Icebreakers: A conversation about Canadian and Eurasian business – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In today's episode, we're excited to chat with Tim Gitzel, the President and CEO of Cameco Corporation, the world's largest uranium producer. With over 25 years of senior management and legal experience in Canadian and international uranium mining, Mr. Gitzel has a wealth of knowledge and expertise to share with our listeners.

As the Honorary Council of Kazakhstan to Saskatchewan and a Board member of various prestigious organizations including the World Nuclear Association and the Kazakhstan - Canada Business Council, Mr. Gitzel provides valuable insights on the transformation of Kazakhstan's mining industry and what makes the country an attractive destination for foreign investors.

Related links to this episode:

Cameco

Kazakhstan Canada Business Council (KCBC)

Kazatomprom

Timeline:

00:00 Intro

00:36 - Introducing Tim Gitzel

1:56 Growing up in communities of Northern Saskatchewan

2:59 Hockey passion and a call that never comes

4:30 Breaking into the uranium industry

7:06 Uranium 2011: from ‘’sky-high” to “now what?”

10:44 Cameco, as the largest industrial employer of Indigenous people

13:14 Expanding to Kazakhstan market

16:07 Modernization of Kazakhstan’s mining sector

18:00 Adapting to JORC code principles

19:03 Cameco-Kazatomprom joint venture

21:46 Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in Saskatchewan

24:33 Meeting with the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan

27:49 Political leadership of the government of Kazakhstan

30:22 Mr. Gitzel’s advice on entering the Kazakhstan market

33:35 Kazakhstan-Canada Business Council (KCBC)

38:11 What made Tim Gitzel a leader?

40:09 What does the future hold for Tim Gitzel?

43:34 Outro

Icebreakers is produced by CECC, an independent non-profit organization that promotes bilateral trade and investment between Canada and Eurasia. www.canadaeurasia.com

In today’s episode we are joined by Mr. Peter McCann, a Management Consultant, an author of two business books, and now Advisor to the Rector at Tashkent Chemical Technologies Institute. Peter has over 30 years of experience in consulting small and large businesses in the USA & Canada, as well as taught and lectured in Finland, Germany, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Peter shares his firsthand experience in establishing his own business and new professional and social life in Central Asia, education reforms in Uzbekistan and large-scale projects in partnership with the world leaders in vocational training. How will applying the best international practices address the core challenges in education? What opportunities does this tremendous transformation open for Canada-Uzbekistan cooperation?

Related links to this episode:

Tashkent Chemical-Technological Institute

SAIT

'Strategy & Business Planning of Privately Held Companies' book by Peter McCann

'Turnarounds: Brains, Guts & Stamina' book by Peter McCann

Timeline:

00:40 – Introducing Peter McCann

1:40 – Radical transformation of the Tashkent Chemical Technologies Institute (TCTI)

7:30 – Growing up in Ottawa's rural northwest

9:20 – First career breakthroughs

12:32 – Turnarounds and Consultancy practice

13:42 – Early steps towards Kazakhstan in 1998

16:28 – Aftermath of moving to Central Asia

21:55 – Meeting your better half and strengthening family bonds

24:25 – Uzbek progress and hard work

25:07 – Partnership with SAIT – the World Leaders in vocational training

27:45 – “The LEADER” Project from Ivey Business School in TCTI

30:03 – Life lessons taken from Judo

33:50 – What made Mr.Peter McCann a leader?

35:35 – What does the future hold for Peter McCann?

36:49 – Closing

Icebreakers is produced by CECC, an independent non-profit organization that promotes bilateral trade and investment between Canada and Eurasia. www.canadaeurasia.com

IceBreakers welcomes Valerii Maximov, Senior Trade Commissioner of the Russian Federation in Canada, former Minister of Economy of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and Advisor to the President of the Republic. Valerii will share the stories about the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) - the world's largest administrative and territorial subdivision, a homeland for such known start-ups as InDriver and MyTona. We will also learn more about Yakut language and culture, success stories of cooperation with Canada and how the Canadian North is similar to that of Russia.

Related Links

Silver Bear

Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Russian Trade Mission to Canada

Timeline

00:00 intro

00:42 Introducing Valerii Maximov

1:48 5 X France Territory

4:33 Career path

7:53 $100,000 question about Canada - Yakutia cooperation

9:46 The Sakha People

10:39 Why Canada?

11:52 The Nothern Forum

13:30 Canadians in Yakutia

14:36 Canada – Norway

16:29 Spring-like weather of -35 in Yellowknife

18:48 First Nations routes

21:52 Bisons don't mind the virus

24:21 More multinational projects in the Arctic needed

26:03 The Polar Express project 2025

27:51 Yakutian creativity, mining and unmanned electric vehicles

31:22 What does the future hold for Canada and Russia?

32:52 What made Valerii Maximov a leader?

33:35 What does the future hold for Valerii?

34:25 Conclusion

Icebreakers is produced by CERBA, an independent non-profit organization that promotes bilateral trade and investment between Canada and Eurasia. www.cerbanet.org

Today we welcome CERBA's old friend and its National Board member - Mr. Piotr Dutkiewicz, to the IceBreakers Podcast. Piotr is a Professor of Political Science and former Director of the Institute of European and Russian Studies at Carleton University. He is also an author of 16 books and a current Valdai Club member, a group of forty world-renowned experts on Russia.

Piotr is sharing stories about his family, living and studying in Russia, moving to Canada, "Golden time" in Canada-Russia relations, teaching at Carleton University and the areas of prospective cooperation between our countries.

Related Links to the Episode

Carleton University

Valdai Club

Canada Russia Business Council 2021

Timeline:

00:00 Intro

00:40 Introducing Piotr Dutkiewicz

1:42 Cultural shock

5:13 Trademark of Russian culture

6:44 Three letters to Oxford, Berkeley or Queens

9:05 "Golden times" of European and Russian Institute  at Carleton

11:23 Deal with Russia "As Is"

13:33 Global challenges - global responses

16:57 Teaching at Carleton University

21:20 CIDA projects

24:17 Cooperate, not collide

28:31 What is Valdai Club Foundation?

33:19 What made Piotr a leader?

34:10 What does the future hold for Piotr

35:14 Conclusion

Icebreakers is produced by CERBA, an independent non-profit organization that promotes bilateral trade and investment between Canada and Eurasia. www.cerbanet.org

CERBA is hosting an exceptional guest on this episode of IceBreakers: a heavily decorated astronaut, engineer, and pilot - Colonel Chris Hadfield. Chris is an astounding pioneer of many historic "firsts": the first astronaut to operate Canadarm in space, the first Canadian to board and pilot a Russian "Soyuz" spacecraft, the first and only Canadian ever to command an International  Space Station (so far).

Chris is sharing his stories about living, working and playing music in space, his life in Russia and being an influencer. He is also talking about his new book, "The Apollo Murders" - an exceptional Cold War thriller from the dark heart of the Space Race, described as "Nail-biting" by James Cameron, another Canadian star, the writer and director of Avatar and Titanic.

Related Links to the episode:

Chris Hadfield - "The Apollo Murders"

NASA

Roscosmos

Timeline:

00:00 Intro

00:40 Introducing Chris Hadfield

2:08 Is Chris Hadfield an influencer?

4:14 Music is everywhere (including the Space Station)

5:36 "Menya zovut Chris Hadfield" - studying orbital mechanics in Russian 

9:13 What do astronauts do before launch?

12:28 Enriching life in Russian apartment

14:45 Life in space

20:44 "The Apollo Murders" - an exciting journey to an alternate past

24:43 The mission that never really happened or did it?

32:58 Back to the gravity

36:46 Democratizing space travel

40:14 How to land a "Soyuz"

41:30 What made Chris a leader?

42:01 What does the future hold for Chris Hadfield?

43:24 Will Nathan lose his moon estate?

45:44 Conclusion

Icebreakers is produced by CERBA, an independent non-profit organization that promotes bilateral trade and investment between Canada and Eurasia. www.cerbanet.org

Nathan Hunt is joined by Gilles Breton - a former Canadian diplomat  and a current CERBA National Chair. Gilles has served three assignments at the Canadian Embassy in Moscow  and shares some great stories about his experience working in Russia  during the Cold War; a 25,000km trip across the Soviet Union, heading CERBA and Canada-Russia Business Council.

Related links to the episode:

Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association (CERBA)

Russia Canada Business Council (RCBC)

Timeline

00:00 Intro

00:40 Introducing Gilles Breton

1:41 Meeting Robert Ford and the first posting

3:43 Mr.Costakis' Fine Arts collection

7:52 Living in Soviet Moscow as a Canadian Diplomat

10:35 Alexander Yakovlev speech writing power

13:20 The art of the Communist Party discussions

14:45 First visit of the Canadian Prime Minister to Russia

17:54 "Fire!" with CTV news

20:24 25,000km across the USSR

21:39 visiting the Baltic States

22:56 A magical rediscovery of Moscow

26:24 Becoming CERBA National Chair

28:14 Canada Russia Business Council

29:19 What are the greatest opportunities for Canada-Eurasia economic cooperation?

31:38 What made Gilles a leader?

32:14 What does the future hold for Gilles?

33:46 Conclusion

Icebreakers is produced by CERBA, an independent non-profit organization that promotes bilateral trade and investment between Canada and Eurasia. www.cerbanet.org

Мы  рады представить вашему вниманию подкаст Icebreakers - единственный подкаст о деловом и культурном сотрудничестве между Канадой и странами Евразии.

Гость нашего нового выпуска - Владислав Третьяк, заслуженный мастер спорта СССР, трехкратный олимпийский чемпион, Президент Федерации Хоккея России и обладатель звания "Лучший хоккеист 20го века".

00:00 Вступление

00:48 Представляем Владислава Третьяка

1:43 Стать хоккеистом, а не пилотом

3:34 Кто оказал наибольшее влияние на спортивную карьеру Владислава

4:02 Как жениться на девушке за 5 дней

7:00 Первый визит в Канаду

9:22 Секрет успеха сборной СССР по хоккею

10:02 Суперсерии 1972г.

11:18 Почему спортивный журналист Globe and Mail съел свою статью

13:11 Самые запоминающиеся моменты игры против канадцев

16:07 Почему Владислав не играл за Montreal Canadians

18:30 Новые вызовы тренера Олимпийской сборной

19:15 Награды за выдающиеся заслуги

20:56 Благотворительный фонд Владислава Третьяка

23:26 Стать членом парламента

24:30 Сильно ли отличаются канадцы и русские?

25:23 Что сделало Владислава лидером?

26:02 Что ждет Владислава в будущем?

27:02 Новый Третьяк у ворот?

28:28 Заключение

В эпизоде также упоминается:

Ежегодный благотворительный аукцион CERBA с Владиславом Третьяком >>

Все подробности по сотрудничеству и спонсорским пакетам доступны по следующей ссылке >>

In this exciting episode of IceBreakers, Nathan Hunt hosts Vladislav Tretiak, Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR, three-time Olympic hockey champion in 1972, 76 and 84 years; the winner of multiple Worlds Cup Championships and the "best hockey player of the 20th century" titleholder.

Related links  to this episode:

CERBA annual Christmas Charity Auction with Vladislav Tretiak

00:00 Intro

00:40 Introducing Vladislav Tretiak

1:36 A hockey player, not a pilot

3:30 Vladislav's career influencers

3:58 How to marry a girl in 5 days

7:05 First visit to Canada

9:24 USSR hockey team success recipe

10:10 Superseries 1972

11:33 Why Globe and Mail sports journalist ate host article

12:22 The most memorable moments playing  against Canadians

16:30 Why Vladislav didn't play for Montreal Canadians

19:01 New challenges as an Olympic team coach

19:51 Meritorious Service Award

21:20 Vladislav Tretiak's Charity foundation

23:52 Becoming a member of a Parlament

24:55 Do Canadians and Russians differ a lot?

25:50 What made Vladislav a leader

26:28 What does the future hold for Vladislav?

27:44 New Tretiak at the gates?

28:59 Conclusion

Learn more about CERBA here: https://www.cerbanet.org/ 

In this episode, Nathan and Lou Naumovski, former Vice President and Director-General of the Kinross gold Moscow office, discuss Lou's professional journey from the Trade Commission Service to the leading positions at  EBRD, Visa International and Kinross Gold. Lou is sharing  stories and the lessons learnt when working in the Russian market and reflecting on how to influence change through doing business in a sovereign country.

Learn more about CERBA here: https://www.cerbanet.org/ 

Related links to this episode:

• EBRD  
• Visa International  
• Kinross Gold
• McCain foods
• BRP 

0:00 - Intro

0:39 - Introducing Lou Naumovski

1:46 - Moving from Macedonia to Canada

4:06 - How the Soviet Union was perceived in Canada in 70s-80s

5:42 - Trade Commissioner Service - AG file

10:46  -  Working  in Soviet Moscow

14:20 - Reforming VISA in Russia

17:31 - Introducing electronic payments

22:05 - Improving Russian legislation: credit cards

23:23 - Joining Kinross Gold to add value

29:27 - Investing in the Russian mining sector

36:31 - Contribution to the mining legislation38:40 - You don't learn until you make mistakes

46:26 - Work-life balance

51:52 - What made Lou a leader?

52:54 - What does the future hold for Lou Naumovski?

53:45 - Conclusion

In the new episode of IceBreakers, Nathan hosts Mr. Paul Fast, a founder of the well-known Vancouver structural engineering company, Fast+Epp. Paul is an award-winning engineer, designer, philanthropist. He and his brother Ed Fast, former Minister of International Trade and Asia-Pacific Gateway of Canada, were granted honorary citizens of Millerovo County in the Rostov Region, Russia, during their trip there in 2013. With the family routes going back to 1920s Germany and Russia, Paul has reconnected with the region and founded an orphanage for the kids in need. In addition to establishing the Memorial Foundation, the Fast family entered into an agreement with the Mayor of Millerovo which grants a 6-week internship in one of Fast+Epp engineering offices to the local Millerovo design competition winners associated with the Corporate Social Responsibility Forum. Nathan and Paul also discuss Paul's professional achievements in construction engineering, his work with sustainable materials, timber innovations and the noblest projects like Richmond Olympic Oval for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Learn more about CERBA here: https://www.cerbanet.org/

0:00 – Intro

0:41 - Introducing Paul Fast

1:42 - Where does Fast family came from?

7:32 - Charity work in the South of Russia

13:01 - Memorial Foundation activities in Millerovo

21:00 – Timber-hybrid engineering construction projects 

18:58 - What Craig loves about Russians

23:34 - How tall wood buildings can be?

26:23 - 2010 Winter Olympics Richmond Oval project 

32:01 - Gold Medal engineering award

34:06 - How to make cables out of wood

36:01 - What made Paul Fast a leader?

38:28 - What does the future hold for Paul?

40:54 - Conclusion