Event reports
During a series of roundtables and speaking engagements organized by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Prof. Dr. Milbradt discussed current developments in the transatlantic relationship over two days of meetings and discussions in Ottawa. Prof. Dr. Milbradt brought a unique transatlantic perspective to current debates on these issues and insight into political developments in Germany. A recurring theme throughout the discussions was economic challenges, a topic of expertise for Prof. Dr. Milbradt, a former Finance Minister in Saxony and currently a professor of economics and public finance at the Technical University of Dresden.
A highlight of the dialogue program was a speaking engagement organized in cooperation with the Forum of Federations on Monday, February 10. Prof. Dr. Milbradt addressed a distinguished crowd of 60 guests that included Canadian parliamentarians, ambassadors, government staff, representatives of academia, and members of respected think tanks. Prof. Dr. Milbradt offered his views on “Germany’s New Federal Government and Its Role in the Future European Economic and Financial Cooperation.” He discussed the role of federalism in shaping the future of the EU, and he described the factors that led to the Eurocisis, including skyrocketing interest rates, loss of competitiveness and rising personal and public debt. In his remarks, he noted the problems of the Euro rescue policy, comparing bailout funding to the old adage for family members to not lend money to one another. In his comparison, he noted that a financial gift sometimes keeps families more harmonious than a loan to be repaid. The talk was followed by a spirited question and answer period where many ambassadors engaged in the discussion, and the discussion continued during the reception with informal conversation among the guests and Prof. Dr. Milbradt.
Lessons learned from the Eurocrisis led to another lively discussion at the University of Ottawa, where Prof. Dr. Milbradt gave a talk to students and faculty regarding, “A Currency in Search of its State: The Future Prospects of the Euro.” In addition to the topic of finance, the program in Ottawa allowed for many bilateral meetings with Members of Parliament, including members of the Canadian-Germany Interparliamentary Group, where foreign affairs and security issues figured prominently in the discussion.
At a roundtable with senior officials from the Macdonald-Laurier Institute for Public Policy, economic challenges were discussed in further detail, with much discussion regarding social programs, energy and natural resources issues, tax structures, and debt in the Canadian provinces. Prof. Dr. Milbradt asked the policy experts to share with him how Ottawa sees the world, and the conversation could have continued well past the 90 minutes allotted for the discussion. The experts explained how Canada’s relationship with the U.S. has suffered in light of controversy surrounding the Keystone XL pipeline. And they discussed Canada’s attempts to avoid the “Dutch Disease,” which occurs when a country’s manufacturing sector declines as growth increases in natural resources.
The transatlantic dialogue program provided many perspectives on the challenges faced by Canada and Germany, the lessons that can be learned from each country’s experiences, and the need for partnership on many global issues. The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung looks forward to continuing the conversation to further strengthen the relationship between the two nations.
