Empire Club of Canada

The Empire Club of Canada Presents:  The Honourable Charles Sousa, Ontario’s Minister of Finance On The Path to Balance The Path to Balance: Slated to deliver a balanced budget this spring for the first time since the 2008, 2009 global recession, join us to hear Ontario's Minister of Finance, The Hon. Charles Sousa on the government's plan to continue to grow the economy, create jobs and invest in key public services. Through balancing the budget, the government is creating greater opportunities for more families and businesses, working to ensure that all are able to share in Ontario's growing prosperity. Charles Sousa is Ontario's Minister of Finance and the Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Mississauga South. He also serves as Vice Chair of Treasury Board and Management Board of Cabinet. As Minister of Finance, Charles has delivered multiple Budgets and Fall Economic Statements. He negotiated the formation of the Canadian Cooperative Securities Regulator and led Ontario's negotiation with the federal government and other provinces to enhance the CPP. He possesses an extensive background in the financial sector, working at RBC Financial Group for more than 20 years in commercial banking. Prior to that, he owned and operated a financing company supporting small businesses. He also served as a member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Toronto Board of Trade, and as a director of the American Chamber of Commerce. Charles' commitment to community service earned him the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. He was also inducted as a Commander to the Order of Merit in Portugal. Speaker: The Honourable Charles Sousa, Ontario’s Minister of Finance *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: Kevin O’Leary: Leadership Candidate, Conservative Party of Canada On Awakening Canada’s Economic Advantage Awakening Canada's Economic Advantage Canada has an incredible economic foundation. We have a talented and hardworking workforce, vast natural resources, and a diversified economy. We have a strong and caring society, with a proud history of hard work and entrepreneurism. Unfortunately, this incredible economic potential is being squandered. CPC Leadership candidate Kevin O'Leary discusses his plans to unleash Canada's economic potential. Biography: Currently the Chairman of O'Shares Exchange Traded Funds, Kevin has spent a lifetime fighting on behalf of investors and small business. Kevin is a three time, best selling author on the topics of family, finance and business. Kevin is a Leader with a smart plan to kick start the economy and a Leader who will fight for you. Speaker: Kevin O’Leary, Leadership Candidate, Conservative Party 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: The Honourable Tracy MacCharles, Ontario's Minister of Government and Consumer Services With Consumer Protection, New Homes, and the Homebuilding Industry Tracy MacCharles was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 2011 as the MPP for Pickering Scarborough East. She was re elected in 2014. MacCharles currently serves as Minister of Government and Consumer Services, as well as Minister Responsible for Accessibility. She was previously Minister Responsible for Women's Issues, Minister of Children and Youth Services, Minister of Consumer Services and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Children and Youth Services. MacCharles has more than 20 years of experience in human resources management in the private, public and not for profit sectors. She was Vice-President of Human Resources at Manulife Financial for the Corporate and Information Technology Divisions. In 2004, she established her own Human Resources practice focused on health care, community health, education, employment, human rights, discrimination prevention and business effectiveness. disability advocacy. She is a former Chair of the Ontario Accessibility Standards Advisory Council and also served on the Durham Board of Education's Special Education Advisory Committee. She has been an active volunteer in her community and at the provincial level for numerous charities, including the Canadian Cancer Society - Scarborough Unit and the Ontario Division Board, the Big Sisters Association of Ajax Pickering, the United Way and as Chair of her local School Community Council. MacCharles is also an active volunteer in numerous charities. She received the City of Pickering's Civic Award and the Volunteer of Distinction Award from Rosebank Road Public School. MacCharles and her husband, Stephen, live in Pickering with their two children, Travis and Geneviève Speaker: The Honourable Tracy MacCharles, Ontario's Minister of Government and Consumer Services *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 Bill Morneau, Canada's Minister of Finance With Budget 2017: Working for the Middle Class The Empire Club of Canada in partnership with the Canadian Club presents The Honourable Bill Morneau, Canada's Minister of Finance. Budget 2017: Working for the Middle Class Canada's Finance Minister, the Honourable Bill Morneau, PC, MP will address The Empire Club and The Canadian Club regarding Budget 2017, the next step in the federal government's economic plan to support Canada's middle class and those working hard to join it. Minister Morneau will discuss how Budget 2017 works to give Canadians the tools they need for the economy of tomorrow. Speaker: The Hon. Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance *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 Steven Del Duca, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation Ontario's Minister of Transportation, the Hon. Steven Del Duca has a proven track record of outstanding community involvement and a clear dedication to public service. First elected to the Ontario Legislature in September 2012, in less than two years he secured approval of the Highway 427 extension, delivered $49.7 million towards the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital and $49 million for four new schools in Vaughan. Del Duca was re elected in June 2014 and appointed as Ontario's Minister of Transportation in Premier Kathleen Wynne's cabinet. Since becoming Minister, Del Duca has remained committed to the Highway 427 extension. He has also overseen the development and construction of the $1.4 billion York Viva Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, project set for completion in 2020. The York BRT will improve public transportation across the region, stimulate the economy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help to manage congestion. A long term advocate of the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, Del Duca announced in October that construction has officially begun on this important local project. This incredible achievement, made possible by a provincial investment of up to $1.3 billion, will support and provide advanced health care services to more than 500,000 people in the region. Del Duca obtained a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall law school in 2007. Previously, he studied political science and Canadian history at the University of Toronto and at Carleton University. He first moved to Vaughan in 1987 when his family settled in Kleinburg. Today, he lives in Woodbridge with his wife and two daughters. Speaker: The Honourable Steven Del Duca, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation *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:  Christopher Wein In Conversation With Jennifer Keesmaat On City Building in Canada in the Twenty First Century Cities are being built in a significantly different manner than they were even just a generation ago as both planners and developers spend more time thinking about macro issues such as climate change, traffic flow, sustainability and energy conservation, not to mention a host of quality of life issues that are increasingly at the forefront of consumer demands. Each of these issues requires enormous amounts of study and thought if the final product is to be progressive and economically-feasible, and often demands more cooperation between cities and developers. This unique luncheon event will bring together an award-winning North American developer with one of this continent's most respected and well known planners. Their conversation on what it takes to build a great city in 2017 will be of interest to anyone in the real estate and asset management community, but also to investors, architects, lawyers and anyone who has ever wondered how what we are building today differs from what was done in the past, and how this is literally changing the way that urban Canadians live their lives at work, at home, and at play. Speakers: Jennifer Keesmaat, Chief Planner and Executive Director, City of Toronto As Chief Planner for the City of Toronto Christopher J. Wein, President, Great Gulf Residential, Great Gulf Group Limited As President *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:  Honourable Yasir Naqvi, Attorney General of Ontario A first generation Canadian, Yasir and his family arrived in Canada in 1988 after the Pakistani government imprisoned his father for leading a pro democracy march. With an upbringing deeply rooted in the values of democracy, social justice and compassion, Yasir feels it is important to be involved in the community and give back. Yasir's passion to serve his community resulted in him being elected a Member of Provincial Parliament, MPP, in October 2007. He was re elected in 2011 and 2014. Yasir currently serves as Attorney General and Government House Leader. He last served as Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, where he introduced the Strategy for a Safer Ontario, the government's plan for building safer, stronger communities across the province. Prior to that, he was Minister of Labour, a role in which he raised the minimum wage, brought forward new protections for vulnerable workers and improved workplace safety measures. As the MPP of a diverse, urban riding, Yasir has been a tireless advocate for public services and sustainable community growth. Recognized by his peers as a strong community leader, Yasir has helped secure funding to build new spaces for educational, health and social service related needs in Ottawa Centre. He has also been the co chair of the Capital Food Bank Blitz since 2005. Yasir is the proud father of Rafi and Elliana and husband to Christine McMillan. Speaker: The Honourable Yasir Naqvi, Attorney General of 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:  His Worship Mayor John Tory, Mayor for the City of Toronto John Tory is the 65th Mayor of Toronto. Born and raised in Toronto, Mayor Tory has spent his career promoting and giving back to the city he loves. As a lawyer, talk show host, businessman, Member of Provincial Parliament and Leader of the Official Opposition at Queen's Park, and finally as Mayor, he has long believed that the diversity of Toronto is its strength. As Mayor, John's focus will be on bringing the city together as One Toronto. Among Mayor Tory's top priorities are tackling transit and traffic congestion. He is focused on taking action to reduce commute times so Toronto residents can get to work on time and home to their families sooner. Mayor Tory is also getting to work on Toronto's transit crisis by getting on with the Scarborough subway and beginning work on the SmartTrack line, a 53 kilometre, 22 station surface subway that would provide all day, two way service across the city and bring needed relief to the congested Yonge subway. The early years of Mayor Tory's career were spent practicing law in Toronto, and he was later elected as a managing partner of one of Canada's biggest law firms. In the 1980's he served as Principal Secretary to Premier Bill Davis and as Associate Secretary of the Ontario Cabinet. In September 2004, Mayor Tory was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. In 2005, as PC Party Leader, Mayor Tory would serve as the Leader of the Official Opposition at Queen's Park. Mayor Tory has an extensive background in volunteer community service. He served as volunteer Chairman and Commissioner of the Canadian Football League and has chaired fundraising campaigns for St. Michael's Hospital and the United Way. He has also held leadership positions in a wide range of charitable organizations ranging from Canadian Paraplegic Association, Crimestoppers, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto Association for Community Living, the United Way, and the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund, LEAF. Mayor Tory's community work has been widely recognized. Mayor Tory was a founding Board Member and Chair of the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance. He is a recipient of both the Paul Harris and Mel Osborne Awards from the Rotary and Kiwanis organizations respectively and was named a Life Member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board. He is also the recipient of an African Canadian Achievement Award and the Harry Jerome Award. Mayor Tory was recently awarded the Order of Ontario for being a consummate champion for the Greater Toronto Region. Born on May 28, 1954, Mayor Tory is a lifelong, and long suffering, Toronto Maple Leafs fan. Mayor Tory and his wife Barbara have been married for 37 years. They raised their four children, John Jr, Chris, Susan and George in Toronto and are now delighted to have five grandchildren to spoil. Speaker: His Worship Mayor John Tory, Mayor for the City of 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:  Evening Event with Dr. Catherine Zahn, President and CEO of CAMH 2017 For Mental Health The Empire Club and CAMH for host an Evening Event filled with fascinating conversation, networking and hors d'oeuvres. While mental health care has gone from restraint to recovery and from confinement to community over the past 150 years, people with mental illness face barriers accessing care and support. They wage a constant battle for their basic human, civil and health care rights. Individuals living with mental illness and their families demand and deserve better. Dr. Catherine Zahn, President and CEO of CAMH, will reflect on the history of mental health care in Canada, discuss how governments can make meaningful change going forward and share what innovations give her hope for the future. Speaker: Dr. Catherine Zahn, President and CEO of CAMH *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: For Whom The Road Tolls Panel: A Debate On Traffic In The GTA and Whether There Are Tolls In The Region's Future Ms. Mahrokh Arefi, CEO, Emovis Technologies America in the New York area Ms. Arefi has over 25 years of experience in design, implementation and operation of transportation and transit technologies, including recent All Electronic Toll Collection programs in Western Canada. She has managed and provided advisory services to stakeholders to define, develop and implement various transportation programs. She is a registered Professional Engineer in British Columbia, Canada and Washington State, USA She has had many speaking engagements in the tolling, ITS and transit related conferences. She is currently the CEO of emovis technologies america in the New York area. Mr. Josh Colle, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 15, Eglinton Lawrence Josh was elected in October 2010 to represent the area of Ward 15 Eglinton Lawrence. In addition, he was elected to serve as Chair of the TTC in 2015. Born and raised in Toronto, Josh brings a wealth of private sector and community experience to City Hall. He has worked in Toronto's financial services sector, the transportation industry, and served as Vice President of an energy and infrastructure firm. Josh obtained an Honours BA in Political Science from McGill University and graduated from St. Michael's College High School at Bathurst and St. Clair. Josh has lived in the Oakwood and Vaughan area for over 30 years, where he continues to reside with his wife and three children. Ms. Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga In 2014, Bonnie Crombie was elected Mayor of Mississauga. Building regionally integrated transit, igniting new economic development opportunities, and creating a more open, engaging and inclusive city, have been Mayor Crombie's leading policy priorities for Mississauga. Mayor Crombie has an MBA from York University's Schulich School of Business and earned a Corporate Director's Certificate from the Institute of Corporate Directors at the Rotman School of Management. Mayor Crombie and her husband Brian have three children, Alex, Jonathan and Natasha, and a golden husky, Adonis. Ms. Teresa Di Felice, Director, Government and Community Relations CAA South Central Ontario, Teresa is Director of Government and Community Relations at CAA South Central Ontario, CAA SCO, Canada's largest CAA club. She has been with CAA since 2005. She is responsible for the overall direction and execution of the organization's advocacy strategies and programs, representing and raising awareness on relevant issues to CAA's over 2 million Members and with policy makers in Ontario. Over the last three years Teresa has released two Conference Board of Canada reports related to... Moderator:  Rod Phillips, Global Head of Client Services Afiniti / Chair of the Board Postmedia Panelists: Mahrokh Arefi, CEO, Emovis Technologies America in the New York area Josh Colle, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 15, Eglinton Lawrence Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga Teresa Di Felice, Director, Government and Community Relations CAA South Central 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.*