What is the national conversation on Asia? How do Canadian businesses stay competitive in a more Asia-centred world? Please join us on June 11th as President and CEO of the Asian Pacific Foundation of Canada, Yuen Pau Woo, presents the results of APF Canada’s 2014 National Opinion Poll: Canadian Views on Asia and speaks on the progress made by APF in building stronger relations with Asian countries over the last six years. With the growing recognition across the country that Asia is, in the words of Foreign Minister John Baird, “not an option, but an imperative”, Woo will also provide a reflection on the Foundation’s “National Conversation on Asia” and the mixed messages of optimism, fear, and puzzlement that many Canadians have expressed about trans-Pacific relations.
The easy phase of building stronger ties with Asia is over. If Asia is to be an imperative for Canada, a national effort will be needed for Canadians to invest in Asian knowledge and skills. As Woo completes his final term as CEO he is also calling for forward-looking, non-partisan leadership to come from the business community, civil society, and the political class to ensure these investments do not stand idle.
Mr. Yuen Pau Woo is President and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. He is a thought leader on contemporary Asian affairs and trans-Pacific relations. He has served on the Standing Committee of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, and as an advisor/consultant to the World Bank, APEC, the OECD, Asian Development Bank, the Shanghai WTO Affairs Consultation Centre, and the Canadian Ditchley Foundation. He is also on the Global Council of the Asia Society, a member of the Greater Vancouver Advisory Board for the Salvation Army, and a board member of the Public Policy Forum, the Vancouver Academy of Music, and the Mosaic Institute. Mr. Woo has previously worked for the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation. He is on the editorial board of Pacific Affairs. As one of Canada’s most respected analysts on Asia, Mr. Woo is frequently consulted by senior officials, business leaders, and civil society organizations.
Mr. Woo is a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award, in recognition of his contribution to Canada-Asia relations.
The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is a not-for-profit think-tank based in Vancouver and has been a leader in research and analysis on Canada’s relations with Asia since its foundation in 1984. For more information, please visit www.asiapacific.ca.
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