London Olympics Diversity Expert coming to Toronto to speak at Diversity Conference

Wirestory that I issued this morning. Will be of interest to Diversity and Business Editors

RBC Sponsorship of Upcoming Canadian Supplier Diversity Conference in March 2012 Announced

TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2011 /CNW/ - The Diversity Business Network, (DBN), is pleased to announce that RBC, Canada's largest bank, will be the presenting sponsor at the Canadian Supplier Diversity Conference 2012 - Diversity Our Economic Strength. "The Canada of today reflects diversity, and diversity for growth and innovation is one of RBC's key values," states Jennifer Tory, Regional President for Greater Toronto Region at RBC. "As presenting sponsor for the March conference, we hope to create opportunities to share ideas, collaborate and explore possibilities to help diverse-owned businesses develop, grow, and prosper across all our communities," Tory comments.

RBC annually issues a Diversity Progress Report highlighting its initiatives and achievements based on the theme that diversity makes us stronger. RBC has received international recognition for its commitment to diversity as one of four companies that received the 2010 Catalyst Award for Diversity. In 2011 Ms. Tory received special recognition from Catalyst Canada for her role in championing women and diversity in business. Catalyst is an organization founded on the principles of advancing culture-changing efforts within business through diversity and inclusion.

"We are thrilled to have RBC as presenting sponsor for the 2012 Canadian Supplier Diversity Conference," states Courtney Betty, President and Founder of DBN. "RBC has demonstrated what is possible when a Canadian business makes diversity a core value in its hiring and supply chain practices," he continues.

DBN was founded to create greater awareness among government, NGOs and corporations about the talent and capability of diverse-owned businesses in Canada and the cultural and economic contributions they can make to the country and the world. At the first conference held in the fall of 2010 in Toronto over 350 diverse-owned businesses and corporations participated. The focus of the 2012 conference, to be held at the Allstream Center at Exhibition Place on Friday, March 23, will be on the economic impact of diversity in the Canadian supply chain. Diverse-owned businesses along with Canadian companies seeking diverse suppliers will meet in a forum and breakout sessions to learn about each other and about practical ways to work together.

The keynote speaker will be Stephen Frost, Head of Diversity and Inclusion for London 2012, the organizing body for the upcoming Olympic Games. He will be joined by speakers from RBC and other leading executives from the public and private sector across North America who will talk about how they are addressing diversity in their procurement strategies. Breakout themed sessions will focus on how companies and organizations can transform their business practices through understanding, implementing and measuring supplier diversity.

About The Diversity Business Network

DBN provides tools, strategies and systems for corporations to become world-class leaders and benefactors of supplier diversity. Our mission is to make diversity in the supply chain a cornerstone of corporate Canada and to establish the standard by which supplier diversity effectiveness is measured within business and government.

For further information: Courtney Betty, B.A., LL.B. JD.
President and CEO
Diversity Business Network (DBN)
Website: www.diversitybusinessnetwork.com
Email: Courtney@diversitybusinessnetwork.com
Tel: O. 416-968-1181 | f. 416-968-7619

 

Stephen Weir
Stephen Weir & Associates | stephen@stephenweir.com
or sweir5492@rogers.com
2482 Yonge Street, Unit 45032, Toronto, ONT.
CANADA. M4P 3E3
Tel: 416-489-5868 | Fax: 416-488-6518
www.stephenweir.com

Where are the Charles Taylor Prize Longlist Authors From?

ANSWER? FROM ALL ACROSS CANADA (but heavy from British Columbia)
 

1.  Something Fierce: Memoirs of a Revolutionary Daughter by Carmen Aguirre, published by Douglas & McIntyre

Carmen Aguirre is a Vancouver based author and playright. She is originally from Chile

2.  Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest by Wade Davis, published by Knopf Canada

Wade Davis is a Vancouver based author and explorer. He is currently the Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society in Washington

3.  The Patrol: Seven Days in the Life of a Canadian Soldier in Afghanistan by Ryan Flavelle, published by HarperCollins

Ryan Flavelle is a Canadian Vet and lives in Calgary

4.  Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe by Charlotte Gill, published by Greystone Books

Charlotte Gill lives on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia

5.  Nation Maker: Sir John A. MacDonald: His Life, Our Times Volume Two: 1867 - 1891 by Richard Gwyn, published by Random House Canada

Author and Toronto Star columnist Richard Gwyn lives in Toronto’s Cabbagetown

6.  The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit by J. J. Lee, published by McClelland & Stewart

JJ LEE is the menswear columnist for the Vancouver Sun and broadcasts a weekly fashion column for CBC Radio in Vancouver.  He lives in New Westminister

7.  Facing the Hunter: Reflections on a Misunderstood Way of Life by David Adams Richards, published by Doubleday Canada

David Adams Richards was born and raised New Brunswick.  The Order of Canada author lives in Fredricton

8.  Why Not? Fifteen Reasons to Live by Ray Robertson, published by Biblioasis

Ray Robertson is from Chatham Ontario and currently calls the town home

9.  Afflictions and Departures: Essays by Madeline Sonik, published by Anvil Press

Canadian author Madleine Sonik was born in Detroit and lives in Victoria BC

10.                The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery by Andrew Westoll, published by HarperCollins

The primatologist, and author lives in toronto

11.                Bad Animals: A Father's Accidental Education in Autism by Joel Yanofsky, published by Viking Canada

Joel Yanofsky lives in Montreal

Just In Time For Christmas - 11 top non-fiction books on Prize Longlist

 CHARLES TAYLOR PRIZE FOR LITERARY NON-FICTION ANNOUNCES FIRST LONGLIST FOR THE 2012 ANNUAL PRIZE

In response to the large number of publishers' submissions that are received each year and the opportunity to promote the best of these books in the all-important Christmas bookselling season, the trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation have decided to make public the books that are still under consideration by the 2012 prize jury. Thirty-five publishers from across North America and around the world have submitted 115 titles this year. Today, jurors Allan M. Brandt, Stevie Cameron, and Susan Renouf announced the first longlist ever issued for The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction. 
The longlisted titles are:

1. Something Fierce: Memoirs of a Revolutionary Daughter by Carmen Aguirre, published by Douglas & McIntyre
2. Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest by Wade Davis, published by Knopf Canada
3. The Patrol: Seven Days in the Life of a Canadian Soldier in Afghanistan by Ryan Flavelle, published by HarperCollins
4. Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe by Charlotte Gill, published by Greystone Books
5. Nation Maker: Sir John A. MacDonald: His Life, Our Times Volume Two: 1867 - 1891 by Richard Gwyn, published by Random House Canada
6. The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit by J. J. Lee, published by McClelland & Stewart
7. Facing the Hunter: Reflections on a Misunderstood Way of Life by David Adams Richards, published by Doubleday Canada
8. Why Not? Fifteen Reasons to Live by Ray Robertson, published by Biblioasis
9. Afflictions and Departures: Essays by Madeline Sonik, published by Anvil Press
10. The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A Canadian Story of Resilience and Recovery by Andrew Westoll, published by HarperCollins
11. Bad Animals: A Father's Accidental Education in Autism by Joel Yanofsky, published by Viking Canada

Prize Founder Noreen Taylor commented: "Last year, at our 10th anniversary, the jury informed us that there were so many additional titles so close to being named to the shortlist that we realized it was time to issue a longlist. Now, as I look at the longlisted titles, it is clear that it was the right decision. Our jury has sorted through the 115 submissions and selected a longlist that is diverse in subject and treatment. Having already read a number of these books, I know that the jury has lived up to our mandate. They have Recognized Excellence."
The jurors for The 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction are Allan M. Brandt, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, award-winning author Stevie Cameron, and well-respected editor and consultant Susan Renouf. Full biographies of the jurors can be found here: http://www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca/2012/jury_12.asp 
The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are Michael Bradley (Toronto), Judith Mappin (Montreal), David Staines (Ottawa), and Noreen Taylor (Toronto). They established The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction to commemorate the life and work of the late Charles Taylor, one of Canada's foremost essayists and a prominent member of the Canadian literary community. Charles Taylor was a foreign correspondent with The Globe and Mail and the author of four books: Radical Tories; Reporter in Red China; Six Journeys: A Canadian Pattern; and Snow Job.
The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is awarded annually to the author whose book best combines an excellent command of the English language, an elegance of style, quality of thought, and subtlety of perception. The prize consists of $25,000 for the winning author and $2,000 for each of the remaining finalists. All of the shortlisted titles receive extensive national publicity and marketing support.
The Charles Taylor Foundation gratefully acknowledges the support of its partners: RBC Wealth Management (Presenting Sponsor); Windfields Farm (Major Sponsor); CBC Books, CNW Group, Quill & Quire, and The Globe and Mail (Media Sponsors); and Ben McNally Books, Indigo Books and Music, the International Festival of Authors (IFOA), and Kobo Inc. (In-Kind Sponsors).
The 2012 prize shortlist will be announced on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 and the winner on Monday, March 5, 2012 at events to be held in downtown Toronto.
For more information please visit: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca
and follow us at www.twitter.com/taylorprize
To download high resolution images of the jury, visit:
www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca/2012/photogallery_12.asp