Our History: 120 Years
One of the first Canadian Clubs nationwide, with speakers from Sir Wilfrid Laurier to Rudyard Kipling.
Read our history
The Club
About
The Canadian Club of Ottawa presents a dynamic forum to explore the issues that matter most to Canada.
About the Canadian Club of Ottawa
A place to witness history in the making
With roots dating back to 1903, it is a prestigious meeting place for the inquiring and the influential – a place for all who share a keen interest in contemporary Canadian life and who seek context, perspective, and a deeper level of understanding. Our members frequent the Canadian Club to be informed, engaged and inspired.
Canadian Club speakers are leaders in Canada and abroad in business, politics, academia and the arts. They are the builders, the thinkers and the dreamers who are shaping Canada’s future and defining our place in an ever-changing world. The Canadian Club of Ottawa is an unfiltered window on the Canada of today and tomorrow – and a place to witness history in the making.
A non-partisan forum
National conversations at the heart of Canada’s political capital
Founded in 1903, the Canadian Club of Ottawa (CCO) has played a central role in convening national conversations at the heart of Canada’s political capital. For more than a century, the Club has provided a respected, non-partisan forum where elected officials, public servants, business leaders and civil society engage on issues of national importance.
The Canadian Club of Ottawa is a volunteer-led organization. Its success depends on the leadership, commitment, experience and connections of its Board members, who give their time to help guide the Club, strengthen its programming, support its partnerships and ensure it remains a respected platform for thoughtful public conversation.
For 120 years, the Canadian Club of Ottawa has called the historic Fairmont Chateau Laurier, located at 1 Rideau Street, our home.
The Club at a glance
Rooted in 1903, looking to 2028
1903
Founded in October
120+
years as one of Ottawa’s longest-standing public affairs institutions
8
regular season events
2028
the Club’s 125th anniversary
More about the Club
History, people and the podium
Board of Directors
The dedicated volunteer Board and Executive that guide the Club each season.
Meet the Board
Get involved
Help us continue to bring Canada’s most pressing issues to light.
Join us in this tradition of meaningful dialogue and diverse perspectives as we shape the next 120 years.