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First Annual Conference
General Information
HOTEL RESERVATIONS
Note: Please make your hotel reservations as soon as possible. Our hotel rates are available until our block is full or until March 7, whichever is earlier. After that date, or when the block is full, rooms may be bookable on a space and rate available basis.
The conference takes place at:
CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL
101 LYON STREET
OTTAWA ON CANADA K1R 5T9
TEL: (613) 237-3600. FAX: (613) 237-2351
RATE: $129, single or double
Tax on hotel rooms is 5% PST plus 7% GST.
TO RESERVE A ROOM:
- Contact the hotel’s reservation department directly at (613) 237-3600, ext. 6200, or
- Book through Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts central reservation office at 1-800-2CROWNE (227-6963).
- Be sure to request the group rate for the Forum of Canadian Ombudsman when you reserve.
The Crowne Plaza is centrally located, close to shops, restaurants and Parliament Hill and about a 20 minute walk from the Byward Market.
DISCOUNT FLIGHT BOOKINGS
Air Canada is the official airline for the Forum of Canadian Ombudsman conference. In addition to domestic flights, attendees from the U.S. or other countries will also be able to benefit from Air Canada’s alliance with United Airlines and other Star Alliance carriers. Flights on Tango are not eligible for discount.
To reserve your flight, simply contact Air Canada’s North America toll-free number at 1-800-361-7585 or your travel agent and take advantage of special discounted airfares. Our convention number is CV030821.
Even if you are not able to get a discount (if, for example, you are flying on a seat sale ticket), by ensuring that the convention number appears on your ticket, you will be supporting the Forum of Canadian Ombudsman.
If you plan on shipping your office’s promotional materials for display at the conference, Air Canada offers a 25% discount on its cargo services. Contact your local Air Canada Cargo office and quote convention number CV030821.
FEES
You may register for both the conference and the post-conference workshop or for either event separately.
CONFERENCE: MARCH 30 – APRIL 1
| By March 7: |
FCO members: $300
Non-members: $350 (includes discount of $50 towards 2003 FCO membership – see registration form)
Institutional members may register up to three additional attendees from their offices at the $300 rate |
| After March 7: |
Members and non-members: $350 |
POST-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP – APRIL 2 (SPACE LIMITED)
Individual members, institutional members and their staff: $195
Non-members: $225
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN YOUR FEES?
Conference: All materials, welcome reception, closing reception and tour of the Canada and the World Pavilion, continental breakfasts, lunches and all breaks.
Post-conference workshop: All materials, breakfast, lunch and breaks.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Cancellations must be made in writing and faxed or postmarked:
- By March 7 for a refund less a $50 administrative charge
- Between March 8 and March 15 for a refund less a $100 administrative charge
Your cancellation will be acknowledged immediately but refunds will not be mailed until April 30.
After March 15, no refunds are possible because arrangements with the hotel and other suppliers will be final.
Post-conference workshop cancellations can be made until March 15 and are subject to a $35 administrative charge.
Substitutions can be made at any time on the advice of the original registrant.
CONFERENCE CONTACTS
Conference mailing address: Forum of Canadian Ombudsman Conference, 344 Slater Street, 3rd Floor, Ottawa ON K1A 0T8
Tel.: (613) 995-0913 Fax: (613) 943-0451
Any questions? Please contact Rita El-Azzi at the address, phone or fax number above or by e-mail at: questions@ombudsmanforum.ca
DRESS is business casual.
INFORMATION AND LITERATURE TABLES
Please bring copies of your promotional materials, reports and brochures. Estimate about 75 copies of each item. If you have large documents you are willing to mail on request, bring a sample copy. We can provide sign-up sheets and give them to you at the close of the conference.
FORUM OF CANADIAN OMBUDSMAN - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
| PRESIDENT |
DYANE ADAM, Commissioner of Official Languages |
| VICE PRESIDENT |
ANN BYTHELL, Ombudsman, Financial Services Commission of Ontario |
| SECRETARY |
MICHEL ROBICHAUD, Director General, Investigations Branch, Commissioner of Official Languages |
| TREASURER |
JUSTINE SENTENNE, Corporate Ombudsman, Hydro-Québec |
| MEMBERS AT LARGE |
FRANCES BAUER, Ombudsperson, University of Western Ontario
SUZANNE BELSON, Investigator, Office of the National Defence/Canadian Forces Ombudsman
CLARE LEWIS, Ombudsman of Ontario
HANK MOORLAG, Yukon Ombudsman
TODD SLOAN, General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Correctional Investigator |
| FCO SECRETARIAT |
Rita El-Azzi |
Dates
Simultaneous translation will be available for all plenary sessions.
Literature tables will be set up throughout the conference. Bring your reports and publicity materials.
SUNDAY, MARCH 30
| 2.00 pm – 5.00 pm |
ASSOCIATION OF CANADIAN COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY OMBUDSPERSONS (ACCUO)
BEGINNERS WORKSHOP |
| 3.00 pm – 7.00 pm |
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION |
5.30 pm – 7.30 pm
Panorama Room |
WELCOME RECEPTION – hors d’oeuvres, cash bar |
MONDAY, MARCH 31
7.00 am – 9.00 am
Ballroom A Lobby |
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION |
8.00 am – 9.00 am
Ballroom A Lobby |
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST |
9.00 am – 9.30 am
Ballroom A |
WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS |
9.30 am – 10.15 am
Ballroom A |
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
SPEAKER: Hon. Warren Allmand, P.C., O.C., Q.C. Former Member of Parliament, Cabinet Minister and past President of Rights and Democracy, (International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development)
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| 10.15 am – 10.30 am |
BREAK |
10.30 am – 12.00 pm
Ballroom A |
CONFIDENTIALITY VS. ACCESS: ISSUES FOR THE OMBUDSMAN
Can an ombudsman promise not to disclose what an informant says? If not, how will this affect peoples’ willingness to provide information? Barbara McIsaac, who represented the Official Languages Commissioner before the Supreme Court of Canada, in Lavigne v. Commissioner of Official Languages, will discuuss how she addressed these questions and others that go to the core of the ombudsman concept.
SPEAKER:
Barbara McIsaac, Managing Partner, McCarthy Tétrault, Ottawa
COORDINATOR:
Johane Tremblay, Legal Counsel, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
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12.00 pm – 1.30 pm
Panorama Room |
LUNCH
LUNCHEON SPEAKER: Catharine Tinker, Consultant, professor and writer on international law
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1.30 pm – 2.45 pm
Ballroom A |
OMBUDSMAN IN CANADA: A CHANGING MOSAIC
In recent years, we have seen a number of concurrent trends in the ombudsman field, for example:
- as more public and private organizations have recognized the value of the ombudsman in resolving problems, the number of ombudsman in all sectors of society has substantially increased
- increasingly, specialized government ombudsman, rather than a generalist ombudsman model, have been created, especially at the federal level
- new definitions of ombudsman and processes not associated with traditional ombudsman functions are gaining currency
- traditional legislative ombudsman have seen their authority and effectiveness challenged in some jurisdictions
The session will feature an open, hopefully lively exchange of ideas on these issues and their interrelations, as well as on other topics associated with the future of the ombudsman approach.
SPEAKERS: Dyane Adam, Commissioner of Official Languages; Frances Bauer, Ombudsperson, University of Western Ontario; Ed McIsaac, Executive Director, Office of the Correctional Investigator; Les Morgan, Ombudsman, Shell Canada
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| 2.45 pm – 3.00 pm |
BREAK |
3.00 pm – 4.30 pm
Ballroom A |
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE FORUM OF CANADIAN OMBUDSMAN
- President’s report
- Financial report and budget
- Election of Board of Directors, including Officers
- Plenary discussion of a “Directions” document on the FCO’s development in the coming years.
|
| 4.30 pm – 6.00 pm |
FCO SECTOR MEETINGS
Each FCO Sector will organize a session for its own members. Come and meet people who work in offices similar to your own. Talk about topics, issues and challenges of particular interest to your sector.
|
| Victoria Room |
Legislative Ombudsman and staff |
| Frontenac Room |
Public-Sector Ombudsman and staff |
| Chaudière Room |
Private-Sector Ombudsman and staff |
| Joliet Room |
College and University Ombudsman and staff:
The Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons (ACCUO) will hold its Annual General Meeting at this time.
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| 6.30 pm - |
EVENING FREE – See the sign-up sheets for several restaurants at the Registration Desk |
TUESDAY, APRIL 1
8.00 am – 9.00 am
Ballroom A Lobby |
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST |
9.00 am – 10.15 am
Ballroom A |
FOUNDATIONS OF OMBUDSMAN LAW
Fundamentals of legislation, court decisions and legal commentary to guide us in:
- Developing policies, structures and operational methods
- Applying consistent rules and practices
A plenary discussion led by a panel of lawyers with experience and expertise in ombudsman matters.
MODERATOR: Todd Sloan, General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Correctional Investigator
PANEL MEMBERS: Jean-Claude Paquet, General Counsel, Protecteur du citoyen du Québec; Laura Pettigrew, Senior Counsel, Ombudsman Ontario; Natalie Des Rosiers, President, Law Commission of Canada.
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| 10.15 am – 10.30 am |
BREAK |
10.30 am – 12.00 pm
Ballroom A |
MAKING THINGS RIGHT: SEEKING REDRESS FOR COMPLAINANTS
When ombudsman find a complainant has been treated unfairly or errors have been made, their role is to recommend that the matter be corrected. In most cases, the ombudsman recommends some form of redress.
What are the principles that guide us in this task? What forms can redress take? How do we maximize our chances for success in seeking redress for complainants?
SPEAKER: Pauline Champoux-Lesage, Protectrice du citoyen du Québec
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12.00 pm – 1.00 pm
Ballroom A |
LUNCH |
1.00 pm – 2.00 pm
Ballroom A |
THE ‘FAIRNESS CHECKLIST’: A USEFUL TOOL FOR OMBUDSMAN AND ORGANIZATIONS
This practical session will focus on how an ombudsman’s office can develop a ‘fairness checklist’, what a checklist might look like, who could use it and how.
SPEAKER: Howard Kushner, Ombudsman of British Columbia
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2.00 pm – 4.00 pm
Ballroom A |
PRUNING THORNY ISSUES: A WORKING SESSION
This working session will give us an opportunity to think about and discuss two issues that challenge ombudsman. First, the session will look at intervening in a complaint before internal recourses have been exhausted. When, why and under what circumstances should we do it?
Second, the session will explore techniques and strategies that maximize the likelihood of getting systemic recommendations implemented. Come prepared to discuss your thoughts, concerns and ideas!
TOPIC INTRODUCTIONS BY: Donna Drever, Deputy Ombudsman, Ombudsman Manitoba; André Marin, Ombudsman, National Defence/Canadian Forces
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| 4.00 pm – 4.30 pm |
CLOSING REMARKS |
| 4.45 pm – |
CLOSING RECEPTION AND TOUR OF THE CANADA AND THE WORLD PAVILION
As a special closing event, and at the invitation of Marcel Beaudry, President of the National Capital Commission, we’ll visit Canada and the World Pavilion, a new museum promoting the contributions of Canadians who have distinguished themselves on the international stage.
We’re inviting some special guests to our reception at Canada and the World Pavilion so be sure not to miss this event.
Dyane Adam, Commissioner of Official Languages and FCO President will host this reception.
Buses leave from the Crowne Plaza from 4.45 pm to 5.30 pm and will return from 7.30, following the reception.
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POST-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2
| As space for this workshop is limited, we urge you to register early. If you are unable to attend the full conference, you may register for the workshop only.
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8.00 am - 9.00 am
Ballroom A Lobby |
REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST |
9.00 am – 4.00 pm
Ballroom A |
CONFLICT RESOLUTION FOR THE OMBUDSMAN THEORY, STRATEGIES AND HANDS-ON TECHNIQUES
This workshop will be given by Roger Beaudry and Nancy Lamarche from the Stitt Feld Handy Group. Roger Beaudry and Nancy Lamarche have extensive experience in negotiation and mediation training.
The workshop is designed for ombudsman and investigators. It will be of interest to anyone:
- who has experienced the frustration of making recommendations which were never implemented, or
- who has dealt with parties who seemed stuck in their positions, and oblivious to their real interests, or
- who has looked back on the way he or she handled a situation and thought, “I should have done better.”
Past ombudsman participants in Roger Beaudry and Nancy Lamarche’s workshops have attested that it helped them learn how to plan their investigations more effectively, how to recognize situations where conflict resolution techniques are called for, and how to negotiate fair and lasting agreements. It’s unusual to find this kind of workshop specifically directed to people doing ombudsman work so you won’t want to miss this opportunity. Space is limited - register early!
THERE WILL BE A MORNING AND AFTERNOON BREAK. LUNCH WILL BE SERVED.
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