Prime Minister Stephen Harper joins an impressive line-up of speakers for
this fall's top economic event

OTTAWA , Oct. 20 /CNW Telbec/ - Prime Minister Stephen Harper has confirmed that he will participate at this fall's premier economic event, The Economic Edge. Mr. Harper joins a prestigious list of speakers, including Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Liberal Foreign Affairs critic Bob Rae , who will provide invaluable insight from their experience in business, politics, and academia on October 21 at Toronto's Metro Convention Centre.

The Economic Edge, presented jointly by Microsoft(R) Canada's Can(greater than)Win initiative and The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, is the only event that can boast such a diverse range of leaders focused on the theme, Defining strategies to secure Canada's global advantage: it's Canada vs. the world - are you in?

"Our goal is to look beyond Canada's short-term challenges and focus on what we need to do now to be successful as the world's economy recovers," says Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. " Canada is well positioned to compete and win in the global marketplace, but we need to develop clear strategies and put them in place now."

    
    The speaker list includes:

    -   Elyse Allan, President and CEO, GE Canada
    -   Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft Corporation
    -   Event moderator: Allan Gregg, Pollster, Broadcaster and Social
        Commentator
    -   Shauneen Bruder, Chair, The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and
        Executive Vice President, Business & Commercial Banking, RBC
        Financial Group
    -   Michelle d'Auray, Secretary of the Treasury Board
    -   Tony Dean, Fellow in Residence, University of Toronto, Former
        Secretary of the Cabinet, Head of the Ontario Public Service, and
        Clerk of the Executive Council
    -   Michael Kergin, Former Ambassador of Canada to the United States of
        America and Senior Advisor, Corporate, Ottawa, Bennett Jones LLP
    -   John A. Manzoni, President and CEO, Talisman Energy Inc
    -   Parker Mitchell, Co-CEO, Engineers without Borders
    -   David Mondragon, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd.
    -   The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister, Environment Canada
    -   The Honourable Bob Rae, M.P., Toronto Centre, Liberal Foreign Affairs
        Critic
    -   Dr. Indira Samarasekera, President, University of Alberta
    -   Trish Wheaton. Chief Marketing Officer, Chairperson, Canada,
        Wunderman
    -   Wayne Wouters, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the
        Cabinet
    

Other event information is available at www.chamber.ca

For further information: Kathryn Anderson, The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Director, Communications and Marketing, Cell: [phone], [email protected]