The Empire Club of Canada
Hybrid
Thursday, June 4, 2026
At a time of heightened geopolitical tension and with the acknowledgment of diverse threats to our sovereignty and security, Canada is redefining what sovereignty means and how stakeholders can contribute to the defence of our great nation. In alignment with the Government of Canada’s command signal that Canada must defend its own sovereignty on its own terms, the Canadian Army is undergoing a generational modernization to become the Army Canada now needs.
In parallel, the Government of Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy charts a path to a more sovereign, innovation‑driven defence industrial base, with implications for businesses, researchers, and communities across the country.
On June 4th, 2026, The Empire Club of Canada will welcome Lieutenant-General Michael Wright, Commander of the Canadian Army for a keynote entitled, Forging the Army Canada Needs: Stakeholder Opportunities to Contribute to the Defence of Canada. The Commander will lay out his vision for a modern Army and how it aligns with the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) and broader government priorities to enhance, equip, develop and future-proof the land forces for Canada’s sovereignty.
Following the speech, Jody Thomas, Senior Advisor at Counsel Public Affairs will moderate a fireside chat that will also include Bernie Derible, Ontario’s Agent General ASEAN and Ontario’s Military and Defence Representative and Doug Guzman, CEO of Defence Investment Agency, on how the private and public sector can collaborate to ensure that Canada forges the Army it needs to meet this inflection point in Canada’s National Defence.
Join us for this timely and relevant discussion!
Born and raised in Southern Ontario, Lieutenant-General Wright enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1990 and joined Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) in 1994. He has served in all three Canadian Mechanized Brigade Groups and deployed on operations with all three Regular Force infantry regiments. He spent 11 years with 2 PPCLI in Winnipeg and Shilo, commanding at the platoon, company and battalion level. He also served three years with the Second Battalion of the Royal 22e Regiment. He commanded 2 CMBG from 2017-2018. He was Commander CFINTCOM and Chief of Defence Intelligence from June 2021 to July 2024. On promotion to Lieutenant-General in July 2024, he was appointed as the Commander of the Canadian Army.
Operationally he has deployed to Bosnia, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, and served on domestic operations in support of the 2010 Winter Olympics and the 2011 Manitoba floods. He was awarded the Medal of Military Valour and the Meritorious Service Medal as a rifle company commander serving with the First Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group in Kandahar Province in 2006-07. From May 2020 to May 2021, he commanded Joint Task Force Impact and Task Force Central, the CAF missions in the Middle East.
Lieutenant-General Wright has served in staff positions as the Chief of Staff of CFINTCOM, J3 of the Canadian Joint Operations Command, Executive Assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff, Chief of Staff and G3 of 1 CMBG, as well as positions at the Canadian Army Headquarters and the Canadian Forces Joint Headquarters. Lieutenant-General Wright holds an Honours Degree in History and Political Science and a Masters of Defence Studies from RMC, is a graduate of the National Security Programme, and has completed the Joint Force Land Component Commander Course at the US Army War College. He and his wife Hilary live in Ottawa and their two adult sons live in Southern Ontario.
Bernie Derible serves as Ontario’s Agent-General in Southeast Asia and the province’s Military and Defence Representative, advancing international trade, investment, and defence cooperation on behalf of the Government of Ontario. Former Deputy Minister and retired senior military officer with over 35 years of dynamic management and leadership experience, Bernie works with senior leaders across government, business, non-profit, disaster mitigation, and civil-military operations.
From war zones to boardrooms to the corridors of political leadership, he has successfully led flagship nation-building initiatives across complex and demanding situations both domestically and internationally, encompassing pandemic response, border security, refugee resettlement, emergency response, counter-insurgency operations, anti-corruption programs, and executive leadership development.
A distinguished graduate of the US Command and General Staff College, his nation-building success and global emergency management leadership have been recognized internationally. He combines extensive real-world experience across dozens of countries with resourceful, innovative, and practical planning to deliver solutions for the most challenging needs in any environment. In his dual capacity as Agent General and Military and Defence Representative, he brings credentials spanning economic diplomacy, defence cooperation, UN, NATO and civil-military operations. Serving as Ontario’s senior representative in-market, he provides strategic advice, identifies investment opportunities, and facilitates trade and defence partnerships.
He is focused on positioning Ontario as a partner of choice in sectors where the province is a global leader including artificial intelligence, quantum, cybersecurity, nuclear energy, critical minerals, aerospace, defence and agri-food. He most recently served as Deputy Minister and Commissioner for the Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response.
Throughout his career, Bernie has been a trusted advisor to Canadian Prime Ministers, foreign Presidents, Canadian Premiers, and other senior public and private sector leaders on major nation-building policy, economic, infrastructure, investment, and defence initiatives.
Doug Guzman is a Canadian business leader with 3 decades of experience in global banking, wealth management, and financial services. Most recently, Mr. Guzman served as Deputy Chair of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). As part of RBC’s Group Executive, he worked with other leaders to set the bank’s overall strategic direction. He previously served for 9 years as Group Head of Wealth Management and Insurance at RBC, where he led the bank’s wealth management businesses – including asset management, trust services, and insurance – and oversaw the RBC Insurance business.
Mr. Guzman joined RBC in 2005 as Managing Director and Head of Global Investment Banking at RBC Capital Markets. In that role he was responsible for the firm’s investment banking teams globally and its U.S. municipal finance activities. Before joining RBC, he was a managing director at Goldman Sachs in New York and in Toronto, co-heading the Global Metals & Mining and Canadian Investment Banking businesses.
In addition to his banking career, Mr. Guzman has held leadership roles in the public and academic spheres. He is Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of Unity Health Toronto, Chair of the Advisory Board of the Ivey Business School at Western University, and a member of the Canada Soccer Foundation Board of Directors.
Mr. Guzman holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) from Western University’s Ivey Business School and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He lives in Toronto with his wife and their 2 children.
Jody Thomas is a Senior Advisor at Counsel Public Affairs, based in Toronto.
Jody brings a distinguished record of leadership in national security, defence, and intelligence, with more than 35 years of service in the Federal Government. She brings a wealth of experience in national security, defence, and intelligence, having held some of Canada’s most senior leadership roles.
Most recently, Jody served as National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister until 2024. Prior to that, she was Deputy Minister of National Defence and the first woman to lead the Canadian Coast Guard as Commissioner. Earlier in her career, she was Chief Operating Officer at Passport Canada, overseeing 40 domestic service locations, 120 international offices, and a workforce of 3,000 employees. Jody also served 11 years in the Royal Canadian Navy.
She continues to contribute her expertise as a member of the Prime Minister’s Can-US Advisory Council, the Board of Governors of Royal Roads University, and the Board of Directors of Electra Battery Materials. Her deep understanding of security and governance makes her a trusted advisor on complex policy and organizational challenges. Her unparalleled experience and strategic insight make Jody a trusted advisor on issues of security, governance, and organizational resilience.
