Lifting Off and Flying High: Talent, Success in Canada
How does Canada foster and grow its celebrities and success? Is Canada efficient enough at spotting talent and supporting it through incubation and lift-off? The McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) will examine what it means to have a career in Canada in three sectors: culture/entertainment, high-tech and sports/athletics at its annual conference,听鈥淟ifting Off and Flying High: Talent and Success in Canada鈥�.听The two-day event will be held at the听Omni Mont-Royal Hotel, 1050听Sherbrooke St. W.,听Montreal, on听February 11-12, 2013.
鈥淐anadians in all domains wonder whether this is a good country in which to pursue a career. If we鈥檙e just starting out, will our talent be spotted and supported?听Once we鈥檝e lifted off, can we stay here, or do we need to leave Canada to find continued success? Are successful Canadians good at giving back and helping those just starting out?鈥� asks听Prof. Will Straw, Director of MISC.听鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping our conference, with its stellar line-up of artists, athletes and innovators, will help us answer some of these questions.听
Speakers include musicians听Patrick Watson听补苍诲听B茅atrice Martin (Coeur de pirate),听hockey greats听Ken Dryden听补苍诲听Georges Laraque,听BlackBerry co-founder听Jim Balsillie, screenwriters听Len Blum听补苍诲听Kevin Tierney, television producer and screenwriter听Fred Einesman听(ER, Private Practice), film director听Deborah Chow, film producer听Jennifer Jonas, Aboriginal actress听Tantoo Cardinal, Olympians听Jennifer Heil, Madeleine Willliams, Dani猫le Sauvageau听补苍诲听Richard Pound, Giller Prize Founder听Jack Rabinovitch, media innovators听Sylvie LaPerri猫re听(Google), blogger听Tamy Emma P茅pin(Huffington Post Qu茅bec, Journal de Montr茅al),听Ziya Tong听(co-host of听Daily Planet听on Discovery),听Jean-S茅bastien Cournoyer听(Montreal Start-Up) andRaja Khanna听(Blue Ant Media), journalists听Sonali Karnick, Jeanette Kelly听补苍诲听Steve Maich, Art Gallery of Ontario curator听Kitty Scott, Just for Laughs founder听Andy Nulman, and Canadian creative powerhouse听Bertrand Cesvet听(Sid Lee Inc.)听
Plenary sessions include:
Lift Off/Take Off:听How is talent spotted in your field?听听Do we need more effective mechanisms for recognizing talent in its early moments?听
Technological Innovation:听A country鈥檚 success in technological innovation, we are told, has much to do with its capacity to attract talent from all over the world. Has Canada done enough to attract and nurture talent? Why does our official multiculturalism not make us the leading destination for technological talent from around the world?听
Staying Power: Sustaining a Career:听What are the typical mistakes made by Canadians following an initial burst of success?听 What are the greatest obstacles confronting Canadians who seek to maintain a career over time?听
Sports:听Does Canada offer the appropriate levels of support for professional athletes? Is this support equitably divided along gender lines? Does it take into account the needs of athletes at different stages of their careers?听
Lifting off and Looking Back:听A听conversation by industry insiders hosted by听Len Blum,听screenwriter, film producer and film composer, 补苍诲听Fred Einesman,听Canadian screenwriter, producer (ER,听Private Practice)
Culture and the Arts:听Has Canadian culture changed enough that its successes reflect the country鈥檚 diversity?
For more details and the full program of the conference, visit the conference website:听/misc/conferences/conference-2013/programme
Since 1995, the MISC has hosted large-scale annual conferences which foster informed, non-partisan discussions on issues affecting Canadians, ranging from Quebec-Canada relations, Aboriginal issues, citizenship and health-care to Canadian media, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, food, and cultural policy.
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