| 6:45 am – 7:15 am |
Scenic Run/Walk - Ottawa Canal Loop
Starting location: The Westin Hotel Lobby.
Route is 5k or 30-minutes. All levels of experience welcome. No equipment required. |
| 6:45 am – 7:15 am |
Pilates/Yoga Session
Westin Hotel, Governor General III
All levels of experience welcome. Limited number of spots available; first come, first served. No equipment required.
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| 7:15 am – 8:00 am |
Registration and Breakfast
The Westin Hotel, Confederation Ballroom and Foyer
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| 8:00 am – 8:15 am |
Welcome Remarks
The Westin Hotel, Confederation Ballroom and Foyer
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| 8:15 am – 8:55 am |
Keynote Speaker
The Westin Hotel, Confederation Ballroom
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| 9:00 am – 9:45 am |
Opening Plenary – Immigration in a post pandemic world: A summary of the three Government department’s current priorities, what we can expect from each department in 2023 and onward.
The Westin Hotel, Confederation Ballroom
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the processing of applications, both in-land and overseas. In this session, officials from the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will address the current state of operations out of the larger visa offices and will discuss how the Department has addressed the resulting backlog of applications. Officials from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will also discuss how the pandemic impacted its enforcement operations in terms of removals and at ports of entry. Lastly, a representative from the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) will discuss its current operations and caseload from across the country
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| 9:45 am – 10:00 am |
Break
The Westin Hotel, Ballroom Foyer
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| 10:00 am – 11:30 am |
Concurrent Sessions
1A: Labour Market Impact Assessments Overview and Current Trends
The Westin Hotel, Governor General I
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has seen a significant increase in the number of Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications submitted in the past year. As a result, officers are closing applications deemed incomplete rather than following up for missing materials. It is more important than ever to ensure that your LMIA applications meet all the current rules and include all necessary documents so that they are deemed complete from the outset. This session will review the basics of an LMIA application including business legitimacy documents, advertising requirements, proper vetting of applicants, and provincial registrations. It will also cover some of the most common pitfalls and provide helpful tips for success.
1B: Mandamus Applications
The Westin Hotel, Governor General II
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been major backlogs of applications at visa processing offices. Consequently, there has also been a significant increase in the number of mandamus applications before the Federal Court. This panel will cover the number of mandamus applications currently before the Federal Court, how IRCC is addressing these outstanding applications and current processing times, as well as recent jurisprudence involving mandamus applications.
In addition, the Panelists will address the following subjects:
- Large Volume of Applications impeding process
- When to file Mandamus
- How to best manage client expectations
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| 11:30 am – 11:45 am |
Refreshment Break
The Westin Hotel, Ballroom Foyer
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| 11:45 am – 12:55 pm |
Concurrent Sessions
2A: The Complete PR Perspective: From PNP Portals to Spousal Portals
The Westin Hotel, Governor General I
This session will review the online application process for submitting permanent residence applications through the online PR portal, including PNPs and spousal sponsorship. Our speakers will provide practical tips for navigating the new portals successfully. IRCC speakers will address some of the most commonly asked questions about the PR portals and will provide the Dos and Don’ts for the process.
2B: Cases before the SCC: SCC Jurisprudence, Mason and Dleiow
The Westin Hotel, Governor General II
Lawyers and academics to review cases before the SCC, as well as top SCC decisions and an update on the STCA litigation. This session will be a must for all litigators.
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| 12:55 pm – 2:10 pm |
Lunch and Founders' Award Presentation
Lunch Sponsored by
The Westin Hotel, Confederation Ballroom
Lunch Panel: Mental Health, Wellness & Fitness for the Legal Profession in a Post Pandemic World
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| 2:15 pm – 3:45 pm |
Concurrent Sessions
This year, we offer a revisited version of the very popular “Asked & Answered” sessions in the form of “Hot Topics”. These sessions will take the form of a discussion and will allow participants to ask questions to senior practitioners regarding popular subjects in a more intimate setting. The time will be split in 2, so a participant can attend 2 hot topics of their choice during this time slot.
Eight (8) subjects will be running at the same time, 4 on the Solicitors’ side and 4 on the Litigation side. Speakers will run each of their sessions twice during this time slot.
3A: Hot Topics for Solicitors - GTS LMIAs
​The Westin Hotel, Governor General III
Sponsored by
3B: Hot Topics for Solicitors - PORTAL Pitfalls
The Westin Hotel, Provinces I
3C: Hot Topics for Litigators - Criminal inadmissibility - CBSA perspective re-entry at borders
The Westin Hotel, Governor General I
3D: Hot Topics for Litigators - Class applications to Federal Courts
The Westin Hotel, Quebec
3E: Hot Topics for for Solicitors - Start-up Visas
The Westin Hotel, Governor General II
Sponsored by
3F: Hot Topics for Solicitors - IRCC/ESDC Inspections
The Westin Hotel, Provinces II
3G: Hot Topics for Litigators - Spousal Sponsorship Appeals to IRB – AD
The Westin Hotel, Confederation Ballroom
3H: Hot Topics for Litigators - Motions for Stay of Removal before the Federal Court
The Westin Hotel, Nova Scotia & Newfoundland
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| 3:45 pm – 3:55 pm |
Refreshment Break and Transition
The Westin Hotel, Ballroom Foyer
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| 3:55 pm – 5:25 pm |
Updates on Anti-Racism Efforts in Canadian Immigration
The Westin Hotel, Governor General I
The Panel will provide updates from IRCC, the CBSA, and the CBA Anti-Racism Committee on recent Anti-Racism efforts undertaken and their impacts on racialized immigration clients.
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| 5:25 pm – 6:25 pm |
Bench and Bar Meeting
The Westin Hotel, room TBC
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| 7:00 pm |
Reception, Gala Dinner and Entertainment
The Westin Hotel, Confederation Ballroom and Foyer
This is a special ticketed event.Tickets can be purchased during the online registration process or anytime prior to the event until sellout. If you have already registered for the conference and would like to purchase a ticket(s), please email your request to pd@cba.org.
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