Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
An experienced leader, manager and educator in public and international affairs, with a strong background in politics, law, operations and negotiation. Driven by a passion for bringing people together to solve complex problems, Sven worked in the public and private sectors, in academia and as a senior UN official. From 2015 until 2022, Sven served as a Member of Parliament, where, among other roles, he chaired Canada's Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee. On 28 May 2022, Sven returned to serve with the United Nations. Prior to being elected in 2015, Sven: • Led a UN team to assist the Iraqi Parliament and Government with constitutional reforms. • Negotiated operational protocols with US Coalition Forces to protect the UN Mission in Iraq. • Led federal interdepartmental processes on regulatory reform (national security). • Led operational aspects of a cross-border regulatory strategy in the financial services industry.
I served as an elected member of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). This is a non-remunerated, elected position that I hold as a Member of Canada's House of Commons. The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians investigates and works on cases involving the persecution or violation of human rights of parliamentarians around the world. It prepares periodic reports on progress and offers recommendations on ongoing action to the IPU Governing Council.
Canada's 43rd Parliament (Oct. 2019 - Sep 2021): Chair, House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs & Int'l Development (FAAE). Member, House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence (NDDN). Member, Executive of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Member, IPU Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights. Co-Chair, Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association. Chair, Liberal Human Rights Caucus. Canada's 42nd Parliament (Oct. 2015 - Oct. 2019): Member, Parliamentary Standing Committee on National Defence (NDDN). Member, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Safety & National Security (SECU). Member, Executive of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Member, IPU Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights (2017-2021). Chair, Liberal Human Rights Caucus. Introduced Canada's Gender Equality Week Act (in force as of 2018).
Federal candidate for the electoral district of Mississauga-Lakeshore (Ontario, Canada), with the Liberal Party. Responsible for organization/motivation of the electoral campaign team, stakeholder outreach, fundraising, political engagement, and communication of the 2015 federal policy platform.
Fall terms 2012 & 2013: I taught PIA 6327 ("Transitions in the Middle East and North Africa") in York University's Graduate Program (Glendon School of Public and International Affairs / GSPIA). The course aims to provide Master's level students interested in the international civil service with a flexible, pragmatic framework to analyze complex problems in the areas of political reconciliation and humanitarian/development assistance. Spring term 2013: I taught GSPIA graduate seminars in professional development, ethics and substantive policy analysis (focus: Middle East/North Africa), support GSPIA's internship program and contribute to the development of the School's international partnerships/networks.