HRPA Meeting Details

Hendrik is a partner at Shields O’Donnell MacKillop LLP. Hendrik has represented businesses and executives in a wide range of employment and labour litigation, including wrongful dismissal litigation, human rights applications, labour arbitrations, workplace safety hearings, and fiduciary litigation. Hendrik has extensive experience as litigation counsel in trials, appeals, arbitrations, and injunctions, and has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario, including the Ontario Court of Appeal. Hendrik advises businesses in many sectors, including manufacturing, banking, financial services, health care, entertainment, publishing, retail, IT, and charitable and public sectors. In addition to his litigation practice, Hendrik is a frequent speaker and writer on employment and labour law matters. Hendrik has co-authored two books, and has written for Canadian Lawyer In House magazine, HR Professional magazine, Canadian HR Reporter, and the Financial Post. Hendrik has presented at the Law Society of Ontario, the Ontario Bar Association, the Institute for Professional Management, the Toronto Entrepreneurs and Recruiters Conferences, and the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) Annual National Conference. Hendrik is also a past member of the Board of Directors of the HRPA Toronto Chapter where he organized the Chapter's popular "LegalEase" sessions. Before joining the firm, Hendrik received his law degree from Queen’s University, and clerked for the judges of the Ontario Divisional Court. Hendrik is from the small Niagara town of Port Colborne, Ontario.

Dr. Bill Howatt, founder and CEO of Howatt HR, refers to himself as a behavioural scientist with a keen curiosity for how employees and employers can work together to reduce mental harm and promote mental health in the workplace. He is known internationally and is one of Canada’s top experts in workplace psychological health and safety. Dr. Bill is on the CSA OHS Standards Steering Committee and Chair of the CSA Standard Z1008: Management of Substance Related Impairment in the Workplace. He is the co-creator of the Psychologically Safe Workplace Awards. Dr. Bill regularly contributes to workplace mental health research such as Canada Pandemic Pulse Check: COVID-19’s Impact on Canadians’ Mental Health with the Mental Health Commission of Canada; Moving to Action: Implementing the Workplace Safety & Prevention Services’ Mental Harm Prevention Roadmap; and Canada Standards Association Investigating employers’ practices in response to COVID-19 for safeguarding employees’ psychological health and safety in the workplace. He has 30 years’ clinical experience in mental health and addictive disorders. Dr. Bill is the former Chief of Research, Workforce Productivity, at The Conference Board of Canada, and the former Chief of Research and Development, Workforce Productivity, at Lifeworks. Dr. Bill has created the senate-approved Certificate in Psychologically Safe Leadership and Certificate in Management Essentials, Pathway to Coping and Mental Fitness through the University of New Brunswick. He is the co-creator of the Psychological Health and Safety Facilitator Certificate. Dr. Bill is a regular contributor and co-authors a blog with the CEO of the Mental Health Commission of Canada for WSPS Ontario CEO Health and Safety Leadership Network. Dr. Bill has published over 50 books, such as The Globe and Mail bestseller, The Cure for Loneliness, and Stop Hiding and Start Living. He is a regular contributor to Talent Canada, OHS Magazine, and The Chronicle Herald and has published over 350 articles with The Globe and Mail.