Posted by Woods LaFortune LLP on Mar 16, 2022

Michael Woods was pleased to attend the Forum for International Training (FITT) Annual Gala on March 3, 2021, as a specially invited quest. The virtual event celebrated FITT’s 30th Anniversary, featuring keynote addresses by Ms. Sara Wilshaw, Chief Trade Commissioner of Global Affairs Canada and Ms. Mairead Lavery, President and CEO of Export Development Canada.  Michael participated in the virtual networking with FITT”S  Certified International Trade Professionals (CITP) celebrating 5, 10, 15, and 20+ years as CITPs. Michael retired from the FITT Board of Directors, having served since 2008.  Among the many highlights of his work on the Board was the work process that led to FITT’s formal partnership arrangement with Export Development Canada (EDC) aimed at delivering enhanced trade education to Canadian companies and trade professionals.  At the core of the partnership is the EDC-FITT International Trade Learning Centre (Centre) – a digital platform from which EDC and FITT that offers information, learning modules, and other knowledge-based resources FITT is a Canada-based not-for-profit (NFP) organization dedicated to providing international business training, resources and professional certification to individuals and businesses. It provided the only international business training programs and related professional designation (CITP/FIBP) endorsed by both the World Trade Centers Association and the Government of Canada. focused on helping small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) go, grow and succeed internationally. [ https://fittfortrade.com/about-us...

Posted by Woods LaFortune LLP on Jan 17, 2022

Woods, LaFortune LLP,  has been invited to attend the Fourth Civil Society Forum (CSF), held in connection with the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).  Canada will serve as host of the February 2022 meetings (which will be virtual).  The CSF is intended to promote dialogue between the governments and civil society representatives from Canada and the European Union (EU). Woods, LaFortune LLP has attended past forums which features with participants from the business community, environmental organisations, women’s groups, Indigenous leaders from Canada, and other civil society representatives.  This year the focus of the discussions will be on how Canada and the EU are implementing labour, environment and sustainable development provisions of CETA.  Woods, LaFortune has attended the past forums. Details of the third one forum can be found at this link – [ Meeting of the CETA Civil Society Forum (international.gc.ca...

Posted by Woods LaFortune LLP on Jan 7, 2022

Michael Woods has been invited to take part in a special meeting later this month to discuss the upcoming launch of Canada’s negotiations with the United Kingdom towards a bilateral Canada-UK Free Trade Agreement.  The meeting will with Canada’s Chief Negotiator and other senior Global Affairs Canada officials.  Michael will be joined buy other Indigenous Working Group (IWG) members at the meeting.  The Government of Canada tabled a Notice of Intent to enter into negotiations on December 13, 2021.  [  https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/cuktca-acccru/notice-of-intent-canada.aspx?lang=eng ]...

Posted by Woods LaFortune LLP on Oct 1, 2021

On September 30, 2021, Woods, LaFortune LLP marked National Truth and Reconciliation Day with  partner, Michael Woods moderating the International Inter-tribal Trade and Investment Organization’s webinar –  Get Your Skills Ready for International Trade. [ Get Your Skills Ready for International Trade – IITIO] At the outset of the webinar, Michael acknowledged the importance of the commemorating and reflecting upon the painful history  and ongoing impacts of residential schools and his firm’s commitment to work with Indigenous communities in the process of reconciliation. Michael is a founding member of the International Inter-tribal Trade and Investment Organization IITIO which teamed up with the University of Oklahoma School of Law to provide the fifth offering in its educational series aimed at promoting and enabling increased Indigenous participation in international trade.  He was joined by the CEO of the Forum for International Trade (FITT), Caroline Tompkins, and fellow IITIO member Dr. Jim Collard.  Dr. Collard is  Director of Economic Development of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in Oklahoma.  With the discussion focused on  building the basic skills required to be a successful international trade practitioner. There was a special focus on the will draw on the world-class FITTSkills program. [ FITTskills Online Courses | Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) (fittfortrade.com)] In 2017 IITIO played a lead role in pushing for Indigenous involvement in Canada’s process at the outset of the NAFTA re-negotiations and was the catalyst in the creation of the Global Affairs Canada’s Indigenous Working Group (IWG). [ International Trade Agreements and Indigenous Peoples: The Canadian Approach]. Michael joined at the IWG’s creation and continues to be an active has member the group interacts with Canadian officials vis-à-vis Canada’s ongoing trade policy formulation  and negotiations.  He is currently donating his time to work on the APEC initiative – the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Agreement (IPETCA)...

Posted by Woods LaFortune LLP on Aug 9, 2021

In June 2021, Michael Woods completed his fourth term and final term on the Board of Directors of the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) [ | Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) (fittfortrade.com) ]. FITT is a Canada-based not-for-profit (NFP) organization dedicated to providing international business training, resources and professional certification to individuals and businesses. It provided the only international business training programs and related professional designation (CITP/FIBP) endorsed by both the World Trade Centers Association and the Government of Canada. [ FITTskills Online Courses | Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) (fittfortrade.com) ]. Membership on the FITT Board is limited to four terms and Michael is honoured to have been elected for the maximum number of terms and serving since 2008.  Among the many highlights of his work on the Board was the work process that led to FITT’s formal partnership arrangement with Export Development Canada (EDC) aimed at delivering enhanced trade education to Canadian companies and trade professionals.  At the core of the partnership is the EDC-FITT International Trade Learning Centre (Centre) – a digital platform from which EDC and FITT that offers information, learning modules, and other knowledge-based resources focused on helping small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) go, grow and succeed internationally. [ https://fittfortrade.com/edc-fitt-online-training]. Michael is looks forward to maintaining close ties with FITT members and...