Chris Alexander
Biography:
CHRIS ALEXANDER is an expert in international relations, a retired diplomat, and former Member of Parliament. He is currently a Distinguished Fellow with the Canadian International Council and the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, as well as a Senior Distinguished Fellow of the Montreal Institute for Global Security (MIGS).
Alexander has been active on issues related to disinformation, election integrity, foreign interference, support for Ukraine and the defence of democracy. He is also the author of The Long Way Back: Afghanistan’s Quest for Peace (Toronto: HarperCollins, 2011) and The Diehard Optimist, essays on Canadian and international issues via Substack. He is also a regular contributor to Canadian newspapers, periodicals and policy fora.
Alexander joined the Canadian foreign service in 1991, serving for six years at the Canadian embassy in Moscow, including as deputy head of mission during the first three years of Putin’s presidency.
He subsequently spent six years in Afghanistan as Canada’s first resident ambassador (2003-2005) and subsequently deputy special representative of the United Nations Secretary General (DSRSG, 2005-2009). He was assistant to Canada’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and G7 Sherpa (1996-1997) and deputy director of the Eastern Europe Division (1997-2000).
On May 2nd 2011, Alexander was elected to Canada’s House of Commons as member of parliament for Ajax-Pickering (2011-2015). He served as parliamentary secretary for national defence (2011-2013) and minister of citizenship and immigration (2013-2015) and was a candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada with policies for a ‘New Canada,’ including a reinvigorated foreign and defence policy.
Born and raised in Toronto, Alexander earned a B.A. in history and political science from McGill University in Montréal and an M.A. in PPE from Balliol College at Oxford University.
Activities:
Disinformation Roundtable