MINISTER AMBROSE CONGRATULATES WOMEN'S EXECUTIVE NETWORK AWARD WINNERS

OTTAWA, Dec. 1 /CNW/ - The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister for the Status of Women today offered congratulations to the recipients of this year's Women's Executive Network's Most Powerful Women Awards. The Awards, presented at an annual gala event held in Toronto on Monday evening, recognize some of Canada's highest achieving female leaders in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

"Increasing women's leadership and democratic participation is tremendously important to our government and as Minister for Status of Women, I am thrilled that these awards recognize and encourage the achievements of Canadian women," said Minister Ambrose.  "I would like to congratulate all of the exceptional women who were honoured, and wish them continued success in all of their future endeavours."

Through these Awards, the Women's Executive Network is providing national recognition of 100 outstanding women in the following categories:

• Sun Life Financial Arts and Communications,
• Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Champions,
• Scotiabank Corporate Executives,
• Franklin Templeton Investments/Fiduciary Trust Entrepreneurs,
• TELUS Future Leaders,
• Cisco Public Sector Leaders, and
• Xstrata Nickel Trailblazers and Trendsetters.

Since the Women's Executive Network's awards were established in 2005, more than 522 women have received this distinction.  In addition, this year 11 women have been inducted into the Canada's Most Powerful Women:  Top 100 Hall of Fame.  They join a group of 73 women who have received the Top 100 Award more than three times.

This year's inductees into Canada's Most Powerful Women Top 100 Hall of Fame are:

• Janice M. Baker, City Manager and Chief Administrative Officer, City of Mississauga (Mississauga, ON)
• Sonia Baxendale, Senior EVP of CIBC and President of CIBC Retail Markets (Toronto, ON)
• Francine Blackburn, EVP and Chief Internal Auditor, Royal Bank of Canada (Toronto, ON)
• Sherri Brillon, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Encana Corporation (Calgary, AB)
• Connie Clerici, Chief Executive Officer, Closing The Gap Healthcare Group (Mississauga, ON)
• Sandra Hanington, Executive Vice President, Product Operations & Process Simplification, Technology and Operations, BMO Financial Group (Toronto, ON)
• Wendy Hannam, EVP, Sales and Service, Products and Marketing, Scotiabank (Toronto, ON)
• Shelly Jamieson, Secretary of the Cabinet and Head of the Ontario Public Service, Government of Ontario (Toronto, ON)
• Annalisa King, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Best Buy Canada Ltd. (Burnaby, BC)
• Barbara Mason, EVP, Wealth Management Canada, Scotiabank (Toronto, ON)
• Christine Power, President and CEO, Capital District Health Authority (Halifax, NS)

For more information on the Women's Executive Network and for a full list of award recipients, please visit http://www.wxnetwork.com.

Ce communiqué est également disponible en français.

For news releases and information on Status of Women Canada, go to: http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca.

For further information:

Rebecca Thomson Director of Communications Office of the Minister for Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Status of Women 819-997-5421

Nanci-Jean Waugh Director General, Communications and Strategic Planning Status of Women Canada 613-995-7839