Thursday April 12th [5.30pm – 8.30pm]

5.35 – 5.45 Student Introduction

5.45 – 6.00 Opening Address

Honourable David Peterson
Chancellor
University of Toronto
Former Premier of Ontario

6.00 – 6.20 Keynote Introduction

6.20 – 7.15 Keynote Speaker

Jillian Clare Cohen
Director
Comparative Program on Health and Society
Assitant Professor
Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Toronto

7.15– 8.00 Opening Reception

Friday April 13th [8.30am – 4.00pm]

8.30 – 8.45 Registration [Coffee and Pastries]

8.45 – 9.00 Student Introduction: Welcoming Address

9.00 – 10.00 What is Development? Who are the Players?

Marketa Evans CHAIR
Executive Director
Munk Centre for International Studies
University of Toronto

Deborah Turnbull
Vice-President
International Trade and Development
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters

Jean-Jacques Dethier
Research Manager
Development Economics
World Bank

Stephen Millar
Chief
International Policy and Institutions Division
Department of Finance, Canada
World Bank

This introductory session will provide the framework within which the three panel discussions on foreign aid, civil society and health, will take place. Since the conference will be attended by students and staff from various academic disciplines, this session will ensure that all delegates share a common starting point and understand the terminology relating to development, likely to be used throughout the day.

Development has been defined as representing a transformation of society. The global experience of the past fifty years has demonstrated that while development is possible it is certainly not inevitable. Traditional conceptualizations of development have emphasized liberal democratic values and market led economic reform embodied by the ‘Washington Consensus’. With the economic rise of Asia in general, and China in particular, alternative approaches to development have been put forward. This introductory session will begin with a discussion of what we mean by ‘development’ and the different actors involved in the process. It will also touch upon the extent to which there is a mismatch between traditional conceptualizations of development and the social, political and economic climate present in Asia.

10.00– 10.30 Coffee

10.30 – 11.45 Foreign Aid Panel

Bernie Frolic CHAIR
Professor Emeritus
Department of Political Science
York Univeristy
Senior Fellow
Asian Institute
Munk Centre
University of Toronto

Albert Berry
Research Director
Programme on Latin America and the Caribbean
Centre for International Studies
University of Toronto

Andrew Clark
Acting Director
Policy and Strategic Planning Division Multilateral Programs
CIDA

Jean-Jacques Dethier
Research Manager
Development Economics
World Bank

Traditionally, foreign aid by OECD members has been attached to certain conditions based upon liberal democratic principles and commitments to market-led economic strategies embodied in the ‘Washington Consensus’. Increasingly Asian foreign aid in general, and Chinese foreign aid in particular, is being given to developing countries, particularly in Africa, without being attached to neo liberal conditions. What are the aims and objectives of donor countries in Asia when giving aid and to what extent do these reflect their values and priorities? What is the effect of Asian aid on the receiving countries and what implications does it have for other policy areas in these countries? Does Asian foreign aid to vulnerable and unstable countries have implications for the OECD countries and if so what should the response be?

11.14 – 12.45 Lunch

12.45– 2.15 Civil Society Panel

Katharine Rankin CHAIR
Associate Professor
Department of Geography and Planning
University of Toronto

Robert Weller
Professor and Chair
Department of Anthropology
University of Boston

Monwar Islam
Senior Program Manager
Plan Canada

Sara Kemp
Program Officer
Asia Pacific Working Group
Canadian Council for International
Co-operation

The role of civil society in building pluralistic democratic structures is widely accepted in western liberal democracies. Some experts argue that the authoritarian structure of political and social life in some Asian countries precludes the possibility of the establishment of a vibrant civil society. The example of Singapore may suggest that civil society is not necessary for the establishment of a stable political and economic system. This debate presents several important questions: To what extent is civil society a necessary component of development? If civil society is deemed to be necessary, how is it likely to develop in the Asian context and what difficulties might it face? May we see the emergence of networks and movements in Asia which reflect Western values and institutions, or will a form of civil society emerge along very different lines, unique to the Asian context?

2.15 - 2.30 Coffee

2.30 – 3.45 Health Care Panel

Joe Wong CHAIR
Director
The Asian Institute
University of Toronto

David Zakus
Director
The Centre for International Health
University of Toronto

Tanjina Mirza
Director
International Programs
Plan Canada

Benjamin Loevinsohn
Senior Public Health Specialist
South Asian Human Development Department
World Bank

Building from the discussion of civil society in Asia, this panel will discuss the role of community-based care in healthcare reform in Asia. It will examine grassroots healthcare movements and their potential to have an impact on the development process in Asian countries. How is community-based healthcare being implemented in conjunction with government bodies? How is the emergence of community health care linked with wider approaches to economic and political development in Asia? What role does the international community play in facilitating community-based healthcare movements in Asia?

3.45 – 4.00 Concluding Remarks

Marketa Evans
Executive Director
Munk Centre for International Studies
University of Toronto

Observers and Invitees:

Christina Hasley
Communications Consultant
North American Affairs
External Affairs Department
World Bank

Marlise Streitmatter [TBC]
Senior Advisor
North American Affairs
External Affairs Department
World Bank

Maja Andjelkovic [TBC]
Consultant
North American Affairs
External Affairs Department
World Bank