A Timmins man is getting ready for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Next week, Cameron Grant is heading to the Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference.
For 15 days in June, he'll be immersed in the prestigious conference with other emerging leaders from across the country.
It's an opportunity more than two years in the making. Grant received his acceptance letter on Christmas Eve of 2019 for the 2020 conference, which was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I really value the organization and that the people involved were very adamant to say that it could not be done virtually. Given the nature of the conference, it was something that completely had to be done in person. It’s all about testing your abilities, which is very hard to translate over virtual,” he said.
The conference starts in Huntsville, then participants break into groups and head to locations across Canada where they'll meet with various groups in the communities to understand the challenges people are facing. The study groups will each create a report from the information gathered to present to the Governor General in Ottawa.
Grant's destination is Prince Edward Island, where he's the co-chair of the study group.
“The one thing I really hope to achieve is how I can bring the experiences that I have and the knowledge that I’ve gained ... back to my community and see how those could be applied in ways that would not only enrich the cultural landscape, the socioeconomic landscape, but really make sure that Timmins continues to stay on the map as a viable place to build a career and a home,” he said.
He also hopes to inspire other young professionals in Timmins and Northern Ontario.
“If you really want to be part of something special, you don’t have to move down south to experience or find it or discover it. A lot of that exists here already, maybe on a smaller scale, but the important part of it is that these opportunities really are a dime a dozen down south. But you have a far greater chance of getting into something much like the Governor General’s conference if you look to your roots,” he said.
There are a handful of people from Timmins who have taken part in the conference before. While they've offered advice, they've also been cautious about it.
"They want to ensure that you have your own personal and unique experience. And for me, that creates a level of anxiety because I’m certainly somebody who enjoys understanding and grasping what’s on the horizon and so this is an entirely new frontier for me. I’ve heard that some big life changes can come from having experienced the conference,” he said.
Grant is very active in the community, sitting on the boards for the Timmins Symphony Orchestra and Mount Jamieson Resort. He used to coach Timmins Ski Racers and is involved in the arts and culture scene.
Having consistencies, whether it's a job — he's the senior policy analyst for the Timmins Chamber — friends or family, are important.
"That is always a nice base that provides me with this ability to chase all of these things. The one thing that I hope to achieve especially since there is such inconsistency that appears going into it is that I’ll be able to deal with the idea of change much better,” he said.
