Join us for a forward-looking discussion on the critical workforce priorities facing organizations in Canada in 2025 and beyond. We will explore practical strategies to attract, develop, and retain top talent; analyze emerging recruitment trends reshaping the Canadian labor market; and unpack forthcoming immigration policy updates and their implications for workforce planning. We will also share guidance on strengthening cross-cultural communication between Canadian and Japanese teams to improve collaboration and performance. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to build resilient, future-ready, and culturally fluent teams.
Dates: Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Venue: McMillan LLP (Brookfield Place, Suite 4400,181 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J 2T3)
Door opens: 5:00 PM
Panel discussion: 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Cocktail reception: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Speakers (alphabetical order):
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Eric De Groot, Canada Representative, Japan Intercultural Consulting
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Joy Haywood, President, Pasona Canada, Inc.
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Andrew Horvat, Consultant, Japan Intercultural Consulting
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Dave J.G. McKechnie Partner, Employment & Labour Relations, McMillan LLP
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Samuel Nishizawa, Director, RPO Services, Pasona NA
How to register: Please email name, title, organization, email and dietary request to admin@japansocietycanada.com by Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
Sponsor of the event:
Promotion partners:
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Calgary Japanese Business Association
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Montreal Shokokai
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Quebec Japan Business Forum
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Toronto Japanese Association of Commerce & Industry
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Vancouver Japanese Business Association of Commerce and Industry (KONWAKAI)
Speakers’ bio:
Eric De Groot
Canada Representative, Japan Intercultural Consulting
Eric De Groot has had a 30 plus year career successfully managing the business operations of non-Japanese multinational companies in Japan and APAC. His specialty is in creating value and solving problems for such organizations, primarily in the building/construction and chemicals industries. He has established Japanese entities, improved profitability through transformation of manufacturing (Kaizen), sales and distribution channels, obtained product certifications and approvals in opaque regulatory environments, managed complex global supply chains, handled regulatory and other crises and had full PL responsibility for APAC operations of both large multinational corporations and SMEs.
Joy Haywood
President, Pasona Canada, Inc.
Joy brings over 30 years of experience in recruitment and HR consulting. Since joining Pasona in 1992, she has played a key role connecting talent and opportunity, helping Japanese and Canadian clients navigate evolving HR challenges in the global workforce—from shifts in immigration, employment standards and privacy laws to the rise of AI in hiring. As Pasona marks it’s 50th anniversary, we remain guided by the philosophy of providing “Solutions to Society’s Problems". The Canada team continues to create meaningful employment opportunities that strengthen organizations and communities alike, especially in today’s complex economic landscape. As President of Pasona Canada and a Director of the Japan Society, she has championed cross-cultural business collaboration, as well as expanding the company's reach in to emerging business fields. Joy’s global perspective is rooted in her early career years living and working in Japan’s Kansai region in the early 1990s.
Andrew Horvat
Consultant, Japan Intercultural Consulting
Journalist turned academic, Andrew has developed a life-long taste for living and working across boundaries of language and culture. During a decades-long career as Tokyo-based correspondent for the Associated Press, Southam News of Canada, the Los Angeles Times, the London Independent and American Public Radio, Andrew has reported from some 20 countries and regions in the Asia Pacific.
Dave J.G. McKechnie
Partner, Employment & Labour Relations, McMillan LLP
Dave McKechnie is an experienced lawyer with expertise in all areas of employment and labour relations law and business immigration. He has extensive experience representing clients in the automotive and manufacturing industries. Acting for employers on a wide range of disputes, Dave provides counsel on claims of harassment, wrongful dismissal, and Canada Labour code unjust dismissal. He represents his clients in grievance arbitrations, and is experienced in employee and retiree benefits class actions claims. Dave appears regularly before various labour tribunals including the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal, and before the Ontario Superior Court and the Ontario Court of Appeal. Dave also provides guidance to employers on employment standards, disability management and benefits, employment contracts, employment policies, human rights in the workplace, as well as the negotiation and administration of collective agreements. In his business immigration practice, Dave advises on the full spectrum of issues, including immigration issues in corporate transactions, labour market impact assessments, intra-company transfers, CUSMA, CPTPP and GATS professional work permit applications, and permanent residence applications for economic class immigration and provincial nominees.
Samuel Nishizawa
Director, RPO Services, Pasona NA
Samuel Nishizawa leads the Recruitment Process Outsourcing practice at Pasona NA. With nearly a decade of leadership experience in executive search, selection, and RPO, Samuel empowers clients by designing, implementing, and executing effective talent acquisition strategies and optimizing processes. Samuel has held leadership roles in Sales, Operations, and Organization Scaling across Japan and the APAC region. His notable achievements include co-founding ManpowerGroup Japan's executive search arm and the direct sourcing model RPO entity, Experis Executive, in 2013. In 2017, he founded enPower, the RPO arm of en Japan Inc., Japan's largest provider of HR technology and job boards. Most recently, Samuel served as the Country Manager for Korn Ferry Japan. Samuel's extensive experience spans multiple cultures and environments, working closely with multinational companies across the APAC region and North America to address and resolve their talent acquisition needs.
