Taiwan’s measures for preventing the spread of COVID-19 have been remarkably effective with 440 confirmed cases and only 7 deaths as of May 20, 2020, or an infection rate of about one case for every 54,000 people. By contrast, Canada has a rate of about one case for every 472 people. As economies around the world begin to re-open, Taiwan’s approaches can be instructive to other jurisdictions, helping global efforts to contain the virus until effective treatments and vaccines can be developed.

In this session, Minister Audrey Tang, Digital Minister, Taiwan would be providing some insites on the approach and lessons learned.

Speaker:

Minister Audrey Tang was appointed to Taiwan’s Executive Yuan, or Cabinet, in 2016, and has described her role as being one that, through the use of digital technologies and systems, assists the government in solving problems and enhances communication and cooperation between government agencies, civil technology and community. Minister Tang remains a member of the K-12 National Curriculum Development Committee (part of Taiwan’s National Academy for Education Research), and is an advisor to Apple, Oxford University Press and Socialtext Inc., a Silicon Valley-based company focused on enterprise social software. She is a free software programmer and held senior positions with technology companies and programming languages from an early age, including with Perl 6 (now Raku), S-Team Technology Co., Haskell Language, OurInternet Inc., BenQ Corp., and Inforian Inc.

South Korea has earned wide acclaim from international observers for its swift and organized response to a rapid rise in cases early in the COVID-19 pandemic. This response enabled the country to contain the novel coronavirus's spread, ‘flattening the curve’ without comprehensive lockdowns or travel bans, which have characterized many other countries’ experiences.

In this session, noted economist Dr. Choi Byung-il and public health expert Dr. Kwon Soonman will speak to the multifaceted response by South Korea’s government, industry, and civil society that helped buoy the country – socially and economically – during the pandemic. Discussion will be moderated by Dr. Yoon Songyee, CEO of NCSOFT West and 2020 Chair of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council.

Speakers:

Dr. CHOI Byung-il: Professor and Former Dean, Graduate School of International Studies, Ewha Womans University; President Emeritus, Korea International Economic Association; Former President and CEO, Korea Economic Research Institute.

Dr. KWON Soonman, Professor and Former Dean of the School of Public Health, Seoul National University; President of the Korean Health Economic Association; Former President of Korean Society of Gerontology.

Moderator:

Dr. YOON Songyee, Chief Executive Officer, NCSOFT West; Asian Business Leaders Advisory Council (ABLAC) 2020 Chair.

The Asian Development Bank has recently published its regular flagship publication, Asian Development Outlook (ADO). It reports that developing Asia’s growth will slow sharply to 2.2% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak and global growth slowdown. The decline in growth is broad-based, affecting the People's Republic of China and India, as well as the rest of developing Asia’s economies. Risks to the region's economies are extremely large due to the uncertain evolution and effects of the ongoing pandemic. In the first presentation of ADO 2020 in Canada, ADB's Chief Economist, Yasuyuki Sawada, will also share just-updated and previously unreleased estimates of the pandemic's economic impact on the world's most populous region. In addition, Dr. Sawada will discuss economic policy implications of COVID-19 in Asia and the Pacific.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is proud to announce the 2020 launch of its annual APF Canada Investment Monitor signature report, which delves into the foreign direct investment (FDI) relationship between Canada and the Asia Pacific.

The launch coincides with the online release of new data through investmentmonitor.ca, which allows Canadians to use our data visualization tool to uncover novel stories about the Canada-Asia Pacific investment relationship.

By harnessing primary sources and in-depth research, the Investment Monitor adds much needed nuance to flashpoint discussions on the future of Canada’s economic engagement with the Asia Pacific at a time when that engagement is urgently needed. The investment landscape will shift considerably as the world navigates the impacts of COVID-19, and APF Canada’s tracking will provide a valuable baseline as we look to the coming years.

The 2020 report, Trade Agreements & Foreign Investment in the Asia Pacific, focuses on the connections between FDI and Canada’s free trade agreements with Asia Pacific economies. As 2019 concludes the first year of Canada’s engagement in the CPTPP, this report adds to our understanding of how FTAs can provide a roadmap for Asia Pacific engagement. This year’s report also expands on the previous report’s city-level coverage of FDI by analyzing how Canada’s cities are both investors and recipients and describing FDI’s role in rural Canadian communities.

We invite you to join us as we take stock of the Canada-Asia investment relationship to date, and examine the importance of strategic engagement going forward.

This project was completed in partnership with The School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary and with sponsorship from the Government of British Columbia, AdvantageBC, Bank of Canada, Export Development Canada, and Invest in Canada.

The Asia Pacific Youth Council invites you to 'Love in Translation,' a Floor 9 Salon Series event featuring a screening of It Runs in the Family, a film by award-winning director Joella Cabalu.

About the film

A gay Filipino-Canadian artist, Jay Cabalu, along with his sister Joella, travels from Vancouver, Canada to the U.S. and the Philippines to meet their other queer relatives to see how they have reconciled their religiosity, sexuality, and family relationships.

As the audience, we are invited into Jay's art studio to look on as he creates a new collage art piece and reflects back on his journey and its impact on his struggles.

It Runs in the Family is an intimate exploration of acceptance and what the modern queer family can be like in the Filipino diaspora. Click the movie still below to view the trailer.

About the director

Since then, Joella has developed a track record as a creative and collaborative producer working with emerging women directors on compelling short documentaries, including FIXED! (2017), Do I Have Boobs Now? (2017), and Biker Bob's Posthumous Adventure (2019). She is currently producing her first feature documentary, Back Home, with support from the Telefilm Talent to Watch fund.

Jack Austin Centre for Asia Pacific Business Studies Presents: Canada as a 21st Century Pacific Power: Toward 'Broad Diversification' in Asia

Dr. Jeffrey Reeves, Vice-President, Research for the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, will discuss the Foundation's new blueprint for a Canada-Asia strategy based on dominant regional trends and institutions, Canada's regional comparative advantage and value-add, and Canadian national interests.

The Asian region continues to grow in importance and in complexity for Canada. Opportunities for diplomatic and commercial engagement have expanded, for example, around areas including middle power diplomacy and economic regionalism. Concurrently, uncertainty and instability in the Asia Pacific – whether in the form of trade tensions between the United States and China, a deterioration in bilateral relations between Canada and China, or a creeping militarization of issues ranging from the South China Sea to India-controlled Kashmir – have grown and continue to expand.

A roundtable discussion with Dr. Arisa Ema, Assistant Professor at the University of Tokyo.

Dr. Ema will talk about artificial intelligence (AI) and the social issues it underpins in Japan, drawing from her extensive academic and policy work.

Following her presentation, a discussion with Canadian experts will be facilitated to explore opportunities for closer co-operation between Canada and Japan on AI.

Join us on Monday, January 27th for a special film screening and discussion on family, identity, and Asian-Canadian heritage with touching works from local, rising film directors. Through the lens of three young filmmakers, this Floor 9 Salon Series presentation will explore the complexity of identity, the wrestling between two cultures and the resulting shared experience of filial reconciliation.

You will be introduced to the work of each filmmaker through a short pre-screening presentation, and each film will be followed by a discussion and a Q&A session. 

Refreshments will be served!

Featured Short Films:

Breakaway

Directed by Jenny Lee-Gilmore: Set in 1970s Vancouver, Canada, Breakaway follows 11-year-old Sammy, an ice hockey-obsessed Chinese-Canadian girl. She has dreams of one day playing ice hockey but her responsibilities at home and bullying older brother get in the way.

Kueh

Directed by Ian Tan & Shiun Okada: Kueh tells the story of Jin, a Malaysian-Canadian high-schooler. A past family tragedy is brought up when Jin asks to borrow the family car, which creates a rift in his relationship with his father.

Thicker Than Water

Directed by Joshua Lam: Spurred into reconciling the rift between them through their father’s last written words, siblings Justin and Katie explore their inconsistent memories over a long lost photo journal.

States across the globe are defining conceptions of, and strategies for engaging, the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), an emerging geopolitical construct that extends from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. Many of these states have different definitions of the geographic scope of the Indo-Pacific, not to mention different visions and interests for the region. Some, including Canada, have yet to define a stance.

As the Indo-Pacific strategic environment continues to evolve in unpredictable ways, and despite these varying characterizations of FOIP, it is important for Canada and like-minded states across the region to develop multilateral standards and strategies in response to regional issues. To achieve greater regional co-ordination between such states, frank dialogue around specific opportunities for co-operation is essential.

To this end, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, with the support of the Japanese Embassy in Ottawa and other public and private sector partners, will convene a conference in Vancouver on January 22/23 2020 to facilitate such a dialogue.

The Free and Open Indo-Pacific: Charting a Common Approach conference will explore different states’ understanding of the FOIP concept as it applies to their domestic, foreign, and security policy-making processes. Speakers and participants will be invited from Canada and Japan, as well as from ASEAN member states, Australia, New Zealand, India, and the United States. Participants will provide an overview of their state’s respective understanding of the FOIP concept and outline state-directed activities undertaken in support of FOIP.

In particular, participants will explore the three broad and interconnected themes of governance, economic interconnectivity, and security challenges, all with an eye on facilitating unity of action. Within these themes, there are a number of specific issue areas with strong opportunities for regional co-operation. These include, but are not limited to: international law, trade and investment, energy and food security, gender and indigenous relations, supply chain management, maritime security, and peace-support co-operation in the Indo-Pacific.

The Free and Open Indo-Pacific: Charting a Common Approach conference will serve as a venue for informed scholarship and policy discussion – the first step in actualizing a common approach challenges for the Indo-Pacific.

By Invitation Only

Mr. Stephenson will speak on the current downward trajectory of U.S.-China relations and how Canada – despite any resolution in the arbitrary arrest of the two Michaels and/or the Meng Wanzhou affair – is going to have to deal with increasing competition and rivalry between the two great powers.

What led to breakdown in the relationship between the U.S. and China? What are the opportunities and challenges that Canada faces in its current engagement with both the U.S. and China?

Express your interest by emailing events@asiapacific.ca

The CPTPP TRACKER gauges Canada’s performance within the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership, the 11-member trade deal that came into force in December 2018.

The inaugural edition of the annual CPTPP TRACKER presents an early assessment of the first year of the CPTPP, showing early gains and losses in trade expansion, opportunities created for Canadian businesses, and the patterns of growth in CPTPP economies over the past three years.

It also explores the context in which the CPTPP entered into force, and the effects of the U.S.-China trade war on member economies and Canada’s own export performance.

Our researchers look forward to sharing their results, and fielding your questions.

By Invitation Only

Patricia Evangelista, selected as this year’s Marshall McLuhan Fellow, will discuss her experiences covering under-reported issues in the Philippines, the implications for those on the margins, and the challenges and efforts of bringing to light difficult and unpopular stories.

In her talk at APF Canada, Patricia will underscore the significant role the media play as a social conscience, and one that influences public policy and action. She will also discuss what journalists should do to responsibly communicate stories of those on the margins at a time when human rights and other fundamental freedoms in the Philippines are under the spotlight.

The Marshall McLuhan Award is presented every year by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility and the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines to a Filipino/Filipina journalist who has done excellent work in the preceding year.

About Patricia Evangelista:

Patricia Evangelista is this year’s McLuhan Fellow and a multimedia journalist for the online news organization, Rappler, in the Philippines. She specializes in reporting disasters, conflicts, and development issues. She also has covered human rights-related stories, extra-judicial killings, and the long national campaign for the legislation of reproductive rights. 

She has produced documentaries and long-form multimedia reportage that brought her international acclaim and recognition:  Her reporting of armed conflict as well as the aftermath of supertyphoon Haiyan were awarded the Agence France-Presse Kate Webb Prize for exceptional journalism in dangerous conditions. She is a recipient of two New York Festivals medals for her documentary work. Her recent work for Rappler received the Human Rights Press Award, three Society of Publishers in Asia awards for Excellence in Feature Writing, Investigative Reporting and Human Rights Reporting. 

Patricia is a fellow of the South East Asian Press Alliance, the Dart Center Ochberg International Fellowship for Trauma, and the 2018 Logan Nonfiction Fellowship at the Carey Institute for Global Good. She is currently completing a non-fiction book on the Philippine drug war.

Please RSVP to events@asiapacific.ca

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada invites you to the launch of its 2019 National Opinion Poll: Canadian Views on Human Capital from Asia on October 30th, 2019 in Vancouver.

As the development of increasingly sophisticated technologies drives the demand for high-skilled talent, Asia, with a young and educated workforce and now a leader in research, presents a hopeful opportunity for Canada.

With an aim to inform public policies around attracting and retaining international talent, this edition of APF Canada’s National Opinion Poll assesses Canadian attitudes toward the recruitment of foreign workers with special attention to high-skilled talent from Asia, its importance to the future of the Canadian economy, and immigration policies Canada should pursue.

Presentation & Q&A Session with APF Canada’s Surveys and Polling Team

Followed by Reception

Seating is limited, please RSVP to events@asiapacific.ca

Note: This event is open to media; registration is required via events@asiapacific.ca

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) is dedicated to strengthening multi-sectoral linkages between Canada and Asia by promoting bilateral and multilateral dialogues around technology, economic, political, and security issues. In line with this mandate, APF Canada will convene a 1.5-day conference in Toronto on October 9 & 10, 2019 to examine the intersect between technology and geopolitics; specifically, the challenges and opportunities around technology adoption, markets and investment, development, and standards within the broader global context of U.S.-China technology competition.

Canada’s future economic development and competitiveness depends on its ability to successfully navigate this difficult terrain. Yet, Canadian businesses and governments will find it increasingly difficult to make decisions about which technologies to pursue, to develop, and to adopt based on technical criteria. Neither will the state’s choices be cost-free, with potentially far-reaching impacts on trade and investment. A clear discussion on Canadian national interests and strategies for dealing with this technology ‘divide’ is, therefore, critical.     

By Invitation Only

With thanks to our sponsors:

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and The Japan Society are pleased to co-present a Gala Dinner on Saturday, August 24, 2019, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Japan, the 35th anniversary of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, and the 30th anniversary of The Japan Society. The Gala will be held at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado will be our distinguished guest and will give the evening’s keynote address. The evening will also feature special performances by Grammy-nominated pianist Makoto Ozone and Juno-nominated jazz vocalist Dione Taylor.

Photo of Makota Ozone, by Kobayashi Yamaha; Dione Taylor by Soular Productions

Further, the Order of Rising Sun will be presented to Ben Ciprietti, President of The Japan Society, for his service to Canada-Japan relations.

Proceeds from the Gala Dinner will support the Royal Ontario Museum's work on Japanese Art & Culture, including programming for the Prince Takamado Gallery, and Japan Festival Canada 2019.

Registration for the Gala Dinner is now closed.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Jordan Dupuis (416) 597-8040 x204

or

Kate Scullin (416) 597-8040 x206

Distinguished Guest
Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado

Her Imperial Highness Princess Hisako Takamado was born in Tokyo and studied at Sacred Heart Girls’ School. When her father was posted to the U.S.A. and to the U.K., the family moved to these countries. She is a graduate of Cambridge University where her subjects were Chinese Studies, Archaeology and Anthropology. She married His Imperial Highness Prince Norihito in 1984 and they were blessed with three daughters. She is the Honorary Patron or President of many organisations including BirdLife International, the International Kyudo Federation and the Japan Football Association. Her hobbies are painting, birdwatching, photography, tennis and kyudo. She is the author of three children’s books including “Lulie the Iceberg” (Kodansha International), “Have Netsuke Will Travel” (Kodansha), a collection of bird photographs “Yori-Dori, Mi-Dori” amongst others.

Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado continues to maintain the strong connection to Canada established by HIH the late Prince Takamado, who attended Queen’s University from 1978 to 1981. Their third daughter, Mrs. Ayako Moriya (who renounced her imperial status after marrying a commoner), studied abroad at Camosun College and the University of British Columbia from 2013-2015.

To commemorate the 90th anniversary of the establishment of Canada’s first diplomatic legation in Japan in 1929, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) has invited Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado to embark on a six-city tour of Canada in August, visiting institutions, organizations and community groups that have worked to strengthen bonds between Canada and Japan, recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to Canada-Japan relations, and commemorating 90 years of friendship and cooperation. HIH Princess Takamado will visit Toronto, Ottawa, Charlottetown, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria.

Proceeds will benefit:

Japanese Art & Culture at the Royal Ontario Museum. The ROM is home to Canada’s largest collection of Japanese art and culture, with over 10,000 objects and works of art, some of which are on view in the country’s only gallery dedicated to Japanese art and culture, the Prince Takamado Gallery. The collections and the gallery are overseen by Canada’s first curator who is solely in charge of Japanese art and culture. Your support will enhance a reinvigorated program of Japan at the Museum.

Japan Festival CANADA 2019, the largest Japanese Cultural Festival in North America, will proudly return to Mississauga Celebration Square on August 24-25, bringing Japanese food, culture and technologies to Canada and to the world. This year marks the 90th Anniversary of the establishment of the first Canadian diplomatic legation in Japan; and Japan Festival CANADA 2019 is celebrating the further establishment of diplomatic relations between Canada and Japan by commemorating this special milestone together with a large crowd of attendees.

Presented by:
The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) is a not-for-profit organization focused on Canada’s relations with Asia. Our mission is to be Canada’s catalyst for engagement with Asia and Asia’s bridge to Canada. APF Canada is dedicated to strengthening ties between Canada and Asia with a focus on expanding economic relations through trade, investment and innovation; promoting Canada’s expertise in offering solutions to Asia’s climate change, energy, food security and natural resource management challenges; building Asia skills and competencies among Canadians, including young Canadians; and improving Canadians’ general understanding of Asia and its growing global influence.

The Japan Society is a national organization of corporations, professional firms, organizations, societies, associations, academic institutions, government departments and individuals which is focused on:
• Enabling Canadian and Japanese business executives, professionals, academic leaders and government representatives to meet on a regular basis to discuss matters of mutual and collective interest;
• Furthering strong and viable economic relations between Canada and Japan;
• Enabling Members to acquire greater cultural understanding and the ability to establish long-lasting relationships; and
• Supporting business, educational and cultural exchanges.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) is co-organizing the second annual Canada-China Forum with the School of Economics at Fudan University (FDU) following the successful inauguration of the Forum in 2018.

This year’s Forum will focus on how Canadian and Chinese companies can work together and continue business in the context of the ongoing trade dispute. The Forum will feature keynote speeches by Professor Jun Zhang, Dean of the School of Economics, FDU, and the Hon. James Moore (invited), former Minister of Industry Canada, followed by a panel discussion with business leaders and experts.

The Forum will be co-hosted by Fudan University Alumni Association of Vancouver and Alumni Representative Office in Vancouver; School of Econmics, FDU; and, supported by Simon Fraser University.

Confirmed Speakers/Moderators: 

• Wade Larson, Founder and Executive Vice-President, Business Development, URTHECAST CORP
• Dr. Jeff Reeves, Vice-President of Research for the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
• Wei Shao, Partner, Dentons Canada LLP
• Her Excellency, Madame Tong Xiaoling, Consul General of PRC in Vancouver
• The Hon. Senator Yuen Pau Woo, Facilitator of the Independent Senators Group of the Federal Government of Canada
• Prof. Jun Zhang, Dean of the School of Economics at Fudan University
• Iris Zhao, Vice-President of Fudan University Alumni Association of Vancouver and CEO of A2Z Capital

By Invitation Only

A 'fact-finding' roundtable discussion with Patricia Elliott, Canada's new Senior Trade Commissioner to Hong Kong.

BY INVITATION ONLY

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is hosting a roundtable discussion with Canada’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, H.E. Ms. Wendy Gilmour. Ms. Gilmour will lead a discussion on the evolving bilateral relationship shared by Canada and Pakistan.

By Invitation Only

Join the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT-Toronto) for a breakfast meeting on June 14 about doing business in Japan, featuring the Consul-General of Japan in Toronto, Takako Ito, and Christine Nakamura, Vice-President, Toronto, with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

You'll learn about opportunities for Canadian companies in Japan, the recent trade mission for women entrepreneurs to Japan, and upcoming trade missions. 

About Takako Ito, Consul-General of Japan in Toronto

Ms. Takako Ito is the first female Consul-General of Japan in Toronto. She joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Japan in 1985. Her overseas postings included Embassies in Canada, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Mission of Japan to the UN in New York, and the Mission of Japan to ASEAN as Deputy Chief of Mission. At home, she served in many capacities, covering economic partnership negotiations, human rights, transnational crimes, development assistance policy planning, and the international press. Before arriving in Toronto, Ms. Ito was Assistant Chief of Protocol of MOFA, as well as Master of Ceremonies at Imperial Household Agency. She graduated from Sophia University in Tokyo and has a master's degree in International Affairs from Carleton University. 

About Christine Nakamura, Vice-President, Toronto, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

From 1976 to 2011, Ms. Christine Nakamura served in various capacities with the Canadian government, including at Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Department of Justice and, most recently, the Department of Foreign Affiars, Trade and Development. She has served overseas in Japan and Korea and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Toronto, where she majored in East Asian Studies. She is a board member of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre Foundation in Toronto and a member of the Advisory Council (Canada) for the Prince Takamado Japan Canada Memorial Fund.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada invites you to the launch of its 2019 National Opinion Poll: Canadian Views on High-Tech Investment from Asia on June 12, 2019 in Vancouver.

As the U.S.-China tech war and the global Huawei crisis continue, Canada finds itself at a crossroads of how to harness the vast potential of Asian investment in Canadian technology while safeguarding national security and Canadian values.

Our 2019 National Opinion Poll (NOP) provides a nuanced understanding of the public sentiment toward Asian investment in Canada’s high-tech sector, a core economic driver of tomorrow. The NOP highlights the driving forces of an overall skepticism as well as room and opportunities for further engagement with Asia in this critical sector.

PRESENTATION AND Q&A SESSION FOLLOWED BY RECEPTION

with APF Canada’s Surveys and Polling Team

BY INVITATION ONLY

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada will be hosting a roundtable discussion with Jeff Nankivell, Consul General of Canada in Hong Kong and Macao. Jeff will be discussing the current Canada-China relationship, along with the different challenges and opportunities for business in the current climate.

BY INVITATION ONLY

APF Canada is hosting a roundtable discussion with Her Excellency Ms. Natasha Smith, Australian High Commissioner to Canada.

Ms. Smith will discuss economic, political, and strategic challenges and opportunities in the Asia Pacific, along with her perspectives on Australia's role in the region and Canada-Australia relations as they relate to future collaboration in the new global economy.

BY INVITATION ONLY

Indian Summer’s annual Dinner by Starlight fundraising gala is one of the most anticipated events of the year. Seats to this event are limited and the event attracts an audience of 250 discerning guests and supporters.

This year's Dinner by Starlight takes place in the oceanfront Grand Ballroom of the Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver. Canadian culinary magician chef Vikram Vij collaborates with celebrated chef Karan Suri to create one-time-only culinary delights that resonate with the evening’s theme, 'The Future is Asian.'

The theme takes its name from the book by our very special guest of honour, Dr. Parag Khanna, geostrategist, futurist, and best-selling author.

About Parag Khanna

“Parag Khanna makes a powerful argument: the world can become smarter than the sum of its parts. We need to pay attention to his ideas.”  – Eric Schmidt, former CEO and Executive Chairman, Google

Geostrategist, futurist and best-selling author Dr. Parag Khanna is a highly sought-after thinker, advising the world’s top companies, governments, and institutions on their future maps.

The New York Times describes him as "a foreign policy whiz kid" and Esquire magazine named him one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century. Khanna is the founder of FutureMap, a data and scenario-based strategic advisory firm, and a best-selling author of six books. His TED talks have had millions of views.

Get your tickets at bit.ly/Dinner-By-Starlight

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is proud to announce the launch of its signature, annual Investment Monitor report, which delves into foreign direct investment (FDI) between Canada and the Asia Pacific.

The 2019 report’s main focus on city-level FDI between Canada and the Asia Pacific is the first data-driven analysis at this level of detail on an issue that has captivated business headlines across Canada. It answers key questions on the who, what, where, when, and how of the Asia Pacific region’s investment into Canada – and conversely, on Canada’s own investments across the Asia Pacific.

By harnessing primary sources and in-depth research, the 2019 Report adds much-needed nuance to flashpoint discussions on the future of Canada’s economic engagement with the Asia Pacific.

The launch coincides with the online release of new data through investmentmonitor.ca, which allows Canadians to use easily accessible data visualization tools to uncover novel stories about the Canada-Asia Pacific investment relationship, right down to their local cities and sectors.

BY INVITATION ONLY

As part of a special report on Canada, Brooke Unger is visiting Vancouver to see firsthand how the city – and Canada more widely – has been shaped by its relations with the Asia Pacific. Please join us at the Foundation to hear Brooke share his thoughts on how Canada is seen in the world today, and to discuss the cross-border Cascadia Innovation Corridor, the influence of China on Canada, the contributions of our diaspora communities, and the role of Indigenous development, among other issues impacting today’s Canada-Asia dynamic.

BY INVITATION ONLY

The ASEAN Opportunity – Vancouver Edition

Event Synopsis

At the ASEAN Opportunity event in Vancouver, the Canada-ASEAN Business Council, in collaboration with Deloitte Canada, will bring together a panel of leading Canadian professionals and entrepreneurs who have raised capital and built companies in ASEAN for a candid discussion about the prospects and challenges of the region. The panel discussion will be followed by a networking session.

Agenda

8:00 - 8:30 a.m. Registration and Breakfast

8:30 - 8:45 a.m. Welcome Remarks

8:45 - 9:00 a.m. Overview of ASEAN and CABC, Andrew Doherty, Executive Director – Canada, CABC

9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Panel Introducation and Discussion

10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Questions/Run-over

Canadian AI and the ASEAN Market Opportunity

Through an expert panel, the Canadian Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the ASEAN Market Opportunity event in Toronto will educate Canadian firms on the ASEAN region and define the economic advantages of targeting ASEAN as an international business development strategy. The panel event features commentary from leaders in the tech sector, as well as from the business community who leverage and support the Canadian tech sector. 

Moderator

Mr. Craig Brown –Partner, Fasken

Panelists

Mr. Megh Gupta – Global Head of Strategy & Corporate Development, Element AI

Mr. Lionel Pimpin – Senior Vice-President, Digital Channels and P&C Strategies, National Bank of Canada

Mr. Loudon Owen – CEO, DLT Labs + Managing Partner, MW Capital

Dr. Ian Scott – Partner, OMNIA, Chief Data Scientist, Deloitte LLP

Mr. Brett House – Deputy Chief Economist, Scotiabank

Agenda

8:00 - 8:30 a.m. Registration and Breakfast

8:30 - 8:35 a.m. Opening remarks by CABC

8:35 - 8:40 a.m. Remarks by Mr. Omar Alghabra, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade Diversification

8:40 - 8:45 a.m. Remarks by Fasken

8:45 - 8:50 a.m. Introduction to Robot of the Year

8:50 - 9:10 a.m. Fireside Chat with Element AI

9:10 - 9:20 a.m. ASEAN Economic Outlook

9:20 - 10:00 a.m. Panel Discussion

10:00 - 10:20 a.m. Q & A

10:20 - 10:30 a.m. Event closes

Is your company interested in pursuing opportunities created by China’s transition to a 'green growth' economy? Are you eager to discover the opportunities and challenges in the world’s largest market for clean tech products and services?

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada would like to invite you to a webinar to learn about utilizing the China Eco-City Tracker, a tool that allows users to track the changes in environmental protection performance of China's major cities since 2013.

Things we will cover during the webinar:

1. What is the China Eco-City Tracker Project and what information is provided by the Tracker’s data visualization tool?
2. What initiatives have been taken by China to combat environmental degradation?

Presenters:

• Iris Jin, Senior Program Manager at APF Canada
• Evan Due, consultant to APF Canada; advisor to the China Development Research Foundation

The event is free of charge, please make sure you register by March 11, and download the “Zoom Client for Meetings” webinar software in advance through this link. Further instructions for joining the webinar will be provided to you after the registration deadline.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) is a not-for-profit organization focused on Canada's relations with Asia. Our mission is to be Canada's catalyst for engagement with Asia and Asia's bridge to Canada, with promoting Canada's expertise in offering solutions to Asia's climate change, energy, and natural resource management challenges being one of our key objectives.

Hosted By:

With Support From:

Is your company interested in pursuing opportunities created by China’s transition to a “green growth” economy?
 
The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and Canada China Business Council are organizing four roundtable discussions, Clean Tech Opportunities in China, which will focus on China’s “green growth” economy and the possibilities for Canadian companies in this market.

Participants will learn about APF Canada’s China Eco-City Tracker and the role of APF Canada in providing policy research in support of clean tech business development in China.

The sessions will take place in four Canadian cities:
 

Vancouver, BC – Monday, January 28, 2019, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
900-675 W. Hastings St.
Vancouver, BC

Montreal, QC – Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Venue and time to be announced soon.

Toronto, ON – Friday, February 1, 2019, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Gowling WLG
1 First Canadian Place
100 King Street West, Suite 1600
Toronto, ON

Calgary, AB – Monday, February 4, 2019, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Dentons Canada LLP
850 - 2nd Street SW, 15th Floor, Bankers Court
Calgary, AB

 
In addition, participating companies will have the opportunity to provide APF Canada with their perspectives on China’s growing clean technology market. Insights from company representatives should address the questions below, based on their current or planned business in China.
 

1. What are the key business development issues your company faces with respect to opportunities in the clean tech market in China?
    

2. China’s economic and environmental objectives still require further alignment and consolidation. What information issues does your company face with respect to clean tech development in China? How would your business model change with more information and at what level (city, provincial)?
    

3. What do you see are potential avenues for Canadian business expansion in China in the clean tech areas of air, water, and solid waste, including in which geographical areas?
    

4. How can policy research institutions like APF Canada, as well as other intermediaries such as CCBC and Canada’s trade missions, better aid in your company’s market decisions and risk assessments? Is the China Eco-City Tracker of particular interest? What information could be provided to aid in your business?

 
The roundtables will be facilitated by Evan Due, a consultant to APF Canada and an advisor to the China Development Research Foundation, an institution initiated by the Development Research Centre of the State Council of China.
 
Registration will be of interest to companies and professionals involved in the clean tech/environment sector. Participation will be confirmed by CCBC.

The roundtables are free to attend, but companies must register in advance. Seating is limited. 

For more information, please contact:
Ontario: Noah Fraser, 416-954-3800 x320, noah@ccbc.com
Quebec: Claire Zhang, 514-842-7837, quebec@ccbc.com
BC: Jane Wang, 604-609-6189, bc@ccbc.com
Prairies: Wayne Thai 403-910-2320, wayne@ccbc.com

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is hosting a brownbag presentation by this year's Marshall McLuhan Fellow, Jeff Canoy, a broadcast journalist with Philippines media and entertainment group ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. Jeff has covered major conflicts and humanitarian and natural disasters in the Philippines including volcanic eruptions, landslides, and Category 5 Super Typhoons that hit the country. He has also worked on stories on the Maguindanao massacre, the botched police operation in Mamasapano, and investigative reports on extrajudicial killings and torture linked to police. He currently covers the Philippine National Police and the government’s war on drugs and is an anchor for the public affairs program Red Alert, focusing on risk reduction and disaster preparedness.

Jeff's TV documentary, Never Shall be Conquered, about the Islamic State-inspired siege of Marawi, the Philippines’ only Islamic city,  recently won a Gold Dolphin trophy for Best Documentary under the Current Affairs, Human Concerns, and Social Issues Category at the 9th Cannes Corporate Media and TV Awards in France. His stories on disaster response have won him several awards from the local broadcasters’ guild.

Most recently, Jeff was an international fellow for the Malaysian Press Institute and has completed journalism programs at the Lauder School of Government in Tel Aviv, Israel and Columbia University in New York.

For his APF Canada presentation Jeff will discuss his experiences in covering the war in Marawi last year, including challenges, gaps, best practices, and efforts to underline the significant role media play as a watchdog to strengthen democracy and rule of law.

Save the Date: Join us Oct. 30 for our Media Fellows Alumni Appreciation and CEO Panel Night with co-hosts Weber Shandwick Vancouver and support from Cathay Pacific Canada.

Meet our former and current Media Fellows and hear some of Canada's leading CEOs discuss Canada's place in the world, today and tomorrow.

Watch this space . . . details to follow!

Mr. Stewart Patrick, Senior Fellow in Global Governance and Director of the International Institutions and Global Governance (IIGG) Program at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C., will speak to what the implications are, or could be, of the U.S.’s non-participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), formerly known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) especially as China proceeds to deepen trade and economic engagement around the world through the Belt and Road Initiative and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

In addition, his comments will touch on what the American domestic foundations are for re-engagement of Asia in a context of rising regionalism, insularity, and protectionism in the U.S.

APF Canada is grateful to the U.S. Embassy Ottawa, Office of Public Affairs, as well as to the David See-Chai Lam Centre for International Communication at Simon Fraser, for co-hosting this event.

Please RSVP for a seat through Eventbrite by clicking on this link.

Voters in Cambodia head to the polls on July 29, 2018 to elect the country’s National Assembly. Join the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada for a conversation with two Cambodia watchers who will share their insights into the elections and possible post-election political developments.

The lead-up to this election has been fraught with tension. Current Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has held the position since 1985 and is Asia’s longest-serving prime minister, is seeking another term. Meanwhile, concerns have been raised within and outside Cambodia about a lack of genuine political competition and the erosion of freedom of the press. Last year, the largest opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), was dissolved and its leader jailed, while the Phnom Penh Post, the last independent English-language news outlet in the country, was sold in May to a Malaysian businessman with ties to the Cambodian government.

How this will all net out for the people of Cambodia—specifically, whether they will get pulled further into an authoritarian undertow—remains to be seen.

About the Presenters:

Gordon Longmuir:
Gordon served in the Royal Canadian Navy before joining the (then) Department of External Affairs, with diplomatic postings in Vietnam, Japan (twice), Korea and Thailand. He was Deputy High Commissioner in India from 1991-95, and Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia from 1995-99. He is currently a Research Associate of the Institute of Asian Research at UBC and is active with the Vancouver Branch of the Canadian International Council. He has monitored two previous Cambodian elections.

Darren Touch:
Darren Touch is a candidate in the Masters of Public Policy and Global Affairs at UBC and a recent graduate from the University of Ottawa with a baccalaureate in the Joint Honours Political Science and Public Administration (Co-op) program. Darren was formerly a Junior Policy Associate at the Public Policy Forum. He has also worked with Canada's Digital Policy Forum, the Government of Canada at Public Works and Government Services Canada, and Employment and Social Development Canada. Darren was also the youngest-serving president of the Cambodian Association of the Ottawa Valley and the former Vice-President of the Academic Affairs for the public administration program at the University of Ottawa.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) has partnered with the Canadian International Council (CIC), Vancouver branch, to host a brownbag discussion with Dr. Stephen Nagy, Distinguished Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. The CIC is an independent, member-based council established in 1928 to strengthen Canada's role in global affairs. 

ASEAN has been unseated as the primary driver of Asian integration. On the one hand, China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is integrating the region through geo-economic statecraft that, while providing a public good to some developing countries, aims to create more economic autonomy for China. On the other hand, China's growing economic, military, and deplomatic footprint in Asia has created new regional alignments - and resurrected others - that are contributing to a sea change in the emerging superpower's influence in the region. 

What does this mean for Asian regionalism? Can ASEAN remain a key anchor in the regionalization process? And what alternatives are arising as countires in Asia re-calibrate their national interests to manage the pressures emanating from the escalating China-U.S. rivalry? This presentation will examine these questions by analyzing how China-U.S. relations are in fact driving the reconfiguration of Asian regionalism, and how socio-economic development and security concerns in particular are shifting the axis of Asian regionalism away from its ASEAN centre (if it ever was) toward competing visions of Asian regionalization.

By Invitation Only

The School of Economics (SOE) at Fudan Universtiy (Fudan U) and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) will co-host a luncheon forum with a keynote speech by Professor Jun Zhang, Dean of SOE of Fudan U., followed by an armchair dialogue with professor Daniel Shapior, Dean Emeritus, Beedie School fo Business, Simon Fraser University and the Honourable Yuen Pau Woo, Senator, Parliament of Canada.

The keynote speaker Professor Zhang is one of the leading economists in China and will share his insights on China's economy and Canada-China relations at this forum with business leaders, academic researchers, professional practitioners, and other individuals who share the same interest. 

The Punjabi Canadian Legacy Project (PCLP) is an initiative of the South Asian Studies Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley in partnership with the Royal BC Museum. The goal of the PCLP is to preserve, share, and explore the Punjabi community’s contributions to British Columbian and Canadian history.

By bringing communities together to record family histories, the PCLP compiles and shares Punjabi historical and contemporary perspectives on immigration, employment, social organizations, inter-generational/intercultural understandings, family settlements, integration, political struggles, and experiences of racism and discriminatory legislation.

Director Satwinder Bains and Co-Director Kamal Arora will be joined by co-ordinators Sharanjit Sandhra and Ishpreet Singh Anand, who will discuss the details of the project and the importance of archiving migration histories in Canada through hosting a brownbag event at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

By Invitation Only