Celebrating the Canadian International Trade Tribunal’s 25th Anniversary
On November 20, 2014, Gordon LaFortune, Catherine Walsh, and Michael Woods attended a reception at the Rideau Club in Ottawa marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT). The CITT was established in 1988 and began operations in January 1989, is the work of the amalgamation of four federal tribunals – the Tariff Board, the Canadian Import Tribunal, the Textile and Clothing Board, and the Procurement Review Board...
read moreCanada’s Air Transport – Part II
We are pleased to announce the release of Part II of the articles series on Canada’s International Air Transport by Daniel de Bellefeuille. These articles set out key elements of Canada’s Air Transport Agreement policy – a critical element in Canada’s overall international policy making. The Woods, LaFortune LLP team thanks Daniel for his valuable contribution and we encourage any follow-up questions and comments. Part I in the series can be found under our...
read moreCanada’s Air Transportation Policy and Air Transport Agreements
Over the next two weeks, we are pleased to be able to post two articles by Daniel de Bellefeuille on Canada’s Air Transportation Policy and the fascinating world of Air Transport Agreements (ATAs). Daniel and Michael Woods, Senior Partner at Woods, LaFortune LLP, both joined Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) in 1981. The TCS experience opened their eyes to the importance of international trade and its key drivers, one of which is air transportation. ...
read moreA Brief Guide to Government Procurement and CITT Bid Challenges
The Government of Canada is a major purchaser of goods and services. In 2012, the Federal Government purchased approximately $15 billion worth of goods and services through 386,601 contracts. Undoubtedly, the Government of Canada is potentially an important customer that can make a real difference to a seller’s bottom line. Procurements by the Government of Canada differ from purchases by private sector corporations because the Government entities are subject to specific obligations that are...
read moreExporting to Canada – U.S. Commercial Services’ Webinar
The Canada-U.S. trade and economic relationship is the largest and richest in the history with over $1.6 Billion in trade a day. The Woods, LaFortune LLP team is proud to be participating in the bi-lateral partnership and looks forward to presenting at the U.S. Commercial Services’ Webinar on Wednesday November 12, 2014 on the topic of exporting into the Canadian market and what U.S. firms and companies need to know to be successful. Catherine...
read moreCanada-U.S. Trade – Canadian American Business Council on the State of the Relationship
On November 6, 2014, Michael Woods, Senior Partner at Woods, LaFortune LLP, attended the Canadian American Business Council (CABC) Annual Summit and Award Dinner here in Ottawa. He was honoured to be the guest of iPolitics – a leader in smart, fast, informed and objective electronic journalism [http://www.ipolitics.ca/about]. Veteran TV journalist Tom Brokaw animated a terrific evening that featured informative exchanges with Finance Minister Joe Oliver and Ambassador Gary Doer, and the CEO of...
read moreConference on the CETA – McGill University
Gordon LaFortune and Michael Woods, partners of Woods, LaFortune LLP, attended the McGill University Conference on the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) on October 31 and November 1, 2014. The conference was held at the Faculty of Law and special thanks is due to Professor Armand de Menstral (Emeritus Professor Jean Monnet Chair in Law) and Professor Andrea Bjorklund (L. Yves Fortier Chair in International and International Commercial Law) as well as the...
read moreEquality Effect and 160 Girls: Making Human Rights Real in Africa
On October 14th, 2014, Michael Woods, senior partner at Woods, LaFortune LLP, attended the Ontario Bar Association’s (OBA) event – “How the Equality Effect and 160 Girls Are Making Human Rights “Real” in Africa.” The event, organized and presented by the Constitutional, Civil Liberties, and Human Rights Law/Women Lawyers Forum Sections of the OBA, highlighted the courage and determination of a group of 160 girls determined to fight for basic human rights in Africa...
read moreGATT, WTO, NAFTA, CETA, and More – A Career in International Trade Law
* By Michael Woods – Senior Partner at Woods, LaFortune LLP After 35 years in both government and private practice, I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to build a fruitful career in international trade law. My own personal path to the exciting work I’ve had the privilege to participate in with respect to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), World Trade Organization (WTO), and North American Free Trade...
read moreOWIT International Networking Event
Catherine Walsh of Woods, LaFortune LLP, who is also the Vice-President of Membership for the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) Ottawa Chapter, recently attended the International Networking Event hosted by OWIT International on September 28, 2014 at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa. The International Networking Event was an immense success and brought together business and trade professionals from a wide range of sectors, both public and private. Guest speakers at the...
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