Panel Discussion on Brexit
Roundtable Luncheon with the Hon. John R. Baird and Daniel Schwanen
Join us for a panel discussion on the United Kingdom’s recent vote to leave the European Union.
John R. Baird, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senior Business Advisor, Bennett Jones LLP
John Baird is a Senior Advisor at Bennett Jones LLP, a leading Canadian law firm, and a former Senior Cabinet Minister in the Government of Canada.
An instrumental figure in bilateral trade and investment relationships, Mr. Baird has played a leading role in the Canada-China dialogue and worked to build ties with ASEAN countries. In addition, Mr. Baird has worked closely with international leaders to strengthen security and economic ties with the United States and Middle Eastern countries.
A native of Ottawa, Baird spent three terms as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, most recently as Minister of Foreign Affairs (2011 – 2015). Previously, Mr. Baird held a variety of government posts, including President of the Treasury Board (2006 – 2007), Minister of the Environment (2007 – 2008, and 2010 – 2011), Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (2008 – 2010), and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (2010 – 2011).
Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Baird spent ten years in the Ontario Legislature. From 1995 to 2005 he served as Minister of Community and Social Services, Minister of Energy, and Government House Leader.
In addition to his work with Bennett Jones, Mr. Baird currently sits on the advisory board of Barrick Gold Corp., the corporate boards of Canadian Pacific, Canfor, Canfor Pulp, FWD Group and PineBridge Investments, is a Global Strategic Advisor to Hatch Ltd, a Canadian global multidisciplinary management, engineering and development consultancy, and is a Senior Advisor at Eurasia Group, a global political risk consultancy.
Mr. Baird also volunteers his time with Community Living Ontario, an organization that supports individuals with developmental disabilities, the Prince's Charities, the charitable office of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, and is a board member of the Friends of Israel Initiative. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies from Queen’s University at Kingston.
Daniel Schwanen, Vice President, Research, C.D. Howe Institute
Daniel Schwanen is an award-winning economist with a passion for international economic policy. He is spearheading Institute programs focused on the link between Canada’s international trade and investment policy and Canadians’ standards of living.
Having earned degrees in economics from the Université de Montréal and Queen’s University, Daniel began his career in the financial services industry, becoming International Economist at the CIBC in 1986. He first joined the C.D. Howe Institute in 1990, producing widely-cited research on international trade, Canada’s economic union, climate change policy, and the economics of cultural policy. His work in the 1990s earned him foreign visitorships in the United States, Japan and Australia.
After joining the Institute for Research on Public Policy in 2001, Daniel earned the Policy Research Initiative’s Outstanding Research Contribution Award for his paper “A Room of Our Own: Cultural Policies and Trade Agreements,” and produced, with co-editors Thomas Courchene and Donald Savoie, a major series of papers on North America after NAFTA. In 2007, he co-wrote the independent review of Australia’s Progress to Achieve APEC Goals, presenting the report at APEC’s Senior Officials meeting as part of APEC’s peer review process.
Daniel joined the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) in Waterloo, Ontario in 2005, serving in a number of senior research and executive positions. Most recently, his work there focused on the G20 and international economic policy coordination.
Daniel returned to the C.D. Howe Institute in March, 2011 as Associate Vice President, Trade and International Policy. He was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Research in January 2013, and currently holds the position of Vice President, Research, as of June 2014.
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