Michael Woods was honoured to be invited to participate in the third edition of the Civil Society Forum, established under the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The event was held on December 8th and 9th. The Civil Society Forum (CSF) is a joint initiative of the Government of Canada and the European Union that provides an opportunity for important dialogue and exchange of views between Canadian and EU representatives from employers, unions, labour and business organizations, environmental groups, Indigenous organizations, and other civil society organizations. Participants also have the opportunity to present views to officials of the Government of Canada and the European Commission, on CETA implementation relating to the Trade and Sustainable Development (Chapter 22 of the Agreement), Trade and Labour (Chapter 23), and Trade and Environment (Chapter 24) as well as on matters relating to Trade and Gender, SMEs and Trade, Climate Action and the Paris Agreement, Indigenous trade, and other inclusive trade related issues. The two-day event was held virtually due to COVID-19 concerns and included a special focus on sustainable development. See this link to the agenda – 2020 Canada-EU CETA Civil Society Forum Programme (international.gc.ca). Michael also attended the second Civil Society Forum which Canada hosted in Ottawa in November 2019. See this link to the final report –...
Read MoreChina and the CPTPP – Comments by Michael Woods
At the recent virtual APEC Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated openness in joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) [Xi says China will consider joining TPP – Nikkei Asia]. To many, this underlined China’s aspirations to play a larger economic role – both in the Asia- Pacific region as well as globally. Michael Woods was interviewed on the subject by the South China Morning Post earlier this year [ Michael Woods quoted in South China Morning Post on China and the CPTPP (wl-tradelaw.com)]. He has also written on the subject in the context of the future of global trade and bi-lateral China-U.S. relations in Slaw. Michael is a regular contributor to Canada’s online legal magazine, which is considered essential daily reading by many in the Canadian legal community [http://www.slaw.ca/]. In his October 2020 article , he drew on psychologist Christopher Peterson’s analysis of the concept to address the Two 800-Pound Gorillas? –...
Read MoreWoods, LaFortune LLP to Attend CETA Civil Society Forum
Woods, LaFortune LLP has been invited by the Trade Agreements Secretariat at Global Affairs Canada to participate in the Civil Society Forum on Trade and Sustainable Development under the Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Michael Woods will attend on behalf of the firm. The event is to take place in Ottawa on November 12, 2019. The Forum is facilitated jointly by the Government of Canada and the European Union and include representatives from employers, unions, labour and business organizations, environmental groups, Indigenous organizations, and other relevant civil society organizations, to exchange with one another, with members of the EU civil society, as well as officials of the Government of Canada and the European Commission, on matters related to the implementation of the CETA with regards to Trade and Sustainable Development, Trade and Labour and Trade and Environment. This will be the second edition of the Forum – the first Civil Society Forum on Trade and Sustainable Development under CETA took place in September 2018, in Brussels,...
Read MoreMichael Woods Speaks at IITIO Conference – “The Indigenous Chapter is Very Much Alive.”
Michael Woods joined the head of the Government of Canada’s Trade Law Bureau, Robert Brookfield, Professor Lindsay Robertson of the University of Oklahoma and Professor James Hopkins of the University of Arizona on a panel to discuss the Indigenous elements in the Canada United States Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and the consultative process between the Government of Canada and Canada’s Indigenous communities during the NAFTA renegotiations which were launched in 2017. This was the 7th International Inter-Tribal Trade and Investment Organization (IITIO) trade conference and it was held at the University of Oklahoma Faculty of Law. Michael has served on IITIO’s executive since its founding in 2015 [https://iitio.org/ ] Michael and has colleagues on the panel discussed the details of the new agreement, “the threads of (Indigenous objectives) running through it,” as well as the future of inter- tribal trade. For more details see:...
Read MoreGlobal Perspective on U.S.-China Trade Talks
Michael Woods was interviewed for an article by U. S. based Corporate Counsel regarding the ongoing U.S. – China trade talks. His comments on the wider implications of the “heavyweight” battle can be seen at this link:...
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