PPF Media
The race to build top Canadian talent
On this episode of WONK, host Amanda Lang talks to Robert Asselin, the CEO of U15, about how to get ahead in the global race for workers
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Published:April 16, 2026
Project: Build Big Talent
Canada could need up to half a million new workers by 2030 — everything from the trades to high-tech entrepreneurs to knowledge workers. But between the U.S. hoovering up Canadian talent and new policies putting a chill on international students, building the talent we need might take some work. In this episode of PPF’s WONK podcast, host Amanda Lang talks to Robert Asselin, the CEO of U15, which represents Canada’s top 15 research universities, about training entrepreneurs, scaling up companies and winning talent.
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Views expressed by WONK guests do not reflect the views of the Public Policy Forum.
Listen to more episodes from Season 2 of WONK:
“ Bigger tables, better narratives, broader impact”
Inez Jabalpurwala, President and CEO of the Public Policy Forum
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