Plenary Speakers

Wednesday October 18th, Opening Keynote
Building a Culture of Engagement

​Apathy is all around us. Most people have become disengaged not only from politics, but also from our schools, workplaces and associations or organisations. Increasingly, those in leadership positions are asking themselves “How do we boost public participation?”, “How do we engage our students?” and “How can we inspire our membership to get involved?”. Dave Meslin encourages us to recognize apathy as a web of barriers that reinforce disengagement – and that we can work together to dismantle the obstacles. His seven-minute TED talk about apathy has more than 1.4 million views. This in-depth version of the talk customized for the home and community support sector incorporates anecdotes, humour and examples of best-practices. He reminds the audience that we all have something to contribute and that the strongest cities, schools and associations are the ones that have learned how to tap into the collective creativity, passion and knowledge of their constituents.

Sponsored By:

Using non-traditional methods and creative tactics, Dave Meslin spent twenty years as a social and political entrepreneur leaving a trail of non-profit start-ups, campaign victories, viral videos, new magazines, and public space interventions in his path. An urbanist, community organiser, author and trainer, Meslin inspires us to invert the traditional pyramid of hierarchy by creating meaningful opportunities to engage our employees, our members, our students. His thesis is simple: We’re stronger and smarter when we’re all involved. Transforming top-down leadership into bottom-up collaboration is the true challenge of the 21st century.

Multi-partisan and fiercely optimistic, Meslin’s presentations focuses on how we can overcome cynicism and create a culture of participation. His unassuming presence, creativity and sense of humour keep audiences enthralled. Dancing between the worlds of mainstream politics and grassroots activism, Meslin has found positive ways to bring them both together and turn energy into action.

Wednesday October 18th, Afternoon Plenary
Achieving Patients First at the Sub-LHIN Level

​In March of 2017, Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health Systems Solution and Virtual Care (WIHV) collaborated with VHA Home HealthCare and the North American Observatory on Health Systems and Policies to host a stakeholder dialogue on Ontario’s Patients First Act.  This policy, in its early implementation phase during the spring and summer of 2017, is intended to improve coordination and integration of health care at the local sub-LHIN level. A stakeholder dialogue was convened to discuss the implementation and successful uptake of the new structures of care, which included a wide range of stakeholders including patients, caregivers, health care providers, organizational leaders, researchers and policymakers. Following the symposium, the collaborative team analyzed the dialogue to identify a series of recommendations that will help to ensure the implementation of the Patients First Act is successful. 

Dr. Bhatia will speak on some of the key recommendations that came out of the symposium related to governance and accountability, patient and caregiver engagement, local-level innovation, and more, with the aim of achieving locally integrated care at the sub-LHIN level, and to improving care coordination throughout the system. 

Dr. R. Sacha Bhatia is the Director of the Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV) at Women’s College Hospital, where he also a staff cardiologist. As Director of WIHV, Dr. Bhatia leads evaluation for Choosing Wisely Canada, a national initiative managed through the University of Toronto in collaboration with the CMA. He is also Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and as an adjunct scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. Previously, he worked as a clinical and research fellow in cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University. Dr. Bhatia received his medical degree and MBA at McGill University and his internal medicine and cardiology training in Toronto.

He sits on the Mission Committee of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the cardiovascular working group of the Ontario Health Study, and advises the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Health Quality Ontario, hospitals and other healthcare organizations on various health systems issues, including strategic planning and quality improvement.

Thursday October 19th, Morning Plenary
Lessons from Abroad: The Opportunities of a Borderless World

Dr. Richard Heinzl is the founder of Doctors Without Borders Canada: the Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization that has inspired a movement among medical professionals to help the world’s most vulnerable populations.

In this presentation, he will share lessons from his experiences at the far corners of the world: major moments, like working through a humanitarian crisis during the Iraq War, or witnessing South Africa’s first democratic elections. He also captures the quieter, no less wondrous, moments. Like seeing how a simple Frisbee, given to a group of kids at the frontlines, can bring joy half the world away. Or how, in most places he went, the Internet had beat him there, shrinking the globe.

Richard will take delegates past the expected sphere of humanitarian aid stories to reveal a remarkable world with universal lessons and incredible human stories (beginning with the story of how his experiences changed his life). Zooming out, he points to the exponential change in our borderless world. Why, for instance, it is more important than ever for individuals and organizations to have a non-conventional approach to problem solving. We need to embrace this change, he says, and to see what is truly valuable in our world—and how we are all connected in it.

Richard Heinzl is a medical doctor from Hamilton. In 1988 he founded the Canadian chapter of Doctors Without Borders, the Nobel Prize winning humanitarian medical relief organization. His travels and work have taken him to over seventy countries including Cambodia, Iraq and Mozambique where he worked as a Doctors Without Borders volunteer. After undergraduate training at the U of T, Richard studied medicine at McMaster University’s innovative medical school and later completed graduate degrees related to international health at Harvard University and the University of Oxford. He is a recipient of the prestigious Top 40 Under 40 Award and holds an Honorary Doctorate from his Alma Mater, McMaster. 

Thursday October 19th, Closing Plenary
You Have More Opportunity Than You Think

You say ...

Government is reducing funding. Community demand is increasing, for more complex supports. Many Boards feel raising new revenue, including fundraising, is the next logical step. Staff are already working at full force. 

​Now what?

In this highly interactive session customized for the home and community support sector, award-winning fundraising expert Ann Rosenfield will help explore different, and creative, ways Canadian charities have boosted the bottom line. She'll also let you in on the secrets of building fundraising success by focusing on your assets instead of your problems. 

You really do have more opportunities than you think.

Ann Rosenfield, MBA, CFRE is an award-winning professional  who has been helping donors, volunteers, Boards, and neighbours make good decisions about charity for over 20 years. She is the Principal for Charitably Speaking and Editor of Hilborn Charity eNews. She is the past Executive Director for local social service charity, The WoodGreen Foundation. Her professional volunteer leadership service includes over 8 years with Imagine Canada and over 20 years with the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In her spare time, she serves as Board Secretary of Rainbow Railroad and is a roll up the sleeves volunteer with several local charities including Not Far From The Tree.

Wednesday October 18th, Evening Entertainment
Comedian Susan Stewart

Susan Stewart is a comedian, author, and professional speaker who has spent the last ten years entertaining and inspiring people to see the lighter side of life. Susan is the author of Reaching The Laugh Resort, Your New Lenses Are Ready For Pick Up: A Guide To Seeing The Lighter Side Of Life, and You Gotta Laugh: Wit And Wisdom About Not Taking Life (Or Yourself) Too Seriously. You can learn more about Susan at susanstewart.ca.