The Empire Club of Canada
Hybrid
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
With over 1.8 million Canadians employed in manufacturing and more than $600 billion in Canadian exports to the United States, President Trump’s 25% tariffs will shake up a decades-long trade ecosystem. Experts warn that the consequences will go beyond manufacturing, disrupting supply chains and potentially upending the global economic order. There are even concerns that these tariffs could push Canada into a recession as the ripple effects are felt across multiple industries.
A recent survey by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters found that only 11% of manufactures believe they can fully absorb tariff costs and only for a limited time. What does this mean for the future of Canada’s integrated trading relationship with the U.S., and our ability to make goods together? What are the long- term potential impacts to Canadian markets and, most importantly, how can Canada’s governments and Canadians protect against this threat and support this important sector beyond the impending trade negotiations?
With Canadian jobs, and the economy at stake, bold action and leadership is required.
Don’t miss out on February 19, 2025, as the Empire Club of Canada joins forces with Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters to present Manufacturing and Exporting in the New World Order – Trade, Tariffs and Trump. Dawn Desjardins, Chief Economist at Deloitte Canada will give an economic update prior to the panel featuring David Glover, co-owner of Harbour Technologies, Emily Olson, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer at Vale Base Metals, Frank Voss, President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. and Rob Wildeboer, Executive Chairman of Martinrea International Inc., with Vincent Caron, Vice President, Ontario Government Relations and Member Advocacy at Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, as a moderator – who will discuss this existential threat to trade and Canadian sovereignty.
Since 1871, CME has made the difference for Canada’s manufacturing and exporting communities. The association represents manufacturers large and small, in every region and subsector, nationwide. More than 85 per cent of CME members are small-and-medium sized enterprises.
As Vice-President, Ontario Government Relations and Member Advocacy, Vincent works with member companies and the Ontario government to promote policies that lower costs and increase investment for manufacturers.
Prior to joining CME, Vincent worked in the governments of Ontario and Canada for 15 years. He has worked for six federal ministers in various departments, including Industry Canada and Public Safety Canada, where he had primary responsibility for the implementation of the Canada/U.S. Beyond the Border Action Plan.
He was also exposed to international trade issues as an advisor in the Corporate Affairs department of the LCBO, one of the world’s largest purchasers of beverage alcohol.
Originally from Quebec City, Vincent has a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Bristol in England.
David Glover is the co-owner of Harbour Technologies, a dynamic, third-generation advanced manufacturing company he has helped grow since 2000. Under his leadership, Harbour Technologies expanded from a small team in a single plant to, at its peak, over 100 employees operating across three locations. The company specializes in manufacturing automation, custom tooling, metal fabrications and CNC machining for a broad spectrum of industries. David helped diversify the company which has grown to be a trusted supplier to Canada’s nuclear industry for over a decade, firmly establishing itself as a leader among small and midsize enterprises (SMEs). Harbour Technologies has also begun supplying the defence market and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, answered the call to action by pivoting the company to help produce equipment for manufacturing PPE.
David’s expertise spans business growth, executive leadership, project management, and new market development. With a strong track record in B2B sales, David adeptly navigates regulatory compliance and industry standards to deliver outstanding results for his ventures.
A proud Windsor, Ontario native, David has dedicated his career to advancing Canadian manufacturing. He served as President and Board Member of the Canadian Tooling and Machining Association where he championed the interests of the nation’s tooling and machining companies on both national and international stages. David also serves on the Board of Directors for Transform, a shared service organization supporting the hospital network in southwestern Ontario, lending his leadership and strategic insights to enhance healthcare services in the region.
David’s professional journey reflects a commitment to innovation, collaboration, and the growth of Canada’s manufacturing and healthcare sectors.
Emily Olson is Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer of Vale Base Metals. Previously, she worked as Vice-President, Global Strategic Relations at Freeport-McMoRan, responsible for driving global strategic initiatives inclusive of governments, partners, and various external organizations.
Prior to joining Freeport, Emily spent nearly 15 years with BP in both the US and London, most recently as Senior Vice President for Europe and Russia managing BP’s corporate interests across the regions. She has a degree in Political Science from Loyola University of Chicago and a Masters’ Degree in International Strategy & Diplomacy from the London School of Economics.
Frank Voss is the President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. (TMMC), overseeing
the production of Toyota RAV4, Lexus RX, and NX models at the Cambridge and Woodstock
plants in Ontario. With over 30 years of automotive industry experience, Frank has played
pivotal roles in Toyota’s North American operations, advancing production efficiency and
sustainability.
A registered Professional Engineer with a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, Frank
joined Toyota in 2002, quickly moving through senior roles in Production Control,
Administration and Manufacturing. His strategic leadership has driven TMMC’s success,
making it a model for operational excellence and innovation.
Frank is actively involved in the community, serving on multiple boards, and is committed
to fostering industry collaboration and local growth. Based in Kitchener, Ontario, he is
recognized for his forward-thinking leadership and contribution to Toyota’s global success.
Rob Wildeboer is the Executive Chairman and co-founder of Martinrea International Inc., a diversified and global automotive supplier engaged in the design, development and manufacturing of highly engineered, value-added Lightweight Structures and Propulsion Systems. Martinrea currently employs approximately 19,000 talented and motivated people in 56 operating divisions in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Slovakia, Spain, China, South Africa and Japan. He brings a deep and intricate knowledge of the Company’s culture, key personnel, strategy, history and development, and relationships with key constituencies such as capital providers and governments, to the Company. He has also been intimately involved in negotiating the purchase and financing of every acquisition in the Company’s history, as the Company has been one of the fastest growing automotive parts companies in the industry. He has been involved in the automotive industry for many years in many roles, whether as a representative of the Company in negotiations or as an advisor to public policy makers and others. He is focused on the Company’s Culture, Vision, Mission and Principles, with a commitment to the Company’s most important asset, its people.
Previously, Mr. Wildeboer was a partner of Wildeboer Dellelce LLP, a law firm that practices corporate, securities, lending, tax and real estate law that he co-founded in 1993. Mr. Wildeboer has been an entrepreneurial investor, director or officer of a number of private and public companies and currently sits as Vice-Chair of NanoXplore Inc., a manufacturer and supplier of high-volume graphene powder for use in industrial markets. The company provides standard and custom graphene-enhanced plastic and composite products to various customers in transportation, packaging, electronics, and other industrial sectors. Martinrea is the largest shareholder of NanoXplore, and Mr. Wildeboer is Martinrea’s representative on the board.
Mr. Wildeboer is a director of Equispheres Inc., a private company developing technologies for the production and use of advanced materials, specifically high-performance aluminum powder for additive manufacturing (3D printing) applications, a company in which Martinrea has invested.
Mr. Wildeboer is co-chair of the Canadian Automotive Partnership Counsel (CAPC) and was co-chair of the CAPC Task Force on COVID-19; a present and past advisor to the Governments of Canada and Ontario, as well as Mexico, on a variety of economic, trade, investment, industry, innovation, manufacturing and automotive mandates; is past Chair of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and past Chair and current director of Cardus, both leading Canadian think tanks; and a director or advisor of numerous charitable organizations.
Mr. Wildeboer holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Guelph, a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, an MBA from York University, and an LLM from Harvard University. In 2012, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his contributions to Canada. In 2018, he received the Jay Hennick Award from Osgoode Hall Law School and the Schulich School of Business for career achievement.
Dawn Desjardins is an economist and executive with experience in researching economic and policy issues. Over her career she has communicated complex issues to clients, decision-makers and media audiences. She was RBC’s Deputy Chief Economist, a reporter for Bloomberg Financial News in Canada and a bond strategist at JP Morgan Canada. At RBC, Dawn managed a team of economists who were responsible for the economic and financial market forecasts for Canada and the US. A passionate advocate of women’s labour market engagement, in recent years, Dawn used her research to start conversations, drive policy discussions and effect change.
