Submitted by Section Chair, Colin Galinski
Summary of Meetings
Number of Meetings Held: 3
December 1, 2015
Guest Speaker: Ari Kaplan
Meeting Title/Topic: The Art and Science of Pension Mediation: Are Compromise and Compliance Compatible?
Synopsis: BC's new pension legislation offers important new opportunities for plan sponsors and stakeholders to use mediation and alternative dispute resolution. At this session Ari Kaplan, a partner at Koskie Minsky LLP and a Qualified Mediator, will discuss the art and science of pension mediation with an emphasis on negotiated conversions to target benefit plan design model. He will speak to how a mediated conversion can help clean the slate to resolve past issues, chart a new funding deal going forward and offer clarity to employers, unions and members.
March 9, 2016
Guest Speaker: Lisa Chamzuk
Meeting Title/Topic: Privacy Considerations for Pension and Benefit Plans
Synopsis: Lisa canvassed the history of privacy law and its application to pension and benefits plans in BC, including practice tips for lawyers practicing in this area.
May 16, 2016
Guest Speaker: Shawn Hatch
Meeting Title/Topic: Target Benefit Conversions
Synopsis: Shawn provided a review of legal and administrative considerations to consider in the context of BC pension plans converting to target benefit.
Comments and Observations of the Chair
We once again had a very dedicated group of attendees for our Section meetings. Our three speakers provided excellent content and thought-provoking discussion. We look forward to another great year in 2016-2017.