The Sea to Sky Corridor is known around the world for its breathtaking scenery and abundance of outdoor opportunities. But scratch beneath the surface and you鈥檒l find there鈥檚 more to this thrill-seeker鈥檚 paradise than meets the eye.
Quest University is presenting The Walrus Talks on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Whistler. Seven speakers have been invited to discuss the night鈥檚 theme of innovation.
鈥淭he speakers are going to bring a really interesting broad range of perspectives on what innovation looks like... Innovation, as we know, is a word that means many things, so the talks will be a starting point for the entire event,鈥� explained David Leonard, events director for national magazine The Walrus.
Featuring a diverse cast of speakers ranging from Global Accelerations Partners chair Nicholas Parker, First Nations leader Kim Baird and brewmaster Alex Villeneuve, the talk is intended to explore the concept of innovation in its many forms 鈥� and gives attendees the chance to join the discussion after the event.
鈥淭he reception is almost as important as the talks themselves,鈥� Leonard added.
Speaker Andrew Lubo, a 2014 graduate of Quest University, which is partnering with The Walrus Foundation on the event, wants to change the way we think about innovation as a society.
鈥淚nnovation is often directed to benefit the privileged people directing it and also the privileged people they鈥檙e directing it for, and that means there are a lot of people on the margins of society left out of this conversation around innovation,鈥� he said. 鈥淗ow can we think about innovation in a different way so that people on the margins of society aren鈥檛 left out and innovation isn鈥檛 as exclusive?鈥�
Whistler Centre for Sustainability director Cheeying Ho has seen firsthand the impact innovation can have at the grassroots level. For the past two years, the centre has run the Social Ventures Challenge, a business mentorship program for emerging entrepreneurs. Her Walrus talk will focus on that intersection between business and social good.
鈥淗ow do you become innovative in new business models where you鈥檙e using business as a way to change the world?鈥� she asked. 鈥淭raditionally it鈥檚 always non-profits that are the do-gooders who want to change the world, but we have a huge potential to use business as a strategy or a mechanism to change the world.鈥�
Ho also believes the realities of the resort lend themselves to innovative thinking. 聽
鈥淏y nature of us being a small community that鈥檚 not central to Greater Vancouver, people who want to live here almost by default have be creative to make a living,鈥� she said.聽
鈥淭here are lots of interesting entrepreneurs here doing all kinds of things that are pretty unique.鈥�
The Walrus Talks Innovation starts at 6 p.m. on Oct. 22 at the Maury Young Arts Centre. Tickets are $20, or $12 for students, available at artswhistler.tix.com.
