TODAY- Good Jobs Summit kicks off in Toronto

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TORONTO, Oct. 3, 2014 /CNW/ - More than 1,000 students, workers, members of community organizations, government officials, business leaders, union representatives, researchers, policy makers and others will gather at the Good Jobs Summit to discuss solutions to creating good jobs. The Summit takes place this evening at 7 p.m. until Sunday at noon at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (formerly Maple Leaf Gardens).

The Good Jobs Summit is being organized by Unifor, Ryerson University, the Canadian Federation of Students and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. It will host a national conversation on creating quality employment opportunities, ending youth underemployment and the growing precarity in the labour market.

"We're taking a leadership role in provoking a conversation about solutions to the challenges we face in today's economy," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. "We're bringing together many unlikely partners to consider how we can work together to create good jobs."

The Summit will feature dynamic speakers from across the political spectrum, including Premier Kathleen Wynne, former advisor to Barack Obama Van Jones, ATB Chief Economist Todd Hirsch, Unifor National President Jerry Dias, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Ontario Director Trish Hennessy, Unifor Economist Jim Stanford, WWF President and former Mayor of Toronto David Miller and many others.

The Summit begins today (Friday, October 3) at 7 p.m. The first session is the economics debate on how to create good jobs, setting the tone for the weekend.

Friday, October 3

7:45-9 p.m. - An economics panel - 'Good Jobs Debate'
Trish Hennessy, Director, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Ontario (Moderator)
Jim Stanford, Economist, Unifor
Todd Hirsch, Chief Economist, ATB Financial
Preet Banerjee, Personal Finance Columnist, Globe and Mail
Kaylie Tiessen, Economist, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Ontario

Saturday, October 4

9:30 a.m.  Speeches by GE Canada President and CEO Elyse Allan, Canadian Federation of Students National Chairperson Jessica McCormick and Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff

10:15 a.m. Keynote address by former advisor to Barack Obama and CNN commentator Van Jones

1 p.m.  Keynote address by Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne

1:45-5 p.m.  Workshops on a variety of topics related to innovation, job creation and employment issues

Sunday, October 5

10 a.m. Townhall

Kathleen Monk, strategist and commentator (Moderator)
Robyn Benson, National President, Public Service Alliance of Canada
Jerry Dias, National President, Unifor
Bernard le Duc, Executive Vice President, Bell Canada
James D Irving, Co-CEO, J.D. Irving, Limited
Deborah Littman, Organizer, Metro Vancouver Alliance
Jessica McCormick, National Chairperson, Canadian Federation of Students
David Miller, President and CEO, World Wildlife Fund, Canada
Mario Tremblay, Vice President of Public and Corporate Affairs, Quebec Solidarity Fund
Andrew Cardoza, President of Pearson Centre for Progressive Policy

Media are asked to register in advance with @email Wifi will be available onsite.

SOURCE Unifor