Anne Lagacé Dowson is the Media Director for the Canadian Health Coalition and has worked as a communications consultant for the coalition since 2021. She is an award-winning radio host and journalist, former host of CBC Radio One’s Radio Noon in Québec and former guest host and producer of CBC’s flagship programs, Cross Country Check Up and As It Happens. She is a frequent commentator on Radio-Canada and Bell Media. Anne is fluently bilingual and has a Master’s degree in Canadian Studies.
Judy Gicho has been a housekeeper at Surrey Memorial Hospital since 2012. She was a member of HEU’s Contracted Support Service Bargaining Committee and their 2-Spirit, Women and Non-Binary Committee. She was a part of HEU’s Make it Public campaign and their victory in bringing hospital work in house which ended 20 years of contracting out.
Deena Ladd has been working to improve wages and working conditions in sectors of work that are dominated by low-wages, violations of rights, precarious and temp work for over 30 years.
She has worked to support and develop grassroots training, education and organizing to build the power of workers with groups such as the Fight for $15 and Fairness Campaign, Decent Work and Health Network, the Migrant Rights Network and Justice for Workers.
Deena is one of the founders and Executive Director of the Toronto Workers’ Action Centre. The Workers’ Action Centre organizes to improve wages and working conditions with low-wage workers, women, racialized and immigrant workers in precarious jobs that face discrimination, violations of rights and no benefits in the workplace.
Dre. Isabelle Leblanc is the Chair of Médecins québécois pour le régime public. She is a Family Physician at St. Mary’s Hospital and Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at McGill University. She has taught bioethics, interprofessional communication and social health issues to students and residents in family medicine.
Kareem Mitchell is an artist with a professional background in urbanism, architecture, and design. His work blends various visual techniques and disciplines, reflecting his passion for innovation and interdisciplinary exploration.
Recognized among industry experts in architecture, fashion, and education, Kareem has pursued artistic and academic projects across Europe, Asia, and Africa. His work magnifies colour and form to evoke emotion and reflection.
His artwork has been exhibited at the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG), and through KDJM Studio, he has developed a multidisciplinary brand showcasing clothing inspired by his artwork at Fashion Art Toronto, Toronto Fashion Week, CHEO Runway for Hope, and RunwayTO.
Explore his work via kdjmstudio.com
Kathleen Monk is a veteran campaign strategist and an award-winning communicator. She works with labour unions and non-profits, to build strategies that shape public opinion and secure public affairs victories. Kathleen served as director of communications for the late Jack Layton. Before entering her career in politics, Kathleen worked in newsrooms in Toronto, Ottawa, and Washington, D.C. She appears weekly on CTV “Sunday Strategy Session” and CTV Power Play’s “Front Bench Panel.”
Leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, Jagmeet Singh is a lawyer, a human rights activist, and a former MPP 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.
Recently, Jagmeet and the NDP Caucus delivered the greatest expansion of universal healthcare in generations, with the creation of a new dental care program and concrete steps towards national pharmacare.
Jagmeet is driven to make sure government delivers for people with stronger services that help create a better future for everyone.”