VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Bray big on business
The Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario asked to hear from people with a vision for the province — and they’re answering the call, including here in Windsor.
On Thursday night, Windsor’s Capitol Theatre was the location of a live pitch session for finalists of the Lieutenant Governor’s Visionaries Prize. Our city was the third on a schedule of six communities chosen to host the sessions.
“We wanted to provide an opportunity for dialogue and thinking on the path forward,” Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell said on Thursday.
“We want to see what these bright and innovative people have to say.”
Meant to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Canada, the Visionaries Prize contest began at the start of the year. A total of 430 written and video submissions were received by March. From those submissions, 36 finalists were chosen in six categories.
Now the finalists have been presenting their ideas to live audiences. Thunder Bay and Kingston hosted sessions earlier this month on “Reconciliation” and “Governance,” respectively. Windsor’s session was focused on “Inclusive Prosperity.”
“One of the things we have heard travelling around the province is that people are concerned that we not leave people behind,” Dowdeswell said.
“Some people are doing well ... others are not. Looking to the future, there’s a real question about whether there will be significant changes in what we would consider good quality jobs. Are we going to be resilient enough — and prepared enough — to make sure these changes benefit all of us?
A winner emerges from each live session, selected based on judges’ decisions and audience response.
The six winners will formally receive their prizes at the end of October.
Each prize package includes a $2,500 monetary award and publication of the winning idea in Walrus Magazine.
There’s no process to bring these ideas to Queen’s Park for discussion in the legislature. But Dowdeswell feels there’s value in just publicizing the ideas and making them available to others.
“One of the roles of the lieutenant-governor is to shine a light on important issues and to convene people to talk about those issues in a way that transcends politics,” she said.
Windsor-born Cierra Bray, 23, was one of the finalists who spoke at the Capitol Theatre on Thursday.
Her visionary idea: Making entrepreneurship a mandatory part of the curriculum of Ontario secondary schools.
“I really focus on my personal experience,” said Bray, who founded her own marketing agency, CGal Media.
“For me, it’s not about winning. The money would be amazing and the award would be great, but it’s really about educating the community and explaining why I believe in this topic so much.”
Bray found out about the contest from a friend who knows that she is interested in public speaking.
“I actually feel I’ve been an entrepreneur since the womb,” Bray explained. “I’ve participated in different business activities growing up, but not everyone has those opportunities.
“That’s why I think an entrepreneurship course should be mandatory — otherwise, we’re really limiting the possibilities for young, creative thinkers.”
One of the things we have heard travelling around the province is that people are concerned that we not leave people behind.