Get Inspired at the 2023 Kingston climate change symposium…
On Jan. 19, 2023, join us at the 2023 Kingston Climate Change Symposium and hear from an incredible line-up of speakers, from across Canada. This year, we welcome former Minister of the Environment and Climate Change The Hon. Catherine McKenna, FoodShare Toronto and anti-poverty expert Paul Taylor, and broadcaster Ali Hassan as our host. More speakers will be announced, closer to the date.
Speaker Bios
The Hon. Catherine McKenna
As the former Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, The Honourable Catherine McKenna spearheaded groundbreaking environmental initiatives across Canada. She was a lead negotiator of the Paris Agreement, successfully defended landmark legislation to establish a carbon price, and led efforts to phase out coal, reduce plastics, and double the amount of nature protected in Canada. McKenna is dedicated to drastically reducing global emissions by 2030 and ensuring a sustainable planet for future generations.
Today, McKenna is the founder and principal of Climate and Nature Solutions, an organization that works with governments, not-for profits, academia, and the private sector to scale practical climate and nature-based solutions. She is also the Chair of the UN Secretary General’s new High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Commitments of Non-State Entities; a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Columbia’s Climate School and their Centre on Global Energy Policy; and she recently launched Women Leading on Climate at COP26.
Prior to this, McKenna was elected as a Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre. In addition to serving as the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change (2015-2019), she was also the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities from 2019 to 2021. In this role, she made historic investments in public transit and green infrastructure, leveraged private sector investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank, and led the development of Canada’s first National Infrastructure Assessment to drive net-zero emissions by 2050.
While in government, McKenna helped establish the Powering Past Coal Alliance (with Canada, the UK, and Bloomberg Philanthropies), the Ministerial on Climate Action (with Canada, the UK, and China), the Women Kicking it on Climate Summit and the Nature Champions Summit, was Co-Chair of the World Bank’s Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, and helped develop the Ocean Plastics Charter adopted at the G7 hosted by Canada in 2018.
Paul Taylor
Paul Taylor is the Executive Director of FoodShare Toronto, and a lifelong anti-poverty activist. Growing up materially poor in Toronto, Paul has used his experience to fuel a career focused not just on helping others, but dismantling the beliefs and systems that lead to poverty and food insecurity, including colonialism, capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchal structures.
Each year, FoodShare provides a quarter million people with fresh produce, and fights for their right to have access to “good” food on their own terms, rather than charity on someone else’s. Paul’s experience includes Executive Director roles at Gordon Neighbourhood House and the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House. He has also chaired the British Columbia Poverty Reduction Coalition, served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and as Vice-Chair of Food Secure Canada.
Ali Hassan
Ali is a broadcaster and performer, who has captivated audiences across Canada and internationally. He is the host of CBC Radio's Laugh Out Loud and a five-time host of Canada Reads. He has also guest-hosted CBC Radio’s q and As it Happens. A Canadian Comedy Award nominee, Ali has performed at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, Toronto's JFL42 and the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, in a set that aired on CBC TV. He has toured his solo show Muslim Interrupted around Canada to great acclaim, and in fall 2019, he starred in Just For Laughs Comedy Night In Canada tour, hosted By Rick Mercer. Ali has appeared in award-winning films and television roles. In 2020 he was seen in the films My Spy, Mafia Inc. and Tammy's Always Dying, which had its world premiere at TIFF2019. Ali Reads. Ali also recently released a new book, “Is there Bacon in Heaven?” a heartfelt and funny memoir based on his hit stand-up comedy.
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