Leadership Perspectives

Get closer to our work with Signal49 Research's Leadership Perspectives series. Each episode, we sit down with senior Signal49 leaders and researchers to discuss issues that affect Canadians. Topics include economics, education, sustainability, HR, and Indigenous and Northern perspectives. We're proud to be Canada's foremost independent, evidence-based applied research organization. Since 1954 we have provided leaders and decision-makers with the economic analysis, applied research, data, networks and events they need to solve Canada's most complex challenges. © Signal49 Research. All Rights Reserved. Formerly operating as The Conference Board of Canada Effective January 26, 2026, AERIC Inc./Signal49 Research discontinued use of ‘The Conference Board of Canada’ name, logo and branding, which had been used by AERIC Inc./Signal49 Research under license from The Conference Board, Inc. The Conference Board, Inc. and its licensees, which are not affiliate

Leadership Perspectives is a business podcast hosted by Signal49 Research, with 67 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Signal49 Research hosts Leadership Perspectives, a business show with 67 episodes published.

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  Episode #24

  Economics Matters Ep. 24: Canada’s Competitiveness Challenges with Marc Desormeaux and Pedro Antunes

  Jun 17, 202630 minS1

  From lagging productivity growth and investment gaps, to regulatory hurdles, labour shortages, and changing global trade dynamics, Canada’s lagging competitiveness is coming under increasing scrutiny. How can we position ourselves for stronger, more sustainable growth? In this episode, we’re focusing on a critical issue: Canada’s competitiveness in a rapidly shifting global economy. We know that Canada is facing major economic challenges. The big question is how we respond to them. To answer that question, we're joined by Pedro Antunes, Chief Economist at Signal49 Research and Marc Desormeaux, VP, Policy and Chief Economist at the Business Council of Canada. Our guests: Pedro Antunes, Chief Economist at Signal49 Research Pedro Antunes is the Chief Economist and primary spokesperson for Signal49 Research. Hi provides insights and general direction for Signal49's economic products, including reports and economic indicators that relate to Canada and its regions and sectors. Pedro provides media interviews in English and French as well as expert testimony before parliamentary and senate committees. He is widely sought for speaking engagements and presentations to industry leaders and decision-makers on a broad range of issues and topics that impact Canadians. Marc Desormeaux, VP Policy and Chief Economist at the Business Council of Canada. Marc leads the Council’s work on labour markets, demographics, and artificial intelligence. As the Council’s in-house economist, he also covers broader macroeconomic and fiscal policy issues. Marc has spent more than a decade helping leaders navigate Canada’s most complex business and public policy challenges. He began his career as an economist at Signal49 (then The Conference Board of Canada). He then held senior roles in economics departments at two of Canada’s largest financial institutions, advising clients around the world on macroeconomic and financial market developments and serving as a media spokesperson in both official languages. Before joining the Council, he served as chief economic advisor to Ontario’s Minister of Finance, where he was part of the leadership team that crafted the province’s $30-billion plan to counter U.S. tariffs. Marc graduated from McMaster University in 2013 and holds a Master’s of Economics from the University of Toronto, where he was a fellow at Massey College.

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  Episode #23

  Economics Matters Ep. 23: A New Era in Energy in Canada with Mark Parsons and Pedro Antunes

  Mar 25, 202635 minS1

  In this episode we explore the changing relationship around energy and potential for Canada. We delve into what leading economists think we should take away from the Memorandum of Understanding between the Alberta and Federal governments might mean for moving energy investments forward. We also delve into what it will take to get spending in energy flowing again after the stagnation over the past 10 years. We also explore whether energy investments and growth can occur at the same time of managing the sustainability commitments that our country has already made. About our guests: Mark Parsons is Vice President & Chief Economist at ATB Financial. In this role, Mark leads a dynamic team focused on providing insightful commentary and strategic economic outlooks. He brings over two decades of senior economic and leadership experience in both the private and public sectors. A trusted authority in the field, Mark is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and a regular contributor to media discussions on economic trends. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Alberta and is a CFA charterholder. Mark also serves on the board of directors at Nordiq Canada. Pedro Antunes is the Chief Economist and primary spokesperson for Signal49 Research (formerly The Conference Board of Canada). Hi provides insights and general direction for Signal49's economic products, including reports and economic indicators that relate to Canada and its regions and sectors. Pedro provides media interviews in English and French as well as expert testimony before parliamentary and senate committees. He is widely sought for speaking engagements and presentations to industry leaders and decision-makers on a broad range of issues and topics that impact Canadians. Additional links: ATB Financial Insights https://www.atb.com/company/insights/ Signal49 Research Economics https://www.signal49.ca/focus-areas/canadian-economics/

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  Episode #22

  Economics Matters Ep. 22: Budget 2025 with Richard Forbes and Meghan Eibner

  Dec 9, 202521 minS1

  In this episode we explore the outcomes of the federal 2025 budget. We explore what has been announced what it means for communities, and how these decisions will shape the next five years. We’ll explore the tension between ambitious investments and rising deficits, and dig into the long-term implications for Canadians. We'll ask our leading economists whether there will be enough generational investments to offset the costs of rising deficits. They'll also delve into the local impacts on the city of Ottawa/Gatineau from the announced public sector reductions. They'll go beyond the headlines to give some much needed context and talk about how the question of whether the budget delivers has a lot to do with where the money is spent. About our guests: Richard Forbes has been a Principal Economist on the Conference Board’s economic forecasting team since 2016. Richard plays a key role in overseeing the Conference Board’s Industry Lens and Territorial Outlook products and contributes analysis on a wide range of sectors in the Canadian economy. Meghan Eibner is a Lead Economist for The Conference Board of Canada. Within the Economic Forecasting unit, Meghan focuses provincial, US, and International economic outlooks. Meghan has 15 years of experience working as an economist in the private, public, non-profit, and academic sectors. She spent much of her career in Toronto conducting economic analysis on multi-billion dollar transportation projects for the Government of Ontario. Now located in St. John’s NL, Meghan worked as a policy analyst for Memorial University before joining the CBoC.

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  Episode #21

  Economics Matters Ep. 21: High Frequency Data with Strac Ivanov and Tony Bonen

  Nov 12, 202536 minS1

  In this episode we dive into a major shift in the world of economics: the rise of high-frequency data. From job postings and air traffic stats to real-time payments and mobility trends, economists are increasingly turning to non-traditional data sources to make sense of a rapidly evolving economy. Unlike traditional economic indicators that are released annually or quarterly, high-frequency data is collected and updated daily or even hourly. It offers a near real-time snapshot of economic activity, allowing analysts to detect shifts in employment, consumer behavior, and business sentiment as they happen. This kind of data has become indispensable in a world where economic conditions can change overnight, when waiting weeks for official statistics is no longer an option. We explore why economics is shifting towards this kind of data, hear from Vicinity Jobs founder Strac Ivanov on how data is reshaping our understanding of labour markets and skills needs and discuss the future of data in economics. About our guests: Strac Ivanov, Founder of Vicinity Jobs and now Director, Data Analytics and Engineering at Signal49 Research Strac Ivanov is the Director of Data Analytics and Engineering at The Conference Board of Canada. In this role, he leads the technical team responsible for developing and operating the Vicinity Jobs real-time labour market information platform. Strac founded Vicinity Jobs in 2006. Under his leadership, the company grew into Canada’s pioneering leader in real-time labour market data collection and analysis. It was then acquired by Signal49 Research in 2025. With a master’s thesis on natural language processing algorithms and more than two decades of experience in internet services and big data analytics, Strac offers both deep technical expertise and extensive industry knowledge. Tony Bonen, Executive Director, Economic Research Tony Bonen is the Executive Director of Economic Research at Signal49 Research. In this role Tony provides strategic leadership to a dynamic team producing insightful custom analyses for Signal49’s partners. He collaborates across disciplines and Focus Areas to ensure Signal49’s economic research is meaningful for leaders across Canada. Tony brings significant experience managing research and providing guidance on a wide range of economic issues. Prior to joining Signal49 Research, he served as the Executive Director at the Labour Market Information Council (LMIC), building on his previous work as LMIC’s founding Director of Research, Data and Analytics. While in the risk department at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Tony led the development of housing price and macroeconomic forecasts used in stress testing. He analyzed the economic impacts of climate change and the US pension and retirement system at the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis, and the economic policy and geopolitical analysis affecting member countries while at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Learn more: Access our high-frequency labour market insights . Track job postings, skill trends, wages and more to make informed workforce planning and policy decisions. Vicinity Jobs: What we do?

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  Episode #20

  Economics Matters Ep. 20: Canada’s Fiscal Outlook with Cory Renner and Richard Forbes

  Jul 16, 202525 minS1

  Deficits, debts, tariffs, trade, taxes, Trump .... Sorting through the fiscal picture for the country, while never easy, has become much more complicated in 2025. Joining us for this episode are Cory Renner, Associate Director, Economic Forecasting and Richard Forbes, Principal Economist to talk to us about Canada’s fiscal outlook. Where government spending is and where it’s going. We discuss the pressure to meet our promises in areas like defence and infrastructure while recognizing the pressures that come with aging populations and growing debt loads. About our guests: Cory Renner Cory Renner is the Associate Director of Economic Forecasting at The Conference Board of Canada. He oversees the forecast and modelling across the Conference Board’s economic products and assists in identifying and creating new economic products for CBoC’s clients. Cory, an experienced modeller, has worked on large-scale sub-national models and simulated a broad array of economic scenarios, ranging from global demand shocks to forecasting the economic impact of climate plans, and regularly contributes to podcasts, webinars and media engagements. Cory has assumed progressively more senior roles at The Conference Board of Canada during his seven years with the organization. He has made significant contributions to custom projects, particularly in modelling, addressing a wide range of issues from healthcare to global trade and climate change. Prior to his tenure at the Conference Board, Cory worked at Oxford Economics, where he supervised their provincial model and managed many custom contracts in Canada. Richard Forbes Richard Forbes is a Principal Economist, Economic Forecasting at The Conference Board of Canada. Richard Forbes has been an economist on the Conference Board's economic forecasting team since 2016. Richard currently oversees the Conference Board's National Outlook and is responsible for the Board’s government and fiscal forecasts across the national and provincial economies. Richard holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in economics from The University of Western Ontario, as well as a master's degree in economics from McMaster University.

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