SOCI committee briefing binder: Briefing Book for the Minister of Seniors

Biography

In April 2016, Prime Minister Trudeau appointed Ms. Omidvar to the Senate of Canada as an independent Senator representing Ontario. As a member of the Senate’s Independent Senators Group she holds a leadership position as the Scroll Manager. Ratna Omidvar is an internationally recognized voice on migration, diversity and inclusion. She came to Canada from Iran in 1981 and her own experiences of displacement, integration and citizen engagement have been the foundation of her work.

Senator Omidvar is the founding Executive Director and currently a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Global Diversity Exchange (GDX), Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University. GDX is a think-and-do tank on diversity, migration and inclusion that connects local experience and ideas with global networks. It is dedicated to building a community of international leaders who see prosperity in migration. Previously, Senator Omidvar was the President of Maytree, where she played a lead role in local, national and international efforts to promote the integration of immigrants.

Senator Omidvar is the current Co-Chair of the Global Future Council on Migration hosted by the World Economic Forum and serves as a Councillor on the World Refugee Council. She is also a director at the Environics Institute, and Samara Canada and is the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council’s Chair Emerita and was formerly the Chair of Lifeline Syria.

Senator Omidvar is co-author of Flight and Freedom: Stories of Escape to Canada (2015), an Open Book Toronto best book of 2015 and one of the Toronto Star's top 5 good reads from Word on the Street. She is also a contributor to The Harper Factor (2016) and co-editor of Five Good Ideas: Practical Strategies for Non-Profit Success (2011). Senator Omidvar received an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws, York University in 2012.

Senator Omidvar has also been recognized by Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail, by being named as its Nation Builder of the Decade for Citizenship in 2010. She was named to the inaugural Global Diversity List sponsored by The Economist magazine in 2015, as one of the Top 10 Diversity Champions worldwide. In 2016, she also received Lifetime Achievement Awards from CivicAction and the Canadian Urban Institute, honouring her strong commitment to civic leadership and city building.

Biography

The Honourable Donna Dasko was appointed to the Senate of Canada on June 6th, 2018 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Formerly a national pollster, media commentator and private sector business leader, Senator Dasko also holds a Ph.D and MA from the University of Toronto as well as a BA (Hons) from the University of Manitoba.

Prior to being appointed as a Senator for Ontario, Senator Dasko was Senior Vice-President of Environics Research Group Ltd, a leading research firm in Canada. She has volunteered in many roles including as Chair of the National CEO Roundtable for the Alzheimer Society, and Advisor to GreenPac (which promotes environmental leadership).

Dr. Dasko’s passion for the promotion of women in politics has guided much of her advocacy. She is a Co-Founder and former National Chair of Equal Voice, a non-partisan organization aimed at electing more women in Canada. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF), which promotes equality rights for women. In 2015, she co-founded the Campaign for an Equal Senate for Canada, an initiative to promote a gender-equal Senate. She works with the National Democratic Institute on issues related to women in politics internationally.

Biography

The Honourable Yonah Martin (born April 11, 1965) is a Conservative Senator from British Columbia, appointed by The Right Hon. Stephen Harper in 2009. She is the first Canadian of Korean descent to serve in the Senate of Canada and the first Korean-Canadian parliamentarian in Canadian history.

Senator Martin is currently the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (since November 2015). She previously served as the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate (2013 to 2015); and as the Deputy Whip of the Government (2011 to 2013). She has been Co-Chair of the Canada Korea Inter-Parliamentary Group since 2009; and Chairs or serves on the Executive of various interparliamentary groups. In November 2015, she co-founded International Parliamentary Coalition for Victims of Sexual Slavery (IPCVSS), and currently serves as Co-Chair of Canada.

Her notable achievements as a Senator to date include the enactment of her Senate Public Bill - Korean War Veterans Day Act (June 2013); the successful campaign to add TCM and Acupuncturists to the schedule of health professionals for GST/HST exemption (April 2014); ‎and the conclusion of a multi-year negotiation process and implementation of the historic Canada Korea FTA (January 2016).

In recognition of her community service in the Tri-Cities region, Yonah Martin was awarded the 2004 Spirit of Community Award for Cultural Harmony. In 2009, she was awarded the Order of Civil Merit Moran Medal by the president of the Republic of Korea for outstanding leadership and work in advancing the rights of overseas Koreans; and in 2012, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by Governor General David Johnston. In 2014, as part of UBC's centennial campaign, she was recognized as one of University of British Columbia's top Education 100 Alumni; and in February 2016, she was honoured with the King Clancy Award from the Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons (CFPDP). Most recently, Yonah Martin was among 100 Canadians to be featured (for 1965, her birth year) in MacLean's special Canada Day issue of "Canada's Stories", to mark the magazine's 100th anniversary.

Biography

Dennis Patterson (Nunavut) is a former Premier of the Northwest Territories who has dedicated his career to bettering the lives of people throughout Canada’s North.

In his distinguished 16-year career as a member of the Legislative Assembly in the Northwest Territories Mr. Patterson served in many capacities including Minister of Education, Minister of Health and Social Services and Minister of Justice, culminating in his service as Premier between 1987 and 1991.

During his time in public office Mr. Patterson played a key role in the settlement of the Inuvialuit final agreement and the Nunavut final land claim agreement. Mr. Patterson also served as a leader of the more than twenty-year campaign which led to the establishment of Nunavut as Canada’s newest territory in 1999. Prior to entering politics, Mr. Patterson practiced law and was appointed founding Executive Director of the Legal Services Centre, Maliiganik Tukisiiniakvik Society, in Iqaluit.

After serving as Premier, Mr. Patterson established a private consulting firm, was admitted to the Law Society of Nunavut in 2001 and since 2003 has been a Trustee and, until September, 2015, was the Chair of Governance, Compensation and Nomination Committee of the Northern Property Real Estate Investment Trust.

Biography

Frances Lankin has been a lifelong advocate for workers’ and women’s rights.

Lankin served for 11 years in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (1990 to 2001), holding the positions of Minister of Government Services and Chair of Management Board, Minister of Health and Long Term Care and Minister of Economic Development and Trade. She also spent more than 10 years as the CEO of United Way Toronto.

She has contributed to a number of diverse government bodies and initiatives, including as a Member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee, Co-Chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Federal Grants and Contributions, Co-Commissioner of the Commission for the Reform of Social Assistance in Ontario, and Member of the Premier’s Advisory Council on Government Business Assets.

Lankin has served on several Crown, not-for-profit, charitable and corporate boards, including those of Equal Voice, The Canadian Foundation for Economic Education, the Toronto City Summit Alliance, the University of Toronto's School of Public Policy Advisory Committee, the Board of the Ontario Hospital Association, the Board of the Literary Review of Canada, the Mowat Centre’s Advisory Committee, the National NewsMedia Council, the Ontario Press Council, the Institute of Corporate Directors, Metrolinx, Hydro One and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

Lankin is a Member of Privy Council and a Member of the Order of Canada.

She has received Honorary Doctorates from Queen’s University, Ryerson University, the University of Windsor, and Nipissing University and is a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals. She is also the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions for her community work and involvement in the charitable sector.

Lankin was appointed to the Senate on March 18, 2016. She is a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians.

Biography

Appointed to the Senate in December of 2018 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Senator Kutcher is a leading psychiatrist and professor who has helped young people successfully manage major mental illnesses. Dr. Kutcher studied history and political science before earning a medical degree from McMaster University. He continued his education in Toronto and in Edinburgh, Scotland before returning to Canada and joining the University of Toronto.

It was there that he made his first of many major contributions to Canadian health care, taking Sunnybrook Hospital’s adolescent psychiatry division and transforming it into an innovative clinical and research facility. He also pioneered research into the causes of and treatments for youth with major mental illnesses such as bipolar illness, schizophrenia and depression.

Dr. Kutcher then became Head of the Psychiatry Department at Dalhousie University followed by appointments as Associate Dean for International Heath and the Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health.

In addition to his professional practice, Dr. Kutcher has served on the board of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the board of the Spryfield Boys and Girls Club. He also led the development of a national youth mental health framework for Canada as a member of the Child and Youth Advisory Committee of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

Dr. Kutcher has also received numerous awards and honours for his work, including the Order of Nova Scotia, the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s Naomi Rae-Grant and Paul D. Steinhauer Advocacy awards, the McMaster University Distinguished Alumni Award and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada’s John Ruedy Award for Innovation in Medical Education.

Biography

Senator Patricia Bovey was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on November 10, 2016. Prior to being appointed to the Senate, Senator Bovey was a Winnipeg-based gallery director and curator, art historian, writer, professor and, for many years, a management consultant in the arts and not-for-profit sector.

Former Chair of the Board of Governors of the University of Manitoba, she has served on the Boards of the National Gallery of Canada (2005 to 2009) and the Canada Council for the Arts (1990 to1993); the 1986 Withrow/Richard Federal Task Force on National and Regional Museums; the National Board for the Canadian Center for Cultural Management at the University of Waterloo (2002 to 2010); is a past Chair of the Board of Governors of Emily Carr University and of the Canadian Art Museum Directors Organization. She was a member of the Public Art Committee of the City of Winnipeg (2003 to 2007), and of the Mayor’s Task Force on Public Art to develop Winnipeg’s Public Art Policy (2002 to 2003). Former member of the Board of the University of Manitoba Press, she presently serves on the Eckhardt-Gramatté Foundation. She served as Board Chair of the Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art, and was a member of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation; the Manitoba Rhodes Scholarship and Loran Scholarship Selection committees; the board of Manitoba Artists in Healthcare and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.

Senator Bovey was a recipient of the 2015 Winnipeg Arts Council Investors Making a Difference Award, Senator Bovey’s honours include her appointment as Fellow of the UK’s Royal Society for the Arts, and as Fellow of the Canadian Museums Association; the Canada 125 Medal; the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal; Winnipeg’s 2002 Woman of Distinction for the Arts; the Canadian Museums Association Distinguished Service Award; the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts Medal; and the 2013 Association of Manitoba Museum’s inaugural Award of Merit.

Bovey’s consulting since 2005 has focused on governance, policy development and strategic and business planning for galleries, museums and multi-disciplinary arts organizations.

Biography

The Honourable Chantal Petitclerc is not only an internationally renowned athlete, but also a compassionate person. When she was 13 years old, she lost the use of her legs in an accident. While Petitclerc was developing her skills as a wheelchair athlete, she pursued her studies, first in social sciences at the CEGEP de Sainte-Foy and then in history at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. She overcame adversity and many obstacles to become a proven leader in the sports world. Her gold medals in the Paralympic Games, Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games, the various awards and accolades she has received, and her appointment as Team Canada’s Chef de Mission for the Rio Paralympic Games are all markers of her success.

Her many achievements and her personal journey have also made her an in-demand public speaker, recognized across Canada. She has been the spokesperson for Défi sportif AlterGo for 17 years, and is an ambassador for the international organization Right to Play. A tireless advocate for the contributions people with disabilities have made to our society, she plays a definitive role in building a more inclusive society. Her example inspires people to overcome their obstacles and achieve their full potential.

Through her experiences, Senator Petitclerc has also learned a lot about the particular characteristics of various communities, as well as how decisions are made at the national level. As someone who has functional limitations herself, she has a good understanding of the needs of various minority communities and would like to ensure their voices are heard. The Senator is a Companion of the Order of Canada and a Knight of the Order of Quebec. She received the Lou Marsh Trophy for Canadian Athlete of the Year and was inducted into the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame. She has also received 4 honorary doctorates. In addition, Senator Petitclerc sits on various committees and boards of directors, where she provides her dynamic and unique perspective.

Biography

Appointed to the Senate in December 2018 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Senator Moodie is a Jamaican-born paediatrician and neonatologist. After graduating from the University of the West Indies, she completed postgraduate training in Paediatric and Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine at Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

She is senior neonatologist, clinical teacher and associate professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. She is Fellow of Royal College of Physicians of Canada and Fellow of American Academy of Pediatrics. Her research has focused on the social determinants of breastfeeding practice and she has written extensively on regional health services and physician human resource planning.

Senator Moodie is a well-recognized national and international medical leader. She has supported organizations and stakeholders in policy development and advocacy to improve health equity and expand quality health care access to the most vulnerable, underserved and marginalized population. Her work included Corporate Chief of Paediatrics and Medical Director of the Regional Maternal Child Program Rouge Valley Health System; Maternal, Child, Youth, and Gynaecology Lead for Central East Local Health Integration Network; and regional and provincial committees, such as the Child Health Network and Provincial Council of Children’s Health. Her expertise also includes health care planning locally and internationally.

Further, Senator Moodie is an Accreditation Canada hospital surveyor with extensive experience improving the quality of health care delivery across Canada and worldwide.

Senator Moodie has been a strong advocate for woman and girls. Her contributions to reducing social inequities and health disparities among children and communities have been significant. She is on the Board of Directors for the inaugural board of Providence Healthcare, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, and St. Michael’s Hospital (Unity Health Toronto) and the ScotiaBank Jamaica Foundation.

Biography

Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard is a highly regarded social worker, educator, researcher, community activist and advocate of social change. She has worked in mental health at the provincial level, in rural community practice at the municipal level, and, since 1990, as a professor at the Dalhousie School of Social Work, where she also served as director for a decade.

In 2016, she was appointed Special Advisor on Diversity and Inclusiveness at Dalhousie University and she is the first African Nova Scotian to hold a tenure track position at Dalhousie University and to be promoted to full professor. Dr. Thomas Bernard has worked with provincial organizations to bring diversity to the political processes in Nova Scotia and teach community members about Canada’s legislative process and citizen engagement. She is a founding member of the Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW) which helps address the needs of marginalized citizens, especially those of African descent.

As a former member of the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and as its past Chair, was instrumental in the development of advice to ministers regarding frameworks for gender violence prevention and health equity. At the national level, she has served as a member of the National Coalition of Advisory Councils on the Status of Women. She has served as an expert witness in human rights cases and has presented at many local, national and international forums.

Dr. Thomas Bernard has received many honours for her work and community leadership, notably the Order of Nova Scotia and the Order of Canada.

Biography

Josée Verner was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2006 and re-elected in 2008. In February 2006, Ms. Verner was appointed Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages. In August 2007, she was named Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages. In addition in May 2008, she was re-appointed Minister for La Francophonie.‎

In October 2008, she was named minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, President of the Privy Council for the Queen of Canada, Minister for La Francophonie as well as Minister responsible for the region of Quebec.

In June 2011, she was appointed to the Senate of Canada.

Ms. Verner has spent close to 20 years in communications and the public service.