Courses

The objectives of this 2 day course for tribunal members are as follows:

This 2 day course for specifically designed for decision makers in post secondary institutions covers:

• Administrative law and principles of Natural Justice
• Conducting fair hearings and evaluating evidence
• Writing clear, well-reasoned decisions
• Ethical and professional responsibilities for decision makers

This 1 day course will provide an introductory and practical overview of the fundamentals of administrative law as they apply in particular to support staff at tribunals and similar administrative decision-making bodies.

Topics covered include:

• procedural fairness;
• reviews and appeals;
• legislative framework of decision-making bodies;
• working effectively with decision makers; and
• dealing with challenging complainants and other stakeholders.

Attendees will be taken through real-life examples and realistic scenarios and can expect to leave with concrete tools they will be able to immediately apply to their work. This course is recommended for staff who are new to administrative law or those seeking a refresher on fundamental principles.

This 2 day workshop, including lectures, discussions, writing exercises & individual feedback covering:

• Adopt a reader-oriented perspective to making and writing decisions
• How to enhance logic and flow
• Writing clear, concise and coherent decisions

*Prerequisite course: Administrative Justice – Practice & Procedures for Decision Makers

This 2 day workshop, including lectures, demonstrations and group exercises covering:

• How to conduct fair and effective hearings
• Guidelines for admitting evidence
• Accessing credibility
• Ethical and independence principles

*Prerequisite course: Administrative Justice – Practice & Procedures for Decision Makers

Inclusive Adjudication & Understanding Bias is a course designed to engage participants in discussions about implicit bias and intercultural competencies that impact on the decision making of adjudicators. This course was developed in partnership with Alden E. Habacon from Inclusive Excellence Strategy Solutions Inc.

Implicit biases and inter-culture competence affect everyone including decision makers who have a higher standard for fairness, ethical conduct, and fact-based decision making. This workshop will help you identify your implicit biases and how to disrupt them, and understand the meaning and relevance of “intercultural competence” and its potential impact on our perceptions and decision making.

Participants will examine the potential effect of these concepts on their communications, assessments of evidence and credibility, conduct of a fair proceeding, determinations, and decision writing. Participants will have an opportunity to identify best practices in dealing with issues of diversity in their own tribunal.

Objectives

• To understand what is “implicit bias” and how to disrupt implicit biases
• To develop an understanding of culture and how it influences behaviour
• To begin the conversation surrounding the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations and its impact on our decision making
• To apply the principles and competencies to scenarios affecting administrative decision makers and tribunals

This course was designed in partnership with the Canadian Council of Administrative Tribunals (CCAT), and is specifically designed for decision-makers who participate in oral hearings, individually or as part of a panel. It may also be of interest to those who conduct “file” hearings, since many legal principles that govern the conduct of such proceedings are the same. The audience may include:

• Newly-appointed tribunal members
• Tribunal members who want to deepen their understanding of conducting hearings and writing decisions
• Tribunal staff members