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Deepening Canada-ASEAN Security Cooperation
in the Face of Geopolitical Headwinds

May 15, 2025 @ 2:00 – 5:30 p.m. ET
Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa

The symposium will explore Canada’s approach to supporting regional security in Southeast Asia, ways to strengthen Canada-ASEAN security cooperation in light of geopolitical challenges, and considerations for how Canada’s next government might position itself in relation to prospects in Southeast Asia for regional peace and security and upholding a rules-based international order. This is our second annual symposium on Canada-ASEAN security cooperation following our first event at Carleton University in May 2024. Panelists include representatives of Global Affairs Canada, National Defence Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, academic institutions, think-tanks and embassies.

This event is organized by Canada-ASEAN Initiatives, York Centre for Asian Research, and sponsored by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa.

Please use your institutional email to register by May 9, 2025 at info@canada-asean.org.

Ce symposium explorera l’approche du Canada en matière de soutien à la sécurité régionale en Asie du Sud-Est, les moyens pour renforcer la coopération Canada-ANASE en matière de sécurité à la lumière des défis géopolitiques, et les réflexions sur la position que pourrait prendre le prochain gouvernement du Canada face aux perspectives en Asie du Sud-Est au sujet de la paix et la sécurité régionales et du maintien d’un ordre international fondé sur des règles. Il s’agit de notre deuxième symposium annuel sur la coopération Canada-ANASE en matière de sécurité, après notre premier événement à l’Université Carleton en mai 2024. Les panélistes cette annee comprennent des représentants d’Affaires mondiales Canada, de la Défense nationale Canada, de Pêches et Océans Canada, d’établissements universitaires, de groupes de réflexion et d’ambassadeurs.

Cet évènement est organisé par les Initiatives Canada-ANASE au Centre de l’Université York pour la recherche sur l’Asie, et parrainé par la Fondation Asie Pacifique du Canada et l’École de gestion Telfer, Université d’Ottawa.

S.V.P. Inscrivez-vous d’ici le 9 mai 2025 via info@canada-asean.org; prière de vous servir de votre courriel professionnel.

PAST EVENTS

Strengthening Canada-ASEAN Economic Security and Resilience

October 22, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET
Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa

Please click here for post-event summary.

This symposium aims to broaden the conversation about Canada’s aims in deepening economic engagement with ASEAN as an integral priority under its Indo-Pacific Strategy, the ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership, and the negotiation of the Canada-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement.  It also seeks to explore what more ASEAN countries and Canada can do to shape policies to foster more closely integrated longer-term economic security and resilience, promote government and industry collaboration and better integrate supply chains, e-commerce, digital and other services.

Building on Canada-ASEAN Security Cooperation:
Furthering Strategic Partnership in the Indo-Pacific

May 13, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET
Carleton University

Please click here for post-event summary.

This symposium will address ways to strengthen Canada-ASEAN security cooperation in the contexts of the ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. Panelists will share government, academic and diplomatic perspectives on the imperatives of security and the rule of law, maritime peace and security in the South China Sea, and promoting a rules-based international order toward the shared goals of peace, security and economic growth. Panelists include representatives of Global Affairs Canada, National Defence Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, academic institutions, think-tanks and embassies.

Ce symposium portera sur les moyens de renforcer la coopération en matière de sécurité entre le Canada et l’ANASE dans le contexte du Partenariat stratégique ANASE-Canada, de la Stratégie indo-pacifique du Canada et des Perspectives de l’ANASE sur l’Indo-Pacifique.  Les panélistes partageront leurs perspectives gouvernementales, universitaires et diplomatiques sur les impératifs de sécurité et d’État de droit, de paix et de sécurité maritimes en mer de Chine méridionale, et sur la promotion d’un ordre international fondé sur des règles en faveur des objectifs communs de paix, de sécurité et de croissance économique. Les panélistes comprennent des représentants d’Affaires mondiales Canada, de la Défense nationale Canada, de Pêches et Océans Canada, d’établissements universitaires, de groupes de réflexion et d’ambassades.

Deepening Canada-ASEAN Economic Relations
in the Context of ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership

October 11, 2023 @ 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET
The Bayview Yards, RBC Foundry
7 Bayview Station Road, Ottawa

This event will discuss ways to enhance Canada-ASEAN economic cooperation in the context of the ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership toward the shared goals of peace, security and stronger economies. Given recent geopolitical developments in Asia and the world, and the need for Canadian businesses to diversify and seek economic opportunities within the ASEAN market, the discussion will focus on Canada’s deepening economic engagement with ASEAN in its Indo-Pacific Strategy.

The event brings together participants from the academic, business and government sectors to discuss issues of importance to Canada-ASEAN relations.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
· Representatives of companies and business associations who wish to know more about the ASEAN market.
· Students, instructors and representatives of high schools, colleges or universities who want to learn more about ASEAN or arrange study tours of ASEAN countries.
· Government officials at all levels who wish to be updated on the latest development and seek to better understand the dynamics of Canada-ASEAN relationship.

SPEAKERS AND DISCUSSANTS: 

Her Excellency Anizan Siti Hajjar Adnin, High Commissioner of Malaysia to Canada; Current Chair of ASEAN Committee in Ottawa
His Excellency Daniel Tumpal Sumurung Simanjuntak, Ambassador of Indonesia to Canada
Alan Bowman, Director General, Southeast Asia Bureau, Global Affairs Canada
Jay Allen, Director General, Trade Negotiations, Global Affairs Canada
Dr. Quynh Tran, Head, Vietnam Trade Office
Trevor Kennedy, Vice President, Trade and International Policy, Business Council of Canada
Wilson Pearce, Senior Director, Global Business Development Operations, Canadian Commercial Corporation

Co-organized by the ASEAN Committee in Ottawa
With support from the York Centre for Asian Research at York University, Invest Ottawa, Sun Life and Manulife.
This event is part of the Canada, ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific speaker series.

Canada-Malaysia Business: Capitalizing on the CPTPP

May 16, 2023 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET
Ontario Investment and Trade Centre, 250 Yonge St., Toronto

Are you keen to learn how the Comprehensive and Progressive Transpacific Partnership Agreement (CPTPP) can benefit Canadian companies interested in doing business in Malaysia? Malaysia’s ratification of the CPTPP and Canada’s recent announcement of its Indo-Pacific Strategy underline the value of deepening Canada’s economic engagement and facilitating trade with Southeast Asia.

The High Commissioner for Malaysia to Canada Her Excellency Anizan Siti Hajjar Adnin, former High Commissioner for Canada to Malaysia Ms. Julia Bentley and speakers will highlight how capitalizing on the CPTPP can unlock opportunities for Canadian business in Malaysia. This event will also be of interest to academic and government experts who follow economic relations, trade policy, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and Canada’s engagement with ASEAN.

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Organized by the Canada-ASEAN Initiatives and the Malaysia Canada Business Council.
Sponsored by Invest Selangor and Sun Life.

Regional Connectivity Building in Southeast Asia

April 5, 2022 @ 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm ET

This panel brings together three eminent commentators offering a Southeast Asian perspective on regional connectivity, smaller state external policy and elite legitimation. It highlights why the region matters in relation to Chinese foreign policy and Asian security. It also touches on the geopolitics of Southeast Asia’s quest for infrastructure and investment, China’s Belt and Road Initiative, economic, political and security implications of regional connectivity and engagement with partners outside ASEAN.

Co-presented by Canada-ASEAN Initiatives, YCAR, York University; Asian Institute, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto; and Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives, University of Victoria.

For more information, please visit contact: info@canada-asean.org.

This event is part of the Canada, ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific speaker series.

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Cheng-Chwee Kuik (National University of Malaysia) will address the geopolitics of regional connectivity building in Southeast Asia. He will cover: why connectivity cooperation is not only about big-power pushes, but also small-state pulls; how the connectivity-building process is reflective of the features of the “multiplex world”; and to what extent host-country agency is a function of internal resilience and external alternatives.

Lynette Ong (University of Toronto) will provide a political economy analysis of infrastructure development in authoritarian contexts, with a focus on how elite contestation and mass resentment surrounding China-backed projects played out in Malaysia’s historic 2018 election.

Amitav Acharya (American University, formerly of York University) will draw on his long-standing work on regionalism in Southeast Asia. He will discuss the political and security implications of regional connectivity projects with particular focus on their impact on ASEAN.

The webinar will be moderated by Julia Bentley, York Centre for Asian Research.

The Evolving Economic Geopolitical Landscape in the Indo-Pacific:
CPTPP, RCEP and Beyond

February 23, 2022 @ 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. ET

This event is presented by the Centre for Asian Studies, Institute of Malaysian and International Studies at the National University of Malaysia (UKM) and the Canada-ASEAN Initiatives, York Centre for Asian Research at York University.

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
Sufian Jusoh, National University of Malaysia
Juita Mohamad, IDEAS
Paul Evans, University of British Columbia

Chair: Julia Bentley, York Centre for Asian Research

For more information, please contact: info@canada-asean.org.

This event is part of the Canada, ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific speaker series.

Click HERE to watch the recording.

Canada and ASEAN:
Trade Diversification in the Indo-Pacific

November 26, 2021
Ontario Investment and Trade Centre, 250 Yonge St., Toronto

Event Recording

This seminar focuses on the need for Canada, and Ontario in particular, to diversify trade with Southeast Asian countries, many of whom have growing middle-class populations and a shared interest in ensuring free trade flows in the Indo-Pacific region.

For more information, please contact: info@canada-asean.org.

This event is part of the Canada, ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific speaker series.

Virtual Discussion on Canada’s 44th Parliament
and Asia Policy

October 29, 2021, 9:00 – 10:30 am ET

In collaboration with the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association,
Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO)

For more information, please click here.

Photo by Jason Hafso on Unsplash

Webinar Recording

Opening remarks by The Honourable Victor Oh, Senator

Presentation by Sophia Leong, Canada-ASEAN Initiatives
Watch recording here. Download PDF here.

Presentation by The Honourable Bryon Wilfert, Former Member of Parliament. Watch recording here. Download PDF here.

Download PDF of presentation by Dr. Binh Lai, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam here.

Speakers include:

  1. The Honourable Victor Oh, Senator, Senate of Canada | Opening Remarks
  2. The Honourable Bryon Wilfert, Former Member of Parliament, Canada | Presentation: Canada’s 44th Election: Back to Square One
  3. Sophia Leong, Advisory Board Member, Canada-ASEAN Initiatives | Why Vietnam Matters to Canada
  4. Dr. Binh Lai, Deputy Director-General of the East Sea Institute, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam | Canada and the South China Sea from a Vietnamese Perspective
  5. Luis Silva, Former School Trustee, Toronto | Canada’s Diaspora Policy and the Vietnamese Canadian Community
  6. Dr. Pham Quang Minh, Vice-President, Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association | Concluding Remarks

Canada-ASEAN Connect:
Bringing Together Government, Business and Education Sectors

July 29, 2021
3:00 – 4:00 pm ET

This webinar features speakers and guests from the government, education, and business sectors. Participants will gain a fuller picture of the Canada-ASEAN relationship in business and education, and learn more about ASEAN opportunities and how to promote stronger relations in the future. 

For more information, please click here.

Webinar Recording

SPEAKERS

Trade Commissioner Service contact: Eve.Rotstein@international.gc.ca, Toronto Regional Office
Canada-ASEAN Business Council website: https://www.canasean.com/

VIDEO CLIPS

Centre for Southeast Asia Research, University of British Columbia webpage: https://csear.iar.ubc.ca/
Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, University of Toronto webpage: https://munkschool.utoronto.ca/cseas/
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada website: https://www.asiapacific.ca/
Trade Facilitation Office website: www.tfocanada.ca