Email This Page | Printer Friendly

Government Relations for the 2009 Recession 

About | Testimonials | Agenda | Details | Register for this Seminar

Click Here for the official brochure for this seminar

Click Here for the owerPoint notes from the presentations made by Len Domino and Rory Demetrioff

Click Here for the PowerPoint notes from the presentations made by Jennifer Mossop

With the new economic realities, government will change how it makes decisions on issues that are important to your organization. To learn effective ways that government relations can help position your organization to succeed in this fast-changing environment – Leonard Domino & Associates announces:

"Government Relations for the 2009 Recession "

On Thursday, April 2, 2009 at the University Club of Toronto

(380 University Avenue, Toronto, ON )

If the people in your organization just don’t “get” government relations, it’s hard to move quickly to deal with problems or opportunities. That’s going to be very important during the 2009 Recession.

It’s always important that the people in your organization have a realistic understanding of government relations so you can move quickly to put your case before the government. That’s doubly important as we go into 2009.

Governments are facing the prospect of large deficits, so they’ll be looking at routine spending very carefully. At the same time, they’re developing stimulus packages to combat the worldwide recession, with massive spending and investment decisions being made now. Government will be looking for partners to help those investments achieve their goals. Organizations who understand the initiatives and respond most quickly will be the ones who benefit.

In the private sector, many industries are experiencing reduced sales and revenues. That may mean reduced income for non-profits at the very time there will be increased demand for their services. Organizations who anticipate those challenges and make realistic appeals for government support will be most successful.

2009 is going to be a year of dramatic change and challenges. It’s important to begin with a clear understanding of the ways ethical and effective government relations really work.

What You Will Learn At This Seminar:

  1. How to collaboratively solve your issues with government.
  2. Learn the best techniques to equip you senior managers with the skills to gather information from government and open up meaningful and successful talks with the top level decision makers.
  3. Learn best practices for scheduling and conducting a meeting with government officials.
  4. How to research the values and needs of the key senior officials in government.

Who Should Attend This Seminar?

  • Anyone whose organization is affected by government policy or funding decisions.
  • Presidents, Chief Executive Officers, Senior Government Relations Executives from corporate and non-profit organizations.
  • Past Conference Attendees, as the course materials are constantly being updated.
  • Individuals with new or expanded Government Relations responsibilities.

Why Attend This Seminar?

Why not take the opportunity to learn how best to develop positive, working relationships with government?

Leonard Domino & Associates has been providing specialized seminars on government relations since 1985.

Len Domino is an accomplished negotiator, working with Conservative, Liberal and New Democratic governments since he left office in the early 80s. He has been a Chief of Staff to the Minister of Natural Resources, Health and the Attorney General. Len also has experience as a political organizer with experience that spans four decades – few others can offer as much depth and understanding of how government really works.

Rory Demetrioff has successfully arranged and conducted meetings and negotiations on behalf of organizations who needed to get their issues addressed by senior political and bureaucratic decision makers in government. Regardless of a government's political stripe, he has built good working relationships with the last three governments in both Ontario and Ottawa; all with the same objective - to find win / win solutions for his clients' issues.

You will learn the practical strategies and techniques useful for your Government Relations team.

It’s tough to figure out what’s in the minds of the political decision makers – so why not ask them directly?

Special MPP Guest Speaker:

  • MPP Greg Sorbara was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 1985 and re-elected in 1987 and 1990. During Dalton McGuinty’s first mandate he served as Minister of Finance, Chair of the Treasury Board and Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet. Previously in David Peterson’s government (1985-1990) he served as Minister of Colleges and Universities/Minister of Skills Development, Minister of Labour/Minister Responsible for Women's Issues and Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations. Greg returned to the private sector in 1995 as a partner in The Sorbara Group of Companies, an Ontario-based land development and property management company. During that time he served as a director of the Business Development Bank of Canada and the United Way of York Region. In November 1999, he was elected president of the Ontario Liberal Party, a post he held until February 2004. He was elected MPP for the riding of Vaughan-King-Aurora in a June 2001 by-election and was re-elected in 2003. He was elected to the new riding of Vaughan in October 2007. He also served as the Liberal Campaign Chair for the 2003 and 2007 general elections.  

    • Special Guest Speakers:

  • The Honourable Elinor Caplan is a former Federal Cabinet Minister and also served as Ontario’s Minister of Health in the Peterson Liberal Government. She provides a unique “Minister’s eye view” of the way government really works having served as an elected official for 25 years. She will share her perspective on strategies that work when talking to the Ontario McGuinty government.  As a Provincial MPP (1985-97), Elinor served in the Peterson Government as Minister of Health, Government Services, Chair of theManagement Board and Chair of the Cabinet. As a Federal MP for Thornhill (1997-2004), she served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health before joining the Chrétien Cabinet in 1999 as Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. In 2001 she was named Minister of National Revenue. She did not seek re-election in 2004. 

  • Arthur Lofsky served as Director of Policy for two Ontario Ministers of Finance. He was involved in the preparation of Ontario’s last five provincial budgets and can offer an unparalleled insider’s view of the way the budget process really works. 

  • Jennifer Mossop has a unique combination of experiences – as a working journalist and as an elected member of the Ontario Legislature – which gives her a keen sense of the key communications issues involved in any dealings with government. Jennifer became a household name in the Golden Horseshoe as a reporter, producer and principal anchor with CHCH and ONtv. Jennifer later joined CBC Television News as an anchor and writer. After spending more than two decades working in television, radio and print journalism, Jennifer became the Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Stoney Creek. She was immediately appointed as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Culture and Vice Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Communications. She also served on the Education Policy Cabinet Committee, the Standing Committees on Justice and Legislative Assembly, and as Chair of the South Central Caucus.

    • About | Testimonials | Agenda | Details | Register for this Seminar

    What Have People Said About Leonard Domino & Associates’ Past Seminars?

    Pat Stephens, VP Public Relations – North Bay Hospital:

     “I attended the last Leonard Domino & Associates’ conference.  In short, I believe if you’re a government relations practitioner; from novice to advanced – LD&As' conference provides you with best practice initiatives that can be used right away in your GR strategy.  It’s a can’t miss training session for the newly inducted in the GR field.” 

    Frank McAuley – Vice-President within Royal Bank of Canada's Commercial Banking Group. Board Member, Curriculum Services Canada

    “Len's presentation to the Curriculum Services Canada Board was extremely valuable in providing a framework for negotiating with Government at all levels.  This was particularly true for Board Members drawn from the business community who do not deal with Government on a regular basis.  Len's emphasis on negotiating needs rather than positions builds mutual respect and is conducive to the development of long term relationships.”

    Jeanette Lewis, Executive Director – Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies

    “As the association continues to strive for a better, stronger relationship with the provincial government, we invited Len Domino to conduct an interactive session with our membership.  The insights he provided were relevant, straightforward and helpful and have already assisted us in our meetings with senior government staff and elected officials.”

    If you haven’t registered yet, don’t miss out on the chance to get ahead of the competition by learning the government negotiation skills and techniques that have been proven to work.

    Contact us today to reserve your spot.

    About | Testimonials | Agenda | Details | Register for this Seminar

    Agenda

    8:00am - 9:00am
    		   Registration & English Breakfast
    9:00am - 10:00am
    		   Len Domino - "Seven Lessons I Have Learned in 20 Years of Government Relations"
    10:00am - 10:45am
    		  Rory Demetrioff - "The Who's Who of Government" and "Best Practices for Obtaining Meetings with Government Officials"
    10:45am - 11:00am
    		  Break
    11:00am - 12:00pm
    		  Case Studies - Table Work Exercises: Apply the Win / Win Approach to Resolve Issues
    12:00 - 1:15pm
    		   Lunch - Special Luncheon Speaker: The Hon. Elinor Caplan - "How to Develop a Positive Relationship with Government"
    1:15pm - 2:00pm
    		   Jennifer Mossop - "Understand How Best to Communicate the Needs of Your Organization to Government, and how to Effectively Use Media Coverage to Support Your Issues"
    2:00pm - 2:30pm
    		   Arthur Lofsky - "Before, During, and After the Government's Budget. How to Get Your Proposals Included in the Plans of Your Ministry"
    2:30pm - 2:45pm
    		   Break
    2:45pm - 3:30pm
    		   MPP Greg Sorbara
    3:30pm - 4:15pm
    		   Rory Demetrioff & Len Domino - “How to Conduct Successful Meetings with Government Officials”

    About | Testimonials | Agenda | Details | Register for this Seminar

    Details

    Date:
    Thursday, April 2, 2009

    Location:
    University Club of Toronto (380 University Avenue, Toronto, ON)

    Limited Spots Available:

    Attendance at the seminar is limited to 48 guests, allowing for an intimate environment for you to ask questions – and get answers – throughout the day.

    Cost:

    • $525 plus GST for the first registration from your organization.
    • $425 plus GST for additional registration(s).
    • Early Bird Discount: Two tickets for the price of one before February, 7, 2009

    Coming from out of town? The University Club of Toronto has newly renovated accommodations in the heart of downtown.

    About | Testimonials | Agenda | Details | Register for this Seminar