It was a meeting of Canada's most powerful people and its most vulnerable - executives in business-casual attire, mingling with homeless teenagers, young refugees, and victims of abuse.
But these two seemingly alien groups were linked by a common yearning - for pride of accomplishment. The underlying message from the disadvantaged youth to the executives was: "How can I be like you?"
That dream is increasingly fragile as the recession beats down the aspirations of Canada's at-risk young people, corporate leaders learned this week as they toured the front lines of the war against youth poverty.
In the Toronto tour, organized by Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR), they learned that organizations working with at-risk youth these days are facing heavier caseloads, more mental illness cases, and a more challenging climate for building careers.
"We need business support for entry-level jobs for employment that has a career path," said Ruth daCosta, executive director of Covenant House, Canada's largest youth shelter, in urging executives to lend organizational support.
Ms. daCosta's sprawling complex in downtown Toronto provides shelter, health care, counselling and education for 4,000 young people a year aged between 16 and 24.
One of the most acute needs facing young people is a longer-term alternative to fast-food jobs that provide short-term income but rarely permanent vocations, Ms. daCosta said.
But in this economic climate, even the hamburger jobs are scarce.
Youth unemployment rose to 16.3 per cent this past summer, from 10.7 per cent in January, 2008, according to a report released this week by Community Foundations of Canada.
"Young workers face the worst job market in their lifetimes," the report said, adding that for each point increase in overall unemployment, it generally hits youth four times as hard.
The economic chain reaction that starts in the executive suites pushes down to the very bottom of the social scale - young people who are poor and on their own.
Stephanie Grant is one of the lucky ones. The 19-year-old discovered an organization called Eva's Initiatives that runs its own printing shop in a converted train repair shop on the edge of Toronto's railway lands.
Having graduated from its three-month training program, and learned skills on advanced printing equipment, she sees a life ahead as a professional printer.
In fact, she is about to take a key staff role in the shop that trained her, Eva's Phoenix Print Shop.
"I want to grow within the company," Ms. Grant said, "and then I want to run my own print shop.
"When I make my millions, I will bring it back here," she says with a laugh, gesturing at the refurbished railway shop.
The 12 executives, from companies such as KPMG, Motorola, and American Express, also toured Schools Without Borders, which supports diverse training experiences. The morning-long tour was part of CBSR's Seeing is Believing series, which provides first-hand contact with community and social issues.
The executives will meet again in early November to come up with concrete actions, said tour leader Rupert Duchesne, CEO of Groupe Aeroplan Inc.
They agreed entry-level career opportunities should be part of the discussion, along with mentoring, Mr. Duchesne said.
In addition, they will look at ways to include social ventures, such as Phoenix Print, in corporate buying.
Whatever the shared goals, the visits underlined the vast gaps between the life experiences of the young people and the touring executives.
Ms. daCosta pointed out that many of Covenant House's youths do not provide a phone number of someone to contact in case of emergency.
"They do not trust," she said, pointing to the high incidence of abuse in their lives.
"Their experiences are such that they are wise not to trust."