Bill Gates headlines CAN-WIN 2007 to emphasize the importance of skills-based learning
Microsoft Chairman challenges Canadians to build a strong knowledge-based economy to compete in the 21st century
Ottawa, ON - February 20, 2007 - In an address to 500 of Canada's top business, academic and government leaders, Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft Corp. today will discuss his views on what it will take to make Canada a more innovative, productive and economically prosperous country. Mr. Gates is making the address to a joint Microsoft Canada/Chamber of Commerce luncheon. The address is also part of Microsoft Canada's long-running thought leadership conference titled CAN-WIN: Competing to Win in the Global Economy.
"Innovation and productivity challenges are perennial issues in Canada," said Phil Sorgen, President, Microsoft Canada. "Microsoft Canada has a strong commitment to helping Canadian thought leaders address these issues through CAN-WIN and our Chairman, Bill Gates, will share his views on how creating the workforce of tomorrow is a crucial building block to a more innovative and productive Canada."
Recent surveys report that the demand for skilled workers in Canada 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. Meanwhile, Canada continues to slip in the World Economic Forum's international rankings of global competitiveness.
Mr. Gates will address specific issues relating to creating a skilled, knowledge economy including creating more skilled individuals through education, on the job training and retraining, along with specific ideas for ensuring that no Canadians are left behind in basic technology literacy.
Mr. Gates will be joined at CAN-WIN 2007 by The Honourable Sven-Otto Littorin, Minister of Employment and Industry, Government of Sweden, who will share his country's remarkable success at education reform. The other keynote will be delivered by Michael Treacy, author of Double Digit Growth and The Discipline of Market Leaders, who will share his most recent research on what it takes to "compete to win."
In addition to the keynotes, two panels will discuss the challenges in creating more skilled individuals and the importance of "skills-focused" policy for governments and policy makers. Panelists include:
| • | Elyse Allen, President and CEO, GE Canada |
| • | Thomas Courchene, Professor, Queen's University |
| • | Dr. Alastair Glass, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Research and Innovation |
| • | Gwyn Morgan, Recently retired Founding President and CEO, EnCana Corporation |
| • | David Johnston, President, University of Waterloo |
| • | Robert A. Wright, Deputy Minister, Department of Finance Canada |
| • | Anne Golden, President and CEO, The Conference Board of Canada |
CAN-WIN 2007 will be moderated by Allan Gregg, Chairman, The Strategic Counsel, and is the fifth CAN-WIN conference hosted by Microsoft Canada. The Conference Board of Canada co-hosts the event this year.
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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