Inspiring Conversations About Elder Law: The 2023 Canadian Elder Law Conference and CCEL
September 19, 2023
BY Kelly Melnyk
It is with great excitement that the agenda for the 2023 Canadian Elder Law Conference was released. This marks the first return to in-person attendance since 2019 and I know I am ready to connect with the Elder Law community again. My first attendance was in 2015 and it inspired me to delve further into this fascinating area of law as it allowed me to connect with not only legal professionals but also persons with lived experience and health care and social work professionals, all of whom are integral to this area of law. The theme of this year’s conference is “Tools for Aging Populations” and with the support of our faculty and sponsors, we anticipate you will walk away with some new tools to aid you in your work with an aging population.
Born out of the hard work of my predecessors, the Canadian Elder Law Conference is greatly supported through many different organizations and people. The Co-Chairs, Hugh McLellan, Geoff White, KC, and Kimberly Whaley; CLEBC; and CCEL are pleased to announce that among the knowledgeable faculty are the Chief Coroner, Lisa Lapointe, and the Seniors Advocate, Isobel Mackenzie. In addition to Ms. Lapointe and Ms. Mackenzie, our wonderful faculty’s contributions mean we can hold sessions that provide an update on case law from across the country, understanding undue influence and best practices to spot and respond to it, MAiD, or emerging issues in Elder Law, to name a few. It is a dynamic time for this area with many ripples along the horizon.
We will release a series of articles leading up to the Conference in hopes of inspiring you, the way my first Conference inspired me. In this article, we are featuring Jan Goddard, Founding Partner of Goddard Gamage LLP, a longtime supporter and current Gold level sponsor of the Canadian Elder Law Conference. Ms. Goddard served as a Co-Chair previously, and regularly features as a speaker. This year, Ms. Goddard will join us as a panelist to discuss developments in case law from across the country. Ms. Goddard reflected on her experiences at the Canadian Elder Law Conference, saying:
“I have attended every Canadian Elder Law Conference since its inception. It was the first and still is the leading forum for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and wisdom between practicing lawyers, academics from many disciplines, advocates, students, and community members on the important subject of how law and aging intersect. There have been so many memorable keynote addresses, including from notable senior jurists. My favourite sessions were the debates we staged at each of the three conferences I co-chaired. They were topical, informative, and entertaining – quite a feat when your mandate is to deliver serious continuing education. I am looking forward to re-connecting with colleagues from across the country at this year’s conference and as well as meeting new converts to the practice of elder law. See you in Vancouver!”
We look forward to hosting Ms. Goddard and all our colleagues soon.
