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"Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies. Those whom nature hath so joined together, let no man put asunder.”
- John F. Kennedy on Canada, 1961

With the coming U.S. election, the question of what a Romney presidency or another Obama presidency will mean for Canada looms. What are the key areas requiring more bilateral co-operation? Have the last four years hurt or helped our bilateral relationship? How can Canada balance new opportunities in Asia with our special relationship with the United States?

These are some of the questions the Honourable Michael H. Wilson, soon to be installed as the 33rd Chancellor of the University of Toronto, will address in a free, public talk at the Great Hall, Hart House, on October 10, 2012.

Wilson, who graduated from U of T’s Trinity College in 1959, has played a key role in Canadian public life as a politician, diplomat, business leader and active community volunteer. Elected to the House of Commons in 1979, he was appointed Canada’s Minister of Finance in 1984 and remained in that position until May 1991. He then became Minister of Industry, Science and Technology and Minister for International Trade, where he had responsibility for the NAFTA negotiations.

During his tenure as a member of the Cabinet, Wilson represented Canada at the G-7, IMF, World Bank, OECD, GATT and other international Ministers meetings. Following his service in government, Wilson launched Michael Wilson International in 1993 to offer corporate clients advice on international trade and related issues. He later served as the 22nd Ambassador of Canada to the United States of America from March 13, 2006 to October 9, 2009. Appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2003, Wilson was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada in 2010.

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