The Rideau Institute was founded in October of 2006 (federally incorporated as the Rideau Institute on International Affairs) and commenced operations in January 2007. It is a registered non-profit organization, and until 1 August 2020, was located in Ottawa on the historic Sparks Street Mall, one block from Parliament Hill. Its modest offices are in the heritage Hope Building overlooking the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO) and the Privy Council on the north side and with a view of the National War Memorial on the east side. Since the advent of the covid-19 pandemic, we have been working entirely from home offices and have now decided to make that arrangement permanent.
The Rideau Institute’s primary activities are independent policy relevant research and analysis, advocacy and social engagement to assist decision makers, opinion leaders and the general public to knowledgeably participate in the national debate on foreign, defence and national security policy, with a view to the development of an international security policy that embodies the UN Charter principles of multilateral cooperation, the peaceful resolution of disputes and the progressive strengthening of international law.
Our mission is to help revitalize Canada’s peacekeeping, diplomatic peacemaking and peacebuilding roles in the world, through creative, innovative and inclusive multilateralism, strengthening the UN capacity for conflict prevention and peaceful conflict resolution and the progressive enhancement of international law.
We advocate for made-in-Canada policies that recognize the interdependence of the global community, and the equal right of all peoples to peace, security and justice.
More than a thousand individual Canadians make donations to the Rideau Institute and its affiliated project, Ceasefire.ca with its 20,000 peace supporters.
Ceasefire.ca is a community outreach and organizing project that primarily uses the Internet to facilitate public education and advocacy on contemporary foreign and defence policy issues.
The Rideau Institute occasionally receives funding for specific projects, often from a single institution or foundation. The project is conducted under the auspices of the Rideau Institute, or through a collaboration between the Rideau Institute and the funding institution. The Rideau Institute does not receive project funding from any level of government or from industry.