Norine MacDonald
Encyclopedia
Norine A. MacDonald QC
is the President and Founder of The International Council on Security and Development (ICOS)
, an international security
and development think tank
founded in 2002 with offices in Kabul
, London
, Rio de Janeiro
, Brussels
and Paris
, and field offices in the Afghan cities of Lashkar Gah and Kandahar City.
ICOS provides innovative analysis and recommendations on the connections between foreign policy
, security
, development
and counter-narcotics policies. It convenes politicians, high profile academics, independent experts and NGOs in order to accomplish its mission. It aims to work as the dialogue partner with senior policy-makers at the national and international levels in order to foster high-level exchanges and new ideas on bridging security, development and counter-narcotics policies.
MacDonald has appeared on CNN
to discuss the destabilizing effect of poppy crop eradication on farmers in Afghanistan. In July 2008 she made a further appearance on CNN
to talk about ICOS’s report Iraq: ‘Angry Hearts and Angry Minds’. She also co-edited two books: Global Philanthropy and Philanthropy in Europe: A Rich Past, A Promising Future.
Since 2005 MacDonald has led an extensive programme in Afghanistan focusing on global security development. Through field research, ICOS
investigates the relationship between counter-narcotics, military
, and development policies and their consequences on Afghanistan
’s reconstruction efforts. The Council’s reports and video footage provide insight into the deteriorating development and security situations on the ground, especially in southern Afghanistan, and make policy recommendations to a broad audience of senior policy-makers and experts in NATO countries.
As President of The Gabriel Foundation, MacDonald is a member of the Network of European Foundations for Innovative Cooperation (NEF). This is a platform which brings together twelve of the leading philanthropic organisations in Europe. Within NEF, MacDonald is the Managing Director of NEF – Mercator Fund
, which launches and supports initiatives on Europe
’s role in global social issues. One such project is The Global Media Centre
.
MacDonald is also a member of the International Advisory Council of the International Crisis Group
(ICG). In February 2007, she was awarded the First Class Medal of Merit of the Italian Red Cross
for outstanding contributions to international humanitarian cooperation. In October 2008 MacDonald was invited to become a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
MacDonald has international experience in law, academic research, policy, advocacy and philanthropy. She has testified before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development and Standing Committee on National Defence in Canada
, and the House of Commons’ Defence Committee in the United Kingdom
. In October 2009, she testified before the US Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control during a hearing on 'U.S. Counternarcotics Strategy in Afghanistan'.
MacDonald’s work has been featured in a long list of publications including the Sunday Times, The Globe and Mail
, The New York Times
, The Washington Post
and the Daily Telegraph, while she has also appeared on CNN
, BBC
, CBC
, CTV
and Al Jazeera
International.
Before founding ICOS
, MacDonald was a partner in the law firm Bull, Housser and Tupper, specialising in commercial litigation, charities and tax law. Moreover, MacDonald held several prominent offices as a Bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia.
MacDonald holds a BA and an LLB from the University of British Columbia
, and completed the Advance Management Program at INSEAD
in France in 2005. She was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1997.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
is the President and Founder of The International Council on Security and Development (ICOS)
The International Council on Security and Development (ICOS)
The International Council on Security and Development is an international think tank that focuses on Afghanistan and other conflict zones such as Iraq and Somalia. ICOS is a project of the Network of European Foundations' Mercator Fund...
, an international security
International security
International security consists of the measures taken by nations and international organizations, such as the United Nations, to ensure mutual survival and safety. These measures include military action and diplomatic agreements such as treaties and conventions. International and national security...
and development think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
founded in 2002 with offices in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and field offices in the Afghan cities of Lashkar Gah and Kandahar City.
ICOS provides innovative analysis and recommendations on the connections between foreign policy
Foreign policy
A country's foreign policy, also called the foreign relations policy, consists of self-interest strategies chosen by the state to safeguard its national interests and to achieve its goals within international relations milieu. The approaches are strategically employed to interact with other countries...
, security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
, development
Regional development
Regional development is the provision of aid and other assistance to regions which are less economically developed. Regional development may be domestic or international in nature...
and counter-narcotics policies. It convenes politicians, high profile academics, independent experts and NGOs in order to accomplish its mission. It aims to work as the dialogue partner with senior policy-makers at the national and international levels in order to foster high-level exchanges and new ideas on bridging security, development and counter-narcotics policies.
MacDonald has appeared on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
to discuss the destabilizing effect of poppy crop eradication on farmers in Afghanistan. In July 2008 she made a further appearance on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
to talk about ICOS’s report Iraq: ‘Angry Hearts and Angry Minds’. She also co-edited two books: Global Philanthropy and Philanthropy in Europe: A Rich Past, A Promising Future.
Since 2005 MacDonald has led an extensive programme in Afghanistan focusing on global security development. Through field research, ICOS
The International Council on Security and Development (ICOS)
The International Council on Security and Development is an international think tank that focuses on Afghanistan and other conflict zones such as Iraq and Somalia. ICOS is a project of the Network of European Foundations' Mercator Fund...
investigates the relationship between counter-narcotics, military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
, and development policies and their consequences on Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
’s reconstruction efforts. The Council’s reports and video footage provide insight into the deteriorating development and security situations on the ground, especially in southern Afghanistan, and make policy recommendations to a broad audience of senior policy-makers and experts in NATO countries.
As President of The Gabriel Foundation, MacDonald is a member of the Network of European Foundations for Innovative Cooperation (NEF). This is a platform which brings together twelve of the leading philanthropic organisations in Europe. Within NEF, MacDonald is the Managing Director of NEF – Mercator Fund
The Mercator Fund
The Mercator Fund is a project within the framework of the Network of European Foundations . It is best known for its annual Raymond Georis Prize for Innovative Philanthropy and for its The International Council on Security and Development project which focuses on security and development, public...
, which launches and supports initiatives on Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
’s role in global social issues. One such project is The Global Media Centre
The Global Media Centre
The Global Media Centre is a media consulting firm providing strategic media support and guidance to the public policy and philanthropic communities.-Founding:The Global Media Centre was founded in late 2008...
.
MacDonald is also a member of the International Advisory Council of the International Crisis Group
International Crisis Group
The International Crisis Group is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization whose mission is to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts around the world through field-based analyses and high-level advocacy.-History:...
(ICG). In February 2007, she was awarded the First Class Medal of Merit of the Italian Red Cross
Italian Red Cross
The Italian Red Cross is the Italian national Red Cross society that has its origin in the Comitato dell'Associazione Italiana per il soccorso ai feriti ed ai malati in guerra that was formed in Florence in 1863, and in Milan on June 15, 1864. Other committees were formed later...
for outstanding contributions to international humanitarian cooperation. In October 2008 MacDonald was invited to become a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
MacDonald has international experience in law, academic research, policy, advocacy and philanthropy. She has testified before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development and Standing Committee on National Defence in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and the House of Commons’ Defence Committee in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In October 2009, she testified before the US Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control during a hearing on 'U.S. Counternarcotics Strategy in Afghanistan'.
MacDonald’s work has been featured in a long list of publications including the Sunday Times, The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
and the Daily Telegraph, while she has also appeared on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
, CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
and Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
International.
Before founding ICOS
The International Council on Security and Development (ICOS)
The International Council on Security and Development is an international think tank that focuses on Afghanistan and other conflict zones such as Iraq and Somalia. ICOS is a project of the Network of European Foundations' Mercator Fund...
, MacDonald was a partner in the law firm Bull, Housser and Tupper, specialising in commercial litigation, charities and tax law. Moreover, MacDonald held several prominent offices as a Bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia.
MacDonald holds a BA and an LLB from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, and completed the Advance Management Program at INSEAD
INSEAD
INSEAD is an international graduate business school and research institution. It has campuses in Europe , Asia , and the Middle East , as well as a research center in Israel...
in France in 2005. She was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1997.