Douglas James Roche is a Canadian author, parliamentarian, and peace activist. His career includes service as a Member of Parliament for Edmonton, Strathcona (1972, 1979) and Edmonton South (1979, 1984). Following his parliamentary service, he was appointed Canada’s Ambassador for Disarmament, a role he held until 1989. Roche later served in the Senate of Canada from 1998 to 2004. Throughout his career, he has maintained a focus on disarmament and global security. He was elected Chairman of the United Nations Disarmament Committee at the 43rd General Assembly in 1988.
Roche’s professional engagement has spanned academia and international policy. From 1989 to 2001, he was a Visiting Professor at the University of Alberta, where he taught subjects related to war and peace. He has been deeply involved in promoting nuclear disarmament, notably co-founding the Middle Powers Initiative and serving as Senior Advisor to the current Chairman of the Middle Powers Initiative. Furthermore, he was a founding President of Parliamentarians for Global Action, an international network of parliamentarians, and co-founded the Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation (CIIAN).
As an author, Roche has published numerous works, including *Justice not charity: a new global ethic for Canada* (1976) and *The ultimate evil: the fight to ban nuclear weapons* (1997). His writings reflect a sustained commitment to global human welfare, human rights, and the prevention of conflict. He has received recognition for his service, including the Distinguished Service Award of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians.
