2009 ALLIES Learning Exchange: Leading with Ideas
Day One Thursday, June 11 |
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| 8:00 — 9:00 a.m. |
Registration and BreakfastHost: Peter Paul, Project Leader, ALLIES, Maytree |
| 9:00 — 9:30 a.m. |
Opening Remarks
Welcome to Vancouver
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| 9:30 — 10:45 a.m. |
The Canadian Economy: What Lies AheadThe global economic downturn has an impact on all Canadians. The effects are far reaching and permeate all aspects of the health and vitality of our communities. Hear from two of Canada’s leading policy thinkers as they share their thoughts on where the economy is headed, the foreseeable economic and employment outlook, the prospects for employment for skilled immigrants in these uncertain times and the role skilled immigrants can play in the recovery of the economy. The session will provide ideas on how cities can take proactive steps to better manage the impact of the economic downturn.
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| 10:45 — 11:00 a.m. |
Break |
| 11:00 — 12:00 p.m. |
Five Communities – Five Strategies – Immigrant Employment Councils at Work across CanadaRepresentatives from immigrant employment councils across Canada (Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver) will share their experiences establishing their initiatives – including the successes and the challenges. The panel will also provide updates on their current projects, including new, innovative ideas that are put into action.
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| 12:00 — 1:30 p.m. |
Lunch
hireimmigrants.caLearn more about hireimmigrants.ca – a website that provides employers across the country with the tools and resources they need to better recruit, retain and promote skilled immigrants. National Mentoring InitiativeSupported by TD Bank, this new exciting initiative will take the powerful idea of mentoring across the country. |
| 1:30 — 3:00 p.m. |
Engaging Employers in Immigrant Employment SolutionsWhat is the best way to convince an employer to come on board? What do employers expect from immigrant employment councils? How can employers contribute to the success of an immigrant employment council? Hear from some of Canada’s leading employers to understand why they came to the table and stayed there, and how they are taking an active leadership role in implementing immigrant employment solutions. Large Employers Panel
Small and Medium Sized Employers Panel
Moderator: Julia Deans, CEO, Toronto City Summit Alliance |
| 3:00 — 3:15 p.m. |
Break |
| 3:15 — 5:15 p.m. |
MarketplaceLearn about existing products, tools and strategies that are being implemented across the country. Participants can visit various displays/booths to learn more about innovative immigrant employment programs and tools. Marketplace Ideas will include:
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| 7:00 — 9:00 p.m. |
Networking DinnerHost of the evening – Nick Noorani, Founder & Publisher, Canadian Immigrant Magazine Best Employers for New Canadians Award Presentation – Richard Yerema, Managing Editor, Canada’s Top 100 Awards presented by Faye Wightman, President & CEO, Vancouver Foundation Entertainment provided by Rock, Paper, Scissors |
Day Two Friday, June 12 |
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| 8:00 — 8:30 a.m. |
Breakfast
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| 8:30 — 9:00 a.m. |
Vancouver: City of the FutureFormer BC Premier Mike Harcourt will share his perspective on the role that immigrants have played in the economic growth and cultural development that make Vancouver a truly world-class city. He will address how Vancouver’s future prosperity is inextricably linked to the successful integration of immigrants.
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| 9:00 — 9:45 a.m. |
Immigration & Labour Market TrendsListen to one of Canada’s leading policy experts on immigration issues as she analyzes the latest immigration statistics and trends, and highlights relevant policy implications.
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| 9:45 — 11:15 a.m. |
WorkshopsThese in-depth workshops are designed to provide you with effective immigrant employment tools and strategies to assist you in your work. Please choose one from the list below.
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| 11:15 — 11:30 a.m. |
Break |
| 11:30 — 12:30 p.m. |
Three Concurrent Panel Discussions: Essential Ingredients for SuccessParticipants can choose from three panels to attend. Panel 1: Vibrant Cities and their Global ConnectionsSkilled immigrants bring not only their talent and education, but also a host of global connections that can and should be leveraged to create prosperity for cities. This panel will highlight national and international trends in the migration of skilled immigrants, the globalization of work and the place of large metropolitan regions as hubs for global companies. We will learn about Montreal and Vancouver’s approach to using the talents and connections of its residents as an asset in making them vibrant city regions.
Panel 2: An Increasingly Important Player: Post Secondary Educational InstitutionsUniversities and colleges can play an important role in the life cycle of a new skilled immigrant. Learn from this expert panel how these local institutions are providing a range of services – from assessing foreign credentials to providing language training and bridging programs. This panel will also showcase interesting programs and partnerships in universities and colleges that are bringing about broader changes in our communities.
Panel 3: Promising Practices from GovernmentImmigration is an area of shared federal and provincial responsibility. However, the lived experience of immigrants is local. Partnering with all three levels of government is essential for the success of your initiative. Learn about how a municipal government has adopted a framework for policy and planning that includes leveraging the talents and connections of skilled immigrants. Hear about how provincial and federal governments can be actively engaged in local programs, and are creating innovative ways to address some regulatory barriers facing skilled immigrants. The discussion will highlight the role of government – as funder, employer and policy-driver.
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| 12:30 — 2:00 p.m. |
LunchNo Time Like NowDifficult economic times create an imperative to maintain a high level of commitment to the successful integration of immigrants. Locked in a competition for global talent, Canada should invest in attracting human capital for the next economy that will come out of “the great recession”, and should foster connections between employers and skilled immigrants. As a leader in business and philanthropy, Alan will discuss the importance and timelineness of the work of ALLIES communities.
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| 2:00 — 2:15 p.m. |
All Hands on Deck!
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Breaking Down Silos: Developing Intergovernmental Relations
Public policy can provide the leverage of scale and power to address systemic social problems. In Toronto, an intergovernmental relations (IGR) committee brings together representatives from the three levels of government to share information, discuss new strategic interventions, and enhance coordination on the issue of immigrant employment. Join Naomi Alboim, the current chair of TRIEC’s IGR as she outlines the necessary steps and provides strategic tips on establishing an IGR in your community. Manon Barbe, Presidente of “La CRE de Montreal”, will describe the mission of the organisation, its structure, scope and functions. She will present the collaborative relationships with different levels of government and across jurisdictions, on immigration issues in Montreal.
Presenters:
- Naomi Alboim, Maytree Associate and Fellow and Adjunct Professor, School of Policy Studies, Queen’s University
- Manon Barbe, Présidente, CRÉ de Montréal
[podcast]http://maytree.com/audio/EngagingEmployers.mp3[/podcast]
Back to ListBringing Skilled Immigrants into Your Company: How-to Workshops
To effectively recruit, hire and integrate skilled immigrants into organizations, employers need to be equipped with ways to identify cultural bias in their HR policies and practices. In this session, you’ll learn about the challenges/issues that typical employers have been facing with sourcing diverse talent, screening resumes of skilled immigrant job candidates, and discuss other issues such as the limitation of behavioural-based interviews and religious accommodation. Navpreet Singh will lead the session with a “taste” of the workshop through various techniques such as case studies, role play exercises, and videos. Michael Bach will provide examples of how KPMG has equipped themselves with the right tools to find talent from across the world. He will share specific learnings about the challenges they faced in moving away from a “business as usual” approach to becoming one of Canada Top Employers for New Canadians.
- Navpreet Singh, Manager, Training and Workshop Development, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)
- Michael Bach, National Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, KPMG
Employer Resources at Your Fingertips: hireimmigrants.ca
hireimmigrants.ca provides employers with interactive tools and resources to accelerate the integration of skilled immigrants into their organizations. Kevin McLellan will demonstrate the latest tool on the interactive website – Employer Roadmap – which provides the “A-Z” of hiring a skilled immigrant. Laura Burke will demonstrate how the website can help employers find qualified candidates, understand their credentials, find local language training providers, and more.
Presenters:
- Kevin McLellan, Program Manager, Employer Initiatives, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)
- Laura Burke, Learning Coordinator, ALLIES
Listen Up! Designing, Implementing and Evaluating a Public Awareness Campaign
Whether measuring productivity, driving global competitiveness or accessing the right people for the right jobs, the nation’s ability to succeed economically is a function of how well we adapt to the realities of integrating skilled immigrants into our workforce. In this session Emily and Ruth will present strategies, tactics and programs that your community can use in building awareness around the importance of skilled immigrants. This will include the branding and marketing departments working with the media and awards/recognition programs.
Presenters:
- Ruth Cunningham, Vice President, Greater Halifax Partnership
- Emily Mills, Media Relations and Communications Specialist, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)
Nuts & Bolts: Getting Your Council Started
Identifying and implementing the processes and components that are necessary to establish an immigrant employment council can be challenging. Karen will provide strategic advice on how to bring key stakeholders from both the private and public sectors together to work collaboratively. Peter will share the successes and challenges of establishing the Waterloo Region Immigrant Employment Network. This interactive workshop is geared to communities who are in the early stages of developing their own council-like bodies and want to discover the factors key to their success
Presenters:
- Karen Link, Director, Critical LINK Management Group
- Peter McFadden, Executive Director, Waterloo Region Immigrant Employment Network (WRIEN)
Risks and Rewards: Models of Internship Programs
Providing skilled immigrants with Canadian work experience in their field is a win-win situation for both the immigrant and the employer. Skilled immigrants build their soft and hard skills, develop a professional network and enhance their resumes. Employers fill a gap in their workforce and tap into a new labour market. Anne Lamont will discuss Career Bridge – an innovative, paid internship program for internationally qualified professionals. Then hear from two large employers (one private and one public) who have used the program effectively.
Presenters:
- Anne Lamont, CEO & President, Career Edge Organization
- Katherine Hewson, Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
- Murray Coolican, Former VP Manulife Financial Canada
Rocking the Boat without Sinking the Ship: Maintaining Effective Partnerships
The collaboration process can be difficult to say the least – especially in managing a multi-stakeholder immigrant employment council. Building trust, reinforcing roles and avoiding turf issues and hidden agendas are just some of the difficulties that must be overcome. Elizabeth McIsaac and Mario Calla will share important lessons learned in establishing the Mentoring Partnership in Toronto. This session will provide practical strategies to move from conflict to cooperation.
Presenters:
- Mario Calla, Executive Director, COSTI
- Elizabeth McIsaac, Executive Director, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)
The Power of Networking: Opening Doors for Skilled Immigrants
Expanding professional and social networks is a key method for an immigrant to find a job in his or her field. Laying the groundwork to implement a successful mentoring and networking programs is essential. Sangeeta Subramanian will provide the “101″ on establishing a mentoring program and Susan Calahan will share TD’s experience in using mentoring as a successful leadership and cross cultural competency development tool. Fred Morley will present the Connector Program – a new networking model being used in Halifax.
Presenters:
- Susan Calahan, Human Resources, Talent Management, TD Bank Financial Group
- Fred Morley, Executive Vice President & Chief Economist, The Greater Halifax Partnership
- Sangeeta Subramanian, Project Leader, National Mentoring Program
Funded in part by the Government of Canada
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