Event Archive

The Momentum Jakarta session will spotlight Canada-Indonesia collaboration in the agri-food sector, focusing on food security, innovation, and agriculture. As one of Asia's fastest-growing economies, Indonesia plays a vital role in regional food systems. This engagement will showcase Canadian expertise, highlight bilateral success stories, and build momentum toward CIAC2026 in Singapore.

Speakers: 

Jointly organized by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Vancouver, this roundtable will bring together senior officials, academic experts, and industry voices from Canada and South Korea to examine the growing security and defence ties between the two countries. 

The confirmed speakers include Director General Ravi S.K. Singh of Defence Industrial Strategy and Director General Tae Kon Kim and Captain Suoek Lee of Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Professor Alex Lin from the University of British Columbia, as well as Kelvin Hung from IMP Aerospace & Defence. The discussion will be moderated by APF Canada’s Vice-President, Research and Strategy, Vina Nadjibulla.

Organized by the Canada Korea Business Council (CKBC), this event will explore Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and its implications for Canadian businesses.

Vina Nadjibulla, Vice President of Research and Strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, will join as a featured speaker.

Co-hosted by Global Affairs Canada, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, the Embassy of the United States of America, and the Embassy of Japan, this symposium explores the theme of Navigating Geopolitics in the Korean Peninsula and Indo-Pacific Region Towards Denuclearization and Regional Stability.

APF Canada's Vice-President, Research and Strategy, Vina Nadjibulla, will speak on a panel titled Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Stability in the Indo-Pacific.

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As the Indo-Pacific undergoes rapid geopolitical and economic transformation, Canada and Japan are emerging as increasingly aligned partners seeking stability and strategic balance in the region. This webinar features Professor Akio Takahara, one of Japan’s most respected scholars of Chinese politics and regional strategy, for an in-depth discussion on the future of Canada–Japan co-operation. Currently an Honorary Senior Fellow on Chinese Politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, Professor Takahara is the Emeritus Professor at the University of Tokyo and the Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Tokyo Woman’s Christian University.                

In this session, Professor Takahara will explore how both countries navigate China’s evolving domestic and foreign policy under Trump 2.0 and assess the opportunities for Ottawa and Tokyo to deepen co-operation on a variety of matters. Please join us for a timely conversation on the future of Canada–Japan relations amid shifting regional dynamics.                

This webinar will be moderated by APF Canada’s Vice-President of Research & Strategy Vina Nadjibulla, with opening remarks from Minister Hideaki Ishii of the Embassy of Japan in Canada, and Professor Stephanie Carvin of Carleton University.

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Opening Remarks:

Mr. Hideaki Ishii, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Japan in Canada.

Speaker Introductions: 

Dr. Stephanie Carvin, Associate Professor of International Relations at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University.

Speaker:

Dr. Akio Takahara, Honorary Senior Fellow on Chinese Politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, Distinguished Visiting Professor at Tokyo Woman’s Christian University and Emeritus Professor at the University of Tokyo.

Moderator: 

Ms. Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President of Research and Strategy, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

This invitation-only roundtable with High Commissioner of India to Canada Mr. Dinesh Patnaik, convened under Chatham House Rule, will touch on opportunities and challenges in the diplomatic re-set in the Canada-India relationship.

It will include a focus on the joint statement agreed to during Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s recent trip to New Delhi and next steps in the economic and commercial relationship following Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu’s recent visit to India.

This discussion will be moderated by Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President, Research and Strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

Co-organized by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and the Council for Strategic and Defense Research, this event will feature keynote addresses and a panel discussion on Building Economic Resilience Through Technology and Innovation: India–Canada Pathways Forward. 

Following the October 2025 Canada-India joint statement, the two countries have charted an ambitious roadmap that integrates trade diversification, investment, energy co-operation, and technology partnerships. This momentum can be harnessed to support joint innovations in artificial intelligence, clean technologies, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and sustainable infrastructure.

Amid global disruptions such as supply chain vulnerabilities, geopolitical tensions, and climate challenges, this event will explore how both nations can leverage their complementary strengths and collaborative frameworks to accelerate innovation, strengthen economic ties, and foster inclusive growth.

Canada and India are well-positioned to advance defence-industrial and security co-operation, in line with the joint statement issued by the two countries in October 2025, which prioritizes public safety and enhanced strategic alignment. Discussions during Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s recent visit to India highlighted synergies in cybersecurity and counterterrorism.

Organized by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, in partnership with the Council for Strategic and Defense Research and the Canadian High Commission in India, this Track 1.5 dialogue aims to initiate a process of exploring the potential for bilateral security and defence collaboration, as well as synergies in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in the maritime domain. It will also identify opportunities for defence-industrial co-operation within the broader context of enhancing economic engagement between the two countries. Furthermore, the dialogue will emphasize the importance of building mutual trust and addressing ongoing challenges to fully harness the true potential of bilateral co-operation.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, in partnership with the Ananta Aspen Centre and the High Commission of Canada in India, will convene a high-level Track 1.5 Dialogue bringing together a curated group of policymakers, industry leaders, experts, and thought leaders from both countries to deepen collaboration on critical minerals and supply chain resilience.

This dialogue comes at a pivotal moment in Canada-India relations. Building on the outcomes of the G7 meeting in June 2025 between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the dialogue will explore tangible avenues for co-operation in critical minerals while also taking stock of the broader bilateral relationship. It will serve to strengthen trust and sustain engagement between Canadian and Indian stakeholders — not only at the federal level but also across provinces and states.

The Indo-Canadian Business Chamber’s Annual National Convention is the flagship business summit organized each year to promote business and trade initiatives across sectors between Canada and India. 

As in previous years, the event will welcome visiting federal and provincial leaders from Canada, as well as central and state-level ministers from India, alongside industry experts, policy leaders, and thought influencers from both countries.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is a co-sponsor of this summit, and Vice-President, Research and Strategy, Vina Nadjibulla, will be speaking at this event.

For more information, please visit the ICBC webpage: https://icbc.org.in/events/annual-national-convention-2025/

Canada-in-Asia: Momentum is a milestone engagement series across cities in the Indo-Pacific region. It will introduce senior executives, investors, policymakers, and researchers in Asia looking to develop new partnerships to the annual Canada-in-Asia Conference (CIAC) held this year from February 10-11 in Singapore. Momentum events will kickstart discussions on the critical pillars of CIAC2026: food security, energy security, and infrastructure. 

Momentum Manila, hosted by APF Canada's Asia Regional Office in partnership with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines, will spotlight food security, agricultural innovation, trade facilitation, and Canada–Philippines business collaboration opportunities.

Special Guests:

His Excellency David Hartman, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines

The Honourable Francisco Tiu-Laurel, Secretary, Philippines Department of Agriculture

Diedrah Kelly, Executive Director, Canada's Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (Manila) 

Antonio Lambino, President and Trustee, Ayala Foundation 

In Thailand’s 2023 legislative election, the Move Forward Party, a progressive and reformist political upstart, won more seats than any other party. However, a Thai court ordered the party’s dissolution in 2024 and banned its leader, the then 42-year-old Pita Limjaroenrat, from serving in politics for 10 years. 

In this discussion, hosted by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, in partnership with the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and Capilano University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Pita Limjaroenrat— currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School—will share his views on prospects for Thailand’s democratic renewal, its evolving role in ASEAN, and opportunities for Canada-Southeast Asia co-operation.

This session will be moderated by APF Canada’s Vice-President of Research & Strategy, Vina Nadjibulla.

Guest Speaker: 

Pita Limjaroenrat formerly led the Move Forward Party (MFP) in Thailand's May 2023 general elections, where his social democratic platform won the most votes and seats in Parliament. 

Despite this mandate, his attempts to form a government were blocked by institutional mechanisms, and the Constitutional Court dissolved the MFP on August 7, 2024. Pita's policy focus centres on addressing grassroots issues, welfare improvements, and human rights, while advocating for the demilitarization of politics and economic demonopolization. 

Currently, Pita is Visiting Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School. He holds a joint MPA-MBA from Harvard Kennedy School and MIT Sloan and has been named on the TIME 100 Next List. Today, Pita continues to champion transparent and equitable governance on a global scale.

• Due to limited seating availability, your attendance will not be confirmed until you receive a confirmation email. 

The Manila Dialogue on the South China Sea, scheduled for November 5-7, 2025, will gather some of the most influential foreign policy experts, thought leaders, and academics from throughout Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific. It is envisioned to be an annual Track 1.5 process focusing on promoting adherence to international law and identifying sound, pragmatic, and actionable policy prescriptions for littoral states surrounding the South China Sea, as well as other interested state and non-state actors.

Delegates will debate issues, pitch innovative ideas, and offer recommendations to ensure that the rule of law, not coercion and the use of force, prevails in resolving disputes, thus, safeguarding regional peace and stability.

APF Canada is co-sponsoring this Dialogue, and our Vice-President Research & Strategy Vina Nadjibulla will be chairing a discussion on "Securing Freedom of Navigation and the Rule of Law through Cross-Regional Defense Co-operation."

APF Canada participants include: Senior Fellow Dr. Tricia Yeoh, Associate Professor of Practice at the University of Nottingham Malaysia’s School of Politics and International Relations; Distinguished Fellow Elina Noor, Senior Fellow, Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; and Senior Research Program Manager, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (Singapore), Irene Chan.

This is an invitation-only event. 

For more details, please visit: https://scsdialogue.org/agenda/ 

This event will engage Montréal's university students in exploring the experiences of the Asian diaspora and their role in preserving the cultural heritage of Montreal's Chinatown. The program includes a guided walking tour of Montreal’s Chinatown and a visit to the JIA Foundation’s exhibition, “Yep-Riopel House: A Layered History of Resistance and Belonging.” 

This event is part of APF Canada’s education programming, which aims to build Asia competencies among Canadians—particularly younger generations—by deepening their understanding of Asia and its diasporic communities. 

To register, please email Alexandre Veilleux at alexandre.veilleux@asiapacific.ca.  

More than four years after the Myanmar military overthrew the country’s democratically elected government, it has announced it will hold elections in late 2025. These elections will take place amid a civil war in which neither the junta nor the various resistance forces show any sign of defeat or surrender. 

In this panel discussion, co-hosted by the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, researchers from the UBC Myanmar Initiative and the Knowledge for Democracy in Myanmar Initiative will share their perspectives on the recent conflict dynamics and possibilities for Myanmar’s post-conflict future. 

Speakers: 

• Nay Yan Oo, PhD Student, UBC; Fellow, UBC Myanmar Initiative
   
• Dr. Htet Thiha Zaw, Post-Doctoral Fellow, UBC; Fellow, UBC Myanmar Initiative
   
• Kai Ostwald (Moderator), HSBC Chair in Asian Research and an Associate Professor, UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs; APF Canada Senior Fellow 
   

Register here.

Organized by the Canada-ASEAN Initiatives at York University and the ASEAN Committee in Ottawa, and co-sponsored by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa, this symposium aims to broaden the conversation on the future of Canada’s economic relationships with ASEAN. It will explore strategies to intensify Canada-ASEAN trade amid tariff disruptions and examine ASEAN perspectives on deepening economic ties with Canada under these conditions.

Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President of Research & Strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, will participate in a Fireside Conversation with Goldy Hyder, CEO of Business Council of Canada, on Canada-ASEAN trade in the face of tariff challenges.

For more information, please contact Dr. Julie Nguyen at j.nguyen@canada-asean.org.