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DECEMBER, 2009
LIBERAL THINKERS WILL MEET IN MONTREAL IN MARCH 2010
Big conference on which Canadian political and social thinkers would discuss the future of Liberal party and Canada will take place in Montreal in March 2010. The Liberal Party has been organizing the conference since the summer of 2009. Michael Ignatieff, soon after his election as a leader of the party, promised to arrange such a forum. The Liberals expect this forum to re-energize the party and give new ideas for future policy.
Schedule
Friday, March 26 2010
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| 10:00 - 10:30 |
Introduction of Co-Chairs and Opening Remarks: Michael Ignatieff |
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Dominique Anglade , Strategic Management Consultant
Hon. Mauril Bélanger , Member of Parliament
Dr. Martha Piper , former President, University of British Columbia
Online moderator: Randy Boissonnault , President, Xennex Inc. |
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| 10:30 - 11:30 |
Setting the Context: Today to 2017 |
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Three presenters will frame the broad dynamics defining the public policy landscape between now and 2017. |
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World perspective: The Evolving Global Reality
Marie Bernard Meunier , Former Canadian Ambassador to the Netherlands and Germany |
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Emerging Pressures and Approaches in Social Policy
Sherri Torjman , Vice-President, Caledon Institute of Social Policy |
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Canada's Post-Recession Fiscal and Economic Policy Pressures
Pierre Fortin , Professor of Economics, Université du Québec à Montréal |
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Canada's sluggish productivity growth has long been an academic talking point. But few would dispute the need for concrete and constant gains in innovation, learning and workforce adaptation. What are the obstacles that must be overcome? Where are the successes that can be replicated and amplified? And what should be the role of the federal government in pursuing tomorrow's prosperity for all Canadians?
Speakers:
| 11:30 - 12:00 |
The Workers of Today and Tomorrow: Meeting the Challenges of Diversity, Demographics and Community |
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With an aging population, and concerns about both unemployment AND labour shortages, where will the workforce growth of tomorrow come from? If new Canadians and young Aboriginal Canadians are part of the answer, what will they need to succeed? In short, will Canada's workforce be ready for 2017?
Presented by Dr. Rick Miner , President Emeritus, Seneca College |
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| 12:00 - 1:00 |
Lunch |
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| 1:00 - 1:30 |
Keynote Address: The Challenge of Our Century |
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Sheryl WuDunn , Co-Author, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide
Throughout much of the world, the greatest unexploited economic resource is the female half of the population. Unleashing that potential is not only the right thing to do, it is also the best strategy for fighting poverty. In Half the Sky, Sheryl WuDunn, with co-author, husband and fellow Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof,depicts a world with anger, sadness, clarity and, ultimately, hope. |
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| 1:45 - 3:15 |
Learning as a National Priority |
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If excellence in learning and higher education are essential for the jobs of tomorrow, what should Canada be doing about it? |
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Moderator: |
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Yves Thomas Dorval , President, Conseil du patronat du Québec |
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Speakers: Carolyn Acker , Founder, Pathways to Education Canada Lloyd Axworthy , President & Vice-Chancellor, The University of Winnipeg André Bazergui , President & General Manager, CRIAQ
Joan McArthur Blair , President, Nova Scotia Community College |
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| 3:45 - 5:15 |
Canadian Innovation: Generating and Leveraging Success |
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How will Canada's next innovation success stories be written, and what can we do to foster further innovation? What is the role of government in promoting innovation? |
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Moderator: |
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Kim Furlong , Director, Federal Government Affairs, Amgen Canada |
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Linda Hasenfratz , Chief Executive Officer, Linamar Corporation
Tom Jenkins , Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer, Open Text
Roger Martin , Dean, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto |
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| 5:30 - 6:30 |
Cocktail Reception with Michael Ignatieff |
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Saturday, March 27 2010
Today's families, and tomorrow's, come in all shapes and sizes. "Sandwiched" between obligations to care for aging parents and school-aged children, more than ever Canadian families are facing financial worries about saving for retirement and for education for their kids. How do we give families the support they need to cope and thrive? What actions are required to help Canadians secure their retirements, while still providing economic security for their children, their parents, their neighbours and themselves?
| 8:30 - 9:00 |
Challenge Overview |
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Presented by David Dodge , former Governor of the Bank of Canada |
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| 9:00 - 10:15 |
Safeguarding Retirement Beyond 2017 |
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Many Canadians are not saving adequately to protect their quality of life in retirement. Others thought they were, but have been hit hard by the recession. What actions are required to help Canada's aging population safeguard their retirements and their peace of mind, and what leadership should the federal government provide? |
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Moderator |
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Christiane Bergevin , Executive Vice-President, Mouvement Desjardins |
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Speakers:
Keith Ambachtsheer , Director, Rotman International Centre for Pension Management, University of Toronto and Co-Founder, CEM Benchmarking, Inc.
Bernard Dussault , former Chief Actuary, Canada Pension Plan
Ken Georgetti , President, Canadian Labour Congress
Claude LeBlanc , Senior Vice-President, Group Savings and Retirement, Standard Life
Bill Robson , President and Chief Executive Officer, C.D. Howe Institute |
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| 10:45 - 12:00 |
How Do We Care: The Future of Health and Healthcare |
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Few countries attach as much pride and national identity to a social program as Canadians do to healthcare. And yet, uncertainty about its future continues to grow. For the healthiest possible population in 2017 and beyond, what are the priorities in medical research, health promotion, disease prevention and healthcare system sustainability? |
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Moderator |
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Lucienne Robillard, former provincial and federal Cabinet Minister, including Minister of Health and Social Services for the Province of Québec |
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Speakers:
Dr. Alan Bernstein , Executive Director, Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, New York, N.Y. and former President of Canadian Institutes for Health Research
Dr. Marie-France Raynault , former Director, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal and of the Léa Roback Research Centre on Social Inequalities in Health of Montréal
Dr. William Reichman , President and Chief Executive Officer, Baycrest and Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine |
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| 12:00 - 1:00 |
Lunch |
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| 1:00 - 1:30 |
Keynote Address: The Future of Canada's Arctic and Its People |
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Sheila Watt-Cloutier , former Canadian President and International Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council |
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Nobel Prize nominee, Sheila Watt-Cloutier treats the issues of our day - the environment, the economy, foreign policy, global health and sustainability - as a deeply interconnected whole. With a focus on solutions, she connects her audience with the realities of the Arctic, where Inuit today face profound challenges to their environment, their economy, their health and their cultural well-being. Drawing upon experience as a global leader, as well as her ancient culture, and from a position of strength, not victimhood, Watt-Cloutier is a powerful voice for common ground and the pursuit of a better future. |
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Canadians appear ready to move beyond the dead-end policies of trade-off between the environment and the economy. A 21st-Century approach to energy could leverage Canada's resources while protecting the environment and contributing to the global fight against climate change. But how do we make that leap, and what should Canadians expect of the federal government?
| 1:30 - 2:15 |
Geopolitics and Canadian Interests in the North American Energy Market |
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What does a continental market mean for Canadian interests, business strategies and public policy goals? Have governments and business leaders thought through all the challenges and opportunities of Canadian energy in the marketplace of 2017? |
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Speakers:
Dan Gagnier , Chairman of the International Institute for Sustainable Development
Michael Phelps , former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Westcoast Energy Inc. |
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| 2:15 - 3:30 |
Clean Energy and Canada's Potential in the Low Carbon World: What's Missing? |
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Clean energy provides the key to Canada's success, both in reducing emissions that cause climate change and in securing the green jobs of tomorrow. Our major trading partners are acting ambitiously to invest in clean energy. What should Canada do to achieve the right energy mix in 2017, and secure the environmental and economic benefits that will go with it? |
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Moderator: Patrick Tobin , Director, Business Development, Americas, Rio Tinto Alcan |
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Speakers:
Elyse Allan , President and Chief Executive Officer, GE Canada
Satya Brata Das , Founder and Principal, Cambridge Strategies
Steven Guilbeault , Co-Founder, Équiterre
Nicholas Parker , Executive Chairman and Co-Founder, Cleantech Group |
We are living in a rapidly changing digital age that is challenging traditional understanding of information, communication, economy and culture. In the decade ahead, what will be the impact of this rapid change on identity, language, citizenship and community? And what should be done today to build on Canada's creative and competitive strengths?
| 4:00 - 5:30 |
Culture and the Digital World |
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With computing capacity and new media development accelerating relentlessly, what will "culture" mean in 2017, and how should the government ensure Canadian creative expression continues to have access to Canadian and world audiences? How will we ensure Canadians have access to "their" stories? Will these objectives, and the measures traditionally used to pursue them, still matter in 2017? Other countries have adopted ambitious policies to develop their capacity to lead in a global, digital economy. What are Canada's priorities, opportunities and challenges in the digital society and economy of tomorrow? |
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Speakers |
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Glenn O'Farrell , Chief Executive Officer and Principal, GPO Corp
André Provencher , Chairman of the Board, Association des producteurs de films et de télévision du Québec and President, LaPresse Télé
Sheridan Scott , former Commissioner of Competition, Competition Bureau of Canada |
Sunday, March 28 2010
Our presence in the world matters more than ever, because in an increasingly unpredictable global economy, decisions taken all over the world can have a direct impact on our communities, our livelihoods and our environment. What bilateral or multilateral relationships need to be strengthened to enhance our national interest and quality of life? What are Canadians doing to make a positive difference in the world today, and how do we build on those successes?
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Series: Where will the World be in 2017? |
| 8:30 - 9:00 |
Africa in 2017, and Canada as Partner
Robert Fowler , former Canadian Diplomat and the Special Envoy of UN Secretary-General to Niger |
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| 9:00 - 9:30 |
The Australian Experience in a Changing World
Tim Gartrell , former National Secretary, Australian Labor Party |
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| 9:30 - 10:00 |
Canada-U.S. Relations in 2017
Derek Burney , f ormer Canadian Ambassador to the United States |
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| 10:30 - 12:00 |
Canada's Presence in the World of 2017: Where Are the Priorities? |
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Canadians sense our stature on the world stage is less than what it once was. But how do we move beyond the platitudes about "punching above our weight" to a principled, pragmatic and effective role as a middle power? What should the future hold for Canada's military, diplomatic, development, trade, investment, business, scientific and academic relations around the world? |
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Moderator:
Sujit Choudhry , Scholl Chair and Associate Dean, University of Toronto, Faculty of Law |
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Speakers:
Jeremy Kinsman , former Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and former Canadian Ambassador to the European Union
Pierre Martin , Professor, Department of Political Science, Université de Montréal
Janice Stein , Director, Munk Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto |
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| 12:00 - 1:00 |
Lunch |
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| 1:00 - 1:30 |
Keynote Address: Asia's Role in the World of 2017
Dominic Barton , Worldwide Managing Director, McKinsey & Co. |
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One of Canada's most accomplished international business leaders, Dominic Barton is an authority on the emerging economic powers of Asia, particularly China. Having previously led McKinsey's office in Korea, and serving as its Chairman of Asia, based in Shanghai, he has advised clients in a range of industries, helping transform institutions from local and regional players into global leaders. He will focus on macro-trends driving the astonishing pace of change in China, India and other Asian economies, and the implications for Canada. |
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| 1:30 - 2:30 |
Canadians Making a Difference in the World |
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It's not all about what the government does. Civil society organizations are major players shaping the world at ground level. And young Canadians are demonstrating inspiring leadership. What are their lessons for Canada's presence in the world of 2017? |
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Moderator |
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Dr. James Orbinski , St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto and former President of the International Council of Médecins Sans Frontières |
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Speakers:
Yasmine Charara , Chair, Observatoire jeunesse Oxfam-Québec
Ryan Hreljac , Founder, Ryan's Well Foundation
Parker Mitchell , Co-Founder, Engineers Without Borders |
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| 2:30 - 3:00 |
Closing Keynote Address: Canada at 150: Rising to the Challenge |
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Michael Ignatieff , Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada |
Canada at 150 conference website: http://can150.ca/
***
Michael Ignatieff's letter:
I am pleased to announce today that the Liberal Party of Canada will host a special conference in Montreal, March 26 to 28, 2010, "Canada at 150: Rising to the Challenge".
Canada at 150: Rising to the Challenge
The three-day conference, in the tradition of the 1960 Kingston Conference and the 1991 Aylmer Conference, will invite progressive thinkers and activists from a broad swath of Canadian society to discuss the fundamental challenges facing Canada in a new era of uncertainty and global economic upheaval. The conference will be a key step in the development of the Liberal Party's platform for the next general election .
In just a few short years, we'll be celebrating our country's 150th anniversary. But the fundamental question is what kind of country will we be - and can we be? How can we ensure that - in a rapidly changing global economy - we have the industries and jobs we need? How can we ensure that social safety net that Canadians need and want is strong and secure? How can we narrow the growing gap between the wealthiest few and all the rest of us? What kind of careers, what kind of lives can our kids expect?
In short, not just what kind of Canada do we want in 2017, but what do we need to do today and tomorrow to get there?
The Harper government, with its resolute and cynical focus on short-term politics, has shown it doesn't have a horizon further than tonight's newscast. And Canadian families are suffering because of it. They're worried about their jobs, about their retirements, about a future for their kids and care for their aging parents.
If we Liberals want to earn the support and trust of all those millions of Canadians who want an alternative to the Harper Conservatives, we need to address those concerns. We need to do it in a spirit of openness to the best ideas and brightest minds not just in Canada, but around the world. And not just from Big "L" Liberals, but from progressive thinkers and experts who don't belong - or want to belong - to any political party. That's what the Montreal Conference is all about.
The Road to Montreal
From now through to the end of March, we'll be very busy preparing for the Conference - by reaching out to Canadians.
Early in the new year, a Conference website will invite Canadians to participate by giving us their own thoughts and ideas.
I'll be hitting the road in January, crossing the country in a series of town hall sessions to hear first hand from Canadians.
The very first Canadians I'll be meeting with in the new year are young Canadians - in high schools, community colleges and universities across Canada. After all, the world of 2017 will be their world. Their futures, their hopes and dreams are at the core of what we'll be focusing on in Montreal and beyond.
I'm asking Liberal MPs, Senators, candidates and riding presidents to also hold round tables and town halls in their communities.
In fact, the very first round table - on trade - will be hosted by my colleague Scott Brison, on Parliament Hill on December 7th.
An important step on the road to Montreal will be a special meeting of the National Caucus on January 19 and 20 in Ottawa. Together, we'll preview some of the big issues to be discussed in Montreal. It will be an important opportunity for our Caucus to help frame the discussion that will take place in Montreal.
Throughout the coming weeks, we'll be announcing details about the Conference, its agenda and its guests.
Hope vs. Fear
It's no big secret that I'm someone who gets very excited about ideas. Not for their own sake. But for their ability to change our world and - most important of all - to improve people's lives in a tangible, concrete way.
Canadians are yearning for an alternative that understands the transformational power of new ideas and innovative thinking. And they want to look to the future with hope and confidence rather than fear and anxiety.
The Montreal Conference will be a very important step along that road.
Sincerely,
Michael Ignatieff
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