For forty-eight seasons, Canadian Club Toronto and the National Post have gathered expert panelists each New Year for a forecast luncheon on the economy, the markets and political issues that will affect Canadians in the year ahead. Moderated by Barbara Shecter, Financial Post Business Correspondent for Postmedia, this expert panel features:
*For virtual attendees, please note that the live stream will begin at approximately 12:30pm ET & the link will be provided closer to the event date*
Jean-François Perrault
Senior Vice President & Chief Economist, Scotiabank
Jean-François Perrault joined Scotiabank in 2015 as Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist. He leads a team of Economists to support Scotiabank’s domestic and international business lines and clients from retail to capital markets, providing Scotiabank’s senior executives, business lines and customers with perspectives, insights and forecasts on economic, financial market and policy developments. Prior to joining Scotiabank, Jean-François held prominent roles with the federal government, the Bank of Canada, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Tasha Kheiriddin
National Political Columnist, Postmedia
Tasha Kheiriddin is one of Canada’s leading political analysts, strategists, and thought leaders, known for her insights across multiple media platforms. Fluent in both English and French, Tasha is the national political columnist for Postmedia, writes for GZero Media and La Presse, and contributes to her Substack newsletter, In My Opinion. She is also a political analyst for Radio Canada and a sought-after speaker and commentator. A graduate of McGill University, Tasha began her career in law before transitioning to media, where she hosted and produced political programming for CBC Newsworld, CPAC, CTV News Channel, and Global News Radio. She has been a member of the editorial board of the National Post and was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Media and Communications by the Women’s Executive Network in 2016. Tasha has also worked with leading think tanks and advocacy organizations, including the Fraser Institute and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. She ran her own communications consultancy for over a decade and continues to provide strategic communications advice through Ellipsum Public Affairs.
Amanda Lang
Host, Taking Stock, Bell Media
Award-winning business journalist Amanda Lang has been covering business in North America for 25 years. Lang is the host of Taking Stock, a weekly national television program airing across multiple Bell Media networks including BNN Bloomberg, CP24 and CTV News Channel. Taking Stock also airs as a weekly podcast and on the iHeart radio network. She was previously host of Bloomberg Markets, a global program airing in Canada on BNN Bloomberg and on the Bloomberg Television network globally. Prior to that, Lang was CBC’s senior business correspondent, reporting for its flagship nightly news program, The National, and host of The Exchange with Amanda Lang, a daily business program airing on CBC News Network. For five years before that Lang hosted The Lang and O’Leary Exchange, with Kevin O’Leary. And prior to that the pair co-hosted SqueezePlay, on BNN, for 6 years.
Lang studied Architecture at the University of Manitoba, before becoming a journalist. Her first job in journalism was for the Globe and Mail, and subsequently Lang joined the Financial Post newspaper, where she became the paper’s New York correspondent. In New York she made the leap to television, where she first was part of the team that launched BNN and before long wound up at CNN as a reporter and anchor.
Lang is a senior fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Lang is chair of the board of directors of Covenant House Toronto, the largest agency in Canada serving homeless and at-risk youth.
Lang is also a best-selling author. “The Power of Why,” (HarperCollins, October 2012) explores the connection between curiosity and success. “The Beauty of Discomfort” (HarperCollins, April 2017) examines how difficult change can be, and set out strategies for how to achieve it.
Dennis Mitchell
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, Starlight Capital
Dennis Mitchell joined Starlight Capital in March 2018 as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer. He has over 20 years of experience in the investment industry and has held executive positions with Sprott Asset Management, serving as Senior Vice-President and Senior Portfolio Manager, and Sentry Investments, serving as Executive Vice-President and Chief Investment Officer.
Mr. Mitchell received the Brendan Wood International Canadian TopGun Award in 2009, 2010, and 2011 and the Brendan Wood International 2012 Canadian TopGun Team Leader Award. He also received the Afroglobal Television Excellence Award for Enterprise in 2020 and the Black Business and Professionals Association’s Harry Jerome President’s Award in 2021.
Mr. Mitchell holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and Chartered Business Valuator designations and earned a Master of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business at York University in 2002 and an Honors Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1998.
Mr. Mitchell currently sits on the Board of the Toronto Foundation and is Co-Founder and Director of the Black Opportunity Fund.
Barbara Shecter
Financial Post Business Correspondent, Postmedia
Barbara Shecter is a veteran Canadian journalist, known for in-depth reporting and storytelling with a focus on the business world. She had interviewed CEOs, politicians and other key Bay Street players and decision-makers over more than two decades, and her journalism has been recognized by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW Canada) and the Portfolio Management Association of Canada. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Journalism from Western University and has been invited to share her expertise on television, radio and podcasts, including an appearance on TVOntario’s flagship current affairs program The Agenda. Barbara has also taught courses in recent years at Toronto Metropolitan University and the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies.
