A roundtable discussion with Australia’s new High Commissioner to Canada, Natasha Smith, as she discusses Australia’s Foreign Policy White Paper on a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The White Paper was released in late 2017 and is the first comprehensive review of Australia's international engagement in 14 years. Discover what this means for Australia’s international engagement moving forward, particularly in the context of a rapidly-shifting international landscape. 

A roundtable discussion on global best practices for renewable energy, how Canada can benefit from emergent opportunities in the Asia Pacific, and how Canada can adopt and benefit from technological innovation in the region. Renewable energy consultant Cat Brown will also speak about advances in Cleantech and the international work she has done in this space. Cat has over 20 years of international management experience in energy in the U.K., Northern Europe, North Africa, Russia, and North America.

This Event is by Invitation Only 

China is going to hold its first China International Import Expo in Shanghai from November 5-to-10, 2018. Hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, with support from the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, the event aims to promote trade liberalization and economic globalization, and actively open the Chinese market to the world.

Is the Expo relevant to Canada, and how? Can Canada take advantage of the event to promote its trade and economic relations with China? Please join Dr. Ni Shoubing from Shanghai University of International Business and Economics in a discussion on The China International Import Expo and Its Implications for Canada-China Trade and Economic Relations.

About Dr. Ni Shoubin

Dr. Ni Shoubin is Professor and Dean of the School of Law, Shanghai University of International Business and Economics (SUIBE). He earned his Ph.D. in international law in 2005 from East China University of Politics and Law. He was a visiting scholar at Duke Law School from 2011 to 2012. Before joining SUIBE, he worked at investment and commercial banks in Shanghai for six years. He is also an arbitrator and serves as counselor for the Shanghai High Court.

RSVP required. Email events@asiapacific.ca to reserve yourself a seat.

Deanna Horton, an APF Canada Distinguished Fellow and Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, will discuss new software and analytics applications in advanced manufacturing. She will also share how Canadian tech companies are participating in international markets, and especially how they are taking advantage of opportunities in Asia. 

By Invitation Only 

A private roundtable discussion with the Head of Communications and Development for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Laurel Ostfield. Laurel will discuss how the new multilateral development bank aims to create a better tomorrow for billions of people by investing in sustainable infrastructure in Asia and beyond. 

By Invitation Only 

Join us March 15, 2018 for a special presentation on displacement, statelessness, and human rights and identity with acclaimed Canadian/American documentary photographer Greg Constantine. Greg’s presentation – driven by his stunning photography and first-hand experiences among the displaced persons of the Asia Pacific – will address the issue of global statelessness with a hard focus on the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar/Bangladesh.   

The multimedia event will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on March 15, 2018 at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s Vancouver office (900-675 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1N2). Following Greg’s presentation there will be an audience Q&A. Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to attend to Events Manager Mandy Ng at mandy.ng@asiapacific.ca.

Greg Constantine is a Canadian/American documentary photographer who has been based in Southeast Asia since early 2006. He has dedicated his career to long-term projects about human rights, inequality and injustice. He spent more than a decade working on the acclaimed project Nowhere People, is the author of three books and solo exhibitions of his work have been shown in over 40 cities worldwide.

In late 2016, Greg earned his Ph.D. from Middlesex University in the U.K. He was 2015 Distinguished Visiting Fellow with the International State Crime Initiative at Queen Mary University of London and is a 2018 IISRF Fellow at the Independent Social Research Foundation. Since November 2017 Greg has been an Artist in Residence of Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada. He is currently working on a new long-term project called SEVEN DOORS, which explores and exposes the impact of immigration detention on asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants around the world.

Visit Greg on Twitter and Instragram: @grconstantine. And explore his work online: www.nowherepeople.org and www.7doors.org

Overview:

The United Nations estimates some 12 million people worldwide are without an effective nationality and are stateless. From Myanmar to Nepal and Malaysia to Thailand, Asia is home to some of the world's largest stateless communities.

While a person or community can become stateless for any number of reasons, it is the arbitrary denial of this fundamental right by the state, as well as the manifestation of discrimination and intolerance into policy, that rest at the heart of this global issue.

In August of 2017, many people in Canada were introduced for the first time to the persecution of the stateless Rohingya community from Myanmar (also called Burma). Described by the UN as a “text book case of ethnic cleansing,” others have claimed it is just one more step in a genocidal process that has spanned decades. This recent 'scorched earth' campaign by the Myanmar authorities and members of the local Rakhine Buddhist community has essentially eradicated the Rakhine State of the Rohingya by forcing 700,000 Rohingya out of the country and into neighbouring Bangladesh. It is the fastest and largest humanitarian crisis in the world today.

Documentary photographer, Greg Constantine has been documenting the persecution of the Rohingya community for 12 years, including time in Bangladesh in September 2017. Join us for this special presentation of his groundbreaking work on global statelessness. Greg will discuss this recent wave of violence toward the Rohingya under the civilian-led government of the NLD and Aung San Suu Kyi, how little if anything is being done to hold anyone to account for the atrocities, the response from ASEAN to the crisis, and how the issue of statelessness extends well beyond Asia and impacts societies and the lives of millions elsewhere in the world.

A private roundtable discussion with Deputy Ambassador Kirsten Hillman. The discussion will offer insights into where we are with NAFTA, how we anticipate CPTPP rolling out; and how are these agreements and others on the horizon changing the geopolitical landscape for Canada?

By Invitation Only

An intimate lunch we’re hosting with members and friends of the APFC. We will be discussing challenges and potential solutions to the interrelated issues of declining reporter-based media and the rise of disinformation in Canada and how this affects the Canada-Asia relationships. We are doing this in collaboration with the Public Policy Forum. We invite you to share your perspectives on this topic and on options going forward.

By Invitation Only

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) invites you to join us for a brownbag discussion on geopolitics and security shifts in East Asia focusing on Japan. There have been a number of dynamics impacting the geopolitical landscape in East Asia over the past few years. The most acute – and recent – examples of this have been the intensifying provocations from North Korea, which continues to look at enhancing its nuclear and missile program.

But, there are also a number of other critical changes in the region – from new leadership in South Korea to leadership consolidation in China. The region also continues to adapt to a new administration in the U.S. and its changing views on trade and – perhaps – alliances. All of these factors have made Japan's geo-strategic environment more complex. How is Japan adapting to this change and what are the tripwires to watch for? Also, what role is Canada – as a key middle power and long-standing friend of Tokyo – playing in this security environment?

The Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council (ABLAC) comprises a high-level group of Asian and Canadian business leaders convened annually to identify and articulate opportunities for improved Canadian-Asian business engagement. Launched in 2016, ABLAC has already established a critical forum to catalyze dialogue and action. To date, the focus has centred on the importance of a strong and distinctive Canadian brand in Asia, and the determinants of a successful Canadian pivot towards the region.

This year's meeting includes an exploratory session examining the current global context affecting Canada’s relationships with Asia, and a consultative session assisting with the development of a Canadian Asia Strategy for the 21st century.

Please note that this is an invitation-only event.

Janice McDonald, President of global business consulting firm, The Beacon Agency, will discuss the findings from her latest report (supported by BMO and the Centre for Women in Politics and Pubic Leadership at Carleton University) that examines common myths, barriers, and opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Canada.

Janice will be in conversation with APF Canada’s President & CEO Stewart Beck, and VP Research & Programs Eva Busza, who will share findings from APF Canada’s national “Women to Women Roundtable” series.

VP Operations Vilupti Lok Barrineau (who has 25 years of global experience in the field of women’s financial inclusion and gender equality), and Project Specialist Amar Nijhawan (who recently conducted research looking at the role of women entrepreneurs in start-up ecosystems in South and Southeast Asia) will be responding to Janice’s work with anecdotes and lessons learned from the Asia Pacific. 

By invitation only. 

The CERBA-Vancouver Board of Directors invites its members and friends to attend the VII Mining and Mineral Exploration Conference organized on the margins of AME BC Roundup 2018 in collaboration with Deloitte and Deloitte Tax Law LLP, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, the Association of Mineral Exploration BC.

Discussion topics will include new government policies and business climate implications in Eurasian and Central Asia countries, active projects, and resource industry demands for innovations and technologies transfer with sustainable regional development. 

Agenda:

11:30am Registration
12:00pm Opening Remarks
12:30pm Panel 1: Capitalize on resource opportunities in Eurasia and Central Asia: What's new?
2:00pm   Panel 2: Active Projects and Leveraging Innovation Techonologies 
3:30pm   Panel 3: Sustainable communities and engagement of First Nations in Resource Development Projects
4:45pm   Special Presentation: Eastern Economic Forum - 2018
5:00pm   Networking Reception 

Please register through this link.

This will be a multi-sectoral dialogue on the importance of food security in the Canada-Asia relationship. Our guest speakers Timothy Kendrick (President, BW Global), Gisèle Yasmeen (Senior Fellow, Institute of Asian Research, University of British Columbia), and Ishkandar Ahmed (CEO, Choices Markets) will offer evidence-based perspectives on the impact of innovation on food production, the role of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the agri-food sector and the challenges they face, as well as how Canadian retailers and consumers are affected by shifts in international food production and procurement.

Manny Mogato, a journalist with Reuters in the Philippines and this year's winner of the McLuhan Fellowship, will be presenting on the spread of fake news in the Philippines and how this undermines the news media's role. His discussion comes at a time when human rights and other fundamental freedoms in the Philippines are under the spotlight, and will explore what journalists should do to respond to the threats of fake news and the lack of accountability by purveyors of false information.

Donald Campbell is the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister's Personal Representive for G8 Summits (1997-2000), and Deputy Minister of International Trade (1989 - 1993) in the department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (now Global Affairs Canada).

He will be providing his insights from the summit on the Asia Pacific Economic-Cooperation (APEC) 2017 meetings in Vietnam, exploring where the Trade Pacific Partnership (TPP) stands now that the U.S. has pulled out. He will also share some of his deep understanding of NAFTA, and how it intertwines with the TPP – and how Canada may ultimately benefit from the current crisis of fractured alliances and straned strategic relationships internationally.

Join us for a roundtable discussion on middle power diplomacy and the role Canada can play. This event is hosted by Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, Australia, the Univeristy of British Columbia and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. 

Agenda:

9:30 - 10:00 - Registration

10:00 - 10:10 - Welcome Remarks                       

                        Gunn Kim, Consul General of the Republic of Korea 

                        Paul Evans, Acting Director of the Institute of Asian Research

10:10 - 11:50 - Session: Can Middle Powers Save the World Order from Unravelling?

                        Moderator : Paul Evans, Professor, UBC

                        Panel :

                           –Berenice Diaz Ceballos, Consul General of Mexico

                           –Anil Bora Inan, Consul General of the Republic of Turkey

                           –Kyung Ae Park, Professor, UBC

                           –Brian Job, Professor, UBC

                           –Donald Campbell,  Senior Strategy Advisor, DLA Piper

                         Discussion Panel :

                           –Gunn Kim, Consul General of the Republic of Korea

                           –Afina Burhanuddin, Deputy Consul General of the Republic of  Indonesia

                           – Kevin Lamb, Honorary Consul of Australia

                         Wrap up : Eva Busza,  Vice President, Asia Pacific Foundation 

12:00 - 13:30 - Luncheon

Part of APF Canada's APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership program, this training session will introduce relevant Canadian best practices on micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) business development in the area of technology and innovation to MSMEs in APEC developing economies, focusing on Vietnam. It will be held in Da Nang in the margins of the APEC Economic Leaders' Week and delivered in English and Vietnamese. 

Please click here to sign up for our MSME project mailing list, and for more information and regular updates on the program.

Since its founding in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has made some impressive achievements: it has doubled its membership from five countries to 10, now comprising a combined population of 625 million people; and, it has reached a level of cohesion and integration that is impressive in light of the economic, religious, cultural, and political diversity among its members.

As the association celebrates its 50th anniversary, now is a good time to take stock of the important role it is playing in the region’s politics, economics, and security. It is also a good time to look ahead to challenges ASEAN is facing at the dawn of its next 50 years.

To that end, the Asia Pacific Youth Council (APYC), an initiative of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, is organizing a three-part event series called “The ASEAN Dialogues.” The first dialogue, to be held on November 9, 2017, will focus on the following questions:

1. What challenges is ASEAN facing, both internally and externally?
2. What strengths does ASEAN have to deal with these challenges? What are its current shortcomings in dealing with these challenges?
3. What should Canada – especially Canadian youth – be doing to make itself better informed and relevant to ASEAN’s next phase?

The first dialogue will kick off with Dr. Paul Evans of UBC, an expert on ASEAN and Asian international relations; the Hon. Neil Frank Ferrer, current Philippine Consul General from the Philippines Consulate in Vancouver; and, Mr. Gordon Longmuir, a retired Canadian diplomat who served in multiple Asian countries. They will provide background and context to frame the discussion. (The Philippines has the ASEAN Chair in 2017). This will be followed by a discussion among participants.

Students and young professionals are especially encouraged to attend.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, in collaboration with AdvantageBC, is hosting a lunch with Canada's Ambassador to China, John McCallum. This is a closed-door roundtable discussion for British Columbia-based, China-focused industry leaders to discuss key issues and gain fresh insights in to China. 

Invitation Only.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is co-hosting with the University of British Columbia (UBC) a roundtable to generate a discussion about policy implications of recent research results from UBC’s Asia Pacific Dispute Resolution (APDR) Program.

This is part of a series of research and knowledge mobilization activities, which includes a series of international consultations to share and receive feedback on the research findings and analysis. These consultations will provide opportunities to discuss results from UBC's seven-year policy research program on co-ordination of international treaty compliance in trade and human rights, and resulting policy implications. 

Supported by the Major Collaborative Research Initiative (MCRI) program of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the APDR project has brought together researchers from Canada, Japan, China, India, Indonesia, Australia, and Israel to examine relationships between international trade policy and human rights performance.

Following summary presentations on research results linking trade policy with human rights themes of development; poverty/inequality; health rights; labour relations; and, government accountability, participants will discuss policy implications and responses.

By Invitation Only

Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada co hosted with Federal-Provincial-Territoral Working Group on Clean Growth. 
China represents unprecedented export opportunities for Canadian clean technology innovators. A great way to hear from federal officials and private sector representatives as they share their knowledge and experience regarding available resources, best practices and lessons learned that will help your stakeholders succeed. 

Invitation Only 

As an aspiring young entrepeneur in Vancouver, why is it important to think about Asian markets? What are some of the lessons that we can learn from the largest and fastest-growing markets in the world?

Already have an answer? Sell your idea in a 50-second elevator pitch competition and potentially win $100!

At Building Bridges, the goal is to connect young university entrepreneurs with local government bodies, renowned Vancouver entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists. We hope to share insight from experienced business leaders and their lessons learned from experiences in the dynamic economies of Asia.

Agenda:

5:30pm - 5:45pm Registration
5:45pm - 6:00pm Opening Remarks
6:00pm - 6:20pm Ken Su (National Partner, China Business Network, PwC)
6:20pm - 6:40pm Pascal Spothelfer (CEO, Genome BC)
6:40pm - 7:15pm Pitch Competition (10s transition, 50s pitch)
7:15pm - 7:30pm Judges Comments + Prize
7:30pm - 7:45pm Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada + Cansbridge Info Session
7:45pm - 8:30pm Q&A Panel
8:30pm - 8:45pm Closing Remarks
8:45pm - 9:30pm Open Floor Networking

Judging Panel:

William Yu (Founder, Cansbridge)
Brent James (CEO, Aquila Diagnostic Systems Inc.)
Maria Pacella (Sr. VP, Pender Fund)

Q&A Panel:

Nushrat Anjum (President, APF Youth Council)
Tina Lum (CEO, Push Operations)
+ 2 More Coming!

By invitation only. 

Join us for a panel discussion and workshop with our post-graduate research fellows, who will talk about their recent short-term field work in in Asia, looking at:

• East Asian youth cultures (China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan)

• Women entrepreneurs in Asia’s start-up scene (Pakistan, the Philippines, Vietnam)

• Canadian support for LGBTQ rights groups (Myanmar, South Korea, and Taiwan)

The panel discussion will be followed by two short workshops on how to do this kind of research and how to package it for a public audience.

This event is free and open to all undergraduate and graduate students. Please RSVP by September 13, 2017.

We would like to thank SFU's David See-Chai Lam Centre for International Communication for supporting this event.

Agenda

1:00-2:00                    Panel discussion

2:00-2:30                    Q&A with audience

2:45-3:45                    Workshop 1: Interviewing techniques

4:00-5:00                    Workshop 2: Podcasts 101

5:00-5:30                    Wine and cheese reception/networking

Join our roundtable discussion about Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) economics, policies, and programs in the world’s largest democracy. The BJP is one of the two major political parties in India, and is the country's largest in terms of representation in the national parliament and state assemblies.

During this roundtable discussion with lawyers from India’s J. Sagar Associates law firm, the macro economic framework and the legal and judicial system will be explored, with a focus on innovation and IP creation and the opportunities and challenges in doing business in India. A specific focus on energy, infrastructure, and sustainable development will also be covered. 

By invitation only.

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne will be discussing a broad topic about Asia ranging around trade. 

India Ambassador to South Korea Vikram K Doraiswami discusses India's Greater Asia Strategy, focusing on East Asia and escalated tensions on the Korean peninsula. 

Prof. Zhou Jianming will talk about China’s goals and tasks for poverty alleviation by 2020, mechanisms established to fulfill the goals, and achievements made so far. He will share his thoughts on the challenges ahead and options for future work.

Dr. Zhou Jianming, born in 1952, was a research professor at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, where he worked at the Institutes of Economics, Asia Pacific Research, and Social Studies, covering areas such as institutional building, international relations, and social governance.

Since 2016, Dr. Zhou has participated in the inspection and supervision of poverty alleviation in Hunan Province, and visited Hunan eight times to investigate its work on poverty alleviation. In addition, he has also visited Guizhou Province, Jiangxi Province, and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to investigate poverty alleviation in these areas.

Roundtable will be hosted in Chinese with English interpretation. 

By invitation only. 

Professor Zhou Jianming will talk about China's goals and tasks on proverty alleviation by 2020, mechanisms established to fulfill the goals, and achievements made so far. He will share his thoughts on the challenges ahead and options for future work. 

Our guest speaker Theressa Etmanski will be discussing the Gender, Violence and Justice in Myanmar. She will be sharing her recent experience working with activists in Myanmar fighting for women’s rights, providing insight into the country's current legal-political framework, identifying some specific barriers to access to justice for women, and highlighting important work that is currently being done at the grassroots level. Ms. Etmanski is a Canadian lawyer, women’s rights advocate, and graduate of the Masters of Arts in Asia Pacific Policy Studies (MAAPPS) program at UBC. 

Event is by invitation only. 

This symposium is a one-day event that focuses on start-ups and micro, small, and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs) in the APEC region. The event is planned in the margins of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) III meeting which runs from July 26th to 29th in Toronto. ABAC is the private sector arm of the Asia Pacific Economic Coorperation (APEC) and comprises a wide array of business leaders from the 21 APEC economies. ABACx will convene investors, leaders of incubators and accelerators, start-ups and policy-makers to discuss innovation and regulatory best practices. 

A lunchtime discussion and Q&A session with award winning filmmaker Roberta Staley. 
Mightier Than The Sword was this year's winner of Best Canadian Documentary at the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto. 

The Canada-China “One Belt, One Road” Economic Forum will be held in Vancouver July 3 from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm. The Forum, hosted by Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) Alumni Association of Canada and CAIFU Magazine, will convene 200+ distinguished government officials, senior executives of multinational corporations, and top business leaders from China to identify upcoming opportunities and challenges between Canada and China, and to discuss new prospects arising from China’s OBOR initiative.

This exclusive half-day forum will be led by Mr. Xiang Bing, Founding Dean of CKGSB, China’s leading independent business school. A delegation of 30 public companies’ senior executives, who are CKGSB alumni, will also join the Forum. CKGSB is known for its alumni network. More than half of CKGSB’s 10,000+ alumni are at the CEO or Chair level and, together, their companies accounted for one sixth of China’s GDP.

Please click here for more information. 

A working roundtable to produce recommendations to reinvigorate and guide Canadian trade engagement in the Pacific Rim based on recent policy research.  
Our guest speakers invited to this roundtable are Dan Ciuriak, Deborah Elms and Carlo Dade from Canada West Foundation. 

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is pleased to invite you to the second student working group showcase competition. The event features nine post-secondary students from British Columbia (UBC, SFU, UFV, and TRU) who have researched topics related to youth and contemporary issues in Asia for the past 20 weeks. They will be competing for first place and our People’s Choice awards.

Topics include:

• Chinese soft power and Canadian youth
• Chinese youth and the Internet
• Japan’s aging crisis
• Connecting to youth in Asia (Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam)
• Corporation diplomacy between South East Asia and Canada (Vietnam)
• Diplomacy through environmental organizations (Philippines)
• Engagement between B.C.'s Interior region and Asia
• Implications of immigration

This is a brownbag event with Dr. David Edgington. He will be comparing the different cultural, geographical and political settings that shaped the evolution of exclusion zones around the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in 2011 and the number 4 plant at Chernobyl in 1986. He is currently a professor of human geography at the University of British Columbia (UBC). 

The event is by invitation only.

The University of Alberta's China Institute is organizing the "7th Annual National Forum on Chinese Investment and Trade" on May 12, 2017 in Vancouver. Many topics around investment and trade will be covered.

Panels include:

• China's Rise in International Investment and Trade: A New Globalization Leader?
• Reassessing Canada's Economic Partnerships: the US, China and Beyond
• Approaching Free Trade Agreement with China: Policy Perspectives
• Market Access and Reciprocity: Industry Perspectives

For more details, please click here.

Guest speaker Gwen Robsinon will discuss how Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has strengthened Japan's foreign and security policy and broadened its diplomatic and economic relations with a focus on Southeast Asia, particularly Myanmar. Gwen is currently the Chief Editor of the Nikkei Asian Review, the English-language journal and website of Japanese Media group, Nikkei Inc.

This event is by invitation only. 

Our guest speaker Dr. Karen Eggleston will be discussing the major issues in China’s health-care sector reform and opportunities arising for Canada-China co-operation. She is currently a faculty member at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, Stanford University, and the Director of the Center's Asia Health Policy Program. 

Event is by invitation only.