CAN>WIN 2007: Competing to Win in the Global Economy
Bill Gates to headline Canada’s premier thought leadership conference on creating a skilled workforce to drive Canada’s economic prosperity
MISSISSAUGA, ON - December 8, 2006 - Bill Gates, Chairman and Chief Software Architect, Microsoft Corporation, will headline the CAN>WIN 2007 conference, titled Competing to Win in the Global Economy – Creating a Skilled Workforce to drive Economic Prosperity. To be held in Ottawa on February 20, 2007, Mr. Gates will provide his perspective on innovation, productivity, and what it will take for Canadians to compete and win in the global economy.
CAN>WIN is Canada’s premier thought leadership conference, attracting the top minds in Canada’s public and private sector for a one-day forum on key challenges facing our country’s economic prosperity. This will be the fifth CAN>WIN conference since its inception in 2001, and the need for a public-private dialogue to address Canada’s skills shortage has never been more important. This year’s forum will again be hosted and held in connection with the Conference Board of Canada.
Canada slipped three places in the World Economic Forum’s international rankings of global competitiveness between 2004 and 2005 to sit in 16th place, behind the U.S., Japan, Sweden, Germany and even Iceland. Recent surveys report that the demand for skilled workers is rising faster than supply, and business leaders are increasingly noting that an inability to find talented people is having a negative effect on their businesses.
Mr. Gates will deliver a luncheon keynote address co-sponsored by the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Gates last addressed CAN>WIN in 2002, and this will be his last appearance in Canada before he retires as Chairman of Microsoft at the end of 2007.
CAN>WIN 2007 will also feature two panels of top Canadian business, academic and public sector leaders, as well as two additional keynote addresses. The remaining lineup of speakers and panelists will be announced in the coming weeks. Past speakers have included former Prime Minister Jean Chretien; former U.S. Vice President Al Gore; Microsoft President & CEO Steve Ballmer; and academic and bestselling author Dr. Richard Florida.
CAN>WIN 2007 is part of Microsoft Canada’s ongoing commitment to making Canada a more innovative and globally competitive country. In 2005, CAN>WIN investigated Canada's challenges in creating an innovative economy that could close the productivity gap and generate sustained economic prosperity. At the summit's conclusion, speakers and participants identified skilled workers as a lynchpin for success and as a central item for debate moving forward.
CAN>WIN 2007 is taking up this challenge and will delve deeply into solutions for Canada’s skilled workforce shortage. Speakers will share best practices and solutions relevant to the diverse group of delegates from the public and private sectors.
CAN>WIN 2007 is by invitation only and is limited to 180 participants.
The Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI) and the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) will also host Mr. Gates at a breakfast event where he will deliver a keynote address at the National Arts Centre for Ottawa’s technology industry on February 20th, focused on his vision for the future of technology.
Tickets for Mr. Gates’ OCRI/ITAC address are available to members of Ottawa’s technology community through OCRI at http://www.ocri.ca/gates/.
Media availability and accreditation for CAN>WIN 2007 and the OCRI/ITAC breakfast address:
Details on media availability and a media accreditation process will follow through a media advisory at a later date. There are currently no details on media availability and media cannot be accredited at this time.
About Microsoft Canada
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ "MSFT") the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. Visit Microsoft Canada's web site at www.microsoft.ca.
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