Charles talks social responsibility
Published Thursday November 5th, 2009
Visit: Relaxed prince meets with several business leaders
TORONTO - Prince Charles met with some of Canada's top business leaders Wednesday to discuss the social responsibility of corporations, a significant theme to his 11-day visit to Canada.
The Prince of Wales joined a meeting held by the Canadian Business for Social Responsibility at the Ontario Investment and Trade Centre in Toronto after flying to Ontario from Newfoundland where he spent nearly three days with his wife, Camilla Parker Bowles.
Among the nearly 40 executives in attendance were Adine Mees, president and CEO of Canadian Business for Social Responsibility, who described having the Prince of Wales join their conversation, on how businesses can benefit their communities, as a thrill.
"He was very relaxed and candid," said Mees, who has met Charles four previous times. "He really listened to the case studies. He had some very interesting questions and observations."
Prince Charles has focused much of his attention in past years on the topic of social and environmental responsibility. In 1990, he established The Prince's Seeing is Believing, a U.K. initiative designed to help organizations take responsibility for their impact on society.
"The Prince of Wales has been working on this for decades and it's really like the world has finally caught up," said Mees.
The meeting was the highlight of the Prince's first half-day in Ontario.
Their arrival in Toronto was a much smaller affair and involved much less fanfare than their official Canadian touchdown in St. John's, N.L., two days earlier.
Flags hung from the cockpit window as The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall descended the staircase.
Awaiting their arrival were local dignitaries and politicians, including Lt.-Gov. David Onley, Premier Dalton McGuinty and federal MP Gurbax Singh.
The couple spent several minutes meeting with those in attendance, including Coun. Nando Iannicca, representing the city of Mississauga, Ont.
"It was amazing," said Iannicca, his face beaming after shaking hands with the Prince. "It was the single greatest moment of my 22 years in office. It was an absolute privilege," he said.
The Royal couple then entered the terminal building, where they held a private meeting with McGuinty.
While Charles visited with Canadian business leaders, Bowles toured the Royal Conservatory of Music with its president, Peter Simon, and Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan.
During her visit, the Duchess toured the recently completed Koerner Hall and observed performances by a number of young Ontario musicians.
The couple attended a reception hosted by the province of Ontario Wednesday night, with more than 400 of the province's most affluent, from politicians and businessmen to artists.
The Royal couple's Ontario visit will continue Thursday, with a visit to Hamilton's Dundurn Castle, and a tour of a college in Niagara-on-the-Lake, in Ontario's wine country.
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That's really, really sad. This poor man needs to get some things happening for his constituents if this is the high point of his time in office.