2025 IM Conference Digital Program

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Imagine Marine Conference Program

Day 1: Tuesday, October 7th

7:45 AM

Conference Registration & Breakfast

SPONSORED BY THE ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

8:30 AM

Opening Remarks & Indigenous Welcome

Julia Fields - Executive Director, Canadian Marine Careers Foundation
Vince Kicknosway - Walpole Island First Nation

9:00 AM - 9:20 AM

Keynote Address

Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, CMM, MSM, CD

Vice-Admiral (VAdm) Angus Topshee is the 38th Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). His diverse academic background includes military and civilian institutions on three continents. The highlight of his time at sea was his far too brief command of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Algonquin in 2009-2010 and, a close second, his three years in command of Canada’s Pacific Fleet. His shore postings include two tours in the Navy’s Strategy three years in command of Canadian Forces Base Halifax, and two years as the Deputy Director, Strategy, Policy, and Plans at NORAD and United States Northern Command Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 as the director of Afghan National Police Training within the NATO Training Mission Afghanistan. Over the course of his career, he has been involved with the Arctic at every one of his shore postings (except Afghanistan). Before taking command of the RCN in May 2022, VAdm Topshee had the honour and pleasure to command Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific, in Esquimalt, British Columbia.

9:20 AM - 9:30 AM

Next Generation Point of View

Amie Renaud - Marine Response Professional formerly with WCMRC

SPONSORED BY WCMRC

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Leadership Panel: Workforce Innovators

Moderator: Stéphanie Aubourg - Chief Human Resources Officer, CSL Group
Magda Figueredo Diaz - Human Resources Manager, SAAM Towage
Erick Bergeron - Vice President Human Resources, Desgagnés
Jim Athanasiou - President and CEO, The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation

This session features industry leaders who have advanced career progression and employee development in the marine sector in Canada. Finding a skills or experience gap in their region or area of business, these organizations have built internal strategies and programs for talent development. They share the challenges and outcomes of the programs and what is needed at a sector level to augment internal workforce development strategies.

SPONSORED BY ALGOMA CENTRAL CORPORATION

10:30 – 11:00 AM

Coffee Break/Networking

SPONSORED BY KOTUG CANADA & HORIZON MARITIME

11:00 AM – 12:15 PM - Room 214

Breakout A: Engaging the Next Generation of Workers

Moderator: Christy Griffin - Executive Director, Tallships Canada
Melanie Leblanc - Director, Institut Maritime du Québec
Tara Mascarenhas - Director of Programs, Students on Ice (SOI) Foundation
Rodala Aranya - Blue Futures Pathways, Students on Ice (SOI) Foundation
Captain Lee Jackson - Chairman and Co-Founder of OpenWaters Louisiana

As the marine sector faces critical labour shortages and an aging workforce, the need to attract, prepare, and retain the next generation has never been more urgent. This session will explore innovative programs, outreach strategies, and workforce development tools that are successfully connecting young people with marine careers. From immersive education initiatives and digital engagement platforms to partnerships with schools, Indigenous communities, and youth organizations, participants will gain practical insights into what works—and why. Join industry leaders, educators, and workforce strategists as they share best practices and discuss scalable solutions to ensure the future vitality of Canada’s marine sector.

11:00 AM – 12:15 PM - Room 210

Breakout B: Waves of Change: Advancing Inclusivity in the Marine Sector

Moderator & Presenter: Kamila Calko - Founder & Owner, Sealight
Jean Luc Plante - Director, Talent Management, CSL Group
Ndéla Ndiaye - Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition, Diversity and Inclusion, CSL Group
Karen Gillam - Founder & CEO, Workforce Warriors

The Canadian marine sector's future hinges on not just attracting but also retaining and advancing diverse talent. This session will provide attendees actionable steps to improve workforce inclusivity, with each speaker coming from a distinct perspective:

• Workforce: Empowering the current workforce to create an inclusive culture through personal agency, fostering belonging and activating allyship.

• Employer: Concrete actions taken by an employer to foster an equitable culture – what worked, challenges and outcomes.

• Employee: Pathways to amplify the leadership and lived experiences of Indigenous women and Two-Spirited people, along with practical frameworks for building equitable recruitment, training, and governance.

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM

Buffet Lunch

1:15 PM – 2:45 PM

Level-Up: Strategies to Address Workplace Conflict and Harassment

Facilitator/Trainer: Linda Stutz, CPHR - Senior HR Consultant, Career Contacts
Kathleen Clarkin - Senior Director, Operational Personnel Business, Canadian Coast Guard
Christian Andersen - Project Manager, Human Sustainability, Global Maritime Forum
Charlotte Hol - Director of People & Culture, Hullo Ferries

Many companies have anti-bullying and harassment training, but is it working? This session will go beyond compliance to discuss real prevention strategies, best practices, and how leaders can build workplaces where employees feel safe and heard.

The hidden costs of workplace toxicity on productivity & retention
Holding leaders accountable for psychological safety (how and why)
Case studies & myth busting: What works (and what doesn’t) when tackling harassment
Actions/programs currently being implemented to improve workforce culture and reduce harassment.

2:45 PM – 3:15 PM

Coffee Break/Networking

SPONSORED BY KOTUG CANADA & HORIZON MARITIME

3:15 PM – 3:25 PM

Next Generation Point of View

Jaelynn Bower-Pires - Student at Georgian College

SPONSORED BY GEORGIAN COLLEGE

3:25 PM - 4:50 PM

The Evolution of Marine Sector Training

Dr. David Gerbasi - Director of Studies, Canadian Coast Guard College
Karen Kancens - Vice President, Shipping Federation of Canada
Julia Fields - Executive Director, Canadian Marine Careers Foundation
Dawn Patten - Managing Director, Training, Virtual Marine

New training developments that reduce barriers of entry and meet the evolving needs of the marine sector.

4:50 PM - 5:00 PM

End of Day 1 Closing Remarks

Julia Fields - Executive Director, Canadian Marine Careers Foundation

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Reception for Delegates & Speakers

Day 2: Wednesday, October 8th

7:45 AM

Conference Registration & Breakfast

SPONSORED BY SHIPPING FEDERATION OF CANADA

8:30 AM

Opening Remarks

Captain Eben March - President, Master Mariners of Canada

8:35 AM - 9:00 AM

Keynote Address

Joanna Manger - Director General, Marine Safety & Security, Transport Canada

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

ICE Pact and the Future of the Workforce in the Canadian Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Industry

Moderator/Presenter: Sylvie Girard - Director General and ICE Pact WG2 Coordinator, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
Matthew Fraterman - Senior Trade Specialist, Maritime Administration | US Department of Transportation
Jennifer L’Esperance - Senior Executive Director Growth and Development, Government of Nova Scotia
Florence Touré - Vice‑President, Programs and Partnerships, Colleges and Institutes Canada
Farah Huq - Chief International Talent Officer, Strategic Policy Sector, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

The Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE) Pact between Canada, Finland and the United States has revived interest in the state of the Canadian shipbuilding workforce and in taking stock of the solutions to address workforce recruitment and development challenges. The objective of this presentation is to engage key marine sector stakeholders on the opportunities the ICE Pact presents, the challenges faced by the Canadian shipbuilding industry, and insights into domestic and international initiatives to recruit and develop a skilled shipbuilding workforce.

It will focus on Canadian and international labour market issues; innovative programs in the marine industry; and effective practices and lessons learned.

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Coffee Break/Networking

SPONSORED BY KOTUG CANADA & HORIZON MARITIME

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Work Sessions

These collaborative sessions bring participants together to share knowledge, ideas, and input to help the CMCF and its partners shape new projects and program proposals that support the future of Canada’s marine sector.

Work Session 1: Building a Youth Experiential Program in Canada - Room 210
Facilitated by Simon Houston & Mike Davis - British Columbia Coast Pilots
Julia Fields - Canadian Marine Careers Foundation

Building on Day 1’s Engaging the Next Generation of Workers, this collaborative session will provide input to create a project framework for an experiential program that immerses Canadian youth into marine sector work environments and more deeply connects them to employers. What could an OpenWaters Louisiana style program look like in Canada?

Work Session 2: Expanding Sea Time Opportunities - Room 214
Facilitated by Dr. Paul Brett - Vice-president pro tempore, Marine Institute
John Schmidt - President and CEO, Federal Fleet Services Inc.
Richard MacLellan - Managing Director, Miawpukek Horizon Maritime

This collaborative session brings participants together to review and provide input on two initiatives to expand sea time training opportunities for cadets and ratings seafarers. Federal Fleet Services President and CEO John Schmidt and Miawpukek Horizon Managing Director Richard MacLellan will share their developed proposals.

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Concluding Session

Each group provides a short summary of the conclusions/recommendations from their work session.

Thank you to our 2025 Gold Sponsors!