As of January 2, 2012, Geneviève Ménard Hayles stepped into the role of Commissioner of Film, TV and Digital Media in OCRI’s new home at 80 Aberdeen Street. Geneviève had previously been the Executive Director of the Canadian Tulip Festival for 2011. She has long held an avid interest in film and entertainment sparked by ...

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This has been a great week for the cleantech sector in the City of Ottawa. With a 22-1 vote Ottawa city council approved a 20 year deal with Plasco Energy Group to process half of the city’s municipal solid waste with their plasma gasification process. This is good news for a number of reasons: First ...

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While much of our focus is centred on family and friends during the holiday season, it’s nice to have an opportunity to enjoy the spirit of the season with business colleagues as well. With the day to day demands of business consuming so much of our time, it becomes a challenge to find time to ...

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During a recent breakfast meeting with Jim Orban, Director of the Sales, and David Chadala, Senior Account Manager of the Ottawa Senators Hockey Team, the topic of economic impact came up several times. Oddly enough that same thought crossed my mind as I entered Scotiabank Place to see the Prince concert last weekend – yes, ...

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Hong Kong is an excellent example of an economy in constant adaption to the global realities around it. Through the centuries, it has played a critical role as a trading and financial centre of Asia. Several times, for example during its return to China, predictions of its decline have run rampant. Yet Hong Kong soldiers ...

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Mention China and everyone immediately thinks of the continuing extension of China’s economic growth to new areas of China. Few remember that China’s economic rejuvenation began in Guangdong Province and its capital of Guangzhou. As China began its initial reforms and the businesses of Hong Kong responded to growing global competitive pressures, manufacturers began leaving ...

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With the ink barely dry, it is evident that Chongqing is moving to implementation of the 12th Five Year Plan. Chongqing is the latest city designated by the Chinese government for development and more specifically for opening up Western China. They are moving fast. Back home in Ottawa, we struggle with issues of financing both ...

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Once more in China, and once more learning. I attended the Canada China Business Council’s (CCBC) 33rd AGM and banquet. Listening to the remarks was interesting. The Honourable John Manley, President and CEO of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE), discussed a recently released report sponsored by the CCBC and CCCE entitled “Canada, China ...

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On Thursday 15 November, I had the privilege of assisting in recognizing Canada’s 10 Most Influential Hispanics. I was on the stage with the Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Canada’s Minister of State for the America’s and Mauricio Ospina, the founder and a director of the Canadian Hispanic Business Association. Such award ceremonies are often considered boring ...

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One of the goals of this event was to increase the ROI on the networking and it seems participants took this seriously, it is 7:15 a.m. and the networking has started in earnest. By 7:25 there are more people onsite than at last month’s event and the volume has dialed up a couple of notches. ...

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