Our story
About us
Founded in 1996 by William Gairdner (1940-2024), Civitas Canada is a members-only networking and ideas society for those interested in conservative, classical liberal, and libertarian thought. Civitas holds an annual national conference in a rotating location – alternating each year between the West (e.g. Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton) and East (e.g. Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal). Members may also attend supplementary organized events throughout the year.
Our Purpose
To promote and deepen understanding through the exchange of a wide range of political, economic, social, religious, cultural, and philosophical ideas concerning the principles and traditions of a free and ordered society.
Chatham House Rule
Please note that Civitas adheres to Chatham House Rule. The identities of the participants are private and all discussions are not to be recorded, reported, attributed, or disseminated in any fashion. All members and guests are asked to respect this rule.
board of directors
2026/2027
Charles MacQuarrie (VP Membership)
Andre Mihelic (Treasurer)
Lindsay Shepherd (Past President)
Étienne-Alexandre Beauregard
Matt Bufton
Samuel Duncan
Dr. Roy Eappen
Dr. Will Johnston
Dr. Matthew Rowley
Geoff Russ
Past Presidents
William Gairdner (Founder), Tom Flanagan, William Robson, Lorne Gunter, Brian Lee Crowley, Ken Boessenkool, Michel Kelly-Gagnon, John von Heyking, Mark Milke, Marco Navarro-Génie, Miles Smit, Candice Malcolm, Shawn Whatley, Brianna Morris, Lindsay Shepherd
Founding Board of Directors
Janet Ajzenstat, Ted Byfield, Michael Coren, Jacques Dufresne, Tom Flanagan, David Frum, Bill Gairdner, Jason Kenney, Gwen Landolt, Ezra Levant, Tom Long, Mark Magner, William Robson, David E. Somerville, Michael Walker
WILLIAM GAIRDNER (1940-2024)
ON THE HISTORY OF CIVITAS
“By 1996, Civitas was an idea whose time had come, and in retrospect I would say that my role was to serve as a kind of midwife. The exact moment of conception, during which the idea for such an organization much like what we have today sprang to mind, was during the May 26, 1996 “Winds of Change” conference organized principally by David Frum and Ezra Levant. They were the ones who really started the ball rolling. Quite a few of the names of Canadian writers, columnists, and academics working with conservative and libertarian ideas were already known to me from their work. But I had met none of them, and it was soon clear that very few of them had met each other. But here, in the same room, were all the warm bodies to go with those names. There were a lot of tenuous handshakes. But something good was happening, and within minutes of getting seated and waiting for the first speaker, I found myself jotting down an outline of a possible organization on the back of an index card. After the first session, and eager to try the idea on someone younger, I made a beeline for David Frum, introduced myself, congratulated him on the Winds event, and showed him my outline for what was to become Civitas. Is there a plan to repeat this event? Will there be other Winds meetings? Is there an organizational structure in place that could produce such future events? If not, would you consider creating one?”