Event Speakers

Based in Ottawa, Vassy Kapelos is Host of CTV’s weekly political journal of record, QUESTION PERIOD, and Host of CTV News Channel’s weekday marquee political program, POWER PLAY. She is also the host of the weekday national radio program THE VASSY KAPELOS SHOW on the iHeartRadio Canada Talk Network.

Born in Toronto, Kapelos is a two-time Canadian Screen Award winner, having been recognized for Best Live Production Social Media (2020), for CBC’s coverage of the B.C. by-election that saw Jagmeet Singh win his seat in Parliament, and Best Talk Program or Series (2021), for POWER & POLITICS. She also received the 2021 Leitch Lecture Award from the University of Alberta and University of Calgary’s Faculties of Law after delivering a lecture on the political effect of the COVID-19 health crisis in Canada.

Kapelos has extensive experience covering federal and provincial politics in Canada. Prior to joining CTV News, Kapelos was host of CBC’s POWER & POLITICS. Previously, she was Global News’ Ottawa Bureau Chief and host of THE WEST BLOCK. Before working in Ottawa, Kapelos covered provincial politics in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Kapelos graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and then from Dalhousie University with a Master of Arts.

Beata Caranci is the Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for TD Bank Group. She leads three economic teams that deliver forecasts, presentations, and research for TD clients, regulatory requirements across Canada and the U.S., and a team that supports TD’s ESG objectives. Beata serves on several committees, including the C.D Howe’s Monetary Policy Council and the American Bankers Economic Advisory Council.

As a passionate supporter of TD’s diversity initiatives, her report, “Get on Board Corporate Canada,” helped influence the Ontario Securities Commission’s rule amendments on disclosure of women on boards. Beata’s distinguished evidenced-based research combined with the breadth of her role as Chief Economist for TD Bank also earned the Professional category award by WXN’s Canada’s Most Powerful Women in 2019.

Jean-François Perrault joined Scotiabank in 2015 as Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist. He leads a team of Economists to support Scotiabank’s domestic and international business lines and clients from retail to capital markets, providing Scotiabank’s senior executives, business lines and customers with perspectives, insights and forecasts on economic, financial market and policy developments.

Prior to joining Scotiabank, Jean-François held prominent roles with the federal government, the Bank of Canada, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Douglas Porter has over 30 years of experience analyzing global economies and financial markets. As Chief Economist at BMO Financial Group, he oversees the macroeconomic and financial market forecasts and co-authors the firm’s weekly flagship publication, Focus. Mr. Porter manages the team that has won numerous awards including Best Forecaster for Canada by Focus Economics in 2016, top Canadian forecaster by Bloomberg and the prestigious Lawrence Klein award for forecast accuracy of the U.S. economy.

As a respected commentator on economic and financial trends, he is regularly quoted in the national press and often interviewed on radio and television.

Before joining BMO, Mr. Porter held the positions of Economist and Country Risk Analyst with other Canadian financial institutions, and began his career at the Bank of Canada.

Mr. Porter has been a member of C.D. Howe’s Monetary Policy Council since 2008 and serves on the Investment Management Committees of the Bank of Montreal’s Canada Pension Plan and Western’s Endowment Fund. He also sits on the Board of Directors of the Toronto Financial Services Alliance.

Mr. Porter, CFA, earned a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Western Ontario.

Avery Shenfeld is Managing Director and Chief Economist of CIBC World Markets Inc. He has been with CIBC since 1993 and is widely recognized as one of Canada’s leading economists for his perceptive analysis and insight on economic developments and their implications for financial markets.

Mr. Shenfeld is a nine-time winner of the Dow Jones Market Watch award for most accurate US forecaster and is highly ranked by Canadian institutional equity investors.

Mr. Shenfeld’s prior background includes experience in management consulting. He was on the economics faculty at the University of Toronto and in the summer program at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has addressed numerous business groups and has been quoted in the media in the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe.

Mr. Shenfeld holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University.

As chief economist, Craig leads a team of economists providing economic, fixed income and foreign exchange research to RBC clients. Craig is a regular contributor to a number of RBC publications and is a key player in delivering economic analysis to clients and the media through the Economic Department’s regular economic briefings.

A graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Toronto, Craig was appointed Chief Economist in 2001 having joined RBC in 1994 after working at another financial institution for seven years. Craig is a participant in a number of the key RBC internal committees and is a member of the CD Howe Monetary Policy Council, Wilfrid Laurier School of Business and Economic Dean’s Advisory Council and the British Columbia Economic Forecast Council.

Craig and his wife Susan live in Toronto with their three children Emily, Bradley and Jacob.