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Leadership
Chair
Peter Larson
ofip.chair@gmail.com
Peter Larson is the Chair of the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine (OFIP) a Canadian human
rights organization focussing on the Middle East.
His professional career included periods at the Public Policy Forum, the Conference Board of
Canada, the French language daily “Le Droit”, and as a consultant to labour unions and federal government departments and agencies.
For the last 10 years, he has taken a particular interest in human rights issues in the Middle
East, visiting Israel, Iran, Jordan, Egypt and the occupied Palestinian territories of the West
Bank and Gaza. He has also led many trips to Israel/Palestine for Canadians interested in
gaining a deeper understanding of the complex Israel/Palestine issue.
He is a frequent lecturer for church and labour groups, retiree associations and service clubs. He also teaches a popular course at Carleton University in the “Learning in Retirement” program. His presentations are appreciated for being fact based and balanced. He is also the principal author of a weekly series of articles on the Middle East to be found at www.CanadaTalksIsraelPalestine.ca
He was the founding Chair of the Middle East Study Group of the Canadian International Council (National Capital Region) and was also a board member of the National Council on Canada Arab Relations, and the first chair of its National Education Committee on Israel/Palestine. In 2012, he was awarded The Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Governor General of Canada in recognition of his educational work on Canada Arab relations.
Vice-Chair & Head of Research
Grafton Ross
Geographer and retired federal public servant, is OFIP’s principal research analyst and provides editorial support to Dr. Larson’s weekly blog.
Secretary Treasurer
Catherine Casserly
Retired public servant who specialized in employment programs and policies. She is a community activist who has served and continues to serve on national, provincial and local boards.