White House Urban Affairs Advisor, The Hon. Vic Toews, Wesley Clark - Monday,
November 9 Highlights at Toronto Forum for Global Cities

    
    David Miller, Adolfo Carrión, Jr., The Hon. Vic Toews, Wesley Clark

    November 9 Highlights - Toronto Forum for Global Cities
    

TORONTO , Nov. 6 /CNW/ - Senior White House officials, OECD leaders and high profile business executives will be among the over 40 panellists participating in the Toronto Forum for Global Cities, taking place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre North Building (255 Front Street West) on November 9 and 10, 2009. The Forum will tackle a series of questions about the role of cities in the global economy, including issues pertaining to public transportation, green energy and more.

    
    Monday, November 9 Highlights

    8:30am:   WORDS OF WELCOME with keynote speaker David Miller, Mayor of
              Toronto

    9:00am:   OPENING SESSION - Restoring Growth
    Speaker highlights: Adolfo Carrión, Jr., Director of the White House
    Office of Urban Affairs and Deputy Assistant to the President, and Angel
    Gurria, Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
    Development (OECD)

    Rapid urbanization is increasing the importance of large cities in the
    world economy. How can cities contribute to restoring the economy in the
    aftermath of the economic crisis?

    10:30am: Financing Transportation Infrastructure
    Speaker highlight: Joel Szabat, Deputy Assistant Secretary, US Department
    of Transportation

    Transportation infrastructure is a key component of economic development,
    as demonstrated by Obama's $64.1 billion investment in the American
    Recovery and Reinvestment Act. What are the key opportunities to renew
    infrastructure, and what are the sources of funding?

    10:30am: OECD EVENT
    Towards a sustainable competitiveness agenda for Toronto: Presentation of
    the OECD Territorial Review, which recommends a new sustainable
    competitiveness agenda for the Toronto region. What are Toronto's unique
    assets, how well-prepared is the city for global competition, and how can
    it meet its potential?

    Speakers: Mario Pezzini, Deputy Director in the OECD Public Governance
    and Territorial Development Directorate and Olaf Merk, Economist in the
    OECD Regional Competitiveness and Governance Division

    12:00pm - LUNCHEON - Engineering our Future: Delivering Infrastructure
    Projects Within a Green Energy Economy
    Speaker highlights: The Hon. Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board;
    Angel Gurria, Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation
    and Development (OECD); Jean Lemierre, Advisor to the Chairman, BNP
    Paribas; The Hon. Perrin Beatty, President and CEO, Canadian Chamber of
    Commerce

    How can industries and governments meet infrastructure demands as fast as
    they arise? What are the latest trends and most notable successes in
    infrastructure project development? How can green-energy supplies and
    fuel be systematically integrated in large-scale projects?

    3:00pm - SESSION 3 - Investing in Green Energy
    Speaker highlights: Wesley Clark, Co-Chairman, Growth Energy; Dan
    Hoornweg, Lead Urban Specialist on Cities and Climate, World Bank Group

    What are the most important sources of renewable energy, and how can they
    support the needs of the population and create employment opportunities?

    4:15pm - SESSION 4 - Public Transportation and the Economic Recovery

    Speaker highlights: Hazel McCallion, Mayor of Mississauga, and Ron
    Lemieux, Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation, Government of
    Manitoba

    What are the latest trends in financing, building and operating public
    transportation?
    

For a complete listing of Forum speakers and a detailed agenda, visit www.forumforglobalcities.com.

Media interested in attending Forum sessions must present official credentials at the Forum's Media Desk.

For further information: Media accreditation and information: Kristin Gable, Office: [phone], Cell: [phone], E-Mail/BlackBerry: [email protected]