Canada 150 | Fresh Speakers, Fresh Insights
Rt. Hon. Kim Campbell | 19th Prime Minister of Canada
Ms. Campbell rose to fame as our country’s first female Prime Minister and one of the youngest Prime Minister’s worldwide. She is the co-chair of a think tank called the Pursuing Justice Project, which aims to advance justice, diversity and inclusion. Ms. Campbell recently sat down for an interview with CTV to discuss what needs to be done to make sure Canada’s government and legal system reflect the country’s diversity.
In her Leadership & Education presentation, Ms. Campbell brings a unique and matured perspective to current events, politics and international relations, but is also on the cutting edge of leadership training that is preparing our NEXT generation of Canadian leaders to thrive in a world driven by intense competition, rapid technological change, and ever more complex diversification.
Stephen Lewis | Celebrated Humanitarian & Former UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa
Stephen Lewis’ work with the United Nations spanned more than two decades. He was the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa from June 2001 until the end of 2006. He continues to speak out on the important humanitarian issues of our day in his weekly video review for AIDS Free World.
Stephen’s Canada of the Future presentation examines the potential for Canada to lead in ending poverty, subduing communicable diseases, fighting for gender equality, confronting climate change and achieving the triumph of human rights for everyone from LGBT people to indigenous populations and beyond.
Natalie Panek | Rocket Scientist & Advocate for Women in Tech
Natalie is a rocket scientist, adventurer, and advocate for women in technology. As a Member of Technical Staff at MDA’s Robotics and Automation division, Natalie works on the next generation of Canadian space robotics and space exploration programs. She was recently named Ms. Chatelaine for the month of May.
Drawing from her experiences building Canadian space robotics, Natalie’s Everyday Exploration presentation looks at how the cyclical process of exploration can help organizations; innovating to push the limits of what is possible, which ultimately spins back into new opportunities to explore.
Darrell Bricker | CEO for Ipsos, Global Public Affairs
Leading pollster with Ipsos Global, Darrell Bricker has his pulse on public opinion, anticipating how it will affect the future of consumers and business organizations. He’ll be watching the 2016 US Election and it’s impact on Canada, noting a recent Ipsos poll that is narrowing the gap between Hillary Clinton and Donald among registered voters. Using the latest demographic and public opinion information, Darrell’s The Canada of Today. The Canada of Tomorrow presentation tells a fascinating, fact-based story about the Canada of today and the information needed to truly understand Canadians – hear the insights offered by Darrell in this fun, fascinating presentation customized for your group. .
Dave Meslin | Political Entrepreneur & Engagement Specialist
Multi-partisan and fiercely optimistic, Meslin’s presentations focus on how we can overcome cynicism and create a culture of participation. He encourages those present to find what is important to them and become engaged in the process of promoting change by creative participation. As the founder of the Ranked Ballot Initiative. Dave has become the go-to-voice in Canada on electoral reform. He recently sat down with CBC’s Metro Morning to discuss the proposed ranked ballot system for Toronto’s municipal elections.
Dave believes Canada’s 150th Birthday is a perfect opportunity to revitalize our democracy and transform a culture of disengagement into a culture of meaningful participation. His presentation takes a look at political participation, representation, the current political system and more. Based off the latest research for his upcoming book Remedies for a Broken Democracy, Dave offers practical tips on how we can make an extraordinary impact on our country.
Nova Browning Rutherford | Personal Development Coach Transforming Past Pain into Progress
Nova’s career experience in the hip-hop music industry provides nuance to her programming, as she uses pop culture references to connect to themes of mental health, sexual assault awareness, diversity, assertiveness and more. A survivor of depression, abuse, addiction, and assault, her sincerity and humour are refreshing to audiences looking to be inspired. She was recently featured in a Chatelaine special on the bond between mothers and daughters.
Nova’s Canada 150 presentation centres on Canadian Identity. She speaks about her life long struggle with identity and how it brought about a new lens through which she views others: that of commonality. Nova draws parallels between her family history and that of Canada to show how sacrifices made have fortified the common values, qualities and spirit of Canadians. It’s an inspiring message on what it means to be Canadian for those who are first generation and beyond.
Dr. Samantha Nutt | Global Humanitarian, Founder of War Child & Bestselling Author
A medical doctor and a founder of the renowned international humanitarian organization War Child, Dr. Nutt has worked with children and their families at the frontline of many of the world’s major crises. With a career that has spanned more than two decades and dozens of conflict zones, her international work has benefited hundreds of thousands of war-affected children globally.
She took part in TED Talks: War And Peace, a special that is set to air on PBS Monday, May 30th and will be online at TED.com as of June 1.
Her Canada 150 presentation explores the meaning of Canada in the 21st century. She discusses such issues of globalization, terrorism, integrated economies, climate change, population displacement, and emerging epidemics, to shed light on what Canadians can do to have a lasting global impact.
Frank O’Dea | Innovative Entrepreneur & Humanitarian
Frank O’Dea’s life went off the rails in his early teens. Fighting the formidable obstacles that hold back the homeless, the impoverished and the destitute, he overcame and rejoined society. Then, as if that were not enough, he turned that same determination to the many obstacles in life that we all face. Within a few short years, he co-founded The Second Cup, which soon became the largest chain of gourmet coffees and teas in the country.
Frank’s Canada 150 presentation The New Entrepreneurs focuses on Canadian business. He draws from his personal experience to discusses the great opportunities this country affords all of us. He paints a picture of the changing face of entrepreneurship that is taking us into the next fifty years. Frank looks at the different motivations, lifestyle preferences and rapidly advancing technology as new driving forces. This is an uplifting and inspiring speech about new opportunities and new entrepreneurs.
Chris Turner | Sustainability & Global Cleantech Expert
Chris is Canada’s authoritative voice on sustainability and the global cleantech boom. He’s the author of the bestsellers, The Geography of Hope: A Tour of the World We Need and The Great Leap: How to Survive and Thrive in the Sustainable Economy. His most recent Walrus article is a look at the Fort McMurray humanitarian disaster.
Chris’ Canada 150 presentation dispels the myths surrounding Canadian history. Images of the North-West Mounted Police in the Klondike gold rush, disseminated through American popular culture references have affected our internal perceptions on Canadiana. Chris argues it’s time for Canadians to reclaim the true, exciting stories of our past.
Our previous Canada 150 Blog looked at new presentations from:
