# Event Details - **Event Name**: The challenges ahead for France and Emmanuel Macron... - **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 26 Feb, 2026 at 12:00 pm – Thu, 26 Feb, 2026 at 02:00 pm - **Event Description**: Join former Ambassador to France Marc Lortie, to examine the current state of French politics, and the impact on Europe in particular.About this EventCIC-VI Branch: Luncheon Speaker Event"The challenges ahead for France and Emmanuel Macron as Europe grapples with a new security environment."France has long advocated for a pan European military. The question is whether or not Europe, perhaps with France’s leadership, is capable or willing to provide an effective deterrent or military response to Russian aggression. This question is complicated by the increasingly dysfunctional US role, the role of NATO and in the case of France, its messy politics. Based on his senior diplomatic role and his broad international experience, Marc is ideally positioned to distil a coherent interpretation of these compelling realities, if in fact one exists. I would suggest that these matters hold significance for Canada as we navigate American economic and perhaps military threats to our sovereignty.Date: Thursday, February 26, 2026 (12-2 PM)Location: Yates Memorial, Allsbrook Room | Doors Open at 11:30 AMAddress: 1000 Allsbrook Road, Parksville, V9P2A9Cost: $30.00 each. A light lunch and refreshments will be served followed by our speaker. For special dietary or seating requests email vancouverisland@thecic.org. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/f7bae020-0298-11f1-ac8a-d5f6e44ba767-rimg-w845-h740-dc5d5b48-gmir.jpg About our SpeakerMarc Lortie has been diplomat, ambassador, Prime ministerial spokesperson, and trusted advisor to various prime ministers on federal-provincial issues, Latin American and European affairs. He joined the Department of External Affairs in 1971. He later served abroad in Tunisia (1973-75) and Washington (1979-83). He was seconded to the Prime Minister’s Office in 1985 where he was in charge of relations with the international media until 1987 when he was named Press Secretary. In 1989, he returned to the diplomatic service and served in Paris as Minister-Counsellor for Political Affairs and as Personal Representative of the Prime Minister for La Francophonie. He was named Canadian Ambassador to Chile in 1993 and served in that position until 1997 when he was nominated Fellow at the Centre for International Affairs at Harvard University. Marc returned to Ottawa in September 1998 when he was appointed Sherpa for the third Summit of the Americas and in 2001, he was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister for the Americas. He was Ambassador of Canada to Spain from 2004 to 2007 and Ambassador of Canada in France from 2007 to 2012. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/parksville/the-challenges-ahead-for-france-and-emmanuel-macron/100001980791363289 - **Event Categories**: business - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 30, max: 30, currency: CAD ## Event venue details - **city**: Parksville - **state**: BC - **country**: Canada - **location**: Yates Memorial Services - **lat**: 49.3036206 - **long**: -124.3312132 - **full address**: Yates Memorial Services, 1000 Allsbrook Road, Parksville, Canada ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: The challenges ahead for France and Emmanuel Macron... - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/24b611070d39d76f3598ac8e9a1cd184f6a434049883fc66427d230b0809678c-rimg-w1026-h572-dc031e5f-gmir.jpg?v=1770299175 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is The challenges ahead for France and Emmanuel Macron... being held? - **A:** The challenges ahead for France and Emmanuel Macron... takes place on Thu, 26 Feb, 2026 at 12:00 pm to Thu, 26 Feb, 2026 at 02:00 pm at Yates Memorial Services, 1000 Allsbrook Road, Parksville, Canada. - **Q**: How much do tickets cost for The challenges ahead for France and Emmanuel Macron...? - **A:** Tickets for The challenges ahead for France and Emmanuel Macron... are priced at CAD 30 per person. Here's a full breakdown of available ticket types:Ticket TypePriceAvailabilityGeneral AdmissionCAD 30Available - **Q**: Who is organizing The challenges ahead for France and Emmanuel Macron...? - **A:** The challenges ahead for France and Emmanuel Macron... is organized by V I Branch - Canadian International Council (CIC). ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "The challenges ahead for France and Emmanuel Macron...", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/24b611070d39d76f3598ac8e9a1cd184f6a434049883fc66427d230b0809678c-rimg-w1026-h572-dc031e5f-gmir.jpg?v=1770299175", "startDate": "2026-02-26", "endDate": "2026-02-26", "url": "https://allevents.in/parksville/the-challenges-ahead-for-france-and-emmanuel-macron/100001980791363289", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Yates Memorial Services", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "1000 Allsbrook Road", "postalCode": "V9P 2A9", "addressLocality": "Parksville", "addressRegion": "BC", "addressCountry": "CA" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "49.3036206", "longitude": "-124.3312132" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Join former Ambassador to France Marc Lortie, to examine the current state of French politics, and the impact on Europe in particular.", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "CAD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-06", "availabilityEnds": "2026-02-26", "validFrom": "2026-04-06", "lowPrice": "30.00", "highPrice": "30.00", "price": "30.00", "url": "https://allevents.in/parksville/the-challenges-ahead-for-france-and-emmanuel-macron/100001980791363289" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "CAD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-06", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-04-06", "url": "https://allevents.in/parksville/the-challenges-ahead-for-france-and-emmanuel-macron/100001980791363289", "price": "30.00", "name": "General Admission" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "V I Branch - Canadian International Council (CIC)", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/v-i-branch-canadian-international-council-cic/24967066", "description": "The CIC’s mission is to provide a platform for all Canadians to engage in global affairs. 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