Next September, Montreal will host the 13th World Human Resources Congress, a Canadian first. The organizer of the event, the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés, believes that this era of great changes in the field will be an excellent opportunity to showcase Canadian know-how, while at the same time drawing on the lessons of the many foreign delegates expected.
The President and CEO of the Ordre, Florent Francoeur, is pleased with the honour granted to Montreal by the World Federation of People Management Associations. “We applied 12 years ago, in the same way that cities bid to host the Olympic Games. We succeeded in demonstrating our expertise in both the logistics and the content,” he emphasizes.
The event, which is held every two years, will take place at Montreal’s Palais des congrès from September 27 to 29, 2010. More than 3,000 participants are expected, of which half will be from outside the province. The sessions will be in French, English and Spanish.
“We wanted to have a large number of French sessions, and then decided to incorporate Spanish sessions as well,” explains Florent Francoeur, specifying that some 100 speakers from Canada and abroad will give their take on human resources.
A period of mutation for HR
The Congress will take place in a pivotal period for human relations. The world of work is currently experiencing a whirlwind of changes, facing challenges such as labour shortages in many sectors, the aging population, and the ubiquitous presence of information technology and social networks. Event organizers therefore have an array of topics with which to satisfy the thousands of people attending the weekend event.
“We won’t be trying to stir up the envy of other countries,” says Florent Francoeur. “The objective is to exchange with different countries, and to learn more about how HR issues are dealt with here and abroad.” Several renowned speakers have already signed on. The most awaited is Montreal’s very own Henry Mintzberg, a management specialist and author of worldwide best sellers on the topic. “It’s an honour to have him on board, especially as he gives very few talks,” said a thrilled Francoeur.
Multiple gold medal winner and wheelchair athlete Chantal Petitclerc will give a talk on determination. Representatives of Cirque du Soleil will also participate in the event. Finally, there will be a show featuring Gregory Charles, and Stéphan Bureau will host a unique keynote presentation.
“The issues, both now and in the future, are numerous. It’s a wonderful opportunity to be able to debate them in Montreal with people from all over the world,” said Mr. Francoeur.
Contribution of Quebec specialists
In addition to the capacity to accommodate thousands of visitors, the Ordre also had to demonstrate the contribution of Quebec HR specialists. According to Mr. Francoeur, the province’s complexity—resulting from the issue of the French language, the high unionization rate and the presence of major cooperatives such as Desjardins—won over the selection committee.
“Labour relations are unique in our province. Forty per cent of our workforce is unionized, a model which is almost non-existent elsewhere. Our way of working is quite European, although the context is North American. We also have different economic development funds, like the Solidarity Fund QFL. All of these factors together create a special situation,” says Francoeur.
Date: September 27–29, 2010
Where: Montreal’s Palais des congrès
For more informationwww.rh2010.com