EDUCATIONUSA VIRTUAL FAIR
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Sheila Watt-Cloutier has been a political representative for Inuit at the regional, national and international levels, most recently as International Chair for Inuit Circumpolar Council (formerly the Inuit Circumpolar Conference). Watt-Cloutier has worked on a range of social and environmental issues affecting Inuit, most recently, persistent organic pollutants and global warming. She has received numerous awards and honors for her work and has been featured in a number of documentaries and profiled by journalists from all media.

Jesse Thistle is a Métis-Cree Ph.D. Candidate in the History program and Assistant Professor at York University, Toronto. Currently, he is working on theories of the intergenerational and historical trauma of the Métis people. Jesse’s work involves reflections on his own previous struggles with addiction and homelessness and has been recognized as having a wide impact on both the scholarly community and the greater public.

Dr. Paul Kershaw is a tenured University of BC professor, public speaker, regular media contributor and Founder of Generation Squeeze – a voice for younger Canadians in politics and the market supported by cutting-edge research. Kershaw is one of Canada’s leading thinkers about generational equity.

Balakrishnan Rajagopal is Associate Professor of Law and Development at the Department of Urban Studies and Planning and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing. He founded the Program on Human Rights and Justice at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and the Displacement Research and Action Network. He is recognized as a leading participant in the Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) Network of scholars and is one of its founders and is recognized as a leading global commentator on issues concerning the global South.

Ahmed Hussen was elected as the Member of Parliament for York South—Weston in 2015 and sat on the Justice and Human Rights Committee. He was also the vice-chair of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association. In January 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Ahmed as Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship. Ahmed was subsequently re-elected as the Member of Parliament for York South—Weston in October 2019. On November 20, 2019, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Ahmed Hussen as Canada’s Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Danny Breen was first elected to the St. John’s City Council in the Fall of 2009 and was re-elected by acclamation in 2013, representing Ward 1, in the east end of St. John’s. He was elected as Mayor of the City of St. John’s in September of 2017. Danny has served as Chair of the Public Works Committee, Chair of the St. John’s Sport Event Partnership and Chair of the Finance Committee of the Eastern Regional Services Board. He has also served as Chair of the City’s Audit and Accountability Committee and the Finance Committee, as well as Co-Chair of the St. John’s Regional Fire Services Committee.

Romy joined CMHC in 2015 after a diverse career in the Canadian banking industry, including 12 years with the Bank of Montreal, where she gained extensive experience in treasury operations and risk management. Initially appointed Chief Risk Officer, she also served as CMHC’s Chief Commercial Officer before taking on the role of Senior Vice President, Client Solutions. On March 2, 2021, Minister Ahmed Hussen announced that Romy would take over as President and CEO of CMHC effective April 6, 2021. CHRA is very pleased that Congress will be one of the first opportunities that the community housing sector will get to hear from Romy in her new role.

Leader of Canada's New Democratic Party since October 2017, Jagmeet Singh is a lawyer, a human rights activist, and a former Member of Provincial Parliament in Ontario. Jagmeet understands the struggles Canadians are faced with because as a young man, he had to step up and take care of his family. As NDP Leader and Member of Parliament for Burnaby South, Mr. Singh will speak about his vision for housing in Canada.

In 2004, Mark Spiro founded Crestview Strategy, an industry leading public affairs agency. Having worked in a senior capacity in both the public and corporate sectors, Mark brings clients a unique insight into managing and mitigating public affairs risks using an evidence-based approach to managing opinions. Over the past twenty-five years, Mark has organized and executed campaigns for both political and corporate clients which rely on the practical application of understanding the dynamics of opinion and how it can impact the public policy process. Whether for approvals of large-scale mergers or asset acquisitions, regulatory reforms or legislative changes, Mark has delivered winning outcomes for clients in Canada, the United States, Australia and Israel. The Indigenous Caucus is excited to welcome Mark to speak at the Indigenous Caucus Events during Congress.

David is the Chief Executive Officer of Bridging Finance Inc. and is responsible for the strategic direction of the firm and ensuring sustainable growth is achieved. David has over 25 years of financial services industry experience, in roles such as General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Risk Officer for leading financial organizations, and previously was the head of investigations for the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada. David is a Mohawk and member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte (Tyendinaga). In 2015, David was named to the Diversity 50 in Canada. David will be joined by Robert Byers, Namerind CEO and Chair of the Indigenous Caucus for a fireside chat on the topic of economic Reconciliation.

Dr. Buchman is an associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto and from 2005–2019, provided home-based palliative and end-of-life care through the Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care, Sinai Health System, in Toronto. He now serves as the Freeman Family Chair in Palliative Medicine and Medical Director of Palliative Care at the North York General Hospital in Toronto as well as the medical lead of a new residential hospice in Toronto. He served as President of the Canadian Medical Association in 2020-21 in the midst of the worst pandemic in a century. With nuanced background as an academic, medical practitioner and advocate with significant experience working with vulnerable groups, CHRA is please to have Dr. Buchman unpack the complex relationship between housing and health at Congress.