Text signed by Isabelle Hudon, president and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and co-signed by some fifty people from the business community who will attend the Rendez-vous November 2007 Montréal, cultural metropolis, and published in Le Devoir, Le Journal de Montréal and the Métro.
November 8, 2007
RV07: A Rendez-vous starring Montréal
As surprising as it might seem, we will be attending the Rendez-vous November 2007 Montréal, cultural metropolis (RV07) because we are business people. We will be there because we love make that adore what culture does for our economic environment, what it does for Montréal making it easier for us to create wealth and attract talent and investment.
The Rendez-vous that is fast approaching will be unlike any other cultural event. Of course, culture will be present and will be the focus of many discussions. But, to borrow a phrase from the artistic milieu, at this event, culture will play only a supporting role. The lead, or starring, role will be played by Montréal, our metropolis.
In other words, the interest and potential of RV07 lies in the opportunity it offers to discuss how Montréal's development can be nourished by culture. The question underlying our participation in this event is how culture can contribute to the success of our metropolis and, by extension, to that of our companies.
Of course, in one way or another, we all love culture. Depending on our individual tastes, we might be fans of music, theatre, dance, or literature, for example. But our personal interests have nothing to do with our participation in RV07. What will draw us there is our deep shared commitment to culture from an economic perspective.
Culture is one of Montréal's greatest assets, setting our metropolis apart and allowing it to shine on the international stage. It enhances our competitiveness by increasing the quality of life that defines us. It is a source of inspiration and emulation, a constant reminder of the importance of the creativity and innovation that fuel our high technology sectors. It is the incarnation of passion in everything we achieve.
This is the primary reason we believe that Montréal's private sector should more fully support our local arts and artists. It is also why the private sector has a duty to attend the Rendez-vous!
Co-signers:
Tom Albanese, Chief Executive, Rio Tinto plc;
Diane Bélanger, Director - Business Development, Le Groupe Vidal, Corporate Events;
Charles-Mathieu Brunelle, Vice-president and general manager, TOHU, la Cité des arts du cirque;
René Carier, Executive Vice-president, Conseil de l'industrie des communications du Québec (CICQ);
Marcel Choquette, President, MC Conseil;
Francine Cléroux, Assistant Vice-President, Public and Corporate Affairs, Sun Life Financial;
Marcel Côté, Founding Partner, SECOR Consulting;
François Décarie, President, Festival Arcadia;
Robert Desbiens, Executive consultant, Strategy and innovation Industry sector, IBM Canada;
Pierre Després, Vice-President, Public and Governmental Affairs, Alcoa Canada;
Yves-Thomas Dorval, Division Head, Public Affairs, Imperial Tobacco Canada;
Kevin Dumouchel, B. Comm., President, Dumouchel Communications Inc., Strategic Consulting and Business Development;
Yves Dupré, Chairman, Octane, Architecture stratégique et Communication;
Jean-Marc Eustache, Co-founder, Chairman of the Board and President and Chief Executive Officer, Transat A.T. inc.;
Richard B. Evans, Chief Executive, Rio Tinto Alcan;
Sandra Fénelon, Executive Director, Société de développement du boulevard Saint-Laurent;
Maurice Forget, C.M., Of Counsel, Partner and Past Chair, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin S.E.N.C.R.L., LLP;
Victor Francoeur, President and CEO, Hotel and Restaurant Suppliers Association;
Marie-Josée Gagnon, President, CASACOM;
Isabelle Giasson, MBA, Landscape architect, GROUPE CARDINAL HARDY;
Yves Gougoux, Chairman and CEO, Publicis Canada;
The Honourable Serge Joyal, c.p., o.c., Senator;
Phyllis Lambert, CC, GOQ, CAL, FRAIC, Founding Director and Chair of the Board of Trustees,
Canadian Centre for Architecture;
Pierre Lampron, Vice President Institutional Relaltions, Quebecor Media ;
André Leclerc, President, Gagné Leclerc Groupe Conseil;
Jean-Paul Lejeune, Senior Consultant, NATIONAL Public Relations;
Brian M. Levitt, Co-Chair, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt S.E.N.C.R.L./LLP;
Elliot Lifson, Vice-chairman, Vêtements Peerless Clothing inc.;
Anne-Marie L. Lizotte, Partner, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt S.E.N.C.R.L./LLP;
Yannis Mallat, Chief Executive Officer, Ubisoft Montreal;
Tino Masecchia, Vice president - Business Development, MCAP - Real Estate Finance Group;
Laurence Orillard, Talent and organizational development consultant;
Richard J. Paradis, President, Le Groupe CIC ;
Lorraine Pintal, Artistic and general director, Théâtre du Nouveau Monde;
Roger Plamondon, President, Société en commandite Stationnement de Montréal;
Jan-Fryderyk Pleszczynski, Vice-president, strategic affairs, Digital Dimension;
Louise Poulin, President, ARTEXPERT.CA;
Rémi Racine, President and executive producer, Artificial Mind & Movement (A2M);
Gaëtan Rainville, President and CEO, Société du Havre de Montréal;
Javier San Juan, President & CEO, L'Oréal Canada;
Alvin Segal, President and CEO, Vêtements Peerless Clothing Inc.;
Jean Simard, Vice-President, Sustainable development, Public and governmental affairs, Gaz Métro;
Pierre-Étienne Simard, President, Jeune Chambre de commerce de Montréal;
Robert Sorel, Director, Robert Sorel Consultant;
Martine St-Victor, President & Founder, The Milagro Group & The Montreal International Hip Hop Cinema Festival;
Elise Tessier, Principal adviser, Social eonomy, Technopole Angus;
Éric Vidal, President , Le Groupe Vidal, Corporate Events;
Kathleen Weil, B.C.L., LL. B., President and CEO, Foundation of Greater Montreal.