Canada and the Asia Pacific Policy Project

Principle investigator: Dr. Robert J. Hanlon
Research associate: Evan Howe

Tri-university partnership: TRU, UNBC, UBCO
External collaborator: Canadian Institute for Global Strategic Partnerships

The Canada and the Asia Pacific Policy Project is an interdisciplinary research collaboration that connects scholars throughout BC’s interior, between Thompson Rivers University, the University of British Columbia Okanagan and the University of Northern British Columbia. Housed at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, TRU serves as an ideal location for establishing a Canada-Asia Pacific research hub given its central proximity to both UNBC and UBCO while offering strategic access to institutions based both in Alberta and BC’s Lower Mainland.

The Canada and the Asia Pacific Policy Project’s (CAPPP) mission is to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration across the tri-university space while leveraging institutional expertise through knowledge mobilization.

The project’s purpose is advancing pragmatic and relevant public policy advice to local, regional and national stakeholders seeking insight on Canada-Asia relations broadly defined. By raising the profile of British Columbia as an Asia Pacific economy within the province’s Interior, CAPPP sets the groundwork for a long-term tri-university initiative that serves as a public policy platform for scholars throughout the region.

CAPPP collaborations advance the program’s three stated goals:

• Advancing tri-institutional research and collaboration through multidimensional programming
• Developing a strategic plan for leveraging tri-institutional policy expertise in the relation to Asia
• Establish a foundation to secure future funding through a SSHRC Grant schemes

Serving as the first step of CAPPP, an inaugural executive meeting was held at TRU in October, 2018, which strategized the development of a two-year work plan. Core research associates participated in this event, establishing a clear mission statement, short and long-term objectives of CAPPP, identifying direct and indirect stakeholders for future collaborations, strengthening teaching practices and student retention in the Interior of BC, as well as setting a research agenda.

Further phases include establishing a working advisory board which will include expertise from BC’s Lower Mainland, that involves a one-day Vancouver meeting hosted by CAPPP in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF). Additionally, CAPPP will organize a formal scholarly workshop to be held at TRU in 2020. The event will bring scholars throughout the Interior, as well as the wider region to present policy relevant papers under the broad theme of ‘Canada in the Asian Century’.

This collaboration involves the following scholars

• Dr. Robert J. Hanlon, Assistant Professor in Political Science, Thompson Rivers University
• Dr. Terry Kading, Associate Professor of Political Science, Thompson Rivers University
• Dr. Tom Waldichuk. Assistant Professor in Geography, Thompson Rivers University
• Dr. Paul Bowles, Professor of International Studies, University of Northern British Columbia
• Dr. Fiona MacPhail, Professor and Chair in Economics, University of Northern British Columbia
• Dr. Baotai Wang, Professor of Economics, University of British Columbia
• Dr. Jason Lacharite, Assistant Professor Global & International Studies and Political Science, University of Northern British Columbia
• Dr. Khan Jahirul Islam, Lecturer in Economics, University of British Columbia Okanagan