A Critical Conversation - Working through the Economic Crisis: The Future of Canada's Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector - January 30, 2009

• Biographies
• Welcome and Opening Remarks
• Panel #1 Context - What is the situation?
• Panel #2 Impact on the Sector
• Panel #3 Policy Responses and Strategies

As the economic crisis unfolds, the nonprofit and voluntary sector is facing an extraordinarily difficult time as both philanthropic and public funding have dropped dramatically while demands for services increase. The roots and nature of the financial crisis may also lead to major shifts of the Canadian public about sense of community responsibility and service.

A “Critical Conversation” discussing this key issue was held on January 30th 2009 at Carleton University bringing together leaders in the nonprofit/voluntary sector, business as well as policy makers to discuss the implications of the financial crises on the nonprofit/voluntary sector and potential strategies and policies to deal with it.

Figuring out how to respond effectively cannot be done by the public, private or nonprofit/voluntary sector alone: it will take a deeper understanding across sectors and undoubtedly coordinated and concurrent efforts. Our goal of this “Critical Conversation” was to bring together key players to discuss and strategize on this crucial issue.

This Critical Conversation was hosted by the School of Public Policy and Administration of Carleton University (led by the Centre for Voluntary Sector Research and Development) and in collaboration with the Wellesley Institute.

Biographies

• Biographies of Speakers: A Critical Conversation - Working through the Economic Crisis (PDF, 227 Kb)

Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Introduction and Welcome by Susan Phillips, Director, School of Public Policy and Administration and Dr. Katherine Graham, Dean of the Faculty of Public Affairs, Carleton University, (MP3, 5:03 minutes, 4.6 MB)

• Opening Remarks by Susan Phillips, Director, School of Public Policy and Administration, Carleton University, (MP3, 2:22 minutes, 2.1 MB)

• Opening remarks by Rick Blickstead, Chief Executive Officer, Wellesley Institute, (MP3, 5:29 minutes, 5.0 MB)

Panel #1 Context - What is the Situation?

• Sheila Niven, Bank of Canada, (MP3, 14:29 minutes, 13.2 MB), Presentation (PDF, 279 Kb)

• Paul Adams, School of Journalism and Communication, Carleton University, (MP3, 14:41 minutes, 13.4 MB)

• Hilary Pearson, Philanthropic Foundations Canada, (MP3, 20:21 minutes, 18.3 MB)

Panel #2 Impact on the Sector

• Marion Wright, Canadian Mental Health Association, Ottawa Branch, (MP3, 20:12 minutes, 18.4 MB)

• Michelle Baldwin, Pillar Nonprofit Network, (MP3, 11:05 minutes, 10.1 MB)
  Responding to the economics situation and its impact on the nonprofit sector in London and area? (PDF, 289 Kb)
  A Community Conversation Report of Roundtable Discussion - December 12, 2008 (PDF, 137 Kb)

• Blair Dimock, The Ontario Trillium Foundation, (MP3, 15:32 minutes, 14.2 MB)

Panel #3 Policy Responses and Strategies

• Michael Sinkus, Marts and Lundy, Inc., (MP3, 16:53 minutes, 15.4 MB)

• Jack Jamieson, T.E. Wealth, (MP3, 17:29 minutes, 16.0 MB), Presentation (PDF, 176 Kb and PDF, 52Kb)

• Lynne Eakin, Ontario Nonprofit Network, (MP3, 7:34 minutes, 6.9 MB), An Economic Stimulus Package for All (PDF, 121 Kb)