As we enter a new era, with a return of isolationism, the battle against pandemics has become more problematic. The early responses to the coronavirus outbreak demonstrate some of these emerging challenges. This talk will discuss the emergence of the current approach to battling global public health emergencies and warning signs for managing future such threats.
Timothy Wise will talk about the battle for the future of food in the deepening climate and coronavirus global emergencies. A series of recent United Nations reports on the growing climate emergency highlights the urgent need to change the way we grow, market, and consume our food
Moderator: Margaret Huber, Speakers: Peggy Mason and Daryl Copeland
On June 17, Canada lost its bid for a seat on the UN Security Council, the second time in a decade that it has tried and failed to do so. This event has stoked debate about Canada’s standing in the UN, and much self-searching about the role Canada plays (or should play) on the world stage. The world of 2020 is fundamentally different from the postwar world of 1950 when the foundations of Canada’s foreign policy were laid. Lamentably, the threat of nuclear annihilation remains. But in addition, the climate crisis poses an additional existential threat. And Canada is no longer the leading peacekeeper and aid donor that it once was. The Canadian foreign service is understaffed and under-resourced to meet the challenges of today. All that being so, a review of Canada’s foreign policy is overdue. This webinar will take stock of emerging global and national realities, along with Canada’s international aspirations and capabilities, in thinking about the shape of foreign policy in the decades ahead. Just as important, perhaps, it will consider how a sweeping review of our foreign policy should be structured, to make it open and inclusive, and not simply a dialogue among foreign policy experts.