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Shirley Westeinde had few female role models when she entered the construction field, but that never held her back > PAGES 10-11

November 9, 2015 Vol. 19, NO. 1

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For daily business news visit obj.ca

Bucking the trend It’s time for Canadian retailers to offer discounts for paying with cash, MIchael Prentice argues. > PAGE 8

‘Positive’ pivot Liberals’ revamped innovation and science ministry earns praise from high-tech advocates. > PAGES 12-13 Canada Post Publications Mail: Agreement No. 41639025

Bernie Ashe, the CEO of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, feels right at home at Lansdowne Park’s TD Place stadium. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

OSEG captain a front-office winner CEO of the Year Bernie Ashe has been just the man to lead Lansdowne sports revival Lifelong CFL fan’s blend of experience and enthusiasm has propelled organization’s teams to success on and off the field > PAGES 4-6

Nov. 26, 2015 Join the Audi Q7 Movement Tour Sign-up Today! markmotorsofottawa.audiq7movement.ca #Q7MovementTour

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techniques with a huge return on investment, but only if all the fine details have been addressed to pass the scrutiny of the taxman. Setting up a trust is not a task for amateurs.

YOUR POWER OF ATTORNEY The other essential element is a continuing power of attorney (POA). A POA for Property provides an individual with the authority to conduct your financial affairs after you have lost your capacity to do so.

“This is essential for property or business owners and professionals,” Bowley says.

“In many scenarios it makes sense to give a POA to a spouse or adult child, but grant a special one for your business to a colleague.”

A POA for Personal Care provides for a trusted individual who knows you well to make decisions for your care if you become incapacitated.

It’s a matter of when, not if, ‘something happens to you’

Need to know issues for your will and estate, with LMR’s Norm Bowley This is a true story:

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rs. Peters died without a will, years after her husband. When she had married him, he already had four young children from a previous marriage. Mrs. Peters raised them as her stepchildren. She then had a child with Mr. Peters.

One big happy family – right?

THE RISKS OF INTESTACY When you die without a will, it’s called intestacy. The government decides how your estate is divided.

Bowley chairs the Estates and Succession Planning Group at law firm Low Murchison Radnoff LLP, where he enjoys tackling complex and thorny family and commercial problems.

THE DEADLY LOTTERY “Like a poorly packed parachute, nobody knows you’ve botched your will until they’re scraping up the bits,” he said. “If

A special problem arises for older couples with adult children from previous relationships. Careless planning could leave one set of kids inheriting everything while the other set gets nothing.

PUT YOUR TRUST IN TRUSTS A key aspect of good estate planning is tax reduction. Without it, your heirs could be left paying thousands, even millions in too much tax out of the value of your estate.

“Whether using a tax-driven trust or a wrap-around trust, careful planning provides a mechanism by which the couple can live out their lives with maximum comfort, but afterwards treat both sets of kids with fairness,” Bowley says.

Trusts provide great tax-reduction

A seasoned estate lawyer will carefully examine your family structure and finances, and then begin to identify issues and discuss solutions.

“My clients frequently express amazement that we uncovered issues they never dreamed existed,” Bowley says. “I think to myself, ‘thank goodness they didn’t use a will kit!’”

Nearly half of all Canadians put off estate planning, either because there is a cost involved, they don’t want to consider their own mortality, or they’re just too busy.

“Like good medical care, putting it off can be disastrous,” Bowley says.

For more information, please contact Norman Bowley at (613) 236-9442 Ext. 179 or nbowley@lmrlawyers.com

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If you die, married without children, your

“While not having a will is scary, having a bad one is worse,” says lawyer Norman Bowley. “You need to know the essentials.”

you wrote the will yourself, your family has no recourse. If an incompetent lawyer drew it up, they can try to sue.”

PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

Because Mrs. Peters died without a will, the law held that her own child took all of the estate. Her stepchildren were out of luck.

Under the law, they were not entitled to a nickel.

spouse gets it all. If you have children, your spouse gets from the net estate the first $200,000. The remainder must be divided equally among your spouse and any children you had together. If you don’t have a spouse, the net estate is divided amongst your children. If you have neither, the estate is divided among your parents, then your siblings, then the next nearest relatives.

“This may be the most important document you ever sign,” Bowley says. “Imagine you are in a care facility, trapped in a frail body, confused, unable to communicate.

Fortunately, when you were strong and capable, you had appointed someone to be your Ambassador to the Outside World.”

BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS 2015 RECIPIENTS CEO OF THE YEAR

Winning over a city OSEG boss Bernie Ashe, who has helped build three Ottawa professional sports franchises, is one of the community’s true good guys – and now, he’s OBJ’s CEO of the year

“This community is different because of the things that (the OSEG partners) have done. These are the greatest guys in the community and I get to work with them.

I get to try to realize their vision. That’s a real honour.”

BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

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t’s the sort of hometown-boy-makesgood tale that has been a Hollywood staple forever.

Fledgling sports ownership group hires lifelong football fan to take charge of expansion team’s business operations in a jaded market. The team weathers the inevitable first-year storms, but gives a community that’s had its collective heart broken too many times to count just enough hope to believe that this time it might really be different.

Sure enough, the team becomes a winner, earns a home playoff berth and proves the naysayers wrong. Roll the credits.

It sounds too good to be true, except it isn’t. It’s the Bernie Ashe story, and it’s playing right now at a stadium near you.

Indeed, you couldn’t script things much better these days for the chief executive of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group. The organization’s two pro teams, the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa RedBlacks and North American Soccer League’s Fury FC, are both hosting post-season contests this month in just their second year of existence. Their home park, TD Place, regularly draws sellout crowds as the centrepiece of a revitalized Lansdowne Park that drew 1.5 million visitors in its first year.

For his role in overseeing that success, Mr. Ashe is the OBJ-Ottawa Chamber of Commerce CEO of the Year.

OSEG partner Roger Greenberg, who received the same award in 2004, said he can’t think of a worthier person for the honour.

“He’s done everything that I’ve asked of him and then some,” Mr. Greenberg said. “The No. 1 job of the CEO is to create a vision for the company. The second is to hire a good executive team.

He’s just done an outstanding job.”

Mr. Ashe, who grew up a diehard CFL fan in Elmvale Acres, sounds like a man who can hardly believe his good fortune. One of his favourite expressions, “lucky me,” applies in spades to his latest assignment.

“I used to come down here as a kid, go to Rough Riders games, go to the Ex, sneak into the Ex as a kid,” he said during an interview with OBJ at his office at Lansdowne Park. “I have all kinds of

– BERNIE ASHE, ON BEING CEO OF THE OTTAWA SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Bernie Ashe has helped make OSEG a success on and off the field. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

great memories as I walk around this site. It’s really, really cool to be on the site doing the stuff that we’re doing, all these years later.”

In retrospect, it’s almost like it was meant to be.

Born in Halifax, Mr. Ashe moved to the capital as a youngster. His father Bob, who worked for what was then known as the Department of National Revenue, was transferred to Ottawa in 1960, which just happened to be the year the Rough Riders won their fifth Grey Cup. Coincidence? “Destiny,” he said with a chuckle.

The Ashes and their friends soon made the neighbourhood streets their personal playground.

“We would play sports from dawn to dusk,” he said. “It was that period of time when everybody was having big families.

That was kind of the way we grew up

and the way we entertained ourselves.

It was just a fantastic situation to grow up in, with a big family of seven kids and everyone with common interests.”

Even then, Mr. Ashe was already displaying the instincts that would propel him to the top of the corporate world.

“Bernie is a leader in the family as he is in business,” said his younger brother Rob, the former CEO of Cognos and a highly accomplished executive in his own right.

“At Christmas, Bernie used to sit by the tree and he would hand out the Christmas gifts. You can imagine seven kids, 200 wrapped presents under a tree, and Bernie would sort of organize it. He always organized things, even when he was a kid. We used to play baseball on the street and hockey on the street, and Bernie would be organizing games.”

As a teenager at St. Patrick’s High School, he began his climb up the business ladder from the lowest rung.

His first job was sweeping floors at Lady Jane Donuts. He eventually worked his way up to head baker, a skill that helped pay his way through the University of Ottawa.

“He always had ambition,” Rob Ashe said. “He was always working. Bernie was never a guy to take a summer off.”

Determined to follow in the footsteps of older brother Jerry, who had studied medicine at U of O, Mr. Ashe enrolled in science.

“For me, I didn’t think about it a lot,” he explained. “I just thought, my next move is to go to Ottawa U and I’ll become a doctor. Little did I know what was involved.”

The would-be physician quickly got a heavy dose of reality.

“It was like the two-by-four to the forehead when I got into science,” he said, smiling. “I didn’t have the maturity to handle it.”

By chance, he ran into an old high school pal who was studying commerce at the Faculty of Management Science, now called the Telfer School of Management. After comparing his gruelling classroom and laboratory grind with his buddy’s far more leisurely

BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS 2015 RECIPIENTS

Mr. Ashe “always organized things, even when he was a kid,” says his brother Rob, who also became a top-notch CEO. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

“People like to follow him and like to work for him. He doesn’t have a big ego. He’s just interested in doing the right thing and I think people see that. I think it creates great environments for people to work. He’s able to put good teams around him and get things done. It’s always been the case with Bernie.”

– ROB ASHE, BERNIE’S BROTHER AND THE FORMER CEO OF COGNOS

was happening under the vigilance of the local media. It was just all about persevering. I learned a lot about durability – how just working hard does pay off. We just kept at it. Those are (lessons) that served me well in my career.”

His mark made in the hockey world, he returned to tech in 1997 when former Simware colleague Peter Bennett, then CEO of a company called Advanced Information Technologies, hired him as

sales director. When Mr. Bennett left the firm six months later, Mr. Ashe finally had his coveted seat in the corner office.

AiT, which made passport and travel security systems, was a “steady as she goes” kind of company, he said. In 2002, he recommended AiT accept a $41-million takeover bid from 3M, saying at the time that his firm lacked the resources to capitalize on opportunities in the fast-growing sector on its own.

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expansion club’s finances and found that person right in their own dressing room.

“I was an easy hire for them, I think,” Mr. Ashe said. “They trusted me, they knew what my character was about.”

The next seven years were a whirlwind, with every day bringing new challenges and financial deadlines as pulse-pounding as Game 7 of a Stanley Cup final.

“Exhilarating, I guess, is the way to put it,” he said, the enthusiasm palpable in his voice. “We were a locker room of guys trying to win something. We had to get this franchise paid for, we had to get this team on the ice, we had to get this building built, all of which we had to do with little to no money. Those were huge milestone moments and to be part of it was fantastic.”

He can say that now. At the time, however, there were plenty of gutcheck moments for a group of 20- and 30-somethings who were learning sports management on the fly.

“We had horrible doubts as we went along,” Mr. Ashe confessed. “There were many, many, many moments of failure, of having to try another route to get something done – all of which

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

15-hour-a-week course schedule, Mr. Ashe made a decision that changed the course of his life.

“I immediately made my way over to commerce for second year,” he said. “I really enjoyed it. It was just the balance I needed at that time.”

He earned a degree in administration and indulged his athletic side, winning a spot on the Gee-Gees varsity hockey team in his final year. Despite his “average guy” credentials – “I didn’t excel at anything,” he said – he was hired right out of school in 1978 by accounting firm Clarkson Gordon, now known as Ernst & Young.

“It was, I think, an effort at the time for them to put some balance into the firm,” Mr. Ashe said, suggesting he had some of the “softer” people skills other candidates lacked. “Lucky me, I was part of that experiment.”

After a few years at Clarkson Gordon, he was itching for a new challenge. He soon found it in Ottawa’s burgeoning high-tech sector.

Mr. Ashe landed a job as an accounting manager at SHL Systemhouse. Suddenly, he was supervising a team of 20 employees.

“It was the confirming moment for me that I could lead people,” he said. “I found that it came kind of naturally to me. I started to get ambitious. I wanted to do more and grow and accomplish more. My competitive instincts were kicking in.”

He spent the 1980s rising through the tech ranks, with stints as vice-president of finance at Canadian Astronautics and chief financial officer at Simware. As he recalled, Simware CEO Bill Breen wasn’t sure he had the stuff to be his successor.

“When I would tell him my ambition was to have his job – we used to kid around about that a lot – he would constantly tell me, ‘You’ll never get my job. You’re a bean counter,’” Mr. Ashe said. “He challenged me to say if you really want to be a CEO, you’ve got to get out of finance. So I challenged him on it. I said, ‘Give me a job in sales and marketing.’ So he did.”

Sales was a comfortable fit, which came as no surprise to his brother.

“People like to follow him and like to work for him,” Rob Ashe explained.

“He doesn’t have a big ego. He’s just interested in doing the right thing and I think people see that. I think it creates great environments for people to work.

He’s able to put good teams around him and get things done. It’s always been the case with Bernie.”

But the CEO’s suite would have to wait. Mr. Ashe had to help build an NHL franchise first.

A couple of his rec hockey teammates, Randy Sexton and Cyril Leeder, were part of the successful bid to bring the NHL back to Ottawa in 1990. They needed somebody to run the

BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS 2015 RECIPIENTS

1992 ❖ 1993

Back row, from left/Rangée du haut, de gauche à droite : Ed Georgica (head equipment manager/gérant en chef de l’équipement), Norm Maciver,

Loewen, Lonniewas Loach, a Chris Luongo, Marcof Fortier, Tomas Jelinek, Mark Lamb and/et John behind Gervais (assistant manager/adjoint au gérant de l’équipement).

Mr. Ashe (bottom row, third Darcy from right) key part the management team theequipment Senators in the 1990s.

PHOTO COURTESY OTTAWA SENATORS Third row/Troisième rangée : Conrad Lackten (athletic therapist/thérapeute sportif), Jamie Kissick (team doctor/médecin de l’équipe), Darren Rumble, Brad Marsh, Mike Peluso, Brad Miller, Andrew McBain, Neil Brady, Rob Murphy, Jody Hull, Doug Smail and/et Mark Slater (strength and conditioning coach/entraîneur en conditionnement physique).

Second row/Deuxième rangée : Brad Jones, Mark Osiecki, Jamie Baker, E.J. McGuire (assistant coach/entraîneur-adjoint), Alain Vigneault (assistant coach/entraîneur-adjoint), John Ferguson (director, player personnel/directeur, personnel des joueurs), Brian McKenna (director, hockey operations/directeur, opérations hockey), Laurie Boschman, Ken Hammond, Mark Freer and/et Jim Thomson.

First row/Première rangée : Steve Weeks, Brad Shaw, Randy Sexton (chief executive officer/chef de la direction), Rod Bryden (vice-chairman/vice-président du conseil), Bruce Firestone (chairman and governor/président du conseil et gouverneur), Mel Bridgman (general manager/directeur général), Rick Bowness (head coach/entraîneur-chef), Cyril Leeder (Palladium president/président, Palladium), Bernie Ashe (chief financial officer/chef de la direction financière), Sylvain Turgeon and/et Peter Sidorkiewicz.

“We were a locker room of guys trying to win something. We had to get this franchise paid for, we had to get this team on the ice, we had to get this building built, all of which we had to do with little to no money. Those were huge milestone moments and to be part of it was fantastic.”

Team-Staff Photos all.indd 1

10/18/10 2:30:42 PM

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

– BERNIE ASHE, ON HIS TENURE AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE NHL’S EXPANSION OTTAWA SENATORS

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The move ensured the company’s survival. But it also had far-reaching and unexpected consequences that took their toll on Mr. Ashe.

In 2007, long after he had moved on to become CEO of lumber and building supply firm the Kott Group, the Ontario Securities Commission alleged that AiT and two of its former directors – he and lawyer Debbie Weinstein – acted “contrary to the public interest” in not disclosing the 3M talks for nearly a month after they began. While Ms. Weinstein fought the charges, Mr. Ashe agreed to pay a $40,000 fine and testify against his fellow director and friend.

“My legal advice at the time was to settle,” he explained. “If I didn’t settle I was going to be personally responsible for literally hundreds of thousands of dollars of legal expenses to cover my own defence. I just couldn’t do it. I could not make that choice and put my family at risk just for the sake of being right. So I settled.”

The man often described as “cool as a cucumber” still simmers with anger when discussing the incident.

“To be going through something that was truly surreal and truly unbelievable was really, really difficult,” he said in a low voice. “It’s like you’re an innocent person getting pulled over by police.

You assume to yourself, ‘This will pass because I’m an innocent person and they’ll let me go.’ Well, they didn’t let me go.

“The storylines in the media were such that it called my integrity and my competence into question. That was hard. That was hard on my family, even though I was explaining to them that this is never going to result in anything.”

Ultimately, an OSC panel found no evidence of wrongdoing, and both Mr. Ashe and Ms. Weinstein were exonerated.

The agency publicly apologized and Mr. Ashe’s fine was repaid.

Although the memory of the ordeal still stings, he is not the type to let its bad

taste linger.

“Fairness prevailed,” he said. “That was a real great moment after all those years of suffering. For me, it reinforced my faith in the system.”

That aside, his nine years at Kott were some of his happiest.

“It was a great opportunity,” he said. “I had never worked at a company that big before and I got to be the CEO of it.”

By 2012, Kott owner Paul Kruyne, who praised Mr. Ashe for being a “straight shooter” and “motivator,” felt his daughter Melissa was ready to take the company’s reins. Mr. Ashe began looking for other opportunities.

Over the years, he’d kept in touch with Mr. Greenberg, a friend since his Senators days. In particular, he’d followed the Lansdowne Park saga closely.

“It was a fascinating story,” Mr. Ashe said. “I was literally cheering for Roger because I was watching him take all this abuse at these public meetings. I would send him e-mails from time to time:

‘Hang in there. I can’t believe you’re doing this. Good for you.’”

When the Ontario Court of Appeal finally cleared the way for the $200-million Lansdowne redevelopment project in the fall of 2012, Mr. Greenberg and his partners turned their attention towards finding someone to run the business side of the operation.

The job description went something like this: a seasoned CEO with experience building a sports franchise from the ground up. Sound familiar?

Mr. Ashe was the group’s No. 1 candidate, and in January 2013 he assumed the role he seems born to play.

“As an Ottawa guy, I followed (the Lansdowne story) really closely,” he reflected. “The fact that I now had a moment to be on the inside of this with those guys had huge, huge appeal. Lucky me. It worked out.”

Mr. Greenberg said Mr. Ashe has all the qualities he could want in a chief executive.

“Bernie thinks the way I do,” he said.

“He thinks in terms of respect for people, giving back to the community, dealing honourably and honestly with people, not trying to squeeze for the last dollar.

We have a brand, we have an image that we want to preserve and protect and Bernie was the embodiment of all of those elements.

“You combine his demeanour with his experience and being in Ottawa – it was very important to understand what we were trying to accomplish. We did talk to a candidate in Toronto who was very strong, but he wasn’t of the local market.

There are parts of our business which are certainly national and perhaps even international in scope and scale, but a lot of it still is very much steeped in Ottawa and Ottawa history. Bernie had a deep, deep knowledge of all of those facets of it.”

Still lean and full of energy at 58, Mr. Ashe stands out for more than just his business smarts. His six-foot-seven frame makes him easy to spot on game days, when he’s likely to be roaming the stadium, ensuring lines are moving smoothly at the concession stands or answering questions from fans.

It’s a job he loves, and he knows how lucky he is to have it.

“Look – I’m at the end of my career,” said the father of three, who has been married to his wife Nancy for 34 years. “So to be in a role that utilizes a combination of a lot of different skills I’ve acquired over my career, imagine that.

This community is different because of the things that (the OSEG partners) have done. These are the greatest guys in the community and I get to work with them.

I get to try to realize their vision. That’s a real honour.

“As long as they want to have me, every year will be a blessing.”

Lucky him.

— SPONSORED CONTENT —

It’s 3 a.m. – do you know where your data is?

BriteSky gives you the cloud, without asking for the moon

A

re you familiar with the U.S. Patriot Act? How about the 2008 amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)?

You should be, if you’re a Canadian public or private sector organization concerned about data sovereignty.

Data sovereignty is the concept that information in digital form is subject to the laws of the country in which it is located.

That can be problematic, if not risky.

What if your data includes confidential or proprietary information related to your clients or intellectual property? How about healthcare organizations, which operate under strict guidelines to ensure patient data doesn’t leave the province, never mind the country?

Now your data can be stored anywhere. It’s almost a certainty that if you rely on cloud services from a U.S.-based vendor, your data has left the country and is now subject to foreign laws and prying eyes--even if that provider has a data centre in Canada.

Getting your data back and cleaned from that cloud provider’s servers is practically impossible, says Richard Losier, Executive VP of Engineering and Technology at Ottawa’s BriteSky Technologies.

“Many organizations make the process of exiting very strenuous,” he said. “Your data is often a source of marketing revenue. Most providers have contracts that give them ownership over your data and the right to keep a copy.”

DATA PRIVACY IS NOT DATA SECURITY BriteSky recently hosted a lunch event featuring counsel Sheila FitzPatrick, Chief Privacy Officer for data management company NetApp Inc.

“Data security is not data privacy,” she said.

Companies can have world-class security, but no data privacy. While all cloud vendors can address security, few can address privacy.

BriteSky can.

How? Because it’s taken a senior team of data centre managers who have worked with various global companies and architected a unique cloud service that resides entirely in Canada. Data sovereignty and privacy is no longer an issue.

And they back it up with a quick and nimble client-first philosophy that monolithic service providers just can’t match.

MAYBE YOUR ORGANIZATION NEEDS A PODD BriteSky’s PODDs (portable, on-demand data centres), can be custom built. The company has agreements with Canada’s incumbent telcos to co-locate PODDs across the country as close as possible to its clients. This ensures a high-speed connection for real-time data backups and retrieval.

“A PODD looks and feels to our clients like it’s their own data centre,” said President Joey Harrison. “Within a PODD, each client gets their own virtual vault, tailored to their privacy and security needs. The beauty of our architecture is its flexibility. We provide a level of customer control no one else in the cloud space can.”

BriteSky’s PODDs are ideal for any business that wants to escape traditional tape backups, develop a rapid disaster recovery plan, customize a service package tailored to its specific needs and budget, and avoid the costs of setting up and staffing its own data centre. Clients range from local businesses to multinationals BUT FIRST, THE BRITESKY TEAM JUST WANTS TO TALK “I don’t want your credit card,” said Harrison. “I want to discuss what you want to accomplish, and how our flexible architecture can adopt to your requirements, instead of trying to make your requirements fit my cloud.”

How obsessed is this team about your privacy? BriteSky is SOC 2 compliant and every soul on the payroll is Secret cleared.

To learn more, please visit www.britesky.ca or call 613-836-3700.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

That means if your data is stored on servers in another country, say the U.S., it’s subject to the laws of that country. You’ve lost control of who can access your data and when.

THE CLOUD VS. YOUR PRIVACY The rise of cloud services has made it even more challenging to control your data and your privacy.

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COMMENTARY Canada slow to cash in on discount trend Michael Prentice’s recent trip to the U.S. got him wondering why more retailers north of the border don’t offer incentives for spending in good, old-fashioned hard currency

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

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etailers complain vociferously about the high fees they must pay for accepting credit cards. So why don’t more of them offer a discount for customers who pay with cash?

The answer probably is this: If retailers offered a cash discount, they would alienate and perhaps lose customers who prefer to pay by credit card.

I got to thinking about this on a recent road trip in the United States, where I was pleasantly surprised to learn that some gas stations now offer two-tier prices – one price for payment with cash and a higher price for payment by credit card. The price differential was typically about 10 cents for a U.S. gallon, or about two cents a litre.

I wonder how many people would give up the convenience of paying by credit card to save two cents a litre every time they buy gas? Slightly to my surprise, I found that I am among them. My credit card stayed in my wallet whenever I found a gas station that offered a cash discount.

Gasoline may be unique in that we are almost all very price-conscious when it comes to buying it. No other product is priced so prominently on signs that we can see well before we reach the point of purchase.

Retailers in many parts of the world have been feuding for years with the credit card giants Visa and MasterCard.

The retailers allege that the two companies impose excessive fees, which may amount to two per cent or even more of the cost of an item purchased by credit card.

A fee of two per cent explains why the cost of gas – which recently has been averaging about $1 per litre in Ottawa – could be lowered by two cents if a purchase was made with cash instead of by credit card.

Credit card companies in Canada strongly discourage or prohibit retailers from adding a surcharge to a payment by credit card. However, a retailer is free to offer a cash discount. There is a subtle difference there, though it escapes me.

MasterCard explains its resistance to surcharging this way: “Surcharging could mean higher prices for

Great River Media 250 City Centre Ave., Suite 500 Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 6K7 obj.ca PUBLISHER Michael Curran, 238-1818 ext. 228 publisher@obj.ca CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Terry Tyo, 238-1818 ext. 268 EDITOR, PRINT CONTENT David Sali, 238-1818 ext. 269 david@greatriver.ca EDITOR, ONLINE CONTENT Tom Pechloff, 238-1818 ext. 291 editor@obj.ca COPY EDITOR Krystle Kung CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes, 238-1818 ext. 253 creative@obj.ca ART DEPARTMENT Celine Haché-Paquette, 238-1818 celine@greatriver.ca Regan VanDusen, 238-1818 ext. 254 regan@greatriver.ca ADVERTISING SALES Wendy Baily, 238-1818 ext. 244 wbaily@obj.ca Alison Stewart, 238-1818 ext. 226 alison@obj.ca Susan Salsbury, 238-1818 ext. 229 ssalsbury@obj.ca

If you are willing to pay cash – especially for high-cost items such as appliances, furniture or, above all, a car – ask for a cash discount. If you don’t ask for a discount, you are almost certainly not going to get one consumers. It could disadvantage consumers at the checkout counter.

Discounting does not.”

Blue Line Taxi is one of very few Ottawa businesses that offer a cash discount. If you take one of its cabs, the fare is $1.50 less if you pay by cash rather than by credit card.

So why do so few retailers offer cash discounts? I put that question to Daniel Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

His response: “Discounts are not widely

MARKETING & SALES CO-ORDINATOR Cristha Sinden, 238-1818 ext. 222 cristha@greatriver.ca

viewed as effective. Retail margins are razor-thin … If a credit card charge is two per cent, would someone choose to switch their method of payment to save one per cent?” However, Mr. Kelly says “many” consumers voluntarily opt to pay cash, with no extra discount, because they know it helps the merchant.

One professional observer of the Ottawa retail scene says he’s never known a merchant at the Rideau Centre, Ottawa’s premier downtown mall, to offer a discount for payment by cash rather than credit card. This analyst told me: “Maybe the retailer doesn’t want to dissuade customers from using credit cards, fees notwithstanding, because a customer with a credit card is likely to spend more than one paying with cash. There might be some psychology at play.”

Yes, indeed.

So the lesson here for consumers is: If you are willing to pay cash – especially for high-cost items such as appliances, furniture or, above all, a car – ask for a cash discount. If you don’t ask for a discount, you are almost certainly not going to get one.

Michael Prentice is OBJ’s columnist on retail and consumer issues. He can be contacted at news@obj.ca.

INSIDE SALES SUPPORT Marc Nordemann-Keller, 238-1818 ext.259 marc@obj.ca CAREER ADVERTISING & MARKETPLACE ADVERTISING SALES 238-1818 ext. 251 FINANCE Jackie Whalen, 238-1818 ext. 250 jackie@greatriver.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS/DISTRIBUTION 238-1818 ext. 248 subscribe@obj.ca PRINTED BY Transcontinental Qualimax 130 Adrien-Robert, Parc Industriel Richelieu Gatineau, QC J8Y 3S2

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Great River Media Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. Publisher’s Liability for error: The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of monies paid for the advertisement.

A guaranteed minimum of 14,000 copies per week are printed and distributed.

HR UPDATE Your resource for professional camaraderie and fresh insights.

THE HUMAN RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION

HR

UPDATE INTERVIEW

WITH JASON FLICK, CO-FOUNDER & CEO OF YOU.i TV Helping major media companies build TV anywhere platforms THE POWER IN

CSR’s

The benefits of “doing good”

SUSAN CAIN

7 Ways to Use the

Power of Powerless Communication OTTAWA BUSINESS JOURNAL

VOLUME 19 • ISSUE 1 • NOVEMBER 2015

Contributors wanted!

We are currently seeking articles on the following topics, but not limited to:

For individuals interested in contributing, articles must be submitted via email to updatemagazine@hrpaottawa.ca by no later than April 20, 2016.

Sick leave Public service HR Career transition Security in the workplace

EVENT RECAP 2015-2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT KEVIN BARWIN PAST PRESIDENT ELIZABETH ROBERTS TREASURER CHERYL BANKS GOVERNANCE & LEGISLATION DAN PALAYEW COMMUNICATIONS SARAH NYMAN PHOTOS BY MARK HOLLERON

COMMUNITY RELATIONS & MARKETING SOLEY SOUCIE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & NETWORKING MERSIHA MESIC MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT MURIEL EARLE MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MELISSA BELLOCCHI-HULL CONTACT US HRPA Ottawa Chapter PHONE: 613-224-6466 E-MAIL: infohr@hrpaottawa.ca WEBSITE: www.hrpa.ca/ HRPAChapterSites/Ottawa Membership Changes 150 Bloor Street West, Suite 200, Toronto, ON, M5S 2X9 PHONE: 416-923-2324 TOLL-FREE: 1-800-387-1311 FAX: 416-923-7264 EMAIL: info@hrpa.ca WEBSITE: www.hrpa.ca Join the HRPA Ottawa Chapter Group on LinkedIn @OttawaHRPA CHAIR: ERIC VANDE VELDE EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: SARAH NYMAN ELLA FORBES-CHILIBECK JILLIAN CHEESEMAN MICHAEL PRICE PUBLICATION SUBMISSIONS: updatemagazine@hrpaottawa.ca CREATIVE DIRECTOR TANYA CONNOLLY-HOLMES GRAPHIC DESIGNERS REGAN VAN DUSEN CÉLINE HACHÉ-PAQUETTE SALES WENDY BAILY SUSAN SALSBURY

2 HR UPDATE FALL 2015

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Join us for a night of networking, and help support local students pursuing a career in Human Resources.

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28 2016 SENIOR LEADERS BREAKFAST – BUILDING TRUST BETWEEN HR & SENIOR LEADERSHIP CATHY FREDERICK, DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES, CITY OF OTTAWA

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Ottawa Team Charles Hurdon 613.780.8653

Tate McLeod 613.780.8605

Daphne Fedoruk 613.780.1540

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FALL 2015 HR UPDATE 3

hrpaottawa on the go

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@OttawaHRPA

“A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. They inspire the power and energy to get it done.”

— RALPH LAUREN

President’s Update – Kevin Barwin

The Role and Future of HR Thank you to all those I have met with.

I truly appreciate the time you have taken out of your busy schedule to meet with me.

I have learned a lot from these discussions, and will continue to discuss this topic with my fellow HR professionals.

SOME OF THE GREAT INSIGHTS I HAVE HEARD INCLUDE:

W

elcome to our third edition of the new format of HR Update. In this President’s report, I’d like to discuss the future of HR, and the value HR professions can bring to an organization.

Companies create vision and mission statements that often state that “People are our most important assets, ” yet many HR executives suggest that they lack true impact and influence within their work environments, as they are not at the leadership table. What do CEOs really think about the value that HR brings? Is there a gap between what CEOs want from HR, and what HR is delivering? As HR professionals, how can we influence and add true value to our organizations? This will be the focus for my term as your Chapter President.

In an HRPA and partner study that surveyed a group of CEOs, participants said: “No question that HR issues are of paramount importance, and the senior HR executive has a rightly-earned place at the table. But, it’s up to HR leaders themselves to be more assertive in having their voice heard around that table.” When one CEO was asked what he would do if he were the head of HR, he stated: “I’d pound the table more.

HR issues get ignored in the heat of the battle.” How do we learn to be more strategic and assertive? I have been pondering this question over the summer, and felt the best way to answer it was to talk with as many senior strategic HR leaders and CEOs in Ottawa as I could to learn how they did it – “it” meaning the shift to HR becoming a strategic influence at the management table, showing the true value of an HR professional.

1. Help create the link between business strategy and talent development; 2. Increase the role of HR professionals as business enablers; 3. Become the thought leader on what it takes to attract talent, and be the barometer of the organization, understanding engagement, and recruiting and retention needs; 4. Manage talent development by understanding people, structures, systems, and culture, and be proactive with senior leadership to deal with both the positive and weak spots in the organization; 5. Lead the organization in architecting the people-driven business strategies that add value to organizations; 6. Analytics – know how to translate your companies’ HR statistics into corporate strategy; 7. Learn more business acumen to truly add value at the leadership table. Not only must we have conversations with CEOs, leaders, and employees, we must have conversations with the business.

Influence decisions and help drive direction towards value creation and preservation; and 8. Brand the profession. An HRPA initiative, the goal is to create a common global body of knowledge, and highlight the value that HR can bring an organization.

The end goal is two-fold: the first is to influence our HRPA Ottawa development programs over the coming years so we can all learn from each other and outside professionals on this topic; and the second is to show our true value as HR professionals to the business community.

I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events. We have a full calendar of events in this issue, so please check them out. As well, a special thank you to Eric Vande Velde, his team, and the Ottawa Business Journal for the amazing work they do in creating this publication.

Kevin

@OttawaHRPA • THE HUMAN RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION

FALL 2015 HR UPDATE 5

BREAKFAST SEMINAR

How to foster exceptional teams in your organizations Suzanne Harrison, Senior Facilitator, Clariti Group Inc.

SALA SAN MARCO 215 PRESTON STREET, OTTAWA

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07 2016

If you would like to use the power of powerless communication, here are 7 easy ways to use the power of powerless communication:

1

Be humble but humorous. When the famously unassuming Lincoln was called two-faced during a debate, he said: “Two-faced? If I had another face, do you think I would wear this one?”

Ask for help or advice. The other day, I read a Harvard Business Review (HBR) article online and was asked to complete a survey. Now, I’m a working mom, so I try to make every minute of my screen time count, and I ignore surveys. But HBR must have been talking to Adam Grant. “We value your feedback!”, they said, “would you help us make our website better?” There was something in the humility of the request that made it hard to say no.

2

3

Pair your openness with competence.

A revealing experiment led by psychologist Elliot Aronson tracked audience reactions to participants in a game show. When the highperforming contestants spilled coffee on themselves, the audience liked them more. They were competent, yet also relatable; human and imperfect. When the mediocre performers did the same thing, people liked them less. Aronson’s conclusion is if you are doing your job well, people want you to be human.

It’s when you’re underperforming that powerless communication backfires.

7 Ways

4

When communicating with someone, ask yourself three questions: What do you have to learn from them, how can you help them or otherwise express warmth, and can you find ways of letting your true personality show?

to Use the Power of

Powerless Communication H

ave you ever noticed that some people avoid using question marks in their emails? They might write, “can you call me to discuss” or, “when should we meet for dinner.” They are trying to signal power, but these linguistic bids for dominance never fill me with respect, —they just get my backup.

Some people do just the opposite. Not only do they use question marks, but they come right out and admit their uncertainty: “I could be wrong, of course. What do you think?” They use exclamation points! “Great to see you today!” They even sign off with “xo’s” and emoticons.

This latter group seems to fall into two categories. Some appear insecure or ineffectual, and others are true standouts —the kinds of people who inspire love and trust, and who lead with an unbeatable mix of empathy and competence.

6 HR UPDATE FALL 2015

I first noticed these dynamics when I worked on Wall Street, where the peremptory style of e-mail was especially prevalent. But was I imagining things?

Apparently not. Organizational psychologist Adam Grant, the youngest tenured professor at Wharton and author of The New York Times’ bestseller, Give and Take, has been researching this question for years. He has coined a groundbreaking new term in a TEDx Talk on the subject: “the power of powerless communication.”

Grant says that people who pose questions instead of answers, admit their shortcomings, and use tentative instead of assertive speech are some of the world’s most powerful communicators. People who use “powerless” communication styles fall into two categories —some are doormats, but just as many are superstars.

Grant’s theory asserts that people become

guarded when they believe someone is trying to influence them. On the other hand, when they feel you’re trying to help them, to ease your way to the right answer, or to be honest about your own imperfections, they open up to you, and become more receptive.

In small group decision-making, suggestions prefaced with qualifiers such as, “this might be a good way to go,” have been found to be accepted more often than forthright statements such as “let’s do it this way.” Among salespeople, powerless communicators bring in 68% more revenue than “takers” – in large part because they ask more and better questions, and listen to the answers. Instead of coming on strong, they discover the hopes and fears of their prospective buyers. Sellers are motivated not only by making the sale, but by satisfying their clients’ needs. Buyers feel the difference.

5

Frame your opinions as suggestions.

“I wonder if it would work to do it this way?” Give people the space to disagree with you.

6

Be authentic. Whatever you feel inside has a way of expressing itself. If you feel kind and open, people will know it. They will also sense the reverse. You cannot just use Grant’s approaches on an arrogant self-presentation.

This research is great news for introverts, who naturally tend to use powerless communication styles, and worry that this is a bad thing in a takecharge world. Based on the evidence, you can stop worrying.

7

Susan Cain is an American writer, lecturer, and author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.

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@OttawaHRPA

The HRPA Ottawa Chapter Website is now offering

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Don’t let that grey power go to waste Hydro Ottawa engages its senior workforce, retirees with great results The first wave of baby boomers has already retired, with more to follow.

With them, they’re taking decades of practical and institutional know-how that may be critical to the continued growth and success of your operation.

Are you doing anything to engage your older workers and transfer their knowledge to the next generation of talent?

Hydro Ottawa is. Its Prime Time Program earned the company the Best Talent Management Strategy award at the 2015 Canadian HR Awards this past September.

With about 44 per cent of its trades and technical workforce forecasted to retire within the next 10 years, it was a simple matter of necessity, says Lyne Parent-Garvey,

Hydro Ottawa’s Chief Human Resources Officer.

“What we set out to do was retain great employees, benefit from their knowledge longer, and arrange for them to transfer that knowledge to another generation,” she said.

Prime Time initiatives include: Involving grandchildren in company events just as employees’ children would be.

Talk Early, Talk Often: Fostering continuous open dialogue between employees and supervisors about the latter stages of their careers.

Retirement Resource Pool: Drawing on recent retirees to cover shortterm and hard-to-fill assignments.

Hiring Overlaps: Having retiring employees work side-by-side with their replacements for a period of time for knowledge transfer.

Pre-Retirement Planning Program: Helping employees explore their retirement readiness from financial, psychological and social perspectives.

Retiree Outreach: Conducting targeted exit interviews and outreach to retirees to solicit their interest in the Prime Time Program.

Why these particular initiatives?

Because employees asked for them.

To develop Prime Time, Hydro Ottawa relied on a working group made up of soon-to-retire and recently retired employees.

“When developing any kind of program like this, it’s important to involve the individuals around whom the program revolves,” said Julia Wagg, Director, Organizational Development. “From start to finish, retirees and older workers have

been involved to steward the success of the program.”

One of those stewards is retiree Ken Lewis, Human Resources Advisor and Retiree Ambassador.

“We wanted to run the full spectrum with this program, from supporting older workers as they transition to retirement and how they could continue to support the organization, to how they could serve as true ambassadors for Hydro Ottawa by participating as volunteers in the community,” Lewis said.

Is your business ready for prime time?

“It was all about advancing the idea that this is the ‘Prime Time’ of your career, and not the end of it,” Wagg added.

So take a look around your shop and ask yourself how you could better engage and lever the know-how of your senior people. It just might be the best ‘hiring’ decision you make all year.

YOUR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

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Our webinars are a cost-effective way to stay on top of emerging issues and best practices.

We provide: • individual prices and group rates for all live sessions • access to the recording you can share with your entire organization Check out our webinar calendar. Go to cbocwebinars.ca for a complete listing.

Insights. Understanding. Impact. @OttawaHRPA • THE HUMAN RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION

FALL 2015 HR UPDATE 7

“A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.”

— JOHN MAXWELL

When an Indefinite

Suspension is a

Constructive Dismissal I

n Potter v. New Brunswick Legal Aid Services Commission, the Supreme Court of Canada concluded that a nonunionized employee who is suspended with pay is constructively dismissed when there is no express or implied authority for the suspension of the employee and the suspension is both unjust and unreasonable.

Mr. Potter, the employee, was a lawyer serving on a seven-year appointment pursuant to the New Brunswick Legal Aid Act as Executive Director of Legal Aid for the New Brunswick Legal Aid Services Commission (“Commission”). The Employee had completed nearly four years of his contract when negotiations for the early termination of his employment contract

8 HR UPDATE FALL 2015

commenced. During these negotiations, the Employee took a period of three months off work for medical reasons. While on sick leave and without his knowledge, the Commission recommended that the Employee be dismissed for cause. He was advised that while his salary would continue, he was “not to return to work until further notice.”

A few weeks later, the Employee commenced an action claiming that he had been constructively dismissed by the imposition of an indefinite suspension.

He claimed general and punitive damages, and declarations that the Commission had no authority to suspend him and had unlawfully obstructed and delegated

his statutory duties. In response, the Commission ceased to pay his salary, taking the position that the Employee had resigned.

At trial, the judge and then the Court of Appeal disagreed, holding instead that the Employee elected to repudiate the contract when he commenced legal action against the Commission. The lower courts held that although his appointment was pursuant to the Act, the Commission was authorized to supervise the position. Furthermore, given that the Employee did not know that the Commission had recommended his termination, he had no reason to conclude that he was being terminated. In fact, the Court of Appeal found that this was not the

Commission’s intention.

Before the Supreme Court of Canada, the issue was narrowed to whether, and in what circumstances, a non-unionized employee who is suspended with pay may claim to have been constructively dismissed.

The Supreme Court began its analysis by reviewing the law of constructive dismissal in Canada. It recognized that the law characterizes an employer’s conduct which evinces an intention to no longer be bound by the contract as a dismissal. The test to be applied identifies a term of the employment contract that the employer has unilaterally changed to the detriment of the employee without the employee’s acquiescence, and determines whether a reasonable person

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ottawa

media social @OTTAWAHRPA

chapter

keeping you connected

hrpaottawa.ca in the same situation would view the employer’s action or series of actions as an intention to no longer be bound by the contract.

The Supreme Court then articulated the following principles, which now govern the allegation of constructive dismissal where a non-unionized employee is suspended: • Constructive dismissal does not require formal termination of employment; therefore, where there are common employers, the action of either of the two common employers short of termination can result in constructive dismissal.

• Constructive dismissal can be established by an unauthorized suspension. Where there is an express or implied term of a voluntarily executed employment contract which authorizes suspensions, then a suspension will not be a unilateral act and thus not a constructive dismissal.

• A suspension can result in constructive dismissal because no employer is at liberty to withhold work from an employee either in bad faith or without justification given that modern developments in employment law view work as an essential component of ones’ sense of self-worth, identity, and emotional well-being, and a duty of good faith and fair dealing.

• An administrative suspension must be both reasonable and justified; all employers must meet the basic requirement of a good faith business justification. Factors to determine whether the employer has met this threshold include: the existence of legitimate business reasons, good faith, minimal

No employer is at liberty to withhold work from an employee either in bad faith or without justification given that modern developments in employment law view work as an essential component of ones’ sense of self-worth... duration of the suspension, and whether the suspension was with pay.

• In applying these principles to this case, the Supreme Court found that the Employee was constructively dismissed: 1 The employment contract was breached because the suspension was unauthorized and unilateral. The Act did not expressly authorize the Commission to suspend the Employee. Furthermore, there was no implied authority to suspend the Employee, given that the nature of the

@OttawaHRPA • THE HUMAN RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION

employment relationship required the Commission to provide the Employee with work or to provide reasonable justification for failing to do so. The Commission failed in this regard because even though the Employee’s salary was maintained, the following facts constituted bad faith: • his being uninformed about the reasons for the suspension; • the indefinite duration of the suspension; • the delegation of the Employee’s duties to another; and

• the Commission’s pretense of negotiating a buyout of his contract when in fact the Commission sought to terminate it.

2 It was reasonable for the Employee to perceive that the unauthorized unilateral suspension was a substantial change to the contract because he had been indefinitely suspended without being provided with a reason.

Finally, the Supreme Court determined whether pension benefits received by the Employee should be deducted from his damages. The pension plan in question was governed by the Public Service Superannuation Act, which is a contributory plan not intended to compensate in the event of a wrongful dismissal. However, the Act does not establish a general bar on the receipt of both a pension entitlement and employment income, and it does not apply to an employee who has been wrongfully dismissed and is entitled to receive damages as a result of that wrongful dismissal.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court held that the benefits should not be deducted.

This Supreme Court of Canada decision is a caution to employers to clearly outline in the employment contract its authority to unilaterally suspend an employee with or without pay as an administrative or disciplinary measure.

Sheri Enikanolaiye is an Associate at Bird Richard, a management-side labour and employment law firm.

FALL 2015 HR UPDATE 9

Contributors wanted!

We are currently seeking articles on the following topics, but not limited to:

For individuals interested in contributing, articles must be submitted via email to updatemagazine@hrpaottawa.ca by no later than April 20, 2016.

Sick leave Public service HR Career transition Security in the workplace

Does Your Corporate Wellness Program Make the Grade?

C

ompanies around the world are realizing the importance of implementing a wellness program for their employees, but running a successful program requires a good plan. Just like good business, good health requires a good strategy!

All too often, organizations implement a basic program, with perceived benefits such as paying for employee gym memberships or fitness challenges. The details are then shared via the company’s “intranet,” and possibly a few posters are pinned up in the lunchroom.

While the right intentions may be there, plans like this are certain to fall short of their mark, resulting in disappointingly low participation rates.

The starting point should always circle back to your employees, so that employers can get an accurate pulse on what’s important to employees, where their struggles are, what programs or topics are in high-demand, and what they deem to be an actual benefit. This crucial step will pave the way to a popular wellness program that will be a win-win for both the employee, who will have more energy at work, and the employer, who will achieve better performance from the entire team.

Return on Investment is no longer the focus of wellness programs – it is now the Return on Inspiration. Employees who take their health to heart miss less work, stay cooler under pressure, and are more focused, innovative, and productive. They are also better equipped to handle stress, are more content with their

job, have more fulfilling relationships, and communicate and work more effectively in teams.

A wellness program can consist of multiple elements such as challenges, keynote addresses, lunch and learns, fitness classes, and wellness retreats, to name a few. To ensure you continue to have high participation rates, create a theme and schedule a variety of events throughout the year. Remember to keep communicating with your employees to ensure a successful program.

Just like any other major event, proper promotion of health initiatives is extremely important. Employees need to see the benefit to them in jumping onboard. You will make your job a lot easier if you can create a buzz in the office, making the work force excited and focused for the launch.

Including senior management will greatly increase the reach of your program. Think of them as your captains or wellness leaders - they are in charge of a team or department. The fact that they will participate shows that the program is for everyone. This is amazing and impactful for team building, as the workforce will learn how to help, support, and encourage each other.

Does your corporate wellness program make the grade?

Tommy Europe is a corporate wellness specialist, and President of Tommy Europe Fitness. He can be reached at admin@tommyeurope.tv or via his website www.tommyeurope.tv.

Sharing knowledge SubScribe to the Workplace MatterS, our employment law blog.

Keep up to date on employment law issues and practical insights on all areas of employment law for employees and employers in the private and public sector.

Check it out today at: theworkplacematters.ca.

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“Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desire to reach their potential.” — JOHN MAXWELL

How to Choose Your

Boss

Ottawa’s Go-to Training Provider for over 30 Years

I

am a serial entrepreneur. Over the last seventeen years, I started ten businesses.

Seven were complete disasters, and three thriving successes. Through thick and through thin, my work as an entrepreneur has been both challenging and rewarding. The decisions that I made were consequential for consumers, as well as for my employees and their families.

In this article, I want to turn the tables on myself as an entrepreneur and employer.

What was it like to work with me? More generally, how should we understand the

experience of working for an entrepreneur?

Normally, we tend to think of the employer as the person with the hiring power. But, it is equally the case that employees choose their employers.

Why should we consider the importance of choosing an employer? First, a healthy work environment will have a great impact on the quality of your life, not to mention that of your family and friends. You want to make the choice that will allow you to develop your strengths. To flourish.

The wrong choice may have unfortunate

consequences for you, both in the present and in the future.

In 2012, I read a book called Entrepreneurial DNA by Joe Abraham.

It argues that there are four types of entrepreneurs, each leveraging unique strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies. As we review the four types of entrepreneur, we will consider which one best suits you as an employee. Which environment will allow you to flourish? Which one is a dead end? The answer will be different for everyone.

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THE OPPORTUNIST

THE SPECIALIST

THE INNOVATOR

They are go-getters, and they grow businesses in record time.

They are master recruiters of talent, investors, and customers.

They delegate every single item that someone else can do better.

They are demanding, and often impersonable. With this type of entrepreneur, lateness, laziness, and even out-of-the-box thinking is not an option. They have a vision, and are looking for employees to execute it. To thrive with a Builder, you have to be highly organized, and willing to work very long hours.

Picture Steve Jobs, and you have a pretty good idea of an Opportunist. These entrepreneurs are masters of marketing. They can be impulsive. They are known to completely transform an organization’s business model in a matter of weeks. Working for them can be difficult. It can be dizzying to keep up with their energy. You have to ask for feedback and be sure you understand your deliverable.

While you don’t want to slow them down, you need to be clear about where you are all going.

They are very analytical and by-the-book. They don’t want to transform the world, but rather to work within it. Most of their new business comes from referrals and networking, rather than marketing. Their businesses grow well initially, but tend to hit a “plateau’’ relatively fast. They nurture a supportive environment for employees. Since they are great teachers, they are the best place to start working with an entrepreneur. When working with them, you can take the time to ask questions and offer to take on more responsibilities, since they are happy to assume the role of a coach.

Guy Laliberté is an Innovator. They are the movers and shakers of their industry.

When they have an idea, an army assembles to follow them into battle. They love what they do, and thrive on innovation. They measure their success in terms of their impact on the world. Working with them is as challenging as it is inspiring. They can show signs of multiple personalities, so make sure you know where you stand each morning. They don’t like to be contradicted, so sound communication skills are critical.

Working with any entrepreneur is challenging, but also rewarding. Identifying, in the first ten days, the type of entrepreneur you are working with can allow you to know what is expected of you and how to make it work. If you choose well, you will also be laying the foundation for a successful career.

@OttawaHRPA • THE HUMAN RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION

Philippe Richard Bertrand is a Montreal-based Strategic Advisor, Speaker, and Sales Coach.

He can be reached via email at prbertrand@me.com.

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www.pmctraining.com FALL 2015 HR UPDATE 11

Building Trust between Human Resources and Senior Leadership Cathy Frederick

PERFORMANCE PLUS REHABILITATIVE CARE INC. (PPRC)

Canadian Certified Rehabilitation Counsellor, Director of Rehabilitation

Insights into the best practices of the World’s Most Admired Companies and Best Companies for Leadership

28 2016

Director, Human Resources, City of Ottawa

LINDA SIMPSON,

apr

Workplace Engagement: Getting Back to Basics E

Why Is Attracting Talent Such A Challenge?

Important to business success is the active pursuit of diversity. Diversity and reflecting the community that you live and work in has positive benefits for both the employer and the bottom line. Simply put, it is good for business. Many employers are reporting difficulties finding the right candidates and then retaining them. The question is, are you open to all talent including persons with disabilities?

A person with a disability can have a variety of distinct physical, intellectual and emotional conditions. It is not the disability that should influence the hiring decision, instead it should be based on abilities. Perception is what creates barriers and leaves missed opportunities. Employers who perceive the talent pool as disabled stigmatize persons with disabilities, creating barriers to jobs and access to success. A person with autism spectrum disorder may be the best candidate for your highly focused task.

Employers and rehabilitation specialists need to collaborate to assist all persons living in our communities to secure work that is meaningful and sustainable. By working together, we can help employers develop best recruiting practices for persons with disabilities and easily make this a winwin for all.

By increasing diversity in your workplace and accessing the hidden talent pool, persons with disabilities will enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment, as enjoyed by employees without disabilities. To access our talent pool, please contact Linda Simpson, CCRC at 613-748-3220, or by email at lsimpson@pprc.ca or visit www.pprc.ca.

WWW.PPRC.CA 613-748-3220 12 HR UPDATE FALL 2015

mployee engagement is increasingly becoming an important topic of discussion around boardrooms.

More and more organizations are turning their leadership lens to ways to engage their employees and inspire a re-energized workplace. Studies continue to identify employee engagement as a key issue in the workplace. Consequently, movement and improvement in this area offers a great opportunity to make the workplace a space of dynamism, high energy, and productivity.

There are many facets that contribute to an engaged workplace, but there are some central themes that arise time and again.

MEANING IN WHAT ONE DOES It has been my experience as a career coach that individuals place a strong importance on work that they find meaningful. That meaning, of course, depends on the individual and may change throughout a person’s life. Ultimately, employees want to know that their work has a positive impact on the world or the lives of individuals. Money may keep someone at a job, but it will not provide the sense of meaning that drives high performance and excellence. Meaning is primarily a heart centered feeling, and working for only logical and pragmatic reasons will not cut it in that arena.

AUTOMONY IN ONE’S ABILITY TO PERFORM Individuals, particularly leaders, want a sense of having a direct impact on the work they do. Freedom and choice are huge drivers for the human spirit. Even though workplaces often involve hierarchies, the feeling of autonomy and having some say in what one does is central to engagement.

This is discussed in Daniel Pink’s book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Really Motivates Us. Pink writes about the importance of autonomy, citing a study by Cornell University that found that businesses that gave more autonomy to employees grew 4-times as fast as those who did not.

SHARED VALUES WITH THE WORK TEAM Values are our compass that determine

where and what we devote our energy to. If there is a disconnect between an organization and its employees, the energy of the group is weakened. We have all had the experience of meeting someone with the same values, and watched how both of the parties’ energy and motivation heightened.

Values define the field we choose to play on and, to be successful, we need to be playing on the same one.

RESPECT AND APPRECIATION FROM OTHERS Respect and appreciation are necessary forms of social glue. Without both, groups and relationships fall apart. In other words, mutual value is exchanged and can be achieved even though there may be ideological or personality differences.

This exchange demands a fundamental respect for an individual despite his or her differences. Organizations that foster these inherent values excel, and those who do not experience a painful disengagement that manifests itself in many dysfunctional ways. A lack of social glue in an organization will cause cracks that will widen over time.

These fractures are deeply woven into the success of the business. Sybil F. Stershic aptly stated that “the way your employees feel is the way your customers feel. And if your employees don’t feel valued, neither will your customers.”

CHALLENGE OF NEW THINGS Though we all love a comfort zone, it has an expiry date. Humans are wired to progress and often feel alive in those moments of struggle. Once work becomes a “no-brainer,” it is just that. Moreover, it eventually turns into a “no-hearter.” A comfort zone tends to numb and does not pull out passion, creativity, and genius. The caveat here is that the challenge must be attainable – otherwise, THE HUMAN RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION •

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HRPAOTTAWA.CA disengagement occurs. An attainable stretch seduces engagement.

ENJOYMENT IN COMING TO WORK It is true that when things cease to be enjoyable, work becomes, well, work. Delight and enjoyment are energy amplifiers, and consequently drives engagement. Think back to childhood, when an adult asked you why did something and you responded with “because.” You ran outside often for the sheer joy of it. It appears that people resist what they do not enjoy; employees will not excel if they are driving with their motivational brakes on.

FAIRNESS IN HOW ONE IS TREATED One of the fundamental and recurring themes is the principle of fairness. Humans instinctively seek out fairness, and there are a multitude of studies that have illustrated how important this is. As soon as an employee senses unfairness, a little piece of

them will turn off. It is often the first switch that gets pulled, and may lead the individual down the path of disengagement.

The benefits of fostering an engaged work culture are numerous, and it is fundamentally doable. Positive change, of course, demands commitment to the goal of fostering an “engaged culture” throughout the organization. Those organizations that spend time on developing this mindset are the ones reaping the benefits of high attraction, improved retention, and an overall rise in productivity.

Steve Jobs once said, “the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” Let’s make our workplaces the spaces in which to do this.

Transitioning staff out of your organization?

Cla riti G roup offers outplacement services to employers and individuals including on-site support during day of termination as well as affordable, customized, one-on-one career transition coaching programs.

Awesome coaches. Five Ottawa locations.

Support also available Canada-wide.

Tammy Hoffman is a Senior Consultant at Optimum Talent. She holds a Master of Arts in Sociology from Carleton University and a Master of Education in Counseling from the University of Ottawa.

Delight and enjoyment are energy amplifiers, and consequently drives engagement.

www.claritigroup.ca

613.656.1010

info@claritigroup.ca

PERLEY-ROBERTSON, HILL & McDOUGALL can assist you with all issues relating to your employees from hiring and firing, to assessments of talent in a corporate acquisition, to navigating the day-to-day management of your most valuable asset.

Our team regularly deals with a wide range of employment related issues including employment agreements, executive agreements, confidentiality and non-competition agreements, and agreements for the protection of intellectual property rights.

R. Aaron Rubinoff Co-Chairman & Partner Tel: 613.566.2837 Email: arubinoff@perlaw.ca 1400-340 Albert Street Ottawa, ON K1R 0A5 T: 613.238.2022 F: 613.238.8775 1.800.268.8292 www.perlaw.ca

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FALL 2015 HR UPDATE 13

ottawa

media social @OTTAWAHRPA

chapter

keeping you connected

hrpaottawa.ca

Can You Keep a

? t e r c e S Protecting

tips from dispute resolution experts What’s more important: getting a good deal or keeping a good relationship?

The answer is that you can rarely get a good deal if you have not maintained a good relationship. When you have a good relationship and the other person trusts you, you can reach deals that you just can’t reach if the other person is your adversary.

should you keep your emotions quiet While negotiating?

A lot of people think that we should try to keep our emotions out of a negotiation – that emotions make you a worse negotiator. It is often impossible not to be emotional. Being emotional may actually help you. The best negotiators use emotion to their advantage rather than trying to stifle it.

hoW Can you beCome more persuasive?

Strangely enough, the most persuasive thing you can do is to be open to be persuaded. It sounds illogical, but when you think about it, it’s not. If you want someone to be open to be persuaded by you, you have to be open to be persuaded by them.

hoW do you ConvinCe someone that your proposal is ‘fair’?

Fairness is a subjective concept and people have different ideas of fairness. One suggestion is to look to comparables or objective criteria, because people are more persuaded by an objective standard than by you saying that you think something is fair.

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Key Business Information as Employees Come and Go I

n our current drag-and-drop era, where gigabyte upon gigabyte of information or documentation can be stored on an inchlong USB key, saved in the cloud, or sent off anywhere in seconds through e-mail, employers are increasingly concerned about the removal of confidential and proprietary information by departing employees.

Extremely sensitive and confidential information can be siphoned off to new employers with little more than the click of a mouse, potentially causing significant harm to a company. With such high stakes, it makes sense that employers would want to protect themselves by any means possible, but where do we draw the line?

The Anton Piller Order (“APO”) is undoubtedly the most controversial method of attempting to address the wrongful removal of confidential information, and while it has become an increasingly popular weapon in a former employer’s arsenal, it is not intended to be a preventative measure. While it may look appealing to some employers as it ostensibly allows for the recovery of documents that have been removed, it should be approached with caution. An APO is an order without notice to the party against whom it is used.

It allows the party seeking the order to enter its opponent’s premises (for example, a home or office) to conduct a surprise search. The searching party may then seize evidence it states supports its civil claim.

Such an order, which has been called a “private search warrant,” makes many uncomfortable, and as a result, APOs are not easily granted. There are four fairly stringent requirements that must be satisfied in order to obtain an APO: • The plaintiff must have a strong prima facie case; • The damage to the plaintiff from the defendant’s alleged misconduct, potential or actual, must be very serious; • There must be convincing evidence that the defendant possesses incriminating documents or things; and • It must be shown that there is a real

possibility that the defendant may destroy such material before the discovery process can do its work.

In satisfying the court that it meets these four requirements, the party seeking the APO must provide full and frank disclosure.

Given courts’ hesitancy to grant such orders, in the absence of full and frank disclosure, courts are more than willing to overturn an APO. This can ultimately have serious consequences for the party seeking the order such as significant monetary damages to the party against whom the order was obtained, as well as costs.

Recently, in Irving Shipbuilding Inc. v. Schmidt, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted an APO to Irving Shipbuilding Inc., when it alleged that its former Director of Government Initiatives and Client Relations, John Schmidt, had downloaded approximately 6500 pages of Irving documents to a personal storage device in the weeks prior to his departure from the company. Shortly after the APO was granted, the police and a search party arrived at Schmidt’s home to conduct the search. Irving ultimately uncovered no commercially sensitive information, and Schmidt brought a motion to set aside the APO and recover damages from Irving.

Schmidt, and his new employer who joined in his motion as an interested party, further alleged the action on the part of Irving in obtaining the APO was an intimidation tactic to prevent employees from leaving Irving for Davie.

The court ultimately found that full and frank disclosure had not been made, as Irving had misstated some important facts and failed to disclose certain bases for its belief that Schmidt’s actions were improper.

It overturned the APO and awarded Schmidt damages as well as costs. Justice Beaudoin also noted that the purpose of an APO is not to prevent the dissemination of commercially sensitive information or protect against a future loss – an injunction on notice to the other party is the appropriate remedy for such concerns.

THE HUMAN RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION •

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To learn more about our newly expanded mentorship program, please visit:

hrpaottawa.ca Rather, an APO’s sole purpose is preserve evidence of past wrongful conduct.

So what should employers learn from this? If the goal is to protect confidential information from being taken in the first place, APOs are not the answer.

Safeguards should be implemented from the beginning of the employment relationship. Addressing the issue with employees clearly and early has a number of important benefits: employees will be less likely to accidentally remove confidential or proprietary information upon termination of employment; transparency will foster trust and help limit employee privacy concerns; protections will be in place to track and prevent the removal of confidential information; and, it will be easier to build a case against employees who intentionally remove confidential information and seek to use it against their former employer.

Assuming that most of the removal of confidential or proprietary information is innocent, one of the most important things an employer can do is ensure employees understand what information is confidential.

Having employees sign confidentiality agreements at the time they commence employment that acknowledge the type of information to be treated as confidential and not removed from the premises will help ensure they do not accidentally remove potentially harmful information at some future departure date. Similarly, having policies in place that address the sending of business information to personal email addresses or off-site locations can help ensure confidential information or

documents are not floating out there in the ether, likely unencrypted, for either the employee or an unrelated third-party to access at any time. The caveat here is that employees need to be made aware of the policies in order for the policies to have any effect on behaviour.

There are other protections that can guard against more nefarious actions by employees. Protections such as passwords or digital locks should be used to prevent employees who do not have a reason to access particularly sensitive files from doing so. Employers can also install software that allows for the tracking of an employee’s use of workplace computers and shows what is downloaded and when. This will allow an employer to verify any suspicions it may have when an employee leaves. Of course, this may raise privacy concerns on the part of employees, so again, clear and accessible policies establishing how employer computers are to be used, and how hardware and systems will be monitored are necessary. Even without such software, employers may perform forensic audits following an employee’s departure to reveal at least some of what was accessed on the computer and whether documents or information were downloaded or sent elsewhere.

Such steps should help ease tensions on both sides upon the termination of employment and ease some of the stresses associated with leaving employment, whether voluntarily or not.

Dana DuPerron is an associate lawyer with the Ottawa law firm of Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP (www.nelligan.ca) and part of its Employment group. Dana can be contacted by email at dana. duperron@nelligan.ca or by calling 613-231-8364.

Resolve at NelligaN O’brieN payNe, Our uNique bleNd of knowledge and experience tells us that Employment Law is about more than just having a technical mastery of the law—it’s about understanding the employment relationship, responding to sensitive challenges, and achieving a sensible resolution for our clients.

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3:40 PM FALL 20152015-08-12 HR UPDATE 15

“Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence - only in constant improvement and constant change.”

— TOM PETERS

Interview with

Jason Flick What is You.i TV? You.i TV focuses on helping the major media companies to build TV anywhere platforms. We’re kind of an interesting mix of art and science, where we have this videogame like engine that uses all the great technology from the videogame era but brings it to apps. So all our apps are just these gorgeous delightful things to play with.

Let’s talk a little bit about your expansion.

We’ve doubled in size every year for the past six years, but in the last 12 months, we’ve quadrupled in revenue and people.

With contractors, we have roughly 140 employees. We were 50 employees a year ago. We’ve also recently announced a $15 million funding round.

Is the principle the same in managing 40 people as managing 150 people, or do you have to make changes?

There are lots of changes. One key

aspect for us is to keep the company feeling the same at 200, as it was at 50. To do so, we’ve created the idea of pods – so groups have ownership in projects – and keeping open communication. Everyone lives on Slack here now, and it has cut our email traffic significantly. We have an “Ask Jason” channel. Each group talks about the good and the bad.

What are your recruiting practices? How do you go about that process?

40 per cent of all recruitment is word of mouth, so we just want to make it an awesome place to work, so that others want to work here. We spend a fair bit on the work environment, making people be evangelists for us.

We did hire a full-time recruiter about a year ago, because even just the inbound resumes were too much.

We invest in local awards and volunteering in the community. We also put a great deal of effort into building our brand locally.

You mentioned building up your brand locally. Do you work with local co-ops and internships?

Yes, absolutely. We have a regular flow of co-ops, but we also do one or two open houses a year, and we bring in the universities and professors we’ve been working with on projects.

I work a fair bit with the Dean of Science at Carleton, and we’ve done a couple of events around that community. One of them is called Speed Dating for Professors and Startups.

A substantial amount of co-ops return, and some of our rockstars are only three years out of school, and doing some amazing work.

Besides the Speed Dating for Professors and Startups, are there any other novel HR practices that you have?

We will be the first people in Ottawa to see the new Star Wars. We booked an entire theatre for our staff.

In terms of making your staff feel valued, what other retention policies do you have?

One thing that is really unique about us is we think about investing in the person’s career. Having them understand their strength and weaknesses, having them get first chance at some new roles, and even help us structure. When you’re building a company this fast, there’s flexibility in how you structure things.

Our whole internal process is called levelling up, which is obviously a play on video games. We’re just constantly helping our staff level up.

It’s a competitive market for that top-tier talent in the tech field. How does You.i TV find that talent?

We used to say we wanted the “perfect”

candidate. Now that we’ve hired over 100 people in the last 12 months, it’s about the attitude. Maybe you don’t have five years experience with this technology, but if you’re the right person with the right attitude, we’ll train you up. With funding, we can afford to do that.

We still want the top talent, but we’ve redefined that to be a broader spectrum to mean the right people, not just the right skills.

So what are some of the HR challenges?

This quick growth requires a very organic organization. You can’t let things fall through the cracks. One of our core values is care and give a darn. You have to really give a darn. You have to hire people that really thrive in that environment.

Office space is another issue. We’ve expanded every year except for this year.

Growing fast can mean sharing cubicles sometimes.

These days, it seems tech companies are all about culture.

Is this true for You.i TV? Absolutely it is. The benefit a startup has against a big company is culture. Startups don’t have the budget, and they don’t have funding. It’s absolutely about culture and the people that are in it.

Our culture, our core values are caring and to give a darn, be creative, and challenge everything.

When you’re 40 people, stuff just happens and that’s the way you are, but when you get closer to 200, you have to talk about it a bit more. I do a lot of walking around the office and staying connected with what’s going on. I encourage my executives to do the same thing. There’s a fair bit of management by walking around.

There are very few silos working here. We all take a passionate ownership to that brand, and feel ownership.

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www.ottawarewards.org 16 HR UPDATE FALL 2015

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Contributors wanted!

For individuals interested in contributing, articles must be submitted via email to updatemagazine@hrpaottawa.ca by no later than April 20, 2016.

We are currently seeking articles on the following topics, but not limited to:

Sick leave Public service HR Career transition Security in the workplace

We think about investing in the person’s career.

Having them understand their strengths and weaknesses, having them get first chance at some new roles.

Jason Flick is Co-Founder and CEO of You.i TV, and a successful serial entrepreneur. He also sits on a number of boards for community focused entities and private sector companies.

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Andrew Tremayne is an arbitrator, mediator and independent investigator now practicing in the Province of Ontario. He brings years of experience in workplace law and a full spectrum of alternative dispute resolution techniques to every case.

Working with Andrew means you can expect an engaged, professional third party to assist you.

To learn more about Andrew and his services, and to check his availability, visit AndrewTremayne.com

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9:56 AM FALL 2015 10/28/14 HR UPDATE 17

“Excellence is not a skill.

It is an attitude.”

— RALPH MARSTON

MARGARET MICHAELS, MARGARET MICHAELS HRC

Human Resources Consultants

Insights into the best practices of the World’s Most Admired Companies and Best Companies for Leadership

Q: We have received an employee complaint that warrants investigation.

However, we are unsure if it is best for our human resources staff to carry out the investigation or if we should retain external investigators.

A: Good question. How you respond to this complaint is a pivotal decision that will have an impact upon the quality of the outcome. Here are some points to consider.

Does HR have the relevant training and time to address the issues under investigation?

Recruitment interviewing is not the same as investigative interviewing. Has your HR staff had training in investigative processes and the opportunity to develop nuanced investigative skills? If the investigation is complex, involving multiple complainants and respondents, does your HR staff have the time and resources to produce thorough and timely results? If the complaint involves senior members of your organization, can HR produce a fair and balanced report?

Will your employees talk openly to an internal resource?

Some employees prefer to fly under the radar and will withhold information they feel could be detrimental to their future with the organization. Do your employees trust HR enough to speak candidly?

Your organization’s response to the allegations must be impartial and be seen to be impartial. Retaining an external investigator will assure your employees that you are addressing the matter seriously and without bias, emphasizing the neutrality of the process and its outcome.

Does the issue have the potential to escalate?

If the complaint involves grounds covered by human rights laws or could result in a termination, your organization could be facing a formal human rights complaint or civil litigation. Can your internal resources conduct a watertight investigation that will withstand close scrutiny? The costs associated with defending your organization in court will far outweigh the cost of retaining external investigative expertise.

Margaret Michaels HRC is a human resources consultancy specializing in workplace investigations involving discrimination, harassment, interpersonal conflict, and poisoned work environments. We provide services in both official languages to public and private sector employers. Please contact us for more information or to discuss your investigative needs at (613) 726–1940 or info@margaretmichaels.com .

INFO@MARGARETMICHAELS.COM

613-726-1940 18 HR UPDATE FALL 2015

Looking for DIFFERENT HR Solutions? CSRs MIGHT SURPRISE YOU! T

he old adage that “doing good is good business” has new support from the corporate sector, with recent evidence published by Project ROI, an industry study funded by Verizon and Campbell’s.

In the report (http://projectroi.com), the researchers found that good corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices can increase a company’s value by 4-6%, and reduce staff turnover by as much as 50%.

Realizing all the benefits of “doing good”

is a significant challenge, and having a written CSR strategy is just the beginning.

To take full advantage, organizations must choose their social initiatives carefully.

They have to think about these initiatives as assets, and they need to invest in corporate social responsibility in a way that takes into account the interests of all their stakeholders – staff, clients, shareholders, and the community.

CHOOSE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY INITIATIVES CAREFULLY HR professionals often assume responsibility for the employee-related aspects of CSR program, yet they are less involved in choosing which commitments to undertake, or how they are communicated to the team. Companies that reap the benefits of CSRs tend to engage their HR professionals. They have clear

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BREAKFAST SEMINAR

Building a Strong Competency Framework Jodi Bartsch,

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SALA SAN MARCO, 215 PRESTON STREET, OTTAWA

Realizing all the benefits of “doing good” is a significant challenge, and having a written CSR strategy is just the beginning. goals, which are announced to staff and other stakeholders in person and through HR channels.

Buy-in from staff should be a key factor in which programs to undertake. To be successful, companies need to choose CSR programs that align with their culture, business strategy, mission, and employees’ philanthropic preferences.

Consideration also has to be given to the cause that is being supported. When working with partners on the non-profit side, organizations should choose established charities that are experience in working with organizational teams. Charitable partners should come to the table with concrete deliverables on how staff can become involved, such as charitable site tours, volunteering, internal fundraising, or other opportunities.

TREATING CSR INITIATIVES AS INVESTMENTS Good CSR practices have the potential to deliver impressive returns and can help companies make gains in their markets.

Like all investments, the programs built to support these strategies must be weighed carefully. A balance must be struck to ensure the CSR programs are generating the right amount of return without excessive cost.

Dedicated staff time is one such cost.

So how should a company decide how much staff time should be allocated to CSR?

According to the authors of the Project ROI report, each organization needs to choose that for itself, based on their industry norms.

Networking with other professionals in a particular region or sector may help guide how much staff time should be involved.

It is not enough to choose the desired amount of staff time to invest – organizations must also ensure that the employees are engaged in meaningful ways. Charitable partners often bring forward general ways to get staff engaged – like casual days or bake sales. However, the best CSR engagement comes when employees are given the chance to put their unique skills to work in a challenging way. Secondment or loaned representative programs may be better options for certain employers, or more broad opportunities for all staff to get involved in the “business” of the charity through professional volunteering.

ENGAGING KEY STAKEHOLDERS One of the benefits of a unified and targeted CSR strategy is the ability to increase engagement from stakeholders. At their core, CSR programs help build trust among clients and staff, and secure greater affinity for the brand. This can be crucial as organizations work to integrate millennials, or under-represented minorities, into their workplace culture.

There are many options for a company looking to get greater value from its CSR program. Organizations can start by developing greater ties to fundraising events like walks or runs, which are often managed by local health organizations. Or, it may be as simple as contacting your local United Way. United Way can help connect your CSR programs to local causes, and use its expertise within workplaces to create a customized program of volunteering and engagement to suit the needs of the company.

Regardless of the chosen cause, the opportunity to do good in the community can be a catalyst for greater engagement, and help instill a sense of pride in the team.

CRAFTING A CSR PROGRAM THAT WORKS FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION The Project ROI report confirmed the direction that many organizations are already going. Establishing a CSR that is right for your organization is not something that can be implemented at the drop of a hat. It takes a thoughtful process of consultation, both with staff and often external stakeholders, including sometimes community-oriented charitable organizations. Whatever avenue your organization chooses to take, you can expect to see a boost from your staff, sales, and stakeholder relations.

Charitable partners should come to the table with concrete deliverables on how staff can become involved, such as charitable site tours, volunteering, internal fundraising, or other opportunities.

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feb

04 2016

JANET SPENCE, CPM, THE CANADIAN PAYROLL ASSOCIATION

Manager, Compliance Services & Programs

Insights into the best practices of the World’s Most Admired Companies and Best Companies for Leadership

Canadian Payroll Association Seminars Help Pave the Way for an Accurate and Compliant YearEnd Q: Why is year-end so important for payroll practitioners?

A: For payroll practitioners (and often those in accounting, finance and human resources) year-end can be a stressful time. This is when planning and preparation begins for the last payroll of the year and the new tax reporting year. Employers rely on payroll practitioners to process an accurate and compliant year-end, which can minimize the risk of audits and penalties.

What are some key things to know for 2015 and beyond?

Rates and limits (C/QPP, EI, QPIP), updates to taxable benefits, and 2015 income tax changes are something anyone doing year-end must know. New pension requirements (ORPP and VRSP) and an overview of year-end tax slips and summaries (T4, T4A and RL-1) are essential for payroll compliance.

How can someone prepare for the year-end process?

The Association’s one-day Year-end & New Year Requirements seminar helps those responsible for payroll win the year- end reporting race and get a head start on requirements and expectations for the New Year.

This is the most important seminar that people take year over year.

Payroll is complex. New legislation, revisions, interpretations and rate adjustments are the norm in payroll, and the only way to deal with it is to be proactive.

Experienced payroll professionals must also pay attention to complex jurisdictional updates. The half-day Legislative Updates: Year-end and New Year seminar focuses on what is changing legislatively for year-end and what to anticipate for the New Year, without reviewing the year-end process.

For more information or to register online visit payroll.ca

John Heckbert is Senior Director, Planning and Program Development at United Way Ottawa.

WWW.PAYROLL.CA FALL 2015 HR UPDATE 19

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READER COMMENTS Time for companies to rethink how they search for ‘top talent’ Re: “Landing top talent a tough job, local employers say” (OBJ, Oct. 12) As an IT consultant, I live this dilemma almost every time I move on to another contract. Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke’s comment that “Essentially no one has (all) the skills that everyone needs” is bang on!

Employers often think that you need to have a laundry list of skills for certain jobs, when in fact they will be a vast and varied array of people and technical skills that you already have, since they correspond to the type of work you are seeking. But then employers throw in one or two required software skills that no one would have unless they had worked for that company before. You end up not bidding on jobs because your score is reduced, so why bother? Yet anyone who knows a variety of software knows those skills are usually very easy to learn on the job.

Or you are applying for an IT coordinator or administrative job, but employers require that you have a twoyear degree or Project Management Professional certificate. Why? Does

it mean you are smarter because it took you two years to get your degree instead of one condensed year? And if the applicant had a PMP, he or she would not usually be looking for a co-ordinator job. If they are, it’s often because they just haven’t found a project management job yet and will leave their current position when they do find one.

If employers actually read an applicant’s resume, they would probably see that the person could easily do the job because of their years of experience, not their education. In my mind, a degree without experience is almost worthless. But experience without the degree is worth much more!

As Jason Flick of You.i TV says, an applicant’s aptitude is worth more than his or her skills; co-ops and internships are the way to go. The sooner employers start to look more closely at applicants’ “people skills,” such as how they will fit into their environment and how well they can mentor others, the quicker they will find great talent!

— Gail McLeod

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BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS 2015 RECIPIENTS

“Shirley’s involvement in the association was momentous by virtue of the fact that she became the first female chair of the CCA board of directors. However, her stature and import in the association and indeed in the construction industry and the business community at large had little to do with her gender and everything to do with her outstanding qualities as an industry leader, spokesperson and advocate.”

– MICHAEL ATKINSON, PRESIDENT, CANADIAN CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION

Shirley Westeinde has been a tireless advocate for a multitude of causes. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Building a stronger community OBJ’s 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award winner Shirley Westeinde might be best-known as a trailblazer in the construction industry, but her legacy of helping make Ottawa a better place extends far beyond the family business

BY LEO VALIQUETTE

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

Special to OBJ

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S

hirley Westeinde has worn many hats over the years.

Her tireless devotion to community includes senior roles and board positions with a range of charities and causes, including mental health, medical research and putting an end to bullying in schools. She has also taken leadership roles with local economic development agencies.

But it all began with the construction company she and husband John started out of their home in 1978 with three kids in the mix.

She recalls those early days building Westeinde Construction. At that time she had no thought of becoming a senior executive in the industry.

OBJ: You were a nurse by training.

When John declared he would start his own construction business, what led you to become his business partner?

Shirley Westeinde: There was no option.

We had no money at the time and three kids under 11. There was no room to have a secretary come to our house every day.

It was just a case of recognizing that if this was going to happen, I would have to help make it work.

I had already taken typing and shorthand at Algonquin College. I realized the next step was learning accounting and how to set up and run an office. So we set up a little office in our home in Kanata with a business phone and a home phone. We had to train the kids not to answer the business phone.

OBJ: Where did you think this would lead you?

SW: I was focused on learning each step that was necessary to get to the next They had to make monthly status phase of the business, with the idea that reports to their bonding agency. The I would eventually hire a replacement. agent would call up John. He would pass As we grew, replacements were hired, it on to Shirley, who was in charge of all but there always seemed to be a new the back-office aspects of the business. role that opened up. I realized the need But the bonding agent wasn’t for tax planning and year-end planning, comfortable talking with a woman. so I took courses at Carleton … I never “He finally recognized he would have wrote exams or considered pursuing a to deal with me,” Ms. Westeinde said. designation. I just wanted to learn what I “Our bank manager wasn’t comfortable could to help our business be successful dealing with me either. Today, our in all aspects. bonding company is run by a woman and In 1985, we decided to build an our bank manager is also a woman.” office building and therefore become A lot has changed since 1978, while a developer. We incorporated a new other aspects of the construction industry company called Westeinde Properties remain stuck in the past. Ms. Westeinde, Ltd. This required the knowledge of the OBJ-Ottawa Chamber of Commerce leases, insurance and legal issues … I Lifetime Achievement Award recipient joined BOMA and enrolled in their RPA for 2015, took some time recently to chat (Real Property Administrator) program. about the past, present and future.

I took six courses that I thought were What follows is an abridged transcript germane to our business, but I wasn’t of that conversation. interested in the operation aspects of

a building and wasn’t going to finish.

Then I thought, “Shirley, you don’t have anything to show for your courses at Algonquin, Carleton and other places, so finish this.” I earned my RPA designation after six or seven years of night school. It was a whole new learning curve for me.

OBJ: Who were your role models/ mentors?

SW: They really were all men. My husband was actually a very good mentor. Even when he worked for other companies, he would come home and tell me about the particular jobs that were going on. In one instance, the wife of one of his bosses got upset when she learned that I knew more about what was going on than she did.

OBJ: When did you feel you had earned your due respect in the industry?

SW: When I was named the first woman president of BOMA Ottawa, a reporter asked what it was like to work for a woman president. One fellow said, “We really don’t think about Shirley as a woman.” Then he realized what he had said and got all red-faced. But I said, “That’s the greatest compliment you can give me.”

OBJ: Are there still challenges for women in the construction industry?

SW: Yes. The other area where I believe there is a challenge for women is the military. One of my other roles is an honorary colonel (in the Canadian Armed Forces’ 33rd Services Battalion).

I see the same challenges in the army as the construction industry. This is mainly because women are still a minority.

Women make up about 16 per cent of the construction industry and perhaps 14 per cent of the military. There are still very few women in senior positions in

BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS 2015 RECIPIENTS

the contracting industry. It’s still not an industry women seem to want to go into to.

OBJ: What do you think about how the gender issue is being addressed?

SW: There are a lot more business networks for women these days and I believe they are very helpful for a woman starting her own business or working as a senior executive. However, I think it is important for women to attend events where there is not necessarily a gender balance.

In my mind, men are quite willing to have women participate on a board or in some other way, but they have to know you. If you are not mingling in a mixed association, it’s difficult to become known. If you have time to participate in both types of association, that’s the perfect balance.

OBJ: What do you want to say to women considering the industry/ trades?

SW: This is a fascinating industry that is growing and changing with technology … There are so many aspects of a construction project that women can excel at, whether you are painting, doing electrical work or laying carpet. You leave behind a permanent legacy of your work.

“You couldn’t ask for an older boys’ network than the construction association, and yet she blazed that trail.”

– JEFF WESTEINDE, FOUNDING PARTNER, WINDMILL DEVELOPMENT GROUP

SHIRLEY WESTEINDE CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 1978: John and Shirley Westeinde launch Westeinde Construction 1990: Shirley earns her RPA designation from BOMA Ottawa 1990: Earns Woman of Distinction Award from the YM/YWCA 1994: First and still only female chair of BOMA Ottawa 1996: First female chair of Invest Ottawa forerunner the Ottawa Economic Development Corporation 1997: Recognized as Business Woman of the Year by the Women’s Business Network 1998: Incorporated and chaired Ottawa 2000 2001: Chaired the Mayor’s Task Force on Affordable Housing 2001: Becomes chair of the Westeinde Group of Companies 2002: Awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal 2004: First female chair of the Canadian Construction Association 2004: Awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Ottawa 2005: Spurred the creation of the Mayor’s Council for Mental Health in the Workplace 2007: Appointed an honorary lieutenant-colonel by the Queen 2008: Received the Community Leader Award from the Canadian Construction Association

2013: Awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal 2013: Received the Quality of Life Award from the St. Joe’s Women’s Centre 2014: Inducted as a Dame into the Order of St. George 2014: Promoted to an honorary colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces

– SCOTT McLEAN, CHAIR, ROYAL OTTAWA MENTAL HEALTH CENTRE

to get young people to be enthused about the trades, but it is in fact very rewarding, both professionally and financially.

OBJ: What do you consider to have been your greatest challenge?

SW: To be honest, I never really looked at things as a challenge, but “opportunities with work clothes on.” I have fibromyalgia, and that has been a challenge. I have learned that it’s really important to find balance in my life. So when I’m considering whether to get involved with a new project, I have to step back and consider my health and whether I have the time to do it right and whether I can make a difference by sharing my knowledge or gaining knowledge. I don’t believe in just putting my name on a project if I’m not genuinely participating.

OBJ: What do you do for fun?

SW: I exercise. I’m an avid swimmer. I find it fun to get together as a family.

We have a family week every year at the cottage and divide into teams for cooking and cleaning up. I still enjoy being active out in the community. I enjoy going to events now because I am there to connect with old friends or donate to a good cause rather than going to promote my business.

OBJ: What do you see for Ottawa’s future?

SW: I am delighted to see so many young people getting involved in

various causes – it is so good that the younger generation is caring and giving back to the community. I am very impressed with Invest Ottawa and how it is helping young entrepreneurs get a start, and promoting Ottawa nationally and internationally. I like how the new condos are changing the flavour of downtown. When I was younger, downtown was very dead and you had to go to Hull to get something to eat. I see big changes for Ottawa with the new light rail and Zibi (Windmill Development Group’s new OttawaGatineau waterfront plan). But I definitely think there are infrastructure problems. Every government promises to fund more infrastructure, but there is still an acute problem. Hopefully (the new Liberal government) will follow through on their promises.

OBJ: Any regrets?

SW: My only regret is not spending as much time with friends as I would like to. I feel very fortunate that I have three children, who all live in Ottawa, and 10 grandchildren. That’s been my No. 1 priority, my children, and that’s never changed. Getting together as a family has always been a priority.

I am certainly very happy with how our business grew. Our sons decided in the end they didn’t want to be involved in the construction industry and sold the business to Aecon, but seeing them continue on with what they are doing in the development industry is very exciting for us.

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OBJ: What about the overall skills shortage facing the industry?

SW: There is no question there is a crisis coming … It’s been flagged for many years. We have been encouraging the government to facilitate more immigration of skilled trades to Canada, but this has been a challenge. However, I do believe that we have a lot of potential skilled workers in young women and also in Aboriginal communities. Our sons are working with the Aboriginal community because there are a lot of young people who could be trained to be a worker in the skilled trades. It’s difficult

“Shirley is a strong presence on our board. As chair I rely heavily on her judgment, and I am delighted to see her recognized in this way.”

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

2009: Named to the Order of Canada

Ms. Westeinde remains chair of the Westeinde Group of Companies. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT Tech association praises Grits’ new innovation ministry Beefed-up science and tech portfolio ‘very positive’ news for local industry, CATA boss says

BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

A

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

CA $1 RRIES 24 FO 9/ m R on ON th * LY

major high-tech trade association’s call for a beefed-up science and technology ministry was answered when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled his new cabinet on Nov. 4.

The trimmed-down, 31-member cabinet includes a minister of innovation, science and economic development, Mississauga-Malton MP Navdeep Bains. The renamed ministry, formerly known as Industry,

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consolidates the duties of that portfolio and the ministry of state for science and technology.

That was the No. 1 recommendation of the Ottawa-based Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance, which issued a seven-point agenda for the new Liberal government after its decisive victory in last month’s federal election.

“They did the pivot we asked for,” said the association’s CEO, John Reid. “This is very positive. I think we’re going to make some very good headway for not only the Ottawa (technology) community but for the Canadian community.”

Mr. Reid said he hopes the new

CATA CEO John Reid says he has high hopes for the Liberals’ new innovation ministry. FILE PHOTO

minister will have the clout and the resources to help boost the country’s private-sector R&D efforts.

He had high praise for the appointment of Mr. Bains, a certified management accountant and former three-term MP who is returning to

Parliament Hill after losing to Tory Eve Adams in the 2011 election. A financial analyst who has an MBA and worked for Ford and Nike before entering politics, Mr. Bains has also been a strong mentor to youth in his hometown, where he was known for organizing sports activities.

Reid said. “If you look at enterprises that attract and keep talent, they tend to have very strong community involvement. If we’re to brand Canada as an innovation leader, it should be an innovation leader that also pays attention to social causes.”

The Liberals have pledged to spend hundreds of millions of dollars over the next five years to kickstart Canada’s innovation sector, including more money for startup incubators. Industry advocates hope the new ministry is a sign the government is ready to make innovation a top priority.

“I like the idea of bringing those (responsibilities) together,” said Bruce Lazenby, CEO of Invest Ottawa. “As the fourth-largest city in Canada and one of the largest technology clusters in the country, we are a logical place for them to focus on trying to make sure that we can capitalize on a lot of the great research that’s done here in Ottawa and the great companies that we’ve got here.”

CATA also lauded the Liberals’ move to create a separate senior science ministry.

Kirsty Duncan of Etobicoke North takes control of that portfolio.

“We wanted very strong messaging at the federal political level,” Mr. Reid said. “Not only did we get our innovation minister, but we also got a separate science minister. You cannot neglect science in Canada. Even though there may not be a direct commercial application, it’s often the seed for evolution and technology development.”

Among the other planks in its innovation platform, the organization is urging the Liberals to boost regulations to make Canada a global hub for crowdfunding. It also wants the

government to commit 10 per cent of its procurement spending to startups and implement a more effective mechanism to resolve disputes over R&D tax credits.

Mr. Reid also called on the Liberals to emulate programs that have been successful in growing startups elsewhere, such as the Small Business Research Investment Program, a U.S. initiative that encourages startups to develop new technologies, and New York’s tax exemptions for new companies.

“Let’s make sure that we scan the world for global best practices and see what practices can be easily adopted to the Canadian situation,” he said. “You don’t necessarily have to grow everything from scratch within the Canadian context.”

Mr. Lazenby said the government must do more to help small companies grow into firms that can excel on the world stage.

“I think one of the big focuses has got to be on how we create larger companies,” he said. “We are really good across the country at creating startups, but of the 33,000 ICT companies in Canada, only about 50 have got more than 500 people. That scale issue is a challenge.”

The capital region will have solid representation at the cabinet table, with newly elected Ottawa Centre MP Catherine McKenna being named minister of environment and climate change.

Mr. Lazenby said he hopes to meet soon with Ms. McKenna, adding he thinks Ottawa’s growing clean-tech sector could assist her ministry in achieving its environmental objectives.

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MORE TRAINING, FUNDING HIGH ON ENTREPRENEURS’ WISH LIST The new Liberal government has pledged hundreds of millions of dollars for more startup incubators, research facilities and direct funding for business over the next several years as part of its “innovation agenda.”

Companies who responded to the Welch Ottawa Business Growth Survey last spring generally agreed with those priorities. Nearly three in 10 firms surveyed said more angel funding is needed toLOGES spur SOLD local OUT economic development and almost 20 per cent called for more incubators.

OUT SOLD S E LOG

OUT SOLD % 5 7 S: SEAT LUXE

41% 18%

TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP AROUND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

INCUBATORS AND ACCELERATORS

14% 27%

IMPROVING LOCAL FUNDING/ANGEL NETWORK

PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE FOREIGN TRADE

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

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OUT SOLD S E T SUI ORY VICT

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613-599-0200

THE LIST Company/Address/ Phone/Fax/Web

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

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Sussex Strategy Group 200-440 Laurier Ave. W. Ottawa, ON K1R 7X6 613-782-2320 sussex-strategy.com Global Public Affairs 901-50 O’Connor St. Ottawa, ON K1P 6L2 613-782-2336 / 613-782-2428 globalpublicaffairs.ca Summa Strategies Canada Inc. 1000-100 Sparks St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5B7 613-235-1400 / 613-235-1444 summa.ca Tactix Government Relations & Public Affairs Inc. 700-45 O’Connor St. Ottawa, ON K1P 1A4 613-566-7053 / 613-566-2026 tactix.ca StrategyCorp Inc. 100 Queen St. Ottawa, ON K1P 1J9 National Public Relations 81 Metcalfe St., 2nd Floor Ottawa, ON K1P 6K7 613-233-1699 / 613-233-2431 national.ca The Rothwell Group 100-46 Elgin St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5K6 613-567-6775 therothwellgroup.ca Prospectus Associates 820-45 O’Connor St. Ottawa, ON K1P 1A4 613-569-3200 / 613-589-4055 prospectus.ca Impact Public Affairs 300-66 Queen St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5C6 613-233-8906 / 613-230-2669 impactcanada.com Gnowit* 100-80 Aberdeen St. Ottawa, ON K1S 5R5 613-828-6274 gnowit.com High Road 1200-45 O’Connor St. Ottawa, ON K1P 1A4 613-236-0909 / 613-238-9380 highroad.com Hill+Knowlton Strategies 1100-55 Metcalfe St. Ottawa, ON K1P 6L5 613-238-4371 hkstrategies.ca Temple Scott Associates Inc. 190 O’Connor St., 5th Floor Ottawa, ON K2P 2R3 613-241-6000 / 613-241-6001 tsa.ca MediaStyle 131 Bank St., 3rd Floor Ottawa, ON K1P 5N7 613-369-5006 mediastyle.ca Earnscliffe Strategy Group 200-46 Elgin St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5K6 613-563-4455 / 613-563-1768 earnscliffe.ca Fleishman Hillard* 1200-45 O’Connor St. Ottawa, ON K1P 1A4 613-238-2090 / 613-238-9380 fleishman.ca Flagship Solutions 70 George St., Third Floor Ottawa, ON K1N 5V9 613-562-1777 flagshipsolutions.ca CFN Consultants 1502-222 Queen St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5V9 613-232-1576 / 613-238-5519 cfnconsultants.com Bluesky Strategy Group Inc. 210 Dalhousie St. Ottawa, ON K1N 7C8 613-241-3512 / 613-241-4867 blueskystrategygroup.com Blueprint Public Relations* 302-236 Metcalfe St. Ottawa, ON K2P 1R3 613-237-7400 / 613-237-0123 blueprintpr.ca

No. of PR consultants/ registered lobbyists 53

No. of local employees

WND

LARGEST PR & GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FIRMS (RANKED BY NUMBER OF LOCAL PR CONSULTANTS/REGISTERED LOBBYISTS) Key local executive(s)

Year est. in Ottawa

Services offered

Major clients

Marc Desmarais vice-president

1998

Public affairs; government relations

WND

45

45

Randy Pettipas CEO Genevieve Young chief operating officer

1995

Strategic government relations and communications; advocacy; government and media monitoring

Shell; TOTAL; Chevron; FedEx; Gilead; Dow Agro Sciences; RioTinto Minerals; Labbatts; Alliance Pipeline; GSK; Abbott; Sanofi; Ferus; Pulse Canada; Xstrata; CN; Canadian Toy Association; Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

15

14

Tracey Hubley president

1997

Government relations; strategic communications; event planning; media training

WND

14

7

Howard Mains and Alan Young co-presidents

1996

Creates solutions to complex government relations threats and opportunities.

Accenture; American Chemistry Council; Canadian Public Works Association; Dow AgroSciences Canada; Dell Canada; Honda Canada; Pratt & Whitney Canada; Valero Energy; International Union of Painters and Allied Trades

13

5

Lisa Samson principal David MacNaughton chairman

2004

Government relations; public relations; strategic communications; business consulting

Avaya Canada Corp.; First Gulf Corp.; Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan; Insititute for Quantum Computing; Juniper Networks Canada; PotashCorp; Progressive Contractors Association; Quebecor Inc.; The Nature Conservancy of Canada

13

8

Chris Froggatt managing partner

1988

Full-service public relations and public affairs consultancy providing communications planning and counsel; media relations and training; government relations; issues and crisis management; event management.

WND

12

6

Leo Duguay Mark Resnick principals

2001

Public affairs; government relations; corporate strategy; communications

Greyhound Lines Inc.; Telus; Purdue Pharma; Dow Corning; Motorola Canada Ltd.; OmniTrax Canada; Duty Free Americas; Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group; Nissan Canada Inc.; Renault

10

14

Robert Evershed and William Pristanski principals

1993

Government relations; public relations

Lockheed Martin; Walmart Canada Inc.; Scotiabank; National Hockey League; Resolute Forest Products; Archer Daniels Midland; Sikorsky; CAE; Ratheon; Ericsson; Gildan; Apple; Porsche; Garda; Canadian Beverage Assoc.

9

9

Huw Williams president

1997

Government relations; public relations; strategic communications; event planning

Canadian Automobile Dealers Association; Insurance Brokers Association of Canada; Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science; Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health

8

11

Naeem Saloojee CEO

2011

WND

WND

8

17

Katherine Fletcher partner and senior vice-president of digital

1996

Integrated strategic marketing communications services in paid, earned and owned channels.

End-to-end solutions in public relations, digital and social media.

American Express; Boston Pizza; EMC; Facebook Canada; FedEx Canada; Huawei; Salesforce; Sobeys; Sun Life Financial; The Women’s College Hospital

8

61

Goldy Hyder president and CEO Jackie King senior vice-president and general manager

1993

Public relations; public engagement and research; government relations; procurement; mergers and acquisitions

WND

8

10

Don Moors principal

1987

Government relations, communications and event management firm with experience in lobbying, advocacy, media relations, corporate communications and event planning and execution.

Salesforce; MasterCard Canada; NAV Canada; Entertainment Software Association of Canada; TransUnion Canada; A&E Television Networks; Government of Yukon; Lakehead University; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

7

16

Ian Capstick founding partner and creative director

2009

Full-service agency specializing in communications audits, plans and strategy; media relations, graphic design, digital strategies, social media management, communications workshops and training, websites, message crafting and speech writing.

National Association of Friendship Centres; Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada; Canadian Building Trades Union; Egg Farmers of Canada; Canadian Federation of Nurses Union; Canadian Federation of Students

5

29

Michael Robinson president Velma McColl managing principal

1989

Consulting services: government relations; strategic communications; public policy analysis; opinion and market research

CIBC; Eli Lilly; General Motors; Hoffman La Roche; Microsoft; Nova Chemicals; RX&D; Shaw Communications; Spectra Energy; CUTA; Canadian Electricity Association

5

14

Nicolas Ruszkowski senior vice-president, senior partner and general manager, Ottawa

1986

Government relations; public affairs; strategic communications

Financial; natural resources

4

8

Serge Buy Chris Frantz senior partners

2004

Public and government relations; association management

National Association of Career Colleges; Canadian Ferry Operators Association; Agricultural Institute of Canada

3

15

George Macdonald managing senior partner

1983

2

10

Tim Barber and Susan Smith principals

2003

1

2

Heather Chew partner

2001

Government procurement, especially related to defence and security, including cyber security.

Strategic planning; federal government contract management; bid support; dispute resolution; industrial and technological benefits (offsets) Public affairs strategies; strategic communications; crisis communications and issues management; government relations and procurement support; media relations; media training; marketing; creative design; social media; special events; conference design and trade show support Strategic counsel; communications planning; media relations; issues management; crisis communications; project management

IBM; Lockheed Martin; Magellan Aerospace Corp.; Oracle; Raytheon Canada; Siemens Canada; Sierra Systems Group

Aerospace, defence and security; agriculture, energy, environment and clean tech; entertainment and culture; mining; First Nations; health care and pharma; industry associations, colleges and universities; government agencies Canadian Medical Association; Canadian Nurses Association; Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health; Canadian Partnership Against Cancer; Canadian Medical Protective Association; Canadian Medical Foundation; Kids Help Phone

WND = Would not disclose. *Did not respond to 2015 survey – using data from previous years.

Should your company be on this list? If so, please send details to research@obj.ca This list is current as of October 7, 2015. © 2015 by Ottawa Business Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced by any method in whole or in part without written permission by Ottawa Business Journal.

While every attempt is made to ensure the thoroughness and accuracy of the list, omissions and errors sometimes occur. Please send any corrections or additions by e-mail to research@obj.ca. OBJ lists are primarily compiled using information provided voluntarily by the organizations named. Some firms that may qualify for the list are not included because the company either failed to respond to requests for information by press time, because the company declined to take part in the survey or because of space constraints. Categories are drawn up in attempt to gather information of relevance to the Ottawa market.

Research by Patti Moran. Please send questions and comments to research@obj.ca.

FOR THE RECORD People on the move

its installation of an upgraded water main through a sensitive ecological area in Orleans. As well, Dale Craig, former CEO and chairman of J.L. Richards and Associates, was recognized with the Beaubien award for exceptional service to ACEC and the consulting engineering industry.

Decathlon Commercial Realty Corp. announced that Geoff Godding and Bill Campbell have joined its commercial real estate team to lease and sell industrial, office and retail buildings, as well as for investment sales. Each has more than 30 years of experience in the commercial real estate business.

Karine Devost has joined Mann Lawyers and will be practising primarily personal injury law. Ms. Devost practised previously with Langevin Morris Smith for about 14 years.

Hats off Cynthia Cruickshank, an associate professor in the faculty of engineering and design at Carleton University, has won the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.’s excellence in education award, which honours outstanding educational contributions to sustainable practices.

The award recognizes educators who have integrated sustainable concepts in housing and community development into the academic curriculum.

The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Canada presented its 2015 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards recently, which included an award of excellence in water resources for Stantec Consulting for

Boone Plumbing and Heating Supply has been named one of the best small and medium employers in Canada for 2016 by Aon Hewitt. The award is based on an analysis of the results of employee, leader and human resource practices surveys submitted by each participating organization.

Lead To Win, a Carleton-led ecosystem, has been named one of the top 10 university business incubators in North America by UBI Global. UBI Global is an international benchmarking organization based in Stockholm that hosts recognition events for top-performing business incubators in different regions of the world.

Contracts The following contains information about recent contracts, standing offers and supply arrangements awarded to local firms.

Gartner Canada Co. 1545 Carling Ave. Description: NMSO IT research subscriptions Buyer: PWGSC $15,000,000 S.i. Systems Ltd. 170 Laurier Ave. W. Description: IT professional services Buyer: RCMP $7,350,396 S.i. Systems Ltd. 170 Laurier Ave. W. Description: IT professional services Buyer: RCMP $6,411,210 S.i. Systems Ltd. 170 Laurier Ave. W. Description: IT professional services Buyer: RCMP $5,598,687

Mindwire Systems Ltd. 1545 Carling Ave. Description: Professional services, tier 2 Buyer: DND $4,767,696 Mindwire Systems Ltd. 1545 Carling Ave. Description: Professional services, tier 2 Buyer: DND $4,374,862 CGI Information Systems and Management Consultants Inc. 1410 Blair Pl. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: PWGSC $4,011,707 MHPM Project Managers Inc. and Tiree Facility Solutions Inc. in joint venture 2720 Iris St. Description: Real property project management services Buyer: PWGSC $3,901,101 Evripos Janitorial Services 412 MacLaren St.

Description: Janitorial service CFB North Bay Buyer: DND $2,929,303 ADGA Group Consultants Inc. 110 Argyle Ave. Description: TSPS support for DMEPM Buyer: DND $1,561,820 Emcon Emanation Control Ltd. 360 Terry Fox Dr. Description: ADP input-output and storage devices Buyer: DND $1,039,800 Valcom Consulting Group Inc. 85 Albert St. Description: Technical engineering and maintenance Buyer: DND $833,573 Emcon Emanation Control Ltd. 360 Terry Fox Dr. Description: Automatic data processing equipment, system configuration Buyer: DND $656,700

Claridge Homes founder Bill Malhotra, Kichesippi Beer Co. co-owner Paul Meek, University of Ottawa president Allan Rock and Ernst & Young’s Ottawa managing partner Gary Zed are among the 15 people who are being inducted into the Order of Ottawa this year. The Order of Ottawa recognizes exceptional residents who have made a significant contribution in a professional capacity in many areas of city life.

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