The Horizontal Lens
9:30am, September 21
When diversity and public policy are discussed together, the focus tends to be on issues like immigration and multiculturalism. But what about issues like economic development, arts and culture, international trade, education, Employment Insurance, public transit, health care and electoral reform? In what ways can the lens of diversity be applied to long-standing public policy issues to reveal new understanding of how policy impacts on Canadian diversity and how Canada’s diversity can offer competitive advantages? This session examines public policy questions horizontally to see how they need to engage and reflect diverse populations.
Speakers: Matthew Mendelsohn (Director; Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation), Michelle DiEmanuele (President & CEO; Credit Valley Hospital), David Lepofsky (Lawyer and Community Activist) and John Gordon (Directory of Urban Aboriginal Strategy; INAC)
Better Together
11:00am, September 21
A common cause can bring together unexpected allies. How have community groups moved beyond past conflicts to become effective partners in responding to policy issues or advocating new positions? How do policy developers navigate the sometimes competing interests from within cultures and communities, in order to get the best insight and information and shape mutually fulfilling policy?
Speakers: Wayn Hamilton (CEO, Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs), Vijay Sappani (Co-Founder, Sri Lankans Without Borders), Anita Khanna (Executive Director, Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA)), and Jean Augustine (Ontario Fairness Commissioner)
Moderator: Marie Wilson (Commissioner, Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada)
The Trouble with Consultation
11:00am, September 21
When working with diverse communities, must we change how public consultation is done? Who is doing consultation differently, and to what effect?
Speakers: Donald Lenihan (Vice-President of Engagement; Public Policy Forum), The Hon. Marlene Jennings (Member of Parliament – Notre-Dame-de-Grace-Lachine), Cathy Dandy (Director, Parent and Youth Engagement; Kinark Child and Family Services) and Joseph Peters (Partner, Ascentum)
Moderator: Chi Nguyen (Director, Participation & Process, Mass LBP)
Policy vs. Practice: Aboriginal Voice, Aboriginal Vision
1:00pm, September 21
Canada is home to approximately 1.2 million Aboriginal people, half of whom live in cities. What are the off-reserve issues faced by urban Aboriginal people, and what are the policies and practices required to enable educational development, economic prosperity and civic involvement?
Speakers: Peter Dinsdale (Executive Director; Natl. Association of Friendship Centres), Michael Bryant (Sr. Advisor, Ogilvy Renault and former Ontario cabinet minister), Trina Bučko (National Director – Organizational Inclusion Strategies; Aboriginal Human Resource Council), Dr. Margaret Brigham (Dean of Equity, Centennial College), Christopher Horton (Urban Aboriginal Strategy, Indian & Northern Affairs Canada), Mae Maracle (City of Toronto)
Moderator: Brenda Nadjiwan (Coordinator, Aboriginal Workforce Participation Initiative; Indian & Northern Affairs Canada)
Setting the Agenda
1:00pm, September 21
Community organizations and leaders are ideally positioned to identify the needs and priorities of their peers and members. What are the best ways for communities to present concerns and issues in order to enable governmental and political action? How should communities frame potential solutions to fit with existing priorities and mandates? And, how can they avoid confusing or alienating their intended audience?
Speakers: Melissa Graham (Board Member; Canadians With Disabilities – Ontario), Saeed Selvam (community organizer), Chad Rogers (Partner, Crestview), Rob Oliphant (Member of Parliament) and Jeff Evanson (Canadian Urban Institute)
Moderator: Katie Telford (Sr. Consultant; Strategy Corp)
Unusual Suspects
2:30pm, September 21
When reaching out to a specific community, there can be many things to navigate: cultural representation, differing views and interests, community politics and more. How do you identify stakeholders that will offer the insight and reach that you need, and move beyond the usual suspects?
Speakers: Debra Roberts (Deputy Chief of Staff Human Resources and Public Appointments, Office of the Premier (Ontario)), Naki Osutei (Vice-President of Strategy, Toronto City Summit Alliance) and Joanne MacDonald (Vice-President, CTV News)
Moderator: Megan Harris
Engagement Toolkit
4:00, September 21
You want to engage. You’ve got to engage. But how do you engage diverse communities? Showcasing a selection of tools, tactics and processes that they have used successfully in their work, our presenters will offer two perspectives: from within the public service, developing policies that are reflective and inclusive of diverse communities; and working from inside a community, helping to develop policies that are reflective of the diversity and complexity within.
Speakers: Derek Lett (Director, Diversity Program Design & Delivery, Ontario Public Service), Dr. Nasim Haque (Director, Community Health, Wellesley Institute), Ceta Rhamkhalawansingh (Manager, Diversity Management and Community Engagement, City of Toronto)
Moderator: Alejandra Bravo (Manager, Leadership & Learning, Maytree Foundation)
Global Positioning
9:30am, September 22
It is said that the world is at home in Canada, with many diaspora groups at home in Canada’s mosaic. How does Canada leverage this competitive advantage within foreign and domestic policy? How can our diaspora advantage give us a competitive edge internationally, by positioning Canada in the global competition for talent, trade with emerging markets and economic development?
Speakers: Dr. Victor Satzewich (Professor; McMaster University), John Monahan (Executive Director; Mosaic Institute), Omar Alghabra (Community Organizer and former MP) and Gerard Etienne (Director General, Human Resources Directorate, Health Canada)
Moderator: Thomas Axworthy (President & CEO, Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation)
Influencing the Influencers
11:00am, September 22
Media play a unique role in shaping political and policy: they educate, influence and reflect our views and priorities. Media can also shape the opinions of communities, politicians and public servants. How well do media know and reflect policy interests, needs and views of diverse communities?
Speakers: Marina Jimenez (Sr. Feature Writer; Globe & Mail), Kathy English (Public Editor; The Toronto Star), Mary Anne Chambers, (Former Ontario Cabinet Minister), Dr. Minelle Mahtani (President, Association for Canadian Studies)
Moderator: Susan Marjetti (Managing Director, CBC)
From Newcomer to Citizen
1:00pm, September 22
Each year, Canada welcomes over 200,000 newcomers. What are the best practices in welcoming and integrating newcomers into society and providing opportunities for civic engagement, education and economic growth?
Speakers: Debbie Douglas (Executive Director, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)), Katherine Hewson (Asst. Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration), Dr. Christopher Anderson (Professor, Wilfrid Laurier University) and Ratna Omidvar (President, Maytree Foundation)
Moderator: Norm Kelly (Toronto City Councillor)
Citizen 2.0
2:30pm, September 22
Canadians have embraced social media and new communications technologies, and are increasingly expecting brands, governments, social movements and political campaigns to engage with them online. Have these tools offered benefits to Canada’s diverse populations and increased their ability to engage with their governments and communities? How can these new technologies be used to promote representation, engagement, integration and prosperity?
Speakers: Rob Silver (Partner; Crestview), Paul Nguyen (Founder; Jane-Finch.com), Charles Silverman (Director, Inclusive Media & Access) and Sonia Dong (Diversity Project Manager, Sustainability Network)
Moderator: Amrita Chandra
View from the Private Sector
4:00pm, September 22
The business community has been dealing with issues of diversity for many years, with many successes to show for their efforts. What can the public sector learn from business about collaborating with diverse communities, and leveraging the talent, resources and networks of these communities? And in what ways can public policy around diversity support and enable the diversity efforts of the private sector?
Speakers: Lynn Roger (SVP, Talent Strategies and Executive Resourcing, BMO Financial Group); Aditya Jha (Founder, POA Educational Foundation and National Convenor, Canada India Foundation); and G. Raymond Chang (Executive Chairman, CI Funds)
Moderator: Hamlin Grange (President, DiversiPro) |
Beautiful City
9:30am, September 21
In 2002, the Beautiful City team proposed a bold idea: tax on billboards to enhance public spaces through art. They found support from a broad base of residents, received over 4,500 petition signatures, and brought together 60 local community-based organizations to form a coalition to work with the City to make this idea a reality. Their mobilization efforts used a blend of word-of-mouth promotions, email and text messages to keep their base informed, and their proposal was passed by Council in late 2009. Dive into the campaign: how they connected with individuals, their use of communications technologies, their approach to partnering with government and community organizations to find a solution, and what they’ve learned.
Speaker: Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler (Government Relations Manager; Beautiful City)
Building Leaders
2:30pm, September 21
The Maytree Foundation’s School4Civics is helping to shape new leaders from the GTA’s diverse communities. Hear from Maytree leaders and program participants about what makes this unique program so successful and how alumni are already making their mark on GTA politics.
Speakers: Alejandra Bravo (Manager, Leadership Programs; Maytree Foundation) and others TBA
The Making of the RDSP
4:00pm, September 21
When Vancouver-based advocacy group, PLAN, first visited Ottawa in 2003 they had no idea how initiatives are advanced in the nation’s capital. Five years later, the world’s first savings plan for people with disabilities – the Registered Disability Savings Plan – became available to Canadians. In those five years, federal legislation and infrastructure was put in place and twelve of thirteen provincial jurisdictions reformed their rules to enable people on disability benefits to take advantage of the plan. Jack Styan (VP Public Policy at PLAN); David Carter-Whitney (ADM, Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services) and Carolyn Weber (ADM, Public Works Canada) share their insights and perspectives on this ground-breaking public policy initiative.
It’s Your City
11:00am, September 22
In the spring of 2009, over 900 people applied to participate in the City of Toronto’s Civics 101 program — an intensive learning series for residents on how the City works. From this group, 175 participants were selected to participate. From September to December, participants learned about local planning, how Council makes decisions, the city’s finances and connecting government to community. Key organizers from the City Manager’s office will present the Civics 101 framework and format, and share their best practices and lessons learned for connecting with the community and demystifying government.
Speakers: Meg Shields (Sr. Corporate Management and Policy Consultant, Strategic and Corporate Policy, City of Toronto) Kevin Lee (Sr. Corporate Management and Policy Consultant, Strategic and Corporate Policy)
Family Matters
2:30pm, September 22
Over the course of two and a half years, the Canadian Council of Muslim Women led a coalition of over 100 organizations and community groups in a struggle against the use of religious laws in Ontario family courts. Hear from lead organizers of this movement about their successes, challenges, and the double-edged sword of winning the battle while seeing their efforts used to reinforce negative stereotypes about their community and faith.
Speakers: Alia Hogben (Executive Director; Canadian Council of Muslim Women) and Amanda Dale (Executive Director; Barbara Schlifer Clinic)
Accidental Citizens
4:00pm, September 22
In June 2010, Samara released “The Accidental Citizen?”. Samara asked 65 former MPs to reflect on their time in office, including: their early experiences and paths to politics; how they thought about their role and spent their time; their relationships with citizens and with the media and their advice and recommendations. Samara’s co-founder and executive director Alison Loat will present this ground-breaking study and lead a discussion on the implications for engaging diverse Canadians in the political realm. |
