Peter Van Loan, the federal minister of international trade, delivered the keynote address at a recent breakfast workshop and panel discussion of business leaders and advisers at York.
Right: Peter Van Loan speaking at York
Van Loan talked about “Canadian Opportunities in Asia-Pacific” at the event, which was co-hosted by Foreign Affairs & International Trade Canada and York’s Office of the Associate Vice-President International.
"Minister Van Loan delivered a very encouraging message on how much Canada is doing to promote free and open trade, and the importance we are once again attaching to the Asia-Pacific region," said Lorna Wright, York’s associate vice-president international. "The panelists were able to offer the seminar participants advice from their own experiences of operating successfully in Asia-Pacific.
"One striking piece of information that many may not have thought about was given by Jill Anderson, president and CEO of Aecometric Corporation, a leading company in industrial combustion equipment," noted Wright. "She said that China is now a great starting point for moving into African and Middle Eastern markets.”
Left: President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri (left), Peter Van Loan and Dezsö Horváth, dean of the Schulich School of Business
Workshops such as these help Canada prepare for the November meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group in Yokohama, Japan, said Van Loan. “APEC meetings aim to strengthen trade and investment cooperation in the region. We have strong ties across the Pacific, and we want to increase opportunities for Canadian businesses in this highly dynamic region.”
The successful event was part of York’s continuing initiative to boost internationalization and awareness of international opportunities in business as well as research.
“Our University has built a strong reputation, both here and abroad, for the quality of our academic programs, for the calibre of our graduating students and for our outreach to the business community,” said York President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri. "This success is evident with our more than 240,000 alumni worldwide, many located in the APEC region, who are making significant contributions in this increasingly interconnected world.”