Canada Growth Summit 2025

Michael is a renowned television anchor and reporter, whose broadcasting career has spanned more than two decades of covering some of the most challenging news stories in real time. In addition to being the face of CPAC’s live programming, he hosts the channel’s nightly political round-up, PrimeTime Politics, and is the first Filipino-Canadian male to anchor a national newscast in Canada. In 2023, Michael was recognized with a Canadian Screen Award for his work anchoring a breaking news special on the Ottawa occupation in February 2022.

Prior to joining CPAC in 2022, Michael spent 12 years as a host and anchor with CBC News Network. Before that, he was a reporter with CTV British Columbia and CityNews Toronto.

Jean Paul (JP) Gladu is currently Principal of Mokwateh, and previously served as the President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) from September 2012 until April 2020.

Anishinaabe from Thunder Bay JP is a member of Sand Pont First Nation located on the eastern shores of Lake Nipigon, Ontario. JP completed a forestry technician diploma in 1993, obtained an undergraduate degree in forestry from Northern Arizona University in 2000, holds an Executive MBA from Queens University and the ICD.D from Rotman School of Management University of Toronto. JP has over 30 years of experience in the natural resource sector. His career path includes work with Indigenous communities and organizations, environmental non-government organizations, industry and governments from across Canada.

Currently, JP serves on the board of Suncor, Institute for Corporate Directors, Broden Mining, First Nations Major Projects Coalition Advisory Centre and is Chair of Canadas Forest Trust and the Boreal Leadership Champions. He previously served on the Board of Ontario Power Generation, Noront Resources and past Chair of the Mikisew Group of Companies. He is a senior fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and served as the Chancellor of St. Paul’s University College Waterloo from 2017 to 2020. His previous appointments include Canadian Electricity Association Public Advisory Panel, Colleges and Institutes Canada (previously ACCC), the Northern Policy Institute, Canadian Foundation for Economic Education, advisory member to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, a committee member to the Ontario Provincial Forest Policy Committee. In 2014, he was identified as a Diversity 50 Board Ready Candidate from the Canadian Board Diversity Council and a recipient of the Community Service Award – Transformation Awards from Diversity Magazine.

JP is an accomplished public speaker with countless engagements not only across Canada but internationally as he shares the challenges and successes of Indigenous business and the growing Indigenous economy in Canada today.

As a father to his daughter Chloe, along with a passion for his community, his culture and traditions; JP brings the past, present and future to the table, moving non-Indigenous and Indigenous business toward sustainable partnerships and shared economic prosperity.

Specialties: Leader, excels at understanding people and values, in-depth and skilled negotiator, financial sourcing, proposal development, building confidence in others, strong work ethic, excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and strategist with a long-view.

Jacomo Corbo is the CEO and Co-Founder of PhysicsX. The company is building a new software stack to bring AI-native physics simulation to complex engineering and manufacturing across advanced industries.

Previously, he was Co-Founder and Chief Scientist of QuantumBlack and a partner at McKinsey & Company. Between 2005 and 2008, Jacomo was the Chief Race Strategist for the Renault F1 (Alpine) Team during which time the team won two double world championships.

Jacomo is an engineer with both a PhD in computer science and a master’s in applied statistics from Harvard University, and a Bachelor of electrical engineering from McGill University. He was a Senior Fellow at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and held the Canada Research Chair of Information Management between 2011 and 2015.

Prior to her appointment as Clerk in 2023, Sarah Thiele served as Manitoba’s deputy minister of transportation and infrastructure, overseeing investments in Manitoba roads, water control infrastructure and northern airports. Sarah also served as the deputy minister responsible for Manitoba’s Emergency Management Organization.

Sarah spent much of her public service career in the Department of Finance with the Treasury Board Secretariat as assistant deputy minister of strategic management and analysis, providing advice on provincial operating and capital budgets. She also served as secretary to the Fiscal Responsibility Committee of Cabinet.

She supports a government-wide approach to delivering responsive, citizen-centred services across systems. She has participated as an executive steering committee member for a number of major initiatives, from procurement modernization, finance and administration consolidation to IT services innovation. As Clerk of the Executive Council, Sarah champions the importance of a mature and professional public service that is agile in meeting the elected government’s direction during uncertain times.

Sarah holds a Master of Arts degree in political science from McGill University and an Associate Diploma (ARCT) in piano performance from the Toronto Royal Conservatory.

Todd was recently promoted to VP, Advanced Manufacturing Innovation, where he is responsible for the implementation and integration of advanced technologies within the factory of the future. Advanced robotics, data analysis, strategic partnerships, and continual education are just some of the tools that will be used to create cutting-edge technologies, making Magna a global leader in industrial innovation.

Todd is a visionary leader with over 20 years of experience in tooling, manufacturing, product design, and innovation within the global automotive industry. As Vice President of Advanced Manufacturing Innovation at Magna, Todd is responsible for driving the integration of advanced technologies such as robotics, data analysis, and strategic partnerships within the factory of the future. His commitment to continual education ensures that Magna remains at the forefront of industrial innovation.

Throughout his illustrious career, Todd has led numerous R&D and product development teams internationally, showcasing his ability to manage and communicate across suppliers, customers, and research partners in academia, industry, and startup companies. His technical expertise has driven significant advancements in new technology commercialization, continuous improvement efforts, and product launches across various divisions.

Todd’s extensive experience and dedication to innovation make him a sought-after (keynote) speaker.
His insights into the future of manufacturing and his ability to drive transformative change are sure to inspire and captivate audiences.

Since becoming Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet in June 2023, John Hannaford has spearheaded a broad discussion on public service values and ethics.

He is committed to ensuring the civil service is equipped to serve Canadians’ changing needs in today’s dynamic and increasingly complex environment and firmly believes the values of the public service are the cornerstone of our democracy.

Prior to becoming Clerk, John served as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Canada from 2022 to 2023, where he helped advance some of the government’s signature clean energy initiatives.

John joined the federal public service’s Department of Foreign Affairs as a newly minted lawyer in 1995, working on a range of issues including maritime jurisdictions, environmental law and trade.

The bulk of John’s more than two decades of public service has been spent representing the Canadian government on key international files, from free trade to foreign and defence policy, including as Deputy Minister of International Trade at Global Affairs Canada from 2019 to 2022.

Prior to that, John served in several high-profile senior leadership positions in the public service, including:

• Foreign and Defence Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister (2015–2019);
• Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet of Foreign and Defence Policy in the Privy Council Office (2012–2015); and
• Canadian Ambassador to Norway (2009–2012).

A graduate of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where he received a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in history, he subsequently earned a Master of Science in international relations at the London School of Economics, before completing a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Toronto.

He is married to Anne Lawson. Together, they have two adult children.

Gitane is the Founder and Principal of the consulting firm GDStrategic. She previously served as the CEO of the Canada Energy Regulator and as Alberta’s Deputy Minister for International and Intergovernmental Relations. Gitane is also a seasoned diplomat and a specialist in Canada-U.S. relations, having served as Alberta’s Senior Representative in Washington, D.C., and Canada’s Consul General in Chicago, among other roles. A respected public policy leader, Gitane is a Special Advisor at Blue Rock Law, a Global Fellow with the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., and a Board Member with the Public Policy Forum.

Steve Verheul retired from the federal public service in October 2022 and is now a Principal with GT and Company Executive Advisors, as well as President of Steve Verheul Consulting Inc.

Prior to his retirement from the public service in 2022, he served as a Special Advisor on Trade Policy to the Deputy Minister of Finance. From 2017 to 2021, he was Assistant Deputy Minister of the Trade Policy and Negotiations Branch at Global Affairs Canada, managing a branch of more than 300 employees.

In addition to this position, Steve was Canada’s Chief Trade Negotiator. In this role, he led the negotiations that resulted in the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Trade Agreement (the new NAFTA) and oversaw various other negotiations.

Prior to that, he served as Canada’s Chief Trade Negotiator for negotiations between Canada and the European Union from 2009 to 2016, leading that negotiation from its beginning through to its successful conclusion.

Before that, he worked in international trade policy at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada from 1989 to 2009, where he worked on the NAFTA negotiations, the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations that led to the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Doha Round of WTO negotiations.

He was Canada’s Chief Agriculture Negotiator from 2003 to 2009, responsible for leading Canada’s involvement in international trade negotiations on agriculture.

Among various other awards from government and industry, Steve received the Career Contribution Award from the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada, as well as the Innovative Team Award as leader of the Canada-EU Trade Negotiations Team.

Steve graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1984, after obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree in Political Science.

As Senior Vice-President and Head of CDPQ Global and Global Head of Sustainable Investment, Marc-André Blanchard is responsible for coordinating CDPQ’s international operations.

As head of CDPQ’s international offices, he ensures the organization’s positioning as an investment partner of choice. He also supports the growth and development of Québecois companies around the world.

In addition, he oversees the organization’s sustainable investment orientations and activities, supports commitment and value creation within portfolio companies, and oversees CDPQ’s strategy to integrate ESG factors into all investment activities. He sits on the Executive Committee and the Investment-Risk Committee.

Before joining CDPQ in September 2020, he was ambassador and permanent representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York from 2016 to 2020. From 2017 to 2020, he served on the Canadian Board of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Previously, he was Chairman and CEO of McCarthy Tétrault, one of Canada’s leading law firms.

In addition to a bachelor’s degree in law from the Université de Montréal, he holds a master’s degree in public international law from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He holds two master’s degrees from the School of International and Public Affairs.

Matthew Mendelsohn is CEO of Social Capital Partners, a non-profit that champions pathways to wealth and ownership for working Canadians.

For over 25 years, Matthew has advised governments, organizations and elected leaders on public-policy solutions that work in practice. A former federal and provincial deputy minister, he was founding director of University of Toronto’s public-policy think tank the Mowat Centre.

Most recently he was a visiting professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and a senior advisor at Boston Consulting Group.

Matthew holds a PhD in Political Science from l’Université de Montréal and an ICD.D from the Rotman School of Management.

Krista Quinlan has served as Clerk of the Executive Council and Secretary to Cabinet, Deputy Minister to the Premier, and Head of the Public Service with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador since June 2021.

She serves as chief policy advisor to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. In this capacity, she oversaw the public service response to the province’s critical priorities, including the COVID-19 pandemic, health system cyberattack, wildfire and natural disaster response and the implementation of the government’s overall social and economic agenda. She places a high priority on reinforcing and revitalizing core public service values, and has led a number of recruitment, engagement, education and recognition initiatives for the provincial public service.

Over her 25-year career with the public service of Newfoundland and Labrador, she has held senior roles in the Office of the Executive Council, the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and the Research and Development Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador, a provincial Crown Corporation.

Inez Jabalpurwala is a distinguished leader in public policy and non-profit management.

Before joining PPF, Inez was the Global Director of VINEx, a brain health research organization. Inez built VINEx during the pandemic to explore how SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses impact brain health, including Long COVID. After co-leading the development of a pan-Canadian action plan to address Long COVID, Inez broadened VINEx’s focus to better understand how the environment impacts our health. She is also co-leader of the Brain Health Nexus, a multidisciplinary effort to unleash science and technology to optimize brain health and prevent brain disease.

Prior to these roles, Inez was Founding President and CEO of the Brain Canada Foundation from 2001 to 2020, building a globally recognized health charity that brought together fragmented research and policy communities, and accelerated Canada’s excellent research on the brain. Under her leadership, Brain Canada raised more than $130 million, initiated and executed more than 100 partnerships across sectors and disbursed more than $250 million in grants.

Inez has been named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network on three occasions — in 2007, 2016 and again in 2022 for “women in STEM roles who are challenging the status quo for knowledge and female empowerment.”

She holds a BA and MA in English literature and an MBA from McGill University and has completed the Master of Management program for voluntary sector leaders.

Trevor Tombe is a Professor at the University of Calgary’s Department of Economics and the Director of Fiscal and Economic Policy at The School of Public Policy. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and a Fellow at the Public Policy Forum.

He received his master’s and PhD in economics from the University of Toronto and an undergraduate degree in finance from Simon Fraser University.

His research explores a broad set of topics, from international and interprovincial trade to public finances. He has published in top economics journals, is co-author of the textbooks Public Finance in Canada and Macroeconomics, co-editor of the recent volume Fiscal Federalism in Canada, and is co-director of Finances of the Nation.

In addition to his academic work, Trevor actively advises various governments on a wide range of issues, is currently a member of the Government of Canada Working Group on Productivity in the Public Sector and the Advisory Council on Interprovincial Trade and was previously a member of the Bank of Canada panel reviewing its pandemic response. He also and contributes to policy development and discussions through regular op-eds, articles and media engagement.

Brett House is Professor of Professional Practice in the Economics Division at Columbia Business School. His research and writing are focused on macroeconomics and international finance, with interests in fiscal issues, monetary policy, international trade, financial crises, and debt markets. His work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and international media.

Prof. House is also a Fellow with Canada’s Public Policy Forum and a Senior Fellow with the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and Massey College. Earlier in his career he held teaching and research positions with McGill University, the Earth Institute at Columbia University, Keble College Oxford, and the University of Cape Town.

Previously, Prof. House was Deputy Chief Economist at Scotiabank, Canada’s third-largest and most international universal bank. Earlier, he was Chief Economist at a Toronto-based asset-management start-up and Global Strategist at a New York-based global macro hedge fund. He cut his teeth in financial markets at Goldman Sachs and the World Bank.

In policy-making roles, Prof. House was an Economist at the International Monetary Fund for nearly a decade, where he worked on emerging-markets financing. He was also Principal Advisor on Economic Issues in the Office of United Nations Secretary-General during the global financial crisis.

André Beaulieu is a senior business executive and Board member. From 2015 to 2024, he was Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services for BCE, responsible for one of the largest procurement portfolios in Canada, and the Strategic Business Transformation team which leads all major restructuring initiatives as well as the integration of BCE acquisitions. He was also in charge of Real Estate operations, Corporate Security — including cyber-security and corporate responsibility, including ESG, for BCE.

Between 2012 and 2015, André served as Senior Vice-President for Wholesale, a business unit serving 700 telecommunications customers in 180 countries. During the same period, he was President of BCE Nexxia, the entity that owns and manages Bell’s network in the U.S. Between 2007 and 2011, André occupied a series of executive functions, including VP Corporate Strategy.

Before joining Bell, André was a strategy consultant with Kearney and Bain & Company in Paris and Boston. His main areas of client service were in private equity investment on the buy side and strategy for large technology companies. Previously, André worked with the Privy Council Office of the Government of Canada and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. He sits on the Boards of CORIM, Equitas, the Azrieli Foundation and the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation.