The World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Ottawa Hub is thrilled with the success of its inaugural event, Shaping Davos Ottawa: Rethinking Politics, after an engaging and informative panel discussion hosted at the Rideau Club in downtown Ottawa on Thursday, January 22, 2015. The event would not have been possible without key financial support from Invest Ottawa, Hill + Knowlton, and KoMedia. 
The evening was part of the Forum's global dialogue initiative called Shaping Davos, a new concept to bring the world to the WEF’s Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters (January 21-24, 2015), and in turn bring Davos to the world. The Ottawa Hub was selected as one of 40 cities globally to host a local event, which the Hub followed up on Friday morning with a virtual broadcast to Davos-Klosters via satellite with CBC Power & Politics host Evan Solomon from CBC Ottawa headquarters.
The evening was part of the Forum's global dialogue initiative called Shaping Davos, a new concept to bring the world to the WEF’s Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters (January 21-24, 2015), and in turn bring Davos to the world. The Ottawa Hub was selected as one of 40 cities globally to host a local event, which the Hub followed up on Friday morning with a virtual broadcast to Davos-Klosters via satellite with CBC Power & Politics host Evan Solomon from CBC Ottawa headquarters.
- Robert Onley, Curator of the Global Shapers Ottawa Hub, addresses the audience.
On Thursday, in front of a crowd of 100 select guests, we hosted a panel discussion moderated by the Friday host for CTV's Power Play, Mercedes Stephenson, about: “Canada’s Role in the Future of Governance: Open Government, Engaged Citizens." Opening the discussion were keynote addresses by Robert Greenhill, founder of Global-Canada and former Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, as well as Peggy Taillon, President of the Canadian Council on Social Development. Panelists included:
- Paul Heinbecker, Canada’s former Ambassador to the United Nations
- Maryantonett Flumian, President of the Institute on Governance
- Ilona Dougherty, Founder, Apathy is Boring
- Giovanna Mingarelli, CEO and Co-Founder, PlayMC2 and Ottawa Global Shaper
- Bryan Smith, Co-Founder & Vice-President, ThinkDataWorks
- Bruce Lazenby, CEO of Invest Ottawa
Through its panel discussion, the Ottawa Hub was tasked with focusing on civic apathy in exploring how modern open data and open governance concepts can tackle the problem. Panelists assessed the need to provide citizens with information, engaging them in real time and empowering them to make decisions in their communities and concluded that such action is critical to improving governance. It is well understood that engaged citizens are critical to nation building, and the panel stated that Canada needs fresh thinking in its political system and engaged citizens can help this. To ensure that our government makes the best policies possible we need greater transparency, participation and collaboration. Canada cannot afford to miss doing this. A full summary of the dialogue will be produced in the coming weeks.
Capping the night, the CEO of Invest Ottawa, Bruce Lazenby, delivered a powerful snapshot presentation on the strengths of the City of Ottawa. For part 2 of Shaping Davos, the next morning at the CBC News headquarters, members of the Ottawa Hub met with CBC Power & Politics host Evan Solomon for the Hub's "Virtual Speaker" live-feed broadcast into the Davos Annual Meeting in Switzerland. Representing the Ottawa Hub on Friday, Solomon summarized the Thursday evening dialogue as part of a separate panel discussion in Davos moderated by Anne Marie Slaughter. Video of the Davos panel on Rethinking Politics, including Solomon's comments, can be viewed on the official Shaping Davos website here (click the "Rethinking Politics" video to watch).
- Evan Solomon, in-studio during the "Virtual Speaker" live stream into the Davos Annual Meeting.
Shaping Davos: Rethinking Politics was the first major World Economic Forum event directly connected with the Davos Annual Meeting that the Global Shapers Ottawa Hub has hosted in Ottawa. The Ottawa Hub looks forward to many more in the years to come. Check out the photos below for a peek at what transpired, and a full video of the panel will be uploaded soon.
By: Robert D. Onley, Curator, Global Shapers Ottawa Hub
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