Four subject experts will discuss and explore issues around global populism during the upcoming Glendon Global Debates event, running March 22 at York University's Glendon Campus.
"Global Populism: Political, Economic and Social Implications" aims to examine the rise of populism and how it has rattled the political establishment. Brexit, the victory of Donald Trump and the support for right-wing political parties in Germany, Austria, not to mention the populist movements in the rest of the world have shocked the so-called elites.
Western leaders try to understand and respond to the fact that large swaths of their electorates are rejecting traditional parties. Is it as a result of the 2007-8 economic crisis? The decade since the financial crisis suggests that that the system of economic governance that has held sway for the past four decades is broken. What, if any, are some of the other causes of global populism? How should moderate leaders respond?
This event features special guest panelists: David Collenette, special advisor, High-Speed Rail in Ontario and former federal cabinet minister; Donna Dasko, sessional lecturer, School of Public Policy & Governance, University of Toronto; Jon Allen,
fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs and former ambassador of Canada to Israel; and Willem Maas, Jean Monnet Chair and associate professor, Department of Political Science, Glendon Campus,York University.
Panelists will ask questions, including:
• What is populism and what are its roots in the current context?
• Is populism a result of growing inequality or something else, like migration flows?
• What are the political, economic, social and cultural impact of global populism in the West and around the globe?
• How is global populism impacting Canada? Is the economic system working for everyone?
• What are some of the new ideas to address populism – new industrial strategy?
The event will be moderated by Habiba Nosheen, co-host of CBC's The Fifth Estate. It runs from 6:45 to 9pm in A100 at the Centre of Excellence, Glendon Campus.
Register for this event online.
More about the panellists
David Collenette
David Collenette is a politician, strategic advisor and distinguished fellow of Glendon Campus (2004 to 2009). He serves as senior counsel, Hill+Knowlton Strategies; senior advisor, Intergraph Corporation; and is a member of the Parsons Binkerhoff Advisory Board; chairman of the Board of Directors of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (North America); vice-president, CILT International; and director of Harbourfront Corporation. He is a member of the Glendon School of Public and International Affairs Advisory Committee, and has acted as strategic counsel for a number of organizations in the public affairs, transportation and infrastructure, defense and security and information technology sectors.
Donna Dasko
Donna Dasko is one of Canada’s best known pollsters. Working primarily with public-sector clients, she led major research studies in areas including federal and provincial budget priorities, the economy, national unity, Quebec sovereignty, political choice, health promotion, tobacco control, and many others. She is a leader in developing election polling and media-sponsored polling. Dasko is co-founder and past national chair of Equal Voice, a non-partisan organization with chapters across the country, dedicated to electing more women to public office in Canada. She has served as director of several other non-profit organizations. She is a member of the Statistics Canada Advisory Committee on Social Conditions and provides ongoing advice to Stats Can on the Canadian census and all of its social surveys.
Jon Allen
Jon Allen is a fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, and has had an extensive career in law. In 1981, he joined the Department of External Affairs, and during his career was assigned postings in Mexico City, New Delhi and Washington. Working in the Legal Bureau, he represented Canada in disputes under the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and worked in the areas of human rights, humanitarian and environmental law. From 2006 to 2010, he was Ambassador of Canada to Israel. From 2012 to 2016 he was Canada’s Ambassador to Spain and Andorra and was Chargé d’affaires a.i. to the Holy See from December 2012 to July 2014.
Willem Maas
Willem Maas is the Jean Monnet Chair and an associate professor of Political Science, Public & International Affairs, Social & Political Though and Socio-Legal Studies at York University. Maas chairs the Political Science department and Faculty Council at York University's Glendon College. Maas also co-edits the Politics of Citizenship and Migration book series, co-founded APSA's Migration and Citizenship section, and was recently Marie Skłodowska-Curie International Fellow at EUI, and writes on EU and multilevel citizenship, migration, and politics focusing on Europe and Canada.