Press release
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
launches the 8th edition of Operation Back to School
Montreal , March 29, 2004 The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is about to launch the 8 th edition of Operation Back to School. The high dropout rate is of great concern to the Board of Trade: this operation is aimed at helping high school students understand the importance of staying in school and earning their diploma.
The testimonials given by business people provide young people and their teachers with a more accurate picture of the labour market, employment opportunities, and the key competencies required to make them more marketable. These meetings, during which business people talk about their academic, professional, and personal backgrounds have proven to be very enriching for young people.
For the Board of Trade, the development of a prosperous and competitive metropolis depends, in particular, on a public education system that is accessible to all and leaves no-one behind. At a time when the creation of wealth requires the acquisition and innovative application of knowledge, our education system must successfully instil a desire for excellence, and it is with this is mind that we must work together to tackle the causes of high school dropout rates, promote academic perseverance and the earning of diplomas, and facilitate the entrance of young people into the job market, declared Benoit Labonté, president of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
Once again this year, some 400 men and women from the business community will visit more than 65 French- and English-speaking high schools in the metropolitan area and discuss their experiences with students in Secondary 3, 4, and 5 and their teachers. Among them, Mr. Benoit Labonté, president, Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal; Mr. Gérald Tremblay, mayor of Montréal; Mr. Louis L. Roquet, president and chief executive officer, SAQ; Mr. Jacques Parisien, president and chief executive officer, Astral Radio; Gerry Frappier, president and chief executive officer, Réseau des sports (RDS) will each visit a high school and meet with the students.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has some 7,000 members. Its primary mission is to represent the interests of the business community of the Greater Montreal region and, as a contributing and responsible player, to promote the economic development of the urban area. Encompassing three specialized services (Info entreprises, the Electronic Commerce Institute and World Trade Centre Montréal) that serve merchants and businesses of all sizes throughout Quebec and Canada , the Board of Trade is Quebec 's leading private economic development organization.
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Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: (514) 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca
