OTTAWA – Some of the greatest achievements over the long and illustrious history of the Canadian telecommunications industry will be honoured and celebrated on October 17th, 2005 at the inaugural ceremonies of Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame.
Organizers of the gala event announced this week that Canada’s telecommunications industry will pay homage to eight of its pioneers and leaders at the inaugural laureate induction ceremonies and gala dinner to be staged on Monday, October 17, 2005 in Room 107 of Constitution Hall at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre North Building.
Laureates will be inducted in four categories: Inventors and Innovators, Icons of Business, Servants of the Public and Advocates and Academics. In addition, a Special Award of Recognition will be presented to recognize the substantial contribution to Canadian telecommunications made by either Canadian communities, groups or organizations, agencies, technologies or special events of historical significance.
The event will be hosted jointly by Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame and by the Coalition for Competitive Telecommunications, an advocacy group for Canadian business telecom users and customers, and will be held in conjunction with the Telemanagement Live! 2005 conference and trade show which runs at the Metro Convention Centre North Building from October 17th to 19th, 2005.
As reported by www.cartt.ca, Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame was launched on May 30th during The 2005 Telecom Summit conference in Toronto. The Hall of Fame’s purpose is to honour those Canadians who have made significant contributions to Canada’s telecommunications industry and to inform Canadians young and old about the proud legacy of accomplishments and innovation in the Canadian telecom sector.
“The Canadian telecommunications industry has a rich heritage of achievement, invention and innovation that predates Confederation,” said Lorne Abugov, founder of Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame and a senior telecommunications law partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, in a release. “There are few industries in Canada, or even the world, with so many unsung heroes and little-known success stories. In fact, the more I examined the roots of Canadian telecommunications, the more I came to realize that ours is one of the greatest Canadian stories never told.”
“We are delighted to be a host for the first-ever inductions ceremonies and gala dinner for Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame this fall in Toronto,” said Ian C.W. Russell, chair of the Coalition for Competitive Telecommunications. “There are few industries in this country more vital to the economic growth, productivity and prosperity of Canadian business and Canada’s economy than telecommunications. So as the voice of Canadian business on telecom regulatory and policy issues critical to the success of their commercial operations, we are thrilled that our second gala fundraising dinner in 2005 will be the venue to honour and celebrate the best and brightest from Canada’s telecommunications past and present, including some of the business pioneers of the industry.”
Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame has struck an interim selections committee that has already embarked on the task of identifying and selecting the initial eight Laureates to be inducted on October 17th. The interim selection committee members are:
• Stuart MacPherson (Chairman): MacPherson Telecom Consulting;
• Lis Angus, executive vice-president, Angus Telemanagement Group:
• Carol Stephenson, dean, Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario;
• Wes Scott, corporate director; and
• Lorne Abugov, partner, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP and Founder, Canada’s Telecommunication Hall of Fame
