Agenda | Eastern Daylight Time
CPD Accreditation | S: Substantive P: Professionalism
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Day 1 — Main Conference
June 16, 2026
AUDIENCE POLLING AND HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIOS
A Deep Dive into Disclosure Obligations and Best Practices in a post-Jordan World: Best Practices for Efficient and Meaningful Disclosure | CPD: S
Shelley Tkatch, K.C.General CounselPublic Prosecution Service of Canada, Calgary
Jim CruessSenior Litigation Counsel, EnforcementOntario Securities Commission
This session will provide an in-depth discussion of disclosure management after the Supreme Court’s Decision in R. v. Jordan (2016) and evolving jurisprudence on what amounts to “meaningful” disclosure (e.g. R. v. Cuffie). Speakers will delve into best practices for disclosure management and mitigation of delays.
Attendees will benefit from enhanced benchmarking via real-time anonymous audience polling and hypothetical scenarios.
- Examining the most common reasons why cases are stayed or withdrawn
- What kind of evidence is valued as “proof,” and determining which types of evidence make a case worth pursuing in court
- Communicating with your Crown advisor, and at what point in the investigation does communication start – your “Crown Eyes Only” package
- Anticipating what can go wrong with disclosure and tips and tricks for getting ahead of potential challenges
Automating the Vetting and Redaction Process: A Closer Look at the Newest AI and More Tech Capabilities
Nic CottonExecutive DirectorPolicyTalk Canada, Inc.
This session will compare and contrast a variety of automation and AI tools used for vetting documents using open-source data, with a focus on the lengths and limits of these tools.
- Evaluating the capability of various AI systems for vetting a text document
- Leveraging AI and automation for data classification
- Ensuring personal privacy identifiers can be redacted accurate, for witness protection and confidential informants
Emily HazlettPartnerBlake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
This session will look at the finer points of preserving evidence, what is necessary, accidental or deliberate destruction. The Supreme Court of Canada addressed the issue of evidence destruction and spoliation in SS&C Technologies Canada Corporation v. Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (2025) with guidance on these issues.
- This session will include live polling and hypothetical scenarios.
- Analyzing the finer points of counsel’s Duty to Preserve evidence
- Examining what constitutes spoliation and the consequences
- Responding to preservation notices
Building Your Disclosure Unit – Creating Organizational Efficiencies to Increase Disclosure Effectiveness for Better Trial Outcomes | CPD: S
Caitlyn McHargeDisclosure Unit SupervisorHamilton Police Service
Superintendent Michael SpencerField Support DivisionHamilton Police Service
Eric TaylorCrown Attorney, Criminal Law DivisionMinistry of the Attorney Generals Office
This session will look at the essential elements for an efficient disclosure unit, from the people to places, the workflow and the outcomes. Topics will include:
- Determining the right level of staffing and job descriptions
- Examining the success of working in the same building with crown counsel
- Funding considerations and best practices for optimal resource allocation
- Identifying the workflow of a piece of evidence and the primary people involved in ensuring the evidence is processed appropriately
- Decreasing the number of stayed cases and withdrawn cases
- Reviewing briefs for completeness and accuracy
- Identifying which documents are relevant to a disclosure brief, and if they can prove a case
- Preparing to testify in court, and testifying to the validity of evidence
Closing Remarks from the Co-Chairs
Day 2 — Main Conference
June 18, 2026
Virtual Platform Opens
AUDIENCE POLLING AND HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIOS
The Do’s and Don’ts of Complex Disclosure: The Grey Areas of What Should and Should Not be Disclosed to the Crown and Defence Counsel | CPD: S
Danielle SzaboSenior Crown Counsel, Headquarters Counsel Group – National Capital RegionPublic Prosecution Service of Canada
This session will take a step beyond disclosure standards, to delve into the nuances of disclosure.
This session will include live polling and hypothetical scenarios.
- Examining when evidence can be disclosed and used in court, versus documents that can be shared with defence attorneys, but are not to be adduced in court
- Redacting victim statements in sexual assault cases
- Ensuring the privacy and integrity of confidential informants
- Deconflicting case work with major cases
- Evaluating whether third-party evidence needs to be disclosed
Danielle SzaboSenior Crown Counsel, Headquarters Counsel Group – National Capital RegionPublic Prosecution Service of Canada
With a myriad of types of evidence, how can standards for disclosure be met? From outdated formats, such as CCTV footage on a citizen’s VHS tape, to cutting-edge software programs and apps, this session will delve into the tech-related challenges arising from how to disclose evidence.
Accelerating the Timeline for Acquiring Secondary, Sophisticated Digital and Physical Evidence – from Cellphone Data, Fingerprint Identification, DNA Processing to Forensic Evidence | CPD: S
Acquiring sophisticated evidence in a timely fashion can significantly delay prosecution. This session will look at efficiencies with cellphone data dumps, fingerprint identification, DNA processing, and the forensic evidence, and how to effectively move the pipeline.
Topics will include:
- Persuading the lab that your evidence is important
- Retaining physical evidence for testing
- Cracking locked cellphones and laptops
Sgt. Stephen KhouriMajor Case Management Facilitator & TrainerRCMP
During this session speakers will demonstrate how to build from a foundation of standardization to leverage existing Excel and Word programs to manage disclosure more efficiently. Discover opportunities for in-house automation solutions.
- Leveraging existing in-house tools and IT functions
- Finding efficiencies and new ways to automate and save time
- Partnering with crown counsel on compatible software and tools
- Standardization of disclosure processes and naming conventions, for file lifecycle management
- Debating the risks/benefits of in-house solutions, versus off-the-shelf solutions
Duncan FraserPartnernoticia LLP
During this session speakers will discuss the basics of evidence management including file standardization,
- Finding efficiencies in the workflow between police and crown transfers and communication
- Conversion of formats, and protecting the integrity and authenticity of documents
- Comparing strategies in other government offices