Event Date: November 10, 2026 - 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Location: FSS 4004, 120 University Private, University of Ottawa

Presented by CIPS, IPEN and the CN-Paul M. Tellier Chair on Business and Public Policy

From the U.S.-China rivalry to disputes involving allies and partners, such as the recent trade tensions between Canada and the U.S., trade measures such as tariffs, sanctions, export and import controls, and industrial policies have become key instruments of statecraft in recent years. Yet these developments are not as novel as they may seem.

Join us for a presentation by Craig VanGrasstek, author of On Trade War, a new book that examines the history, theory and political economy of trade conflict from the ancient world to the present day. Drawing on insights from political science, economics, law, and history, the book argues that trade wars are less a departure from the international order than a return to longstanding patterns in relations among great powers.

In this talk, Craig will explore how different types of great powers have used trade as a tool of influence, how the rise of China and the changing role of the United States have reshaped the global trading system, and what these developments mean for Canada and the future of international economic relations.

Learn more about his book:

Speaker:

“Craig VanGrasstek,” according to The Economist (January 22, 2000), “keeps a sharp eye on the politics of trade.” He has provided advisory, analytical, and training services to numerous international organizations, national governments, and private firms in over four dozen countries. Dr. VanGrasstek’s new book On Trade War (Cambridge University Press, 2026) examines the theory and practice of trade wars from the ancient world to modern times. This follows Trade and American Leadership: The Paradoxes of Power and Wealth from Alexander Hamilton to Donald Trump (Cambridge University Press, 2019), which reviewed the shifting place of trade policy in the grand strategy of the United States. He also wrote The History and Future of the World Trade Organization (WTO, 2013), as well as numerous other books, articles, and monographs. Dr. VanGrasstek received his doctorate in Political Science from Princeton University (1995), as well as a Master of Science in Foreign Service degree from Georgetown University (1983) and a Bachelor of Science degree in International Relations from the University of Minnesota (1981). He taught courses on trade policy at the Harvard Kennedy School from 2000 to 2023, having also taught international economics at the American University School of International Service (1994-2000) and literature at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service (2006-2009). He has also lectured in the diplomatic academies of the United States, the United Kingdom, and ten other countries.

Chair:

Patrick Leblond is an Associate Professor and the CN-Paul M. Tellier Chair on Business and Public Policy at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa.