OTTAWA, Ont. — The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport North America will be hosting its eighth annual Transportation Situation & Outlook Conference in Ottawa on May 11.

The event, which will specifically examine challenges and opportunities facing the North American transportation network in turbulent economic times, will take place at the Sheraton Ottawa Hotel.

“This conference is a leadership forum to review and assess future impacts on major transportation issues. The turbulent global economic climate could see major shifts in trade and traffic patterns, with short and long-term rippling effects on the entire global supply chain and transport infrastructure. At the same time, facing un-precedented global economic and financial pressures, governments plan to invest massively in infrastructures. Conference discussions will focus on specific strategies and opportunities resulting from this challenging global environment,” CILTNA states.

For More information contact Hazem Ghonima FCILT, CEO, CILTNA Phone:(613) 688-1438 Fax: (613) 688-0966 or E-mail: Ghonima@ciltna.com

Included below is the agenda for the event:

7:30–8:30 AM Registration & Breakfast

8:30-9:00 AM Welcome & Opening

                        • Opening Address: Challenges and Opportunities in the Transportation Sector

Gilles Legault FCILT, Chairman, CILTNA

9:00–10.15 AM

Economic Change: Trends and Challenges for Transportation Moderator: Don McKnight FCILT, President, DAMF Consultants Inc.

                        • A Global Perspective: The world economy: General observations on the impacts on the global transportation system.

Speaker: Steve Ploz, Chief Economist, EDC (invited)

                        • Economic Perspectives

Speaker: Mike McCracken,

Chairman & CEO, Informetrica Ltd.,

                        • Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on North American Freight Flows

Speaker: Hazem Ghonima FCILT, President & CEO TAF Consultants

Question Period

                        10:15 –10:30 AM Refreshments

                        10:30 AM–12:00 PM

Challenges and Opportunities Facing Freight & Passenger Carriers Serving North America

Moderator: TBA Senior Advisor

                        • Deep Sea & Inland Shipping

Speaker: TBA

                        • Challenges and Opportunities for Class 1 and Regional Railways: freight and passenger.

                        Speaker: Cliff Mackay, President & CEO, Railway Association of Canada

                        • Logistics/Highway Transport Challenges

Speaker: Claude Robert, President of Transport Robert (to be confirmed)

                        • Air Transport: Freight & Passenger

Speaker: Fred Gasper, Regional Vice President, InterVISTAS Consulting Inc. (Ottawa) (invited)

Question Period

12:00–1:30 PM Lunch

Speaker: Gov. James Blanchard former US Ambassador to Canada; Partner, DLA Piper

                        • Transportation and Trade Policy Issues Facing North America.

1:30-2:15 PM

Challenges and Opportunities for Shippers

Moderator: Robert Ballantyne FCILT, President, Canadian Industrial Transportation Association

                        • Trade and Competitiveness of Transportation Options in the Forestry Sector

Speaker: Marta Morgan, VP, Trade & Competitiveness, Forest Products Association of Canada

                        • Manufacturing Distribution Challenges

Speaker: TBA

Question Period

2:15–4:00 PM

Strategies for the Transportation Sector:

Moderator: TBA

                        • Gateway and Corridor Strategies for a Changing Economy

Speaker: Helena Borges, Director General, Surface Transportation Policy; Transport Canada.

                        • The American Plan

Speaker: TBA

                        • Meeting the Challenges in Mexico

Speaker: J R Montero, Deputy General Director for Canada, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexico. (To confirm)

                        3:15 PM Refreshments

                        • Implementing Strategies for future Surface Transportation Challenges

Speaker: TBA

                        • Implementing Challenges for future Marine Infrastructure

Speakers: TBA

Question Period

4:00–4:30PM

The Challenges and Next Steps

                        • Summary of Conference Findings and Possible Action strategies

                        • Facilitator: Richard Lande , FCILT Hon.; Richard Lande & Associates