Pathways to Prosperity: Canada

Wednesday, November 10, 2022
A Virtual Conference 

11:00 – 11:15 AM EST

Welcome and Opening: Conference for Local Immigration Partnerships and Réseaux en immigration francophone (Video)

• Conference Chairs: Victoria Esses and Jean McRae, Pathways to Prosperity Co-Chairs
• Keisha Michaud, Coordinator, North Bay and Area Local Immigration Partnership

11:15 – 12:15 PM EST

Representing Our Communities: Ensuring Diversity and Inclusion Within LIPs and RIF (Video)

Chair: Ana Maria Bustamante, Coordinator, Burnaby Local Immigration Partnership

In order to be most effective, the composition and operation of LIPs and RIF must reflect and fully include the diversity of the communities that they represent. Purposeful action is required to do so, rather than assuming that this will occur “naturally.” The speakers in this plenary will discuss guidelines and strategies that they have put into place to achieve both diversity and inclusion within their structures, and consider how these may be adapted to other LIP and RIF contexts and communities.

• Embedding Diversity and Inclusion in Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council (Download Presentation)
  Sarah Wayland, Senior Project Manager, Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council
• Progress on Inclusion Issues : Development of an Anti-Racist Charter for Francophone Organizations in British Columbia (Download Presentation)
  Leyla Cherif, Coordinator, Community Development, B.C. Francophones Federation
• Honoring, Engaging and Building Reciprocal Relationships: Pathways to Kinship (Download Presentation)
  Mariam Bilgrami, Coordinator, Surrey Local Immigration Partnership

1:00 – 1:45 PM EST

Next Steps in Our Anti-Discrimination Work: Taking the Results of Discrimination Surveys and Putting Them Into Action

Facilitator: Petrusia Hontar, Project Manager, St. Thomas-Elgin Local Immigration Partnership

Recently, LIPs and RIF across Canada have been collecting statistics on immigrants’ and racialized minorities’ experiences of discrimination. Now LIPs and RIF are mobilizing local communities to turn these results into actionable, measurable and practical initiatives. Join the discussion to share information about what next steps are being planned, challenges that are expected, and strategies to include local stakeholders.

The Role of LIPs and RIF in Responding to the Afghan Refugee Crisis: Past Learnings and New Initiatives 

Facilitator: Carol Brouwers, Project Manager, Regina Region Local Immigration Partnership

With the planned arrival of 40,000 Afghan refugees in Canada, what role can LIPs and RIF play in supporting their resettlement? Join this workshop to discuss what we learned from our efforts to support Syrian refugee resettlement, and what supports LIPs and RIF across the country are now providing to the settlement sector and community at large to contribute to this latest large-scale resettlement effort.

What LIPs and RIF Can Do to Support Newcomer Entrepreneurship and Employment 

Facilitator: Steve Araba, Coordinator, Sault Ste. Marie Local Immigration Partnership

Newcomers often face the herculean challenges of lack of employment, underemployment and also limited support for entrepreneurial endeavours. This can lead them to move to other communities, other countries, or return to their home countries, as they may not be able to support their families, compounded by the other challenges of settlement, culture and environmental shock that can reduce their capacity to withstand the changes they face. In this workshop we will discuss what LIPs and RIF can do to support newcomer entrepreneurship and employment, essential for establishing more welcoming communities.

2:00 – 3:00 PM EST

LIPs and RIF as Knowledge Mobilizers (Video)

Chair: Petrusia Hontar, Project Manager, St. Thomas-Elgin Local Immigration Partnership

One important function of LIPs and RIF is knowledge mobilization – effectively synthesizing and disseminating useful information to service providers, immigrants, and the community at large. This plenary focuses on strategies that have been undertaken to fulfill this role, and the multiple means that must be employed in order to target particular knowledge users and audiences. Presenters will discuss the goals of their knowledge mobilization actions, the strategies that they have utilized to achieve these goals, what has been found to be effective, and pitfalls to avoid.

• Getting the Word Out: Insights from the We Speak Language Access Initiative (Download Presentation)
  Monica Champagne, Project Coordinator, Windsor Essex Local Immigration Partnership
• Turning Research into Action: Responding to Emerging Needs During COVID (Download Presentation)
  Melanie Bailey, Project Manager, Prince Edward Island Immigration Partnership
• Making the Invisible Visible: Knowledge Sharing Strategies for Impact (Download Presentation)
  Olivia Bornik, Manager, North Shore Immigrant Inclusion Partnership

3:15 – 4:00 PM EST

How to Ensure that LIPs and RIF Reach a Broad Audience to Increase Impact 

Facilitator: Kemoh Mansaray, Coordinator, Lloydminster Local Immigration Partnership

LIPs and RIF must reflect within their structures the communities they represent, as discussed in the first plenary today, but they must also reach a broad, diverse audience to ensure impact. That is, the information that LIPs and RIF disseminate and the activities they organize should be targeted not only to those already interested in immigration and integration of newcomers, but for optimal impact, the community at large. Join this workshop to discuss strategies for more effectively engaging community members and ensuring they are exposed to the messaging, information, and outreach activities of the LIPs and RIF.

The Role of LIPs and RIF in Coordinating Information and Access to Services for Temporary Residents

Facilitator: Meagan Reid, Bow Valley Immigration Partnership

Temporary workers and international students play an important role in Canada, yet often find it difficult to access information and services to ensure their well-being. Join this discussion to share potential promising practices that LIPs and RIF can use to coordinate and disseminate information to these temporary residents and support their access to the services they need.

The Power of Human Connection – The GenWell Project 

Facilitator: Peter Bombaci, Founder, Genwell Project

The GenWell Project is a Canadian-led, global Human Connection Movement whose mission is to make the world a happier and healthier place by educating, empowering and catalyzing people around the benefits of human connection to their health, happiness and longevity, and to the wellbeing of society. Join the founder of The GenWell Project, Pete Bombaci, as he introduces the movement and the journey that he has been on for 5 years working to create a more connected Canada, explains how we got to this disconnected world, how the pandemic only magnified an already existing issue and how we can, and must be, part of the solution.

4:15 – 4:45 PM EST

Poster Awards and Closing Remarks (Video)

Conference Chairs: Jean McRae and Victoria Esses, Pathways to Prosperity Co-Chair