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The Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) is pleased to announce today's appointment of Gordon M. Nixon, president and chief executive officer of RBC, as Chair, and Zabeen Hirji, chief human resources officer of RBC, as Co-Chair of TRIEC.

As top executives at one of the largest financial institutions in North America, Gord Nixon and Zabeen Hirji are key ambassadors to articulate how Canadian companies can benefit from the international experience and networks, language skills and cultural knowledge that skilled immigrants bring with them to Canada."

Nixon has for years been a champion for promoting diversity in Canadian communities and of leveraging skilled immigrant talent as a driver of Canadian innovation and prosperity. Nixon is chairman of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and chairman of MaRS Discovery District. In 2007, Nixon was invested into the Order of Ontario and was named Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year.

Ontario's clean technology industry is poised for growth, and is comprised of companies that manufacture, develop and sell competitive products. Despite this promise, these companies face key challenges in becoming globally competitive - including lack of growth capital, weak domestic demand, and a small pool of management experienced in product commercialization.

Ogilvy Renault LLP, MaRS Discovery District, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Export Development Canada, RBC, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ontario BioAuto Council, TMX Group Inc., Canada's Venture Capital & Private Equity Association, National Angel Capital Organization, XPV Capital and Investeco Capital.

MaRS Discovery District is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael H. McCain, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods Inc., to its Board of Directors.

Mr. McCain is looking forward to joining the MaRS Board of Directors as wel

Mr. McCain

If you're a prospective mobile entrepreneur keen to take your idea or business to the next level, you just might get your chance at MaRS on Monday, March 2nd.

MobileMonday Toronto, the mobile industry-networking group, will open the floor for prospective mobile entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas to some of Canada's leading VCs. The focus of this session will be raising capital for mobile ventures. It will include participation from Sean Wise of Wise Mentor Capital, Ted Anderson, Managing General Partner from Ventures West, Marc Faucher from JLA Ventures Fund and Matt Golden from RBC Venture Partners Fund.

Canada has the research expertise to develop drugs and vaccines to address pressing medical needs, but delivering on the promise will require new models of collaboration between scientists, biotechnology, the pharmaceutical industry, business and policy makers according to speakers at an upcoming symposium hosted by The Gairdner Foundation and York University. The symposium, Entrepreneurship & Commercialization in Biomedical Science, on Thursday, May 14, marks the 50th anniversary of both York University and The Gairdner Foundation.

The Gairdner Foundation recognizes the world's leading medical research scientists through its prestigious annual awards program for biomedical science. The symposium, which is hosted by York’s Faculty of Science & Engineering and Schulich School of Business, will bring together scientist entrepreneurs, Canadian venture capital firms, the biomedical industry and policy-makers.

He will be followed by Smith, founder and former president & CEO of RBC Ventures and a member of the board of Toronto's MaRS innovation centre. Smith will speak about how Canada has made strong progress in positioning itself as a potential leader in biotech and medical research and in its commercialization efforts but faces two clear threats – the global financial calamity together with the lack of clear federal government support for research.