Ashton is an Economist at the Department of Finance Canada, where he supports decision-making on the management of key government assets in the interest of taxpayers.

Originally from Mississauga, Ashton obtained his Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from McGill University and a Master of Arts in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. Ashton was involved in the International Relations Students’ Association of McGill, where he helped organize SSUNS, Canada’s largest Model UN conference for high school students, and participated in the youth delegation to the UN Commission for Social Development (CSocD) in 2019.

He is passionate about the dynamics underpinning international negotiations. At Environment Canada, Ashton was part of the team responsible for negotiating the Environment Chapter in Canada’s prospective FTAs and participated in 12 rounds of trade negotiations during his term. During his internship at the Canadian Permanent Mission in Vienna, Ashton analyzed communiqué negotiations taking place at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).

In his spare time, Ashton likes travelling, learning new languages, exploring new restaurants and bars, and staying informed on current events.