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Nicholas Donaldson holds a BA (Honours) in Political Studies and History with Distinction from Queen’s University (2023). He is now a graduate student pursuing an Advanced MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy at Leiden University. His thesis examines small–state diplomacy and offshore financial centres resistance to global regulation and club diplomacy.

Nicholas has worked at the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations since August 2024, where he leads a project on transnational state capture. His research interests include transnational corruption, organized crime, global finance, international organizations, global governance, and sustainable transitions. He is also a Junior Research Fellow at The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, and previously worked with the Institute for Security and Global Affairs on ERC-funded terrorism and foreign policy projects.

In his spare time, Nicholas enjoys cycling the dunes near The Hague, collecting secondhand books, and perfecting his photography.

Brendan Dell is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Studies at ���˴�Ƭ. He received his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Public Policy and master's degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice Policy from the University of Guelph. Brendan's research focuses broadly on Canadian law and politics. Specifically, his research explores the relationship between the government and the judiciary on constitutional issues (such as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms). His dissertation explores the strategic use of courts by provincial governments in constitutional cases.

Claire is a doctoral student in the Department of Political Studies at Queen’s University where she specializes in Gender and Politics and Canadian Politics. Claire holds an M.A. in Political Science from Queen’s University and a B.A. (Hons.) in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Léonard Bédard (he/him/il/lui) is a PhD student in philosophy at ���˴�Ƭ. Originally from Quebec City, Léonard holds a bachelor's and a master’s degree in philosophy from Laval University. In 2023, he was a visiting graduate research student in the Department of Public Policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

His research focuses on political issues related to migration and territorial justice in Canada, with a particular emphasis on the experiences of asylum seekers. Additionally, his work explores social exclusion in democratic societies and the ethical dimensions of policymaking.

Léonard currently serves as co-editor of Federal Governance, a graduate journal hosted by the IIGR.

Publications (Selection 2024-2025):

Bédard, L. (Forthcoming, May 2025) Prédire pour “mieux exclure” Étude de la stratégie de transformation de Los Angeles en ville intelligente, in Parizeau, M-H., Les villes intelligentes : le mirage numérique? Perspectives philosophiques. Les Presses de l’Université Laval.

Gosselin-Tapp, J., Jean, F., Mossu, S-E., & Bédard, L. (2024). Par-delà l’obligation d’exploiter le territoire. Autodétermination des communautés locales et transition énergétique au Québec, Canadian Journal of Political Science, 57(3), 532-552. DOI: .

Valere Gaspard is a PhD Candidate in Political Studies at the University of Ottawa. He holds a Research Fellow position at Western University and Trent University’s Leadership and Democracy Lab and is a recipient of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council CGS Doctoral Award (2023-2026). 

His research focuses on Canadian politics, satisfaction with democracy, electoral management bodies, electoral integrity, voting, political institutions, and politicians. He is interested in better understanding how politicians and citizens think about democracy and elections, and how political institutions impact these views.

Valere has experience in both academia and the practice of politics. He is an alumnus of Canada’s Parliamentary Internship Programme (PIP) and has several years of experience working on Elections Canada’s Media Relations and Issues Management Team, as well as its Environmental Monitoring Centre. His work and research are therefore informed by both practical experience and theoretical considerations.

He holds a Master of Arts from the University of Ottawa (2021-2022) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario (2016-2020). Valere is currently a co-instructor for the Undergraduate Partnered Research Programme, a year-long internship that is sponsored by Queen’s University Institute for Intergovernmental Relations.

His academic publications, policy outlets and newspaper publications, as well as his media interviews, can be viewed on  

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Henry Kerr is an undergraduate student at Queen’s University in the Political Studies program. Henry is a keen student of international relations and geopolitics, particularly tied to issues of conflict resolution, terrorism, and human rights. Henry has published previous research work with the University of Alberta’s Journal of Family and Youth Studies, analyzing the experiences of Albertan students with violent extremism online. Henry was awarded the Queen’s Chancellor’s Scholarship and is keen to develop academic and policymaking skills, with ambitions to attend graduate school and work in the field of global affairs. This year at IIGR, he will be researching state capture and political corruption in international contexts.

Beyond the classroom and work, Henry enjoys reading about history, practicing French and Spanish, along with travelling with friends and family.