The Right Honourable Joe Clark

The Right Honourable Joe Clark ranks with Lester Pearson as the most effective Foreign Ministers in Canadian history.  With his extensive experience, he is uniquely able to connect Canada’s current challenges with our international tradition. Mr. Clark was:

·    Foreign Minister when Canada negotiated the Free Trade Agreement with the USA, and took up its membership in the Organization of American States;
·    A leader in fighting apartheid, and promoting human rights;
·    The architect of significant Canadian initiatives in the Middle East, Asia and Africa;
·    The negotiator who secured the unanimous agreement of all Canadian governments and the major Aboriginal groups to the Constitutional changes of the Charlottetown Accord.

Mr. Clark remains very active in international business and governance, as founder and chairman of a Canadian company harvesting underwater timber in Ghana, director of the BDA foundation, which teaches Congolese farmers to harvest and market medicinal plants, and an active participant in political reforms in developing countries.  He has led international election observation teams dealing with difficult elections in Mexico, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Lebanon. He is vice-chairman of the not-for-profit Global Leadership Foundation, a small group of former Heads of Government and diplomats who help governments in the developing world face up to serious crises

Mr. Clark believes that Canada brings two unique assets to world affairs right now.  First, we are a developed country, which has won a high reputation as a bridge, in a divided world.  Second, we have become skilled at home in dealing with geographic and cultural diversity – in these dangerous times, those skills can prove more valuable than military or economic power.

Mr. Clark was Canada’s youngest Prime Minister, a widely respected parliamentarian, and an effective constitutional negotiator.  He knows our own country intimately – but is also able to connect Canada to the wider world, identifying opportunities for Canadians abroad, and reinforcing our own sense of purpose at home.

• 9. Lessons in Leadership: Facing Change and Building Value

• 8. Rescuing Canada's Political System: Building Agreement, Not Conflict

• 7. Working with Africa

• 6. Canada and the USA: Canada's Assets and Advantages in a Changing Partnership

• 5. The Two Sides of the Canadian Coin: The Opportunities for Canada as the World's Power Structures Change

• 4. Mandate and Imagination: How Citizens and Non-State Actors Achieve Real International Change

• 3. Corporate Social Responsibility: An Imperative Now, No Longer a Luxury

• 2. Managing Diversity: The World's Great Challenge And Canada's Unique Credentials

• 1. Economics Plus: Canada's Strong Assets in a Changing World

• An extraordinary presentation that was both motivational and inspiring, mixed with some humour – he was the perfect speaker for our event. The presentation was extremely well tailored to our group, which made it very personal to those in attendance.
  Society of Management Accountants of Ontario

• 
  January 1994

  A Nation Too Good to Lose: Renewing the Purpose of Canada

  Joe Clark presents a view of politics from the eyes of a statesman as a life experience meant to inspire Canadians to look outside the box to build a great nation.