Events

Evelyn Dancey provides leadership for the federal budget process and fiscal policy framework, and advises on core government activities in areas such as real property, information technology and public service employment. She has contributed to more than a dozen budgets through progressively senior roles at the Department, including in areas such as business financing, innovation, and infrastructure; supporting the recovery of hard-hit sectors from the impacts of COVID-19; the transition of natural resources industries to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions; national defence/security; and, regulatory modernization. Evelyn is also a long-time formal and informal mentor whose investments in recruitment and talent development have and continue to yield dividends for the Department. She is a co-chair of the Department’s People Management and Culture Committee. Evelyn was educated at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario (B. Arts & Science) and the University of Toronto (M.A., Economics).

Inbal M. currently holds the position of Acting Section Head for Strategic Foresight at Defence Research and Development Canada, leading interdisciplinary strategy and innovation to enhance the well-being of Canadians. Previously at the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), Inbal served as Special Advisor to the CEO, providing strategic advice and managing sensitive issues, and was recognized for pioneering the Strategic Foresight function. Inbal established the economic research portfolio as the first economist at SCC and contributed to research and analysis that informed sector standardization priorities. Earlier career roles included Research Coordinator at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, where Inbal was awarded for outstanding contribution to internationalization, and various positions focused on project management and stakeholder engagement. Inbal holds multiple degrees, including an MA in Economics and an M.Ed in Education from York University, supplemented by a Certificate in Business Fundamentals and a Design Thinking workshop at Harvard Extension School.

Marie-France Paquet leads a team of analysts in reporting and advising on international trade, investment and economic issues. Current economic research and analysis projects include the impact of trade agreements on labour and gender, the determinants of export for SMEs, the impact of the Trade Commissioner Services on Canadian exporters’ performance, the impact of foreign direct investment on the economy, the vulnerability of Canadian supply chains, and the impact of COVID-19 on trade.

She has taught economics at the School of Management at the University of Ottawa, and has held several positions in the federal government of Canada. Dr. Paquet was the Director of Operations, Economic and Regional Development Policy Secretariat at the Privy Council Office, providing policy advice to the Clerk of the Privy Council and the Prime Minister on a wide range of economic and regional development issues.

She also worked at Transport Canada on the coordination of the policy response to the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. Dr. Paquet received her PhD in Econometrics from Université Laval jointly with Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Filipe Dinis served as the Bank of Canada’s first Chief Operating Officer (COO) from 2014 until his retirement from the Bank in June 2024. As COO, he oversaw the Bank’s operations, strategic planning, risk and corporate functions, including the currency function, with a focus on cybersecurity and operational resilience.

Throughout his tenure, Mr. Dinis was a leader of innovation, driving the digital transformation of the Bank’s operations and promoting the adoption of new technologies and approaches to better face future challenges. He oversaw the renovation of the Bank’s Ottawa headquarters and the implementation of designs to encourage collaboration, including an innovation hub that partners with academia and the private sector to generate new ideas.

Mr. Dinis promoted innovation and resilience beyond the Bank as well, acting as an executive sponsor of the Resiliency of the Wholesale Payment System, a public-private partnership led by the Bank to promote stability in Canada’s financial system. He also led the creation of the Canadian Financial Sector Resiliency Group, a public-private partnership responsible for coordinating sector-wide responses to systemic-level operational incidents and for strengthening the financial sector’s critical infrastructure against risks to business operations, including cyber incidents.

Before joining the Bank, Mr. Dinis served in the Privy Council Office as Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, providing strategic advice and analysis to the Clerk of the Privy Council on business transformation and public service renewal. He also served as Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee on the Public Service. Before that, he was Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Commissioner at the Canada Revenue Agency.

Mr. Dinis holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University and is a chartered professional accountant. He currently serves as Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. In 2023, he was made a CPA Fellow in recognition of his exceptional leadership and contributions to the profession and to his community. Mr. Dinis also received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Stephen Tapp is the Chief Economist at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. In this role, he is a key member of the Chamber’s executive leadership team, responsible for economic analysis and research. His focus is on developing data, analytics and forecasting capacities to provide real-time and forward-looking insights for Canadian businesses of all sizes, in all sectors and regions of the country.

Stephen brings over 20 years of diverse experiences at many of Canada’s top economic organizations including at: Export Development Canada as the Deputy Chief Economist, the Bank of Canada, Parliamentary Budget Office, Finance Canada, two think tanks as well as academia.

He is a recognized thought leader, frequent commentator, and sought-out spokesperson on economic issues in Canada. Stephen’s research was awarded the Purvis prize for Canadian economic policy and has been published in academic journals, such as the Canadian Journal of Economics and Canadian Public Policy. He has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from Queen’s University and an Honors B.A from Western. During his undergrad, he studied in the Netherlands and was the owner-operator of a student painting company.