By Dr. Lindsay Redpath, President & Vice Chancellor, Acsenda School of Management

Acsenda School of Management was a sponsor for the The Mexi-Can Forum on International Trade held in Vancouver on September 7 organized by the Society for Mexican Talent in BC – see distinguished guests and speakers https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mexi-can-forum-2016-vancouver-bc-7-september-juan-angel-becerra-cant%C3%BA.
Mexi-Can was an excellent forum for learning more about trade opportunities between Canada and Mexico. Acsenda faculty member Dr. Michele Vincenti spoke about education opportunities and the relationship between trade and economic cycles. Some of the key ‘take-aways’ for me were: 1) the so called ‘brain drain’ is no longer viewed as a negative by the Government of Mexico; rather it is an opportunity to promote the country abroad, create a platform for collaboration, and to return some of the knowledge and innovation gained by Mexicans abroad back to Mexico; 2) there is a strong argument for cities to play a more prominent role in trade negotiations and strategy since cities are where most trade opportunities are generated and implemented; 3) The Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) is a ‘game changer’ for its professional program graduates; and 4) Many Canadian companies, including those in the mining sector, are meeting or exceeding the regulatory requirements in both countries. For example, land reclamation is not a requirement in Mexico but according to the panelists, Canadian companies generally follow Canadian standards in this regard. The example provided by Goldcorp demonstrates a commitment to community building that goes beyond jobs and land reclamation. Good corporate citizenship can and should be a competitive advantage for Canada.

For more information on this topic please read Dr. Vincenti’s article Why the Mexican market is more important than ever for Canadian businesses