Visit of IPSA President-Elect Pablo Oñate to Montreal and Ottawa

IPSA President-elect Pablo Oñate and Executive Director Kim Fontaine-Skronski embarked on fruitful visits to academic and governmental organizations in Montreal and Ottawa from 15-19 May. These visits underscore IPSA’s commitment to fostering collaborations, promoting academic exchange, and expanding its global network with local partners. 

Meeting with the Chair of Concordia’s Political Science Department
The meeting took place at Concordia University, where Pablo Oñate and Kim Fontaine-Skronski had a productive discussion with Daniel Salée, Interim Chair of the Department of Political Science. The purpose of the meeting was to explore potential joint projects and collaborations between IPSA and Concordia University for 2023 and 2024.

Photo (from left to right): Pablo Oñate, Kim Fontaine-Skronski and Daniel Salée.

Meeting with Graham Carr, President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University
Another meeting was held at Concordia University with Graham Carr, President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University, and William Cheaib, Chief of Staff and Interim Associate Vice-President, International Relations. This meeting provided an opportunity to discuss strategic partnerships and future collaborations between IPSA and Concordia University and to reaffirm the commitment to advancing political science education and research.

Photo (from left to right): Graham Carr, Kim Fontaine-Skronski and Pablo Oñate.

Meeting with the Quebec Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie (MRIF)
The IPSA delegation also had an important meeting with the Quebec Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie. In this meeting, Sara Veilleux, Director of International Commitments and Partnerships, emphasized the importance of cooperation with IPSA and expressed the Ministry’s interest in continuing to support IPSA’s initiatives in Quebec and abroad.

Photo (from left to right): Kim Fontaine-Skronski, Pablo Oñate, Sara Veilleux and Inji Yaghmour. 

Meeting with Oumar Diallo, Director, Office of International Relations, City of Montreal
Prof. Oñate and Dr. Fontaine-Skronski met with Oumar Diallo, the newly appointed Director of the Office of International Relations of the City of Montreal, to strengthen ties between IPSA and the City of Montreal and to explore potential avenues for collaboration in political science. The meeting highlighted IPSA’s commitment to working with governmental organizations to promote political science at the local level.

Photo: Oumar Diallo
 

Meeting with Norbert Eschborn, Director, Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Canada & Daniel Stockemer, IPSR Co-editor
As part of their visit to Ottawa, Pablo Oñate and Kim Fontaine-Skronski had a productive meeting with Norbert Eschborn, Director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) in Canada, and Daniel Stockemer, Professor at the University of Ottawa and IPSR Co-editor. The meeting served as a continuation of the successful partnership between IPSA and KAS, with discussions focusing on expanding joint research projects and academic events. 

Photo (from left to right): Daniel Stockemer, Pablo Oñate, Kim Fontaine-Skronski and Norbert Eschborn.

Visit of the University of Ottawa and the Canadian Political Science Association
The IPSA delegation also had the opportunity to meet with Frédéric Vairel, Director of the Department of Political Science at the University of Ottawa, and André Lecours, President of the Canadian Political Science Association. Discussions focused on promoting academic exchange, fostering research initiatives, and strengthening ties between IPSA, the University of Ottawa and the Canadian Political Science Association.

Photo (from left to right): Pablo Oñate, Frédéric Vairel, Kim Fontaine-Skronski, André Lecours, Daniel Stockemer.

Visit of the IPSA Secretariat
During his visit, Prof. Oñate also had the opportunity to meet the IPSA staff at the IPSA Secretariat's new office space at Concordia University. The office, which opened its doors to the IPSA staff in September 2021, provides a vibrant environment for the IPSA team to carry out their work.

Photo (from left to right): Fernand Thériault, Ekaterina Kuzmenko, Kim Fontaine-Skronski, Pablo Oñate and Mathieu St-Laurent.