday, January 27 from 5PM to 8PM at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy’s Campbell Conference Facility. This special gathering will feature an intimate fireside chat and round table conversations with His Excellency the Honourable Bob Rae, PC, CC, OOnt, ECO, KC, Former Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, moderated by Jennifer Hassum, Executive Director of the Broadbent Institute.
Enjoy great conversation, delicious food, and a chance to connect with other Banffers during the informal networking reception—don’t miss this evening of insight and connection in the heart of Toronto!
Recommended Attire: Smart Casual
As space is limited, attendance is reserved for existing Banffers (i.e. past and present participants, speakers, and sponsors who have attended at least one edition of the annual Banff Forum).
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LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Banff Forum appreciates and acknowledges that this event will take place in Toronto, which is built on the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit. The Banff Forum honours the peoples and land of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Nations, and in the spirit of reconciliation, we are committed to learning from Indigenous perspectives and building meaningful relationships that honor the truth of our shared history and create a path toward a more inclusive future. We invite all attendees to reflect on the land we are privileged to gather upon and to recognize the resilience, contributions, and sovereignty of Indigenous communities across Canada.
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SPEAKER BIO
His Excellency the Honourable Bob Rae, PC, CC, OOnt, ECO, KC is Canada’s Former Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations. A former Premier of Ontario (1990–1995) and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada (2011–2013), he was elected to federal and provincial parliaments 11 times between 1978 and 2013.
Rae studied Modern History at the University of Toronto, earned an M.Phil. in Politics as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, and graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Designated Queen’s Counsel in 1984, he later led major restructuring efforts for organizations including the Canadian Red Cross and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and chaired the Royal Conservatory of Music.
He has authored several influential public reports—among them Lessons to be Learned on the Air India bombing and Tell Them We’re Human on the Rohingya crisis—as well as five books. Rae served as Canada’s Special Envoy to Myanmar (2017) and on Humanitarian and Refugee Issues (2020), producing the report A Global Pandemic Requires a Global Response shortly before his appointment to the UN.
From 2013 to 2020, he taught law and public policy at the University of Toronto and practised at OKT LLP, specializing in Indigenous and constitutional law. He is a founding board member and Senior Fellow of the Forum of Federations, and a Senior Fellow at Massey College and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.
Rae is a Privy Councillor, a Companion of the Order of Canada, and a member of the Order of Ontario. He and his wife, writer and advocate Arlene Perly Rae, have three daughters and five grandchildren.
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AGENDA
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
- 5PM - 6PM Arrivals and Networking
- 6PM - 6:05PM Banff Forum Welcome Remarks and Speaker Introductions
- 6:05PM - 6:45PM Fireside Chat
- 6:45PM - 7:30PM Moderated Q&A with the Participants
- 7:30PM - 8PM Networking
- 8PM End of Event
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BANFF FORUM CODE OF CONDUCT
The Banff Forum is dedicated to fostering safe and inclusive spaces for everyone. We recognize and encourage the expression of a diversity of views and opinions but expect them to be shared respectfully. As such, we are committed to providing a friendly, positive, and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, ability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and religious beliefs or lack thereof. We invite all those who participate in the Banff Forum—community members, conference and event attendees, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, guests, and staff—to help us create safe and positive experiences for everyone. CLICK HERE to read our full Code of Conduct.
CHATHAM HOUSE RULE
All Banff Forum sessions and regional year-round events are held under the Chatham House Rule, which allows the Forum to be an informal, non-advocacy, non-partisan, and non-ideological space that respects individual speakers and participants.
"When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed." — Chatham House Rule