Agenda

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

8:00 am

Registration Opens

8:30 am

Introduction & Overview

Mark Hicken , Program Co-Chair
Vintage Law Group / Vancouver, BC

Christopher S. Wilson , Program Co-Chair
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP / Vancouver, BC

8:45 am

Liquor Policy and Enforcement in British Columbia

Update on the new Liquor Control & Licensing Act and Regulations becoming effective in late January 2017

Elaine Vale , Director of Policy, Planning & Communication
Liquor Control and Licensing Branch / Victoria, BC

9:15 am

Liquor Control & Licensing Act and Regulations from a Local Government Perspective

Liquor Control and Licensing Regulation: the nature and scope of local government notification, consultation and recommendations

Erika Lambert-Shirzad
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP / Vancouver, BC

9:45 am

International Developments Affecting Export Prospects for the Canadian Wine Industry

New developments in international labeling regulations: Plain packaging and use of label space for warnings issues

Stephen Stern
Corrs Chambers Westgarth / Melbourne, Australia

10:15 am

Break

10:30 am

Update on National Trends in Liquor Law Reform and Effects on Industry

Review of national liquor law reforms including perspectives from the wine industry sector, retail and restaurants

Asha Hingorani , Director of Government and Public Affairs
Canadian Vintners Association / Ottawa, ON

Bert Hick , President
Rising Tide Consultants Ltd. / Vancouver, BC

Ian Tostenson , President and CEO
BC Restaurant & Food Services Association / Vancouver, BC

Jeff Guignard , Executive Director
ABLE BC / Vancouver, BC

12:15 pm

Lunch (on your own)

1:30 pm

The Potential for Easing Interprovincial Shipping Restrictions

Status report on the New Brunswick court decision in R v. Comeau striking down restrictions on free trade as unconstitutional and update on the arguments on appeal

Arnold B. Schwisberg
Law Office of Arnold B. Schwisberg PC / Markham, ON

Ian A. Blue
Gardiner Roberts LLP / Toronto, ON

2:30 pm

Blended Wine Labelling: the "Cellared in Canada" Controversy

CFIA plans to modernize labelling laws; Canadian Vintners Association consultations re changes to international-Canadian blended products with the "Cellared in Canada" designation; potential changes to geographic designations and use of sub-appellations

Albert J. Hudec
Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP / Vancouver, BC

Mark Hicken , Program Co-Chair
Vintage Law Group / Vancouver, BC

3:30 pm

Break

3:45 pm

Impact of New Developments on Business Strategies for Industry Participants in British Columbia

Perspectives from different segments of the industry and practical tips from the inspection/enforcement trenches

Christopher S. Wilson , Program Co-Chair
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP / Vancouver, BC

Christine Coletta , Owner
Okanagan Crush Pad / North Vancouver, BC

Sandra Oldfield , Winemaker, President and CEO
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards / Oliver, BC

Randy Brown , Provincial Inspector
Liquor Control and Licensing Branch / Kelowna, BC

5:30 pm

Evaluations and Adjourn followed by Wine Tasting Reception for Faculty and Attendees

Sponsored by Norton Rose Fulbright LLP

Sid Cross , Honorary President
The Int'l Wine & Food Society / Vancouver, BC Canada

Faculty Bios

Mark Hicken, Program Co-Chair, is a partner of Vintage Law Group and focuses on the wine and liquor industry. More specifically, he advises on shipping compliance, operations risk/liability, LCLB licensing issues, LDB regulation, enforcement defense, license transfers, purchase/sale, import/export advice and export compliance/clearance for alcoholic beverage products.

Christopher S. Wilson, Program Co-Chair, is a partner of Norton Rose Fulbright LLP which merged with Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP effective January 1, 2017 . He practices intellectual property law, including advising domestic and foreign wineries on branding, labeling and geographical indications of origin. He is a recognized leading trademark lawyer by World Trademark Report and Chambers Global.

Ian A. Blue, Q.C. is a senior counsel and advisor on energy and regulator law, administrative-law, business-law and constitutional-law issues. He has appeared before all levels of courts in Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia and the Yukon and before both levels of the Federal Court. He also has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Randy Brown is the Provincial Manufacturing Liquor Inspector with overall responsibility to develop, maintain and enhance a program of compliance and enforcement for the British Columbia liquor manufacturing industry. He works independently under the direction of the Deputy General Manager, Compliance and Enforcement and is a key contact and advisor for the compliance and enforcement division, policy planning and communication and licensing divisions of the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch.

Christine Coletta is the owner of Okanagan Crush Pad, a 35,000 case custom crush wine facility in Summerland. She is a wine marketing specialist who established the VQA program in 1990.

Sid Cross is the Honorary President of The Int'l Wine & Food Society and is Co-founder and advisor to The Chefs' Table Society of British Columbia. Recognized globally for his knowledge, tasting abilities, and connections within the many wine regions of the world, he combines wide experience with a continuing passion for the culinary arts of wine and food.

Jeff Guignard is the Executive Director of British Columbia's Alliance of Beverage Licensees (ABLE BC), an industry association that advocates for BC's private liquor stores, bars, nightclubs, and hotel liquor licensees. His primary role is to work proactively with government and industry partners to reduce red tape, improve policies, and expand business opportunities for BC's private liquor industry.

Bert Hick is the Founder and President of Rising Tide Consultants Ltd. Previously, he served for the BC Government as Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat, Executive Director of the Cabinet Secretariat, Secretary to Cabinet under Premier William Bennett and General Manager of the BC Liquor Control and Licensing Branch.

Asha Hingorani is the Director of Government and Public Affairs for the Canadian Vintners Association. She is experienced in federal politics, journalism and communications, as well as being a certified sommelier. A well-known wine columnist in Ottawa, she has written extensively in the Hill Times and the Embassy Times.

Albert J. Hudec is a partner at Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP. He focuses on cross-border mergers & acquisitions, public equity financings, P3 transactions, board and independent committee representation and venture capital financings. He also practices extensively in the areas of aboriginal law and wine law. He is recognized in the Canadian Legal Expert Dictionary

Erika Lambert-Shirzad is a litigator and solicitor for Bull Housser & Tupper LLP, which is merging into Norton Rose Fulbright LLP effective January 1, 2017. Her practice focuses on advising local governments, including the provision of local services, business regulation and good governance. She has appeared as counsel in all levels of British Columbia courts.

Sandra Oldfield is a Winemaker and President and CEO of Tinhorn Creek Vineyards. She studied winemaking and Canadian history at UC Davis, and previously worked at Rodney Strong Vineyards in Sonoma. She is also a part owner at Tinhorn Creek. Women's Executive Network recently named her as one of Canada's most powerful women.

Arnold B. Schwisberg, Law Office of Arnold B. Schwisberg PC, specializes in sophisticated commercial litigation, including judicial reviews of jurisdictional excesses of regulatory agencies and tribunals. He is Canada's top liquor-regulatory lawyer and specializes in insurance defense.

Stephen Stern is a partner at Corrs Chambers Westgarth, in Melbourne, Australia. He focuses on commercial litigation, and is well known for his significant wine law practice. In 2006 was appointed a Chevalier Ordre du in the Merite Agricole by the French government in recognition of his services to the French wine industry.

Ian Tostenson is President and CEO of BC Restaurant & Food Services Association. He is the former President and CEO of Cascadia Brands (Calona Wines, Grady, Burrowing Owl, Granville Island Brewing and Potter Distilling). He was the second Chair of the British Columbia Wine Institute, past President of the David Foster Foundation, and founder of HAVE Culinary Training society.

Elaine Vale is Director of Policy, Planning & Communication for the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch. She is responsible for changes to liquor legislation, regulation and policy. She most recently led development of the new Liquor Control and Licensing Act and regulation.

Credits

Continuing Education Credits

Live credits: This program qualifies for 6.5 BC CLE credits (pending). Upon request, we will apply for, or help you apply for, CLE credits in other states and other types of credits.

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