Three-day Halifax International Security Forum to focus on the future of democracy

Halifax is the location today for the beginning of a three-day international conference that will bring together democratic leaders to talk about global security and prosperity.

The 17th annual Halifax International Security Forum will be hosted by Canada’s defence minister, David McGuinty.

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The focus of this year’s conference is democracy, with almost every on-the-record plenary session devoted to the topic.

Among the invited participants are nine U.S. senators, whose bipartisan delegation will be led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, top-ranking Democrat on the U.S. Senate foreign relations committee.

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Other invited delegates include Canada’s chief of defence staff, Gen. Jennie Carignan, Canadian Justice Minister Sean Fraser and defence ministers from Sweden, the Netherlands, Latvia, Estonia and Columbia.

The conference will also feature several off-the-record sessions and many private meetings.

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