German-Canadian Conference 2026 – Agenda
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Informal Get-Together
📍Location: Palais Eger, Tempelhofer Ufer 11, 10963 Berlin
🕘 6:30 – 9:00 pm
MONDAY, MAY 18
Visit to the German Bundesrat
📍Location: German Bundesrat, Leipziger Straße 3-4, 10117 Berlin
🕘 11:30 am – 1:15 pm
On this tour of the German Bundesrat, you will gain a clear understanding of federalism in Germany. You will learn how the 16 federal states participate in the legislative process and the role the Bundesrat plays in the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany. The tour also highlights how decisions are coordinated between the federal government and the states, and why this cooperation is a central feature of German democracy.
Joint Event with the Transatlantic Business Initiative
📍Location: Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft, Mendelssohn Saal, Breite Straße 29, 10178 Berlin
🕘 3:00 – 3:15 pm
Opening Remarks by
- Matthias Krämer, Executive Director, Transatlantic Business Initiative
- Prof. Dr. Michael Hüther, Director & Member of the Presidium, German Economic Institute; Vice-Chairman, Atlantik-Brücke
- Prof. Nik Nanos, Founder & Chief Data Scientist, Nanos Research; Chairman, Atlantik-Brücke Canada
🕘 3:15 – 4:15 pm
Session: Allied Supply Chains: Canada and Germany in the Race for Critical Minerals.
Critical minerals are essential to energy transition, e-mobility, digitalization, and to long-term economic growth. Yet global supply chains remain highly concentrated and increasingly vulnerable to geopolitical disruption. For both countries, securing reliable and diversified supplies has become a strategic priority. In August 2025, the two countries signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on Critical Minerals Cooperation to strengthen collaboration. How can Canada and Germany move from strategy to execution, accelerating major projects, aligning investment, and building resilient supply chains that connect Canadian resources with German industrial demand?
- Jeff Gaulin, Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Communications, Vale Base Metals
- Yiota Kokkinos, Senior Policy Advisor, Energy, Public Policy Forum
- Dr. Alexander Schmitt, Chief Procurement Officer, PowerCo SE
- Moderator: Yvonne Denz, President & CEO, Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce Inc.
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☕ Coffee Break (15 min.) ☕
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🕘 4:30 – 5:30 pm
Session: Facing Change Together. Unlocking the Potential of German-Canadian Industrial Cooperation.
The industrial sector is a key economic driver in both Germany and Canada. In Germany, it provides well-paid employment, particularly in mechanical engineering, as well as in the automotive and chemical industries. In Canada, sectors such as mining and energy play a similarly crucial role for the economy. Both countries are undergoing transformative processes driven by automation and increasing international competition. What opportunities do these challenges present for Germany and Canada, and which aspects of their bilateral trade relations remain unexploited?
- Simon Kennedy, Former Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
- Hildegard Müller, President, German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)
- Armine Yalnizyan, Economist & Atkinson Fellow for the Future of Workers, Atkinson Foundation
- Moderator: Jennifer Beckermann, Senior Responsible Officer, Destination City; Executive Director and Private Secretary to the Policy Chairman, Company, City of London Corporation
Evening Reception of the German-Canadian Conference 2026
📍 Location: The International Club at the Federal Foreign Office (ICAA), Kurstraße 36, 10117 Berlin
🕘 7:00 – 9:00 pm
TUESDAY, MAY 19
All-Day German-Canadian Conference
📍 Location: Embassy of Canada to Germany, Leipziger Platz 17, 10117 Berlin
🕘 8:30 – 9:00 am Registration
🕘 9:00 – 9:15 am
Opening Remarks by
- Ambassador Vera Alexander, Embassy of Canada to Germany
- Prof. Dr. Michael Hüther, Director & Member of the Presidium, German Economic Institute; Vice-Chairman, Atlantik-Brücke
- Prof. Nik Nanos, Founder & Chief Data Scientist, Nanos Research; Chairman, Atlantik-Brücke Canada
🕘 9:15 – 10:00 am
Session: Defending Academic Freedom. Securing Innovation and International Cooperation.
For more than fifty years, the German-Canadian partnership in science, research, and innovation has been a pillar of bilateral relations. Cooperation spans key fields such as climate research, energy technologies and hydrogen, as well as artificial intelligence and digitalization. At the same time, academic freedom is increasingly under pressure in many parts of the world, underscoring the importance of reliable partnerships between countries that are committed to open research and the academic freedom. What are the short- and long-term consequences of political pressure on academic freedom, and how might these developments affect international cooperation and the global exchange of knowledge?
- Prof. Dr. Michael Hüther, Director & Member of the Presidium, German Economic Institute
- Prof. Dr. Oliver Günther, President, University of Potsdam
🕘 10:00 – 11:00 am
Session: Melting Ice, Rising Tensions: The Strategic Importance of the Arctic.
The Arctic is becoming increasingly important geopolitically, driven by melting sea ice, vast oil and gas reserves, and growing militarization. As rising temperatures accelerate ice loss in the Arctic Ocean, previously inaccessible areas are opening up for resource exploration and shipping. Consequently, littoral states are competing for influence and control over strategically important sea routes. Meanwhile, Russia has been expanding its military infrastructure in the region, including new bases, modernized airfields, and a large icebreaker fleet, while NATO is bolstering its presence in the High North. China is also showing growing interest in the Arctic, investing in research stations and shipping routes, and seeking to expand its influence through economic partnerships and infrastructure projects.
- Commander Helge Adrians, Visiting Fellow, International Security Division, German Institute for International and Security Affairs
- Ambassador Vera Alexander, Embassy of Canada to Germany
- Ron Lloyd, 35th Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy
- Ambassador Kai Sauer, Embassy of Finland to Germany
- Moderator: Anna Schiller, Editor, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ)
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☕ Coffee Break (15 min.) ☕
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🕘 11:15 am – 12:15 pm
Session: Strategic Horizons: Building the Future of EU-Canada Security Cooperation.
With the Security and Defence Partnership concluded in June 2025, the EU and Canada have deepened their security and defence cooperation. The agreement provides a framework for regular dialogue and cooperation, including cyber and hybrid threats, crisis management, peacebuilding, and the defence industry. It complements the close cooperation within NATO and underlines the shared commitment to strengthening the rules-based international order. How can the EU-Canada Security and Defence Partnership be further developed without creating parallel structure with NATO, and what strategic and industrial potential does it offer?
- Prof. Stephanie Carvin, Associated Professor, Norman Paterson School Of International Affairs, Carleton University
- Dr. Elisabeth Hauschild, Senior Vice President Government Affairs, Diehl Holding
- Michael Hood, Former Commander of the Canadian Air Force
- Siemtje Möller, MP (SPD), Former Parliamentary State Secretary; Deputy Chairwoman, SPD Parliamentary Group, German Bundestag
- Moderator: Wilhelmine Stenglin, Editor Foreign and Security Policy, Table Media
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☕ Lunch Break (60 min.) ☕
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🕘 1:15 – 2:15 pm
Session: One Year in Office: Balancing Global Focus vs. Domestic Challenges.
The German and Canadia governments have now been in office for one year. While Mark Carney’s Liberal government has operated largely quietly, the new German government has faced a series of domestic crises, from public protests to debates over economic policy and labor. Despite these differences, both governments have focused strongly on foreign policy challenges during their first year in office, such as tensions in global trade relations and their relationship with the United States. Which topics are currently shaping the domestic political debate in Germany and Canada, and to what extent could the strong focus on foreign policy affect the domestic political stability of both governments?
- Prof. Dr. Ian Brodie, Professor of Political Science & Fellow at the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies, University of Calgary
- Claudia Müller, MP (Alliance 90/The Greens), Parliamentary Secretary, Alliance 90/The Greens Parliamentary Group, German Bundestag
- Marc Felix Serrao, Global Reporters Network, Axel Springer SE
- Moderator: Prof. Nik Nanos, Founder & Chief Data Scientist, Nanos Research
🕘 2:15 – 2:45 pm
Fireside Chat: Beyond Great Powers. How Can Middle Powers Shape the New World Order.
As the global order becomes more and more shaped by great powers such as China and the US, the role of middle powers is coming into focus. This fireside chat examines wheather, and under what conditions, middle powers such as Canada and Germany are able to exercise meaningful agency amid intensifying geopolitical rivalry. While Mark Carney underscores the importance of collective action among middle powers in sustaining a rules-based international order, Friedrich Merz emphasises strategic autonomy, resilience, and a stronger European Union. Can middle powers move beyond adaption towards active shaping?
- State Minister Florian Hahn, MP (CDU/CSU), Federal Foreign Office; CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group, German Bundestag
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☕ Coffee Break (15 min.) ☕
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🕘 3:00 – 3:45 pm
Presentation of the Policy Paper „A Different Kind of Linchpin? Canada, Germany, and the Future of Transatlanticism“
This policy paper examines German-Canadian relations through the lens of strategic culture, showing how both countries as middle powers and potential “linchpins” position themselves toward the United States. It contrasts Mark Carney’s more confrontational shift with Friedrich Merz’s effort to rebuild transatlantic trust, noting that both emphasize multilateral cooperation to reduce dependence on great powers. It concludes that Canada’s economic diversification requires closer ties with Europe and Asia, whereas sidelining European partners in security matters could risk weakening NATO and Canada’s strategic position.
- Dr. David Bosold, Research Associate / Dean of Studies / Managing Director Graduate School of North American Studies (GSNAS), Freie Universität Berlin
- Prof. David Haglund, Professor of Political Studies, Queens University
🕘 3:45 – 4:30 pm
Session: Navigating AI in Media: Innovation, Efficiency, and IP Protection.
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming the media industry. More and more media companies are using AI to optimize newsroom workflows, personalize content, unlock new monetization opportunities, and make operational processes more efficient. But these developments bring new challenges and risks that require strategic responses. A key question is how premium journalism, proprietary data, and valuable subscriber insights can be protected in an era of increasing scraping and content misuse. What technologies and strategies can media companies deploy to safeguard their intellectual property? And how can they embrace AI-driven innovation without compromising the core assets and values that define modern media organizations?
- Omri Tintpulver, Chief Operating Officer, ZoomerMedia
🕘 4:30 – 4:45 pm
Closing of the 39th German-Canadian Conference
Concluding Remarks by
- Prof. Dr. Michael Hüther, Director & Member of the Presidium, German Economic Institute; Vice-Chairman, Atlantik-Brücke
- Prof. Nik Nanos, Founder & Chief Data Scientist, Nanos Research; Chairman, Atlantik-Brücke Canada
Closing Reception of the German-Canadian Conference 2026
📍 Location: Embassy of Canada to Germany, Leipziger Platz 17, 10117 Berlin
🕘 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Contact: Jonas Ader, j.ader(at)atlantik-bruecke.org.