Len Edwards joined CIGI in May 2013, as distinguished fellow. He co-chairs and leads a research project on enhancing security cooperation between Australia and Canada in the Asia-Pacific. The CIGI project, in partnership with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, will culminate in a special report to be presented to the Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum in February 2014.
Mr. Edwards retired in 2010 after 41 years in Canada’s public service. He was the G8 and G20 Sherpa for Prime Minister Stephen Harper from 2008 to July 2010, and was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007–2010), of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (2004–2007) and of International Trade (2001–2004). He has served as Canada's Ambassador to Japan and Korea, and has been an Assistant Deputy Minister for Trade and Economic Policy and for the Asia-Pacific. He organized the 1988 and 1995 Economic Summits and the 1987 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. He has worked in the former Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), in Hanoi and Ankara, in Brussels at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and in Geneva with Canada’s Mission to the United Nations.
Mr. Edwards is currently a strategic adviser at Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, and a distinguished fellow of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. He also sits on the boards of directors of Accreditation Canada International and VIDO-InterVac (Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization – International Vaccine Centre) at the University of Saskatchewan. He is currently a mentor with the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.
Mr. Edwards is from Melfort, Saskatchewan.
