welcome to the

In Partnership with the University of Ottawa Centre on Governance

A public policy forum dedicated to exploring
evolving ideas in public policy and public administration

Designed for Public Servants

The Administrators’ Colloquium is a discussion forum where books on public policy and guest experts and speakers have been selected to stimulate thought and generate dialogue to explore evolving ideas in public policy and public administration. Designed for public servants, and others interested in public policy issues, the Colloquium provides an excellent informal setting to discuss subjects of mutual interest with peers and experts. Some of the policy issues discussed by the Colloquium include:

defence procurement
health policy
immigration issues
voting behaviour
security and intelligence problems
Aboriginal and northern matters
international politics

Due to the pandemic, the programs for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons were held exclusively online. For the 2022-23 season we will return to face-to-face sessions at the University of Ottawa – Room 4004, Social Sciences Building (FSS) at 120 University Private. If University of Ottawa protocols and public health rules change, we will switch back to online sessions and will advise all registered participants accordingly.

Under the traditional Administrators’ Colloquium format, each in-person session begins at 6:00 p.m. with a reception. Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. The guest speaker is introduced at about 7:45 p.m., and by 8:00 p.m. the participants are engaged in an open, lively exchange. Evenings under the in-person format usually end by 9:15 p.m.”

To encourage open discussion, all sessions, whether in person or online, will continue to be conducted under the Chatham House rule: participants are free to use information from the discussion, but are not allowed to reveal who made any comment.

Registrants are encouraged to check this website occasionally for updates on the format, resources persons, and dates for featured books.

COVID 19 - University of Ottawa guidelines

The requirement to be fully vaccinated to be on campus has been suspended. We continue to strongly encourage you to get fully vaccinated and to get booster doses as soon as you become eligible, in order to protect yourself and the people around you.

Considering the continued improvement of the COVID-19 situation in Ontario and in Ottawa-Gatineau,the University of Ottawa has suspended masking requirements on campus effective June 1. As it is difficult to predict the evolution of the pandemic and the emergence of new variants, this decision could be reversed at any point in the future depending on public health directives or the recommendations of experts.

Recent News

Is the government picking the wrong place to start regulating algorithms?

In preparation for our October 26th evening we’ve here republished discussion leader Sara Bannerman’s article Is the government picking the wrong place to start regulating algorithms? Originally published on Policy Options May 31, 2021. Bill C-10 – the current proposed revision to Canada’s Broadcasting Act – proposes to regulate the discoverability of Canadian content (CanCon) online. Discoverability is a key feature of online platforms like Netflix, YouTube or Spotify. These services make it easy to

Robert Calderisi, author of Quebec in a Global Light, will be the Discussion leader for the May 25 meeting discussion

Robert Calderisi, author of Quebec in a Global Light, will be replacing Michael Behiels as Discussion Leader, Tuesday May 25, 2021. Here is a brief profile of Mr. Calderisi – An economist, writer, and Rhodes Scholar, Robert Calderisi studied at the Universities of Montreal, Oxford, Sussex and London. He worked at the Department of Finance and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in Ottawa, as well as at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Upcoming Events

march

febThe Legitimacy of the State2023 Administrative Law & Governance Colloquium

2023 Administrative Law & Governance Colloquium: “The Legitimacy of the State”

More Information + Registration

Event Details

To register for this year’s Administrative Law & Governance Colloquium: Eventbrite Registration

This year’s Administrative Law & Governance Colloquium is organized by Prof. Paul Daly, member of the board of the Centre on Governance and Chair in Administrative Law and Governance in the Faculty of Law.

The topic for the 2023 Administrative Law & Governance Colloquium will be “The Legitimacy of the State”:

The legitimacy of contemporary liberal democratic states is in a state of flux. Managing the effects of globalization, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and fighting escalating inflation have prompted serious questions about public administration in the Global North. These pressing issues have shone a spotlight on difficult areas for liberal democracies, which have struggled in recent decades to reconcile popular desires with the need for effective governance. In this year’s Administrative Law & Governance Colloquium, speakers will address challenges to legitimacy in liberal democratic states by focusing on a range of institutions: the executive branch, the civil service, administrative agencies, immigration enforcement and central banks. The overall goal is to outline contemporary legitimacy challenges and likely responses.

The Colloquium will run virtually on the following dates (Tuesdays, 11.30 to 12.50):

February 7, Professor Margit Cohn (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), on the executive
February 21, Professor Liz Fisher (University of Oxford) and Professor Sidney Shapiro (Wake Forest Law), on administrative agencies
March 14, Professor Joseph Heath (University of Toronto), on the civil service
March 21, Professor Robert Thomas (University of Manchester), on immigration
April 4, Professor Peter Conti-Brown (Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania), on central banks

To register for this year’s Administrative Law & Governance Colloquium: Eventbrite Registration

Time

Month Long Event (february)

15mar2:00 pm3:30 pmEntre cohésion et silosla gouvernance et la gestion du risque de la Stratégie nationale de construction navale

More Information + Registration

Event Details

FSS 5028 et sur Zoom

INSCRIPTION

Résumé :

Vaste programme lancé en 2010, la Stratégie nationale de construction navale vise à renouveler les flottes de la Marine royale canadienne et de la Garde côtière canadienne (près de 90 navires au total) tout en développant de façon durable l’industrie maritime du pays. Dotée d’une enveloppe de plus de 80 milliards de dollars et s’échelonnant sur plusieurs années, la Stratégie est l’une des initiatives les plus importantes de l’histoire du gouvernement fédéral en matière d’acquisition de biens (Bureau du vérificateur général du Canada, 2021). Malgré l’importance de ces projets d’acquisition pour la défense nationale, l’économie et l’administration publique canadienne, une revue préliminaire de la littérature semble démontrer que la Stratégie a fait l’objet de très peu d’études jusqu’à présent du point de vue de la gouvernance et de la gestion du risque. Cette étude vise donc à occuper cet espace de recherche présentement vacant en se penchant sur la structure de gouvernance de même que les méthodes et processus de gestion du risque au sein de ces projets d’envergure. De façon plus spécifique, cette étude souhaite offrir une meilleure compréhension des dynamiques et des relations entre les différentes parties prenantes en termes de gouvernance et de gestion du risque et comment ces arrangements organisationnels influencent le processus de prise de décision de ces projets.

Conférencier invité :

Olivier Choinière est professeur régulier en gestion de projet à l’Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) et chercheur affilié au Centre d’études en gouvernance de l’Université d’Ottawa. Il détient un doctorat en gestion publique de l’Université d’Ottawa ainsi qu’une maîtrise en administration publique de l’ÉNAP. Olivier possède expertise et expérience en gestion de projet, du changement et du risque ainsi qu’en gouvernance d’entreprise. Avant de joindre le milieu académique, Olivier a œuvré comme consultant pour le compte d’organisations publiques et privées au Canada et à l’international en plus d’avoir occupé un poste de cadre supérieur au sein du gouvernement fédéral.

Modérateur :

Eric Champagne, professeur à l’École d’études politiques et directeur du Centre d’études en gouvernance à l’Université d’Ottawa

Time

(Wednesday) 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

29mar9:00 am4:00 pmDeconstructing the Public Response to the ConvoyInterdisciplinary Perspectives on the Public Order Emergency Commission (Rouleau Commission) Report

april

febThe Legitimacy of the State2023 Administrative Law & Governance Colloquium

More Information + Registration

Event Details

To register for this year’s Administrative Law & Governance Colloquium: Eventbrite Registration

The topic for the 2023 Administrative Law & Governance Colloquium will be “The Legitimacy of the State”:

The Colloquium will run virtually on the following dates (Tuesdays, 11.30 to 12.50):

February 7, Professor Margit Cohn (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), on the executive
February 21, Professor Liz Fisher (University of Oxford) and Professor Sidney Shapiro (Wake Forest Law), on administrative agencies
March 14, Professor Joseph Heath (University of Toronto), on the civil service
March 21, Professor Robert Thomas (University of Manchester), on immigration
April 4, Professor Peter Conti-Brown (Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania), on central banks

To register for this year’s Administrative Law & Governance Colloquium: Eventbrite Registration

Time

Month Long Event (february)

2022 - 2023 Session

Indigenous Affairs/The North and Northerners

True Reconciliation: How to be a force for change

Discussion Leader:
Frances Abele
Distinguished Research Professor and Chancellor’s Professor Emerita, Carleton University

January 31, 2023

General Policy Analysis

The Next Age of Uncertainty – How the World Can Adapt to a Riskier Future

Discussion Leader:
Stephen Poloz
Author and former Governor of the Bank of Canada

February 28, 2023

Canadian Politics & Public Administration

Reflections on a Career in the Public Service with Michael Wernick

Discussion Leader:
Michael Wernick
Jarislowsky Chair in Public Sector Management, University of Ottawa

April 25, 2023

Economics/Business

Innovation in Real Places: Strategies for Prosperity in an Unforgiving World

Discussion Leader:
Taki Sarantakis
President, Canada School of Public Service

May 30, 2023

2021 - 2022 Session

IT/Media

REMOTE: Reset: Reclaiming the Internet for Civil Society

Discussion Leader:
Sara Bannerman
Canada Research Chair in Communication Policy and Governance, McMaster University

October 26, 2021

General Policy Analysis

REMOTE: Top Secret Canada: Understanding the Canadian Intelligence and National Security Community

Discussion Leader:
Wesley Wark
Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa

November 30, 2021

Economics/Business

Who Pays for Canada? Taxes and Fairness

Discussion Leader:
Ian Lee
Associate Professor, Sprott School of Business, Carleton University

February 22, 2022

Indigenous Affairs/The North and Northerners

Inalienable Properties: The Political Economy of Indigenous Land Reform

Discussion Leader:
André Le Dressay
Director of Fiscal Realities Economists and Director of the Tulo Centre of Indigenous Economics

March 29, 2022

Reflections on a Career in the Public Service

Reflections on a Career in the Public Service –

Discussion Leader:
Morris Rosenberg
Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

May 10, 2022

Canadian Politics & Public Administration

Keeping Canada Running: Infrastructure and the Future of Governance in a Pandemic World

Discussion Leader:
Shawn Menard
Councillor, Capital Ward, City of Ottawa

May 31, 2022