The novel coronavirus, which has caused the COVID-19 global pandemic with 38.2 million cases worldwide and more than 1.09 million people dead (Source: World Health Organization), has left no country unscathed. As the world enters the second wave of this pandemic, what does Canada need to consider as it looks to emerge in a post-pandemic world?
This central question, which will be viewed from a variety of perspectives, is at the heart of an important two-day national conference organized by York University alumni Irvin Studin (BBA ’99, PhD ’11) and Sam Sasan Shoamanesh (BA ’99).
The conference is set to take place Oct. 23 and 24 in Toronto. Titled, “After the Pandemic – The State & Future of Canada,” this event is presented by the Institute for 21st Century Questions (21CQ), a vision and strategy think tank affiliated with Global Brief magazine, Canada’s leading international affairs magazine.
“We’re organizing the most comprehensive and authoritative national conference to date on Canada post-pandemic on Oct. 23 and 24. We’re covering all dimensions of Canada coming out of the pandemic, from public health to the economy, education, national unity, international affairs, Indigenous relations, cities, majority/minority relations, media, culture, and more,” says Studin, who is a Rhodes Scholar, a 2014 Bryden Alumni Award recipient, president of 21CQ and the editor-in-chief of Global Brief.
Featured experts from York University (listed in order of their appearance at the conference) are: Fred Lazar (professor of Economics, Schulich School of Business and associate professor of Economics, cross-appointed to Department of Economics in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies); Gabrielle Slowey (associate professor in the Department of Politics in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and the director of the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies); Mamdouh Shoukri (past president and vice-chancellor of York University and professor emeritus of Engineering, McMaster University); Michael Barutciski (professor of Canadian Studies at Glendon College and the Montréal-based associate editor of Global Brief); and Obiora Okafor (professor, Osgoode Hall Law School).
As with previous conferences presented by 21CQ and Global Brief, “After the Pandemic – The State & Future of Canada” will feature a diverse range of global experts speaking to five specific themes:
Oct. 23 panel themes
- The Economy Post-Pandemic
- Public Health in Canada Post-Covid
- Canada’s International Position
- Indigenous Relations in Canada
- Canada’s Arctic Position
- Canadian Science and Technology Post-Pandemic
Oct. 24 panel themes
- Canada’s Population and Immigration/Migration/Demography Post-Pandemic
- Canada’s Regions and National Unity Post-Pandemic
- The State of Majority/Minority Relations in Canada
- Canada’s Cities Post-Pandemic
- Canada’s Cultural, Media and Information Space Post-Pandemic
- The State of Education in Canada Post-Pandemic
- Energy, the Environment, Agriculture, Food and Canada’s Possible Futures
Studin will provide introductory remarks for each day of the conference, which will be presented virtually using the Zoom platform.
For more information on the location and availability of tickets, visit the 21CQ website and click on the conference event page.