National Symposium and Awards of Excellence

Day 1: Opening Welcome - Cat Criger | 9:00 AM

Cat Criger is an Aboriginal Elder, Traditional Teacher and Mentor from the First Nations People. He is Cayuga (Guyohkohnyoh), Turtle Clan of the Six Nations Haudenosaunee or People of the Longhouse.

Day 1: Keynote Address - Chief Dr. Robert Joseph | 9:30 AM

Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, O.B.C. is a Hereditary chief of the Gwawaenuk First Nation who has dedicated his life to bridging the differences brought about by intolerance, lack of understanding and racism at home and abroad.

Day 1: Plenary - Reconciliation and the barriers to an inclusive society | 10:00 AM

Panellists will focus on the challenges and opportunities of reconciliation; such as how does reconciliation of past wrongs help us as Canadians? How do we ensure a positive outcome from the process of reconciliation? Does a focus on the past hold us back or open the road ahead?

Day 1: Plenary - Building a more inclusive Canada | 11:10 AM

Panelists will discuss Canada from different perspectives: What does it mean to be Canadian? What is the role of religion in a modern Canada? What immediate and future steps need to be taken to build a truly inclusive Canada?

Day 1: Virtual Classroom | 1:20 PM

This special plenary session, in conjunction with the National Film Board, delves into the diverse faces of religion in the context of contemporary Canadian multiculturalism and values. It is an intimate look at religious identity and expression from the perspective of young people.

Day 1: Concurrent Sessions 1 | 2:15 - 3:20 PM

Participants can choose from 1 of the following sessions:
Creating More Inclusive Schools>,

Diversity & Inclusion in Today's Society: What Canadians have to say,

Beyond the Business Case for Diversity>,

Combatting Hate and Radicalization>,

Réflexions sur la réconciliation dans une société multiculturelle >

Day 1: Concurrent Sessions 2 | 3:30 - 4:30 PM

Participants can choose from 1 of the following sessions:

Cyberviolence: Creating Interventions that Work for Young People>
Making a Difference with Action-Oriented Dialogue>
Human Rights Policies for an Inclusive Canada>
Youth as Protagonists of Social Change>
La problématique du Profilage Racial> (en français seulement)

Day 1: Closing Reflections - Marie-Claude Landry | 4:30 PM

Marie-Claude Landry, Ad. E., is the Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, having been appointed to a seven-year term in March 2015.

Day 1: Delegate Reception, and CRRF Annual Public Meeting | 5:00 PM

It has been 28 years since former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Art Miki signed the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement. Learning from the experience of Japanese Canadians, the panel will explore the meaning of reconciliation and reflect on our past, learn from it and carry those lessons into the future.

This event is part of the CRRF National Conference & Awards of Excellence: “Realizing an Inclusive Canada: 2017 and Beyond.”

Day 2: Greetings - Lt.Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell | 8:45 AM

The Lieutenant Governor on September 23, 2014. Her eclectic public service career has spanned provincial, federal, and international borders, and has transcended disciplinary and sectoral lines.

Day 2: Opening Keynote - Hon. Irwin Cotler, P.C., O.C. | 9:00 AM

Irwin Cotler is Emeritus Professor of Law at McGill University, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, long time Parliamentarian, and recent founder and Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.

Day 2: Plenary: Dialoguing for a more Inclusive Canada | 9:30 AM

10 Questions for the future

Table discussions will be facilitated by CRRF Youth Ambassadors

Day 2: Plenary - Serve, Protect and Reflect | 10:45 AM

What challenges are being faced by police services in Canada as they serve increasingly diverse constituencies? Is there a service/perception gap between the police and the community? How can the police best retain the trust of the communities they serve? If there are gaps, how best to bridge them? What are the areas where improvement is necessary? How do we solve these problems, and share what’s done well? And what role does the community play in encouraging continuous improvement and development of best practices?

Day 2: Concurrent Sessions 3 | 11:45 AM - 12:45 PM

Participants can choose from one of the following workshops:

Newcomer and Refugee Integration>
Urban Diversity Best Practices>
Art and Inclusion>
Racism in Canada>
Racisme Systemique>

Day 2: Concurrent Sessions 4 | 1:45 - 2:45 PM

Participants can choose from one of the following workshops:

Online Hate in Canada>
Finding the balance in a country built on diversity>
Bridging Diversity>
Connecting the Dots>

Day 2: Reflections - Zarqa Nawaz | 3:00 PM

Zarqa Nawaz created the world’s first sitcom about a Muslim community living in the west. Little Mosque on the Prairie premiered to record ratings on the CBC in 2007. It finished airing it’s 91th episode in 2012 after completing 6 seasons and is now being broadcast to over 60 countries.

Day 2: Plenary - Ignite: Canada Beyond 2017 | 3:15 - 4:30 PM

As we approach Canada’s 150th birthday we can take some pride in the country in which we live. But the past is an imperfect predictor of future performance. Technology has made the world both a bigger and smaller place and the boundaries between (and the definitions of) the public square and the private sphere are becoming increasing blurred. What comes next?