BLG is pleased to announce the return of its annual Labour and Employment Law Symposium in Montréal. Our experts look forward to sharing key developments in labour and employment law while offering practical advice relating to these developments. We will also discuss important decisions from the past year, covering the most pressing legal issues for Canadian employers.
With the participation of the Honourable Louise Arbour, Senior Counsel, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
A cocktail reception will follow the presentations. Register by Monday, Sept. 1 by writing to [email protected].
Agenda
1 p.m. - Arrival & registration
1:10 p.m. - Welcome and opening remarks by Justine B. Laurier
1:20 p.m. - Session 1: FAQs: Common issues, practical answers
Panelists: Alexis Renaud, Patrick Trent and Sandrine Mainville
Moderator: Andréanne Moses
Language: Bilingual (discussion in English and French)
This interactive session features a dynamic format with panelists answering questions on recurring and timely issues in labour and employment law. The discussion will address real situations frequently encountered in the workplace and provide an update on jurisprudential trends and best practices. This session provides a unique opportunity to obtain direct answers to questions asked by professionals in the field.
2:10 p.m. - Session 2: Medical and legal issues related to managing workplace absences: A discussion with Dr. Gabrielle Grégoire
Panelists: Dr. Gabrielle Grégoire, Stéphanie Desjardins and Kabrina Péron
Language: French
This session offers an interdisciplinary discussion, at the intersection of law and medicine, on managing absences in the workplace. Joined by Dr. Gabrielle Grégoire, a family physician specializing in occupational medicine, panelists will address the challenges of assessing work capacity, producing medical certificates, managing absenteeism and the employer's duty to accommodate.
About Dr. Grégoire: Founder of the Gestion Optimed clinic, Dr. Grégoire helps employers proactively manage workplace health and absenteeism, with a view to maintaining a healthy and productive organizational environment.
3 p.m. - Break
3:20 p.m. - Session 3: Artificial intelligence and the workplace: Challenges and outlook
Panelists: Katherine Poirier and Frédéric Wilson
Language: French
The growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace raises important legal, ethical and organizational issues. This presentation offers an insightful look at the actual challenges facing employers, including privacy issues in recruitment and impacts on labour relations, as well as at the risks associated with the use of AI by employees. Panelists will share practical thoughts on how to better manage these emerging technologies in work environments.
4:10 p.m. - Session 4: Psychological harassment and sexual misconduct in the workplace: Perspectives from the Honourable Louise Arbour
Panelists: The Honorable Louise Arbour, André Royer and Justine B. Laurier
Language: English
In 2021, the Honourable Louise Arbour was commissioned to conduct an independent review of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence to shed light on allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct in military institutions. Based on her findings, she will share her thoughts with panelists on the lessons to be learned from this report and their implications for all workplaces.
About the Honourable Louise Arbour: Senior Counsel at BLG, she has held a number of high-profile national and international positions, including Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Attorney General for the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
5 p.m. - Cocktail reception
CPD information
QC | Please note, the concept of “recognition” or “accreditation” has been abolished. By doing this, the Barreau is trying to make it easier for lawyers to claim mandatory CLE credits without a formal accreditation process. It is now up to individual lawyers to determine the eligibility of a training activity and to declare the hours in their “Dossier de formation en ligne”.
An application for accreditation has been sent to the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréées (CRHA) for this event.