Enhancing North American Competitiveness and Security

The Fifth Annual North American Process Symposium

October 22 - 24, 2018
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

The School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary, the School of Global Studies at Universidad Anáhuac México and the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions at Arizona State University joined together for the Fifth Annual North American Process Symposium: Enhancing North American Competitiveness and Security. With the announcement of the new trade agreement between the U.S, Mexico and Canada, this timely conference brought together policymakers, industry leaders and government officials from Canada, Mexico, and the United States to discuss how to strengthen North American competitiveness and security.

The new provisions within the USMCA trade agreement require renewed cooperation on trade and security between Canada, Mexico and the United States. This symposium plays a key role in promoting goals and specific recommendations to the three nations and their officials on the key elements needed for a globally competitive North America.

Discussions at the previous four symposia have made it clear that business is leading the way to a more integrated and efficient North America. The Fifth Annual North American Process Symposium was a unique forum for policymakers, members of the business community, and academics to discuss and develop recommendations for a more competitive and secure North America. 

Through a series of working groups and plenary sessions, attendees discussed and developed specific and realistic recommendations for North American cooperation in the sectors of automotive manufacturing, cybersecurity of infrastructure and energy assets and the agriculture and food production sectors. These recommendations are being disseminated to policymakers in the three countries to inform ongoing and future policy decisions about the future of North American trade policy. 

Agenda

Day 1 Opening Reception Monday, Oct. 22nd – Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa

5:00pm-7:30pm

Scene Setter from Mexican Ambassador to Canada Dionisio Arturo Perez Jacome Friscioni

Strengthening North American Competitiveness:

An armchait discussion between John Manley, President, Business Council of Canada, and Colin Robertson, Vice President and Fellow, Canadian Global Affairs Institute

Day 2 Full Day Symposium Tuesday, Oct. 23rd – Canadian War Museum, Ottawa

7:30am-8:00am

Registration and Breakfast

8:00am-8:15am

Welcome and Opening Remarks 

David Bercuson, Director, International Policy Program, The School of Public Policy, University of Calgary

Carlos Camacho Gaos, Dean, School of Global Studies, Universidad Anáhuac México

Jonathan Koppell, Dean, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, Arizona State University

8:15am-9:45am

Plenary 1: Cybersecurity of North American Infrastructure and Energy Assets

Moderator: Eric Rojo, Security Consultant, SL Global

Panelists:

     

(CAN) Tom Keenan, Professor and cyberwarfare expert, University of Calgary

     

(MEX) David Abusaid, Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company

     

(USA) Sharon Burke, Senior Advisor, International Security Program and Resource Security Program at New America Foundation; former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy, U.S. Department of Defense

Reports of cyber hacking into critical infrastructure assets in the U.S. and the vulnerability to cyber attacks of infrastructure assets in the three North American countries require them to take coordinated steps to secure increasingly interdependent electrical and energy networks from further attacks. The U.S. and Canadian electrical grid are extensively interconnected along the border, as are natural gas and oil pipelines from Canada though the U.S. and into Mexico. Electrical dams and nuclear power plants are also vulnerable to cyber attacks. As energy and electrical systems become further integrated between the three nations, how might the U.S., Canada and Mexico work together to strengthen the integrity and security of the systems and what is the role of the private sector in securing North American infrastructure?

09:45am-10:00am

Networking Break

10:00am-11:30am

Plenary 2: Competitiveness of North American Automotive Manufacturing

Moderator: Jonathan Fried, Coordinator, International Economic Relations at Global Affairs Canada

Panelists:

     

(CAN) Mark Nantais, President, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association

     

(MEX) Adolfo Laborde, Researcher, Universidad Anáhuac México Business School

     

(US) Arnold Maltz, Assoc. Professor Emeritus, W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University

The auto industry accounts for significant economic gains in all three North American countries. Further, the North American auto industry is one of the most competitive in the global economy. These successes occur in large part because the automotive industry is one of the most integrated supply chains in North America. Currently, this industry faces significant challenges. The NAFTA renegotiations and new tariffs threaten the integration of North American supply chains. New developments in the auto market, increased global competition, and new technological developments and regulations need to be taken into consideration for the North American auto industry to maintain its competitiveness globally. In addition, many opportunities also present themselves, including the opportunity to take advantage of the rising Chinese market. How should the North American auto industry position itself to address these issues in order to remain competitive in the global economy?

11:30am-11:45am

Keynote Remarks

  • Dr. Jonathan Koppell, Dean, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, Arizona State University 

11:45am-12:45pm

Lunch Buffet

12:45pm-2:15pm

Plenary 3: North American Agriculture and Food Sectors

Moderator: Don Buckingham, President and CEO, Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute

Panelists:

     

(MEX) Miguel García Winder, Representative of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture in the U.S.

     

(CAN) Kim McConnell, former CEO of Adfarm

     

(USA) Allison Moore, Vice President, Fresh Produce Association of the Americas

Agricultural goods and products account for a significant portion of the trade between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It both monetary terms and in volume amount, trade between the three nations has grown by multiples over the last twenty years. Furthermore, Canadian, Mexican and U.S. firms have invested in each other’s agriculture, dairy, livestock, food processing and food manufacturing sectors, with the sectors growing more integrated and more globally competitive as a result. What North American policies will strengthen the agricultural and food industry and how can it maintain its competiveness in the face of increasing trade obstacles?

2:15pm-2:45pm

Networking Break

2:45pm-4:45pm

Working Groups Sessions

  • Group A: Communicating the benefits of North American Integration; Facilitator: Eric Rojo, Vice-president of the Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce 
  • Group B: Cybersecurity of North American Infrastructure and Energy Assets; Facilitator: Adolfo Arreola, Researcher, School of Global Studies, Universidad Anáhuac México
  • Group C: Competitiveness of theNorth American Auto Manufacturing Sector; Facilitator: Adolfo Laborde, Researcher, Universidad Anáhuac México Business School
  • Group D: Agriculture and Food Sectors; Facilitator: Kim McConnell, former CEO of Adfarm

Day 3 Presentation of Working Groups’ findings (Wednesday, Oct. 24) - Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa

8:30am-9:00am

Working Groups meeting to finalize recommendations and prepare presentations

 9:30am-10:30am

 

Presentation and discussion of Working Groups’ findings

  • Moderators: Jessica De Alba Ulloa, Universidad Anáhuac México, and Sapna Gupta, Arizona State University
  • Working Group Facilitators

 

PLENARY PANELS DESCRIPTIONS

Plenary 1: Cybersecurity of North American Infrastructure

Reports of cyber hacking into critical infrastructure assets in the U.S. and the vulnerability to cyber attacks of infrastructure assets in the three North American countries require them to take coordinated steps to secure increasingly interdependent electrical and energy networks from further attacks. The U.S. and Canadian electrical grid are extensively interconnected along the border, as are natural gas and oil pipelines from Canada though the U.S. and into Mexico. Electrical dams and nuclear power plants are also vulnerable to cyber attacks. As energy and electrical systems become further integrated between the three nations, how might the U.S., Canada and Mexico work together to strengthen the integrity and security of the systems and what is the role of the private sector in securing North American infrastructure?

Plenary 2: Competitiveness of North American Automotive Manufacturing

The auto industry accounts for significant economic gains in all three North American countries. Further, the North American auto industry is one of the most competitive in the global economy. These successes occur in large part because the automotive industry is one of the most integrated supply chains in North America. Currently, this industry faces significant challenges. The NAFTA renegotiations and new tariffs threaten the integration of North American supply chains. New developments in the auto market, increased global competition, and new technological developments and regulations need to consideration if the North American auto industry is to maintain its competitiveness globally. In addition, many opportunities also present themselves, including the opportunity to take advantage of the rising Chinese market. How should the North American auto industry should position itself to address these issues in order to remain competitive in the global economy?

Plenary 3: Agriculture and Food Industry

Agricultural goods and products account for a significant portion of the trade between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It both monetary terms and in volume amount, trade between the three nations has grown by multiples over the last twenty years. Furthermore, Canadian, Mexican and U.S. firms have invested in each other’s agriculture, dairy, livestock, food processing and food manufacturing sectors, with the sectors growing more integrated and more globally competitive as a result. What North American policies will strengthen the agricultural and food industry and how can it maintain its competiveness in the face of increasing trade obstacles?