Jill Sinclar

Jill Sinclair has been a member of Canada’s defence, international security and foreign policy community for most of her professional career. She is a Strategic Defence Reform Advisor to Ukraine’s Minister of Defence. She co-leads an executive programme on Geo-Politics and National Security at the Canada School of Public Service. Sinclair served for seven years as Assistant Deputy Minister Policy at the Dept of National Defence. and was Executive Director Strategic Leadership and Engagement at the Canadian Defence Academy. Prior to her work at DND, she was Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet at the Privy Council Office, Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat. She was Senior Official and led the effort for Canada’s hosting of the 2019 Ukraine Reform Conference in Toronto.  

She joined government as a Foreign Service Officer, with postings in Prague, Havana and the Middle East ( with regional responsibilities for Middle East peace process issues). She was Director General, International Security Bureau; Director of the Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation division and Director of Human Security and Global Issues. She has worked closely with NATO and NORAD as well as the UN system; the OSCE , Organization of American States and ASEAN Regional Forum. She led the Ottawa 

Process to Ban Landmines and Canada Responsibility to Protect (R2P). Sinclair is a Fellow with Chatham House and Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Balsillie School of International Affairs. She works as a volunteer with the Hnatyshyn Foundation on the “Ukraine - Heritage, Spirit and Future” project. In 2022 she was recognised by the Government of Ukraine for her work and awarded The Order of Merit, Third Class. 

Updated July 2023.