Talent First: How Canada can Leverage its Greatest Resource
Human Capital Policy Launch Dinner with Sheldon Levy, Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development; Kathleen Taylor, Chair, RBC; and Neil Yeates, Former Deputy Minister, Citizenship and Immigration Canada
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In an increasingly globalized economy, Canada’s workers compete with the rest of the world for jobs and opportunities. How we develop and make the most of our workers' skills will determine if Canada leads the pack or falls behind. Join the C.D. Howe Institute for the launch of its Human Capital Policy Council and a discussion about what Canada needs to do to ensure a leading, dynamic workforce with opportunities for all its citizens.
Canada’s human capital challenges are receiving increasing attention by policymakers, businesses and the general public. Many issues related to education, skills development, income trends and other labour market outcomes are shaping economic growth and the prosperity of Canadians. Better public policies would allow individuals greater opportunity to reach their full potential. And, many misconceptions about human capital, if not addressed, could lead to policies with unintended or harmful consequences. The C.D. Howe Institute’s Human Capital Policy Council is composed of leading experts from the public sector, business and academia, and is co-chaired by Kathleen P. Taylor, Chair of RBC and Neil Yeates, former Deputy Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. To celebrate the launch of the Council, we are ecstatic to invite you to join us on December 5th for a dinner and roundtable discussion featuring key note speakers Sheldon Levy, Kathleen P. Taylor, and Neil Yeates.
Sheldon Levy, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development
Sheldon Levy was appointed Deputy Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development on December 1, 2015.
Under his leadership, the ministry delivers both employment and training programs that meet the changing needs of the province’s labour market, and a high-quality, accessible postsecondary education system that is globally competitive. The work of this ministry drives the innovation that is vital to Ontario’s prosperity.
Prior to this appointment, Sheldon served for eleven years as President and Vice Chancellor of Ryerson University, and in executive positions in a range of postsecondary institutions in the Greater Toronto Area.
Sheldon has been recognized for championing the Ryerson Digital Media Zone in Toronto, an entrepreneurial education model that has acheived global status and has spawned an international network of partnership startup incubators in such countries as Israel, India and South Africa.
He is a member of the Leadership Council for Scale Up Ventures and is the Honorary Chair of Ryerson’s Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Kathleen Taylor, Chair of the Board, Royal Bank of Canada, and Co-Chair of the C.D. Howe Institute Human Capital Policy Council
Kathleen (Katie) Taylor is Chair of the Board of RBC. She has served on the Board since 2001, where she has chaired the Human Resources and Corporate Governance Committees, and served on the Audit and Risk Committees. She is also Chair of the Board of the Sick Kids Foundation and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Hospital for Sick Children.
Ms. Taylor is a director of Air Canada and a member of its Audit, Finance and Risk, Pension, and Governance and Nominating Committees, a director of the Adecco Group, where she serves on the Audit Committee and a director of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, where she serves on the Audit and Human Resources Committees.
Ms. Taylor is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. During her 24-year career with the iconic global company, she held a number of senior leadership roles and was instrumental in building the firm’s global brand and its international portfolio of luxury properties.
Her many accolades for business achievement include the Schulich School of Business Award for Outstanding Executive Leadership and the inaugural Medal for Career Achievement from the Hennick Centre for Business and Law at York University. She has been inducted into the Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends and was named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network (WXN) in 2011, 2014 and 2016. In 2016, Ms. Taylor was made a Member of the Order of Canada.
Ms. Taylor has an MBA and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the Schulich School of Business, a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Toronto.
Ms. Taylor is a member of the C.D. Howe Institute’s National Council where she Co-Chair’s the Human Capital Policy Council and a member of the Government of Ontario’s Women in Business Steering Committee. She also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Schulich School of Business, and on the Principal’s International Advisory Board at McGill University.
Ms. Taylor lives in Toronto with her husband and has three grown children.
Neil Yeates, Former Deputy Minister, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and Co-Chair of the C.D. Howe Institute Human Capital Policy Council
Neil Yeates is a retired Federal Deputy Minister whose career spanned more than 30 years in the Government of Canada and in the Government of Saskatchewan. Graduating from Queen’s University Neil began his career as a policy analyst with the Saskatchewan Department of Health eventually serving as the Associate Deputy Minister. He also worked for a number of years in Saskatchewan Social Services in the young offenders and child welfare programs and later as the Assistant Deputy Minister for all programs. He became a Deputy Minister in Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training, and also served at that level in the then newly-formed Department of Corrections and Public Safety. Moving to the Government of Canada Neil worked in Industry Canada, Health Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs and most recently served for four years as the Deputy Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Neil has had a lifelong interest in accountability regimes, planning and the role of the public service. He currently sits as a member of the Trans Canada Trail Board and serves as an advisor to the Treasury Board Secretariat.
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