Donna Cansfield was elected as MPP for Etobicoke Centre in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. In 2007, she was appointed Minister of Natural Resources. As Minster of Transportation in 2005, she was instrumental in implementing the government’s energy plan to build cleaner generation capacity, maximize Ontario’s existing generation and transmission assets and create a culture of conservation. Cansfield also introduced Bill 21, the Energy Conservation Responsibility Act, which was passed by the legislature in February 2006.
In 2006, Cansfield was appointed Minister of Transportation. She brought forward the“one person, one seatbelt” legislation and the Safer Roads for a Safer Ontario Act, which set new standards for road safety, with some of the toughest sanctions in Canada to target drinking and driving, stunt driving, and street racing. In May 2007, Cansfield held the first sustainable transportation conference, TransForum, to help create a transportation system that supports the needs of today while protecting our environment for future generations.
Dr. Chesworth is a geologist who was educated in England (Manchester), Canada (McMaster) and The United States (Penn State). Currently he is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Land Resource Science at the University of Guelph. He is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America and in 2003 he received the prestigious Halbouty Prize from that organization. For the past ten years Dr. Chesworth has taught a course that relates the history of civilization to the exploitation of geological resources. He is also an organizer of the Hammond Series, an annual lecture series on resource and environmental issues broadcast by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He has coedited Weathering, Soils, and Paleosols and co-written Perspectives on Canadian Geology.
Dr. Krantzberg is Professor and Director of the Dofasco Centre for Engineering and Public Policy in the School of Engineering at McMaster University. Gail completed her M.Sc. and Ph.D. at the University of Toronto on contaminant cycling in freshwaters. She worked for the Ontario Ministry of Environment from 1988 to 2001, as Sediment Specialist, Coordinator of Great Lakes Programs, and Senior Policy Advisor on Great Lakes. She is the past president of the International Association of Great Lakes Research. Dr. Krantzberg was the Director of the Great Lakes Regional Office of the International Joint Commission from 2001 to 2005. She has authored more than 100 scientific and policy articles on issues pertaining to ecosystem quality and sustainability and is a frequent speaker to media and the public.
Dr. John Howard is a Professor of Paediatrics and Medicine in the Schulich School of Medicine at the University of Western Ontario. His academic focus is on medical education - particularly in ecosystem health and in social and institutional change. He is the recipient of over 25 teaching awards in the University. He is presently the Chairman of the board of the Canadian Association for Physicians for the Environment. His clinical practice focuses on paediatric gastroenterology. Dr. Howard is married with three children.
Gord Miller was first sworn in as the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario on January 31, 2000, to oversee the continued implementation of the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR). As an independent officer appointed by the Legislative Assembly, Commissioner Miller monitors and reports annually on government compliance with the provisions of the EBR. On April 25, 2005 he was re-appointed to another five-year term as Environmental Commissioner of Ontario.
Prior to his appointment as Environmental Commissioner, Gord Miller worked for Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment for 14 years — as a scientist, Manager of Training and Development, and as District Manager of both Timmins and North Bay offices in north-eastern Ontario.
Commissioner Miller has had extensive experience with environmental issues including approval and inspection activities, municipal sewage, drinking water, solid waste management, hazardous waste, noise, air pollution and land use planning. He also has experience with environmental legislation in Ontario — both with enforcing existing legislation and drafting new regulations.
Commissioner Miller’s research findings have been presented both at major conferences and in academic journals. His research includes the use of constructed wetlands for sewage treatment and the aquatic effects of acid precipitation.
Brian E. Denney, P. Eng. became Chief Administrative Officer of The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), where he has been employed in positions of progressive responsibility for 29 years, on May 19, 2003. He graduated from the University of Guelph in 1974 with a BSc (Eng) Water Resources major. His responsibilities include managing and overseeing all aspects of the organization in an effort to guide the TRCA to work with its many partners to make the Toronto region one of the most sustainable and livable urban communities in the world. He is currently pursuing many initiatives to promote the sustainable communities agenda in the Toronto region. He is a member of the Towards Sustainability in York Region Advisory Group and the Rouge Park Alliance. He is an active participant in Conservation Ontario, the association representing the 36 conservation authorities in the province.
Born and raised in Grey County, Krista has not ventured far from her roots. She has been employed at Grey Sauble Conservation for the past 24 years. Krista is the Community Relations Coordinator and has worked in various capacities at Grey Sauble over the years. Krista has a keen interest in the great outdoors and enjoys educating others about Grey Sauble, and our fragile environment, especially on keen ears - children – our future!
Paul Allen is currently the Assistant Director for Freshwater Policy, Science Policy Integration, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).
Mr. Allen’s primary responsibility is to provide strategic advice to the Minister, Deputy Minister and senior management on international and national freshwater issues of relevance to NRCan responsibilities in forestry, mining, energy and earth sciences.
NRCan’s freshwater policy unit undertakes policy research and coordination functions for freshwater issues related to NRCan’s interests. Through this work, and collaborative efforts across the department, NRCan is increasingly being recognized as a key contributor of scientific knowledge and expertise in furthering the sustainable development of freshwater resources. The 2005 publication Freshwater: the Role and Contribution of Natural Resources Canada effectively showcased the department’s considerable breadth and depth on the freshwater file.
Prior to joining NRCan in the spring of 2001, Mr. Allen worked at Environment Canada in various freshwater policy and program functions across the department.
A native of Ottawa, Mr. Allen attended Carleton University and the University of Ottawa and graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Masters of Arts (Geography) in 1992.
Mr. Allen lives in Nepean, and is married with three children.
Dr. Kassem is a Civil engineer, specialised in Water Resources. He obtained his Masters degree from McMaster University in Hamilton and his Ph.D. from Ottawa University. In his early career, he worked with the private sector, then as a private consultant. In 1982, he joined Environment Canada, where he is currently a senior technical advisor on water issues and modeling. He also worked as a consultant to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and acted as Project Director and Canadian Team Leader of a major water management project in Egypt, between 1997 and 1999.
Dr. Kassem was elected this year as Director on the new Executive Board of the International water Resources Association (IWRA). He published in excess of eighty papers and reports.
Chris spent fifteen years as Chief Engineer on ships worldwide; serving on Icebreakers, Tankers, Cruise and Passenger Ships, and Offshore Supply Vessels.
He joined the Canadian Federal government in 1993 and has had responsibility for a variety of diverse files ranging from Senior Marine Surveyor (Machinery), Regional Director of Technical Services for the Canadian Coast Guard, Manager of a number of multinational Arctic Science Programs, and Executive Assistant to the Regional Director General of DFO. Currently Chris straddles two Canadian Federal Government departments. He is the Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Central and Arctic Region as well as the Environmental Issues Manager for Transport Canada Ontario Region.
He has a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Toronto, a MSc in Maritime Management from Maine Maritime Academy and holds a First Class Combined Certificate of Competency as a Marine Engineer.
He has a long term love of ships and history and has been involved in the restoration of the Segwun built in 1886 currently sailing on Lake Muskoka , and most recently managed the restoration of S.S. Delphine, the worlds largest Steam Yacht, now sailing out of Monaco.
Elaine is the Senior Scientist at Ecojustice Canada (formerly Sierra Legal). Since 1990, Ecojustice has been leading the fight to enhance the legal protection of Canada's natural environment as Canada's largest non-profit environmental law organization. Elaine joined Ecojustice in 1999 after completing a doctorate degree in environmental engineering at McGill University. Elaine provides technical and scientific support for Ecojustice's legal challenges and she frequently authors reports, submissions and articles on environmental issues on behalf of Ecojustice. Elaine is also a mother of two girls and has recently taken sailing lessons so that she can spend more time enjoying the Great Lakes with her family in an environmentally friendly manner.
Born in Toronto
Ph.D. University of London (UK) – Freshwater ecology of blue green algae
B.Sc. University of Toronto - Aquatic ecology
Present Position: Professor, Department of Geography, University of Toronto at Mississauga.
Prof. Shear teaches three undergraduate courses on 1) world freshwater resources, 2) on ecology / economy and 3) on the Great Lakes. In these courses he teaches principles of sustainability.
He has published numerous scientific papers on aquatic ecology and management, on ecological and sustainability indicators for the Great Lakes, and on the hydrology and nutrient regime in Lake Chapala, Mexico’s largest lake.
He is now actively involved in research on Lake Zapotlán (Mexico), including the development of a basin wide management plan and a set of ecosystem health indicators for this lake and its basin through extensive public consultation.
He is also working on a set of sustainability indicators for the Town of Oakville, Ontario as part of its Environmental Strategic Plan.
Bill Thornton is the top Ontario government official responsible for sustainable forest management, forest licensing, and industry support initiatives.
Bill has held a number of positions within the Ontario Public Service over the last 17 years, starting as a field forester in Timmins, Ontario. He later held policy and planning positions in Northeastern Ontario and was general manager of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.
Prior to his current position as Assistant Deputy Minister, Bill was director of OMNR’s Industry Relations and Forest Management Branches. These responsibilities covered many different business areas, ranging from provincial forest policy and legislation to managing the softwood lumber trade file.
Bill serves as a director on the Canadian Forestry Association. He is a member of the Canadian Institute of Forestry and is a Registered Professional Forester. He holds a bachelor of science in forestry from the University of New Brunswick and a Masters in business administration from Dalhousie University.
Jenn Esbjerg has worked for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in various roles since 2004. With a Bachelor of Environmental Sciences and post graduate studies in Ecosystem Restoration, Jenn joined the Ministry’s Lake Erie Management Unit almost 4 months ago. As Lake Erie COA Coordinator, she works with other MNR staff and partners to promote fish and wildlife restoration and protection throughout the Lake Erie Basin.
Dave has worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources for many years, first as a Fisheries Research Biologist on Manitoulin Island and at Owen Sound and more recently as the Lake Huron COA coordinator. Since the fall of 2003 Dave has been acting as the Lake Huron COA coordinator, and as such is responsible for overseeing the operation of 28 projects on Lake Huron ranging from tributary rehabilitation to determining the effects of exotic species on whitefish populations.
Marilee Chase has been employed as a fisheries biologist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in Thunder Bay since 1996. After completing a master’s degree in fisheries science at the University of Guelph, Marilee has made the north shore of Lake Superior her home. Marilee has recently accepted the position of Lake Superior Basin Coordinator for the Canada-Ontario Agreement. Marilee brings more than 10 years of experience delivering Lake Superior programs including the coordination of coaster brook trout rehabilitation efforts.
Seneca Nation, Turtle Clan
Married 37 years, Three Children
Undergrad: Trent University
Graduate: University of Waikato N.Z. Incomplete
Director, past 31 years.
Department of the Environment
The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne
Co-Chair
Aboriginal Knowledge Sub-Committee
COSEWIC
Member
Science and Technology Advisory Board
Environment Canada
Member
Panel on Ecological Integrity of Canada’s National Park
Scientific Co-Chair
Scientific Co-Chair,
The Haudenosaunee Environmental Taskforce
Vice President Board of Director, St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences
Board of Director
Eastern Ontario Model Forest
Principle Researcher
Naturalized Knowledge Systems Project with First Nations Communities in Canada and Latin America at the University of Ottawa
Principle Investigator:
Community Health Indicators Project with five First Nation across Canada to look at new indicators of community health and the University of Ottawa
Scientific Co-Chair
The Assembly of First Nations
Environmental Committee
Past Member
International Joint Commission
Science Advisory Board
Past Principle Investigator
Assembly of First Nations/Health and Welfare
Canada Effect on Aboriginals from Great Lakes Environment
EAGLE
Past Member
The Scientific Advisory Committee
Northern River Basin Study
Treaty Number 8 /Peace/Athabasca/ Slave Rivers
Past Board Member
Canadian Environmental Education Foundation
KEY
Past Board Member
Canadian Environmental Assessment Research Council.
Lea Ann Mallett has been an environmental activist for the last 18 years. This is her fifth year as Executive Director of EcoSource (www.ecosource.ca), an innovative environmental education organization serving youth, adults and families in the Region of Peel and beyond.
Lea Ann has worked as a secondary school science teacher in Mississauga and as a health promoter with street involved youth. Her environmental work began in volunteer-based groups working on wilderness conservation issues. Lea Ann was Director of Earthroots’ wilderness conservation campaigns from 1995-2000. She has also worked as a campaign and media consultant to number of environmental organizations.
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