In the last twenty years, extensive and uniform protections of intellectual property rights (IPRs) have been incorporated into the global trading system through initiatives such as the WTO\’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement. Under this IPR regime, the development of new medicines is driven by the reward of high prices facilitated by temporary market exclusivity. While this method of incentivizing research has produced important innovations, it has also engendered unfortunate consequences. When a new medicine is protected from generic competition, its profit-maximizing price inevitably excludes a large proportion of the world\’s population, even in affluent countries such as Canada. As a result of this system of incentives, people suffer and die needlessly as the medicines they need are out of their reach, and research is focused on medicines that can be sold at high prices, rather than on those that would lead to the greatest improvements in human health.

ASAP established its Canadian chapter with a three-day intensive workshop at Ryerson University in downtown Toronto. More than 300 participants from 30 North American universities attended the event entitled: \”Beyond 2015: Towards a New Consensus on Ending Global Poverty\”. It focused on the current process for replacing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the global agreement to reduce poverty and related deprivations, which will expire in 2015. The workshop featured some of the world\’s most prominent poverty researchers, as well as representatives of leading poverty NGOs and civil servants. They were united by the concern that the new international agreement superseding the MDGs make good on the promise of ending world poverty.

\”We had a fantastic turnout and some really thoughtful, engaged dialogue with the speakers,\” said lead organizer Mitu Sengupta, an ASAP Board member and Associate Professor of Political Science at Ryerson. \”We all look forward to building on the conference momentum and developing a vibrant ASAP chapter in Canada.\”

You can view and download the full conference program and final conference report.

Day 1, Opening Remarks

In these remarks, Thomas Pogge introduces Academics Stand Against Poverty (ASAP), explaining its motivation and goals as they relate to global poverty.

Day 1, Panel 1: Growth, Inequality, and Unemployment

This panel examines general strategies for global poverty eradication. The discussion focuses on strategies for tackling inequality, ensuring inclusive growth, and creating employment. Chaired by Roberta Rice, University of Toronto at Scarborough.

Speakers:

• Paul Shaffer, Trent University (at 1:12)
• Albert Berry, University of Toronto (at 13:38)
• Solomon Benatar, University of Cape Town (at 35:13)
• Murtaza Haider, Ryerson University (at 43:43)
• Randy Spence, Economics and Social Development Associates (at 59:50)

Day 1, Panel 2: Reforming Governance and Institutions – Connecting the Local with the Global

The two sessions that comprise this panel examine general strategies for global poverty eradication, recognizing poverty as a global problem that requires responses not only at the national level but also at the global level.

Session 1 – Chaired by Anil Varughese, Carleton University

Speakers:

• Joseph Wong, University of Toronto (at 00:17)
• Richard Sandbrook, University of Toronto (at 30:25)
• Ananya Mukherjee Reed, York University (at 51:37)
• Discussion (at 1:14:35)

Session 2 – Chaired by Andrea Brown, Wilfred Laurier University

Speakers:

• Pablo Idahosa, York University (at 00:00)
• Judith Teichman, University of Toronto (at 12:35)
• Mustafa Koc, Ryerson University (at 27:28)
• Discussion (at 45:20)

These remarks begin a series of panels that examine general strategies for global poverty eradication. The focus of Thomas Pogge and Gilad Tanay’s remarks is on reforming global institutions and the supranational rules that perpetuate global poverty and inequality.

Speakers:

• Thomas Pogge, Yale University (at 00:00)
• Gilad Tanay, Yale University (at 30:58)

Day 2, Panel 1: Replacing the Millennium Development Goals

This panel examines specific strategies for influencing the MDG replacement process, emphasizing consensus building within the academic community. Chaired by Gilad Tanay, Yale University.

Speakers:

• Varun Gauri, World Bank (at 00:00)
• Sakiko Fukuda Parr, New School (at 19:10)
• James Orbinski, Balsillie School of International Affairs (at 38:35)
• Stephen Marks, Harvard University (at 1:12:35)
• Meera Tiwari, University of East London (at 1:29:01)
• Discussion (at 1:48:39)

Day 2, Panel 2: Curbing Illicit Financial Flows as an International Development Goal

In this panel, speakers discuss the significance of illicit financial flows as a factor contributing to the persistence of global poverty, along with possible solutions at both the global and national levels. Chaired by Melissa Williams, University of Toronto.

Speakers:

• Raymond Baker, Global Financial Integrity (at 00:00)
• Chris MacDonald, Ryerson University (at 17:05)
• Ian Smillie, Diamond Development Initiative (at 30:37)
• Thomas Tieku, Munk School of Global Affairs University of Toronto (at 50:27)
• Discussion (at 1:03:38)

Day 3, Panel 1: Innovation and Access to Medicines

This panel examines how innovations might be stimulated through an alternative scheme under which innovators could sell their product at cost in exchange for publicly funded reward payments proportional to the product’s measured benefits.

Speakers:

• Matthew Herder, Dalhousie University (at 00:00)
• Stephen Marks, Harvard University, as Chair (at 11:18)
• Tim Gilbert, Gilberts Avant Garde Lawyers (at 12:20)
• Alex Wellington, Ryerson University (at 26:28)
• Aidan Hollis, University of Calgary (at 42:17)
• Ryoa Chung, University of Montreal (at 1:00:27)
• Jocelyn Mackie, Grand Challenges Canada (at 1:15:40)
• Discussion (at 1:31:52)

Day 3, Panel 2: Consultations with Civil Society Groups and Community Leaders

In this panel, representatives of the non—profit sector identify problems, propose solutions, and offer insight, expertise, and advice to the academics, students, aid practitioners and policymakers attending the workshop. The discussion focuses on the role of civil society and community organizations in global poverty alleviation and their thoughts about linking local issues and struggles with those that are transnational or global in focus. Chaired by Lisa Mills, Carleton University.

Speakers:

• John Lewis, KAIROS (at 0:00)
• Winnie Ng, CAW Sam Gindin Chair in Social Justice and Democracy (at 16:00)
• Sara Hildebrand, Millennium Kids (at 32:20)
• Salimah Valiani, Ontario Nurses Association (at 43:32)
• Ian Smillie, Diamond Development Initiative (at 59:54)
• Discussion (at 1:18:26)

Day 3, Panel 3: Consultations with Students

Members of ASAP jump start an open group discussion by discussing the role that students can play in ASAP. Chaired by Melanie Adrian, Carleton University.

Speakers:

• Ashok Acharya, Delhi University (at 0:00)
• Elisabeth King, Balsillie School of International Affairs (at 16:50)
• Matthew Lindauer, Yale University (at 27:06)

This October, ASAP will be hosting a three day conference at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. The conference will mark the launch of ASAP Canada and take place from October 25-27.

As part of this conference we will hold a 3-hour session on the Global Poverty Consensus Report. In this session we will present the first results of the GPCR process and discuss how to mobilize academic resources in time to impact the process leading to the formulation of the post-MDG framework.

Participants include Sakiko Fukuda-Parr (New School), Thomas Pogge (Yale), Stephen Lewis (Ryerson) and Gilad Tanay (Yale).

To register, contact Mitu Sengupta at mitu.sengupta@utoronto.ca