THE NEWSLETTER FOR GOVERNANCE PROFESSIONALS OF CANADA
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Greetings!
Mark your calendars for October 6th and 7th 2020…The GPC Annual Conference is going virtual AND 3D!
Our in-person annual conference, originally scheduled for August 23-26th 2020 in Kelowna BC, is moving to an
Online Governance Summit on October 6
th
and 7
th
2020.
But wait! This will not be just another video conference! We are taking this event to an innovative and mobile friendly platform which will simulate a physical event with stunning virtual interactive spaces, and with unique navigation to make you feel like you are in a visually rich conference environment.
We will also be hosting our regular annual tradeshow within our virtual space with customized exhibitor booths, on-demand content and demos, chat forums and online transaction capabilities for optimal sponsor engagement! We will make this conference an unforgettable experience for our attendees by enabling them to chat through audio, video or text messages, and by engaging them with visuals, live webinars, breakout sessions, resources such as videos, documents, and presentations.
We are very excited for so many reasons:
- Our annual conference will not be limited by virtue of being online, as it will still be full of rich content and offer a wide range of sessions, topics, expert speakers and practitioners
- Our attendees and sponsors will have the ability to connect at the event through rich interactive tools such as audio/video/chat rooms, polls, webinars, and videos in an immersive environment to get the conversation going
- Our event will simulate a physical event with stunning virtual lobbies & interactive spaces, moving away from the stale video conferencing environment
- We will enable you to navigate the venue with ease in a visually rich environment that is mobile friendly and highly interactive.
- We will be able to reach a wider audience through our innovative virtual conference solution
The two day event will fly by and you will be able to attend this conference, either in real time or later, as the virtual platform with all of the sessions and exhibitors will still be there for you to access any aspect you need or may have missed for a limited time after it has run.
We are currently working on transitioning our program agenda, confirming topics, sessions, speakers and sponsors… so stay tuned for the program and for registration to be launched in the coming weeks!
Warm regards,
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Lynn Beauregard
President, Governance Professionals of Canada
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- Excellence in Governance Awards
- GPC Education Program
- Membership News
- Request for Assistance
- News and Updates
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Are you interested in advertising your product, service and/or business to the GPC market. Our website and monthly e-newsletter both offer the opportunity to reach our targeted market.
Contact any one of the GPC staff members to discuss your options today:
[email protected].
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Sponsorship & Partnership Opportunities
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Sponsorship & Partnership Opportunities
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Book now for the Governance Summit in August! Exhibitor and session sponsor opportunities are limited, so contact us today to get involved.
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We are also going full steam ahead with all of our 2020 GPC programming and our events available through webinars and webcasts!
As a direct result of COVID-19 and social distancing regulations, we have pivoted to alternative and innovative delivery channels to keep delivering top of mind content through virtual platforms. National level coverage is guaranteed to provide your brand with exposure to executives and decision makers in governance, in a wide array of organizations in Canada.
GPC has created
this detailed package on all of our 2020 sponsorship opportunities including:
Professional Development Sessions through the year such as ‘Practical Project Management for Governance Professionals’, ‘Governance and HR Agility: Ensuring Continuity and Recovery During a Pandemic and Beyond’, Our
‘Excellence in Governance Awards (EGAs)’ , the
Governance Education Certification Program, our
monthly E-Newsletter: ‘Governance Matters’, more online brand visibility through our website and program web pages, as well as our new
virtual Governance Summit!
We invite you to review our various offerings and how you can leverage more visibility with GPC, especially in these challenging times, and let us know how we can customize any solution to meet your needs. We offer discount bundles, multi-item options and added value packages, if more than one opportunity is considered.
Over the past 20 years, Governance Professionals of Canada (GPC) has not only grown in size but also in reputation, and in the number of opportunities we offer for visibility for our key partners and sponsors to be in front of the governance community. We have a great variety of activities, events and programs that are available for sponsorship engagement with our members and community.
Contact us for any questions, ideas, or to finalize your sponsorship package!
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Stay Informed with our Free Webcasts & COVID-19 Assistance and Resource Center
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If you missed GPC's timely webcasts on COVID-19 and governance implications, or our session on Moving to Virtual AGMs, you can access the webcasts by clicking on the boxes below, or on our new
COVID-19 ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCE CENTER
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As part of our COVID-19 Advisory Panel and Resources initiative, we invited our GPC community, and those impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, to leverage the information we have available to help. Governance Professionals of Canada have gathered key experts and leaders via our free webcasts on key issues and questions. Thank you to every member who has submitted a question to us so far. Our panel has answered an number of key questions, and we are very excited to share their insight with you.
If you are still interested in presenting a question to our panel, it is not too late! We encourage you to reach out to us with your most pressing questions and the panel will provide answers or direction. Your questions can be submitted anonymously.
IN ADDITION, and to best support governance professionals, this COVID-19 page will also be providing useful links and resources. Here, you can find all of our recent COVID-related webcasts, relevant articles, links and useful resources. CLICK HERE to go check out this page and feel free to also reach out just to provide feedback and additional resources, templates, stories or expertise.
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GPC Education Program - IS NOW OFFERED ONLINE!
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The Governance Professionals of Canada Education Program (GPC-EP) was designed for professionals working in governance. Individuals responsible for supporting their organizations and boards, such as the corporate secretary, corporate counsel, legal, compliance and risk officers and many others associated with the governance function in their organization, are those who stand to benefit most from this certification.
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Overview of the Program
GPC-EP is broken down into 3 two-and-half day courses.
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- Foundations of Governance - This course will examine the responsibilities, the core of governance and the role of the governance professional, director management driving board effectiveness throughout the director life cycle with board committee framework and managing and influencing board dynamics, culture, and relationships. This course will be of great benefit to you if you are new to the profession or provide a great refresher and updates to someone responsible for governance processes and/or compliance processes in your organization.
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- Applied Governance - This course will provide you with in depth applications in governance for meeting and AGM processes, financial literacy for the non-financial governance professional, minute and minutes management along with board crafting by-laws to enable sound governance. This course will provide you with a more applied approach of the day to day work as a governance professional.
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- Strategic Governance - This course is designed to provide you with the tools to achieve the strategic approach to overall corporate governance. In the course you will focus on risk and the governance professional, the role of governance professional in board strategy, CSR sustainability and ESG and the role of the board, strategic finance and ethics.
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The course dates are across Canada throughout the year. You may register for each course as a standalone professional development learning opportunity or complete the modules (and pass a final examination) to earn your Governance Professionals of Canada Designation: GPC.D.
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GPC is pleased with the tremendous success of the Governance in Practice – Education Program.
Over 100 governance professionals have already graduated from the program and
now hold the designation of GPC.D. Below is spotlight in the May 21, 2020 Globe and Mail.
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GPC has been successfully offering informative and insightful courses and webinars, and now due to the evolving situation surrounding COVID-19, we are continuing to deliver our professional development sessions in a virtual format. Please have a look at the list of sessions below for the list of our regular and new offerings over the coming months. We look forward to seeing you online!
- Setting the Stage for Boardroom Success, June 9, 2020, Webinar
- Secretariat Records Management - From Soup to Nuts, June 11, 2020, Webinar
- A Guide for New CEOs: Getting Off on the Right Foot with Your Board, June 25, 2020, Webcast
- CEO Succession Planning: How Directors Can Raise their Game on the Board’s Single Most Important Governance Decision, July 14, 2020, Webcast
We are also working to create more timely
FREE
webcasts with a variety of experts on the evolving COVID-19 situation and its impact on governance in organizations.
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Keep an eye on our
Event Listings for more details and for other upcoming virtual workshops and webinars!
ONLINE AND ON-DEMAND LEARNING - GPC PAST WEBINARS ARE AVAILABLE YEAR-ROUND!
Have you missed any of our recent education sessions or webcasts? If you are interested in learning on your own schedule, you can access GPC’s impactful education sessions and webcasts, which can all be found on our
On-Demand Learning page.
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Our current Webinar and Webcast Offerings include:
- Covid-19: Governance, Risk Implications, and the Role of the Board
- Moving to Virtual AGMs in the age of COVID-1
- The ‘New Normal’ in Governance: Managing Shifting Board Priorities in COVID Times and Beyond
- Organizational Culture and the Role of the Board
- Cybersecurity Preparedness
- The Case for ESG Governance: Best Practices and Perspectives on the Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility Role of the Board and Governance Professional
- Strategy and Business Planning Bootcamp for the Governance Professional
…and MORE!
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Membership News And Benefits
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GPC Membership Benefits
Not a member yet? Join today and become a part of a community of like-minded professionals:
www.gpcanada.org/join
It is important now more than ever for governance professionals to keep up with the changes in this fast-paced environment, and to ensure the most effective and reliant governance processes are in place.
Interested in sampling what GPC has to offer? Enjoy a
FREE 3-month Trial Membership to explore the benefits of our nation-wide association of professionals. Email
[email protected] to get your Trial Membership started!
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May 2020 Member Spotlight
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Bradley Chisholm, JD
Chief Officer
Strategy and Governance
British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals
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Our GPC members are the driving force that moves our organization towards greater levels of achievement, service and support. For this reason, we are starting a new feature in our newsletter to highlight and recognize the individuals that reflect the essence of Governance Professionals in Canada.
Every month, GPC will be featuring an exceptional and dedicated member and leader, so that you can learn more about your peers and your fellow members at GPC.
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Do you or someone you know want to be featured and celebrated for their professional accomplishments in our monthly Member Spotlight?
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GPC Chapters And Local Events
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GPC local chapters provide an opportunity to engage with your local peers to exchange ideas, connect with like-minded individuals and grow your corporate network.
We want you to get involved!
- Ottawa chapter members: Mark your calendars for June 8th at 9:30 am – The Ottawa chapter will be hosting a virtual brainstorming session to re-connect with members – An RSVP email will be going out next week
- Edmonton chapter members: Mark your calendars for June 23rd at 3:30 pm – The Edmonton chapter and surrounding areas, will be hosting a virtual meeting to reconnect and have a virtual conversation on a few top of mind subjects – RSVP and more details to follow next week
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Are you interested in volunteering for a local activity? Do you have an idea for a local event or topic for learning? Let us know! GPC is keen to expand local engagement to better serve you.
For more information on your local chapter happenings, or to volunteer - contact your local chapter representative.
- Vancouver Chapter: Arne Gulstene
- Calgary Chapter: Amy Anderson
- Edmonton Chapter: Aaron Friedenthal
- Toronto (GTA) Chapter: Contact GPC National Office directly
- Ottawa Chapter: Kathy Cauchon and Christine Thomas
- Montreal Chapter: Guy L'Espérance and Sophie Van Houtte
- Saskatchewan Chapter: Sheldon Stener and Bronwynn Cutts
Click here
for the member directory to contact your local representative today.
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Do you have a question you need an answer to? Looking for best practices? Our Request for Assistance service is an easy way to receive information from your peers. Below are some recent requests. Your response is appreciated.
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We are a private firm, with a Board composition of both internal and external directors. Our external directors receive compensation, while our internal Directors do not. It is time to review our external director compensation and we would appreciate any information from other private firms with respect to their overall compensation, i.e. retainers, per meeting etc. Any industry benchmarks or market research areas would also be of benefit.
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Does anyone know a good resource for current trends for Board peer assessments? I'm mainly interested in seeing what the current trends are in terms of areas being reviewed (areas of focus).
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To Respond
Please submit your response by going to the
GPC Forum.
If you wish to remain anonymous,
click here
for instructions on how to manage your privacy setting.
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Tell a friend, share a tweet, and spread the news about GPC! Be sure to add us to your network for up-to-date news, networking and governance information.
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New issue of Global Governance Voice from CSIA
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This new edition contains the latest updates from CSIA member associations as well as thought provoking articles covering topics including:
- Tolerance of Environmental Harm
- Climate Change Risk Disclosure
- Careers in the Not-for-profit Sector
- COVID-19 in the (Remote) Boardroom: Practices & Tips
- Conflicts of Interest Best Practice
- Widening Scope and Relevance of Governance
- Gender Diversity
As a member of CSIA,
GPC, retains an active role in the CSIA’s efforts to advance the recognition and understanding of the practice of corporate secretaryship and the role of the Corporate Secretary, and improve global governance standards.
We therefore encourage you to take some time to read GGV and discover more about how the corporate secretary role is developing for your colleagues around the world - the challenges that they are facing, and the lessons that are being learnt.
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Board Director Succession Planning: Be Purposeful And Proactive
Forbes Media LLC.
Succession planning should always be a business priority. However, during an unprecedented global pandemic with hundreds dying every day, planning for succession is simply mandatory.
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Redrafting Your Force Majeure Clause In The Era Of COVID-19
Gowling WLG International Limited.
In early February we prepared an article for Gowling WLG's Energy Newsletter entitled
What to do When You Receive a Force Majeure Claim Based on the Novel Coronavirus which in turn sparked a rather active discussion around questions of contractually allocated risk, reasonable foreseeability, duties of care in disaster preparation, standards of performance under changed circumstances, the occasional pronouncements of both governmental agencies and elected officials and, perhaps surprisingly, several key differences between Canadian, American and English law.
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11 governance considerations for startup boards of directors during COVID-19
Torys LLP.
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, directors and management teams of startup companies are faced with important decisions that could impact the long-term success of their companies. The following are key considerations for these directors as they perform their oversight role and discharge their duties to the company.
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Back in Business? Strict Requirements and Other Considerations for Ontario Employers as Select Businesses are Permitted to Reopen
WeirFoulds LLP.
On May 14, 2020, the Province of Ontario issued its “Detailed List of Stage 1 Openings”.[1] Effective May 19, 2020, Ontario will enter “Phase 2” of the Province’s three-phase “Framework for Reopening our Province”,[2] as businesses that fall within the scope of this list will be permitted to reopen, provided they comply with strict health and safety requirements, as well as industry-specific operational requirements.
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Climate Change Requirements a Feature of new COVID-19 Federal Loan Program
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
The federal government will require large companies that receive emergency loans to publish annual climate-related disclosure: Here’s what you need to know
On May 11, 2020, the federal Government
announced the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (“LEEFF”), which will provide bridge financing for large Canadian employers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Loans will be made available to Canadian businesses with annual revenues generally greater than $300 million. The objective is to help companies keep their operations going, maintain solvency, and to avoid job losses (for more information on the LEEFF generally,
click here).
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ESG reporting in a crisis: A luxury firms cannot afford?
Corporate Secretary
Growing evidence points to outperformance by companies with high ESG standards, says Oliver Schutzmann
When Saudi Aramco announced its Q1 earnings recently, media attention was firmly on the announced lower profits and the maintenance of the oil giant’s large dividend.
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Cross-Country Check-In: COVID-19 and the Environment
McMillan LLP
The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented global crisis impacting all aspects of life in Canada. All levels of government have issued urgent orders and directions designed to protect public health including mandatory shutdowns of certain sectors. While Canada has a complex environmental regulatory regime at both the federal and provincial levels, some governmental and regulatory bodies have taken steps to temporarily alter legal requirements in light of the current crisis in order to lessen the burden on businesses and encourage the manufacture of products to assist in combatting the virus and its consequences.
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COVID-19: Seven things directors should consider in a crisis
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
As the COVID-19 pandemic surges, corporations face unprecedented challenges. For boards of directors, whose missteps today could have severe legal repercussions down the road, the stakes have never been higher.
While the true impact of today’s decisions likely won’t play out for another 12 to 16 months, there are ways for Canadian directors to meet both their fiduciary duty (to act honestly, in good faith, with a view to the best interests of the corporation) and their duty of care (to exercise a level of care, diligence and skill that a reasonable person would exercise in comparable circumstances). To do so, will take a shift into crisis mode.
Your board’s crisis conduct will likely differ from business as usual in a few significant ways. For instance, now is the time to increase communication between management and the board as much as is practical, which should facilitate more strategic business decisions. This is bound to result in a more hands-on approach on the part of the board, along with increased oversight of management responsibilities.
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Governance: Ethical Awareness And Leadership Are Essential Elements In The Post-crisis Period
Langlois lawyers, LLP
In our recent articles, we called on corporate directors to reflect on their role during the current crisis and on the added value they can bring to help prepare their organizations for the post-crisis period. We then discussed the need for companies to identify new risks, including ethical risks, and make decisions while considering the impact on all stakeholders.
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COVID-19: A Roadmap for Navigating Return-to-Workplace Decisions
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Plans to emerge from the COVID-19 lockdown and return to the workplace present special challenges for organizations and their internal and external legal advisors. Although both law and medical science have bearing on the decision to re-open the workplace, at heart each decision will be founded on the exercise of business judgment and risk oversight by business leaders in their own circumstances. The in-house legal team can be an important resource to guide the board and management through these processes.
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Business Stability, Contractual Relationships & Risk Management During COVID-19
Gowling WLG International Limited.
Gowling WLG and BIOTECanada present an informative webinar on Business stability, contractual relationships & risk management during COVID-19.
The panel discusses various techniques organizations of all sizes can implement in order to navigate the present climate, shorten recovery time and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. This will range from helping you identify risks, to plan for recovery, to highlighting some contractual tools that may be available to you.
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ISS Publishes Policy Guidance Related to COVID-19
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Responding to challenges that issuers are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, ISS has published policy guidance with regard to its global benchmark policies for the 2020 proxy season.
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About GPC
The Governance Professionals of Canada (GPC) is the voice of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals in Canada. Its members deal with disclosure and matters affecting corporate governance, including the structure and meetings of the board of directors and its committees, the proxy process and annual meetings. As such GPC strives to provide valuable and timely information on recent changes and developments which affect our members - in all sectors.
Specialties:
Our members include professionals with positions such as Corporate Secretary, Manager Corporate Governance, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, VP Regulatory Affairs, Associate Corporate Secretary, and Board Administrator.
Mission Statement
The promotion and advancement of effective governance and corporate secretarial practice in organizations in the private, public, not-for-profit and other sectors through the continued development and application of governance and corporate secretaryship best practices.
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This e-newsletter is issued monthly to all GPC members. Non-members may also subscribe and receive the newsletter without access to member only content.
If you have comments or wish to contribute material to this newsletter, please e-mail us at
[email protected]
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Governance Professionals of Canada
21 St. Clair Avenue East - Suite 802
Toronto, ON M4T
(416) 921-5449
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