2020 High Ground: Committed to Action

UPDATE: High Ground 2020 Cancelled

High Ground 2020, our annual civic governance forum, was scheduled to be held at the Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel in Vancouver, BC from 1pm on Friday, March 27 to 4:30pm on Saturday, March 28. The theme for the 2020 forum was “Committed to Action,” and featured plenaries on UNDRIP, Public Education and Privatization, and the Climate Emergency.

The event was postponed on March 12 due to conditions around the COVID-19 pandemic. Our hope was to reschedule the event in the fall or early winter. Given the outlook provided by public health officials, as well as the state of uncertainty around public gatherings of 50 or more, we decided to cancel the 2020 event.

Schedule

Friday, March 27

8:00am–7:00pm

Registration

8:30am–11:15am

PRE-FORUM: Refocusing from reconciliation to decolonization: Gaining truth and trust for reconciliation

11:30am–12:45pm

PRE-FORUM: How to be an ally

PRE-FORUM: Women in leadership dialogue

1:00pm–1:30pm

Indigenous opening and welcome

1:30pm–2:15pm

PLENARY: UNDRIP - From universal declaration to provincial action

2:30pm–3:10pm

IN CONVERSATION: Minister Shane Simpson, Social Development and Poverty Reduction

3:30pm–4:45pm

WORKSHOP: Tackling anti-poor stigma in your community

WORKSHOP: Cooperative economies

WORKSHOP: We painted our rainbow crosswalk, now what?

WORKSHOP: Mobilizing in the digital age

4:45pm–6:00pm

WORKSHOP: Equity, diversity, and inclusion: how to turn a commitment into a reality

WORKSHOP: Communities making a commitment to zero waste

WORKSHOP: What we're learning on the job

WORKSHOP: Can we make change happen? (Revisiting protocols, charters, and more)

6:00pm–7:00pm

Networking reception

7:00pm–

Dinner and conversation with Minister Judy Darcy, Mental Health and Addictions, and Pecha Kucha

Saturday, March 28

7:00am–8:30am

Breakfast

8:00am–9:00am

PLENARY: Public education and privatization (K-12)

9:00am–9:40am

IN CONVERSATION: Minister Selina Robinson, Municipal Affairs and Housing

9:40am–10:55am

WORKSHOP: Can we house our residents?

WORKSHOP: Climate change and impacts on health: 101

WORKSHOP: Big lessons from the world's best public schools (Finland and Sweden)

WORKSHOP: How to navigate UBCM / FCM / LMLGA

10:55am–11:15am

Coffee & tea break

11:15am–12:30pm

PLENARY: Emerging Issues

12:30pm–1:30pm

LUNCH & IN CONVERSATION with Minister Scott Fraser, Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation

1:30pm–3:00pm

PLENARY: So your community declared a climate emergency, now what?

3:00pm–4:15pm

WORKSHOP: Menstrual equity

WORKSHOP: Working session on climate change implementation

WORKSHOP: How these electeds pulled it off

4:15pm–4:30pm

Closing remarks

Testimonials from High Ground 2019

  • “It was a fantastic opportunity to share and build relationships.”
  • “I met so many interesting people and had such great conversations about issues that concern all of us.”
  • “Very informative and perspective-changing.”
  • “Brilliant and essential conversation.”
  • “Great diversity of speakers and topics.”
  • “A must attend annual event.”
  • “After every High Ground forum, I’m involved in interactions with participants. There’s learning and exchange during each forum and that tends to continue after the forum. High Ground 2019 was fantastic.”

Sponsors

 
Vancity
 
 
BCFED
BCTF
CUPE BC
 
 
Your Education Matters
WE Consulting
 
 
Hummingbirds Rising