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GC Data Conference 2023: Agenda

February 22-23, 2023 | Virtual

Agenda

Day 1 - February 22, 2023
Day 1 - February 22, 2023
Time Stream Event Description
9:30 to 10:30 am Networking
10:30 to 11:00 am Plenary

Day 1 – Conference opening

Masters of ceremonies:

  • Phil Gratton, Associate Faculty, Digital Academy, Canada School of Public Service
  • Kathleen Fraser, Director, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Opening remarks:

  • Francis Bilodeau, Associate Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
  • Taki Sarantakis, President, Canada School of Public Service
Keynote speakers and hosts will open the 2023 GC Data Conference.
11:00 am to 12:00 pm Plenary

Digital transformation in the public sector via private sector innovation and partnerships

Introduction/Moderator:

  • Anil Arora, Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada

Speaker:

  • Yoshua Bengio, Professor, Université de Montréal, and Founder and Scientific Director of Mila – Quebec AI Institute
Yoshua Bengio and Anil Arora will discuss trends and practical insights with strategies for enabling successful partnerships to innovate and improve the efficiency and responsiveness of public sector programs, operations, and services.
12:30 to 1:30 pm Stream 1: Innovating with data and methods from public and private

Transforming government service delivery through data and digital innovation

Speakers:

  • Jessie Adcock, CEO, Canadian Digital Service
  • Andrea Johnston, Assistant Deputy Minister, Innovation Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development
  • Paul Thompson, Deputy Minister, Public Services and Procurement Canada

Moderator:

  • Jason Choueiri, Chief Digital Officer and Senior ADM, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Panelists will discuss how government is using data-driven decision making, digital enablement, and partnerships with the private sector to improve service delivery to citizens.
12:30 to 1:30 pm Stream 2: Data sovereignty, ethics, and privacy

Self-determination and Indigenous innovation and research

Speakers:

Moderator:

  • Erin O'Sullivan, Director, Indigenous Services Canada
This session will explore real-life examples of Indigenous data sovereignty in action, to demonstrate how Indigenous communities and organizations have been able to leverage the power of data to improve the lives of their people.
12:30 to 1:30 pm Stream 3: Data to strengthen collective action

AI as a tool in the fight against climate change

Speakers:

  • Élise Legendre, Chief Data Officer, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  • Éliane Ubalijoro, Executive Director of Sustainability in the Digital Age and Global Hub Director, Future Earth

Moderator:

Panelists will delve into the use of data and artificial intelligence (AI) as innovative tools in the fight against climate change while highlighting success stories and specific use cases.
1:50 to 2:50 pm Stream 1: Innovating with data and methods from public and private

Innovating with data to improve public health responses to crises

Speakers:

  • Kimberlyn McGrail, Head of Health Data Research Network
  • Jocelyne Voisin, Assistant Deputy Minister, Health Canada
  • Johanu Botha, Assistant Deputy Minister Emergency Management & Lead in the Manitoba's Vaccine Implementation Task Force, Government of Manitoba

Moderator:

The global pandemic has demonstrated the importance of using data modelling and advanced analytics to predict outbreaks, measure virus trajectory, and procure and rollout vaccines. Panelists will share how data and key partnerships supported Canada's pandemic response and public health action plan.
1:50 to 2:50 pm Stream 2: Data sovereignty, ethics, and privacy Fireside Chat

Balancing cybersecurity and improving service experience to users

Speaker:

Moderator:

The moderator and guest will discuss the opportunities and challenges of ensuring effective cybersecurity while improving service experience to users, with a focus on government-specific context and services.
1:50 to 2:50 pm Stream 3: Data to strengthen collective action

Improving climate change action and adopting greener technology

Speakers:

  • Dominic Parent, Chief Data Officer, Environment and Climate Change Canada
  • Darcy DeMarsico, Director General, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Vik Pant, Founder, Synthetic Intelligence Forum

Moderator:

  • T. Kendal Hembroff, Director General, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
There is an urgent need to adopt innovative data approaches that integrate both greener technology and nature to enhance the efficacy of climate change action. This session will explore how departments and agencies are using open-data, partnerships, and innovative practices to advance towards a net-zero Canada.
3:10 to 4:10 pm Plenary

Data strategy renewal for the federal public service

Speakers:

  • Stephen Burt, Chief Data Officer of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
  • Kara Beckles, Chief Data Officer, Privy Council Office
  • Eric Rancourt, Assistant Chief Statistician, Statistics Canada

Moderator:

  • Shaifa Kanji, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Digital Officer, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
The co-leads for the Government of Canada's renewed data strategy will highlight evolution and trends since 2018's Data Strategy Roadmap, and how the public service must continue to drive innovation to prepare for the future and keep up with the growing volume of data available.
4:10 to 4:30 pm Plenary

Day 1 – Closing remarks

Speaker:

  • Simon Kennedy, Deputy Minister Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Deputy Minister Kennedy will close the first day of the GC Data Conference by reflecting on key messages and lessons learned.
Day 2 - February 23, 2023
Day 2 - February 23, 2023
Time Stream Event Description
9:30 to 10:30 am Networking
10:30 to 11:00 am Plenary

Day 2 – Opening remarks

Masters of ceremonies:

  • Phil Gratton, Associate Faculty, Digital Academy, Canada School of Public Service
  • Kathleen Fraser, Director, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Speakers:

Keynote speakers and hosts will open the second day of the GC Data Conference by introducing the day's topics and sharing their perspectives and experiences with data and innovation.
11:00 am to 12:00 pm Plenary

Fireside chat with Amali de Alwis – Tackling climate change using data

Speaker:

Introduction/Moderator:

  • Paul Halucha, Associate Deputy Minister, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Amali de Alwis will share the approaches that Subak uses to evaluate and incubate organizations committed to tackling climate change with data. She will also share insights on the importance of data sharing and applications to solve climate challenges.
12:30 to 1:30 pm Stream 1: Innovating with data and methods from public and private

Public policy challenges posed by an increasingly digital society

Speakers:

Moderator:

The panel will discuss the challenges that public policy poses to an increasingly digital society and vice versa. Panelists will contemplate the impacts of technological advances such as artificial intelligence, robotic automation and the Internet of Things.
12:30 to 1:30 pm Special presentation

Data talent needs and opportunities

Speakers:

  • Kimberley Kargus, Director, Employment and Social Development Canada
  • Erica Vezeau, Director General Digital Academy, Canada School of Public Service
  • Tom Dufour, Director General, Statistics Canada

Moderator:

  • Neil Bouwer, Visiting Professor of Practice, McGill University
This session will feature a discussion on the future of the federal public service from a data talent and competencies perspective.
12:30 to 1:30 pm Stream 3: Data to strengthen collective action

Leveraging data to increase accessibility and advancement in services

Speakers:

Moderator:

  • Jodi Brouillard, Director General Registrar, Canada School of Public Service
Public and private sectors can leverage data to enhance the services they offer and to increase the accessibility of these services. Speakers will discuss how to combine client, program and industry data to improve services.
1:50 to 2:50 pm Stream 1: Innovating with data and methods from public and private

Using data to drive advanced analytics innovation

Speakers:

  • Sevgui Erman, Executive Director, National Research Council
  • Teresa D'Andrea, Director General, Service and Data Modernization, Transport Canada
  • Zia Mansoor, Vice President for Data and AI, Microsoft's Worldwide

Moderator:

Speakers will discuss how data is used to drive advanced analytics innovation, such as automation, machine learning, and deep learning.
1:50 to 2:50 pm Stream 2: Data sovereignty, ethics, and privacy Fireside Chat

Data: When to use it and when not to use it

Speakers:

  • Laura Gardner, Senior Corporate Counsel, Microsoft
  • Asif Makhani, Chief Technology Officer, Handshake
  • Mark Schaan, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Moderator:

  • Ima Okonny, Chief Data Officer, Employment and Social Development Canada
Speakers will discuss the ethics and considerations of using personal information for analytical purposes. Topics include handling social media data, health related data, and other sensitive or private data.
1:50 to 2:50 pm Stream 3: Data to strengthen collective action

Changes in risk management and contingency planning

Speakers:

  • Jeff Carr, A/Chief Data Officer, Canadian Border Services Agency
  • Marc Brouillard, Chief Digital Officer, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Tara Denham, Director General, Global Affairs Canada
  • Éric Laliberté, Associate Director General, Canadian Space Agency

Moderator:

Collecting data allows the government to enhance their response time and strategy in crisis situations. Contingency planning relies on historical data to predict future crises and be well prepared. Speakers on this panel will discuss the intersection of data and crises.
3:10 to 4:10 pm Plenary

Keynote address with Gerry McGovern – The environmental weight of data

Introduction/Moderator:

  • Francis Bilodeau, Associate Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Speaker:

Gerry McGovern will share key points from his latest book, World Wide Waste, which examines how digital (technology, data, the internet, etc.) is harming the planet and what we can do about it.
4:10 to 4:30 pm Plenary

Day 2 – Closing remarks

Speakers:

  • Shaifa Kanji, Assistant Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
  • Vanessa Vermette, Vice-President, Canada School of Public Service
The Conference's organizing partners will officially close the 2023 GC Data Conference and reflect on key messages and lessons learned.

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