This weekend, Canadians will have an opportunity to share their vision of what Canada should be on its 150th birthday. The Canada 150 Conference will bring people together, in person and online, to discuss the big issues facing our country and how we can achieve our national goals for 2017.
Canada at 150: Rising to the Challenge, is a non-partisan event organized by the Liberal Party of Canada. The conference will focus on five major challenges we face as a nation: jobs today and tomorrow; energy, environment, and the economy; a creative and competitive economy; supporting Canadian families; and strengthening Canada's presence in the world.
Within these broad topics, Canadians are asked to give their ideas on issues like education, pensions, health care, clean energy, the digital economy and Canadian-American relations.
Participants will hear from Canadian leaders in business, journalism, industry, education, government, international relations and energy. Keynote speakers include Sheila Watt-Cloutier of Nunavut, whose work showing the impact of climate change on human rights was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008.
The ideas that come out of this conference will help shape policies over the next seven years and beyond. So it's important we hear from a diversity of people from all regions. While 350 people gather at the main conference in Montreal from March 26 to 28, the sessions will be streamed live on the Internet. Every second question for the panel is coming via the Internet from people all across the country. You can submit questions during the live stream, or respond to topics on the Canada 150 website.
There are also local events happening in every province. Here in Halifax West, we will gather Saturday, March 27 at Mount Saint Vincent University to join the panel discussion on Clean Energy and Canada's Potential in the Low Carbon World. I am pleased our community has the opportunity to weigh in on this important topic. I believe Nova Scotia has great potential to become a leader in clean energy through advancements in such areas as wind and tidal power generation.
For more information about Canada 150 events around Halifax or to participate online, visit www.can150.ca.
As always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact me at 426-2217 or geoff@geoff regan.ca.
