Speaker: Jim Stanford\, Economist and Director\, Centre for Future Work
Date: Thursda y\, March 20\, 2025
Time: 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm (*re freshments available starting 4pm)
Delivery: Hy brid (in-person and zoom)
In-person Location: Hugh Dempster Pavilion 301
Please RSVP by the end of the day on Friday\, March 14\ , 2025:
RSVP link: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eR sGgg9LS20EvPw
The Splane Lecture on Social Policy is a j oint project between the UBC School of Social Work and the United Nations Association in Canada\, Vancouver b ranch.
Welcome and Land Ac knowledgement by Moderator
Sameer Esmail\, President of UNA C Vancouver
Welcome Dean Clare Crowston\, Faculty of Arts
Welcome Dr. Lea Caragata\, Director\, UBC Scho ol of Social Work
Background to the Splane Lecture and Partne r Introductions
Patsy George\, Past President\, United Nati ons Association in Canada\, Vancouver Branch
Introduction to Mr. Jim Stanford
Sameer Esmail\, President of UNAC Vancouver
Keynote Address: Donald Trump’s Trade War:
What Will it Mean for Canada’s Economy ? And Canadian Society?
Question Period
Sameer Esmail\, President of UNAC Vancouver
Thank You
Dr. Donna Baines\, Professor\, UBC School of Social Work
The errati c and aggressive trade actions of U.S. President Donald Trump pose an exist ential threat to U.S. trading partners. None are more vulnerable than Canad a\, given our deep integration (after 35 years of free trade) and reliance on exports to the U.S. market. In this presentation\, Economist Jim Stanfor d (Director of the Centre for Future Work) will explain what Trump is propo sing\, why his complaints about the Canada-U.S. relationship are unjustifie d\, how his tariffs would impact Canadian economic and social policy\, and how Canada must respond.
Jim Stanford is Economist and Director of the Centre for Future Work\, a labour economics think tank based in Vanco
uver\, B.C..
Jim is one of Canada’s best-known economists. He served for over 20 years as Economist and Director of Policy with Unifor\, Canada’ s largest private-sector trade union (formerly the Canadian Auto Workers). He is quoted frequently in the print and broadcast media\, and contributes regular commentaries to the Toronto Star\, CTV News Channel\, and Corus Radio. He is also the Harold Innis Industry Professor in Economics at McMaster University in Hamilton\, Canada\, and an Honorary Professor in th e Department of Political Economy at the University of Sydney.
Jim re ceived his Ph.D. in Economics from the New School for Social Research in Ne w York. He also holds an M.Phil. in Economics from Cambridge University\, and a B.A. (Hons.) in Economics from the University of Calgary.
Jim i s the author of Economics for Everyone: A Short Guide to the Economics of Capitalism (second edition published by Pluto Books in 2015)\, whic h has been published in six languages. Stanford has written\, edited or co -edited six other books\, and dozens of articles and reports in both peer-r eviewed and popular outlets.
He has provided research and advice thro ugh numerous federal and provincial government panels and inquiries on econ omic policy\, innovation\, jobs\, and social policy. Jim is recognized for his ability to communicate economic concepts in an accessible and humorous manner.
Richard Splane\, Profess
or Emeritus of the University of British Columbia\, began his academic care
er at McMaster University\, pursuing studies in economics\, history and soc
ial work at the University of Toronto and social administration at the Lond
on School of Economics.
In the Second World War\, he served in the Ro yal Canadian Air Force as a pilot in the Bomber Command. After the war\, he joined the Department of National Health and Welfare as an Economist and b ecame Executive Assistant to the Deputy Minister. He was in‐turn Director‐G eneral of Welfare Assistance and Services\; Director of Unemployment Assist ance\; and\, Assistant Deputy Minister of Social Allowances and Services. H e is regarded as the “principal architect” of the Canada Assistance Plan.
Dr. Splane’s special interest was international welfare. He served as Canada’s representative on the UNICEF Board and was a member of the United Nations’ Expert Group on Social Welfare Policy and Planning. In 1973\, he w as recruited by the University of British Columbia\, as a Professor in the School of Social Work\, where he served until his retirement in 1982.
He is author of three books\, Social welfare in Ontario\, 1791‐1893\; a study of public welfare administration (1965)\, 75 years of community ser vice to Canada: Canadian Council on Social Development\, 1920‐1995 (1996)\, and George Davidson: social policy and public policy exemplar (2003)\ , and contributed numerous chapters and articles to professional journals a nd the press. He also collaborated with his wife\, Dr. Verna Huffman Splane on a nursing research project in 55 countries.
In his community\, he served with the University of British Columbia\, the University Hill Unite d Church and the United Way of Vancouver\, Friends of SOS Children’s Villag es\, as well as the Vancouver chapters of both the World Federalists and th e United Nations Association.
Throughout his career\, Dr. Splane has served in senior roles in his own professional organization and many others in civil society. His work in social policy has been recognized both natio nally and internationally with honours from his profession\, government and universities. He was granted an Honorary Degree LL.D. by Wilfred Laurier U niversity (1988)\, McMaster University (1990)\, the University of Toronto ( 2005) and\, with his wife Verna\, the University of British Columbia’s firs t‐ever joint honorary degree (1996).
School of Social Work\, University of British Columbia
We are the third oldest School of
Social Work in Canada\, dating back to the late 1920s\, when instruction in
social work at the University of British Columbia consisted of a two-year
diploma course within the Dept. of Economics\, Sociology and Political Scie
nce. Today our nationally accredited programmes continue to educate and tra
in social workers for the future and to develop high educational standards
in all branches of social work. Our School is richly endowed with strength
and excellence in teaching\, research\, community service and international
development informed by an ethic of care and commitment to social justice.
We continue to provide leadership in social work education within BC\, acr
oss Canada and internationally.
The School places a high value on cur iosity and applied research\, community scholarship and service. It recogni zes the integrity and distinctive value of its academic and professional de gree programmes\, values multidisciplinarity from its base within the Facul ty of Arts.
The School is committed through its teaching\, research a nd community service to excellence in the development\, dissemination and a pplication of knowledge\, values and skills relevant to social work. Facult y\, staff and students are committed to principles of social and economic j ustice\, equity and respect for the realities of diverse cultures and the s trengths of civil society.
For more information\, please visit: https://socialwork.ubc.ca/
< p>United Nations Association in Canada\, Vancouver Branch
The United Nations A
ssociation in Canada works to engage the Canadian public in the work of the
United Nations and its agencies. We work closely with the educational comm
unities in every province and territory to build their capacity to educate
young people from a global perspective. We also work directly with youth\,
challenging them to develop the tools and skills necessary to confront some
of the world’s most complex problems.
Our projects also aim to defin e foreign policy priorities for our government. We host seminars and confer ences with a variety of stakeholders and produce informative publications o n topics such as peace and security\, human rights and sustainable developm ent. Each year the Association awards the Pearson Peace Medal to a Canadian who has made an outstanding contribution in the field of international ser vice and understanding. For more information\, please visit: https://unacvancouver.org/
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