The Arctic in Play: Strengthening Canada’s Position in the North
2022 Kierans Lecture with The Honourable John R. Baird, Clint Davis and Robert Huebert
The Canadian Arctic represents a great deal of opportunity, including its abundance of natural resources such as coal, water, oil and gas. Yet we are not the only country interested in expanding the scope of our access and presence in the region. Join the C.D. Howe Institute on the evening of Tuesday, November 29 to hear an expert panel discuss the economic and military significance of the Arctic and what that means for Canada as a global actor on the geopolitical stage.
The C.D. Howe Institute's Annual Kierans Lecture has been made possible through a generous donation from Tom Kierans and Mary Janigan.
C.D. Howe Institute events and webinars are open to members and their guests.
Please follow this link or contact events@cdhowe.org to register.
The Honourable John R. Baird, Senior Business Advisor, Bennett Jones LLP; Former Minister of Foreign Affairs
John Baird is a Senior Advisor at Bennett Jones LLP 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 and four years as Foreign Minister. He also served as President of the Treasury Board, Minister of the Environment, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. In 2010, he was selected by Members of Parliament from all parties as Parliamentarian of the Year. Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Baird spent ten years in the Ontario Legislature where 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 sits on the advisory board of Barrick Gold Corp., the corporate boards of Canadian Pacific, Canfor Corporation (as Chair), Osisko Gold Royalties, the FWD Group and PineBridge Investments. He also serves as 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 Trust Canada, 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 and an Honourary Doctorate of Law from Queen’s University at Kingston.
Clint Davis, Chief Executive Officer, Nunasi Corporation
Clint is the CEO of Nunasi Corporation, an Inuit development corporation headquartered in Iqaluit. He is working to reposition the established organization as an industry leader, streamline its business interests, and drive strategy focused on prudent yet profitable growth.
Clint started his career as a lawyer with Benson Myles. After establishing himself in law, he transitioned into public service as Senior Advisor to the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. Clint advanced his career in banking, joining BMO as the National Director of Indigenous Banking, where he positioned BMO as a bank of choice for Indigenous organizations. Other roles included the CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business and VP, Indigenous Banking with TD, where he doubled the portfolio and developed and executed TD’s 1st Indigenous Banking national strategy. Clint later launched North35 Capital Partners, where he advised Indigenous communities and development corporations on business strategy. While at North35, Clint also envisioned and built the structure for an Indigenous Infrastructure Fund, a 1st-of-its-kind aimed at furthering investment into Indigenous communities.
Frequently turned to for insights into Indigenous business and economics, Clint has been a featured expert in major media such as APTN, CBC, BNN, and The Globe and Mail, and he’s a former blogger for Financial Post.
Clint is also an active board member. He currently serves on the boards of Vancity Community Investment Bank, Uqsuq Corporation, and the Arctic Inspiration Prize. He also founded the Inuit Development Corporation Association, uniting the 6 Inuit development corporations in Canada. Clint was also a key contributor to the development of the framework for the national truth and reconciliation council as a Governor in Council appointee.
Clint was recognized for his contribution to Indigenous business with the Indspire Award in the Business and Commerce category, the highest honour awarded to an individual by the Indigenous community. He was installed as an Hon. Lt. Col of the Queen’s York Rangers, an Army Primary Reserve Canadian Armoured Corps regiment based in Toronto and Aurora.
A graduate of Harvard University, Clint holds his Master in Public Administration degree in business and government policy. He was also a Canada-US Fulbright Scholar. Prior to earning his master’s degree, Clint completed his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in Indigenous, business, and criminal law from Dalhousie University, as well as his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance from Acadia University. In 2015, Clint was recognized as Acadia University Distinguished Alumni.
Clint is an Inuk from Nunatsiavut, Labrador. He was born and raised in Goose Bay, Labrador.
Robert Huebert, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Calgary, Senior Fellow, MacDonald Laurier Institute
Dr. Rob Huebert (Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Calgary), a leading Canadian commentator on Arctic security and defence issues in media, academic, and policy circles, will continue to monitor and analyze Arctic defence and international security trends, with a particular focus on strategic policy and military capabilities and how developments impact on Canadian Arctic security. His areas of research inter ests include: international relations, strategic studies, the Law of the Sea, maritime affairs, Canadian foreign and defence policy, and circumpolar relations. His books include Canada and the Changing Arctic: Sovereignty, Security and Stewardship (co-authored with Franklyn Griffiths and Lackenbauer, 2011) and (Re)Conceptualizing Arctic Security: Selected Articles from the Journal of Military and Security Studies (co-edited with Lackenbauer and Ryan Dean, 2017).
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