2024 Program

Tuesday, October 22

07:30 - 08:30

Registration and Breakfast

08:30 - 09:00

Welcome and Opening Remarks

09:10 - 10:10

KEYNOTE SPEAKER - Marion Buller, Chancellor, University of Victoria, Chief Commissioner for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.  Presented in english.

10:00 - 10:40

Networking Break

10:40 - 11:30

Concurrent Education Sessions
1.  Complainants and Communication Restrictions in a Post-Covid Ombuds World, presented by Lindsay Sellinger, Senior Investigator, Alberta Ombudsman.  Presented in english.
2.  Ombuds as a Catalyst for Change: Taking an Unbiased, Proactive Approach to Better Serve the Public, presented by François Boileau, Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson, Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson.  Presented in french. 
3.  Addressing and Practicing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Values in the Ombuds Role, presented by Kemi Oke, Ombudsperson, Office of the Ombudsperson at York University, Julie Boncompain, Protectrice des droits de droits (Ombudsman), Bureau de la protection des droits at Polytechnique Montréal, Shirley Nakata, Ombudsperson for Students, Office of the Ombudsperson for Students at the University of British Columbia, and Laurel Wilkie, Undergraduate Ombudsperson, Office of the Student Ombuds at the University of Alberta.  Presented in english.

Travel break

12:30 - 1:30

Lunch

1:30 - 2:30

KEYNOTE SPEAKER - Rob Behrens, Former Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman, UK

Presented in english.

2:30 - 2:40

Travel Break

2:40 - 3:30

Concurrent Education Sessions
1.  Metrics and Measures of Success, presented by Jean-Marc Nantais, Canada Post and Kwame Addo, Ombudsman Toronto.  Presented in english.
2.  Preventative Ombudship: The Benefits of Working Proactively and Collaboratively with Public Bodies to Support Administrative Fairness, presented by Jennifer Jones, a/Manager Public Authority Consultation and Training team, and Jaime Green, Ombudsperson Officer Public Authority Consultation and Training team, BC Office of the Ombudsperson.  Presented in english.
3.  Ten Years Since Spirit Matters: Indigenous Issues in Federal Corrections (Part II), presented by Monette Maillet, Executive Director, Office of the Correctional Investigator.  Presented in english.

Concurrent Education Sessions
1.  The Many Faces of Fairness: The True Potential of Ombuds Work, presented by Meredith Gayda, Acting Deputy Ombudsman, Ombudsman Toronto.  Presented in english.
2.  The ART of Building an Ombuds Team – Attracting, Retaining, and Training Staff by Patti Clayton, Early Resolution Specialist and Sheetal Limaye, Early Resolution Specialist, Patient Ombudsman.  Presented in english.
3.  Structural Strengths and Challenges for Higher Education Ombuds in Small and Medium-Size Higher Education Ombuds Institutions: Three Ombuds’ Perspectives, presented by Rob Thompson, Ombudsperson, Camosun College, Annette O’Hara, Ombudsperson, Canada West University, and Angus Shaw, Ombudsperson, University of Victoria and Natalie Sharpe, Director, Office of the Student Ombuds, University of Alberta.  Presented in english.

5:00 - 7:00

Welcome Reception

7:00

Free Time 

Wednesday, October 23

07:45 - 08:45

Breakfast

08:45 - 09:45

KEYNOTE SPEAKER - Marc-André Dowd, Protecteur du citoyen du Québec, Advancing Reconciliation: A Report on the Viens Commission Follow-Up and Collaborative Efforts with First Nations and Inuit Representatives.  Presented in french.

09:55 - 10:45

Concurrent Education Sessions
1.  Artificial Intelligence, presented by Jean Marc Nantais, Canada Post.  Presented in english.
2.  Transforming the Complaints Handling Process: Insights and Strategies for Working With Stakeholders and Meeting Canadian Consumer Needs, presented by: Josée Bidal Thibault, Assistant Commissioner, Operations and Business Services, Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services.  Presented in english.
3.  The Proactive Ombuds: Tensions, Challenges and Opportunities in Policy Review, presented by Remonia Stoddart-Morrison, Graduate Ombudsperson, Office of the Student Ombuds, University of Alberta, and Laurel Wilkie , Undergraduate Ombudsperson, Office of the Student Ombuds, University of Alberta.  Presented in english.

10:45 - 11:15

Networking Break

11:15 - 12:05

Concurrent Education Sessions
1.  Dealing with the Dreaded Backlog: How Patient Ombudsman Eliminated its COVID19 Backlog in 2022-23,  presented by, Heather McGhee Peggs, Manager – Complaint Services, Patient Ombudsman; Patti Clayton, Early Resolution Specialist, Patient Ombudsman.  Presented in english.
2.  Higher Education, Procedural Fairness, and the Role of the Ombuds, presented by Martine Conway, Ombudsperson, University of Ottawa; Rob Behrens, formerly Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education in England and Wales; and Carolyn Brendon, University Ombuds, McMaster University.  Presented in english.

12:05 - 1:05

Lunch

1:05 - 1:55

In the Spotlight: A Case Study on Investigating High-Visibility, Hot-Button Issues, presented by Kwame Addo, Ombudsman, Ombudsman Toronto.  Presented in english.

1:55 - 2:05

Travel Break

3:25 - 4:15

Concurrent Education Sessions
1.  Dealing with CRABs (Challenging Responsible Authority Behaviours), presented by Robert Howard, Senior Investigator, and  Grant Cybulski, Investigator, Office of the Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.  Presented in english.
2.  Leading with Compassion: Building Trust through Direct Communication and Engagement with Community presented by Alex Kruger, Communication and Engagement Consultant, Ombudsman Toronto.  Presented in english.
3.  Where Truth Leads and People Come First: Cultural Humility, A Human-Centered Approach to Ombuds Work by Dr. Nadia Ferrara, Ombuds, Indigenous Services Canada.  Presented in english.

6:30 - 8:30

Dinner

Thursday, October 24

7:30 - 8:30

Breakfast

8:30 - 9:30

KEYNOTE SPEAKER - Ghizal Harress, Former Ombudsperson, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Applying Principles to Practice: Navigating the Role of Ombudsman in Afghanistan  .  Presented in english.                                                

9:30 - 9:40

Stretch Break

9:40 - 10:30

A Climate of Fairness:  Ombuds Practices to Support Equity in Addressing Climate Change - presented by Zoe Jackson, Sarah Malan, Midori Kaga, BC Ombuds Office.  Presented in english.

10:30 - 10:45

Networking Break