2026 SPPA Alumni Reception
Friday, September 11, 2026 from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
- In-person event
- Atrium, Richcraft Hall, Carleton University
- 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6
Join the School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA) on Friday, September 11, 2026, for our annual Alumni Reception. This year’s event marks a special milestone—the 70th anniversary of Joe Bissett’s 1956 graduation from Carleton’s Master of Arts in Public Administration program. The School’s prestigious Bissett Alumni Award was established in his honour, and we’ll celebrate this legacy while recognizing Nancy Naylor, the 2026 Bissett Alumni Award recipient. We extend a special invitation to alumni celebrating milestone reunion years: 1956, 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2016.
Reconnect with classmates, former professors, and fellow alumni while helping welcome the newest members of the SPPA community. Before the reception, alumni are also invited to attend the SPPA Induction Panel, an expert discussion on a current public policy issue featuring leading practitioners and researchers.
Registration is required for both events.
3 p.m. to 4:45, Richcraft Hall, Conference Rooms
Induction Panel — Accelerating Energy Projects : opportunities and trade-offs
The Government of Canada is seeking to accelerate the development of major energy and infrastructure projects through the Building Canada Act (Bill C-5). This summer, the federal government initiated the process toward listing the first projects under the Act’s new framework, which seeks to streamline federal approval processes for projects deemed to be in the national interest. The pursuit of faster project development brings questions of economic growth, trade diversification, Indigenous rights, environmental stewardship, and regulatory governance into tension. This panel draws on experienced policy practitioners to explore the challenges of advancing major energy projects within Canada’s constitutional framework, established decision-making processes, and evolving geopolitical context. Through discussion and audience engagement, panelists will examine the opportunities, trade-offs, and key policy considerations associated with accelerating energy project development in an increasingly complex governance landscape.
5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Richcraft Hall, Atrium
Main Event: Alumni Reception
The event will include remarks from the 2026 Bissett Alumni Award Winner – Nancy Naylor – as well as remarks from members of the School welcoming students and celebrating certain student achievements. This is the main event for alumni. We would love to see you there. Come back to see old classmates, your former professors, and, most importantly, our incoming students.