Canadian International Council

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 30, 2008) - The rise of China and India as global economic contenders could have a negative impact on Mexico and Central America and Canada should act now to assist its key trading partners, says Chantal Blouin in a paper released today by the Canadian International Council (CIC).

"If China is set to become the factory of the world and India its service provider, then Canada has to ask what is left for Latin America, a region recently identified as a priority for Canadian foreign policy," says Blouin, one of CIC's inaugural fellowship recipients.

"Economists have long told us the employment of low-skilled workers has played a key role in promoting growth and reducing poverty in Asia, explains Blouin. "The challenge Canada now faces is to design policy packages for win-win scenarios, so both Canadians and our key trading partners south of us can better participate in the new global economy."

The author argues that once Canadians in both the private and public sectors start developing a better understanding of the effects of the rise of China, they can then more effectively explore their own foreign economic policy levers and determine how to best contribute to growth and poverty reduction in Latin America.

"Canadians have to seriously reflect on the role they can play in ensuring that economic adjustment from the competition by China does not end up leading to greater poverty and inequality in Latin America," Blouin says.

Blouin is a senior research associate at Carleton University's Centre for Trade Policy and Law, a policy research centre at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, and one of eight academics chosen earlier this year by the CIC to contribute new perspectives leading to debate and discussion in vital areas of Canadian foreign policy. The program's initial areas of focus for 2008-09 include the following: China, Border Issues, Arctic Sovereignty and Security and Energy.

For more information on the CIC or the selected fellows please visit: www.canadianinternationalcouncil.org.

The Canadian International Council (CIC) is a non-partisan, nationwide council established to strengthen Canada's role in international affairs. With 13 branches nationwide, part of the CIIA national branch network, CIC seeks to advance research, discussion and debate on international issues by supporting a Canadian foreign policy network that crosses academic disciplines, policy areas, and economic sectors. The CIC will feature a privately funded fellowship program, supported by a network of issue-specific working groups. Carefully selected CIC fellows will focus on important foreign policy issues, working out of universities and research institutions across the country. The CIC was founded in 2007 by Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of RIM (Research In Motion).