The opening plenary speaker was the Right Honorable Kim Campbell. Ms. Campbell is currently the Consul General in Los Angeles, and the newly elected Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders. Kim's speech emphasized the importance of making women leaders visible, natural, and normal. Ms. Campbell suggested that the strength of a society is a result of its women. The importance of female literacy, and educating women cannot be overstated.
Uneducated girls represent a time bomb for society.
Ms. Campbell pointed out that women are strong and courageous, and that if the Women's World Cup didn't demonstrate that to the world, nothing would. She pointed out that half the world's intellect, creativity, and courage resides in women, and that the problems of the world are too great to rely on men only for the solutions. She was an articulate, and passionate speaker. Carol Anne Letheren, the CEO of the Canadian Olympic Association moderated the panel. She shared her inspiring story of the Nagano Olympics.