The 2012 Northern Lights business and cultural showcase, a trade show organised by the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce and the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce, will take place in Ottawa from Feb. 1 to 4.

Governor General David Johnston, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency Minister Leona Aglukkaq, Quebec Premier Jean Charest, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Kathy Dunderdale, foreign ambassadors and many executives from mining and energy companies are set to take part.

University presidents from across Canada will meet with Parliamentarians and senior public servants in Ottawa to discuss how universities are helping to build a culture of innovation in Canada. Close to 30 university presidents and Paul Davidson, the president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) will participate.

The lobby day will start off with a breakfast lecture on innovation at 7:30 a.m. and end with an evening reception celebrating private-public partnerships at 6:30 p.m. at the Château Laurier.

Canada’s Progressive Centre, a think-tank led by consultants and business leaders, will hold the first event of the discussion series around its book – The Canada We Want in 2020: A Strategic Policy Roadmap for the Federal Government. The event will discuss income inequalities and polarization. Panelists will include Keith Neumann of the Environics Institute, Sherri Torjman of the Caledon Institute of Social Policy and Mark Cameron, a former director of policy and research in Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office. 

"Canada's largest conservative event of the year," the Manning Networking Conference, will take place from March 8 to 10 at the Ottawa Convention Centre. Former U.S. ambassador to Canada David Wilkins, Conservative ministers and MPs, pollsters, commentators, activists, organizers, strategists and volunteers will participate.