All the WOW events that I went to were great – WOW does give a sense of a community trying to improve its attraction and retention!

Caroline Andrew
Professor, University of Ottawa
The work and expertise that OLIP brings to our community is so important as it helps us to build bridges and break down silos.  I look forward to our continued work together. 

Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa
Canada has been shaped by people who came from all over the world to build this country. WOW offers a platform for us to celebrate this history and the future it will help…

Alex Munter, Chair of the OLIP Council and President and CEO of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre
We are very pleased to have done the “Opportunity Cost of Not Investing in Interpretation” report – it is so important to have clarity on these challenges and…

Hindia Mohamoud, Director, OLIP
The target beneficiary of the work of OLIP is the whole community. In this short period we have planted together important seeds for Ottawa’s development.  

Dick Stewart
OLIP Council
My nomination is an indication that our hard work in building Canada is recognized. All we do is to serve the community in return for embracing us when we needed it.  

Mehdi Mahdavi
Ottawa Immigrant Entrepreneurship Awards Nominee
The Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre is so happy to have joined the OLIP Health and Wellbeing Sector Table. It is clear that OLIP cares about immigrants and refugees and…

Wendy Tang, Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre
The City of Ottawa will continue to play a lead role in the implementation of the Ottawa Immigration Strategy, just as we did in the founding of OLIP.

Steve Desroches
City Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Ottawa
In our city’s history, immigrants have always played an important role. They build our economic prosperity, diversify our culture, contribute to our social vitality.

Jim Watson
Mayor of Ottawa
The OLIP Council is committed to leadership.  In only a few years, we have a common vision and priorities, and are up to the task of implementing the Ottawa Immigration Strategy.

Salimatou Diallo
OLIP Council Vice Chair, Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario

Leveraging Immigrants’ Contributions

March 7, 2013

A keynote speech by Diana MacKay and Michelle Parkouda of the Conference Board of Canada opened the second part of the Ottawa Immigration Forum. Their remarks highlighted the contributions that immigration makes to Canada’s innovation and global competitiveness.

Next, participants heard from a panel of prominent champions promoting immigrant integration. Presentations by Corinne Prince-St-Amand (Citizenship and Immigration Canada), Charles Smith (University of Toronto), and Hamdi Mohamed (Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization) looked at different aspects of  “Leveraging Immigrants’ Contributions.”

Keynote Speech

Diana MacKay, Director of Education, Health and Immigration Programs of the Conference Board of Canada
Michelle Parkouda, Senior Research Associate at the Conference Board of Canada
“Driving Community prosperity by Connecting Immigration with Innovation”

Panel Presenations

Corinne Prince-St-Amand, Director General, Integration, Citizenship and Immigration Canada
“Leveraging Immigrants’ Talent in the Federal Public Service: The Federal Internship (FIN) Program”

Charles Smith, Lecturer: Cultural theory and cultural pluralism in the arts, University of Toronto
“Leveraging Immigrants’ Cultural (artistic, athletic, fashion, culinary) Contributions”

Hamdi Mohamed, Executive Director of the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization
“Leveraging Immigrants’ Civic Contributions for Greater Inclusion”