Chile, Honduras and Bolivia: An Elections Roundtable: January 19, 2010

CANADEM Conference Room, 10th Floor, 1 Nicholas St., Ottawa, Canada

With: Marta Lagos, Executive Director, Latinobarómetro (via video conference); Paul Haslam, FOCAL Non-Resident Fellow and Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa; John Graham, Chair Emeritus of FOCAL Board; Alexandre Lévêque, Director, Caribbean, Central America & Regional Policy, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Ronald Rojas, Project Manager, Health and Education, FOCAL; Tandy Shephard, Project Manager, Mapping Knowledge for Development in the Americas, FOCAL;Susan Spronk, Assistant Professor, School of International Development & Global Studies, University of Ottawa

FOCAL is bringing together leading analysts for a wide-ranging exchange of views on the three major elections that recently took place in Chile, Honduras and Bolivia. The speakers’ brief remarks will be followed by a discussion among participants.

Please note that Chatham House rules will be in effect for this event. This signifies that there will be free discussion and anonymity of speakers is to be preserved. The use of any recording devices will not be permitted.

Please RSVP to Ruth Mestechkin at rmestechkin@focal.ca or 613-562-0005 ext. 237 no later than January 18, 2010. Space is limited.

Countering Threats to Security and Stability Lessons Learned from Colombia with Peter DeShazo

FOCAL Board Room, Suite 720, 1 Nicholas St., Ottawa, Canada

Peter DeShazo is the Director of the Americas program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He will be discussing a new report, discussion on the new CSIS report, "Countering Threats to Security and Stability: Lessons Learned from Colombia" during a brown bag discussion at FOCAL.

Please register online or RSVP to Ruth Mestechkin rmestechkin@focal.ca 613-562-0005 ext. 237 no later than October 5, 2009.

Global Forum on Migration and Development
Athens, Greece
FOCAL’s Labour Mobility Project Manager, Barbara MacLaren, will attend Civil Society Days at this year’s Global Forum on Migration and Development. On the agenda is how migration and development can work
toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals and how policy-relevant migration data and research and policy coherence relate to one another.

Visit the 2009 Global Forum's website for more information.

Health Policy and Exclusion in Bolivia: Lessons Learned
Ottawa, Canada
FOCAL's Health and Education Project Manager Ronald Rojas hosted health experts Rory Narváez and Érika Silva who presented and then engaged in a roundtable discussion to explore potential policy options that may contribute to improving health outcomes in Bolivia.

For more information, contact Ronald Rojas at 613-562-0005 ext. 255 or by email rrojas@focal.ca.

A Conversation on Honduras and Canada’s Engagement

University of Ottawa, 90 University, Lounge, Main Floor, Ottawa, Canada

José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) and Paul Durand, Canadian Ambassador to the Organization of American States (2001-2006) and Ambassador to Costa Rica and Honduras (1992-1995) will discuss Canada's engagement on the situation in Honduras.

View the video. (Flash) Get the Flash Player to see this video.

Background Information

Situation in Honduras website, Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

San José Accord, proposed by mediator President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica

OAS Statements
September 1: OAS Secretary-General Statement After Meeting with OAS and President Zelaya, September 1, 2009
August 28: OAS Mission of Foreign Ministers that Visited Honduras Statement
August 26: OAS Secretary-General Will Continue Dialogue to Find a Solution to the Crisis in Honduras
August 13: OAS Secretary-General Statement After Meeting Honduran Delegation
July 16: OAS Resolution on Honduras
July 15: Insulza: "If you want to have democratic rule and improve the quality of democracy, don't try to justify its rape."
July 7: OAS Fully Supports Mediation of President Arias of Honduras
July 5: OAS Suspends Membership of Honduras
June 28: OAS Secretary-General Condemns Coup Against Government of Honduras

Anything but Human Rights: U.S. Policy Toward Cuba
with Arturo Lopez-Levy

FOCAL Board Room, 1 Nicholas Street, Suite 702 (seventh floor), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Arturo Lopez-Levy is a lecturer and a doctoral candidate at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies of the University of Denver. He has Master Degrees in Economics from Carleton University (1997) and in International Affairs from Columbia University (2003). His undergraduate work was at the Instituto Superior de Relaciones Internacionales, Havana. Mr Lopez-Levy has worked as a consultant on Cuba for the Economist, Conde Naste Traveller and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. He also has worked as graduate assistant at the Carter Center (2005) and the Inter-American Dialogue (2004).  Earlier on, he was a political analyst in the Ministry of the Interior, Government of Cuba. Currently Lopez-Levy is a fellow at the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy.

Brazil's Foreign Policy in Latin America and the Caribbean

Board Room, 12th floor, 1 Nicholas Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

H.E. Marcel F. Biato is the head of the Advisory for External Relations at the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil. He will provide an in-depth overview and insights into Brazilian foreign policy before the discussion converts into a roundtable format for a lively exchange with Canadians involved in foreign policy.

The Cuba Wars: Fidel Castro, the United States and the Next Revolution with Daniel Erikson
12th Floor Boardroom, 1 Nicholas Street, 12th floor, Ottawa, Canada

Daniel Erikson is the senior associate for U.S. policy and director of Caribbean programs at the Inter-American Dialogue.  He is a frequent commentator in the U.S. and international media and has written extensively on Cuba, the Caribbean and Latin America. Erikson has taught Latin American politics at Johns Hopkins-SAIS, and has testified before the U.S. Congress.  His past positions include research associate at Harvard Business School and Fulbright scholar in U.S.-Mexican business relations. He earned a Masters in Public Policy as a Dean’s Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a BA from Brown University.

Invite
Register Online

Please note that the planned book signing at 5:30 pm on May 8 at Nicholas Hoare Books has been cancelled due to the author's travel plans.

Trade Unions, Human Rights and Democracy in Cuba: A Prisoner's Perspective
Ottawa, Canada
Pedro Pablo has been active in attempting to establish independent trade unions in Cuba since his youth and is a leading advocate for trade union rights in Cuba. He has been active at the ILO reporting on human rights violations in Cuba, specifically violations of the freedom of association. At the time of his arrest, he was General Secretary of the United Workers' Council of Cuba (CUTC), an independent union affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). Please RSVP to Peter Moore pmoore@focal.ca 613-562-0005 ext. 255 no later than April
21, 2009.
Invitation

An Agenda for the Americas
George Washington University
Washington, D.C., United States
This symposium is to consider how best to invigorate U.S.-Hemispheric relations and enhance regional security. It is organized by George Washington University and the Strategic Studies Institute and co-sponsored by FOCAL, the Center for Strategic & International Studies, Inter-American Dialogue, Council of the Americas, and The Heritage Foundation.
Final Report
Agenda
Webcast

Freedom of Expression and Human Rights in Venezuela
Ottawa, Canada
Human rights and freedom of expression activists from Venezuela will speak about their work in Venezuela. The speakers will be Carlos Ayala, human rights lawyer; Carlos Correa, Director, Espacio Público; Solbella Pérez, El Comité de Familiares de las Víctimas; and Humberto Prado, Observatorio de Prisiones.

Democratic Governance in the Americas: Canada’s National
Alliance for the Implementation of Summit Mandates
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada
March 27, 2009
FOCAL, the Latin American Research Centre at the University of Calgary and the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions at the University of British Columbia are hosting a series of half-day meetings with Canadian civil society organizations, government officials and democratic governance experts to: a) Discuss Summit themes and processes, status of preparations and what to expect; b) Develop a National Alliance Action Plan for advancing democratic governance in Canada in support of Summit mandate fulfillment; and c) Document Canadian experiences and expertise in themes and mandates on the Summit of the Americas agenda.
Invitation

Democratic Governance in the Americas: Canada’s National
Alliance for the Implementation of Summit Mandates
University of Calgary
Calgary, Canada
FOCAL, the Latin American Research Centre at the University of Calgary and the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions at the University of British Columbia are hosting a series of half-day meetings with Canadian civil society organizations, government officials and democratic governance experts to: a) Discuss Summit themes and processes, status of preparations and what to expect; b) Develop a National Alliance Action Plan for advancing democratic governance in Canada in support of Summit mandate fulfillment; and c) Document Canadian experiences and expertise in themes and mandates on the Summit of the Americas agenda. Invitation

2008 Latinobarómetro Report on Democracy in Latin America
Ottawa, Canada and Washington, DC, United States
Marta Lagos, Executive Director of Latinobarómetro presented the highlights of the 2008 survey on democracy in Latin America at the inter-American Dialogue in Washington, DC, with FOCAL participating by teleconference from Ottawa, Canada. Please confirm your attendance by February 26 at the latest by contacting FOCAL's Director of Communications, Peter Moore.

Demobilization and Reintegration in Colombia
Ottawa, Canada
Frank Pearl, Presidential High Counselor for Social and Economic Reintegration to Colombia, will meet with Canadian civil society organizations to discuss demobilization and reintegration in Colombia. Please confirm your attendance by February 25 at the latest by contacting FOCAL's Director of Communications Peter Moore.

Modernities: Indigenous and Afrodescendant Struggles in Latin America conference
Austin, Texas, United States
Racquel Smith, program manager of FOCAL's Economic Development in Afro-Latino Communities project, and consultant José Guillermo Guevara Torres, will present a paper on "Latin America’s Indigenous and Afro-Descendent Populations in Comparative Perspective: Cantos Mágicos for Individual and Community Health and Wellbeing" at this conference hosted by the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin America Studies. For more information, please contact Racquel Smith, Project Manager.

Diálogo de Canadá y España sobre Cuba
Madrid, Spain
Carlo Dade, FOCAL's Executive Director, will be attending this dialogue to discuss the Canadian and Spanish relationships with Cuba. This dialogue is supported by the Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior (FRIDE), FOCAL, Casa de América, and Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). For more information, visit the FRIDE web site.

Expert Dialogue on Labour Mobility Report Launch
Gatineau, Quebec
3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
UNAM Sala Felipe Gutiérrez
55 Promenade du Portage
FOCAL and its partners, Metropolis, UNAM, CISAN, and the Embassy of Mexico will be launching a report that identifies a research agenda for North American migration and labour mobility policymakers. RSVP attendance to Barbara MacLaren bmaclaren@focal.ca or 613-562-0005 ext. 230. Invitation (PDF)
Report (PDF)

Hemispheric Think Tank Working Group on the 2009 Fifth Summit of the Americas
Washington, DC, United States
The Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL) and the Inter-American Dialogue convened a group of the Western Hemisphere’s leading think tanks to engage in a year-long program of analysis and exchange in support of the Fifth Summit of the Americas, scheduled for April 17-19, 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago. For more information, please contact FOCAL's Executive Director, Carlo Dade by email or telephone 613-562-0005 ext. 222.

Culture and Development: Advancing Equality and Racial Inclusion Forum
Washington, DC, United States
Racquel Smith, program manager of FOCAL's Economic Development in Afro-Latino Communities project will present on media as an agent of change at this forum, hosted by the Gender and Diversity Unit, of the Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, DC. For more information, please contact Racquel Smith, Project Manager.

Caribbean Sub-regional Civil Society Forum
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
The Caribbean Sub-regional Civil Society Forum was an opportunity for civil society organizations from the English-speaking Caribbean to review the Draft Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain, "Securing our Citizen's Future by Promoting Human Prosperity, Energy Security and Environmental Sustainability" presented by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Civil society representatives from the Caribbean were encouraged to discuss and compile substantive recommendations on the themes of the Fifth Summit. For more information, see FOCAL's news release or the registration details or please contact Racquel Smith, Project Manager.

Labour Migration: Protection, Gender and Development Seminar
New York, United States
FOCAL migration project manager Barbara MacLaren presented and participated in this discussion hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. For more information, see her presentation and the accompanying migration flow chart. For more information, please contact Barbara MacLaren, Project Manager.

Haiti's Governance Challenges and the International Community Conference.
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
FOCAL Executive Director Carlo Dade participated in this conference co-hosted by the Centre for International Governance and Innovation (CIGI) and the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies. For more information about FOCAL's work on Haiti, visit Canadian Engagement in Rebuilding Haiti.

Hemispheric Think Tank Working Group on the 2009 Fifth Summit of the Americas
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL) and the Inter-American Dialogue convened a small group of policy analysts from the Western Hemisphere’s leading think tanks to engage in a year-long program of analysis and exchange in support of the Fifth Summit of the Americas, scheduled for April 17-19, 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago. For more information, please contact FOCAL's Executive Director, Carlo Dade by email or telephone 613-562-0005 ext. 222.

Expert Dialogue on Labour Mobility
UNAM, Mexico City
Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Metropolis Project, the Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL), and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) are holding an Expert Dialogue on Labour Mobility with academics, practitioners and public officials from all three North American countries. The objective of the event is to promote dialogue on the opportunities and challenges of managing labour mobility across North America, in the context of the bilateral Canada-Mexico Labour mobility working group. For more information, please contact Barbara MacLaren, Project Manager.

Conference: Health, Education and Marginalized Populations in Latin American and the Caribbean: An Initial Review of Policy
Ottawa, Ontario
Conference agenda (PDF).
Invitation (PDF).
Conference Report (PDF).

Standing Committee on International Trade of the House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
FOCAL analysts Alexa Barrera and Vladimir Torres will be testifying before the House of Commons in support of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

National Standards System (NSS) Conference of the Standards Council of Canada.
St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador.
FOCAL analyst Alexa Barrera will speak on the "World Awakening: Emerging Markets in Our Global Economy" panel at the Standards Council of Canada conference.
Conference details.
FOCAL Presentation.

When is Democracy in Peril? A Discussion with Former Venezuelan Ambassador Milos Alcalay
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Invitation.

Democratic Governance in Canada: A Symposium to Inform the Summit of the Americas Discussions
Ottawa, Ontario
This symposium convened civil society, academia and public policy representatives and advocates with the goal of capturing expert feedback on recent developments in four areas of democratic governance in Canada: access to information, freedom of expression, local governance, and civil society in governance.

FOCAL Executive Director to speak at Mining for Success: Social Risks and Responsible Mining conference
Panama City
Carlo Dade will speak on corporate social responsibility and partnership. FOCAL is a co-sponsor of the conference.
Click here for the conference details.

The Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement: A Discussion with Colombian Vice-President Francisco Santos
Ottawa, Canada
Colombian Vice-President Francisco Santos spoke briefly on the free trade negotiations between Canada and Colombia and the current situation in Colombia. He then engaged in a discussion with the participants.

FOCAL co-organizes the North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation Luncheon
The luncheon with the Ministers of Labour from Mexico, the US and Canada is open to the public.
Click here for the Minister of Labour's speech at the event.

Vladimir Torres invited to Democracy Debate
The Debate: Democratic Slippage
After decades of progress, has the world slipped into a democratic recession?
The Agenda with Steve Paikin
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
8pm EST on TVO
Click here for the online broadcast.

A FOCAL Brown Bag Discussion with Javier Hernández
Deputy Representative and current Acting Representative in Colombia of UNHCR
January 9, 2008
1 Nicholas Street, Suite 720 (FOCAL Boardroom), Ottawa, ON
This is event is free and open to the public.

Roundtable discussion on Haiti at the Inter-American Dialogue
Washington, DC
The discussion will be led by Peter Bell, president emeritus of CARE USA and vice chairman of the Inter-American Dialogue; Carlo Dade, executive director of FOCAL; Ambassador Duly Brutus, Haiti's representative to the Organization of American States; and Dr. Robert Maguire, director of international affairs at Trinity University and one of Washington's top experts on Haiti.
Location: 1211 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 510, Washington, DC 20036

Canada and the Americas: A Roundtable
FOCAL hosts a roundtable that will include the release of recent polling results from Léger Marketing on Canadian attitudes towards Latin America and the Caribbean. Space is limited.

Policy options on how Canada could/should position itself, given likely shifts in the institutional make up and balance of influence in the Americas – A Strategy Paper