Maryam Monsef believes in the power of the working together, and she knows that the best way to foster such collaborations is to create opportunities for people to connect in person and share stories.
That’s why the former federal cabinet minister will be the keynote speaker for the “Resilient Women, Resilient Economies” event hosted by Launch Kawartha and the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, September 12 at 5:30 p.m. The evening will include food and a cash bar, both provided by local female entrepreneurs. Tickets are now on sale for $53.52.
“It’ll be a room of women and those who care about us working to further the success of women in the Kawartha Lakes area,” says Monsef. “One of the key elements for a strong economy is women who are thriving.”
After her defeat as Peterborough-Kawartha MP in the 2021 federal election, Monsef left politics and launched her consultancy business ONWARD in 2022 with the goal of empowering female leaders through speaking events, workshops, and consultations.
At the September 12 keynote address, she will share stories of resilience and what happens when people and communities work together.
“In my time as the Rural Economic Development Minister in Canada, I learned that when rural communities come together and share resources and share challenges, they’re more likely to get services and opportunities for their residents,” she says.
As an example, she points to the development of “The Link,” the rural bus service pilot project created in partnership between Selwyn Township, Curve Lake First Nation, Community Care Peterborough, and the City of Peterborough.
“They were able to organize a public transportation service for the residents in those three communities, whereas, on their own, such public transit amenity would not have been viable,” Monsef says. “That’s just a small example of how effective solutions for rural communities are out there, provided there’s collaboration.”
In preparation for the event, Monsef has been spending more time connecting with downtown business owners in Lindsay and her talk at the event will spotlight some of these stories.
Monsef is hopeful that the event will not only serve as a gateway to meaningful collaborations, but that it could lead to long-term mentorship between female entrepreneurs.
“For the younger professionals and newcomers in the area, it’s an opportunity to be connected with these more established folks,” she says.
“This is a time when labour shortages continue to come up for employers so, for those established business owners, this is an opportunity to be connected with fresh talent and hopefully we will learn about the partnerships that come out of it down the road as we have more events.”
Vince Killen, executive director of Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development Corporation (KLCFDC), assures there will be many similar events in the future, as the September 12 event is part of the GiveBack Women’s Mentorship Initiative. The initiative from KLCFDC and Launch Kawartha is dedicated to empowering female entrepreneurs in the region through networking events, inspiring keynotes, and mentorships.
“The intention is to have an amazing opportunity for a keynote speaker to talk about specific issues relating to women’s entrepreneurship or equality, diversity, inclusion, and empowerment,” says Killen. “Maryam and ONWARD have a lot of the same ideals so we thought that was an opportunity to collaborate.”
The initiative has hosted two larger networking opportunities for women, including a 2023 International Women’s Day event featuring special guest speaker Marlene Morrison Nicholls, and a keynote talk from entrepreneur Erica Ehm.
“I saw it as an opportunity for training and for workshops for topics that potentially weren’t being offered anywhere in the area,” Killen says, noting he already witnessed great partnerships coming out of it. “There were a lot of team-building opportunities with a number of corporations bringing team members to the event which we were glad to see.”
Monsef notes this same teamwork and connection is the goal for the “Resilient Women, Resilient Economies” event.
“We hope to see that room full and to launch September in a strong and good way in the Lindsay area,” she says.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit launchkawartha.ca/events/resilient-women-resilient-economies.
