Empire Club of Canada

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: Beyond the Curriculum: Building Hope and Opportunity for Indigenous Youth Join the Empire Club as it continues the conversation on the role of education in advancing reconciliation.  It is a stark reality that only 11% of Ontario’s Indigenous Youth go on to pursue higher education. The reasons for this are varied and complex – but one message is clear – we must do more to support students and teachers in Indigenous communities across the country to ensure we are tapping the full potential of these talented youth to build a better, more successful, and more inclusive Canada.  This calls for a greater understanding of how to work together to respect Indigenous ways of knowing and learning in the classroom – empowering communities to access and deliver education services and opportunities for meaningful outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic brought in-person learning to a halt, disconnecting students and redefining the delivery of education via virtual means. But for many communities, virtual resources are essential on an on-going basis to ensure that students in the north have access to same opportunities as other students nation-wide.  With limited access to educational infrastructure, resources and mental health supports, Indigenous youth in northern and remote communities have been at a severe disadvantage. What are the long-lasting impacts of this reality? And how can we address this challenge through meaningful, collaborative approaches?  Please join us for a critical conversation with policy makers, education professionals and NGO leaders on building better and more dynamic pathways to success for Indigenous students. And why the moment is now.  Moderator: Lisa Kimmel, Global Managing Director, Sector Specialty Agencies, Chair & CEO, Canada, Edelman Speaker: Heather Campbell, Director of Education, Rainy River District School Board  Dr. Marie Delorme, CEO, The Imagination Group  Serei Jeppesen, Connected North School Lead & Indigenous Student Engagement Coordinator, Taking IT Global *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: Women Who Lead: Acquisitions, Transformations and IPOs, the Women Behind Canada's Biggest Moves Despite the uncertainties of the past year, Canada's business and finance landscape has been marked by transformative moves. Meet the women behind the biggest tech IPO of 2021, the acquisition of one of Canada's most innovative exchanges, and the strategic transformation of Canada's largest specialty toy and book store.  Moderator: Rita Trichur, Senior Business Writer and Columnist, The Globe and Mail Speakers: Lori-Ann Beausoleil, Retired Deals and Advisory Partner, PricewaterhouseCooper Sarah Jordan, CEO, Mastermind Toys  Vanessa Kanu, Chief Financial Officer, TELUS International *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: Supporting Families and Growing the Economy: The Importance of a Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care System Since the federal government announced their ambitious plan for a $10-a-day early learning and child care system, nine provinces and three territories have already signed agreements. Through these agreements, the federal government is working to improve access to early learning and child care programs and services by reducing child care fees, creating new child care spaces, and providing supports to the early childhood workforce. Join us as we speak with the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development on February 28th to hear how affordable child care will support families, help parents rejoin the workforce, and grow our economy. Speaker: The Hon. Karina Gould, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Government of Canada *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*

The Empire Club of Canada Presents:  Toronto’s Waterfront: How to Reach its Full Potential Toronto’s eastern waterfront added 8,000 new residents and 13,000 new jobs in the last decade. The Queens Quay redevelopment added a string of new public parks while recruiting arts and culture institutions, education leaders, and business partners to create a permanent presence on the water’s edge. Flood protection is underway for 715 acres of the Port Lands – the largest development opportunity of its kind in Canada. There are remaining challenges to make sure this new waterfront is connected with transit, maximizes housing solutions, and provides equitable access to waterfront recreation as ‘Toronto’s backyard.’ Is Toronto on the path to becoming a true waterfront city? Moderator: Myriam Eddahia, Journalist, CBC/Radio-Canada Speakers:  Ana Bailao, Deputy Mayor, Chair, Planning and Housing Committee Toronto, Councillor Ward 9, City of Toronto Dr. Gervan Fearon, President, George Brown College George Zegarac, President & CEO, Waterfront Toronto *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*

The Empire Club of Canada Presents:  Fueling Canada's Low-Carbon Future Innovation and new technologies are driving Canada toward a low-carbon future. Canadians have more transportation energy options than ever before.   What role does the transportation sector play in meeting Canada’s goal of Net-Zero by 2050? How will we maintain the movement of people and goods across Canada and beyond while reducing GHG emissions? Our panelists are at the centre of this challenge. Join us for the next installment of the “Fuel for Thought Speaker Series” to learn more about ‘made-in-Canada’ solutions that will fuel our future. Speakers:  The Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, Government of Canada Susannah Pierce, Country Chair, Shell Canada *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: The Future of Health for Black Canadians As has been brought to light in recent years, any system designed by one does not fit all.  Canada’s healthcare system is no exception.  Like many institutions, the Canadian healthcare system has been recognized for having failed our BIPOC communities in areas such as accessibility, culturally- adapted therapies and delivery methods, diagnosis, and quality of care (to name a few), creating devastating disparities along racial lines in the health outcomes for Canadian populations.   Indeed, The Commonwealth Fund’s 2021 report records this issue, ranking Canada 10th out of 11 high income developed nations in the area of healthcare ‘equity’. The disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on Canada’s Black communities, as well as risk of psychosis and likelihood of death from breast cancer further indicate a fractured healthcare system. There are many reasons as to why these gaps exist despite having a universal healthcare model, not the least of which includes a lack of representation and formal training for medical practitioners about racialized populations. The Empire Club invites you to join us as we hear from some of those trying to make a difference in the healthcare space for Black Canadians and eliminate the hurdles experienced by Black populations in receiving equitable quality of care. Our speakers have contributed to advancing health outcomes for Black individuals in a number of ways: from creating a culturally competent vaccine distribution clinic to support and educate Black Canadians, to founding initiatives designed to transform medical and health professional education. Moderator: Paul Bailey, Executive Director, Black Health Alliance Speakers: Sume Ndumbe-Eyoh, Director and Assistant Professor, Black Health Education Collaborative, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto Adaoma Patterson, President, Jamaican Canadian Association *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: Psychedelics 101 Conversations about the therapeutic potential of Psychedelics are everywhere. From the front page of Toronto Life magazine to research centres at Johns Hopkins, Queen's, and the University of Toronto - research into psychedelics as a potential treatment for mental illness exacerbated by the Pandemic is booming. But what is the real story? The Empire Club of Canada is pleased to host a conversation with industry leaders that will focus on innovation, trends, and what the future of this new sector will look like. Moderator:  Tiffany Kary, Journalist, Bloomberg News Speakers: Najla Guthrie, President & CEO, KGK Science Inc. Nick Kadysh, Founder & CEO, PharmAla Biotech Kathryn Walker, CEO, Revitalist Lifestyle and Wellness *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*

The Empire Club of Canada Presents:  A Better Way Forward? I Say We Need a Revolution! A conversation with BDC’s President & CEO Isabelle Hudon and Jan De Silva, President & CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade The past two years have accelerated the pace of disruption. And going back is not an option. Join us in a discussion with Isabelle Hudon, recently appointed President and CEO of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), about how it is the perfect time to re-imagine the future of Canada’s economy – creating one that is resilient enough to endure and adapt to whatever challenges the future will bring our way. Isabelle will share her thoughts on the social responsibility of businesses and how BDC plans to be the partner of choice of entrepreneurs looking to create value and build a more sustainable and inclusive economy. This conversation will be moderated by Jan De Silva, President and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Isabelle is BDC’s first woman President and CEO and was also Canada’s first woman Ambassador to France and Monaco. Previously, she was President and CEO of Sun Life Financial Quebec and Senior Vice President of Sun Life Financial Canada. She is a champion of diversity, gender equality and the green economy, leading BDC’s 2,500-person team in its effort to do more and better in helping Canadian SMEs thrive. Speakers:  Isabelle Hudon, President & CEO, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)  Jan De Silva, President & CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: The Hon. Todd Smith: Ontario's Energy Advantage From running one of the world’s cleanest energy grids, to delivering Canada’s first commercial, grid-scale Small Modular Reactor (SMR) to making Ontario a more competitive place to do business with lower electricity costs, Ontario’s Energy sector is in a new power play. Join Energy Minister Todd Smith on January 28th to hear how he and his team at the Ministry of Energy are seizing Ontario’s clean energy advantage as a major opportunity to power up our province’s industries, jobs and economy and lead the way! Speaker: The Hon. Todd Smith, Minister of Energy, Legislative Assembly of Ontario

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: The Power of Education in Advancing Reconciliation “Education got us into this mess and education will get us out of it.” - The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Education has played a unique and powerful role in Canada’s history in both perpetuating systemic oppression of Indigenous peoples and in helping to advance reconciliation. It was a key element addressed often by members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in their work and within the TRC calls to action. With the discoveries of numerous unmarked graves at the sites of former residential schools and the marking of the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in September 2021, Canadians of all ages began to learn more about Indigenous histories, the intergenerational impact of the country’s residential school system and survivors’ stories. As the nation continues to embark on a process of reflection and learning, join us for a critical conversation amongst Indigenous leaders on the connection between education and reconciliation, and the impact of steps being taken to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing in the classroom and beyond. Moderator: Chief Stacey Laforme, (Gimaa) Chief, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Panelists: Dr. Tracy Bear, Director & Assistant Professor, McMaster Indigenous Research Institute, Dept. of Sociology, Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University Chief Cadmus Delorme, Chief, Cowessess First Nation Kory Wilson, Executive Director, Indigenous Initiatives & Partnerships, British Columbia Institute of Technology *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*