Everyone has a spirit that can be refined, a body that can be trained in some manner, a suitable path to follow. You are here to realize your inner divinity and manifest your innate enlightenment.
Morihei Ueshiba
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Daniel Laurendeau Shichidan Shihan – Head Instructor 
"Sensei Laurendeau believes that any teacher of aikido should keep training as long as possible as an example to students that the art is a life long learning process for all participants. He maintains a regular training schedule and has attended countless seminars over the past many years. McGill Aikido organizes seminars for each of the Fall and Winter semesters and has received prominent teachers such as Yoshimitsu Yamada, Massimo di Villadorata, Christian Tissier, Paul Müller, Mary Heiny, Dick Stroud, Pat Hendricks, Donovan Waite, Lorraine DiAnne, Claude Berthiaume and many of the new upcoming generation of Leaders in the Aikido community. Sensei Laurendeau has been invited to lead seminars and to head classes in the Montreal and Quebec City areas, in Ottawa, Toronto, the United States, Mexico, France, Portugal and Turkey. As head instructor at McGill Aikido, awakening young people to the values carried by Aikido has certainly been Sensei Laurendeau’s most precious accomplishment. He has presented many of his fine senior students for Dan grades, traditionally at Y. Yamada Shihan’s New York Aikikai. And he strongly believes that Aikido remains an act of generosity, passing on knowledge as an altruistic gift. Go, and give some more..." ~ Daniel Laurendeau, Head Instructor
Gilles Longpré Shichidan Shihan – Senior Instructor 
"It has been almost 40 years now that I have been training with 35 years as an Instructor. And after all those years, I am still learning and realizing that teaching Aikido has made me learn so much about it. You keep wanting to transmit the best to the students thus you maintain the need to be in top shape physically, mentally, to be able to answer to all the inquiries about the Art, engaging you to be more aware of what is Aikido. So in my teaching I recommend: the right attitude, the honesty in the practice, in the relationship, the respect toward all aspects of one’s existence. That Aikido, still being a martial art, implies training that might be sometimes hard and tough but never violent. For me, Aikido should be an integral part of everyday life by applying its principles to relationships and daily actions." ~ Gilles Longpré, Senior Instructor
Juan Carlos Cruz – Godan
"Born in Mexico City, I started practicing martial arts in 1984 (Tae Kwon Do & Lima-Lama); I discovered Aikido in 1995 at Carlos Cordero’s Aiki-Cally; my teachers in Mexico had strong links with Massimo di Villadorata and Daniel Laurendeau in Montreal; therefore, when I came to study my MBA in 1997, I immediately joined McGill Aikido where I am now an assistant instructor. Aikido is a very important part of my life; I also belong to Amnesty International whose philosophy I find very similar to Aikido’s principles of harmony and non-conflict. Having an autistic daughter has taught me the importance of understanding that each person is special and unique and we should accept and love each one the way they are. Aikido is very much about this, it’s about being non-competitive and resolving conflict through harmony and understanding. For me, the real challenge is not to conquer others but to understand ourselves. Working for Air Canada has allowed me to travel to many Aikido seminars where I have established good friendships, particularly with Clyde Takeguchi Shihan and Mary Heiny. I also admire the teachings of Frank Doran and of course Daniel Laurendeau, Massimo di Villadorata and Y.Yamada." ~ Juan-Carlos Cruz, Assistant-Instructor
Jacques Pharand - Yondan
"Plus impliqué dans l'enseignement, autant avec les enfants que les adultes, je m'applique à transmettre ce que j'ai appris, ce que je continue d'apprendre et surtout, ce que j'en ai compris." ~ Jacques Pharand – Assistant-instructeur
Denis Betournay - Yondan
"My martial art journey has essentially evolved around the harmonious integration of key martial principles, free state of mind and core life values and priorities, reflected into a fluid and natural aikido style. In my teachings, I strive to convey core aikido principles which are naturally adapted to a student’s personality and biomechanical pre-dispositions." ~ Denis Betournay, Assistant-Instructor
Eric Kimmel – Yondan
"Aikido has become such a grounding force in my life. Its conflict-free philosophy has translated into a more relaxed nature in both my business and personal life. Aikido is about overcoming one’s ego and the need “to win” all of the time. Because we are responsible for our partner’s safety (even when employing effective controls or throws), we learn to deal with very stressful moments on the mat and in life that don’t necessarily need to result in creating pain or “a loss” for the other person. In my mind, this is the goal of Aikido - to live every moment of one’s life experiencing this sense of focus, lack of ego, and care for those we’re with (regardless of their intentions)." ~ Eric Kimmel, Assistant-Instructor
Jason Lambert - Sandan
"My practice is centered on the study of the principles of unhindered motion that results in the application of aikido in a natural, spontaneous way, and of the mental and spiritual disposition that arises from this application. On the physical level, elements of dynamic posture, rigorous execution of techniques and correct body motion in time and space are ever present both in empty-handed and weapons practice. These aspects are reflected at the mental level by a mind that is calm but active, imperturbable but never stagnant, thus always free. Zen permeates each moment during practice and the spirit that comes with it allows transcendence of the aggressor-victim duality, transforming conflict into an opportunity of mutual learning, discovery and harmonious progression." ~ Jason Lambert, Instructor
Pierre Marier – Shodan
" Pour moi la pratique de l'Aïkido et des arts martiaux, est tout simplement la poursuite d’une discipline ayant pour but de s'améliorer et qui de se reflète dans notre vie au quotidien. À mon avis, on peut résumer en quelque mots l'Aïkido par :
~ Pierre Marier, Instructeur
Michel Brutti – Shodan
" Practicing the martial art of Aikido at McGill, under the stewardship of Sensei Laurendeau, has been a very enriching experience for me. There is a great deal of positive energy that comes out of those hours of training. In our lives, as we are subjected to pressures coming from various fronts, we tend to spend our energies handling those pressures rather than exploring a true sense of who we are and evaluating where we are at that moment in our life journey. Aikido was definitely a way for me to raise my awareness of who I am, and where I am in relationship to other people. As I practice it, Aikido is also very powerful at transforming negative energies into positive ones. Applying the same principles in my personal life, it has provided me with a more enriching and inspiring journey. " ~ Michel Brutti, Assistant-Instructor
Louise Potvin - Shodan
" Plus impliqué dans l'enseignement, autant avec les enfants que les adultes, je m'applique à transmettre ce que j'ai appris, ce que je continue d'apprendre et surtout, ce que j'en ai compris." ~ Louise Potvin – Assistante-instructeure Raymond Yuan - Shodan
" The study of Aikido is intriguing in that applications look effortless when executed by experienced Aikidokas, but is very frustrating to the novice. The allure to this art is the economy of movement, spirals of neutralization, projections and wrist controls. An often neglected aspect of Aikido, is the spiritual component which aims to cultivate inner peace. The tatami is my escape from the hectic work schedule and enables me to focus on the present." ~ Raymond Yuan, Assistant-Instructor
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