MONDAY, MAY 15, 2023 | 12:15 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.
The Globe and Mail Centre, 351 King Street East, 17th Floor, Toronto
IF YOU HAVE REGISTERED FOR THE WEBCAST, CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO JOIN THE EVENT. YOU CAN JOIN AS EARLY AS 12:30 P.M. ET.
Event registration is now closed. If you require assistance, please contact us at marketing@globeandmail.com.
There are currently more than one million vacant jobs in Canada, according to a 2022 report by Scotia Economics. The same report shows 40 per cent of organizations are facing near-record high labour shortages, limiting their capacity for growth. Part of the solution is immigration. But there are other considerations – such as investment in education, upskilling, and training, especially in view of digital transformation. At the same time, access to affordable housing may further exacerbate labour force challenges.
The Globe and Mail, in partnership with Century Initiative, will bring experts and leaders together to discuss how we might shape a long-term strategy to build the workforce of the future, compete globally, and achieve prosperity.
Century Initiative will also be releasing its 3rd annual National Scorecard on Canada's Growth and Prosperity, which tracks if Canada is leading or falling behind on key metrics tied to our quality of life and standard of living on May 15th. View the 2022 National Scorecard
IF YOU HAVE REGISTERED FOR TODAY'S EVENT, CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO JOIN THE WEBCAST. YOU CAN JOIN AS EARLY AS 12:30 P.M. ET.
If you require assistance, please contact us at marketing@globeandmail.com.
What does Canada’s aging workforce mean for economic performance and growth? As Canada’s labour market continues to shift, so too does the outlook for key industries and sectors, innovation, and global competitiveness. This presentation will cover the trajectory Canada is currently on in regards to skills, talent and the workforce, and why it matters.
Agapi Gessesse
Executive Director, CEE Centre For Young Black Professionals
Ian Stavness
Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan
Shamira Madhany
Managing Director, Canada & Deputy Executive Director, World Education Services (WES)
Sandra Martin
Head of Newsroom Development, The Globe and Mail
The global pandemic has derailed plans, learning and training for countless youth across Canada, especially those in marginalized communities. During this segment young leaders and skills advocates will share their views and vision of where youth will fit in Canada’s workforce, and what they need to succeed. They will also cover what defines work and learning for this generation in the shifting economy.
More than ever before, populations around the world are on the move in response to forces such as climate change, political instability, and economic decline. From waves of refugees to immigrants seeking new opportunities, this remapping of the world's human geography is changing the outlook for nations. At the same time, technology is opening up new connections between individuals, societies and countries. This keynote by internationally-acclaimed author and global strategist Dr. Parag Khanna will provide the big picture on what these shifts mean for Canada and the world.
Century Initiative is a national, non-partisan charity with a mission to enhance Canada’s long-term prosperity, resiliency and global influence by responsibly growing the population of Canada to 100 million by 2100. Century Initiative delivers its mission by leading, enabling and partnering on initiatives that support long-term thinking and planning in immigration; infrastructure and environment; economy, entrepreneurship and innovation; support for children and families; and education, skills and employment. Century Initiative takes a network approach, prioritizing inclusion of diverse perspectives to inform and advance its work. The Century Initiative is concerned about our future and believes a bigger, bolder Canada benefits us all.
Century Initiative will also be releasing its 3rd annual National Scorecard on Canada's Growth and Prosperity which tracks if Canada is leading or falling behind on key metrics tied to our quality of life and standard of living on May 15th. View the 2022 National Scorecard
Palette Skills is a national nonprofit whose purpose is to help Canada’s most innovative companies access untapped talent by creating a rapid upskilling system that connects new talent pipelines to high-demand roles. We are a leader in developing industry-led upskilling programs which drive a more globally competitive and inclusive economy. Powered by a consortium of national business associations, leading academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations, Palette Skills works to catalyze a network of partners to adopt new best practices in industry-led upskilling approaches.
The Future Skills Centre (FSC) is a forward-thinking centre for research and collaboration dedicated to driving innovation in skills development so that everyone in Canada can be prepared for the future of work. We partner with policymakers, researchers, practitioners, employers and labour, and post-secondary institutions to solve pressing labour market challenges and ensure that everyone can benefit from relevant lifelong learning opportunities. We are founded by a consortium whose members are Toronto Metropolitan University, Blueprint, and The Conference Board of Canada, and are funded by the Government of Canada's Future Skills Program.
World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise that supports the educational, economic, and social inclusion of immigrants, refugees, and international students. For nearly 50 years, WES has set the standard for international academic credential evaluation, supporting millions of people as they seek to achieve their academic and professional goals. Through decades of experience as a leader in global education, WES has developed a wide range of tools to pursue social impact at scale. From evaluating academic credentials to shaping policy, designing programs, and providing philanthropic funding, we partner with a diverse set of organizations, leaders, and networks to uplift individuals and drive systems change. Together with its partners, WES enables people to learn, work, and thrive in new places.
Windmill Microlending works to reduce poverty, inequity and labour shortages by offering affordable loans to help skilled immigrants and refugees restart their careers in Canada. Our vision is to ensure skilled newcomers are equitably integrated into the workforce while contributing their expertise to Canada’s economic and social success. We are the country’s only national charity providing financial support to new Canadians to achieve their accreditation, training and professional development goals. Since 2005, Windmill has provided more than 8,000+ microloans to skilled newcomers. Funded by both the public and private sectors, Windmill converts newcomer potential to prosperity.
Mark Wiseman is a leading investment manager and experienced corporate executive. He currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors at Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) and as a Senior Advisor to Lazard, Boston Consulting Group and Hillhouse Capital. He was formerly Senior Managing Director at BlackRock, Global Head of Active Equities, Chairman of its alternatives business, and Chairman of BlackRock’s Global Investment Committee. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2016, he was President and CEO of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). Mr. Wiseman serves on the board of several non-profit organizations, including Alpine Canada, the United Way of Greater Toronto, Sinai Health Services, and the Capital Markets Institute. He regularly provides commentary on economics and public policy in the media.
Heather Watts (she/her) is Mohawk & Anishinaabe from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Education has been a central part of her work over the past ten years, graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in Inclusive Education, Columbia University Teachers College with a degree in Literacy Coaching, and working as an elementary school teacher in New York City and in Rochester, NY. Heather has studied at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) in the Education Policy & Management Program and graduated with her Ed.M. in 2019. During her time at HGSE, she served as an Equity & Inclusion Fellow and was honoured with the 2019 Student Leadership Award presented by the Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU).
Heather is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Social Justice Education program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education – University of Toronto. She recently served as an elected member of the OISE Council and sat on the Equity Committee. She has been awarded a Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), a highly competitive national award competition. Her work centers on Reconciliation and reclamation of Indigenous ways of knowing in modern-day education systems.
Heather has a passion for engaging in work at the intersection of learning, development and Reconciliation and currently serves as the President of First Peoples Group, an all-Indigenous consulting firm.
Agapi Gessesse is an award-winning, powerful, influential and fearless changemaker named 2020 Top Black woman to watch in Canada. She is the Executive Director of CEE Center for Young Black Professionals and the Founder of Lehizibu Consulting and Strategy group.
Agapi has captivated audiences on local, and international stages and has been featured and invited as a commentator on media outlets such as CTV National news, BNN, Bay Street Bull, Breakfast Television and more. She speaks and writes on topics such as anti-black racism, Government Relations, JEDI, workforce development and youth engagement.
For over a decade, Agapi has worked to enhance the lives of marginalized youth through her work with Toronto Community Housing (TCHC), United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT), and as the Executive Director of POV, an organization focused on breaking barriers for young people in the media and film industry.
Her roles and mandates focus on social impact, and her career leaves a trail of talented, brilliant minds to show for leadership.
AJ Tibando is the CoFounder and Chief Strategy Officer of Palette Skills, a national nonprofit focused on meeting the needs of Canada’s most innovative companies by upskilling workers from diverse backgrounds to transition into new industries.
AJ comes from a background of public policy and entrepreneurship. She started her career at Queen’s Park, serving as a senior policy advisor to a number of Ministers, including ministries such as Training, Colleges and Universities, where she work on labour market and workforce development files, Research and Innovation, where she led the bio-tech and life sciences emerging industries file, and Community and Social Services, where she led the review of Ontario’s social assistance systems.
After leaving government, AJ founded a series of startups focused on developing socially innovative solutions to public challenges around youth engagement, social entrepreneurship and education. She is a passionate advocate of using the tools of innovation and entrepreneurship to address complex social challenges and committed to training others to develop those skills.
The Honourable Navdeep Bains most recently served as Vice-Chair of Global Investment Banking for CIBC. He was responsible for strengthening all Capital Markets and Commercial Banking with a particular focus on Innovation, Sustainability, and Industrial sectors. He was one of the longest serving federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, where he introduced the most comprehensive innovation and skills plan for Canada in over three decades.
The Honourable Navdeep Bains was also the Parliamentary Secretary to former Prime Minister Paul Martin and he held the opposition critic portfolios for Public Works and Government Services, Treasury Board, International Trade, Natural Resources, and Small Business. Before entering politics, the Honourable Navdeep Bains was a distinguished visiting professor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Ted Rogers School of Management, an adjunct lecturer at the Master of Public Service program at the University of Waterloo and worked for several years in accounting and finance for the Ford Motor Company of Canada.
Lisa brings with her more than 20 years of proven experience in policy research and analysis, knowledge mobilization, change management, venture philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, and marketing communications. She previously held the position of Executive Director of the Mowat Centre’s Not-for-Profit Research Hub (Mowat NFP). She has also served on the executive management team at Lift Philanthropy Partners – an organization that focuses on helping non-profits improve their accountability, performance metrics, and overall capacity.
Lisa also held a variety of senior management positions at Habitat for Humanity, leading a cross-functional team in expanding the association’s domestic and international activities, specifically in Quebec and in partnership with Indigenious communities. She also worked in retail banking and wealth management, and she studied at Glenn Gould Professional School of Music, the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Business, and York University’s Schulich Business School.
Muraly Srinarayanathas is a serial entrepreneur
and global strategist. He serves as the Co-
Founder and Executive Chairman of 369 Global,
an international group of companies in the
education, finance, creative, entertainment, and
venture capital sectors.
Muraly is considered a specialist in consumer
culture and the immigrant market, namely for
his unique immigration journey, international
experience, and rich data collection from the
business entities he leads.
He is the son of first-generation immigrant
parents. He was born in the United Kingdom but
spent much of his life unbounded by borders
and lived in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North
America. For over 25 years, he worked closely
with immigrants in their local communities and
built several successful businesses across the
globe.
Muraly leads powerful initiatives that aim to
create a sustainable and equitable future for
all. As the Executive Chairman of 369 Global, he
globalizes public and private sector leaders
from around the world and forms partnerships
to support local, national, and international
growth. As the Chief Executive Officer of
Computek College, a leading career college of
30+ years, Muraly helps train thousands of
newcomers and immigrants to become jobready
and life-ready in Canada.
Pedro Barata is Executive Director of the Future Skills Centre, a forward-thinking hub dedicated to researching, testing, evaluating and building innovative skills solutions to help job seekers and employers in Canada navigate labour market changes.
Grounded in a commitment to inclusion, Pedro has advised all levels of government on social & economic policy and implementation related to skills and workforce development, poverty reduction, income security reform, seeking breakthroughs on housing and homelessness, and immigration reform.
Pedro’s work and extensive volunteer activities in the non-profit sector span two decades, focused on impact strategies, public policy, community building and communications. His career path has traveled through United Way Greater Toronto, the Atkinson Foundation, Family Service Toronto, Social Planning Toronto and the City of Toronto.
Pedro holds a Bachelor of Arts from York University and a Masters of Social Work from the University of Toronto.
Dr. Alika Lafontaine (MD, FRCPC) is an award-winning physician, social innovator, and the first Indigenous doctor listed in Medical Post’s 50 Most Powerful Doctors. He was born and raised in Southern Saskatchewan with a mixed Indigenous ancestry of Metis, Anishinaabe, Cree and Pacific Islander.
Alika has served in provincial and national medical leadership positions for almost two decades. In August 2022 he will become the first Indigenous physician to serve as President of the Canadian Medical Association, the national voice of Canada’s physicians. Dr. Lafontaine is a respected authority on health systems, change management, social innovation, anti-racism, and reflective practice.
From 2013 to 2017 Dr. Lafontaine co-led the Indigenous Health Alliance project, one of the most ambitious health transformation initiatives in Canadian history. Led politically by Indigenous leadership representing more than 150 First Nations across three provinces, the alliance successfully advocated for $68 million of federal funding for Indigenous health transformation in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. He was recognized for his work in the alliance by the Public Policy Forum, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented the award.
In 2020, Dr. Lafontaine co-founded Safespace Networks with his brother Kamea, an Indigenous dentist and software developer. Safespace Networks is a Web 3.0 learning platform for safe and anonymous reporting of healthcare harm and waste. Patients and providers use the platform to share their lived and observed experiences, providing insights into healthcare systems without risk of retaliation. These insights can be used by patients to better navigate health systems, or by decision-makers, advocates, and funders to make better informed decisions.
Dr. Lafontaine continues to practise anesthesia in Northern Alberta.
Oumar is a seasoned government relations and public affairs professional with years of experience in the field helping organizations across the country build partnerships with all levels of government.
Prior to joining Windmill, Oumar worked as a government relations consultant and provided strategic advice to organizations across the country to help them achieve their government partnership goals.
Oumar also spent some time on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, working as a senior advisor to a few cabinet Ministers.
Oumar is a first-generation immigrant having immigrated to Canada with his family as a teenager.”
A passionate advocate for his community, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen has been proudly representing the residents of York South—Weston since 2015.
Before he started in politics, Minister Hussen worked at the grassroots with neighbours and allies to create “local solutions to local problems.” This would lead to the Minister helping to secure $500 million to revitalise Toronto’s, Regent Park in 2006.
Minister Hussen is a firm believer that diversity is a fact and inclusion is a choice. During his time as the National President for the Canadian Somali Congress, he worked with national and regional authorities to advocate on important issues to Canadians of Somali heritage, which helped foster better civic engagement and integration.
Having lived in social housing himself, Canada’s first dedicated Housing minister understands the positive impact of having an affordable, reliable place to live. In his new role, Minister Hussen is focused on bringing home ownership back within reach while ensuring that everyone in Canada has a safe and affordable place to call home.
Ian Stavness is an Associate Professor in Computer Science and an Enhancement Chair in the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan. He obtained his PhD from the University of British Columbia and was a Postdoctoral Fellow in Bio-Engineering at Stanford University prior to joining the University of Saskatchewan. His research team focuses on the application of machine learning and computer vision in crop breeding, agronomy and food production. Together with colleagues in computer and plant science at the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Stavness is leading a new $1.6M NSERC CREATE training program in Computational Agriculture.
Rita Trichur is an award-winning journalist. She is a Senior Business Writer and Columnist in the Report on Business. Her previous roles at The Globe and Mail include Senior Editor, Financial Services Editor, and Canadian business columnist for the Report on Business Magazine. Rita returned to Globe in July 2016 after spending about 2 ½ years as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal’s Canada bureau. She primarily covered domestic banks and insurance companies from Toronto, but also wrote a variety of other stories about Canada for the U.S. newspaper. Prior to WSJ, Rita spent more than three years at the Globe, initially working as a general assignment reporter in the Report on Business before covering the telecom beat. Rita has also covered financial services and economics for the Toronto Star, and has held various roles at the Canadian Press and the Ottawa Sun. She got her first byline at age 6 when the Toronto Star published her short story about a fish-stealing cat and paid her $10. Rita, who also speaks French, was born in Toronto. She has a Bachelor of Journalism and Political Science and a M.A. in Canadian Studies – both from Carleton University in Ottawa.
Sandra has been a journalist for more than 20 years and was most recently the editor-in-chief of MoneySense magazine. As Head of Newsroom Development at The Globe and Mail, her key responsibilities include training initiatives to support editorial plans and goals as well as partnering with managers to meet current and future needs. She also drives diversity, equity and inclusion across the newsroom, and leads the management of existing and future scholarships, internships, and The Globe's summer staff program.
During Sandra's previous tenure as Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Living, the magazine won numerous accolades, and maintained its place as the most-read paid women’s lifestyle publication in print and online. Sandra also helmed the highly successful launch of Walmart Live Better/Vivre mieux Walmart, and served in senior editorial capacities at Today’s Parent. Her byline has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Cottage Life and the National Post, among others. She is a two-time National Magazine Awards finalist, a repeat NMA judge, and a two-time NMA host. She sits on the board of directors of Canada’s History Society (publishers of Canada’s History and Kayak magazines), and SABEW Canada.
Parag Khanna is a leading global strategy advisor, world traveler, and bestselling author. He is Founder & CEO of Climate Alpha, an AI-powered analytics platform to forecast asset values and future-proof global real estate, and Founder & Managing Partner of FutureMap, a data and scenario based strategic advisory firm.
Parag's latest book is MOVE: Where People Are Going for a Better Future (2021), which was preceded by The Future is Asian: Commerce, Conflict & Culture in the 21st Century (2019). He is author of a trilogy of books on the future of world order beginning with The Second World: Empires and Influence in the New Global Order (2008), followed by How to Run the World: Charting a Course to the Next Renaissance (2011), and concluding with Connectography: Mapping the Future of Global Civilization (2016). He is also the author of Technocracy in America: Rise of the Info-State (2017) and co-author of Hybrid Reality: Thriving in the Emerging Human-Technology Civilization (2012).
Parag was named one of Esquire’s “75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century,” and featured in WIRED magazine’s “Smart List.” He holds a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics, and Bachelors and Masters degrees from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He has traveled to more than 150 countries and is a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum.
Shamira Madhany joined WES in 2018 after more than two decades of government service in Ontario. Her last position was Assistant Deputy Minister for Health, Education, and Social Policy, in Cabinet Office. She also served as Chief Diversity and Accessibility Officer, ensuring that 62,000 employees met accessibility and inclusion goals. Shamira has extensive experience working with employer associations, licensing bodies, non-profit organizations, and the post-secondary sector. She served as the chief architect of several government programs that enable internationally educated professionals to obtain employment in their fields. Shamira is a guest lecturer at Queen’s University and the University of Toronto Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. She also serves on the boards of Windmill Microlending and Herzing College Toronto. Shamira was featured in Profiles in Diversity Journal’s 2019 Women Worth Watching® Awards, which recognizes women who have demonstrated high levels of leadership. She was also the recipient of the Metropolis Policy Maker Award at the 2020 Metropolis Canada Awards of Excellence.