FAMILY-CONTROLLED COMPANIES: KEY DRIVERS OF CANADIAN ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

In collaboration with Institute for Governance of Private and Public Organizations (IGOPP)

Family-controlled companies play a vital role in the Canadian economy, focusing on their resilience against activist investors pressures and their ability to foster long-term vision and sustainable value creation. Delving into the intricacies of measuring and promoting good governance within listed controlled companies. How do family-controlled companies in Canada successfully shield themselves from the pressures exerted by short-term or activist investors, ensuring the continuity of their long-term vision? What constitutes "good governance" (the ‘G’ score in ESG) in the Canadian context and what are the key indicators and frameworks for measuring good governance within family-controlled companies? In what ways do controlled companies contribute to the creation of enduring value for the Canadian community, and how do we protect and foster that model while the pressure is strong for many companies to abandon their control mechanisms (such as dual class share structures)?

INTRODUCTION

Marc Y. Tassé, Strategic Advisor on Governance, Ethics and Financial Crime, Institute for Governance of Private and Public Organizations (IGOPP)

SPEAKERS

Louis Audet, Chairman of the Board, Cogeco Inc. and Cogeco Communications Inc.

Michael McCain, Executive Chairman of the Board, Maple Leaf Foods

John M. Beck, Founder and Chairman, Aecon Group Inc.

Moderated by Diane Francis, Editor-at-Large, National Post; Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council