June 17 - 18, 2014
The University Club of Toronto
380 University Avenue - Main Dining Room

View the Course Outline.

What This Course is About

This two-day course examines how policy professionals can work with lawyers to develop legislation and regulations as policy instruments. 

• Learn about how lawyers think, some key legal concepts policy professionals should know (including the rule of law, the Constitution Act, the ”law book” and case law).
• Learn when law is the right policy instrument and when it is not. 
• Learn about the mechanics of how legislation and regulations are made and about the key policy decisions that produce good law. 
• Develop a checklist of key legal issues that may arise as you develop your proposal.
• Hear from practitioners from OPS policy and legal communities about why drafting is a team sport and get an insider’s view from the Office of Legislative Counsel. 

Driven by Real Experience

The learning format will be participatory, combining presentations by the course instructors and guest speakers with group discussion and analysis of real OPS cases. Course participants will bring their perspective to these cases and develop ideas to apply in their own environment.

Who Should Attend

Policy professionals and others who work in a policy field that is heavily regulated and those who want to understand legislative and regulatory change as a policy tool.

 
Course Leaders

Alison M. Fraser, Adjunct Professor, School of Policy Studies, Queen’s University and former Chief Legislative Counsel, Government of Ontario

Nancy Austin, Amethyst Fellow, School of Policy Studies, Queen’s University and former Executive Director and CEO, Ontario Human Rights Commission

Daily Schedule

Breakfast available at 8:30am
Course begins 9:00am sharp and ends at 4:00pm on both dates
Lunch and break refreshments provided