Agenda

We’re working hard to bring you great content for this conference and are pleased to offer a preliminary agenda at this time. Please check back often as we continue to finalize the information.

Please note that this conference is conducted entirely in English and the times shown are Pacific Time (PT).

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Welcome to Kelowna! Meet and greet @ BNA Brewery

Join the CLHIA "unofficial" kick-off to the Tax Officers Conference on Tuesday evening from 5:30 p.m. - to 7:30 p.m. Drop by for a beverage, nibbles and meet up with your conference colleagues for a fun evening in downtown Kelowna. 

BNA Brewery,  1250 Ellis St, Kelowna, BC 

Only a five-minute walk from the Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort.

 

Wednesday, September 27, 2023
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Breakfast
 
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Registration & Information desk opens
 
8:30 AM - 8:40 AM
Conference Opening Remarks
  • Harpreet Roopra, AVP, Reporting and Corporate Tax Policy, CLHIA 
8:40 AM - 9:10 AM
Session 1 - CLHIA Priorities & State of Life Insurance Industry: A Fireside Chat
  • Stephen Frank, President and CEO, CLHIA 
  • Moderator: Jason Swales, Partner, PwC 
9:10 AM - 9:50 AM
Session 2 - Life Insurance Industry Outlook
  • Marc Lewis, Senior Manager, Deloitte Consulting 
9:50 AM - 10:10 AM
Networking Break
 
10:10 AM - 10:50 AM
Session 3 – Economic / Investment Update
  • Jack Mintz, President's Fellow, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary
  • Moderator: Stephen Frank, President and CEO, CLHIA
10:50 AM - 11:35 AM
Session 4 – Mandatory Reporting
  • Lara Friedlander, Partner, Blakes 
  • Michael Sturino, Partner, PwC 
11:35 AM - 12:15 PM
Session 5 - US Corporate Tax Updates

  • Chris Ocasal, Partner, EY US 

  • Kristan Rizzolo, Partner, Eversheds Sutherland 

  • Janine Burman-Gage, Senior Manager, EY US 

12:15 PM - 1:15 PM
Lunch
 
1:15 PM - 2:00 PM
Session 6 - Recent Corporate Tax Cases
  • Robert Coelho, Partner, KPMG 
  • Martha MacDonald, Partner, Torys
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Session 7 – Recent Trends in Financial Institutions Tax Controversy: Top 10 Tips for Financial Institutions Dealing with the CRA
  • Robert Coelho, Partner, KPMG 
  • Martha MacDonald, Partner, Torys 
2:45 PM - 3:05 PM
Networking Break
 
3:05 PM - 3:50 PM
Session 8 – GAAR developments
  • Al Meghji, Partner, Osler
3:50 PM - 4:50 PM
Session 9 – Sector based taxation – Tax policy considerations
  • Brian Ernewein, Senior Advisor, National Tax, KPMG 
  • Lisa Kotsopoulos, Vice President, Tax, Munich Re 
  • Matt MacInnis, Global Head of Tax, Manulife 
  • Jack Mintz, President’s Fellow, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary 
  • Noeline Simon, Vice President, Taxation, Pension and Reporting, CLHIA 

 

4:50 PM - 5:20 PM
Session 10 – Individual Tax Planning Considerations
  • Jamie Golombek, Managing Director, CIBC
5:20 PM - 5:30 PM
Wrap up Day 1
  • Noeline Simon, Vice-President, Taxation, Pension and Reporting, CLHIA
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Break - On own
 
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Evening event - Kelowna Yacht Club
 
Thursday, September 28, 2023
CRA Roundtable Webcast

An access link to this pre-recorded webcast will be emailed to attendees on the morning of Sept. 28th to watch at your leisure. 

Webcast Speaker: Bob Naufal, Manager, Financial Institutions Section, CRA 

7:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Registration & Information desk open
 
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Breakfast
 
8:30 AM - 8:35 AM
Day 2 Opening Remarks
  • Michael Tsao, AVP, Canadian Tax, Commodity Tax, Manulife  
8:35 AM - 9:30 AM
Session 11 - Indirect Tax Update
  • Alan Kenigsberg, Partner, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
  • Simon Proulx, Partner, KPMG 
  • D’Arcy Schieman, Partner, Deloitte
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Session 12 - Remote work environment and related tax issues
  • Kevin Yip, Partner, Fasken  
10:00 AM - 10:20 AM
Networking Break
 
10:20 AM - 11:15 AM
Session 13 - Policyholder Tax Panel
  • Hemal Balsara, AVP, Tax & Estate Planning, Manulife 
  • Jennifer Chandrawinata, Senior Manager, EY    
  • Jennifer Omstead, Director, Product Taxation & Pensions, CLHIA   
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Session 14 – Carbon Tax and Decarbonization Incentives: Canada and the United States
  • David Arthur, Partner, Deloitte 
  • D'Arcy Schieman, Partner, Deloitte 
  • Wes Sheumaker, Partner, Eversheds Sutherland 
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch
 
1:00 PM - 1:50 PM
Session 15 - EIFEL and Interest Deductibility
  • Ian Bradley, Partner, PwC 
  • Jonathan Willson, Partner, Stikeman Elliott LLP
  • Jerald Wortsman, Partner, Torys 
1:50 PM - 2:45 PM
Session 16 - OECD Pillar II – Considerations for Canadian Life and Health Insurers
  • Jasdeep K. Johal, Partner, Deloitte 
  • Alex Pouchard, Partner, EY 
  • Hiu Tung Cheung, Partner, EY 
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM
Wrap up Day 2
  • Harpreet Roopra, AVP, Reporting and Corporate Tax Policy, CLHIA 
Friday, September 29, 2023
7:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Registration and information desk open
 
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Breakfast
 
8:30 AM - 8:35 AM
Day 3 Opening Remarks
  • Ladelle Baar, AVP Product Taxation, Canada Life
  • Dave Decleir, Senior Manager, Product Tax and Initiatives, Empire Life
8:35 AM - 9:35 AM
Session 17 – Transfer Pricing Panel
  • Inna Golodniuk, Partner, Deloitte
  • Amanda Heale, Partner, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
  • Sarah Tat, AVP, International and Transfer Pricing, Manulife
  • Hans Woo, Vice President, Tax Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd
9:35 AM - 10:25 AM
Session 18 – Hot Indirect Tax Issues in the Insurance Sector (Advisor and Industry perspective)
  • Tariq Nasir, Partner, EY
  • Michael Tsao, AVP, Canadian Tax, Commodity Tax, Manulife 
10:25 AM - 10:40 AM
Networking Break
 
10:40 AM - 11:25 AM
Session 19 – Tax Technology Roundtable

 

  • Taylor Carson, Senior Tax Planning & Advisory Manager, Co-operators 
  • Paul Dean, AVP, Tax Technology & Process, Sun Life 
  • Tristan Smith, Global Tax Transformation & Technology Leader, Manulife 
  • Margarita Volkova, Senior Manager, Tax, Financial Institutions, KPMG 

 

11:25 AM - 11:30 AM
Session 20 - Tax Officers Section AGM
  • Martin Thériault, Chair, TOS Executive Committee
11:30 AM - 11:35 AM
Closing Remarks
  • Matt MacInnis, Global Head of Tax, Manulife