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Asia Food and agriculture Higher education and research Knowledge mobilization

2026!

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paper curl style 2026 new year banner vector

All things considered, 2025 was a good year for me. I continue to be grateful to be able to put nutritious food on the table and a warm, comfortable roof over my head. Others are suffering unnecessarily around the world, including in wealthy Canada. Je suis aussi reconnaissante pour ma bonne santé et l’éducation que j’ai reçu principalement grâce aux investissements publics qui ont bénéficié ma génération. Fulfilling such basic needs can and should be a birthright to every person on this planet. That’s the credo and mission that keeps me going in my life and career. Je ferai ce que je peux pour avancer la cause…

I was honoured the opportunity to contribute to work of the Wilson Center until a Presidential order put an abrupt end to 95% of the staff and all Global Fellows in the spring. J’espère qu’un jour, le beau travail de cet organisme reprendra en bonne et due forme. I continue to enjoy my board service with the Council of Canadian Academies and Educational Credential Evaluators as well as my work on the International Advisory Council of the Centre for Open Societal Systems, and steering committee of the Women in Science Diplomacy Association of Canada. Au plaisir de continuer ce travail en 2026.

A bonus this year was being invited to the X Summit of the Americas Civil Society consultation in July. I was honoured to be asked to serve as spokesperson for the report back to Global Affairs Canada. Je tiens à remercier Cynthia Gervais de ‘École d’éducation permanente de l’Université McGill d’avoir suggérer ma candidature pour ce rôle. Avec son équipe, elle a aussi monté cette vidéo d’un entretien avec moi à propos des concertations.

I’m blessed to have returned to McGill University where I did my Master’s degree and my late parents met! Je suis heureuse dans mon poste de professeure invitée JW McConnell. The Max Bell School of Public Policy is a stimulating place where I have the opportunity to do research, publish, coach a policy lab on water security and teach a course on food-systems transformation in global perspective and interact with brilliant students from around the world, including my two research assistants Julian Tayarah and Umme Salma. J’ai pu partager ma perspective avec les médias après une pause de quelques années.

J’ai hâte pour les belles choses qui m’attendent en 2026. More publishing, public speaking and media commentary is around the corner as well as planned professional travel for conference presentations and research, including a longer stretch in Asia – the region where I focused half my career. Détails à suivre… Entre temps, je vous souhaites mes meilleurs voeux pour 2026. Below, a photo of Thompson House, the graduate student club at McGill, where we had the Max Bell holiday party in December. Being there again brought back a flood of memories.

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Food and agriculture Higher education and research Knowledge mobilization Uncategorized

Des nouveaux défis professionnels

I was thrilled to start my mandate in early September as J.W. McConnell Professor of Practice for 2025-26 at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University, my alma mater where I did my Master’s degree. This opportunity gives me the time and resources to follow through on some unfinished publication projects as well as design and teach a course on the topic of food systems transformation in global perspective. I’m grateful for the funding from the McConnell Foundation to make this possible.

It’s been thrilling to collaborate with the School’s Director, Jennifer Welsh, as well as other colleagues. Many thanks all of them for the warm welcome. Je suis également impressionnée par la qualité et l’engagement de la nouvelle cohorte du programme de maîtrise en politiques publiques, et je me réjouis à l’idée de passer plus de temps à Montréal – en moyenne deux journées par semaine. Nous avons eu un excellent programme à Ottawa il y a quelques semaine auquel j’ai pu participé.

I’ve already hired two brilliant research assistants from among the MPP cohort. For World Food Day on October 16th, I published an article in Max Policy – a collection of provocative ideas and policy solutions generated by the minds at the Max Bell School of Public Policy – entitled Challenges and Opportunities for Food System Transformation. The piece summarizes the policy recommendations of a a number of recent key reports on the topic.

I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to, once again, participate in the Banff Forum from October 16-18th – this time in beautiful Québec City. The theme of this 24th edition was Vive le Canada?: Quebec, Canada, the United States, and the World. The quality of the program and participants was, as usual, stellar. It was great to reconnect with familiar faces and meet brilliant new people.

Je tiens à remercier les membres du Conseil d’administration et les employés Lydia Blanchard et Sophie Laflèche pour leur beau travail ainsi que les conférenciers et commanditaires. Je suis vraiment choyée d’avoir la chance de participer dans un tel forum de politiques publics depuis le tout début pour mieux comprendre les enjeux dans un environnement toujours en évolution.

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Asia Food and agriculture Higher education and research Uncategorized

Excited for September – J’ai hâte pour septembre

The last eight months have been a flurry of activity and great memories. Early in 2025, I was delighted to be been elected to the board of directors of Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) for a three year term. ECE reviews academic achievements by individuals from other countries and converts them to the U.S. or Canadian system. Given significant changes around immigration – including international students and professionals – this is an interesting time to join this board.

In January I was thrilled to visit the Wilson Center in Washington DC where I was appointed Global Fellow in November, 2024 for a two-year term. Unfortunately, the Center was “DOGEd” in spring 2025 resulting in 95% of its staff as well as all Global Fellows being terminated. This is a loss for the global public policy community. Ce fut une plateforme pour publier des articles dans des domaines importants dont la sécurité alimentaire. Et heureusement, j’ai un nouveau poste pour le 1er septembre.

Après un beau voyage en Colombie-Britannique pour au mois d’avril ou j’ai pu assister à la Retraite nationale des femmes à Victoria et prendre des rendez-vous avec plein de monde que je n’avais pas vu depuis très longtemps, j’ai fait un super voyage dans le sud de l’Inde au mois de mai. I was there to attend an in-person meeting of International Advisory Council of the Centre for Open Societal Systems in Bengaluru and also reconnected with many friends and colleagues in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

June and July also involved travel for ECE and my board service with the Council of Canadian Academies, presenting at a scholarly conference in Niagara Falls, a family reunion in Edmonton and side visit to Calgary. J’étais triste d’apprendre la nouvelle à la fin du mois de juin du décès de mon superviseur de thèse de doctorat, Terry McGee. I was happy to see him one last time in April of this year (photo below). Terimah Kasih my dear supervisor and thanks for the memories over 35 years!

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Higher education and research Uncategorized

A year of transition…Une année de transition

2024 was a year of both rewarding and challenging experiences. I parted ways with University of Ottawa in the summer after having successfully handled a number of tricky strategic, operational and policy files. Over a year and a half, I reported to three different individuals beginning with the former Vice-President International and Francophonie for eight months, the President, temporarily, for eight months and, subsequently, the new Provost, again, temporarily. 

Photo de la retraite du personnel du Vice-Rectorat International et Francophonie en décembre, 2023.

Despite the issues that came my way at uOttawa, I’m proud of the many accomplishments with my team and the cooperation of colleagues, both before and after a major restructuring of my sector in the spring. I’m also grateful for the kind words I received from many of my former employees, fellow senior leaders and other colleagues who expressed they enjoyed working with me and have kept in touch. Thanks to all of them for their continued support.

In July, I was delighted to be invited to Venice to attend Illuminem’s symposium and celebration during the magical Redentore festival as one of the organization’s thought leaders. 

August’s highlight – besides a memorable family wedding – was the opportunity to participate in the 40th anniversary reunion of my House of Commons Page “batch” in Winnipeg. We had a blast!  

Photo: 40th anniversary of the 1984-85 House of Commons Pages on a trolley tour in Winnipeg.

October’s trip to New York City was memorable. I met with and enjoyed the hospitality of fellow food-systems researchers at New York University and City University of New York and attended the Street Heroes Gala. It was also great to reconnect in person with other collaborators in the private sector and at the United Nations. 

Fun at the Street Heroes Gala with Professor Krishnendu Ray (centre) and his students/post-docs and my wonderful husband, Ishkandar Ahmed (in yellow).

In November, I was delighted to announce my appointment to the International Advisory Council of the Centre for Open Societal Systems (COSS) as well as to the Wilson Center as Global Fellow. I’m thrilled!

J’ai aussi eu des beaux moments avec la famille Martineau pour l’étaler des cendres de ma feu mère où elle est née et élevée. Mes remerciements à mes cousin.e.s – particulièrement Marcel, Glenn et Carmaine – et mon dernier oncle maternel toujours en vie, Louis. Un voyage à Legal compte maintenant des murales qui décrivent le parcours de certaines familles qui sont parties de l’Europe pour ensuite s’installer en Argentine avant de faire le trajet en Alberta. C’est des sujets que j’avais abordé avec Radio-Canada et dans une entretien pour le journal La Source à Vancouver en 2018.

Voici des photos de la vieille grange sur la ferme ou ma mère à été élevée – une des années ’50 et l’autre de novembre, 2024.

I write this from sunny Puerto Vallarta where we enjoyed some wonderful moments with friends. I’m grateful for all my blessings given the state of the world. More good news on my end will be announced in the new year. Until then, I wish you and yours happy holidays and all the best for 2025! 

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Higher education and research Uncategorized

The potential impacts of the results of the US Presidential Election on International Higher Education in Canada

A few weeks ago, I was delighted to announce my appointment to the The Wilson Center as a Global Fellow. Chartered by the United States Congress, the Wilson Center provides nonpartisan counsel and insights on global affairs to policymakers through deep research, impartial analysis, and independent scholarship. For the next two years, I’ll be doing research, policy analysis and media commentary as part of this exciting community on the areas I know best, namely the world of higher education and research, food-systems and internationalization. My thanks to Lindsay Rodman for brokering an introduction to Christopher Sands and his team at the Center’s Canada Institute. I’ll still be based in Ottawa but will travel to Washington DC on a regular basis. The Center’s Canada Institute was kind enough to invite me to submit a mini-blog entry on the potential impact of the US election on higher education in Canada in a global context. Here’s the link and comments welcome as well collectively begin to unpack this topic.

Il y a quelques semaines, j’étais ravie d’annoncer ma nomination au Wilson Center en tant que « Global Fellow ». Agréé par le Congrès des États-Unis, le Wilson Center fournit aux décideurs politiques des conseils non partisans et des informations sur les affaires mondiales grâce à des recherches approfondies, des analyses impartiales et des études indépendantes. Au cours des deux prochaines années, je ferai de la recherche, des analyses politiques et des commentaires médiatiques au sein de cette communauté passionnante sur les domaines que je connais le mieux, soit le monde de l’enseignement supérieur et la recherche, les systèmes alimentaires et l’internationalisation. Mes remerciements à Lindsay Rodman de m’avoir présenté à Chris Sands et de son équipe à l’Institut canadien du Centre. Je serai toujours basée à Ottawa mais je me rendrai régulièrement à Washington DC. L’Institut canadien du Centre a eu la gentillesse de m’inviter à soumettre un mini-blogue sur l’impact potentiel des élections américaines sur l’enseignement supérieur au Canada dans un contexte mondial. Voici le lien et les commentaires sont les bienvenus et commencent collectivement à aborder ce sujet.

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C’est presque l’été! – It’s almost summer!

C’est difficile de croire qu’on est déjà à la mi-juin. J’ai hâte pour l’été et les belles températures et bon moments que ça nous apportes. The last six months have been extremely busy with travel – both for business and pleasure – and many personnel changes related to my team on the work front. I continue to recognize my privilege given everything going on in the world. Whatever issues and challenges I have are relatively minor in the grander scheme of things.

Depuis les fêtes, il y a eu encore d’autres mortalités de personnes proches de nous. Ma chère cousine, “Nenette” (Marie Antoinette “Toni” Vincent née Montpetit), est décédée le 20 février à l’âge de 69 ans d’un cancer rare et agressif du sein. Elle était la première de ma génération du côté de ma mère et nous étions les seules parmi les cousins et cousines qui parlaient encore français – les autres ayant été assimilés à jeune âge. She is missed by all who had the good fortune to know her.

D’ici la fin août j’aurai le plaisir de participer dans des activités enrichissantes. This week, I look forward to another meeting of the board of the Council of Canadian Academies to which I was a ministerial nominee in 2022. Je participerai à une réunion à Winnipeg pour le 40e anniversaire du Programme des pages de la Chambre des Communes. On a eu notre 35e il y a 5 ans ici à Ottawa. See our photos below from 1984 and 2019 respectively! We also look forward our niece’s wedding in Vancouver.

Bon été à toutes et tous! Have a good summer everyone!

House of Commons Pages – 1984
Page Reunion, Ottawa – 2019
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Asia Higher education and research Uncategorized

End of a big year – La fin d’une grosse année

Since my last post, we were deeply saddened to learn of the loss of yet another friend – Dr. Karen Bakker – in Vancouver. She is gone far too soon and dearly missed. Karen was at the top of her game and leaves to mourn her family and many of us who had the privilege of getting to know her and were inspired by her brilliance and generous spirit. Que son âme repose en paix.

On a more positive note, my invited book chapter in a collection edited by Olaf Kühne, and his colleagues at University of Tübingen was published by Springer. I have Jayeeta (Jo) Sharma to thank for having flagged the previous, 2022, volume in this series to me last summer where I’m cited as the first to publish on concept of foodscapes. Merci également à Simon Vonthron qui a publié dans Plos One une étude de la portée sur l’utilisation de ce terme en 2020. Cette revue résumait astucieusement la littérature sur plus de 25 ans.

I also took on additional responsibilities at work in September, had the privilege of travelling to Vietnam in October on a mission organized by the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE). This was my second time in Vietnam but my first time to the north (Hanoi) and first trip back to Asia since the pandemic. Here’s a recap of the trip by CBIE in English and French.

Les conflits un peu partout au monde, surtout au moyen-orient, sont boulversants, et posent des défis pour les universités qui doivent naviguer des dossiers sensibles. Cependant, ces tragédies nous rappellent nos privilèges. Je suis reconnaissante pour ma bonne santé, ma famille, mon éducation, mon emploi et mes conforts. En espérant que 2024 apportera de la paix, de la justice et une meilleure qualité de vie pour toutes et tous.

Drinking Vietnamese Iced Coffee in Hanoi (Photo credit: Cheryl Dumaresq)

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End of summer – La rentrée…

Les derniers sept mois ont passé très vite! I can’t believe it’s already the Labour Day weekend. La semaine prochaine, c’est la rentrée et on ressent l’énergie sur le campus de l’Université d’Ottawa.

Ce fut un été difficile pour beaucoup de gens autour du monde avec les canicules, les feux de forets, des inondations, tempêtes et d’autres effets des changements climatiques ainsi que les guerres, les difficultés économiques ainsi de suite. I consider myself incredibly privileged and try to practice gratitude every day for my many blessings, doing what I can to make the world a better place.

We had a wonderful spring and summer with trips to Stratford, Ontario to take in the theatre festival, seeing friends in Toronto and a trip to the mid-west to see an uncle and aunt and cousins I had never had the chance to meet in person from my late father’s side in St-Louis, Missouri and Quincy, Illinois.

Quelle belle expérience de finalement voir le fleuve Mississippi et d’apprendre à mon retour que des ancêtres du côté de ma feu mère avait parcouru cette fameuse rivière au 19e siècle tel que décrit dans le récit de Romain Martineau à propos de la vie d’Adrien Martineau. J’ai partagé avec mes cousins Martineau. Most of them didn’t know about Adrien’s incredible life journey. The English translation by my late Uncle, Bernard Montpetit (husband of my mother’s only sister, Fernande) is here.

Malheureusement, par contre, nous avons subitement perdu une amie proche au mois de juillet. C’était un choc pour tout le monde est une tragédie particulière pour son mari et ses deux enfants. So many of us gathered to lay Jeni to rest, comforted in part by our many memories spent with her over the years. La vie est parfois très courte. The day Jenifer died was also the day a couple of new young friends – one of whom is the son of my long time friend and collaborator, S. Rajagopalan – welcomed their first child. Circle of life…

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Asia Higher education and research Program design & delivery Uncategorized

Full Circle – Un Cercle Complet

Year of rabbit badge vector gold Chinese horoscope zodiac animal

Happy Year of the Rabbit! Heureuse année du lapin!

On February 2nd (Ground Hog Day), I started my new job as Associate Vice-President, International at the University of Ottawa. Here is the announcement. I have therefore gone full circle having started my adult life as an undergraduate at this wonderful institution many decades ago when I was recruited into the House of Commons Page Programme. Many of us are still in touch from that time.

As they say the “third time’s the charm”. L’Université d’Ottawa m’avait offert deux postes il y a environ vingt ans que je ne pouvais pas accepter pour toutes sortes de raisons – un poste de professeur(e) menant à la permanence et même une chaire! So this was clearly meant to be. I’ve been very warmly welcomed and already feel like I belong, which has been unusual in most of my work environments.

J’ai le privilège de faire partie d’une des équipes les plus diversifiées du campus. Normalement, je me trouves comme une des rares personnes “racisées”, parfois même la seule. C’est clair qu’on a du “bon monde” brillant et compétent qui parlent plusieurs langues. Je suis ravie! It was great to meet most of my colleagues on my first day. There was even a little reception and round table.

Je me décris comme une « citoyenne du monde avec un passeport canadien » et, en partie à cause de mes origines personnelles, j’ai toujours été passionnée par l’importance du «global citizenship» comme on dit en anglais. L’Université d’Ottawa m’a profondément marqué en tant que francophone élevé dans le ouest et le nord canadien mais aussi comme quelqu’un avec des origines asiatiques. J’ai eu quelques expériences clés durant mon premier cycle qui m’ont marqué pour la vie, comme, par exemple, un séminaire en Thaïlande avec Entraide Universitaire Mondiale du Canada à la fin de ma première année et, quelques années plus tard, un stage in Inde avec l’Institut Indo-Canadien Shastri.

Here’s a picture from the WUSC Seminar. You’ll have to guess the year. See if you can spot me…

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A new year – Une nouvelle année

elegant 2023 new year wishes banner with snowflake vector design

Look back, look forward…

2022 fut une année intense mais avec beaucoup de pas en avant, tant au niveau personnel que professionnel. I completed a few systematic review exercises of my year and there were many more ups than downs. 2022 was a big year full of transitions.

After nearly three exciting, intense and productive years, I decided to leave my position as Executive Director of Food Secure Canada, published and provided commentary on the food crisis as Senior Fellow at the University of British Columbia’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and joined the board of Équiterre – the largest environmental organization in Québec, which also does excellent work on sustainable food systems. I’ve also had other rewarding assignments.

I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to travel abroad for both work and pleasure.

Most recently, I was honoured to have been elected to the board of the of the Council of Canadian Academies – le Conseil des académies canadiennes. The Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) convenes the best experts in their respective fields to assess the evidence on complex scientific topics of public interest to inform decision-making in Canada. Merci pour l’accueil chaleureux à la rencontre du mois de décembre à Montréal et au plaisir de collaborer cette année pour accomplir cette mission importante!

I know this year has in store exciting challenges. Stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks…

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Asia Food and agriculture Higher education and research Knowledge mobilization Uncategorized

Un été intense – An intense summer

MAM Cambridge Bay 1957 - Le dispensaire pour l'infirmière

Quatre jours après que j’ai affiché mon dernier message sur ce site – soit le 20 juin – j’ai subitement perdu ma mère. Même si elle avait 91 ans, et elle nous disait qu’elle sentait la mort venir, ce fut un choc. Cependant, elle voulait mourir, comme elle nous disait souvent. Heureusement la fin était passablement vite et sans douleur d’après le personnel de l’Hôpital Montfort, qui ont offert des soins extraordinaires dans ses derniers jours. Voici l’avis de décès en français et en anglais. Thanks also to the Funeral Cooperative of Ottawa and the family and friends that provided support to me and my family at this difficult time, including helping organize a wonderful celebration of mum’s extraordinary life in July.

Needless to say, much of the summer was spent doing what I needed to do, with the work still going on as my late mother’s executor and heir. Thank goodness we moved back to Ottawa from British Columbia a bit more than a year ago so that we got to spend more time with her and to facilitate my ability to close affairs. Of course, mum’s arrangements for her passing were in perfect order, which facilitates things.

On the professional front, it’s been satisfying to see a 2020 scoping review as well as a more recent 2022 tome published originally in German and now translated into English drawing on the foodscape concept I put forward in the 1990s. I never expected this work to evolve and take so many interesting developments around the world. It’s been an honour to be invited by the German scholars to collaborate and contribute to one of their upcoming volumes.

I’ve also continued to do extensive media commentary on the food crisis, both in Canada and globally. This included an interview with the CBC’s Carolyn Dunn in early August on the implications of grain shipments from the Ukraine on global food security, two interviews on A Little More Conversation, one in August and another in September, and a piece in Maclean’s on the rising cost of living. It was also a thrill to see one of my more scholarly publications come out as a chapter in the Routledge Handbook of Urban Food Governance. Looking forward to some launch events this fall.

Finalement, ce fut un plaisir de participer au 21e Forum de Banff, cette fois à Charlottetown. Je participate de temps à autre à ce forum concernant les politiques publiques depuis son tout début. Voici la photo de groupe prise au bord de l’eau avec la coopération de la météo! At this year’s Forum, it was great to be invited to speak as part of a “Dockside Chat” panel on the topic of “Has Deglobalization Arrived” sharing reflections on global food insecurity.