York professors to debate the Trans-Pacific Partnership on March 15

Is the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) good for Canada and good for member countries in Asia and Latin America?

The York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR), the Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLAC), and the International Development Studies program will host a panel discussion on March 15 to explore the implications of the TPP.

The TPP is an agreement negotiated between 12 countries around the Pacific Rim, in both the Americas and Asia. It was signed in 2015 and awaits ratification by national legislatures in signatory countries, including Canada. The agreement is wide-ranging and addresses issues such as barriers to trade, intellectual property rights, labour migration, corporate regulation and dispute resolution.

Many have argued that it has profound implications for a wide range of economic sectors in all signatory countries, as well as for labour and the role of the state.

From a range of perspectives, the panelists at the March 15 event “Debating the Trans-Pacific Partnership: Perspectives from Canada, Asia and Latin America” will discuss the pros and cons of the deal both for Canada and for countries in Asia and Latin America.

Gus Van Harten
Gus Van Harten
Lorna Wright
Lorna Wright
grinspun
Ricardo Grinspun

Panelists include Gus Van Harten, associate professor of law at Osgoode Hall Law School; Lorna Wright, associate professor of international business and organization studies at the Schulich School of Business; and Ricardo Grinspun, associate professor of economics in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies.

Van Harten will bring insights from his areas of expertise which include administrative law, international investment law and arbitration, and the governance of the international financial system.  Wright’s expertise in cross-cultural management, international negotiations, and the internationalization of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) will also facilitate an engagement with the TPP from an international business perspective. Grinspun will provide insights informed by his areas of research which include the global economy and international trade, with particular reference to Latin America.

The panel will be moderated by Philip Kelly, professor of geography and director of YCAR.

The event takes place 10 to 11:30am, Kaneff Tower, Room 519. All are welcome.