From August 16 to 19, 2017, District 8 delegates participated in OSSTF’s Summer Leadership Conference in Toronto.
Delegates attended a broad variety of workshops that assist local leaders in providing effective service to members and to help them grow in their role as leaders. Workshops focused on current issues in labour and education, local and provincial political involvement, as well as other concerns facing district and bargaining unit leaders.
Keynote speaker Tom Bennett spoke about 
educational research and the pitfalls of poor evidence. His non-profit organization researchEd develops materials and hosts conferences supporting literacy in educational research.
President Harvey Bischof, newly elected in March 2017, opened the conference with this address.
Representing the ESS unit from District 8 were Ilene Blackman, Tenille Cranston, Carrie deGraaf, Dayna Lambier and Trish Wickhorst. Teachers and Occasional Teachers were represented by Adam Agar, Martina Aisenpreis, Terry Barton, Dale Greenwood, Liz Hickling, and Shane Restall, while the PSSPs were represented by Diane Porte.
