Senator Colin Deacon

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/

In this latest article by Laura Ryckewaert of The Hill Times, Senator Deacon discusses the newly appointed Working Group on Environment and Sustainability, established by the Senate's Internal Economy, Budgets, and Administration Committee on May 27th. The Working Group is tasked with reviewing the Senate's environmental policy and presenting short-, medium-, and long-term actionable goals to make a difference in the Senate's commitment to sustainability and leadership. To read more of this discussion, click here. 

Question posed by Senator Colin Deacon to the Government Representative in the Senate, Senator Gold, asking when the second report from the advisory committee on consumer-directed finance/open banking will be released publicly by the Minister of Finance. To hear the full discussion, click here. 

The report, Inclusive Entrepreneurship: Exploring the Barriers Facing Black Entrepreneurs in Canada, commissioned by the African Canadian Senate Group and Senator Colin Deacon and powered by Abacus Data, found that systemic barriers to growth and success face Black Canadian entrepreneurs. Of the 342 Black entrepreneurs surveyed, 76% reported that their race makes it harder to succeed as an entrepreneur. Access to capital, funding, financing, or sales was the top stated challenged for Black entrepreneurs as well, with 75% reporting that if they needed to find $10,000 to support their business, it would be difficult for them to do so. To read more of this report's important insights, click here. 

Les résultats complets d'un sondage important portant sur l'entrepreneuriat noir, réalisé par la firme Abacus Data à la demande du Groupe Canado-Africain du Sénat et du sénateur Colin Deacon, en collaboration avec douze importantes organisations dirigées par des membres de la communauté noire, ont été dévoilés aujourd'hui. Cliquer ici pour examiner toutes les réponses des 342 entrepreneurs noirs sondés d'un océan à l'autre qui a révélé que le racisme systémique, l'accès à du capital et l'absence d'un réseau d'affaires représentent les principales barrières à la croissance et à la pérennité des entreprises dirigées par des Noirs. Découvrir tous les aperçus ici. 

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.