Jean Monty: Echoing a York vision

By Beverly Else

At a recent Toronto Board of Trade dinner, Jean C. Monty, president and CEO of BCE Inc. and president and CEO of Bell Canada echoed one of the visions of York University in his address "The Gift: Lifelong Learning in the Information Age".

Monty offered a simple premise: "To prosper in our world, to enjoy and contribute to the many advantages our modern society has to offer, and even, I believe, to enjoy a state of happiness and self-fulfillment, we must all adopt the concept of life-long learning. Continual learning helps us adapt to inevitable change, it drives us to explore and create, and it rewards us with a greater understanding of ourselves and our environments."

As an outstanding example of an individual who has taken this ideal to heart, Monty introduced Betty Worden, a York University honours BA graduate 1998, who earned her degree at age 81. Worden is also an RAF veteran, a retired chartered accountant and the subject of a forthcoming CBC documentary.

Monty went on to say, "...the point of education is not just to make money, or churn out better employees. The point is knowledge and personal fulfillment; the point is to not let go of the curiosity that makes us human. This is the proper pursuit of education, free of commerce, sufficient unto itself.

"But, you know, a funny thing happens on the way to personal fulfillment ­ you do become wealthier. You do grow as an employer, a people and a society. Show me a nation of learners and I'll show you a nation of leaders...For knowledge enables a society to determine its own future, to transcend limitations such as geography and finite natural resources. Knowledge is itself an infinite, always renewable resource. It is the competitive edge par excellence ­ but only if we choose to make quality education a priority. "

Monty spoke feelingly and knowledgeably about the co-relations among education, research and development, and Canada's place in the global marketplace. Quoting from Canada at the Crossroads: The Reality of a New Competitive Environment by Michael Porter of the Harvard Business School, Monty said the study noted an inadequate corporate commitment to human resource development in Canada. It also pointed out that a skilled, flexible and well-educated workforce is an essential source of competitiveness for a national economy. Monty went further and suggested, "it's the only differentiator left among competing industrial economies".

He urged Canadian business to participate more fully with educational institutions with interest, time and funding. He especially encouraged a greater commitment to research and development, and innovation, and said a lack of commitment in these areas are at the root of Canada's recent decline in productivity relative to other G-7 nations.

"The OECD's 1995 Economic Survey says, 'Compared with their global competitors, Canadian firms rank last in company-funded R&D, with only a tiny faction undertaking any R&D at all.' Meanwhile proportionate private R&D investment in the U.S. is almost double that in Canada, despite the fact that Canada offers one of the most generous R&D tax credits in the world."

Addressing the decline in support to public schools, high schools and universities, Monty told his audience "government can help but industry must lead: we can offer scholarships, promote education and training at all levels and expand student internship and co-op programs with universities."