U.S. tariffs, a North American trade war and a growing “buy Canadian” movement have rapidly changed the economic and political landscape in Canada. Wilfrid Laurier University experts are helping Canadians make sense of these issues through events and discussions, in the media, and in opinion pieces and podcasts.
Laurier alumni and friends gathered in Calgary on May 27 for an evening of networking and insight featuring Laurier Chancellor Nadir Patel (BA ’93) in conversation with Scott Dowding (BBA ’99), president of SportChek.
The event was part of Laurier’s ongoing alumni engagement series featuring the university’s chancellor, which explores Canada’s role in a rapidly changing global landscape. Patel is a distinguished diplomat with a career of high-level positions in Canada’s public service.
Laurier experts break down the federal election results including voting trends, upsets and surprises, and how the new government plans to tackle issues like cost of living and Canada-U.S. relations. Panelists include Azim Essaji, associate professor of Economics; John Milloy, assistant professor of Public Ethics and former MPP; and Simon Kiss, associate professor of Human Rights and Political Science. The conversation was moderated by Julie Garner (BA '00, MA '01), head of Public Affairs at NorthGuide.
An unpredictable trade war with the United States has Canadians wondering how their lives will be affected, how to respond and what this means for Canada’s economy. In this Inspiring Conversation, Debora VanNijnatten, professor of Political Science and North American Studies at Laurier, moderates a panel discussion with Laurier economic, supply chain and political science experts: Patricia Goff, professor of Political Science; Michael Haughton, the CN Fellow in Supply Chain Management; and Stephen Snudden, assistant professor of Economics.
The Balsillie School of International Affairs and the Centre for International Governance Innovation hosted a keynote address and in-depth discussion on the latest strategies to combat disinformation.
The keynote was presented by Siim Kumpas, Head of the Policy, Strategy, and Global Priority Issues Team within the Strategic Communication Division of the European External Action Service (EEAS). A panel of leading Canadian experts then discussed the implications of disinformation on national security, democracy, and public trust. The panel included Jennifer Irish (Information Integrity Lab, University of Ottawa), Marcus Kolga (DisinfoWatch), and Aengus Bridgman (Media Ecosystem Observatory, University of Montreal), moderated by BSIA director Ann Fitz-Gerald. The discussion highlighted the role of technology, policy, and education in mitigating the effects of disinformation and foreign interference in Canada.
The History program at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus presented “Like Sleeping Next to an Elephant,” a panel discussion with historical perspectives on Canada-U.S. relations.
The latest instalment in the People Make History lecture series featured Professor Lara Campbell from Simon Fraser University; Tim Cook, chief historian and director of research at the Canadian War Museum; and Asa McKercher, Steven K. Hudson Research Chair in Canada-U.S. Relations at St. Francis Xavier University.
Donald Trump wants Canada to be his 51st State. He isn’t the first American leader to think that way, and he won’t be the last. One of the leading historians of the Canadian-American relationship, Norman Hillmer, reflects on how Canada resisted the United States in the past, and he asks whether and how much present challenges are different from yesterday’s.
The theme of Economic Outlook 2025 was “Immigration challenges and opportunities for Canada in the 21st century” and featured guest panellists Pedro Antunes, chief economist at the Conference Board of Canada and Jennifer Hunt, an Economics professor at Rutgers University. The event was moderated by Jeff Chan, director of the Laurier Centre for Economic Research and Policy Analysis (LCERPA) and professor of Economics. The event was hosted by LCERPA and the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Laurier.
Should we take President Trump’s trade threats seriously? What’s the real source of America’s trade troubles? And do we know – does Trump even know – what he wants?
Speakers include Patricia Goff, professor of Political Science at Laurier; John Hancock, who works at the World Trade Organization; Bob Koopman, Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer at American University's School of International Service; and Miguel Angel Santos, Dean at Monterrey.
Coffee with Kyle is a podcast series hosted by Dean Kyle Murray of the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University.
The episode Understanding Tariffs features Lazaridis School Associate Professor of Economics Azim Essaji discussing what tariffs are, why and how they are used between trading partners, economic uncertainty, and how tariffs can spark a trade war.
Below is a list of Laurier experts who can speak on the topics of tariffs, trade, consumer behaviour, Canada-U.S. relations and other related subjects.
This list does not represent the full breadth of expertise that exists at Laurier. For an inventory of Laurier’s faculty researchers, consult the Experts at Laurier database.
