Empire Club of Canada

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: A Roadmap for Canada’s Black Youth - Defining Recognition and Development under the UN Decade for People of African Descent and UN75 Being a young person within the Black community in Canada in 2020…what are the prospects for the future? Is the situation encouraging going forward? Have there been setbacks related to the pandemic? And how does this community differ from its US counterpart? There were a lot of questions that needed answers, and more than ever before people started to think strategically and in long-term perspectives that provided more opportunities and options for young Black Canadians. This panel discussion offered a vision for youth leadership in our country within the context of the Black communities. The key areas of focus included employment and employability prospects, education and the urgency of intergenerational collaboration. Moderator: Candies Kotchapaw, Executive Director, DYLOTT Panelists/ Speaker: Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, Senator, Nova Scotia (East Preston) Stephanie Dei, UN Women National Coordinator Georgette Morris Graduate Studies, Ethics and Public Affairs *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 Honourable Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario, In Conversation with Vivene Salmon, Past President, Canadian Bar Association on how breakthroughs in moving legal services online during COVID-19 have reset Ontarians’ expectations for how justice can be done. Technology and innovation have transformed nearly every part of life in Ontario, but the province’s justice sector has stood still and fallen behind. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the severity of these challenges and the urgent need to improve Ontarians’ access to more responsive and resilient justice services. Attorney General Doug Downey had responded by accelerating the pace of justice modernization in Ontario, moving the system forward by decades in a matter of months. In collaboration with justice partners, the Ministry of the Attorney General had established new and innovative ways of delivering services remotely, in-person and online. Speakers: The Honourable Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario Vivene Salmon, Past President, Canadian Bar 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: Sean Finn – Executive Vice-President, Corporate Services and Chief Legal Officer, CN CN holds a unique place in history: the unforgettable people, iconic landscapes and exciting innovations have all marked our great railroad through time. But since its creation 100 years ago, CN has faced many challenging situations, especially with unfortunate work disruptions, illegal blockades on its railroad, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Being essential to the economy, to its customers, and to the communities it serves by transporting safely more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year, CN had to react quickly to maintain its operations. Sean Finn discusses how CN navigated through a succession of exceptional circumstances, learned from it, and adapted the way it conducts business and plans on doing so for another 100 years. Speaker: Sean Finn, Executive Vice-President, Corporate Services and Chief Legal Officer, CN *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: Blake Hutcheson - President & CEO of OMERS With Confidence, Resilience and Patience During COVID: Observations and Reflections during My First Hundred Days as OMERS CEO Blake Hutcheson shares observations and reflections he gained during his first hundred days at the helm as President and CEO of OMERS, one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans. Taking on this role at OMERS during the COVID pandemic has given Blake new insights into what it means to lead an organization managing direct investments on five continents, on behalf of its more than 500,000 members. Speaker: Blake Hutcheson, President & Chief Executive Officer, OMERS *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 Honourable Prabmeet Sarkaria – Ontario Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction Businesses across Ontario continued to be negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with local, Main Street small businesses being the hardest hit. Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, speaks to the COVID-19 challenges that small businesses in Ontario were facing, and what the Provincial Government was going to do to help them reopen safer, rehire faster, and rebuild stronger. Moderator: The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Vice-Chair, Global Investment Banking, CIBC Capital Markets Speaker: The Honourable Prabmeet Sakaria, Ontario Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction *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 World Health Organization (WHO), Canada and the Way Ahead As winter of 2020 approached, COVID-19 cases were rising in many parts of the world, the importance of coming together in solidarity to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic had never been greater. Dr. Tedros, Director General of the World Health Organization, talks about the global effort to defeat COVID-19, the agency’s long and productive partnership with Canada, and where we need to focus our cooperative efforts in the months ahead if we are to protect and promote the public health of all citizens. The WHO has never been more relevant to Canada – and to all countries worldwide. Speakers: Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus-Director-General, World Health Organization Dr. Peter Singer, Special Advisor to the Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr. Kate O’Brien MD, MPH, Director of the Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals Department at the World Health Organization *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: Mark Poweska, President & CEO, Hydro One in Conversation with Rocco Rossi, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce In this event, Mark Poweska, President and CEO of Hydro One, and Rocco Rossi, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, have a fireside conversation about how Mark Poweska transformed Hydro One to put customers and Ontario first. Mark is a proven leader with a deep passion for employee and public safety, delivering on customer expectations and improving operational performance. Mark’s vision, mission and strategy for Hydro One was energizing life for people and communities across Ontario. His vision was a promise to listen to customers and communities, be their voice in the industry and take action to meet their needs. In the face of COVID-19, the company continued to deliver on its strategy focusing on supporting customers, employees, communities and economic recovery. Speakers: Mark Poweska, President and CEO, Hydro One Rocco Rossi, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce *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 the Work Place Moderator: Mary Rowe, President & CEO, The Canadian Urban Institute Panelists/ Speaker:  Veni Iozzo, Executive Vice-President, Enterprise Real Estate and Workplace Transformation, CIBC Sarah McKenzie, Independent Consultant, Innovation and Future of Work Toni Rossi BPHE, ICD.D, President, Real Estate Division, Infrastructure Ontario *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 Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities with Resilience and Regeneration: Building out of a Pandemic and into a More Inclusive Low-Carbon Economy. The most devastating global pandemic in a century, COVID-19, was more than a health crisis. It had damaged economies, cost jobs and widened existing social inequalities. But it had also illustrated the strength of Canada’s communities, the critical importance of resolute government action, and our willingness to help one another build back better. Smart public infrastructure investments create good jobs, help people and neighbourhoods most in need, and build sustainable, resilient communities for the low-carbon economy of the 21st Century. Moderator: Shawn McCarthy, Senior Counsel, Sussex Strategy Group Speaker: The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities *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 Honourable Lisa MacLeod Ontario Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Cultural Industries’ Few sectors of the world’s economy had been hit harder by the Covid-19 pandemic than the tourism and hospitality, culture, and sport sectors. As the Ontario families who depended on this sector reckoned with a world that was increasingly defined by thicker borders, social distancing and changed consumer behaviors, it was more important than ever that the private sector and government work together to both weather the storm, and build the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic recovery. The Ontario Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism, and Culture Industries, the Honourable Lisa MacLeod, takes the audience through her government’s long term strategy for sectoral resilience and renewal. Moderator: Nick Kypreos, Former NHL Player & Sports Broadcaster Speaker: The Honourable Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. *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.*