Leonard Edwards

Biography

Mr. Len Edwards has extensive international experience in the areas of international commerce, trade policy and political and security affairs, and dealing with foreign environments, particularly in the Asia-Pacific. Len’s 41 year career in the public sector ended in 2010 as Canada’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. From 2008-2010 he was also the Prime Minister's personal representative for the G-20 and G-8 Summits, negotiating the outcomes of the 2010 Canadian- hosted G20 and G8 summits in Toronto and Muskoka respectively. From 2004 to 2007, Len was the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. From 2001 to 2004 he was the Deputy Minister of International Trade, concurrently holding the positions of Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Commissioner of the Northern Pipeline Agency, and a Director of Export Development Canada. During his career Len has been the Assistant Deputy Minister, Asia and Pacific and Canada’s senior official to the Asia-Pacific economic cooperation (APEC) organization. He was the Canadian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea as well as the Canadian Ambassador to Japan. He is currently a Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), a think tank in Waterloo, Ontario, and a Distinguished Fellow of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. He serves on the Board of the NFP Health Standards Organization based in Ottawa. He was a Strategic Advisor at Gowlings from 2011-2015. He is a recipient of Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal and Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star.

Research Interest

international commerce, trade policy and political and security affairs, and dealing with foreign environments