Waterloo - The Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies (LCMSDS) will host the Toronto Military Studies Conference Sept. 18-19 at the Moss Park Armoury in Toronto.

The conference will focus on topics involving Canadian military activity, from the Second World War to a panel discussion featuring soldiers who have returned from recent tours in Afghanistan and Bosnia. There will also be performances by the 48th Highlanders of Canada Pipes and Drums.

Terry Copp, professor emeritus and director of LCMSDS will give the keynote address, titled “Combat and its Consequences: Ortona to Kandahar.” Laurier professor Mike Bechthold will deliver a lecture called “Learning from Vimy: The Canadian Corps at Arleux & Fresnoy."

Other speakers at the conference include Dr. Geoffrey Hayes from the University of Waterloo; Dr. Doug Delaney from the Royal Military College of Canada; and Dr. Eric McGeer from St. Clement’s School.

“This conference, our first foray into Toronto, builds on similar events we have co-hosted with reserve units in Windsor, Brantford and St. Catharines that bring together the general public, academics and the Canadian Forces to discuss important issues about our military,” said Bechthold.

The LCMSDS was founded in 1991 with the purpose of fostering research, teaching and public discussion of historical and contemporary military and strategic issues.

For more information about this event or the LCMSDS, visit www.wlu.ca/lcmsds.