Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council pays tribute to founding partner,
the late David Pecaut

TORONTO , Dec. 14 /CNW/ - The Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) remembers the late David Pecaut, a city champion and tireless leader who passed away this morning at the age of 54.

Mr. Pecaut , chair of the Toronto City Summit Alliance (TCSA), was one of the early visionaries and founders of TRIEC. Following the 2002 Toronto City Summit, Mr. Pecaut worked with The Maytree Foundation in establishing TRIEC to create and champion solutions to better integrate skilled immigrants in the Toronto Region labour market.

"David's passion about including immigrants in the success story of Toronto has been critical to the work of TRIEC," says Elizabeth McIsaac, executive director of TRIEC. "He understood the importance connections make and how important these are for new immigrants. He also understood that connections happen at both the corporate leadership level as well as the personal level - his own personal experience as a mentor to a skilled immigrant helped shape his outreach to corporate partners to do the same."

Mr. Pecaut served on TRIEC's founding board of directors and helped guide the development of the Council. "David has played a critical role in TRIEC. His leadership and wisdom in bringing the right players to the table and making skilled immigrants a priority for business in the Toronto Region has made an enormous impact in the lives of so many," says Ratna Omidvar, chair of TRIEC's board of directors and president of The Maytree Foundation.

Because of David's vision, passion and action-oriented leadership through TRIEC, more than five thousand skilled immigrants have found a mentor, and more than one thousand have been able to access an internship opportunity. Through these programs, close to 80 per cent of participants have found meaningful employment that uses their skills and experience.

For further information: Visit www.triec.ca or contact Emily Mills, Media Relations and Communications Specialist, [phone] ext. 282, [email protected]; Claire DeVeale-Blane, Communications Manager, [phone] ext. 271, [email protected]