In a panel discussion, experts will discuss the impact of catastrophic events such as pandemics, forest fires or floods on consumer rights.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many retailers preferred to issue deferred vouchers, extend the duration of subscriptions or offer deferrals in cases where health measures prevented them from providing the service. Many consumers also complained about the interminable delays in obtaining a refund and the lack of communication from companies.
With disastrous events likely to occur more frequently as a result of climate change, what should governments be doing to better protect consumers in the event of a crisis? What obligations should retailers have?
The panel will present the conclusions and recommendations of the research report "Anticipating the unexpected: Consumer compensation measures for catastrophic events", by Alexandre Plourde, lawyer and analyst at Option consommateurs.
Mr. Plourde will be accompanied by :
Free of charge!
This event is aimed at legal and environmental professionals, as well as the academic community (the general public is welcome!).
Alexandre Plourde
Alexandre Plourde is a lawyer and analyst at Option consommateurs. He has been working in the field of consumer law for over ten years, and is particularly interested in digital technology and privacy issues. Mr. Plourde holds a bachelor's degree in law from the Université de Montréal, and has undertaken a master's degree in information technology law at the same university.
Suzanne Michaud
Suzanne Michaud has held the position of Vice President Insurance at CAA-Quebec since 2015. She holds a Master's degree in Marketing and is a certified Personal Property and Casualty insurance agent, with several years' experience in auto and home insurance, travel insurance and personal insurance. She was previously Vice-President, Home and Auto Insurance at Industrial Alliance, where her responsibilities included customer experience and complaint handling. She currently sits on the Advisory Committee of Representatives of the Autorité des marchés financiers, and last December completed a 6-year term as a director of the Actuarial Profession Oversight Council of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.
Andréanne Brazeau
Committed to ecological transition since the beginning of her career, Andréanne Brazeau is a climate policy analyst and spokesperson for Équiterre, as well as a lecturer at the Université de Sherbrooke. With a master's degree in applied political studies, a D.E.S.S. in environmental management and a bachelor's degree in international studies, she has a wealth of professional and volunteer experience in communications, public policy, advocacy and project management.
