Friday, 5 June 2009
A few weeks ago, I was approached by a relocation service to make a presentation describing Canadian history, government and culture to a family moving to Canada. While I do many public speaking engagements throughout the year, this was the first time I had been invited to speak on this topic. It took a bit of research outside of my typical sources, especially when one of the questions related to federal vs. provincial responsibilities described in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the historical basis for how this came to be.
It seemed that a presentation like this required a learned academic; however, I had been recommended by a source who would know better. I was quite flattered to have been asked, and to have delivered a presentation like this. The presentation was held today, and it was most enjoyable. The audience and client appreciated the talk as well.
Afterwards, I had been invited to attend an organizational meeting of the US / Canada Business Council, for which I participated. This group – to be part of the Canadian Club of Chicago – will work to foster networking and understanding between US and Canadian business communities. A relevant concept with many possibilities, I’m happy to be part of its founding. We threw around several ideas for organizational concepts and potential events, with the goal of a September inaugural event. Things are slow for Chicago’s business networking community during summer. More later.