As elections bring unique challenges and dynamics to public service, this free virtual event will bring together key thought leaders and experts to explore the intricacies of public sector roles, responsibilities, and best practices during an election period. The panel will address the ethical and operational considerations public servants face and provide insights into maintaining impartiality and professionalism while serving a democratic process, at all levels of government.

Panellists:

• Laura Lee Langley, President of Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

• Tracey Barbrick, Deputy Minister for Nova Scotia Advanced Education and Education and Early Childhood Development

• Denise Schofield, Vice-President of Corporate Services, Events East and former Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for HRM

Moderator:

Robert Armstrong, A/Regional Director, Public Services and Procurement Canada

This event will provide valuable perspectives for public sector employees, policymakers, and those engaged in or interested in the intersection of public service and electoral politics.

Update: SOLD OUT

IPAC Nova Scotia cordially invites you to a special Robbie Burns Day scotch whisky tasting at NSLC The Port. This exclusive event will build on the history of Speakers’ Scotch with a focus on Royal Family connections, touching on different “finishes”… and toast to the Scottish Poet Robbie Burns. We are pleased to welcome back guest speakers Matt Campbell from Deloitte as well as Neil Ferguson, Parliamentary Counsel to the PEI Legislative Assembly, and special guests.

Whether you’re new to spirits or a connoisseur, this event is for you. Seating is limited so registration is required while tickets are still available. This event has sold out quickly for the past two years so registration will go quickly (think Taylor Swift).

Date: Friday, January 24, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm (note start time for this additional seating)
Location: NSLC The Port, 5485 Clyde St, Halifax
Capacity: 24 attendees - Please note this begins at 7:00 pm and will run between 60 and 75 minutes.

IPAC Nova Scotia cordially invites you to a special Robbie Burns Day scotch whisky tasting at NSLC The Port. This exclusive event will build on the history of Speakers’ Scotch with a focus on Royal Family connections, touching on different “finishes”… and toast to the Scottish Poet Robbie Burns. We are pleased to welcome back guest speakers Matt Campbell from Deloitte as well as Neil Ferguson, Parliamentary Counsel to the PEI Legislative Assembly, and special guests.

Whether you’re new to spirits or a connoisseur, this event is for you. Seating is limited so registration is required while tickets are still available. This event has sold out quickly for the past two years so registration will go quickly (think Taylor Swift).

Date: Friday, January 24, 2025
Time: 5:00 to 6:30 pm
Location: NSLC The Port, 5485 Clyde St, Halifax
Capacity: 24 attendees (please refer to eventbrite to see whether event has sold out).

IPAC NS will be hosting a trivia night on June 26th at 5:30, with a start time of 6:00PM at Duke's Public House, 2057 Gottingen St., Halifax.

Grab some of your friends and/or colleagues, and come test your trivia skills! No one to come with you? No worries! Join us and we'll get you set up on a team. Register for a ticket to confirm your attendance.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the IPAC NS Socials Chair, Sean Williams at sean.williams@veterans.gc.ca

Registration can be done via the following link: IPAC NS Trivia Night Tickets, Wed, Jun 26, 2024 at 5:30 PM | Eventbrite

IPAC Nova Scotia cordially invites you to a special Robbie Burns Day scotch whisky tasting at NSLC The Port. This exclusive event will explore the history of Speakers’ Scotch – and we will taste of number of scotches selected by Parliaments in years past… and toast to the Scottish Poet Robbie Burns. There will be a number of guest speakers including Deloitte's Matt Campbell and Neil Ferguson, Parliamentary Counsel to the PEI Legislative Assembly .

Whether you’re new to spirits or a connoisseur, this event is for you. Seating is limited so registration is required while tickets are still available.

Date: Thursday, January 25, 2024
Time: 5:00 to 7:00 pm
Location: NSLC The Port, 5485 Clyde St, Halifax
Capacity: 30 attendees
Admission:

• $15 IPAC members in good standing - On sale now for IPAC members (early access)

• $40 General Admission for public servants (Non-IPAC members) (on sale starting December 12)

• $75 General admission (Non-public servants, Non-IPAC members) (on sale starting December 19)

In Stephen McNeil: Principle and Politics, award-winning journalist and author Dan Leger argues that McNeil’s name should be there when we talk about premiers of consequence. Dan’s latest book tells the untold inside story of McNeil’s eventful career in politics. Through exclusive interviews with political insiders and with McNeil himself, Leger reveals that, like him or not, Stephen McNeil has had a lasting impact on the lives of Nova Scotians. Join us on July 12, 2023 as we meet the author in conversation with Lori Turnbull.

Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Time: Moderated Book Discussion and Book Signing, 5:00-6:30pm Atlantic Time
Location: Halifax Central Library - BMO Community Room, 5440 Spring Garden Road, Halifax, NS B3J 1E9
Format: Book signing, Social, and Moderated Discussion
Admission: Free (registration required)
Speakers:
Lori Turnbull (moderator)
Dan Leger (author)

Dan Leger is one of Canada’s most versatile journalists. After twelve years reporting for the Canadian Press in Halifax, St. John’s, and on Parliament Hill, he moved to the CBC as a producer and executive producer. In 2005, he joined the Halifax Chronicle Herald as managing editor and columnist. He is a Gemini Award winner and holds two Atlantic Journalism Awards for Commentary. Dan regularly appears on TV and radio. He lives in Halifax.

Generative AI (Gen AI) has taken the business world by storm, rewriting the rules of efficiency, innovation and customer satisfaction. As organizations embrace Gen AI, they need to be aware of the associated risks. We'll dive into the considerations organizations need to make as they navigate the legal landscape, privacy concerns and the profound implications for people. Join us on June 27 at the Health Innovation Hub (13th Floor Nova Centre - Halifax) for in-person thought-provoking discussions and engaging use case demonstrations, all designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to use AI for the betterment of public services. 

Event sponsor

GoverNEXT and IPAC NS have teamed up to host a Trivia night at Garrison Brewery on the Halifax Waterfront. There will be four fun-filled rounds of trivia, while members enjoy Garrison beverages and friendly competition. There will be many prizes to be won, so grab a few colleagues after work, and walk on down for this in-person event you won’t want to miss.

What: Trivia Night with IPAC Nova Scotia & GoverNEXT

Where: Garrison Brewery, 1149 Marginal Road, Halifax, NS B3J 3Y3

When: Thursday May 25th, 2023 from 6:00PM to 7:30PM

Please RSVP by registering through this Eventbrite link so that we can have an idea of numbers. Should you have any questions, please reach out to IPAC NS Vice Chair Emma Miller at emma.miller@davispier.ca

Hope to see you there!

Join us on Thursday, March 30th, for a special presentation for what CMHC data tells us about the Nova Scotia rental market, the expected impacts on affordability, and federal, provincial, and municipal policy implications. This event will feature CMHC Senior Analyst, Kelvin Ndoro.

Kelvin Ndoro is a Senior Analyst, Economics with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). He is part of a team of housing economists and researchers who strive to improve their understanding of housing market dynamics and how they impact affordability. He provides economic insights to better understand, solve and strengthen current and future challenges in the housing system. He also actively contributes to housing related discussions through public speaking and media engagements. This work is all in support of CMHC`s aspiration of Housing Affordability for all by 2030. Prior to joining CMHC, he worked with the Nova Scotia government in different roles. The last role being as a Senior Economist with the Department of Labour and Advanced Education

IPAC Nova Scotia cordially invites you to a special Robbie Burns Day scotch and whisky tasting at NSLC The Port. This exclusive event will explore the history of Speakers’ Scotch – and we will taste of number of scotches selected by Parliaments in years past… and toast to the Scottish Poet. There will be a number of special guests, including former House of Commons speaker Geoff Regan.

Whether you’re new to spirits or a connoisseur, this event is for you. Seating is limited so registration is required while tickets are still available.

Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Time: 5:00 to 7:00 pm
Location: NSLC The Port, 5485 Clyde St, Halifax
Capacity: 36 attendees
Admission:

• $15 IPAC members in good standing

• $165 Non-members (includes a one-year IPAC membership)

• $40 Non-members (just pour me the scotch)

Join IPAC Canada for a free, one-day virtual event connecting New Professionals across Canada. This event will allow you to network with speakers and other new professionals to exchange ideas and contact information to help grow your network. The event program combines informative panel discussions on career advice with stimulating reflections on mentoring and how to brand yourself as a unique professional. You’ll also hear from a notable “40 under 40” winner. 

Date: Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Time: 11:15am-5:00pm ET

Visit the IPAC Canada website for more information.

Join us on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, for a fireside chat with some of Nova Scotia's newest Councillors - Councillor Williams McCormick (Town of Digby), Warden Amanda Mombourquette (Richmond County), Councillor Walter Tingley (East Hants) and Councillor Paula Huntley (Kentville). With moderator Jeff Bishop, Executive Director for the Association of Municipal Administrators, we’ll get an inside look into the first half of their first terms in office.

YouTube link can be found here: A Mid-Term Check-in with some of Nova Scotia’s First Time Councilors - YouTube

Join us on Weds, May 25, 2022, for a special presentation on climate projections for the province, what the data is telling us, and the expected impacts on our regions and industries. This event will feature a special presentation by Alex Cadel.

Alex holds a Master of Climate Change degree (University of Waterloo) and B.Sc. in Environmental Sciences (University of Guelph). He brings experience in downscaling and analyzing localized climate change projections, adaptation planning in the forestry sector, and managing climate change projects with the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq. Alex’s current work involves supporting Nova Scotians in accessing, understanding, and applying climate change data to adaptation decision-making.

Join us on Tues, May 17, 2022, for a fireside chat with Laurel Broten and Leanne Hachey, and a behind the scenes look at the Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness. We’ll explore the Office’s origins, the impact it’s had since its creation in 2015, what has been learned about regulation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and what the future of regulation might look like in Nova Scotia.

Laurel Broten is the CEO of Nova Scotia Business Inc. She is a former lawyer, Cabinet Minister, and the author of the 2014 Charting a Path for Growth report, which first recommended the creation of a central unit to work across government to drive regulatory modernization in Nova Scotia.

Leanne Hachey is the Executive Director of Regulatory Reform and Partnerships at the Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness. She has held a number of senior roles in government and in business, including Vice-President, Atlantic, of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

GoverNEXT and IPAC NS have teamed up to host a Trivia night at Garrison Brewery on the Halifax Waterfront. Pizza and garlic fingers from Tomavinos will be available, drinks for purchase, and prizes to be won! Grab a few colleagues and walk down to the waterfront to join us for a night of fun.

What: Trivia Night with IPAC Nova Scotia & GoverNEXT

Where: Garrison Brewery, 1149 Marginal Road, Halifax, NS B3J 3Y3

When: Tuesday March 29th, 2022 from 7:00PM to 8:30PM

Please RSVP by registering through this Eventbrite link so that we can have an idea of numbers.

Hope to see you there!

Peek 'behind the curtain' into the past of Nova Scotian politics as IPAC hosts a special fireside chat with Graham Steele, author of the new book Nova Politics: 1945-2020, From Macdonald to McNeil.

Date: March 9, 2022 at 4:30 pm Atlantic Time (5:00 NT; 3:30 ET, 2:30 CT; 1:30 MT; 12:30 PT)
Location: Virtual event - Registration required.
Format: 45-minute fireside discussion, followed by 15 minutes of audience Q&A.
Admission: Free (registration required).

Graham Steele was a member of the Nova Scotia legislature from 2001 to 2013. He was the minister of finance and minister of Acadian affairs (2009-2012) and minister of economic and rural development and tourism (2013) in the Dexter government. He is the author of the Globe and Mail bestselling memoir What I Learned About Politics, nominated for the 2015 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing and the 2015 Evelyn Richardson Award for Nonfiction. Graham was appointed Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut in November 2020.

Join us on December 1, 2021 for special virtual panel discussion on Health Care in Nova Scotia. We’re calling it “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” In this event, we have invited back crowd favourites from our ‘Future of Health Care’ speaker series in 2019 and 2020 to take stock at just what has changed in Nova Scotia’s health system with the election of the PC Party of Nova Scotia, the impact of recent leadership changes, and what challenges remain.

Topic: Health Care in Nova Scotia | Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue
Speakers

• Mary Jane Hampton, Health care consultant & CBC’s Information Morning health care columnist

• Dr. Peter Vaughan, Board Chair, Canada Health Infoway; former Deputy Minister, Department Health & Wellness; and former CEO of the South Shore Regional Health Authority

• Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed, Public Health Physician; Assistant Dean, Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine; and, Board Chair, Engage Nova Scotia

• Dr. Ashley Miller, Chief Medical Information Officer, NSH/IWK

Date: December 1, 2021 at 4:30 pm
Location: Virtual event - please register for details.
Admission: Free. Registration required. Note: If you aren't already a member of IPAC, you can become one here.

Peek ‘behind the curtain’ for an insider look at the centre of Canadian government as IPAC hosts a special fireside chat with Michael Wernick, 23rd Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to Cabinet, and author of the new book Governing Canada: A guide to the tradecraft of politics.

Date: November 24, 2021 at 4:30 pm Atlantic Time (5:00 NT; 3:30 ET, 2:30 CT; 1:30 MT; 12:30 PT)
Location: Virtual event - Registration required.
Moderator: Matt Campbell, Manager, Public Service Transformation, Deloitte; Second Vice-President, Institute of Public Administration of Canada
Format: 45-minute fireside discussion, followed by 15 minutes of audience Q&A.
Admission: Free (registration required).
Special offer: Individuals who register for this event will receive a special 30% discount on Michael’s new book Governing Canada, available here: https://www.ubcpress.ca/governing-canada (use Discount Code GOVERN30 - valid until November 30th)

What people are saying about the book:

• “The lore [Michael has] accumulated…is a valuable contribution to Canadians’ understanding of how they’re governed…[Governing Canada] is nearly devoid of juicy insider gossip—never Wernick’s style—but full of pithy advice to political leaders in general.” —Paul Wells, MacLean's Magazine

• “This is a must-read book for anyone who wants to understand how government works.” —David Herle, The Herle Burly Podcast

• “Wernick…does not tell war stories, nor betray confidences, nor attempt to settle old scores. Instead, he offers all of us a front row seat to politics and policy making and he performs an important public service in drafting what is essentially an owner’s manual to official Ottawa. It’s a good, digestible read, which I highly recommend to Ottawa insiders and armchair observers alike.” —Paul Deegan, Policy Magazine

• “Insider accounts about Canadian government are so rare that what goes on in the halls of power can be opaque and confusing. Governing Canada is filled with interesting anecdotes and insights about how government operates.” —Alex Marland, author of Whipped: Party Discipline in Canada

• This is as inside government as you can get…the writing is clear, concise, and doesn’t rely on confusing jargon Peter Mazereeuw, The Hill Times

On Wednesday, October 27, 2021, the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia will present Dr. Robert Strang with the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration at Government House. 

This honour is awarded annually to a public sector practitioner whose contributions to public administration exhibit the highest standard of excellence, dedication and accomplishment.

While seating is limited at Government House due to COVID-19 protocols, we've reserved two tickets for IPAC members in good standing. If you'd like to be entered into a draw for these tickets to attend the ceremony in person, please let us by expressing your interest using the link below.

For more information about the award, please visit: https://www.ipacnovascotia.ca/lg-awards

IPAC Nova Scotia will hold its 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on July 21, 2021 on Zoom at 4:00 PM Atlantic Time. The AGM is an annual meeting of the members of IPAC in Nova Scotia to review the past year and to elect board members for the coming year.

Members in attendance of the AGM will elect new board directors at the meeting. Those members interested in standing for election submitted their names and a brief bio to novascotia@ipac.ca by July 14, 2021 at 5:00pm. The list of available positions include: Chair, Communications Chair, Marketing Chair, Programs Co-Chair, and Municipal Member-at-large. Additional information about IPAC Nova Scotia can be found on our web site at ipacnovascotia.ca.

Dial-in coordinates

A dial-in link will be provided to all members in good standing via email. If you are a member in good standing and have not received dial-in coordinates, please email novascotia@ipac.ca.

Guest speaker

Special Guest Speaker

Laura Lee Langley

We're pleased to announce our special AGM guest speaker will be Laura Lee Langley, Clerk of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia. She'll share her reflections on mobilizing the Nova Scotia public service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in discussion with Deloitte's Greg MacQuarrie.

Laura Lee Langley is Deputy Minister of the Office of the Nova Scotia Premier, Deputy Minister of Treasury Board, Clerk of the Executive Council, Head of Public Service, Chief Executive Officer of Communications, and Deputy Minister of the Office of Citizen-Centered Approaches.

After more than a decade as a journalist, she began her public service career in the 1990s in strategic communications and public affairs. She has a Master of Public Administration from Dalhousie University and a Master of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University.

Ms. Langley has served on numerous boards and been recognized by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission as a Champion of the Workplace and as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women (2018). She is a passionate leader of initiatives that encourage innovation, inclusion, and pride in the public service.

EVENT POSTPONED | Join us on Weds, May 12, 2021 for a special discussion with Angela Poirier and Jane Allt, authors of the new book ‘How Government Really Works — A Field Guide to Bureaucracies in Canada’.

Topic: How Government Really Works — A Field Guide to Bureaucracies in Canada
Speakers: Jane Allt and Angela Poirier
Moderator: Geoff Wilson, Director, Public Engagement & Community Health Board Support at Nova Scotia Health Authority
Date: Weds, May 12, 2021 at 4:30 pm AT
Location: Virtual event
Registration: Free. Note: If you aren't already a member of IPAC, you can become one here.

Jane Allt and Angela Poirier are former career civil servants with more than 60 years of service combined who have worked in many different government departments including HR, justice, finance, transportation and culture. They are excited about building camaraderie and offering guidance to people dedicated to serving the public good. Jane Allt lives in Halifax and Angela Poirier lives in Shad Bay, Nova Scotia.

One year into the pandemic it’s clear that working-from-home will continue to play a role in the public service for the foreseeable future. While much of the current discourse has centred around logistics and policies, the past 12 months have raised a number of pressing questions about how we work together in a virtual environment.

What will be the lasting impact of widespread remote work? How will we establish and maintain the interpersonal relationships from our basements and spare rooms? Will working remotely impact career progression as colleagues begin to return to the office? What about coaching and performance management? How will we replace the office ‘water cooler’?

Join us on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 for a special discussion on these topics and more.

Speakers:

• Darlene de Gravina, Assistant Deputy Minister of HR, Employment and Social Development Canada

• Christine McDowell, ADM for Atlantic Region, Employment and Social Development Canada

• Dr. Phil Clampitt, Hendrickson Professor of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and an expert in the field of virtual communication at work.

• Matthew Kobylar, Senior Associate and Design Director at global consulting, interior design and architecture firm, Gensler. Gensler specializes in understanding how the built environment can help people to live better lives through the power of design.

Moderators:

• Dr. Sara Filbee, former Assistant Deputy Minister for the Atlantic Region, ESDC and currently Public Servant in Residence at Dalhousie University’s School of Public Administration

• Dr. James Barker, Lamb Chair of Business Education at Dalhousie’s Rowe School of Business and Founding Fellow, MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance also at Dalhousie

Location: This is a virtual event and will be held on YouTube.
Registration: Free. Note: If you aren't already a member of IPAC, you can become one here.

This 90-minute virtual session will explore the new normal challenge from the perspective of the large and institutionally very diverse Federal Government department, Employment and Social Development Canada / Service Canada (ESDC). Dr. Sara Filbee, former Assistant Deputy Minister for the Atlantic Region, ESDC and currently Public Servant in Residence at Dalhousie University’s School of Public Administration and Dr. James Barker, Lamb Chair of Business Education at Dalhousie’s Rowe School of Business and Founding Fellow, MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance also at Dalhousie will set the context for the session. They will then moderate the conversation with the panelists, focusing on the practical experience of what has worked and what hasn’t and what have been the consequences of this major shift in how ‘we’ work together. The panel will also explore how they see these issues developing and the session will wrap up with a consideration of how employers and leaders can go forward in this area.

Join us on Weds, Feb 3, 2021 for special virtual fireside chat with Dr. Brendan Carr, CEO of Nova Scotia Health, covering reflections on his first year as CEO.

Topic: Fireside chat with Dr. Brendan Carr | Reflections on my first year as CEO
Date: Weds, Feb 3, 2021 at 4:30 pm
Location: Virtual event - please register for details.
Moderator: Paula Gallagher, Atlantic Public Sector Leader, Deloitte
Admission: Free. Note: If you aren't already a member of IPAC, you can become one here.

Event sponsor

Professor Donald Savoie is Canada’s pre-eminent expert on Canadian institutions and public administration. His newest book Democracy in Canada: The Disintegration of our Institutions is a deep analysis about the health of Canada’s democracy. CSPG will host an “In Conversation with Donald Savoie” to talk about this book, his remarkable career, and his prognosis for Canada’s institutions as we move forward in an uncertain world. This event is hosted by the Canadian Study of Parliament Group.

What has the COVID-19 pandemic revealed about our health care system? What has been the experience of widespread adoption of virtual care? What else have we learned?

Join us on Thursday, December 3, 2020 for special virtual panel discussion on Health Care in Nova Scotia | What the pandemic has taught us. In this event, we have invited back our speakers from our ‘Future of Health Care’ discussion exactly one year later to take stock at just what has changed in the health system in 2020 and what lessons we have learned.

Topic: Health Care in Nova Scotia | What the pandemic has taught us
Speakers

• Mary Jane Hampton, Health care consultant & CBC’s Information Morning health care columnist

• Dr. Peter Vaughan, Board Chair, Canada Health Infoway; former Deputy Minister, Department Health & Wellness; and former CEO of the South Shore Regional Health Authority

• Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed, Public Health Physician; Assistant Dean, Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine; and, Board Chair, Engage Nova Scotia

• Paula Gallagher, Atlantic Public and Health Sector Industry Lead, Deloitte

Date: Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 4:30 pm
Location: Virtual event - please register for details.
Admission: Free. Note: If you aren't already a member of IPAC, you can become one here.

Event sponsor

IPAC Nova Scotia will hold its 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 on Zoom at 4:30 PM Atlantic Time. The AGM is an annual meeting of the members of IPAC in Nova Scotia to review the past year and to elect board members for the coming year.

Members in attendance of the AGM will elect new board directors at the meeting. Those members interested in standing for election submitted their names and a brief bio to novascotia@ipac.ca before August 20, 2020. The list of available positions include: Vice-chair, Secretary, Program Co-Chair, and Membership Chair.

Dial-in coordinates

A dial-in link will be provided to all members in good standing via email. If you are a member in good standing and have not received dial-in coordinates, please email novascotia@ipac.ca.