Current Developments
Building a New Canada: Meeting the Civic Challenges of Social Inclusion
Presenter Biographies
Adair, Leticia
Leticia Adair has worked with the Refugee Support Centre for more than 15 years; first as a volunteer, then as a paid coordinator, then after a lack of funding, as a volunteer again. Her volunteer involvement has included being a member of the Urban Core Support Network, Atlantic Canada’s Poor People’s Conference committee; board member of the Human Development Council; member of the founding board of the Saint John Legal Centre, member of the Community Health Centre Advisory Council . She has helped to establish a local chapter of the Council of Canadians and continues to play a lead role in that organization. She was also a recipient of the Human Development Council’s 2003 Community Services Award.
Bach, Michael Ph.D.
Michael Bach is the Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL), a national advocacy federation for people with intellectual disabilities and their families. He has undertaken research and project development nationally and internationally on disability, public policy, and human rights issues. Michael holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and Equity Studies from the University of Toronto.
Barry, Jane
Jane Barry is currently the Executive Director of the Greater Saint John Community Foundation. Jane served as an MLA for the Province of New Brunswick from 1987 – 1999 and served in cabinet as Minister of State for Childhood Services, Minister of Environment, and Solicitor General.
Best, Tania C.
Tania C. Best was born in Montreal, completed her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts at Concordia University and has completed postgraduate studies in International Relations at the University of Wales, Swansea. Her political involvement spans from union activity, to political campaign involvement on the Municipal and Federal levels of government in Montreal. Tania sits on the board of The National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada (NOIVMWC), where she is the Chair of the Advocacy and Policy Committee; and Women Aware, an organization in Montreal that provides support and services “to assist and empower women who have experienced conjugal violence.” Her research skills in focusing on new ideas in domestic and foreign policy issues are ongoing along with her drive for critical analysis of global humanitarian situations to bring about change.
Campey, John
John Campey is Executive Director of the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto. Prior to his appointment, he taught immigrant children in inner-city Toronto schools for six years. He served two terms as Downtown Trustee on the Toronto Board of Education, focusing on issues of exclusion such as poverty, racism, language, and homophobia. He was a consultant with the International Children’s Institute, and has edited two books of children’s writing and drawing of their experiences in post-war Bosnia. John is currently President of Friends of Community Schools, a small charitable foundation supporting children’s entitlements, and a member of the Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force.
Cardinal, Lewis
Lewis Cardinal is currently on an education leave from his position as Director of Native Student Services at the University of Alberta. He is also the Chair of the Edmonton Aboriginal Urban Affairs Committee and on several boards and advisory committees with a focus on Aboriginal/Indigenous Education. Lewis is an instructor and lecturer on “Foundations of Indigenous Worldviews”. He is one of the founders of the recently formed Indigenous Media Institute (Alberta). Lewis is on education leave to complete his PhD on traditional indigenous governance systems.
Cardinal, Nathan
Nathan Cardinal is a researcher for the Centre for Native Policy and Research in British Columbia. Through his work at the Centre, Nathan focuses his research on the social, economic, and environmental conditions affecting Aboriginal people in BC. Nathan has written a number of articles and prepared various presentations on Indigenous people and their connection to the environment.
Christopherson, David
David Christopherson was elected to the House of Commons in 2004. He is the NDP critic for Labour, Steel Policy, and Cities and Infrastructure. Prior to entering federal politics David was the MPP for Hamilton Centre; elected in 1990 and re-elected in 1995 and 1999. At Queen’s Park he rose to the position of Solicitor-General in the NDP government. Following the defeat of the NDP government David fought the Harris cutbacks in Opposition as the NDP Labour and WCB critic. In 1999 he was appointed NDP House Leader and in 2001, elected Deputy Speaker of the Legislature. In December 2002, he announced his decision not to run for fourth term in the Legislature. David began his public political career serving several terms as a Municipal Alderman and Regional Councillor. Prior to that David had been a union activist, President of CAW Local 525.
Clutterbuck, Peter
Peter Clutterbuck is a resource consultant to Inclusive Cities Canada, focusing on research and training. He has worked in the voluntary human services sector at the community, provincial and national levels for thirty years. In 2001, Peter completed almost ten years of leadership at the executive director level with the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto. In the last four years, Peter has combined a program development role for the Social Planning Network of Ontario (SPNO) with independent consulting and research. In 2003, he conducted a series of cross-Canada community soundings on building inclusive communities leading to a policy paper on inclusive social infrastructure co-authored with Marvyn Novick and released jointly by the Laidlaw Foundation and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Peter currently coordinates SPNO’s Social and Economic Inclusion Initiative funded by the new Public health Agency of Canada – Ontario Region, called Closing the Distance.
Edwardh, Joey Ph.D.
Dr. Joey Edwardh is Executive Director of Community Development Halton. Dr. Edwardh’s career has been dedicated to work in the area of social and health services, social research, policy analysis and community development both in Canada and internationally, most recently a 10 year tenure in Santiago, Chile. She serves on the Advisory Board of CH TV, the Board of Directors of the Centre for Skills Development and Training and until recently was a Director of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation where she chaired their Research and Development Committee. Presently, she is a member of the Regional Diversity Committee, a body that is attempting to grapple with the challenges of growing diversity throughout Halton’s communities. At the provincial level, Dr. Edwardh is a director of the Social Planning Council Network of Ontario.
Ferguson, Helen
Helen Ferguson came to Canada in 1953 from England and has lived in Burlington since 1954. She retired from a Children’s Aid Society in 1958, and since then has been much involved as a volunteer on many community committees dealing with seniors' issues. Helen chaired the Elderly Services Advisory Committee, an advisory committee to Halton Regional Government, for 6 years. At 81, she is still active on that committee and many others, especially the Elder Abuse Prevention Committee of Halton Region.
Freiler, Christa
Christa Freiler is the national coordinator of Inclusive Cities Canada, a cross-Canada initiative to enhance social inclusion in cities and communities. Christa’s work has been in policy development, research and policy advocacy related to child and family policy, poverty and income security, developmental disabilities, and race relations. Christa has held positions in the voluntary sector and government, including the Laidlaw Foundation, the Child Poverty Action Group (Canada), Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services, the Social Planning Council of Toronto, and associations for community living.
Golden, Anne Ph.D., C.M.
Anne Golden is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Conference Board of Canada since October 2001. Dr. Golden served with the United Way of Greater Toronto for 19 years – the last 14 years as President. As President, she chaired two major task forces: in 1995, the Greater Toronto Area Task Force and published the “Golden Report” in 1996; in 1998, the Homelessness Action Task Force. The Task Force released its report, Taking Responsibility for Homelessness: An Action Plan for Toronto, in 1999 with 105 recommendations for all three levels of government and an action plan to solve homelessness. Dr. Golden, who holds a doctorate in history, has received many honorary doctorates from various universities as well as being appointed a Member of the Order of Canada by the Governor General in 2003.
Godfrey, Hon. John
John Ferguson Godfrey was named Minister of State (Infrastructure and Communities) in July 2004. Prior to that, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister with special emphasis on cities, from December 2003 to May 2004. He has been the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Toronto riding of Don Valley West since 1993. Minister Godfrey is familiar to many as the editor of The Financial Post, a position he held from 1987 to 1991. Then, before becoming the Member of Parliament for Don Valley West, he was Vice-President of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, one of Canada's leading research institutes, with programs studying social, economic and scientific issues of major importance for Canada.
Minister Godfrey was educated at the University of Toronto and earned his M. Phil and D. Phil at Oxford University. He began his career as an academic at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, where he taught for seventeen years as a professor of history, ten of which he also served as President of the University of King's College, Halifax. He is the recipient of numerous honours and awards, including Doctor of Sacred Letters (honoris causa), Trinity College, University of Toronto, (1987), the Vanier Award for Outstanding Young Canadian (1981), and the Queen's Jubilee Medal (1977).
Goossen, Tam
Tam Goossen is a Research Associate at the Asian Institute of the Munk Centre (University of Toronto). Tam is Past President of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, and is currently a member of the Ontario Press Council, the Board of St. Stephen’s Community Centre, and is actively involved in a variety of other organizations. She has worked with many community organizations including the Chinese Canadian National Council and the Metro Toronto Chinese and South East Asian Legal Clinic. Tam served as a Trustee on the Toronto Board of Education from 1988 to 1997.
Hatfield, Randall
Randy Hatfield is the Executive Director of the Human Development Council.
MacIsaac, Robert
Rob MacIsaac has been Mayor of Burlington since1997. Since elected, Mayor MacIsaac has been instrumental in bringing a Smart Growth perspective to growth management in Burlington and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). As a member of the Ontario Central Zone Smart Growth Panel, he leads the sub-panel, established by the Minister of Municipal Affairs, to develop a vision and recommendations for a Smart Growth strategy for the zone. He founded a Transit Caucus, inviting the Mayors of four other GTA municipalities to create more transit systems. In May 2002, Mayor MacIsaac received a GTA Leadership Award from the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance.
McConnell, Pam
Pam McConnell has represented the east downtown area of Toronto since 1980, for the last twelve years as City Councillor. Prior to her election to Council, she served as Trustee on the Toronto Board of Education for twelve years, including a term as Chair of the Board. She served as President of the Cooperative Housing Federation of Toronto, has worked as a teacher in inner-city schools, and has played a critical role in many of the City’s initiatives to improve inclusion for women, visible minorities, and other marginalized groups. She is currently a member of the Policy and Finance Committee of City Council, and is Vice-Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board.
Melles, Amanuel
Amanuel Melles is the Director, Organizational Capacity Building, United Way of Greater Toronto. Prior to that he was Community Program Manager with Family Service of Toronto. Amanuel has extensive experience with the Immigrant, Ethno-Cultural and Community Health Sector in Toronto and is currently Chair of the African Canadian Social Development Council. He is Past Vice-President of the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto and sits on the Board of Toronto Distress Centers and the Ontario Council of International Cooperation. Amanuel is a Member of Advisory Committee for the African Canadian Newcomer Settlement Conference, a Citizenship & Immigration Canada that took place in March 2001. He has international experience in the Academic/Research Sector and is interested in Anti-racism, Access and Equity issues and has contributed actively to OCASI’s Anti-racism policy development. Amanuel is the recipient of the Jane Jacobs Award for 2002.
Melnychuk, Janice
Janice Melnychuk is an Edmonton City Councillor and a long time community activist. Before her election to city council, Janice was already known to the members of her community as a strong advocate for family and education. With a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology from the University of Alberta, she has a keen awareness of social issues. This led to her involvement as a fundraising Chair for the “Children and Poverty” Conference, and her work with the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues. She also served as president of both the Newton Community League and Newton Playschool, and as a member of the Beacon Heights Parents Council. She served two terms as a Public School Trustee for Ward B before her election to Council in 2001.
Mohamed, Faduma
Faduma Mohamed is the Executive Director of Labour Community Services of Toronto and York Region Labour Council. Faduma’s prior position was the Executive Director of the Somali Youth Association of Toronto, a Settlement Coordinator with the Rexdale Women’s Centre, a Youth Settlement Worker with CultureLink and a Youth Outreach Worker with the African Youth Settlement and Development Project. She currently serves as a member of the Strong Neighbourhood Task Force of the United Way of Greater Toronto and the City Summit Alliance, the Mayor’s Roundtable for Children, Youth and Education, the Human Service Planning Coalition of York Region and the United Way of York Region’s LEAD Advisory Committee.
In 2004, Faduma was a recipient of the Person’s Day Award from the City of Toronto which honours women who have made significant contributions to society, and have advanced the standing of women in Toronto. Faduma has a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Science from Justus Liebig University in Germany.
Muir, Suzanne
Suzanne Muir is the Diversity Coordinator with the Halton District School Board. She has been an educator for 9 years in the field of public education. She is a published children's author, workshop presenter and consultant.
Mulkewich, Walter
Walter Mulkewich is a former Mayor of the City of Burlington with past experience in government, business, education, social services, and local community organizations. Now retired, he is President of Performing Arts Burlington, Chair of the Hamilton Port Authority and remains active in a number of Boards and Committees.
Novick, Marvyn
Marvyn Novick is a leading contributor to the social policy field in Canada, and to the social development of the Greater Toronto Area. He has been engaged in research and community initiatives since 1970, and has presented widely to public audiences. He has prepared major national reports on child poverty, conducted a widely cited two volume study on social conditions in Toronto suburbs, focused public attention on the social responsibilities of local governments, generated research and publications on the well-being of families, and authored working papers on social inclusion and the life chances of children. Professor Novick teaches social policy at Ryerson University. Prior to his appointment at Ryerson, he served as Senior Program Director with the Social Planning Council of Toronto. The focus of his current work is on the social infrastructures of cities, and on national strategies for poverty reduction.
O’Hara, Phil
Phil O’Hara is research and policy analysis coordinator with the Edmonton Social Planning Council in Edmonton, Alberta. The Council informs and engages the community on issues related to poverty, inclusion and health. At the Council, Phil’s current major activities are examining the social determinants of health and working on a national social inclusion initiative. His most recent reports and discussion papers include a study of the Market Basket Measure, the Alberta policy on earnings exemptions, the frequent use of food banks and the social determinants of health framework for Alberta. Phil is a community activist in Edmonton’s inner city and has chaired many non-profit boards, including the Boyle McCauley Health Centre and the Edmonton School Lunch Program. Currently he sits on the Edmonton Inner City Housing Society Board and is a volunteer instructor in the Board Development Program with Alberta Community Development. Phil has a Master’s degree in health promotion from the University of Alberta.
Pike, Ken
Ken Pike is currently the Director of Social Policy for the New Brunswick Association for Community Living and have worked for the Association for Community Living in various capacities over the last 16 years. He is also the Coordinator for New Brunswick Community Inclusion Project which is part of a national Community Inclusion Initiative funded through Social Development Canada since 1997. Ken is a lawyer by training and lives in Rothesay, New Brunswick.
Rutherford, Don
Don Rutherford has been the Executive Director of North Shore Neighbourhood House since 1988. A graduate of Simon Fraser University (BA ’73) and UBC (BSW ’80, MSW ’81), Don has worked in the community social services in the areas of direct service delivery, specialized services to juvenile offenders and community development.
Sharp, Barbara
Ms. Barbara Ann Sharp has served as the Mayor of the City of North Vancouver since 1999. In 1992, Mayor Sharp served as a full-time mediator with the BC Labour Relations Board and she has served on a variety of Boards, Commissions, and Committees in the City of North Vancouver, and throughout the Lower Mainland. She is a Director on the Fraser Basin Council and a Director of the International Centre for Sustainable Cities and serves as Director at Large for the North Vancouver Kiwanis Club. At present, Mayor Sharp actively participates in two Lower Mainland organizations: The Greater Vancouver Transit Authority (GVTA or TransLink) Board of Directors and the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) Board of Directors. She serves as Chair of the GVRD Communities Committee and as a member of the Corporate and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee as well as sub-committee work for both the GVRD and TransLink. She is also a Trustee of the Municipal Finance Authority, and a Co-Chair of the Cascadia Mayor’s Council which encompasses the area of BC, Washington and Oregon. Most recently, Mayor Sharp has been appointed as the GVRD Representative to the Vancouver Working Group for the 2006 United Nations Conference known as the World Urban Forum.
Smyth, Rob
Rob Smyth is the Manager of the Strategic Services Branch in the City of Edmonton Community Services Department. The branch serves as a strategic resource to five municipal operating programs: parks; recreation facilities; social and recreation services; fire rescue; and emergency medical services. Prior to joining the city, Rob worked for the Government of Alberta. He has a graduate degree in Urban and Regional Planning.
White, Carl A.
Carl White has served as a councillor for the City of Saint John since 1998 and as Deputy Mayor from 2001-2004. Carl has served on a variety of committees since his 1998 election. Special areas of interest include housing and environmental issues, waterfront development, and youth programming. Carl is a Human Rights Officer with the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission.
Woodsworth, Ellen
Ellen Woodsworth was elected to Vancouver City Council in 2002. She has worked as a social planning analyst in North Vancouver and spent several years working at the Vancouver YWCA. Ellen worked in London teaching English as a second language. In Ontario, she operated a traveling women’s bookmobile and founded a women’s newspaper called The Other Woman. Councillor Woodsworth has fought long and hard for the rights of women, for the gay and lesbian community and for seniors. She has been coordinator of the Seniors Summit and led in the formation of Breaking the Silence and served as Chairperson of Bridge Housing Society for Women. She has been active in her community as a long standing member of Strathcona Community Gardens, as the President of Britannia Community Centre, President of South Vancouver Family Place, a member of the board of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered “Generations Project” and Reach Community Health Clinic.