Partnership Announcement with the CIIAN and Nipissing University

THE CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF APPLIED NEGOTIATION, THE CANADIAN CANNABIS DISPUTE RESOLUTION CENTRE AND NIPISSING UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE CANNABIS-RELATED CONFLICT RESOLUTION TRAINING

-- For Immediate Release --

TORONTO, March 19, 2019 - The Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation (“CIIAN”), a leading provider of conflict resolution training within Canada and internationally, the Canadian Cannabis Dispute Resolution Centre (“CCDRC”), a provider of cannabis-related alternative dispute resolution services, and Nipissing University, based in North Bay, Ontario, announce their partnership to provide innovative cannabis-related conflict resolution training programs.

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The partnership will be built upon CIIAN’s decades of experience of developing and presenting conflict resolution training programs in the areas of negotiation and mediation that have successfully assisted local, national, and international governments and industries with the practices and procedures to effectively prevent and resolve conflicts.  This knowledge and experience will be aptly applied to those types of clients CIIAN has previously assisted who are now faced with the challenges of managing and defusing cannabis-related conflicts that have and will soon emerge as a result of the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada.

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The practitioners at the CCDRC bring decades of experiences as lawyers and alternative dispute resolution specialists to the field of cannabis law.  The CCDRC aspires to be an innovator in identifying practical solutions to cannabis-related disputes, which include pre-emptive solutions to anticipated cannabis conflicts.  The CCDRC’s principals have instructed alternative dispute resolution courses, including Negotiation and Mediation courses, at the University of Toronto Law School and Osgoode Hall Law School in addition to conflict resolution training to various sectors, including government, police, and industry in Canada and abroad.

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Nipissing University is a leading post-secondary educational institution located in North Bay, Ontario, that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees through its Faculties of Applied and Professional Studies; Arts and Science; and the Schulich Scool of Science Education.  Nipissing University, which offers a Certificate in Peace and Violence Prevention, is pleased to partner with CIIAN and the CCDRC and support the workshops and training programs of this joint venture that will be at the forefront of cannabis based conflict resolution.

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Dr. Evan Hoffman, Sr. Associate at CIIAN said in relation to the partnership, “We’re very excited about this new partnership with the CCDRC and Nipissing University! These new training programs we’ve developed will be of great value to local, municipal, and regional governments plus police and other agencies that will be at the forefront of managing any new conflicts which will arise due to the recent legalisation of recreational cannabis in Canada. CIIAN is dedicated to preventing and resolving conflicts; and this new partnership perfectly exemplifies our commitment to fulfilling our mission. As one of the pioneers of the conflict resolution field, CIIAN is very proud to once again be leading the way along with our partners!”

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Jonathan Jacobs, Co-Founder of the CCDRC said, “The uncertainty that the public and private sectors face in navigating the new federal, provincial and municipal legislation and regulations on cannabis have already and will continue to create tensions. There will be conflict about what is and isn’t permissible when it comes to policies and procedures relating to cannabis possession, consumption, growth and promotion.  In our view, the demand is high for providing clarity regarding the law and how organizations can engage the new cannabis regime.  We clearly hear the demand of those who need to have a clear understanding of the new cannabis laws and need to train personnel who develop internal policies and procedures and engage with the public.  We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with the CIIAN and to have the support of Nipissing University to develop training programs that aspire to meet this need.”

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Professor Toivo Koivukoski, PhD who is the Director of the Nipissing University Peace Research Initiative said, “The Nipissing University Peace Research Initiative is pleased to be partnering with CIIAN and the CCDRC in offering innovative training in conflict resolution, specifically tailored to the challenges that may arise in the legalization of cannabis, both within communities and between police services and communities. This is a forward thinking example of anticipating potential future conflicts so as to be prepared to manage them in advance, while offering practical skills based training of contemporary relevance.”

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The partnership, formalized and agreed in 2019, will offer both online learning and classroom based training sessions.  Training programs will be developed for specific industries and will provide an open invitation to all within that field to attend through online webinar sessions.  Also offered are customizable in-house training programs that can be provided onsite and will be crafted to address the particular knowledge building and skills development needs of the organization. Both of these formats will allow participants to gain the knowledge and skills required to competently and confidently navigate the challenges faced when engaging in  cannabis-related conflict.

For more information, please contact ciian@ciian.org or info@cannabisdispute.ca or visit::

www.ciian.org; www.cannabisdispute.ca; and www.nipissingu.ca

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