Bios – Winnipeg Delegation

Daniel Lussier

Dan Lussier is CEO of the Catholic Healthcare Corporation of Manitoba (CHCM). CHCM sponsors 15 healthcare communities that cover all aspects of the continuum of health and social care – acute, long term care, developmental disabilities, community & primary care and social housing. CHCM appoints the 200 Board members of these communities that have a combined budget of $450 Million and employ 6,600 staff. Prior to joining CHCM, Dan served as a Senior Policy Advisor and Executive Assistant to the late Hon. Ron Duhamel, Member for Parliament for St. Boniface and who served as Federal Minister of several portfolios including Western Economic Diversification; Chief of Staff for the Mayor of the City of Winnipeg; and Executive Director of Festival du Voyageur. Mr. Lussier played a key and pivotal role in bringing about collaborative approaches to significant projects including the funding for the Izzy Asper Clinical Research Institute of the St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre; and participated in negotiating several strategic infrastructure deals between the City of Winnipeg, the Province of Manitoba and the Government of Canada.

Dan has and continues to be involved as volunteer on various community Boards.

Chief Davon Clunis

Chief Devon Clunis began his career with the Winnipeg Police Service in 1987 and has served in major areas of the organization including Uniform Patrol, Traffic, Plainclothes Investigation, Community

Relations, Organizational Development & Support, as well as a number of administrative leadership roles. Chief Clunis was promoted to Patrol Sergeant in 2002, Sergeant in 2004, Inspector in 2007, Superintendent in 2010, and appointed Chief of Police October 2012. He is a well- respected leader who believes the future of our city hinges on the creation of a culture of safety for all citizens and is honored to help lead in this area. Devon is married to his wife Pearlene and has two daughters Taylene 25, and Atira 19.

Deepak Joshi

Deepak Joshi is the City of Winnipeg’s Chief Operating Officer. In this capacity, he provides operational leadership across the entire spectrum of civic business, and in the management of each City service, on a daily basis. Strategically, he is charged with the development of broad corporate policy direction to effect Council’s objectives; oversight of all corporate planning; guidance of change management and priority initiatives; performance measurement and management; continuous improvement and staff development programs; and the fostering of positive stakeholder and community relations.

Having begun his career as an Information Technology specialist, Deepak has held a wide range of leadership positions with the City over the last 25 years, most recently as Director of Planning, Property and Development. As Director, he led the development of OurWinnipeg, the most comprehensively consultative long-term plan for sustainable community development ever undertaken in Canada, and recipient of the Canadian Institute of Planners’ Award for Planning Excellence.

A strong proponent of community engagement and human development as a catalyst for change, Deepak is delighted to take part in this significant mission to explore the opportunities the City of Compassion concept offers Winnipeg.

David G. Newman, Q.C.

David and his wife Brenda are sharing a journey of spiritual exploration and development. For many years they have been participating in spiritual retreats, workshops and other learning experiences including the marriage encounter movement and a spiritual circle of 4 couples.

David and Brenda are graced with three children and three grandchildren. David is a lawyer with the Pitblado Law firm in Winnipeg. After practicing law for 27 years, David offered himself for elected office in 1995. After being elected he served as a member of the legislature and Cabinet Minister for Northern and Aboriginal Affairs and Energy and Mines and Manitoba Hydro. In 2006 David was appointed for a 3 year term to the Nunavut Planning Commission.

David is currently co-chairing the RI District 5550 World Peace Partners. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Winnipeg (the club that made RI in 1910) and President 1994-1995. He serves as Honorary Legal Counsel for his District. www.rotarywppd5550.org and www.winnipegrotary.org

He is an active Life Member of the Salvation Army Citizen Advisory Board. David is a member of St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church in the Diocese of Rupert’s Land, but respects and supports all faiths and organizations that support and encourage individual and collective compassionate action, understanding, social justice and peace. David co-chaired Responding in Love campaign for his Diocese in service of Aboriginal residential school survivors.

David has been involved in volunteer leadership position in the Chambers of Commerce for over 40 years and currently serves on the Board and policy committee of the Manitoba C of C. For 25 years David was involved in volunteer leadership roles for the Manitoba Cardiac Institute (Reh-Fit) Centre Inc.

David is passionately committed as a lawyer and volunteer in all of the above roles to peace, justice, human rights, and sustainable development and for freedom from dependence of Aboriginal Peoples. He serves as a Restorative Justice facilitator.

Brenda Newman

Brenda has followed a variety of spiritual paths since 1978 in mindfulness and awareness techniques.

David and Brenda have attended three 5 day silent retreats with Gangaji between 2009 to 2011 and a Hay House retreat in 2008, and they continue to learn from teachers such as Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer, James Odea and Karen Armstrong. David and Brenda participated in a two day workshop with Dr. Kristen Neff on Self-Compassion in March 2013.

Brenda is working closely with her partner David in the majority of the volunteer work that he leads with Rotary and World Peace Partners.

Former teacher, former resource and estate planner and manager. Brenda enjoys photography, gardening, nature and sunsets.

Gary Senft

Gary Senft is Assistant Vice-President and Senior Counsel with The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company and The Canada Life Assurance Company. He has practiced law in the financial services sector since receiving his law degree from the University of Manitoba in 1977. He began his career with Investors Group Inc., one of Canada’s largest

mutual fund organizations. He spent a number of years working in the real estate sector, including as a portfolio manager for an open end real estate mutual fund before moving to Great-West Life. At Great-West Life he heads the legal team that provides support to a number of lines of business. He is the chair of Great-West Life’s Government Relations Support Team which focuses on legislative and regulatory developments and is a member of its Government Relations Steering Committee.

Gary is very active in industry matters and sits on a number of committees and working groups of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA). He is the Chair of the CLHIA Legal and Legislative Committee and a Past-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Legal Section. Gary is also very engaged in his community in Winnipeg and locally in Cooks Creek where he resides with his wife Darcia. He is a past Vice-Chair of the Winnipeg Folk Festival, a past Chair of the Manitoba Horse Council Inc., a past Captain of the Springfield Polo Club Inc. and a past President of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity. Gary is an avid horse lover, polo player and volunteer for a number of community events including as principal organizer for the successful Cook’s Creek Medieval Festival held at the Immaculate Conception Church and Grotto and as a volunteer Co-Chair for Rotary World Peace Partners Peace Days and Music for Peace initiative.

Marcia Senft

Darcia Senft is employed with The Law Society of Manitoba as General Counsel. In that capacity, she prosecutes lawyers who are charged with professional misconduct and provides advice to members on matters relating to ethics. She was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1988 and to the Ontario Bar in 1993. She has been extensively involved with her profession having been an elected Bencher of the Law Society and having been elected, for several terms, as a Member of Bar Council for the Manitoba Bar Association (“MBA”). For a few years, Darcia also co-taught the Legal Profession and Professional Responsibility or “ethics” course for the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba. Darcia is also a poet and a singer/songwriter. Since 2002, she has recorded and produced three cds under her Tall Grass Music label [www.tallgrassmusic.com]. Darcia enjoys giving back to her community through her volunteer efforts. For several years, she has served as a member of the Board of the Manitoba Writers’ Guild and is currently its Past President. She also sits on the Executive Committee for Immaculate Conception Church and co-directs the choir. Darcia has also volunteered countless hours over the years as a cast member of various musical productions that are fundraisers put on by members of the MBA in association with the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.

William T. (“Bill”) Ratliff, Jr.

Bill Ratliff, a good friend of David Newman’s from Alabama, has been an active Christian leader and philanthropist for over fifty years. He served as a Deacon for many years at Southside Baptist Church and taught Sunday school. Before retiring, Bill was President of Collateral Mortgage Company, and was a leader in establishing the Mortgage Banker’s Association of America’s tradition of starting its national convention with a prayer breakfast each year. He has generously supported the Salvation Army, My Brothers’ Keeper, and the United Way. Bill has been closely involved with a number of organizations that are trying to make the world a better place for all people. He has a particular interest in India, where he has helped with the building of Christian schools for orphans and other disadvantaged children, and helped to begin programs that care for and feed widows and orphans there.

Through Rotary International, Bill has been recognized for his important contributions to peace initiatives and to the Polio Plus Campaign to eradicate polio worldwide. In 2009, he sponsored Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Desmond Tutu’s visit to the Rotary International Peace Symposium and in 2010, he sponsored Jordanian Queen Noor’s attendance at Rotary’s International Peace Symposium in Montreal.

Bill is still working on world peace, concentrating his efforts to have the International Day of Peace, September 21, more universally recognized and celebrated. He is advocating strongly that Rotary International work with people of all religions to promote World Peace and to promote the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. He has written to local, national and international school administrators encouraging them to recognize the International Day of Peace and to incorporate the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights into school curriculums.

Perry Kimelman

Perry was born in Winnipeg in 1963. He went to school in Winnipeg and in 1987 graduated from the University Of Manitoba Faculty Of Dentistry. He has always had an interest in Integrated Medicine and to that end has studied, advocated and acted as an adviser for a more integrated approach to the delivery of health care in Manitoba. Perry also works within the interfaith field and is a member of the Multi-faith council of Manitoba, where he works to create better understanding and communication between members of the various faith groups that call Manitoba their home. He is also a member of the Arab Jewish Dialogue Group and also works closely with Rotary International World Peace Partners. In support of his work in mitigating religious hatred Perry has certified as Peace Ambassador under the training of James O'Dea. His current interest is working to develop a culture of peace in his city.Sandy Hyman

By profession, Sandy Hyman is a retired social worker having worked for over 40 years. The end of her career she specialized in the development of programs for students with special needs including transitional planning into adult services. She has also served as a City Councillor, a conference coordinator and an instructor in a variety of courses from Gourmet Cooking, Retirement Planning, and in the Continuing Education area of Red River College. Sandy has extensive experience on community boards and special event planning. Sandy has received recognition and awards from several organizations. These include Jewish Federation of Winnipeg Community Service Award for her work with Jewish Child and Family Services and was a nominee for Manitoba Lieutenant Governor’s Literacy Partners in 2008 which included her work on developing materials for individuals with print disabilities available at the Winnipeg Public Library

Sandy is currently Chair of the Winnipeg Library Foundation which recently coordinated the Millenium Library Park. Sandy has been involved in interfaith work for many years. Just before the Bishops Conference was held in Winnipeg in the 1980’s, Sandy read an article in the newspaper claiming that Jewish people were not interested in talking to other faith groups. Outraged, she responded with a letter to the editor. After the letter appeared, she got a call from the Community Relations Department of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg inviting her to get involved in the Conference on behalf of the Jewish community. Thereafter the Interfaith Round Table was born. Sandy has chaired the Interfaith Round Table, hosted by the Jewish Federation, since its inception. It brings together representatives from several different faith groups 10 months a year to discuss issues of interest and concern to the various faith communities in Winnipeg. In recognition of years of exemplary commitment to fostering mutual respect, understanding and reconciliation through interfaith dialogue Sandy was one of the recipients for the first Canadian Centre for Ecumenism Interfaith Dialogue Award in 2007.

Mandju Lodha

Manju Lodha is an artist and and a writer, who tries to promote interfaith and intercultural harmony through her work. She authored two story books in 1994, "The Stories of Feelings of You and Me" and "The Stories of Prejudice Pain and Peace". In 1995, she wrote, "125 poems for Preservation, Peace and Pleasure". In 2011, Manju collaborated with a Muslim and a Christian artist and produced a book and a CD called, "In the Spirit of Humanity." It was distributed to every school in Manitoba by Manitoba Education Training and Youth. Recently, in collaboration with Ray Dirks, she has produced a video called, "Leap in Faith" and is working on a book to go with it. Manju's work is suitable for multi-ages. Manju's art has been internationally used by Dr. Brenda Cantelo from the University of Manitoba in her class to teach the world religions, as well as many in her presentations at many conferences (including publications). Manju was the lead artist in the Art of Compassion Project in 2011. She has worked with many schools internationally and has influenced many adults through her work. In 2012, The International Association and the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg honored Manju for her "Exemplary Service" in the promotion of Literacy. Manju has been on the board of Manitoba Association for Multicultural Education for a several years, currently she is on the board of Winnipeg Art Gallery. She also sits on Interfaith Round Table and on the Multifaith Council's Education Committee.

France Adams

« To tell , is to live the story and to let it live in others . »

France Adams found her passion for writing and storytelling when she moved with her family

to Australia in 1997. Since 1999, she is back to a place of heart, Winnipeg. She is the mother of

two young men, Alex and Joël. She has been an elementary teacher and a special ed teacher. She

has worked in pre-schools, elementary schools (K to 6), university settings as well as in Family

Litteracy. She has told many stories to children in Manitoba, Ontario and Québec. She has

published short stories in three anthologies : Beyond Words (Heartspace Writers Anthology

2002) Simply Write (Heartspace Writers Anthology 2004) and Voyages en papier (Blé, 2003).

She has written five children’s book : Du pain, du lait, des oeufs, du beurre (Plaines, 2004);

Regarde par-ci! Regarde par-là! Regarde partout! (Plaines, 2005); Les étrangers (Plaines

2007); L’arbre aux coeurs (Plaines 2009) and Le jardin (Plaines 2011). She wrote a children’s

play, Le garçon pommier, that was produced by Le Cercle Molière in April 2007. Since the

spring of 2003, her focus has been on writing peace stories inspired by her daily meditation. Her

vision of peace lead her to create, Heart Wide Open , a heart-based project in which young and

old explore peace within.

Radhika Abeysekera

Radhika Abeysekera is an accountant by profession and works as the Manager of Finance for the Corporate Finance Department of the City of Winnipeg. She provides Financial Services and

advice to many City Departments including the Corporate Finance Department, Assessment and Taxation Department, Corporate Support Services Department, Mayor’s Office, Council, The Office of the CAO and Legal Services.

Radhika is an active volunteer in numerous interfaith events conducted in Winnipeg. She is the first Buddhist representative in the Board of the Provincial

Spiritual Healthcare Advisory Committee and has represented the Board for about 3 years. She is also an enthusiastic advocate of the Spirituality for Wellness programs and promotes Engaged Buddhism. Radhika has also been involved with career counseling and mentoring of young women from the Inner City Schools and participated in the Interfaith Support Program of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Radhika is the founder of the Manitoba Buddhist Vihara and Cultural Association and began teaching and writing on Buddhism and Buddhist meditation to help re-introduce Buddhism to new immigrants. The program that she introduced includes a preschool, junior, intermediate and senior school classes and a class on the Theory and Practice of Meditation. She has published several books and papers and has been teaching for 24 years. Radhika has represented Buddhism in three World Religion Conferences, and has been a guest speaker at the University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg schools and churches. She has also given talks and represented Buddhism in USA, UK, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

Radhika is a community leader who has organized many events such as meditation retreats, film and cultural shows including ancient temple and cave paintings from Sri Lanka, and International Buddhist Celebrations that has brought together the various Buddhist traditions and the rich Buddhist heritage found in Winnipeg.

Lise & Réal Sabourin

Since retiring from the Canada Post Corporation in 2004 as Manager, Employee Relations for Western Canada, Réal has been an active member of the francophone and catholic communities of St. Boniface in Winnipeg. He is the past president of L’Accueil Colombien, a retirement complex in the heart of Winnipeg and an active member of the Knights of Columbus, St. Boniface Council. Réal has recently accepted the position of District Deputy (French urban area) for the Knights.Réal was appointed by Elections Manitoba to the position of Returning Officer for St-Boniface for the 2011 Manitoba Provincial Elections. He also helped spread the “joie de vivre” by coordinating over 500 volunteers for the 2009 and 2010 Festival du Voyageur, western Canada’s largest winter festival. In the distant past Réal sat on various boards including the Committee for the Renewal and Restoration of St-Boniface Cathedral, the Economic Affairs Council for the St. Boniface Cathedral, the Board of Directors of the LaVerendrye Club as well as President of la Société Franco-Manitobaine, the official spokesperson organization for the preservation and promotion of the Francophone population of Manitoba.

Réal is a cancer survivor crediting his recovery on prayers through meditation, positive outlook on life and unconditional support from Lise and family, from friends and from the communities he loves so dearly.Lise is presently the receptionist for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, two years away from retirement. In the past, she has held various administrative secretarial positions for home offices of large retail organizations. She also co-partnered with Réal buying and selling various grocery stores and a restaurant. Lise is the consummate spouse, mother, grand-mother who has the very special gift of caring for those she loves. That love, dedication and empathy were instrumental in Réal’s recovery as well as being the foundation to the well-being and growth of her family.

Noah Erenberg

Noah Erenberg is Convener of Community News Commons (www.cncwpg.org), a public media project based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, funded by Knight Foundation and The Winnipeg Foundation. Since 1984, Erenberg has been a network television news and documentary director, writer, producer, story editor and researcher. His work has won several awards and includes many different genres, topics and styles. He also teaches media studies and mentors budding journalists. Erenberg has always had a passion for journalism, for helping others tell their stories, and for creating journalism that creates positive change in our world.

Cheryl Cohan

Anthropologist, Marriage and Family Therapist, Eco-therapistCheryl is married to Noah and works in Education, Social services, and Arts programming as a facilitator, educator and consultant. She offers culturally appropriate, therapeutic and nature based programs for people of all ages and abilities that include mindfulness, compassion and sustainable wellbeing.

Jannet Ann Leggett

Jannet Ann Leggett is a corporate lawyer who retired her legal practice in 2009 so she could dedicate her time and personal resources to establish Canadians For Compassion in 2010. Having successfully shepherded the first Compassionate City campaign in Canada in London, Ontario, as well as the first compassionate school in that year, the purpose of Canadians For Compassion is to provide a trans-media resource to compassion initiatives across Canada in business, education, medicine, social justice, environment, animal rights, arts and culture. She has personally co-developed a iPhone/iPad application called the "Compassion" App that allows people to share stores of compassion given and received - and is currently working on a Facebook-based gaming application that teaches young people about compassion, as well as a documentary and book regarding the transformative impacts of compassion - given and received - from conversations with Canadians from every corner of the country called "Conversations on the Road to Compassion"."

Debbie & Gerry Labossière

Debbie is a French Immersion teacher in the Louis Riel School Division. She is a Student

Services teacher responsible for resource and counselling in the primary grades. Debbie is also

the teacher librarian and in that role works with all students from K to 8 promoting the love of

reading, research skills as well as IT learning. She participates in a number of comities that help

enhance belonging and a sense of partnership between students and staff within a school setting.

Debbie has been involved in implementing the Responsive Classroom program in her school www.responsiveclassroom.org/ - a program focused on building a sense of community in the

classroom and school setting. The program helps students build relationships with each other by

listening to others, being respectful and developing a sense of belonging - all aspects vital to

building a culture of compassion.

Gerry Labossière is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)

degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba. His rich work experience

includes the position of Auditor for the City of Winnipeg, Chief Executive for a Deposit

Insurance Corporation for Financial Cooperative Institutions in Manitoba, and Principal in

charge of the Financial Services Practice of Coopers & Lybrand Consulting Group in Winnipeg.

In 2001 Mr. Labossière started AIS, a company which has rapidly become one of the North

American leaders in healthcare eLearning solutions. AIS was recognized in 2006 as the second

fastest growing company in Manitoba. His extensive and diverse background includes strategic

planning, performance improvement, financial management, controllership, marketing,

receivership, computer audit and audit. Gerry has been active as a volunteer in numerous healthcare and community organisations. He is currently chair of the Catholic Healthcare Sponsors of Manitoba (CHSM) that was established by the Grey Nuns in 1990. He also serves on the Board of Winnipeg Foundation, the 2nd largest community foundation in Canada with assets of $500M and on an Interfaith working group in Winnipeg. He is also co- chair of a $6M Renewal and Restoration of St-Boniface Cathedral – the oldest Cathedral in western Canada. In the past he has served on the Board and/or Committees of the International Centre for Infectious Diseases, Catholic Health Corporation of Manitoba (CHCM), Taché Nursing Centre, Foyer Valade, St-Boniface Hospital, Centre de Santé de St-Boniface, Université St-Boniface, the St-Boniface Cultural Centre and Le Cercle Moliere but to name a few.