Saturday 25 February 2012

Charles Taylor Prize Award Luncheon - Save That Date



ADVISORY TO NEWS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA




The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction

2012  Winner Announcement

   Monday, March 5
 
Reception 11:30 a.m.    Luncheon 12:00 p.m.   Winner Announcement 1:30 p.m.

Le Meriden King Edward Hotel
Sovereign Ballroom
37 King Street East, Toronto

Finalists:
   Wade Davis        Charlotte Gill        J.J. Lee        Madeline Sonik      Andrew Westoll

The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is presented by RBC Wealth Management; with major support from Windfields Farm.   Media partners are CNW Group, CBC Books, The Globe and Mail, The Huffington Post, Maclean's and Quill & Quire.  In-Kind Sponsors are: Ben McNally Books, Event Source, Indigo Books and Music, Kobo Canada Inc., The International Festival of Authors (IFOA) and Le Meridien King Edward Hotel.

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Media are requested to confirm their attendance with Stephen Weir & Associates:

Stephen Weir:    416-489-5868    cell: 416-801-3101   stephen@stephenweir.com
Linda Crane:       905-257-6033    cell: 416-727-0112   cranepr@cogeco.ca

*Working media are welcome to cover. Limited seating. Please indicate if seating required by Thursday, March 1st.  Greenroom lunch available for video/film crews.

Sunday 19 February 2012

Stephen Frost - Key London Olympics Official - coming to Toronto to talk Diversity - Pan Am Games

 
Head of Diversity and Inclusion for the London Olympic Games to Speak at Upcoming DBN Supplier Diversity Conference
Olympic Games' Stephen Frost

 

February 17, 2012 (Toronto, Canada) – Stephen Frost, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will be the keynote speaker at The Canadian Supplier Diversity Conference 2012, Diversity Our Economic Strength, presented by RBC, on Friday, March 23, 2012 at the Allstream Centre, Toronto, Canada. Mr. Frost will talk about the work he has been doing to make the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games diverse and inclusive. The upcoming London Games employs a workforce of 200,000 and its procurement spend amounts to £1.2 billion ($1.9 billion Canadian).

Prior to his appointment to head up Diversity and Inclusion Mr. Frost served as Executive Assistant to the Games’ Chief Executive, Paul Deighton. Mr. Frost, among his many jobs, oversees customer service and accessibility, a 9-million ticket program, 134 separate sites including supporting venues, and manages a team responsible for recruitment. He recently launched the LOCOG Diversity and Inclusion Business Charter, the first organization in the United Kingdom to achieve the Diversity Works for London Gold Standard.

Mr. Frost is the recent recipient of the Peter Robertson Award for Equality and Diversity Champions, an annual award given by ORC Worldwide, an international management consulting firm focused on building equitable, inclusive work environments. The Award recognized his longstanding work in the areas of disability, age, gay and lesbian rights, his strong collaboration with community and industry groups to benefit the economically disadvantaged, and his entrepreneurial style that breaks down boundaries and enables real change, even in unreceptive environments.
Mr. Frost has established and led the workplace team at Stonewall, Europe’s largest gay equality organization. He helped build the Diversity Champions program into the largest diversity employer forum in the United Kingdom with over 300 members including The Royal Navy and Manchester City Football Club. He launched the United Kingdom’s first lesbian and gay recruitment guide, established the LGBT Leadership program in conjunction with Harvard University and Henley Management College, and developed the Workplace Equality Index which has become a standard across many leading United Kingdom employers.
 The Canadian Supplier Diversity Conference, an initiative of the Diversity Business Network, (www.diversitybusinessnetwork.com) brings together diverse-owned businesses with government, NGOs and leading Canadian  corporations seeking diversity in their supply chain. First held in the fall of 2010, with more than 300 diverse-owned companies attending, this year’s theme will be on the ROI of diversity for Canadian business. The conference will feature, along with Ms. Castillo, a number of speakers who will talk about the impact diversity in the supply chain is having in their organizations and what it means to their bottom line.

About The Canadian Supplier Diversity Conference 2012

The theme is Diversity Our Economic Strength. The location is the Allstream Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto. The date is Friday, March 23, 2012. The conference runs from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The presenting sponsor is RBC.  Visit www.diversitybusinessnetwork.com/supplier-diversity-conference-overview?pmExp=1448 to learn more.

About LOCOG

LOCOG is the organizing committee responsible for the delivery of The 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Contact Information for DBN and The Canadian Supplier Diversity Conference 2012:
Courtney Betty
President and CEO, Diversity Business Network (DBN)
Tel: 416-968-1181 | Fax: 416-968-7619

Issued by Stephen Weir
Stephen Weir & Associates
Stephen@stephenweir.com

Thursday 9 February 2012

Canada’s Ultimate Book Club

VALENTINE'S DAY EXCLUSIVE EVENING NON-FICTION EVENT IN TORONTO

The Charles Taylor Prize For Literary Non-Fiction
Presents

Canada’s Ultimate Book Club

Please join Noreen Taylor, Prize Founder for a stimulating discussion with the five finalists shortlisted for The 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction, moderated by Dr. David Staines, C.M. O. Ont.

Wade Davis

Author of INTO THE SILENCE: THE GREAT WAR, MALLORY, AND THE CONQUESTION OF EVEREST

Charlotte Gill

Author of EATING DIRT: DEEP FORESTS, BIG TIMBER AND LIFE WITH THE TREE-PLANTING TRIBE

J J Lee

Author of THE MEASURE OF A MAN: THE STORY OF A FATHER, A SUN AND A SUIT

Madeline Sonik

Author of AFFLICTIONS & DEPARTURES: ESSAYS

Andrew Westoll

Author of THE CHIMPS OF FAUNA SANCTUARY: A CANADIAN STORY OF RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY

This event will be video-taped for later broadcast

February 14, 2012 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

RBC Plaza, Executive Lounge
40th Floor. 200 Bay Street South Tower
Toronto, Ontario
(at the corner of Bay Street and Front Street)

RSVP REQUIRED: 647-447-6000
junedickenson@cogeco.ca

Tuesday 7 February 2012

It Is Not Very Often That Mayor Ford Gets Praised By Social Media

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford (left), Councillor Doug Ford (middle) and Councillor Joe Mihevic at Carnival Parade 2011
ROB FORD PRAISED FOR RECOGNIZING BOB MARLEY IN TORONTO
It is not very often that people on social media sites like Facebook have something nice to say about Toronto mayor Rob Ford .... till yesterday. Courtney Betty founder of the Bob Marley Awards and Diversity Business Network sent a note around praising the mayor for making yesterday Bob Marley Day!
"This marks the 21st year the Mayor of Toronto has officially declared Bob Marley Day" wrote Courtney Betty. "In the proclamation the Mayor stated’ I Mayor Rob Ford, on behalf of Toronto City Council do hereby proclaim February 6, 2012 as “Bob Marley Day” and join with residents to salute a great musician and humanitarian.
According to Courtney Betty, founder of Bob Marley day; Toronto has come a long way in developing our Diversity. I am proud that Bob Marley Day has been able to serve as a connecting bridge bringing people together and helping us understand Bob Marley’s message of One Love, One Race, the human race”. Since its beginning policing and recognition of Police Officers has always been a focus of Bob Marley Day. Former Deputy Chief Keith Forde and present Chief of Police Peter Solely are both past Bob Marley Day award recipients. 
Courney Betty being photographed by Sway Magazine

Mr Betty continued by saying, "The advancements in diversity of Metro Police are a beacon for all other organizations to follow. We must also now build on our successes and develop similar strategies to ensure that the economic aspects of diversity are also developed. In this regard the Diversity Business Conference on March 23rd 2012, presented by Royal Bank of Canada provides a path for us to see how Toronto can be an economic beacon by fulfilling the City’s motto “Diversity Our Strength”.
www.diversitybusinessnetwork.com.

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