A little more than 300 local business leaders rubbed elbows with government dignitaries and industry leaders by the likes of Peter Mansbridge at the Whistler Canada Olympic House on Tuesday (Feb. 23).
Mansbridge, the keynote speaker of the economic development event gave a hilarious and poignant hour-long speech to a packed audience in a room usually used as the Whistler Public Library.
The Toronto-based keynote speaker eloquently and without any notes spoke about an array of experiences he's encountered as a Canadian broadcast journalist including interviewing three British Columbian nurses in Sri Lanka, meeting a Canadian human rights worker in Afghanistan and seeing the veteran's parade in the Netherlands town of Apeldoorn.
"The lesson can be a lot of different things to different people, but I think it's simple. I think at root we're a people who care. We care and we show it in lots of different ways. "We show it in our own communities. We show it by worrying about our neighbour, our street and our city. We show it in the businesses we operate by knowing that the bottom line in crucial but knowing that the employees have to be protected as well."
"If there's one thing I could tell you from my experience covering various aspects of the economy over more than four decades," he said. "Especially at times when things have been difficult, I have watched small, medium and large businesses make some of the biggest decisions they ever made coming out of hard times. They look at opportunities that's where the strong make their headway.
Mansbridge expressed awe and admiration for Canadian business leaders who make difficult decisions during tough economic times.
"I have nothing but awe and admiration for you because there's no question that the driving force often in this country comes from people just like you."
After answering about half a dozen questions from the audience, Mansbridge, an Order of Canada recipient received a standing ovation and posed for more than a dozen photos with audience members.
The day-long networking event was the brainchild of MLA Joan McIntyre and funded by the provincial Ministry of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development.
West Vancouver Sea to Sky MLA McIntyre explained she wanted to help local communities capitalize on the international attention the Sea to Sky corridor is receiving from the 2010 Olympic Games by creating an event that did not focus primarily on Whistler or Vancouver.
"I think with the spotlight on Vancouver and Whistler what I would really like to do is give Pemberton and Squamish the opportunity to do a business investing [event]."
Attendees also heard comments from West Vancouver Sunshine Coast Sea to Sky Country MP John Weston, provincial finance minister Colin Hansen, Squamish Nation councillor Dale Harry as well as the mayors of Squamish and Pemberton, Greg Gardner and Jordan Sturdy.
Hansen applauded Sea to Sky community members for their contributions to make the Games a success and urged business leaders to use the momentum of the Games to make leaps forward in progress.
"This is not about a landing pad. This is not about a culmination of a whole lot of planning that sort of lands in these 18 days, but rather it's a launching pad. It's a launching pad into the future and what the future of British Columbia can be as a result of world wide exposure that we're getting as a result of these Games."
Both mayors presented videos showcasing each community and briefly highlighted the many advantages of living and working in the corridor.
In between speakers, attendees had a chance to sample organic Pemberton potato vodka Schramm and watch the Canadian men's hockey team beat Germany 8-2 on two large screens.
With cheering in the background, Gardner said he felt the day was a huge success.
"This was much more than networking. We delivered some key messages in our presentations, so what comes out of it is that all the people that are here are aware of the opportunities that are available in Squamish and I think excited about that potential. I also believe that the quality and substance of the presentations will give people confidence about investing and creating employment in our community."
