Continental Networking Breakfast and Registration

Co-Chairs’ Welcome Remarks

Colleen Ouellette
Director & Corporate Secretary
Export Development Canada

Teresa Woo-Paw
Chair
Canadian Race Relations Foundation

Thomas H. Yeo
Partner
Torys LLP

In the last year, Crown Corporations have experienced the aftereffects of the pandemic including the current economic fallout. Like their private sector counterparts, they look forward to a post-pandemic recovery, but remain mindful of current realities. Our co-chairs will provide an overview of recent developments and what Crown Corporations can expect in 2023.

• Exploring and analyzing the current effects of the post-pandemic world on Crown Corporations
• Examining the common challenges which Crown Corporations are presently facing
  • Evolving ESG and DEI Responsibilities
  • The relationship between Crown Corporations and their respective ministries
  • Recruiting challenges faced in post-pandemic world Focus on ESG

Focus on ESG

A Crown Corporation’s Guide to Building a Solid Framework for a Successful ESG Program

Melanie Debassige, MBA, ICD.D
Board of Director
Canada Energy Regulator
Chair
Ontario Clean Water Agency

Simon Kamel
Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary
Royal Canadian Mint (Ottawa, ON)

• Identifying the challenges of implementing good ESG policy and devising solutions to this dilemma
• Examining success stories of ESG implementation
  • What does the road to the finish line look like?
• Reviewing “poor practices” and re-routing to a path of sound governance
• What is the role of Management for ESG vs. BOD for ESG?

Morning Coffee Break

Environmental Governance: What Every Crown Corp Needs to Know About Reducing its Environmental Impact

Chantal Guay
CEO
Standards Council of Canada

Nick Xenos
Executive Director, Centre for Greening Government
Treasury Board Secretariat

• Devising ways for Crown Corporations to reduce their environmental impact and increase their climate resilience
• Examining how other Crown Corporations are implementing best practices towards greener operations
• Exploring climate strategies which have been implemented across multiple levels of government and how these tactics can be used by Crown Corporations to achieve carbon control
• Understanding what the government looks at in Crown Corporation reports concerning environmental structure

Continuing the Crown Corp DEI Conversation: From the Boardroom to Throughout the Office

Teresa Woo-Paw
Chair
Canadian Race Relations Foundation

Anne-Cécile Lequain
General Manager, Employee Services & Diversity
Canada Post

Angela Cassie
Interim Director & CEO
National Gallery of Canada

• What does good EDI governance look like?
• Understanding the importance of investing in a diverse BOD
• Enhancing diversity at the management level
• Examining EDI policies among various Crown Corporations
  • Accepting EDI policy as integral of human rights
• Providing an environment that nurtures every person’s authenticity
• Meeting EDI policy goals to represent the community that the Crown Corporation serves
  • How can we ensure there is representation of the community within the Crown Corp.? (i.e. indigenous involvement)

Networking Luncheon

Governance Roundtable

A Discussion with Crown Corporation Executives and Minister on Accountabilities and Transparency

David Field
President & CEO
Legal Aid Ontario

Aaron Friedenthal
VP Legal Services & Assistant Corporate Secretary
ATB Financial

Okenge Yuma Morisho
Deputy Minister
Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Government of British Columbia

Teresa Woo-Paw
Chair
Canadian Race Relations Foundation

Glenn Campbell
Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Investments, Partnerships and Innovation
Infrastructure Canada

Crown Corporate Executive and Board of Director roles often overlap. However, each role plays a crucial part in reaching targets and obtaining sound governance. Join us as we have a roundtable discussion on the roles of a Minister, CEO/President, Chair, and Corporate Secretariat and how each player affects and interacts with one another. Understanding what each role entails can solidify transparencies and progress to an overall Crown’s obligations.

• Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of:
  • Minister (DM)
  • Chair/BOD
  • CEO
  • Corporate Secretariat
• Exchanging good basic governance practices
• Providing guidance on available resources
• Identifying “bad practices” early on and determining what changes to make to maintain sound governance
  • Reviewing good and bad practices

Maximizing the Value of Board Committees: Delegating Within the Board of Directors

David Beatty
Director, The David & Sharon Johnston Centre for Corporate Governance Innovation
Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

Jane Halford
Chairperson
Farm Credit Canada

Colleen Ouellette
Director & Corporate Secretary
Export Development Canada

• Understanding the benefits of committees and the power of delegation in a Crown Corporation
• Creating committees that focus on achieving Board objectives
• Assessing where Committees are needed to help advance the Board’s duties and obligations, for example:
  • Finance
  • Audits
  • EDI
  • Environment impact
  • HR

Afternoon Refreshment Break

Exploring Creative Avenues for Revenue Generation in Crown Corporations

Michael Yee
Vice President, Financial Services
Canada Post

• Combating the challenges of limited government funding (or no funding)
• Discovering new means of revenue and how to reach targets while maintaining sound governance
• Developing innovative compliant techniques to raise revenue
  • Examples of compliant revenue generation for non-profit and for-profit Crown Corporations

Developing Strategies for Successful Reporting: Effective Techniques for Annual Government Reports and Internal Audits

Jeff Miller
Senior Counsel, Finance Legal Services
Department of Finance

Darinka Pejic
Chair, Audit Committee and Finance Committee
Institute of Public Administration Canada (IPAC)
Director, Finance & Administration
Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario

Kenneth Jull
Partner
Gardiner Roberts LLP

• Distinguishing and examining the key points that Ministries look at in annual reports
• Exploring internal practices that have helped with annual reporting
• Revising reports that the government deems “poor”
  • How to avoid “poor” reporting
• Appreciating the benefits of internal audits as a tool to reduce the chance of “poor” reporting to the Ministries

Closing Remarks — End of Day 1

Continental Networking Breakfast and Registration

Opening Remarks Day Two and Recap of Day One by Co-Chairs

Colleen Ouellette
Director & Corporate Secretary
Export Development Canada

Thomas H. Yeo
Partner
Torys LLP

Teresa Woo-Paw
Chair
Canadian Race Relations Foundation

Focus on Talent Retention Replacement and Recruitment

Securing the Best Talent: Developing Successful Strategies for Employee and Board Retention

Nadim Kara
Vice President, HR and Employee Experience
Canada Post

Natalie Kinloch
Chief Executive Officer
Federal Bridge Corporation Limited

• Developing a game plan to retain your current best talent
• Discover how Crown Corporations attract and provide support to their employees
  • Board of Directors
  • CEO
  • Management Level
• Identifying factors that drive retention
• Examples of different approaches and tactics to improve engagement.
• Successfully dealing with ongoing pressures on retention and business continuity

Morning Coffee Break

Filling in the Gap: Addressing Challenges Surrounding Renewal and Replacement of Board of Director Positions

Frédéric Duguay
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Canada Infrastructure Bank

Jane Halford
Chairperson
Farm Credit Canada

• Examining the renewal process and related timelines
• Developing strategies for replacement vs. renewal
  • Finding the right candidate vs. finding a candidate fast
• Juggling roles when there are gaps in the Board of Directors
• Providing a sound short-list for new appointments
• Devising ways for a board to function when it is lacking members because of the renewal process
  • Advice for other BOD members temporarily filling in for vacancies during the renewal process

Productivity and Work Environment: Shifting From Working at Home to Back in the Office

Joanne Larocque-Poirier
Chief of Staff and Corporate Secretary
Canada Council for the Arts

Chantal Guay
CEO
Standards Council of Canada

• Exploring the adjustment from working at home to going back to the office in a Crown Corporation setting
  • Examining different work structures for Crown Corporations to consider
• Assessing the post-pandemic virtual world in terms of office environment and culture
  • Exploring the benefits of the virtual world and how it helps Crown Corporations
  • Virtual vs. In-person board meetings
• Understanding the connection between an employee’s role and their work environment
  • Evaluating an employee’s role and where he or she would work best

Networking Luncheon

The Evolution of the Arms-Length Relationship: Understanding the Changing Dynamic Between Crown Corporations and Their Respective Ministries

Randy Jackiw
Assistant Deputy Minister
Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, Ontario

Jacqueline Nelson
Managing Director, Corporate Communications
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board

• Understanding why the relationship between Crown Corporations and their respective ministries are typically at arms-length
• Managing the “arms-length” relationship post-pandemic
  • Determining how the relationship has changed and what that means for Crown Corporations
• Comprehending how the arms-length relationship impacts private and public sector challenges
  • Achieving the balance between government oversight and the Crown Corporation’s independent operations

Afternoon Refreshment Break

Cyber Security Risk Management: Everything Board Members Need to Know Including When to Panic!

Ruth Promislow
Partner
Bennett Jones LLP

While cybersecurity threats were already significant before the onset of COVID, the mass shift to remote work and virtual meetings has magnified concerns further. Risks associated with increased reliance on remote technology have moved cybersecurity to the top of many organizations’ — including crown corporations — corporate agenda. Join us for an in-depth discussion as well as hypotheticals specifically designed around cybersecurity risk prevention for Crown Corporations.

• Vulnerabilities encountered in the move to the virtual world and lessons learned
• Emerging security threats and what is at stake for Crown Corporations
• Rethinking policies and procedures to mitigate risk
• Calculating risk thresholds for government and shareholders
• Identifying disruption, calculating the amount of disruption, and mitigating disruption
• Establishing best practices and policies on handling ransomware
• Evaluating commercial and professional liability on insurance Policies

A Guide to Managing Conflicts of Interest Challenges That Arise in Crown Corporations

Thomas H. Yeo
Partner
Torys LLP

Carol Hansell
Senior Partner
Hansell LLP

• Addressing the common and not so common conflicts of interest dilemmas in Crown Corporation settings
• Constructing alternative solutions to conflicts of interest
• Assessing resources that are available to Crown Corporations when they cannot resolve certain conflicts of interests on their own

Recap and Closing Remarks

End of Day 2 — Conference Adjourns