LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are the latest evolution in the way we communicate via the web, contributing to a dramatic increase in the volume of information we digest daily, and the speed at which it is transferred around the world. Join us September 29 for a panel discussion on social media and how to effectively integrate social media into your IR strategy.

Massive funds sponsored essentially by national governments are rapidly becoming a major force in worldwide capital markets. Although initially viewed as largely passive, many of these funds are beginning to take a more active role in their investments. Our speakers will shed some light on these funds and their impact on both Canadian and global markets.

IROs must take a lead role in developing their companies’ sustainability reports or they risk not providing investors with information that’s meaningful to making informed investment decisions.

This workshop will begin by establishing today’s context for sustainability reporting with Rodney White, co-author of Environmental Finance and Carbon Finance: the Financial Implications of Climate Change. Brigid Barnett from the CPP Investment Board will discuss the value to investors of disclosure of relevant environmental, social and governance factors. Julie Desjardins, an advisor to the CICA, will explain the expectations of the regulators and professional best practice.

Knowing the economic and regulatory context, we’ll get down to work. We’ll examine the core components of creating a sustainability report with Susan McGeachie from PricewaterhouseCoopers and Joe Pach from TELUS walking you through each step.

A gala evening to celebrate the holiday season at the historic Arts and Letters Club of Toronto. A reception showcasing rising young musicians will be followed by a sumptuous dinner in the Great Hall. A New York based Managing Director from Bank of America’s Investment Banking Group will offer an overview of the latest developments in the capital markets, including thoughts on managing debt and raising capital, with a specific focus on what IROs and their companies need to know when navigating in a changing market environment.

Early bird draw: Win the QuietComfort Bose headphones
Renew your CIRI membership by 5:00 p.m. December 9 and you could win the acclaimed QuietComfort noise canceling headphones from Bose. Donated by CNW Group, the acclaimed QuietComfort headphones offer an unmatched combination of noise reduction headphone technology, audio performance and comfort. The winner will be drawn during the gala on December 10.

Forget about the capital markets for a few hours and join CIRI Ontario for an evening of great food and friends at the Loblaw Queen’s Quay cooking school on Thursday, November 27. Under the expert guidance of Chef Martin Raymond, entertain with flare and style by learning to prepare a selection of delicious impressive-looking hors d’oeuvres.

Designed as a demonstration only, don’t be surprise if the chef calls upon you to be the sous-chef for a portion of the class! It promises to be a fun and interesting evening!

Advanced technologies are revolutionizing communications in every field. Investor Relations is no exception. New technologies such as blogging, Web 2.0, RSS feeds, search engine optimization (SEO) and new channels such as Facebook, Google and Yahoo Finance are changing the way IR professionals execute their strategies. Join us as our expert speakers explain how best to employ these technologies to improve the effectiveness of your capital markets communications.

Take a break from the hectic reporting season and join CIRI Ontario for a special event following its Annual General Meeting. Treat your team to an evening of good food and good fun at Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club.

Join us for a half-day workshop that will allow you to learn from an intriguing inside look at one of Canada’s most dramatic corporate meltdowns and its recovery.

Janet Craig, VP IR at Nortel Networks, will discuss the lessons learned from a string of crises that took her company from a global darling into scandal. Using Nortel as a case study, topics covered will include anticipating, preventing, managing and learning from a crisis. Janet will also discuss her strategy for rebuilding Nortel’s relationship with the Street and provide guidance on writing an effective crisis management plan.

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Organized in partnership with BNN, CIRI members will have an opportunity to join Amanda Lang, host of BNN’s popular television/web programs SqueezePlay and Lunch Money.

We encourage you to bring your CFO to this event to share the insight and opportunity to network.

This event is sold out. Please contact Elaine Wyatt at elaine_wyatt@craib.com to add your name to the waiting list.

Learn to write and communicate more effectively at this full-day workshop with award-winning journalist Bernard Simon, Financial Times of London Canadian correspondent.

Sparkle at the ROM’s Crystal with newly-appointed OTPP CEO James Leech.

Join CIRI Ontario for an evening that promises to be this season’s most exciting event.

Managing Your Career to Get the Job You Want

Learn how to take your career to the next level from Catharine Larkin, a leading talent management consultant with MICA Consulting Partners. Whether you are interested in a career-long stretch in IR or want to use your strategic IR experience to position yourself for another executive role, this event will help you identify your greatest assets and overcome your shortcomings to meet your individual career goals.

David Poplar, Director of Investor Relations and Financial Communications for Wendy's International, Inc. will "roll up the rim" on the recent IPO of the 42-year old Tim Hortons restaurant franchise that has won the hearts of so many loyal Canadians. David will take us through the March 2006 IPO from the ground up, including the role of IR in:

• early planning and communication
• broker selection
• pricing
• targeting
• developing and executing a marketing plan
• working with the stock exchanges
• managing the market and media reaction

Don't miss this unique opportunity! Seating is limited so register now!

A half day seminar to discuss the unique demands that income trust IROs face in a challenging and changing market environment. We will cover key issues such as how to get investor attention and manage growing investor expectations, as well as cash distributions and ensuring full unit valuations.

The seminar will be led by Marianne Godwin CFA, a principal of consulting firm Income Trust IR, a division of BarnesMcInerney Inc., and Philip Koven, a senior investor relations consultant with Bryan Mills Group.

This event is for everyone – from the novice IRO interested in making initial contacts to the experienced communicator with extensive connections. You will be led by expert Donna Messer as you network with other IR professionals, one-on-one, a few minutes at a time. Work the room using Donna's RISE philosophy – Rapport, Information, Solutions, Ethically – and see the results you get. Leave with a pocket full of business cards and a ton of new business connections. This event is designed to build relationships that add value to your organization and yourself. Make sure you bring plenty of business cards and come prepared with quick answers to: Who am I? What do I need? What am I willing to share?

Income Trusts: More than Yield - REGISTRATION CLOSED

The Financial Executives International Canada (FEIC) Toronto and the Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI) Ontario Chapter are pleased to welcome Marc Tellier, President & CEO, Yellow Pages Group, who will address their respective members at a unique networking, educational and social event.

Income trusts have a market capitalization of over $190 billion and they continue to grow. Investors know that income trusts have become a stable and mature part of the market. Well-managed income trusts are continuing to prove their determination by rewarding investors with stable cash returns. Whether your organization is an income trust company or not, get a better understanding of what is around the corner and what you need to be doing.

The OSC: New Priorities for 2006

The regulatory landscape for Canadian issuers continues to change at a fast pace, with numerous new rules becoming effective during the past year and the civil liability regime for continuous disclosure coming into effect in January 2006. John Hughes will provide an overview of some of the major recent developments and will talk about the OSC's evolving approach to how it monitors disclosure.

Today forecasts of $100 oil, $1000 gold and a global pandemic abound. Meanwhile, the world is still focused on China's growing economic and political strength. This presentation will take a look at what lies ahead for 2006, highlighting developments in Europe, Asia, the United States and Canada. We will discuss the price of oil, gold and real estate, the outlook for currencies and interest rates and the implications for asset allocation strategies.

As of December 31, 2005 secondary market investors will have the statutory right to sue Ontario reporting issuers and other issuers who a have substantial connection to Ontario for disclosing information to the marketplace that is false, misleading or untimely. These provisions will change existing Ontario Securities law and will impact both the issuer and the stakeholders. Hear from our panel of experts on how to protect your company from litigation, learn about who is liable, what defences are available, and what issuers can do to prepare themselves.

CIRI Ontario has partnered with Stratos Inc. and the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) to offer you a practical workshop on sustainability reporting.

Credible reporting of a company's triple bottom line performance -- economic, environmental and social -- is a way to enhance corporate accountability and transparency.  Reporting companies are recognizing the benefits of sustainability reporting in terms of investor and public confidence, improved internal operations, enhanced brand value and stronger relationships with stakeholders.  This workshop will appeal to companies that have already advanced their sustainability reporting practices, as well as companies that are developing their disclosure in this area.  

This training workshop on corporate sustainability reporting will address:

• Experiences of leading Canadian reporters
• Should my company report?
• Making it work -- steps to start reporting credibly
• Key actions to take back to your company

Learn about the good, bad and the ugly in MD&A reporting as companies struggle to improve the overall quality of their MD&A reporting. This workshop will cover MD&A regulation in North America, MD&A best practices and the CICA's guidelines for preparation and disclosure. In addition, the workshop will include a practical component for participants to read, evaluate and discuss the strengths and shortcomings of a variety of MD&As.

To attend this 1/2 day morning workshop, the fees are as follows: members $100 and non-members $160.

Join other IR professionals on a cruise of the Toronto Harbour and try your luck at the blackjack tables aboard the Klancy II. A buffet dinner, cocktails (cash bar) and an opportunity to network and catch up with other IR professionals await on board!

The blood, sweat and tears that go into a high quality IR program may not always be reflected in a higher stock price, an increase in the number of analysts covering your company, positive media attention or the number of pats on the back by senior management. Angela McMonagle, former Investor Relations Officer for Nortel Networks, gives us her perspective on managing a strong IR program during very good and very bad times.

Each year, it seems securities commissions and the markets propose new rules and standards that affect investor relations practitioners. Our speakers will navigate us through the ever-changing landscape and help with what IROs need to know about OSC and TSX developments.

Your company announces a major acquisition, divestiture or financing transaction that will greatly change its economics. Are you able to effectively communicate the benefits of the deal to the street? Can you anticipate and influence the market's understanding of the transaction?.

The next CIRI Ontario workshop will provide you with a basis for understanding valuation. You'll learn about valuation theory and how it is used by buy-side and sell-side analysts.

Industry experts will focus on the understanding and communication of asset and cash flow based valuation approaches as well as their components; including hurdle rates, capitalization rates, and cost of capital. The workshop will give you the tools to comb through analyst models and identify areas of value that the market may have overlooked or misunderstood.

Large pension funds are key investors in most Canadian companies and are well known for the depth of their research. Join us for a discussion on what they look for in a prospective investment, why they might buy your stock, and why they might drop it.

The “New Brascan”

In recent years, Brascan Corporation has undergone a major corporate transformation from a diversified company investing mainly in cyclical resources to an asset management company focused on the real estate and power generation sectors. Brian Lawson, Chief Financial Officer, will talk about the development of this strategy and the major strategic milestones. He will also discuss some of the unique challenges that Brascan has faced along the way in areas such as financial reporting and investor relations, including changing the perceptions of shareholders who knew the “old Brascan.”

A legal expert, an IRO and an investment banker face off on some of the tougher disclosure issues facing companies today. The three panelists will address a range of thorny topics including executive compensation, insider trading blackouts, quiet periods, delays in financial reporting, restatements, soft disclosure and guidance, and the marketing of public offerings and private placements. Balancing the regulatory requirements with what the capital markets want to know can be challenging for IROs. This interactive workshop will address those challenges head on.

Join CIRI as Patti Croft discusses her view on the outlook and economic environment we can anticipate in the coming year. What are the industries and investment vehicles to look out for and what impact will the US election have on Canada?

The US and Canadian capital markets are more than ever linked together. Often the US experience is a good indication of things to come in Canada. NIRI's Lou Thompson will give us an update on what's on the horizon for investor relations practitioners in the US, how our American colleagues are dealing with the rapidly changing regulations and offer his thoughts on the state of investor confidence in the US.

What do the media expect from an Investor Relations Officer? Here is an opportunity to learn from both electronic and print media about how editorial decisions are made, how to pitch a story, and how to get on the radar screen. Get first-hand information on tools of the trade, important deadlines and newsroom protocol.

The rules and guidelines are changing and investor expectations are growing. Does your MD&A measure up? Join CIRI Ontario for this insightful, hands-on, workshop on MD&As with our esteemed workshop leaders:
Julie Desjardins, Program Director, Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. Julie will provide an update on how changes in the regulatory environment have affected the CICA’s guidelines for preparing an MD&A;
Brian Gibson, Senior Vice-President, Global Active Equities, Ontario Teachers’ Pension. Brian will discuss the critical role the MD&A can play in shaping an investor’s understanding of a company’s performance and perception of management;
Bob Tait, Director of Investor Relations, Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited. Bob will explain how his involvement in preparing the MD&A improves both the quality of the annual and quarterly reports and the effectiveness of CTR’s investor relations day-to-day.

We encourage you to invite your CFO or others from your finance department to join you at this workshop. The MD&A is becoming the most important disclosure document companies’ issue – and the most effective MD&As will come from investor relations and finance professionals working closely together.

All participants will also receive a comparative analysis benchmarking their level of disclosure in their quarterly financial news releases with that of their peers, courtesy of Canada NewsWire. Space is limited for this workshop, so register early. As a bonus, the first registrants can opt to have their MD&A under the spotlight!

Where:
St. Andrew's Club & Conference Centre
150 King Street West (Sun Life Building)
27th Floor
Corner of King & University at the St. Andrew subway station

When: Thursday, September 30, 2004
Breakfast and Registration: 7:30 am
Workshop Begins: 8:00 am
Workshop ends: 11:00 am

The annual IR Awards showcase the best of the best in our profession and honour those who stand above the rest. The judges have told us how and why they chose the winning companies and individuals. Now we'll hear from some of the winners on what made their programs stand out. Please join us for CIRI Ontario's last luncheon for the 2003/04 program year.

Speakers include Janet Craig from ATI, winner of best senior management communications and best IRO for large cap, and Anne MacMicken from BFI Canada Income Fund, winner for Best Investment Community Meetings among mid-cap companies.