Speaker Topics

Speaking on productivity, human capital, learning, and Canada’s economic future

The Productivity Project contributes to public conversations about the future of work, skills, learning, and economic prosperity in Canada. Our team is available for keynote presentations, panels, briefings, workshops, interviews, and facilitated discussions with governments, employers, postsecondary institutions, business associations, community organizations, and public audiences.

Our speaking topics connect research evidence with practical implications for policy, strategy, and system change.

Featured Topics

Canada’s Productivity Challenge
Why productivity matters for wages, competitiveness, public services, and long-term prosperity — and why human capital must be part of the solution.

Human Capital and the Future of Work
How skills, learning, experience, and workplace capability shape economic performance in a changing labour market.

The Talent Marketplace
Why employers, workers, educators, and policymakers need better systems to connect learning, capability, and opportunity.

Entry-Level Work and Career Launch
How changes in hiring, technology, and workplace training are reshaping early-career pathways — and why entry-level work matters for long-term productivity.

Learning Systems for a Changing Economy
How postsecondary institutions, employers, and governments can strengthen lifelong learning, upskilling, reskilling, and recognition systems.

Evergreen Capabilities
How durable knowledge and adaptive skills help people continue learning, transferring, and renewing their capabilities across work and life.

Recognition Infrastructure
Why Canada needs better ways to make skills, competencies, experience, and learning visible, trusted, and usable across education and employment systems.

Regional Human Capital Strategy
How communities and regions can coordinate employers, educators, governments, and civic partners to build stronger talent ecosystems.

Formats

Presentations can be tailored for conferences, board meetings, executive briefings, workshops, webinars, media interviews, policy roundtables, and public events.

To inquire about a speaker or presentation, please contact:

Dr. David J. Finch, Director, The Productivity Project

Email: director@productivityproject.ca

Featured Speakers

A man with glasses smiling in front of a red map of Canada.
A man with glasses smiling in front of a red map of Canada.

Dr. David J. Finch

Director, Productivity Project

Professor, Innovation & Marketing

Mount Royal University

director@productivityproject.ca

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair smiling in front of a red map of Canada and North America.
A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair smiling in front of a red map of Canada and North America.

Dr. Christian Cook

Professor, Human Resources (SHRM-SCP, CPHR)

Mount Royal University

clcook@mtroyal.ca

A man with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing a white shirt, a patterned red tie, and an orange puffer vest, standing in front of a digital red map of Canada.
A man with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing a white shirt, a patterned red tie, and an orange puffer vest, standing in front of a digital red map of Canada.

Dr. Joseph Marchand

Director, Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research

Professor, Economics

University of Alberta

jmarchan@ualberta.ca

Smiling older man with glasses wearing a black shirt, with a stylized map of Canada in red background behind him.
Smiling older man with glasses wearing a black shirt, with a stylized map of Canada in red background behind him.

Dr. Stephen Murgatroyd

Collaborative Media Group Inc.

smurgastr@ualberta.ca

A woman with short curly black hair, glasses, and colorful earrings, smiling at the camera, against a digital red map of Canada in the background.
A woman with short curly black hair, glasses, and colorful earrings, smiling at the camera, against a digital red map of Canada in the background.

Dr. D’Andre Wilson-ihejirika

Executive Director, Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC)

dandre@criec.ca