Barry Carin is a CIGI Senior Fellow. After obtaining a B.A. in economics and political science from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, and a Ph.D. in economics from Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, Barry joined the Treasury Board of Canada in 1971, and became a director of the Treasury Board Secretariat in 1974, where he supervised projects ranging from food inspection to the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline. In 1978, Barry became an associate professor at the School of Public Administration at the University of Victoria, British Columbia for two years.
He returned to the federal civil service in 1980, holding a number of positions: assistant deputy minister, programs, with the Ministry of State for Social Development, later serving as the ministry’s deputy secretary, transfers; a joint position as senior adviser with the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs; and assistant deputy minister of the Department of Employment and Immigration, where Barry directed studies, and formulated and steered legislation through the parliamentary process.
In 1992, Barry moved into the international sphere of government, becoming the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade’s assistant deputy minister, economic policy.While in this position, he took a leading role in contributing to Canada’s participation in global economic summits, including the G7 and G8, as the Foreign Affairs Sous-Sherpa. In 1994, he assumed responsibility for trade policy, including challenging, multi-faceted tasks conducting international trade and investment negotiations, while ensuring that nationwide stakeholders were considered. This experience contributed to his reputation as a leading expert in international trade processes and decision making. Barry has also served as a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Executive Committee and as the High Commissioner of Canada to Singapore from 1996 to 2000.
Barry is an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria, where he served as the director for the Globalization and Governance program and associate director of the Centre for Global Studies. He was also an editor of the journal Global Governance between 2003 and 2009. He began working with CIGI in 2003, joining as a senior fellow in 2009. Barry is currently working on ensuring the Chinese G20 presidency and the G20 prepatory process in future years are seized with Internet issues. He is a regular contributor to CIGI’s commentary on the global economy. Barry has also conducted research on the Canadian International Development Agency and the institutional underpinnings, informal processes and functioning of global economic networks, such as the G20.
Barry Carin resides in Victoria, British Columbia and enjoys writing on the power of humour as a management tool in his spare time.
