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Canadian women face an uncomfortable truth: they generally make less money than their male counterparts. And yet there's no shortage of financial planning advice focused on how women can manage their personal expenses, invest in their future, and navigate the impact of major life events, including motherhood, that might uniquely affect their career progression. While personal financial wellness is still worth striving for, how can organizations help women bridge the wide gap between personal responsibility for their wallets, and systemic inequity in levels of compensation? How can pay inequality and loss of career progression be more actively addressed by businesses looking to support women in the workplace?
Event registration is now closed. Stay tuned for an event recap at www.globeandmail.com/events.
Panel Discussion | Women, Work and Financial Wellness: How can organizations address gender disparity in money matters?
Christine Zalzal
SVP, Head of Qtrade, VirtualWealth Online Brokerage and Digital Wealth, Aviso Wealth
Sandra Martin
Head of Newsroom Development,
The Globe and Mail
Melissa Allen
Executive Director, League of Innovators
Sarah Kaplan
Director, Institute for Gender and the Economy, Rotman School of Management
Hélène V. Gagnon
Senior Vice-President, Public Affairs, Global Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility, CAE
Canadian women face an uncomfortable truth: they generally make less money than their male counterparts. And yet there's no shortage of financial planning advice focused on how women can manage their personal expenses, invest in their future, and navigate the impact of major life events, including motherhood, that might uniquely affect their career progression. While personal financial wellness is still worth striving for, how can organizations help women bridge the wide gap between personal responsibility for their wallets, and systemic inequity in levels of compensation? How can pay inequality and loss of career progression be more actively addressed by businesses looking to support women in the workplace?
Aviso Wealth is one of Canada’s largest independent wealth management firms, with approximately $100 billion in assets under administration and management. Our multi-service platform includes MFDA- and IIROC-regulated dealer services and insurance agencies supporting thousands of financial advisors at credit unions across Canada. Our asset manager, NEI Investments, is a Canadian leader in responsible investment funds and portfolios. Our award-winning online brokerage, Qtrade Direct Investing™, and our automated investing platform, VirtualWealth®, empower self-directed investors to build their wealth with confidence. And Aviso Correspondent Partners provides custodial and carrying broker services to financial organizations including portfolio managers, investment dealers, insurance and trust companies, and introducing brokers. Aviso Wealth is backed by the collective strength of our owners, the credit union Centrals, The Co-operators/CUMIS, and Desjardins. Our values reflect our roots in the financial co-operative sector: for us, doing well goes hand in hand with doing good for individuals and communities. For more information, visit aviso.ca.
NEI Investments is a registered trademark of Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. Qtrade Direct Investing is a division of Credential Qtrade Securities Inc. VirtualWealth is a trade name of Credential Qtrade Securities Inc.
Visa is a world leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world. Our relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit www.visa.ca, and @VisaCA.
Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases such as obesity and rare blood and endocrine disorders. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 45,800 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. Novo Nordisk’s Canadian head office is in Mississauga, Ontario. For more information, visit novonordisk.ca, or find us on Twitter: @NovoNordiskCA.
Sponsor since 2008, Suncor is Canada's leading integrated energy company. Headquartered in Calgary with a global team of over 30,000 people, we believe in creating a great place to work for all. One with a culture of trust, inclusion and respect built on the strength of our diverse workforce. We see collaboration as essential to responsibly developing petroleum resources. With a demonstrated track record of innovation to solve cross-sector challenges, we’re profitably growing a renewable energy portfolio and advancing the transition to a low-emissions future. For more information, visit www.suncor.com.
For almost 60 years, OMERS has humbly served as the steward and guardian of the retirement income of more than half a million active, deferred and retired municipal employees from communities across Ontario. For more information, visit www.omers.com.
McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm, deeply committed to helping institutions in the private, public, and social sectors achieve lasting success. For 90+ years, our primary objective has been to serve as our clients’ most trusted external advisor. With consultants in 135 cities in 67 countries, across industries and functions, we bring unparalleled expertise to clients anywhere in the world. We work closely with teams at all levels of an organization to shape winning strategies, mobilize for change, build capabilities, and drive successful execution. McKinsey’s work in Canada combines our global expertise with deep local insights to help clients create Change that Matters. For more information, visit www.mckinsey.com.
Dentons is the world's largest law firm, connecting top-tier talent to the world's challenges and opportunities with 20,000 professionals including 12,000 lawyers, in more than 200 locations, in more than 80 countries. Dentons' polycentric and purpose-driven approach, commitment to inclusion and diversity, and award-winning client service challenge the status quo to advance client interests. For more information, visit www.dentons.com.
First Capital REIT is a leading owner, operator, and developer of grocery anchored and mixed-use properties located in Canada’s largest cities. First Capital’s focus is on creating thriving urban neighbourhoods to generate value for businesses, residents, communities and our investors.
We strive for performance excellence at our properties and new developments, creating healthy and sustainable urban neighbourhoods. Our mixed-use developments and retail offerings are designed to provide vibrant places that meet the needs of everyday urban life – bringing together people, public spaces, retail shops and services, public art, and access to public transportation.
As one of Greater Toronto Area’s top 100 and Canada’s top small to medium employers, we foster a vibrant corporate culture that ensures equal opportunity and well-being for all employees in a dynamic and rewarding workplace. First Capital has been recognized for its gender diversity with over 50% of management positions being held by females, and we have been twice recognized on the Globe and Mail's “Women Lead Here" list”. For more information, visit www.fcr.ca.
KPMG in Canada is a full-service professional services firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to inspire confidence, empower change, and drive innovation.
We employ more than 8,000 people in over 40 locations across the country, serving Canadian and global private- and public-sector clients.
Our goal is to be a difference-maker by delivering innovative ways of thinking, digitally enabled solutions and exceptional service to help our clients manage risks, seek out new opportunities and stay competitive. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together and For Better, we are committed to making a difference for our clients, our communities and our people. This commitment has KPMG consistently ranked as one of Canada's top employers and one of the best places to work in the country.
We believe in the power of diversity and are passionate about creating a more inclusive and sustainable future for all. By focusing our collective skills, strengths and passions to address these issues, we hope to drive positive societal change across Canada. For more information, visit www.kpmg.ca.
Rakuten Kobo Inc. is the world’s digital bookseller created by and for book lovers. Owned by Tokyo-based Rakuten Group, Inc. and headquartered in Toronto, Rakuten Kobo’s 58 million worldwide users can read any time, anywhere, and on any device. With a mission to make reading lives better for all, Rakuten Kobo connects readers to stories using thoughtful and personalized curation of eBooks and audiobooks, and the best dedicated eReaders and apps for reading. With the singular focus of making reading lives the best they can be, Kobo’s open platform allows people to fit reading into more moments in their busy lives. For more information, visit www.kobo.com.
BDC is the only bank devoted exclusively to entrepreneurs. It promotes Canadian entrepreneurship with a focus on small and medium-sized businesses. With its 123 business centres from coast to coast, BDC provides businesses in all industries with financing and advisory services. Its investment arm, BDC Capital, offers equity, venture capital and flexible growth and transition capital solutions. BDC is also the first financial institution in Canada to receive B Corp certification. BDC Capital is the investment arm of BDC, the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs. With over $3 billion under management, BDC Capital serves as a strategic partner to the country’s most innovative firms. It offers businesses a full spectrum of capital, from seed investments to growth equity, supporting Canadian entrepreneurs who have the ambition to stand out on the world stage. For more information, visit www.bdc.ca.
The A Effect — A for Ambition — is an initiative whose goal is to propel female ambition. We assist women and support companies with one aim in mind: contribute to creating a more equal world.
The glass ceiling is not for us! Each woman who rises through the ranks and develops her talent improves herself, her company, and society in unprecedented ways.
Since 2015, The A Effect has been supporting companies who wish to unlock the full potential of their female talent while creating an equal workplace through innovative training programs. We mobilize corporate communities and help women position themselves in their career. By presenting inspiring leaders from a variety of backgrounds, we offer a new perspective on female ambition and concrete tools adapted to the realities of professional women and managers. For more information, visit www.the-a-effect.com.
The Pay Equity Office promotes gender economic equality by administering Ontario’s Pay Equity Act. The purpose of the Act is to eliminate pay inequity between women and men who perform work that is of comparable value to their organization. The Act applies to all public sector organizations in Ontario, and to private sector organizations with 10 or more employees. For more information, visit www.payequity.gov.on.ca.
Lean In Canada is a community of professional women empowering each other to build purposeful and fulfilling careers. Since 2013, we have grown from an audience of 20 people to over 8,500 members across the country with Networks in Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver. We built our organization for people just like us: professional women who are passionate about driving their careers forward to the next level and beyond, and who want to achieve greater success not only in work, but in life. We know that women feel more confident and empowered to drive towards this change when they feel connected to a community, thus we aim to create and support initiatives that connect women.
We want a world where people of every gender can pursue their dreams without bias or other barriers holding them back. Where girls grow up to be confident, resilient leaders any how and any way they choose. Where more women run companies and countries. We are driven by the belief our society and economy would be better if women and girls were valued as equal to men and boys.
Join a Lean In Circle, or our country wide events. There are many ways to get involved with Lean In. For more information, visit www.leanincanada.com.
Christine Zalzal has over 25 years of experience in marketing and creating new financial services products for leading Canadian financial institutions. She has built a reputation for promoting innovation in the marketplace and creating unique and competitive positions. Her expertise in all facets of marketing, brand, communications, product strategy and management, and channel distribution spans several product categories, including online brokerages, deposits, investments, credit cards, mortgages, lending, and insurance. She is passionate about driving change to create a leading position, and focuses on building product and marketing strategies that are game-changers. She has proven herself to be a builder of dynamic teams and has led pioneering efforts in creating ground-breaking products and numerous award-winning, cutting-edge marketing programs. Often called upon to lead complex initiatives, including mergers, acquisitions and all stakeholder communications, her leadership and expertise in revitalizing brands, building integrated innovative marketing, and leveraging analytical insights has allowed her to build creative cultures with unique product solutions that transform businesses into high-performing companies. Her approach and creative accomplishments have been recognized and awarded by multiple internal and industry awards shows for innovation, business growth, and leading-edge marketing strategies. As a member of the Women in Leadership association and an active volunteer in the Mentorship program, she also aims to help young professionals achieve their dreams.
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.
Melissa Allen began her career in digital marketing, first interning at Foreign Affairs Canada in Paris, France, and then working with tech companies such as Torstar Digital and Google, before pivoting to an award-winning career in wealth management at Desjardins.
Combining her passions for tech and finance, Melissa became an angel investor and Limited Partner in 2019 and began lending her expertise in advisory and leadership roles at startups such as Alo Solutions and Bay Mills before joining the League of Innovators.
Melissa is fluent in French and has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Sarah Kaplan is a Distinguished Professor, Director of the Institute for Gender and the Economy (GATE), and Professor of Strategic Management at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. She is a co-author of the bestselling business book Creative Destruction, as well as Survive and Thrive: Winning Against Strategic Threats to Your Business. Her latest book is The 360° Corporation: From Stakeholder Trade-offs to Transformation. She frequently speaks and appears in the media on topics related to achieving a more inclusive economy. In 2021, she received the Peter Dey Governance Achievement Award from Governance Professionals of Canada for her contributions to governance reform through her work on the 360º Governance report.
An innovation scholar by training, her research has covered how organizations participate in and respond to the emergence of new fields and technologies in biotechnology, fiber optics, financial services, nanotechnology and most recently, the field emerging at the nexus of gender and finance. She recently authored “Why Social Responsibility Leads to More Resilient Organizations,” in the Sloan Management Review, “Gender Equality as an Innovation Challenge” and “Meritocracy: From Myth to Reality” in the Rotman Management Magazine, and “The Rise of Gender Capitalism,” in the Stanford Social Innovation Review. Her current work focuses on applying an innovation lens to understanding the challenges for achieving gender equality.
Formerly a professor at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (where she remains a Senior Fellow), and a consultant and innovation specialist for nearly a decade at McKinsey & Company in New York, she completed her doctoral research at the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She has a BA with honors in Political Science from UCLA and an MA in International Relations and International Economics from the School for Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University.
Hélène V. Gagnon has been Senior Vice-President, Public Affairs, Global Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility at CAE since 2015, and is a member of the Executive Management Committee. She manages CAE’s brand and reputation including public affairs, web and social media presence, corporate events as well as issues and crisis management. She leads CAE’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) roadmap and chairs its CSR committee. She also strengthens relationships and communications with key internal and external stakeholders worldwide, including CAE’s 11,000 employees, media, communities and governments.
Prior to her appointment at CAE, Ms. Gagnon worked for 11 years at Bombardier, the last eight as Vice-President, Public Affairs, Communications, Corporate Social Responsibility and Achieving Excellence System for Bombardier Aerospace, the third largest civil aircraft manufacturer. She began her career in 1995 with the law firm Fasken as a specialist in environmental law. In 2000, she joined mining and metallurgy multinational Noranda Inc./ Falconbridge Limited (now known as Glencore) as Director of Public and Corporate Affairs for Québec.
Among others, Hélène chaired the Board of Directors of Aéro Montréal, Greater Montréal’s Aerospace Cluster (2015-2018), as well as the board of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (2012-2013) and is still a board member of both. She has been an independent member of the Board of Directors of Hydro Quebec since 2015. She has also been a member of the Board of Directors of The Montreal Airports (ADM) since November 2014 and was appointed Vice Chair of the Board in March 2021. She’s been a Board member of the Canadian American Business Council since 2017 and was appointed Vice Chair of the CABC Board in 2020.
A graduate of McGill University with a degree in Civil Law and Common Law, Ms. Gagnon also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics. She is a member of the Québec Bar.