Preliminary program

Session I (simultaneous sessions)

Workshop I-1: The macro challenges of Quebec's public finances.

Sheraton Center, 1201 Boulevard René-Levesque Ouest • Montréal, Québec, H3B 2L7 Salon C

Alain Paquet, ancien ministre délégué aux Finances	Speaker Pierre Fortin, Professor UQAM

Panelists

Quebec suffers from a high level of accumulated debt, an aging population and a declining competitiveness Should we consider a return to growth as impossible? Recent reforms, ongoing reflection to guide and encourage the funding of infrastructure projects, show that Quebec is trying to find the means of improving growth. Will Quebec succeed?

The objective of this workshop is to discuss the major macroeconomic challenges facing Quebec and discuss reforms for boosting growth in a context of constraints.

Workshop I-2: The great social challenges and productivity of Quebec's public finances.

Sheraton Center, 1201 Boulevard René-Levesque Ouest • Montréal, Québec, H3B 2L7 Salons A&B

Chair Michelle Courchesne, Former Trseary Board Chair présidente du Conseil du Trésor	Speaker Robert Gagné, Director, Centre for Productivity and Prosperity HEC

Panélistes

Budgetary pressures plaguing Quebec are largely of structural origin; they are mostly caused by the aging population, imposing insurmountable constraints on public finances, mainly in health spending, retirement, training and productivity. This workshop will focuse on the social and productivity challenges facing Québec's public finances.

Coffee break

Session II (simultaneous sessions)

Workshop II-1: Optimization of revenue and expenditure.

Sheraton Center, 1201 Boulevard René-Levesque Ouest • Montréal, Québec, H3B 2L7 Salon C

Chair Jean-Marie Gagnon, Professor Laval University	Speaker Marcelin Joanis, Professeur Polytechnique de Montréal

Panelists

In a difficult budgetary context, any new tax strategy can only be considered at the level of the entire tax burden and must include the issue of the distribution of the potential benefit/setback of the proposed strategy. The objective of this workshop is to provide an overview of tax burden today in a comparative approach and analyze the relevance of the new tax strategies that can be offered and discuss their possible consequences.

Workshop II-2: The need for dialogue.

Sheraton Center, 1201 Boulevard René-Levesque Ouest • Montréal, Québec, H3B 2L7 Salons A & B

Chair Hon.Liza Frulla, former Minister of Quebec and Canada and journalist.	Speaker Nicolas Marceau, former Quebec Minister of Finance

Panélistes

Despite the divergence of views, everyone seems to be convinced of the urgency of action and probably believes that effective public finances are essential to the development of Quebec and to the improvement of the quality of life of its citizens. Time should not therefore be to partisanship, or the stifling of dissent or even to half measures. This workshop will highlight the need for a common strategy based on a broader fruitful dialogue, clarifying objectives and explaining the policy mix.

Lunch buffet

Sheraton Center, 1201 Boulevard René-Levesque Ouest • Montréal, Québec, H3B 2L7

Roundtable

Sheraton Center, 1201 Boulevard René-Levesque Ouest • Montréal, Québec, H3B 2L7 Foyer salon ABC

Panelistes :

The roundtable aims to be a platform of conciliation of ideas and different views on the issue of Quebec's finances, it aims to bring together a roster of knowledgeable stakeholders of public finances, from public and private sectors, including former prime ministers, Finance ministers, leaders of trade unions, for-profit and non-profit managers and academic, that they linger on the current state of public finances in Quebec and possibly reconcile their views.

Diner- Conference (Keynote speakers)

Sheraton Center, 1201 Boulevard René-Levesque Ouest • Montréal, Québec, H3B 2L7 Salle de bal ouest