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The Art & Science of Public Affairs

When
June 02, 2016
7:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Location
Toronto Region Board of Trade, First Canadian

Registration

Member Early Bird – $300.00
Member Regular – $350.00
Non-Member Early Bird – $400.00
Non-Member Regular – $450.00
Student – $100.00

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE REGISTRATION DESK. PAYMENT MUST BE PROVIDED.

2016 Annual Conference - The Art & Science of Public Affairs - Digital Disruption

Few sectors in today’s economy are immune from ‘digital disruption’ – the change that occurs when new digital technologies and business models affect the value proposition of existing goods and services – and public affairs professionals are no different. They must now sort through and decipher more information than ever before, communicate in ever-changing ways, and seek to differentiate their message amongst a sea of competing noise and positions. Join experts who embrace the digital age in a conversation that will inspire you and your organization to forge a new sustainable successful path.

Agenda as of May 27, 2016

Time	Activity
7:00 am	Registration and Breakfast - Ballroom East
7:30 am	Session 1: An update on Ontario’s lobbying registration rules with new Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake Interact directly with the new Integrity Commissioner of Ontario to learn about upcoming changes to the Lobbyist Registry Act and how it will impact you.
8:00 am	Keynote Speaker: Peter Wrinch, Director of Politics & Advocacy, NationBuilder Leadership in the Age of Disruption: We are living in a time of tremendous system failure. From politics to schools, from corporations to climate, 20th Century systems are crumbling across the globe. Despite the hardship that this system failure is causing, there is an amazing opportunity to create the world anew. Across the world people are standing up to lead and to fill the void with imagination and beauty. Connected humanity is at the heart of this change and the internet is the engine.
9:00 am	Session 2: Crisis Communication in the Digital Era: Effective Planning and Communication Techniques The digital world has transformed how crises emerge and escalate, how media, politicians and publics react, and how organizations respond and engage. Today’s digital era calls for new rules in making effective decisions in real time during a crisis. Are you prepared? This session will include: discussion on how to prepare yourself and your team for a crisis, what to do when a crisis hits, and how to leverage social media. Best practices, do’s and don'ts, and case studies in crisis communication will also be explored. Confirmed Speakers: Moderator – Tamara Little – Vice President, Public Affairs, Vancouver, NATIONAL Public Relations and President, BC Chapter of the Public Affairs Association of Canada Laura Fracassi – Senior Associate, Toronto, Sussex Strategy Group Jay Armitage – Vice President Corporate Reputation, Toronto Office at Fleishman Hillard D'arci McFadden – Senior Consultant, Toronto, NATIONAL Public Relations
10:00 am	Refreshment Break - – Ballroom East
10:30 am	Session 3: The Canadian Digital World - Lobbying on Digital Issues Today, digital issues have become a focal point of the advocacy efforts of many public affairs professionals. Our panelists will share their insights about the tools, tactics and strategies they have used to execute successful advocacy campaigns on digital issues. Using recent case studies, our panel will show you how, by aligning with government’s priorities on digital issues, you can achieve success for the organization or client that you represent. Confirmed Speakers: Jeremy Depow, Executive Director, Canada's Digital Policy Forum Jayson Hilchie, President and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association of Canada
11:30 am	Award of Distinction Luncheon – Ballroom East
1:30 pm	Session 4: Bringing an Art to the Science: The Emergence of Digital Storytelling within Advocacy Campaigns When creating an advocacy campaign, you want your message to reach the right audience – whether it is government, the public, or both. The digital age has provided a plethora of platforms that can be used to achieve your given outcome, on a scale that goes beyond traditional media and outreach. The question is, how do you ensure you’re using these tools effectively? How do you avoid digital pitfalls, given that once it’s out there, it’s hard to erase? This panel brings together some of the top ‘storytellers’ to explain what they consider when putting successful campaigns together, and what they’ve learned as they have developed their expertise in this area. Confirmed Speakers: Michael Edwards, President - Adrenaline Digital Boyd Neil, Senior Associate, Digital and Social Communications – H&K Strategies David Doze, President and CEO - Pilot PMR
2:30 pm	Refreshment Break – Ballroom East
3:00 pm	Closing Session – Pundits Panel – A PAAC tradition. Our pundit panel will look at how the digital world has altered public affairs in Canada from a social, political, and regulatory standpoint. Here directly from those who cover these stories on a daily basis! Confirmed Speakers: David Rider – Urban Affairs Bureau Writer – Toronto Star Don Peat – City Hall Bureau Chief –Toronto Sun
4:30 pm	President’s Reception - – Ballroom East

Who is Public Affairs Association of Canada?

The Public Affairs Association of Canada (PAAC) is a national, not-for-profit organization founded in 1984. Our principal objective is to help public affairs professionals succeed in their work by providing them with forums for professional development, the exchange of new ideas and networking.

PAAC’s growing membership represents a cross-section of the many disciplines involved in public affairs including policy development, government relations, lobbying, communications, opinion research and public relations. Our members come from both the private and public sectors, in areas such as industrial and financial companies, crown corporations, consulting firms, small business, ministries and municipalities, PR organizations, trade associations, educational institutions, law and accounting firms.

Why Join PAAC?

The Public Affairs Association of Canada is the leading forum for representing lobbyists’ concerns to all levels of government in Canada. We actively engage lobbyist regulators in discussion about the rules and regulations governing lobbyist registration and reporting requirements in Canada. The PAAC has presented to various government committee’s on proposed changes to lobbying law at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. In addition, the PAAC hosts conferences, conducts media interviews and submits opinion editorials all in an effort to position lobbying as a key and valuable component of the public policy process.

About Public Affairs

The public affairs field is notoriously fast changing and competitive. PAAC offers a range of professional development programs and networking opportunities to help members stay on top of industry issues and trends.

Our members come from both the private and public sectors and range from self-employed consultants to government professionals and corporate CEOs. This diversity is the cornerstone of PAAC, ensuring a wide scope of ideas, expertise and opportunities that benefit members and their businesses. We urge you to explore our website at www.publicaffairs.ca and find out more about what PAAC can do for you.