More Than 1,200 Attendees From 18 Countries At The International Economic Forum Of The Americas—Toronto Global Forum

TORONTO, October 4, 2012—The 6^th annual Toronto Global Forum, one of three events comprising the International Economic Forum of the Americas, concluded on an optimistic note on Tuesday, with former United States Secretary of State James Baker noting there was a compelling political rationale for international cooperation to address the world’s pressing economic, fiscal, security  and governance issues.

“All will gain if we succeed,” Baker told a capacity lunchtime audience in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. “More importantly, all will suffer if we fail.”

October 3 marked the 25^th anniversary of the signing of the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement and Baker was joined on stage by the Hon. Michael Wilson, one of the country’s senior business leaders, but Canada’s Minister of Finance at the time of the signing, for a discussion of their respective roles in achieving the deal, along with moderator/interviewer Frank McKenna, former Premier of New Brunswick.

Earlier, former Prime Minister of Greece and Vice President of the European Central Bank, Lucas Papademos, addressed the lunchtime crowd with a discussion of prospects for resolution of the “Eurozone” economic crisis, reaching a similar conclusion—that solving the region’s grave economic issues was non-negotiable and, while delays may result from inaction, a reckoning to address debt levels, taxation and other issues was ultimately inevitable.

The two-day conference attracted senior political, business and academic leaders to focus on four main themes: natural resources, infrastructure, finance and trade.

“We are delighted with the success of this year’s event,” said Nicholas Remillard, President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Economic Forum of the Americas. “Over the years, the Toronto Global Forum, along with similar events in Montreal and Palm Springs, has provided an opportunity for some of the best minds in their respective fields to gather, share views and explore potential solutions to the world’s complex issues.

Some of the highlights included discussions about:

• The implications and possible policy responses to the country’s continuing low interest rate environment as it affects pensions and personal savings, with Dean Connor, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sun Life Financial;

• The critical need for a well-informed public able to engage in fact-based discussions and debates about the environmental and other implications associated with energy exploration and extraction, with Alan Crain, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Baker Hughes and David Collyer, President of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers;

• The challenges of striking the optimal balance of managing austerity while fostering economic growth, with Mickey Levy, Chief Economist of Bank of America, Paul Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer of credit rating and analytics agency Fitch Group and Thomas Kloet, Chief Executive Officer of TMX Group;

• The interrelationships between energy prices, supplies, capital investments and corporate social responsibility, with presentations from a diverse group including Janice Brewer, Governor of Arizona, , Nizar Al-Adsani, Chairman and Managing Director of the Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company, David Collyer, President of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers Dror Etzion, Associate Professor, Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University and D’Arcy Levesque, Vice-President of Public and Government Affairs, Enbridge;

• Overall, the need for sound public policy, regulatory clarity and political stability in ensuring robust trading relationships that will benefit all participants, including those at the lower end of the economic spectrum.

Also speaking were federal, provincial and municipal government representatives, including federal Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver, Ontario Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation Bob Chiarelli, Minister of International Trade Ed Fast, Minister of State for Finance Ted Menzies, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Diane Ablonczy, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Charles Sousa and City of Toronto Counsellor Michael Thompson.

For more information about International Economic Forum of the Americas and future events, visit: http://forum-americas.org/toronto