Senator Colin Deacon

Get to know Senator Colin Deacon in this article as he shares details about how he got involved in public life, his perspective on the most important public policy issues in Canada, which book he recommends as a must-read, and much more. Click to read the full article.

In this tenth episode of the Open Banking Initiative Canada (OBIC) Open Banking Insight Series, Senator Colin Deacon and Michelle Beyo (OBIC Board Member and CEO of Finavator INC) sit down with Joseph Lau (Chief Information Security Officer at Sagard Holdings and Portage Ventures), and Alan Osborne (Executive Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at PaySafe Group). In this episode, Open Banking Drives Strong Cybersecurity Through APIs, the panel explored the importance of cybersecurity for all companies and how an Open Banking framework will help to drive strong cybersecurity for the whole ecosystem through APIs. To watch their full discussion, click here. 

On this episode of inFocus, Senator Colin Deacon sits down with Nadine Spencer (President of the Black Business and Professional Association), Alfred Burgesson (founder & CEO of Tribe Network, an entrepreneurship & innovation hub for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour), and host David Coletto to discuss a new study on Black Entrepreneurship in Canada. Commissioned by the African Canadian Senate Group and Senator Colin Deacon, and in partnership with a dozen Black-led business organizations, the survey found that most Black Entrepreneurs face real challenges accessing capital, building supportive networks, and developing the skills needed to succeed in business.

Click here to listen to this important discussion, and the following link to access the full study: https://abacusdata.ca/black-entrepreneurs-canada-inclusive-entrepreneurship/

Join Senator Deacon and the panel at the Smith School of Business at Queen's University to discuss the consumer benefits of open banking and a modernized payments system, including increased industry competition, lower costs and the potential for product and service innovation. Click here to watch this important discussion.

Senator Colin Deacon moderates this CIO Strategy Council panel on the topic of data portability, alongside esteemed panelists: Imran Gulamhuseinwala (Implementation Trustee for Open Banking Ltd, United Kingdom), Inge Graef (Associate Professor of Competition Law at Tilburg University), Kate Charlet (Director for Data Governance, Google (Data Transfer Project)), and Micky Tripathi (National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Click here to watch the full discussion.

In the ninth episode of the Open Banking Initiative Canada's (OBIC) Insight Series, Senator Deacon and Finavator INC CEO Michelle Beyo discuss why Canadian and United Kingdom consumers benefit from open finance, or consumer directed finance. Joined by Judith Robertson, Commissioner for the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), and Faith Reynolds, the Independent Consumer Representative for the Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE), the panel explored how open banking can provide consumers in Canada and the UK with greater access to new and innovative products and services to help them meet their financial needs and goals.

For the eighth episode of the Open Banking Initiative Canada, Senator Deacon and Michelle Beyo (CEO at Finavator INC) sit down with Payments Canada and the Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE) of the UK to discuss the benefits of open banking for SMEs and government. Joined by Anne Butler, Chief External Relations & Legal Officers at Payments Canada, and Simon Lyons, Head of Ecosystem Engagement at OBIE, this episode explores the advantages of an open banking framework for governments and SMEs.

Co-sponsored by Senators Colin Deacon, Rosemary Moodie and Daniel Christmas, this webinar featured expert panelists Shahrzard Rafati (Founder & CEO of BroadBand TV [BBTV]), Chief Terry Paul (Chief & CEO of Membertou in Unama'ki) and Wes Hall (Founder, Black North Initiative & Kingsdale Advisors), who discussed how Canada can systematically address racism and embrace all forms of diversity in order to achieve prosperity and economic recovery. Click on the link to watch this event.

In this seventh episode of Open Banking Initiative Canada's (OBIC) Insight Series, Senator Deacon and host Michelle Beyo (CEO of Finavator INC.) sat down with the Competition Bureau of Canada and the Competition and Markets Authority of the UK to discuss the benefits of open banking for consumers and businesses. They were joined by expert panelists Leila Wright (Associate Deputy Commissioner at the Competition Bureau of Canada) and Dr. Bill Roberts (Head of Open Banking at the UK Competition and Markets Authority). The panel explored the opportunities open banking can provide for consumers and businesses, how open banking can catalyze competition in both Canada and the UK, and the role that government plays in accelerating those processes. 

In this sixth episode of Open Banking Initiative Canada's (OBIC) Insight Series, Senator Deacon, host Michelle Beyo (CEO of Finavator INC.), and expert panelists Kashmera Self (AVP, Strategy & Emerging Solutions Delivery at Interac Corp) and David Birch (Leader of 15Mb Ltd. and commentator on Digital Financial Services) focus in on discussions of consent, Digital ID, and how open banking can offer solutions to issues of financial marginalization.