Experts will discuss the future of Canada-Africa relations at a free panel event in Toronto, presented by The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and Canadian International Council (CIC).
Members of the media are invited to attend the panel discussion, “Canada-Africa Relations: Looking Back, Looking Ahead,” taking place from 5:30-7 p.m. on October 1, at the Toronto Reference Library. They can register in advance by emailing Kevin Dias, CIGI communications specialist, at [email protected]
The public event is in celebration of the publication, Canada-Africa Relations: Looking Back, Looking Ahead, volume 27 in the well-known and influential foreign policy book series “Canada Among Nations.” Published by CIGI in partnership with the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA), with financial support from the International Development Research Centre, Canada-Africa Relations features contributions from over 25 well-known experts from government and policy, civil society and academia.
At the panel discussion, co-editors Rohinton Medhora (CIGI) and Yiagadeesen Samy (NPSIA), and contributor Bruce Montador (University of Ottawa) will explain why they see great opportunity for Canada to pursue a strategic beneficial partnership with an emergent, assertive and self-confident Africa. The discussion will touch on Canada’s contribution to democracy and nation-building; development aid; governance; corporate social responsibility; and regional security in Africa. Jennifer Jeffs, president of the CIC, will host the event.
Event: Panel discussion and book launch — “Canada-Africa Relations: Looking Back, Looking Ahead”
Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Time: 5:30-7 p.m
Location: Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, Novella and Prologue Rooms at the Toronto Reference Library, 789 Younge Street, Toronto, Ontario
ABOUT THE PANEL:
Rohinton Medhora joined CIGI as president in 2012 after having served on CIGI’s International Board of Governors since 2009. Previously, he was vice president of programs at IDRC. He received his doctorate in economics in 1988 from the University of Toronto, where he also subsequently taught for a number of years. Mr. Medhora’s fields of expertise are monetary and trade policy, international economic relations and aid effectiveness. He has published extensively on these issues, and in addition to his association with the Canada Among Nations series, is currently coediting a history of development thought and practice to be published in early 2014.
Yiagadeesen Samy is associate professor and the associate director of the M.A. program at NPSIA, Carleton University, and a distinguished research associate with the North-South Institute, both in Ottawa, Canada. He is the author or co-author of a book on fragile states, as well as several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in edited volumes on various issues, such as trade and labour standards, the political economy of foreign direct investment, state fragility and small island developing states.
Bruce Montador is a senior fellow at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. From 2007 to 2011, he was executive director for Canada (as well as China, Korea and Kuwait) at the African Development Bank. Prior to that, he was vice-president, Multilateral Programs Branch, CIDA. From 1997 to 2002, he was general director, International Trade and Finance at the Department of Finance, Ottawa. Most of his earlier career was spent with the Bank of Canada (where his last post was chief, Financial Markets Department) and the OECD. He did graduate work in economics at Queen’s University after a Ph.D. in mathematics at the Universite de Montreal and undergraduate education at the University of British Columbia.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kevin Dias, Communications Specialist, CIGI
Tel: 519.885.2444, ext. 7238, Email: [email protected]
The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is an independent, non-partisan think tank on international governance. Led by experienced practitioners and distinguished academics, CIGI supports research, forms networks, advances policy debate and generates ideas for multilateral governance improvements. Conducting an active agenda of research, events and publications, CIGI’s interdisciplinary work includes collaboration with policy, business and academic communities around the world. CIGI was founded in 2001 by Jim Balsillie, then co-CEO of Research In Motion (BlackBerry), and collaborates with and gratefully acknowledges support from a number of strategic partners, in particular the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. For more information, please visit www.cigionline.org.
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