On April 27, 2026, Vladimir Vasiliev, Executive Director of the Northern Forum, and Artem Kirillov, Project Manager of the Northern Forum, participated in an online event organized by the Canada-Eurasia Business Alliance (CEBA) in collaboration with Mount Royal University (Alberta) and the law firm Miller Thomson LLP (Vancouver). The conference, dedicated to the topic "The Northwest Passage as an Emerging Logistics Corridor," brought together leading Canadian experts to discuss the future of the Arctic transport artery.
The Northern Forum's participation in this event was a direct continuation of the constructive dialogue with its Canadian partner, Vancouver-based Knowlex International, whose Managing Partner is Tatyana Domilovskaya. since late last year, we have been discussing the possibility of organizing a series of online seminars with experts from Russia, Canada, the United States, and Asia to advance dialogue on Arctic issues. The CEBA conference was one of the first and important steps in implementing these agreements, providing a platform for the exchange of views at a high expert level.
Tatyana Domilovskaya, also President of the Canada-Eurasia Business Alliance, moderated and organized the event. The conference was opened by Erin Campbell, Chair of the CEBA Board and Managing Partner and CEO of MONETA Securities.
The keynote speakers at the event were:
🔹 Mauricio Latapi, Associate Professor, Bissett School of Business, Mount Royal University. In his presentation, "The Future of the Northwest Passage: Benefits, Opportunities, and Challenges," Mr. Latapi presented a comprehensive analysis of this route's potential as a new global transportation artery and assessed the obstacles facing its development.
🔹 Daniel Kieselbach, Managing Partner of Miller Thomson LLP, Vancouver. His presentation focused on the complex interplay of economic and legal issues in the context of the Northwest Passage. Mr. Kieselbach addressed issues of sovereignty and jurisdiction in the Canadian Arctic, as well as opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses associated with the development of the Arctic transport artery.
The Canada-Eurasia Business Alliance (CEBA) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization and the legal successor to the Canada-Russia-Eurasia Business Association, created to promote bilateral business, trade, and investment between Canada and Greater Eurasia. The event was a clear example of how, even in a complex geopolitical environment, the expert and business community can and should find common ground to discuss issues of interest.
We plan to expand the geographic range of participants at future conferences.