Speakers:
Jody Hecht, Special Advisor & Senior Counsel, Litigation, Canada Life, Chair of the 2024-2025 Legal Section Executive Committee
Kate Walker, Senior Legal Counsel, Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association

Speaker:
Blair Stransky, Vice President, Government Public Affairs, Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association

Interviewer:
Jody Hecht, Special Advisor & Senior Counsel, Litigation, Canada Life

Speakers:
Laurie Lapalme, Global Insurance Sector Leader, Dentons
Barbara Walancik-Hatch, Counsel, Dentons

Host:
Gillian Purvis, General Counsel, Empire Life, 
Chair of the Nominating Committee

Speakers:
Charlotte Henderson, Associate & Trademark Agent, Stewart McKelvey
Hilary Newman, Associate, Stewart McKelvey

What if the key to performing at our best while remaining resilient lies in harnessing the power of our emotions? Corina Walsh, a Certified Professional Coach and Emotional Intelligence Assessor, has helped hundreds of professionals overcome internal challenges including stress and uncertainty that impact performance and relationships at work.

In this engaging keynote, attendees will discover how enhancing emotional
intelligence (EQ) can transform professional and personal effectiveness, including our ability to navigate complex workplace dynamics. Corina will share tools and techniques to bolster emotional intelligence when navigating stress, difficult conversations, and other work-related challenges. Attendees will walk away with actionable strategies and skills they need to THRIVE in their careers.

Speaker:
Corina Walsh, President, Shift People Development

Discussions in the Sandbox

Speaker:
Corina Walsh, President, Shift People Development

Speakers:
Steve Dowling, Director, Justice and Public Safety, Financial and Consumer Services Division, Prince Edward Island
Speaker TBA, Financial and Consumer Services Commission, New Brunswick 
 

Moderator: 
Meaghan Obee Tower, Partner, Stikeman Elliott
 

Speakers:
Koker Christensen, Partner, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Bonny Murray, Partner, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Speakers:
The Honourable Justice Thomas Cromwell, BLG
The Honourable Associate Chief Justice Dennis O’Connor, BLG
Valérie Quintal, Vice President, Associate General Counsel, Litigation, Disputes and Advisory, Sun Life 
 

Moderator:
Ian Matthews, Partner, BLG

Speakers:
Ian Li, Senior Associate, Torys LLP
Omar Wakil, Partner, Torys LLP

Speaker:
Deron Waldock, Partner, McCarthy Tétrault

Speakers:
Christopher Horkins, Partner, Cassels
Dominic Boisvert, Partner, Lavery 
Jennifer Carter, Senior Principal Legal Counsel, iA 

Speakers:
Catherine Gagné, Partner, Blakes
Caroline Helbornner, Partner, Blakes
Stephanie Neate, Senior Counsel, Global Retirement, Wealth & Asset Management, Manulife

Speakers:
Rebecca Grima, AVP & Trial Counsel, Canada Life
Tracey Hamilton, Senior Litigation Counsel, Beneva
Patricia Olyslager, Partner, Parlee McLaws LLP 

Speaker:
Jason DiNovi, Senior Industry Consultant, Risk, Fraud & Compliance, SAS: Data and AI Solutions

Speakers:
Cindy Govedaris, Assistant Vice-President and Senior Counsel, Sun life
Jill McCutcheon, Partner, Torys

In this workshop, the speakers will discuss what kind of damages Plaintiffs have been seeking since Baker, the degree to which those damages are a focal point of litigation, and how they are dealt with during settlement negotiations/mediations. 

Speakers: 
Michael Canning, Partner, Beard Winter LLP
Colleen Arsenault, Partner, Beard Winter LLP 

Speakers:

Neil Blue, Associate General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, BMO Insurance.
Gillian Purvis, General Counsel, Empire Life
Colin Simpson, EVP, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Equitable Life

Moderator:
Gadhi Cruz, Senior Vice President, Senior Legal Counsel, Swiss Re 
 

Speakers:
David Fenicky, Partner, Davies Howe LLP
Sandra Hawes, Managing Partner, Western Canada, Miller Thomson LLP
Speaker: TBA

Speaker:
Marcelle Cerny, Chief Counsel, Distribution, Manulife

Speaker:
Gadhi Cruz, Senior Vice President, Senior Legal Counsel, Swiss Re
Chair of the 2025-2026 Legal Section Executive Committee