2 CONFERENCE AGENDA 2009 TOP EMPLOYER SUMMIT PART I. CONFERENCE AGENDA Day 1: Thurday, November 19, 2009 9:15 — 10:15 am Giving back to the Community: Knowledge & Responsibility 7:30 — 8:30 am There are few actors in the Registration & Continental Breakfast world today who have lived the Breakfast sponsored by Hoffman - La Roche Hollywood life more than Mia Farrow. On-screen and off-screen, she has captivated the public 8:30 — 9:15 am imagination for her spectacular Opening Remarks from Conference Co-Chairs film successes, as well as the This year’s conference marks the deeply personal setbacks of her private life. Yet through 10th anniversary of the Canada’s it all, Mia Farrow has remained true to her spirit and, at Top 100 Employers project. To a stage in life when stars of her stature often recede from explore better the key themes public view, she finds strength in giving a voice to the of next year’s competition, this voiceless and hope to the people most in need. In an age year’s conference is organized when it has become trite to describe someone “giving around the theme of “The Great back to the community”, Mia Farrow is a living example Reset”. The thread that runs of the strength and energy that all of us receive when though all of this year’s sessions we put our talents to use helping people who need our is that the economic events of assistance most. Join the woman whom Time magazine the past two years have changed named one of the world’s 100 most influential people for the landscape dramatically in this profound and personal examination of what it means terms of the relationship between to give back to the community. Canadians and their employers. n MIA FA rr OW , Actress & Human Rights Activist For the first time in generations, important aspects of the employment relationship are being questioned and there is a re-examination taking 10:15 — 11:00 am place of the government’s role in that relationship. This Refreshment & Networking Break: year, our aim is for you to leave the conference with a “Taste the Canadian Autumn” clear idea which parts of the Top 100 competition are This break provides an opportunity to meet colleagues taking on increased prominence, as well as the subjects and organizers of the Canada’s our editorial team will pass less attention to in the future. Top 100 Employers project. We promise a stimulating a thought-provoking two days. Features traditional pastries n RICHA R D YE R EMA , and refreshments with a fall Managing Editor, Canada’s Top 100 Employers flair, selected by the Fairmont Royal York’s Executive n TON Y MEEHAN , Chef, David Garcelon. Publisher, Canada’s Top 100 Employers Breakfast sponsored by enCompassing Visions RLOO AR TE EA A ’S W 2010 T O S P R 1 Y E 5 E M P L O Top 15 l’s Em a p ré l t o n y e o r s M 0 1 2 0 2009 TOP EMPLOYER SUMMIT CONFERENCE AGENDA 3 11:00 — 12:00 pm employers in Canada overcome the difficulties involved in The Great Reset: recognizing foreign qualifications. This special luncheon Understanding Last Year’s Economic Collapse address provides an opportunity to join the Minister of The world has changed Citizenship and Immigration Canada to hear first-hand dramatically since August 2008, about the government’s progress in this field and the new when the world’s economy initiatives his department is working on to ensure that suffered its biggest decline since Canada keeps its promise to its newest citizens that their the 1929 stock market crash. The foreign academic qualifications and skills are recognized. causes of last year’s collapse have n HON . JASON KENNE Y , Minister of Citizenship, been extensively documented, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Canada but its long-term effects are much less understood. In Luncheon sponsored by the Foreign Credentials Referral a ground-breaking interview this year in The Atlantic Office, Citizenship & magazine and subsequent essay, distinguished academic Immigration Canada Professor Richard Florida offered the most insightful analysis yet of what is to come. According to Dr. Florida, the events of 2008 have set in motion “The Great Reset” 1:15 — 2:00 pm and the consequences will be with us for generations How Employers Can Help: Immigrant Success Stories to come. Increasingly, our economy will be driven by a In many of our large cities, “creative class” of employees who work differently and immigration now accounts live in different places than has been the case in the past. for almost 100% of the labour Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear one of the world’s force growth. Astute employers most articulate public intellectuals share his insights on are realizing that making it the challenges and opportunities all organizations face in easier for immigrants to work these rapidly changing times. in their organization isn’t just n DR. RICHA R D FLO R IDA , Author & Professor the right thing to do – it’s also good business. Join two winners of this year’s Best Employers for New Canadians competition for an executive overview of how their organizations improved recruitment and retention policies 12:00 — 1:15 pm to make it easier for recent immigrants to feel at home in Special Luncheon Address: their workplaces. Immigration & Economic Growth in Canada n PE T E R PAUL , Project Leader, ALLIES, Immigration has aways played The Maytree Foundation a central role in Canada’s n JANE ALLEN , Chief Diversity Officer, Deloitte economic development, from n KA R EN HIL T Z , Manager Human Resources, the earliest days of our nation’s Christie Digital Systems settlement to recent times, when n ZO R AN VESELIC , VP, Visual Environments, immigrants have become the Christie Digital Systems economic lifeblood of many of our largest cities. The dream of a new life in Canada continues to exert a powerful attraction on people around 2:00 — 2:30 pm the world, although often it’s not easy for new Canadians Energizing Fitness Break & Mini-Ashtanga Session to have their skills and academic qualifications recognized Led by Ash Patel, an instructor at Toronto’s in this country. The Government of Canada has made it renowned Downward Dog yoga studio, ashram a priority to change this and, in its last budget, devoted to the stars. Namasté! significant resources to helping both immigrants and Break sponsored by TE Wealth 4 CONFERENCE AGENDA 2009 TOP EMPLOYER SUMMIT 2:30 — 3:30 pm 6:00 — 7:30 pm Engaging Talent in Tough Times: Gala Reception, Fairmont Royal York Hotel Insights from Canada’s Top Employers Special 10th Anniversary Top Employer Reception What does it take to motivate Join CEOs and HR professionals talent in challenging times? from the 2010 Canada’s Top Discover key variables that drive 100 Employers list, as well as employee engagement, drawn winners of our regional and from the latest Towers Perrin special-interest competitions, research, and results from the for a pleasant evening of ‘Top 100’ Employers’ employee complimentary drinks, hors engagement pulse survey. Learn d’oeuvres and live background music. This popular how Canada’s best employers reception is the conference’s main networking event, have nurtured engagement over bringing together all the writers and organizers of the the downturn, and what you can Canada’s Top 100 Employers project plus editors, do to ensure that your employees journalists and senior civil servants in the field. Open to are re-engaged for the economic all delegates attending the 2009 Top Employer Summit. recovery. There is no fee or separate charge to attend this reception. n Special guest: n KE V IN ASELS T INE FSA, FCIA, MIA FA rr OW , Actress & Human Rights Activist Managing Principal, Towers Perrin We would like to thank Ceridian Canada Ltd. for their n DAN MCCAULE Y PH.D., important support of this reception Senior Consultant, Towers Perrin once again this year. 3:30 — 4:30 pm Back to Basics on Corporate Pensions: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2009 The Great Reset, Part 2 The economic events of the past 7:00 — 8:00 am two years have called attention Continental Breakfast to employee retirement savings, Breakfast sponsored by Homewood Employee Health and by inference, the role of employer-sponsored pension 8:00 — 8:45 am Exclusive Breakfast Briefing: Key Themes for Next programs as part of the Canadian Year’s Canada’s Top 100 Employers Project pension system. Employers Join the Managing Editor of the who sponsor defined benefit pension plans have been put Canada’s Top 100 Employers under significant financial pressure, and in response many project for this exclusive preview have chosen to wind down or limit enrollment in these of the key themes and priorities programs. But what has emerged to fill the void, and what for the 2010 competition. Learn will the next few years bring? After all, employers must about the key subject areas that still compete for talent and be considerate of what is on will receive more attention by the minds of their employees. Faced with news stories the Top 100 editors next year bemoaning volatility in the financial markets, employees – and discover unpublished are sitting up to take notice of pension and retirement benchmarking data for all eight issues. In this session, learn how the pension landscape key HR areas reviewed. If your is shifting, and hear ideas on how to offer solutions that organization will be applying make pensions meaningful for employees once again. to next year’s competition, n NICOLAS CR OO K FSA, FCIA, Principal, Towers Perrin this session is an invaluable 2009 TOP EMPLOYER SUMMIT CONFERENCE AGENDA 5 opportunity to gain insight on how your organization 10:00 — 10:30 am can put its best foot forward.