Join Canadian Club Toronto on February 24 when we host The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science & Industry. Minister Champagne will discuss the country’s economic security, the realities and necessities of friend-shoring and the impact on supply chains, the green economy and the importance of critical minerals, as well as Canada’s digital economy and how we can lead in Quantum and AI. Following his remarks, Minister Champagne will be joined in discussion by Amber Mac.
*For virtual attendees, please note that the live stream will begin at approximately 12:40pm ET & the link will be provided closer to the event date*
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne
Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne was first elected in 2015 as the Member of Parliament for Saint-Maurice—Champlain. He has previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Minister of International Trade.
Minister Champagne is a businessman, lawyer, and international trade specialist with over 20 years’ experience at large international companies in Europe, particularly in the fields of energy, engineering, and innovation.
Before entering politics, Minister Champagne was Vice-President and Senior Counsel of ABB Group, a leader in cutting-edge technology that operates in more than 100 countries. He also served as Strategic Development Director, acting General Counsel, and Chief Ethics Officer and Member of the Group Management Committee of Amec Foster Wheeler, a world leader in the energy sector.
In 2009, Minister Champagne was named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He has served on several boards over the years, and was notably President of the Canadian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and the Banff Forum.
After his election in 2015, Minister Champagne served as a parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Finance until 2017, when he was appointed Minister of International Trade. During his time as Minister of International Trade, the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement entered into force, and Canada signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. In 2018, he was named Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and oversaw the federal government’s ambitious $187 billion infrastructure investment plan. He was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2019, and oversaw the creation of Canada’s Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations, which more than 60 countries have endorsed.
Minister Champagne holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Montréal and a Master of Laws in American law from Case Western Reserve University. Minister Champagne also studied public and private international law at The Hague Academy of International Law, in the Netherlands.
Amber MacArthur
President, AmberMac Media Inc.
Amber is President of AmberMac Media, Inc., an award-winning content development agency, an award-winning podcaster (This Is Mining, The AI Effect), and a bestselling author.
She is also the co-host of the weekly emerging technology radio show and podcast #TheFeed on SiriusXM. In 2022, Amber joined the board of directors at GFI (TSXV: PEAS), a plant-based farm-to-fork food and ingredients company.
In 2021, Amber was named one of the Bay Street Bull Women of the Year for her leadership in the technology sector. In 2018, she was named one of DMZ’s 30 inspirational women making a difference in tech. Amber has keynoted more than 500 events around the world and has moderated sessions with: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, former FBI Director James Comey; business coach Tony Robbins; famed astronaut Chris Hadfield; and many other notable leaders.
