Event Archive

In cooperation with the Kakehashi Alumni Committee, APF Canada is pleased to invite all Canadian, U.S. and Japanese Kakehashi alums to join us for a special tri-cultural celebration of Autumnal Equinox Day, known as Shubun no Hi in Japan. The 60-minute event will include interactive presentations from representatives of each of the 3 countries and opportunities for group discussion. Come learn about “shokuyoku no aki”, “o-higan”, “kōyō”, as well as the signs and symbols of autumn in Canada, Japan and the U.S. 

With borders reopening, the world will intertwine once again. The past few years have challenged many things, including physical mobility, how we relate to each other, the urgent call for equitable and just relations, the ever-evolving concept of sustainability, the introduction or resurfacing of Indigenous wisdom, how cultures are understood or relearned, and how borders of nations and people are being redrawn and redefined.

But what have we learned from the pandemic? And how does that impact the creative sector?

This forum convenes four leaders in the creative sector representing different corners of the Pacific: from Taiwan, the former Chair of the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) and former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture in Taiwan, Ting Hsiao-ching; from Canada, the CEO of Creative BC, Prem Gill; from Australia, International Development Consultant for the Australia Arts Council, Norman Armour; from Canada, Chair of the Board of CAPACOA and director of Vancouver Civic Theatre, Natalie Lue.

These creative leaders will share their perspectives and experiences in non-profit arts and creative industries, particularly on their work in the sector as it relates to lessons learned during COVID and cultivating soft power internationally.

Jeff Nankivell, President and CEO of Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, will moderate this partner event.

The University of Victoria and the Senate of Canada are co-hosting the three-day Victoria Forum 2022 beginning August 28, 2022. The Victoria Forum is structured around a number of plenary panels and parallel think-tank sessions and this year will explore topics including social exclusion in the COVID era, pathways to bridging economic and environmental divides in an age of misinformation, and advancing truth, respect and reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples.

The Forum, launched in 2017, facilitates constructive dialogue, collaboration, and forward thinking by focusing on results and building bridges between different groups.

As an event partner of this year's Victoria Forum, APF Canada's President and CEO Jeff Nankivell is a guest speaker at the De-globalization Roundtable on the third day. The Foundation's Distinguished Fellows Van Jackson and Atsushi Sunami will be speaking about Trust Building in Asia in an Era of Great Power Competition on the third day, at 11:20 a.m. PT.

On behalf of the Kakehashi Alumni Committee, APF Canada is pleased to invite Kakehashi Project alums to an online event featuring guest speaker Asano Wakana (Business Transformation Consultant, IBM; Kakehashi 2016). Ms. Asano will speak about her experiences as Head Japanese Delegate at Y20 Indonesia 2022, Vice-President at Y7 Japan 2023 and Global Dialogue Fellow at Y20 Saudi Arabia 2020, as well as her work with G20 Summits, the United Nations and the Government of Japan. Special guest speaker Jodi-Ann Jue Xuan Wang will also share her perspective as a Y20 2022 Canadian delegate. This English-language event is open to all Kakehashi participants.

Join us for a discussion on the current and future states of Japanese politics in the aftermath of the death of Former Prime Minister Shinzō Abe on July 8, 2022. Webinar topics will include the legacy of Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, the recent elections, and the future of Japanese politics.

Event speakers and presenters include:

• Professor Phillip Y. Lipscy, Chair in Japanese Politics and Global Affairs and Director of the Centre for the Study of Global Japan at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.
• Tobias Harris, Senior Fellow for Asia at the Center for American Progress, and a leading expert in Japanese politics.
• Deanna Horton, a Senior Fellow at the Munk School, a Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, and a global fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC.

This one-hour English-language event will consist of three "virtual" festivals presented by Kakehashi Alumni. We'll learn not only about summer festivals in Japan, but also about summer holidays and fun festivals in Canada and the U.S. Join us to learn about Japan’s summer traditions and to chat with Kakehashi peers in Canada, Japan and the U.S. Presented by the Kakehashi Alumni Committee with support from the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) and APF Canada.

George Leslie Mackay (1844–1901) began Canada's engagement with Asia when he founded the Canada Presbyterian mission in north Formosa in March 1872. Mackay’s missionary career and contributions to Taiwan have long been celebrated. After 150 years, organizers of this symposium want to widen the focus to explore the history of Canadian engagement with Asia that Mackay started.

This event is organized by the Canadian Mackay Committee with support from the Centre for Asian-Canadian Theology and Ministry at Knox College, the University of Toronto, and the York Centre for Asian Research at York University.

Our Senior Program Manager, Engaging Asia, Scott Harrison, and Junior Research Scholar, Quinton Huang will be speaking at the roundtable on Alberta and British Columbia in the Canada-Japan Relationship on Friday, June 24, 2022. 

B.C.’s trade with Japan was given a major boost in 2018 with the implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which is a trading block representing 495 million people with a combined gross domestic product of CAD $13.5 trillion — a full 13.5% of global GDP. The agreement is in force for Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Brunei, Chile and Malaysia have not yet ratified the CPTPP. 

Through the CPTPP, Canada and B.C. now have preferential access to some of the world’s most dynamic and fast-growing markets, which will strengthen B.C. businesses, grow the economy, and create good jobs in all regions of B.C. Japan was B.C.’s 3rd largest export destination with goods exports totaling $4.7 billion in 2021. Japan is the world’s third largest economy, with a significant consumer market and is a key participant in global value chains.

If you are interested in the Japanese market or want to learn more about how the CPTPP can reduce your costs and make you more competitive, we highly encourage you to join this webinar. 

Webinar Program: 

• Honourable George Chow, B.C. Minister of State for Trade – Opening remarks
• A.W. Lee, Senior Program Manager, Diversity and Inclusive Growth Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada 
• Lisa Mallin, First Secretary, Trade Policy – CPTPP, Embassy of Canada in Japan 
• Eric Petersson, Trade Commissioner, Global Affairs Canada, Pacific Regional Office
• Ryo Tokunaga, Managing Director, Tokyo Office, Government of British Columbia
• Ben Kolisnyk, Senior Manager, Trade Policy and Negotiations Branch, B.C. Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery & Innovation
• Morgan Brown, Account Manager, B.C., Export Development Canada
• B.C. businesses with experience in Japan and the CPTPP
• Q&A

Our Senior Program Manager, Diversity and Inclusive Growth Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs, Central Canada Office (Toronto), A.W. Lee will be speaking at this event. 

B.C.’s trade with Australia and New Zealand was given a major boost in 2018 when Canada, Australia and New Zealand ratified the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which is a trading block representing 495 million people with a combined gross domestic product of CAD $13.5 trillion — a full 13.5% of global GDP. The CPTPP is in force for Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam, and, once they have ratified, Brunei, Chile and Malaysia.

Through the CPTPP, Canada and B.C. now have preferential access to some of the world’s most dynamic and fast-growing markets, which will strengthen B.C. businesses, grow the economy, and create good jobs in all regions of B.C. The CPTPP strengthens the rules-based trading environment and provide enhanced market access for exporters and investors and establishes duty-free access for trade in goods between Canada and Australia & New Zealand, eliminating tariffs for key B.C. exports.

If you are interested in the Australian or New Zealand markets or want to learn more about how the CPTPP can reduce your costs and make you more competitive, we highly encourage you to join this webinar.

Webinar Program:

• A.W. Lee, Senior Program Manager, Diversity and Inclusive Growth Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
• Martin Arseneault, Vice-Consul - Trade Commissioner, Trade Commissioner Service, Australia 
• Fabienne Bovis, Trade Commissioner & Maria Lo, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner, Trade Commissioner Service, New Zealand
• Eric Petersson, Trade Commissioner, Global Affairs Canada, Pacific Regional Office
• Ben Kolisnyk, Senior Manager, Trade Policy and Negotiations Branch, B.C. Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery & Innovation
• Diane Belliveau, Chief Representative, Australia & New Zealand & Inyeob Kim, Account Manager, B.C. – Export Development Canada
• B.C. businesses with experience in Australia/New Zealand and the CPTPP
• Q&A

Our Senior Program Manager, Diversity and Inclusive Growth Strategy for Women Entrepreneurs, Central Canada Office (Toronto), A.W. Lee will be speaking at this event.  

As Canada and the United States develop new Indo-Pacific and economic security strategies, Japan serves as a useful model. Japan now has a cabinet minister specifically responsible for economic security as Japan addresses the economic fallout and supply chain disruptions due to U.S.-China tensions, global decoupling, COVID and the war in Ukraine. To build resilience, Japanese companies are proactively diversifying their supply chains beyond China.

How will these trends play out in the post-pandemic era, and what are the implications for North America?

Join experts Dr. Kazuto Suzuki (GraSPP, University of Tokyo) and Dr. Ulrike Schaede (University of California San Diego) for this discussion, moderated by APF Canada Distinguished Fellow Deanna Horton.

On behalf of the National Coalition of Canadians Against Anti-Asian Racism (NCCAAR) and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada), we would like to invite you to join us online for our Asian Heritage Month Celebration: Inspiring Next GenerAsian Leaders, on May 6, 2022, from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m – 4:30 p.m. PT). The online event will stream the in-person event taking place in Toronto.
 

Agenda

The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) will hold its second meeting for 2022 in Vancouver 25-28 April 2022 to deliver some of the major outcomes for the year, including the Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) Letter and the ABAC Statement on the World Trade Organization and preparations for the MRT-ABAC Public Private Dialogue in Bangkok, Thailand on 21-22 May 2022.

ABAC is a private sector arm of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), comprising 21 member economies. ABAC’s primary mission is to advise APEC officials on business sector priorities and concerns, and present annual recommendations to APEC leaders. ABAC’s members include CEOs, presidents, and senior executives from APEC economies.

Canada’s ABAC Member representatives are Timothy D. Dattels, Chairman of TPG Asia; Janet De Silva, President and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade; and Joseph S. Fung, Managing Partner, Saltagen Ventures.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada serves as the secretariat for Canada's ABAC members, providing research, analysis, and administrative support.

This meeting is closed to the public.

Visit ABAC’s official website to learn more about ABAC and its activities.

APF Canada would like to thank the Business Council of British Columbia and DiliTrust Canada for their generous support of ABAC II 2022.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (HKCBA) are proud to present The 8th Transpacific Entrepreneurial Virtual Conference. This 2-day conference will showcase “the roadmaps” to using Hong Kong as a platform for entrepreneurial ventures “from seed to exit” while discussing current opportunities for companies looking to expand into Canada, Hong Kong, or Greater China.

APF Canada's President and CEO, Jeff Nankivell will be speaking at this conference. 

Rotman School of Management in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is pleased to host Sam Pitroda's book launch, Redesign the World. 

Book Synopsis: The world was last designed 75 years ago, about the same time that Sam Pitroda was born. This design has outlived its utility. Hyperconnectivity and the COVID-19 pandemic offer a unique opportunity to redesign the world to take humanity to the next level. Redesigning the world is not about looking at it from the point of view of liberal or conservative; left or right; capitalism or socialism; public or private; democracy, dictatorship or monarchy; open or closed systems; rich or poor; urban or rural; East or West; white, brown, black, or yellow. This proposed redesign of the world has the planet and its people at the centre; it is built on the foundations of sustainability, inclusion, equality, equity and justice so that everyone on earth can enjoy peace and prosperity. It is not an idealist or Utopian vision, but one with humanity at its core. This book is about reshaping the world to meet the future challenges of our planet and our people.

About Our Speaker:  Mr. Sam Pitroda is an internationally respected development thinker, policymaker,  inventor, and entrepreneur who has spent more than 55 years in Telecom & IT

Credited with laying the foundation of India's technology revolution in the 1980s, he was advisor to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi  in 1980s and Dr. Singh in the 2010s with a cabinet minister’s rank. Mr. Pitroda invented the electronic diary in 1974, mobile wallet in 1996, and set up C-SAM Inc., acquired by Master Card in 2013. He was Chairman of the National Knowledge Commission, National Innovation Council, Smart Grid Task, railway modernization, and public broadcast reforms.

Mr. Pitroda holds over 100 patents, 20 Hon. Ph.D.s, and has published and lectured extensively globally. He is a member of the American Academy of Engineers. His biography was published in 1992, autobiography Dreaming Big in 2015, and Redesign the World in 2021.

INDIGI-X is pleased to invite the public to attend the final presentations of the third cohort of its virtual exchange program.

This group of 24 Indigenous Professionals from across Aotearoa and Turtle Island has been working together for six weeks on a series of topics that are important to them and their communities.

By connecting virtually, engaging in ceremony, networking and working together on common themes, this collective of community builders and change-makers has come up with interesting insights in the areas of building relationships, fostering creativity, and empowering women and Indigenous youth.

Agenda:

Canada: 31 March 2022 18:00 - 20:00 ET / 15:00 - 17:30 PT

New Zealand: 1 April 2022, 11:00 - 13:30 NZDT

• Opening Ceremony / Karakia
• Session Introduction
• Ministerial Statements (Canada and New Zealand)
• Presentations from each Group (10 mins each)
• Discussion and Feedback
• Closing Thoughts
• Closing Ceremony / Karakia

INDIGI-X, an institutional partner of APF Canada, welcomes you to join this celebration of what this dynamic group of Māori, First Nation, and Métis leaders was able to accomplish during the exchange.

Want to learn more? INDIGI-X is a global exchange for Indigenous Professionals around the world. Visit www.INDIGI-X.com.

Presented by the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), with strong support from leading printing company Toppan Inc. and the Aya Irodori Studio, traditional Japanese tie-dye studio.

Kakehashi participants from Canada and the U.S. are invited to an exclusive visit to an Arimatsu Narumi Shibori workshop in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture producing some of the finest traditional tie-dye crafts in the world. Japan’s shibori tie-dye tradition dates as far back as the 8th century. Refined over centuries, the 300-year-old techniques and elegant designs of Arimatsu Narumi Shibori are recognized for their distinctive shading, texture and patterns. 

The event includes a virtual studio tour plus a presentation and workshop demonstration led by celebrated Japanese tie-dye artist Osuka Aya. There will also be opportunities for Q&A, networking, and group discussion.
 

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada invites you to the official launch of our five-part research report series, Translating Asia Pacific COVID-19 Experiences for Canada, with funding support from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

To better prepare for health crises in the future, it is crucial that Canada evaluate its own COVID-19 challenges and shortcomings and that it learns from the experience, knowledge, and preparation in pandemic responses from other countries.

This virtual public event, Pandemic X: Are We Ready for ‘The Next Time’?, draws from the findings of our comprehensive research project examining the diverse COVID-19 experiences of multiple economies in the Asia Pacific and features researchers and special expert guests in public health, policy, and pandemic responses.

Our APF Canada and partner analysts provide policy recommendations for Canada through this project, including valuable structural recommendations to help the federal government reform Canada’s pandemic preparedness and build comprehensive response strategies to health crises in the future.

Join us for an overview of our project findings and a moderated discussion on Canada’s level of preparedness for ‘the next time.’

Guest Speakers:

• Dr. Kelley Lee, PhD
  Professor of Health Sciences, Canada Research Chair Tier 1, Simon Fraser University
• Dr. Peter Berman, PhD
  Professor, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia

Kakehashi participants from Canada, the US and Japan are invited to an exclusive glimpse into one of Japan’s most fascinating and unique traditional festivals—Toyama Prefecture’s Owara Kaze no Bon. With almost 400 years of history, the Owara draws more than 200,000 people to the town of Yatsuo every September who come to enjoy a unique musical and dance experience unavailable anywhere else in Japan. 

The event is in English with live interpretation and subtitles, and will include:

• Presentations on the festival’s background, music, costumes, and dances
• An interactive dance workshop
• Live music and dance performances
• Q&A, networking, and group discussion
• Remarks from Deputy Head of Mission & Minister Furuya Tokuro, Embassy of Japan to Canada, and Mr. Fujii Hirohisa, Mayor of Toyama City, Japan

Hear from four of our fellow Kakehashi alums who are currently living in Japan — whether they be ‘old-hands’ who have been there for years or ‘newbies’ who arrived after the pandemic — and learn about their stories of making the move, adjusting to a new culture, and their lives in Japan today. The event will feature presentations and moderated discussions, as well as Q&A and opportunities for breakout discussions and networking. Opening remarks will be delivered by H.E. Kawamura Yasuhisa, Ambassador of Japan to Canada. All Canadian and Japanese Kakehashi participants are welcome.

The Indo-Pacific is a critical region, containing over half the world’s population, almost two-thirds of global GDP, and seven of the world’s largest military forces. In recent years, major actors have formulated Indo-Pacific strategies to serve as guiding principles for their regional engagement.

From an early stage, Japan has articulated a vision for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” emphasizing principles such as the rule of law, quality infrastructure investment, and maritime stability. In September 2021, the European Union adopted a strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, emphasizing stepped up engagement in priority areas such as sustainable and inclusive prosperity and a green transition. In the United States, the Biden administration released its Indo-Pacific Strategy in February 2022, emphasizing both the importance of the region and mounting challenges, particularly China’s pursuit of a “sphere of influence” as it seeks “to become the world’s most influential power.” Canada is also actively developing an Indo-Pacific strategy to diversify trade and investment, strengthen security cooperation, and boost international assistance.

How should we understand these Indo-Pacific strategies? Are the strategies likely to contribute to tangible changes in foreign policy? What are the common themes, and what are significant areas of disagreement or divergence? How can global institutions complement the national strategies to facilitate cooperation and reduce systemic risks? What are the implications of the war in Ukraine for the Indo-Pacific? A panel of distinguished experts from Canada, Japan, the United States, and Europe will share their insights.

The Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy is hosting this event.

Our APF Canada Distinguished Fellows Jonathan T. Fried, Deanna Horton, and Yves Tiberghien will be speaking at this partner event.