Monday, April 8, 2019

8:00 – 8:30 a.m.
REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

8:30 a.m.
WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR

8:45 – 9:45 a.m.
Shake Up Your Social
Isaac LeClair, BBA, Program Manager, Agriculture More than Ever, Farm Credit Canada

Standing out in the crowd online is harder than ever before. More content is being published every second, and more people are looking for ways to crack the algorithm. But, shaking up your social is easier than you think. @AgMoreThanEver is one of the most reputable brands on social media within Canadian agriculture. Using examples of their own content, and from brands across the ag and food system, they explain how focusing on making friends, telling better stories and being unforgettable has made them, and so many others, successful on social..

9:45 – 10:00 a.m.
NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK

10:00 – 10:45 a.m.
A Little Fun Goes a Long Way
Megan Wolfinger, CMP, Program and Change Lead, Government of Saskatchewan

When gamification, corporate objectives and innovation collide great things happen. In this session you will learn how the courage to try something new led to improved awareness and engagement with the Ministry of Central Services annual operational plan. Through a targeted campaign promoting the annual plan and the importance of cascading planning, coupled with a hands-on escape room activity, employees engaged with the ministry’s operations like never before. See how this shoe-string initiative became a big corporate hit.

Participants will:
• Learn about the importance of communicating corporate direction and how to break it down so it is relevant for employees;
• Get tips and tricks for how they can create their own escape room activity in their organization; and
• See how communications strategy and business strategy go hand in hand.

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Cutting Through the Advertising Clutter
Derek Robinson, CEO, Mash Media & former Chief, Digital Strategy for Premier Brad Wall

We live in an increasingly noisy, distracted culture. People were exposed to about 500 ads a day back in the 1970’s, but now we’re exposed to as many as 5,000 ads each day.

The good news: advertising still works and there are more tools than ever. But you need a single clear message with tactics that get attention.

This session will include the following:
• What other companies have done and how you can and should develop your own crystal clear, attention-grabbing message
• How to “stop the scroll” on digital channels so your audience will actually notice your message
• How to combine traditional media and digital media to maximize your marketing impact

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
NETWORKING LUNCHEON

12:45 – 1:45 p.m.
Caught Between a Milestone and a Hard Place – celebrating an anniversary in tough times
Sue Bachner, Internal Communications Manager, Sustainability and Stakeholder Relations, Cameco

October 5, 2018 didn’t feel like the most appropriate time for Cameco to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Having endured several years of depressed uranium market conditions, it was a challenging period for the company, and employees were feeling the emotional fatigue of restructuring and downsizing.

Learn how Cameco’s internal communications team handled this challenge with tact, and what they learned about the power of employee voice.

1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
Best Practices Exchange 
Delegates will break into small groups and share their own experiences in what works and what doesn’t work in communications. Delegates will walk away with numerous case studies and best practices.

Benjamin Morgan, Principal, diedouCOMMUNICATIONS

This dynamic session highlights the importance of being prepared – well ahead of any crisis. Drawing on experiences from his leadership role during Canada’s two costliest natural disasters, the 2013 Calgary Floods and the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires, Ben will share his 5 key steps of crisis communication preparedness.

5:00 pm          CONFERENCE CONCLUDES FOR THE DAY

Click here to Register Now

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

OPTIONAL POST-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS:

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Workshop A: Public Engagement Planning 
Dr. Rebeca Sutherns

Participants will leave this highly practical workshop with a practical, co-created handbook of tools and examples that will equip them to design and support public engagement processes in their municipality.

The session will use published evidence, 20+ years of experience and a variety of interactive methods to address the following questions:

Why?              The benefits and risks of engaging the public in municipal decision-making

Who?              Practical tools for stakeholder identification

Where?           Where best to find the people you need

When?            When to invite people’s participation

How?              Combining online and in-person methods to attract and hold people’s attention

What?            What to ask them once you have their attention

Dr. Rebecca Sutherns is a Certified Professional Facilitator and the CEO of Sage Solutions in Guelph, Ontario – a consulting firm that specializes in facilitating strategic, collaborative decision-making. She is a high energy communicator and coach who has worked to strengthen the impact of public benefit organizations for more than 20 years. Rebecca holds a PhD in Sustainable Communities and teaches Community Engagement to planning students at the University of Guelph. See www.sage-solutions.orgfor more details.

1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

WORKSHOP B: Crisis Communications Planning
Benjamin Morgan, Principle, diedouCOMMUNICATIONS

Benjamin has held communication leadership roles during the response to Canada’s two costliest natural disasters: the 2013 Calgary Floods and the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires. In addition to consulting with a variety of organizations, he teaches risk and crisis communications at Calgary’s Mount Royal University and BC’s Royal Roads University at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the session, Benjamin shares with you critical elements of crisis communication planning and walks participants through a crisis communications plan outline. This session will help you:

• Understand some of the key elements required for a comprehensive crisis communication plan
• Manage communications during crisis and issues response better
• Prepare well ahead of any crisis event
• Understand the importance of strong key messages
• Prepare yourself, and others, to be ready to respond

Practical information combined with group discussion will help set your organization up for communication success during a crisis. This session will leave you with a foundation to build and grow your crisis communication plan.

Benjamin has had a dynamic career. During his 16 years of service as a Paramedic, he served as the designated spokesperson – speaking to crisis events. Inspired by his interactions and relationships with the media, Benjamin returned to school and completed his Masters Degree in Professional Communications. Returning to The City of Calgary in March of 2013 in a newly created role, the Supervisor of Crisis Communications, he quickly found his background and educations tested as the mighty Bow and Elbow rivers spilled their banks. His crisis communications was again tested during the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires. He was called as a crisis communications expert by the Province of Ontario during the Elliott Lake disaster Public Inquiry hearing. Benjamin also participated in a Department of National Defence research project, Social Media Expert in Emergency Management ‘round Table. He now shares his knowledge and experience with undergraduate and graduate level students at two Canadian Universities.

He is the founder of deidouCommunications which supports organizations in their crisis communication planning, communication strategies, media relations training and coaching.  He is a sought-after consultant, trainer and conference speaker.

Click here to Register Now

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