Belinda Caroline Stronach is a Canadian businesswoman and philanthropist, and was a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of Canada from 2004 to 2008. Originally elected as a Conservative, she later crossed the floor to join the Liberals. From May 17, 2005, to February 6, 2006, Stronach was the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal in the government of Paul Martin. After leaving politics, she served as the executive vice-chairman of Magna International, Canada's largest automotive parts manufacturer, until December 31, 2010.
Curling Canada is a sanctioning body for the sport of curling in Canada. It is associated with more than a dozen provincial and territorial curling associations across the country, and organizes Canada's national championships in the sport. It was formed in 1990 by the merger of the two previous sanctioning bodies, Curl Canada (men's) and the Canadian Ladies' Curling Association (women's).
The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 sovereign countries, the European Union (EU), and the African Union (AU). It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation and sustainable development.
Susan Rasinski McCaw is an American businesswoman, former diplomat and philanthropist. She was a major fundraiser for the George W. Bush 2004 presidential campaign, and was appointed by the Bush administration as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Austria (2005–2007). She is currently President of SRM Capital Investments, a private investment firm. Previously, she worked at Robertson Stephens & Co., as President of COM Investments and as its Principal.
Arlene Dickinson is a South African Canadian businesswoman, investor, author, and television personality. She is the general partner of District Ventures Capital and CEO of Venturepark. Dickinson joined the cast of the CBC business reality show Dragons' Den during its second season in 2007 and departed in the ninth season in 2015. She then returned to continue with the Dragons for the 12th season in 2017. She was selected to perform on the series after she won numerous awards, including Calgary Business Owner of the Year, PROFIT magazine's Top 100 Women Business Owners, the Pinnacle Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence, Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards and Canada's Most Powerful Women Top 100. The show describes her as a self-made multi-millionaire.
Marilyn McHarg, is a humanitarian executive. She was President and CEO of Dignitas International, as well as a founding member and General Director of the Canadian section of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders, the world's leading independent medical humanitarian organization.
ModCloth is a Los Angeles based online retailer of indie and vintage-inspired women’s clothing.
The 2010 G20 Toronto summit was the fourth meeting of the G20 heads of state/government, to discuss the global financial system and the world economy, which took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, during June 26–27, 2010. The summit's priorities included evaluating the progress of financial reform, developing sustainable stimulus measures, debating global bank tax, and promoting open markets. Alongside the twenty-one representatives of the G20 major economies, leaders of six invited nations, and eight additional intergovernmental organizations also took part in the summit.
Alan Bernstein is Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto and President Emeritus of CIFAR, where he served as President and CEO from 2012 to 2022. A Distinguished Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, he is also a Fellow and Member of the Standing Committee for Science Planning at the International Science Council (2022-2025). Bernstein is recognized as a leader in health research, science policy, mentorship and organizational leadership.
Shahrzad Rafati is an Iranian-Canadian chairwoman and CEO of BroadbandTV Corp (BBTV) – a global media company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, which has been operating in video entertainment since 2005 by working with content creators and media companies.
Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani female education activist and the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate at the age of 17. She is the world's youngest Nobel Prize laureate, the second Pakistani and the first Pashtun to receive a Nobel Prize. Yousafzai is a human rights advocate for the education of women and children in her native homeland, Swat, where the Pakistani Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school. Her advocacy has grown into an international movement, and according to former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, she has become Pakistan's "most prominent citizen."
Ahmed Hussen is a Canadian lawyer and politician who has been serving as the Minister of International Development since July 26, 2023. A member of the Liberal Party, Hussen has also sat as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Toronto-area the riding of York South—Weston since the 2015 federal election. He previously served as the Minister of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion from 2021 to 2023, Minister of families, children and social development from 2019 to 2021 and the minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship from 2017 to 2019. He is the first Somali-Canadian to be elected to the House of Commons and the first to hold a federal Cabinet position.
Violet Elizabeth Dowdeswell is a Canadian public servant who served as the 29th lieutenant governor of Ontario from 2014 to 2023. As lieutenant governor, Dowdeswell was the viceregal representative of the Crown in Right of Ontario and the first in over seven decades to serve under two different Canadian sovereigns. A champion of democracy and civil society, she is also the longest-serving lieutenant governor in Ontario's history.
Maryscott (Scotty) Greenwood is a corporate director and an American expert in Canada/U.S. relations. In September 2023, she was appointed as global head of government relations for Manulife, based in Ontario. She is a former political appointee in the Clinton Administration who until recently held the position of Partner in Crestview Strategy US LLC and the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian-American Business Council. Greenwood is an advocate for free trade and a frequent commentator on trade issues. On May 15, 2023, Greenwood testified before the Committee on International Trade of the House of Commons in Ottawa, Canada, on trade regulation. Greenwood was previously a Principal at Dentons, and recognized by the Hill Times in 2014 and 2022 as one of the Top 100 People Influencing Canadian Foreign Policy. She was also named one of the Top 50 influencing Canada’s foreign policy in 2021 and 2023. She was also listed as one of the top 30 consultant lobbyists in the Hill Times in 2023. On May 26, 2015, Greenwood appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development as part of its study of the 2015 North American Leaders Summit. On March 16, 2021, Greenwood appeared before the House of Commons Special Committee on the Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States. She is also the co-host of the Canusa Street podcast, produced by the Wilson Center and available on Spotify.
We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World is a 2019 book by Malala Yousafzai. The book was published by Little, Brown and Company in the US and Weidenfeld & Nicolson in the UK. The book follows Yousafzai's own experience being displaced in Pakistan and later forced to move to England, and tells stories from nine other displaced people around the world. The book received positive critical reception and reached the top 10 in The New York Times' bestseller list under the "Young Adult Hardcover" section.
Dr. Eugenia Duodu Addy is a Canadian chemist and the CEO of Visions of Science Network for Learning (VoSNL).
Malala Fund is an international, non-profit organization that advocates for girls' education. It was co-founded by Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, and her father, Ziauddin. The stated goal of the organization is to ensure 12 years of free, safe and quality education for every girl. As of July 2020, the organization has 48 staff and supports 58 advocates working across Afghanistan, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.
Heather Barnabe is the CEO of G(irls)20, an NGO that empowers young women and girls to become leaders through training and education. Prior to joining G(irls)20, Barnabe worked for other non-profits for more than a decade. Barnabe has stated that her passion for training young women stems from the lack of mentorship opportunities currently available.
G(irls)20, also known as Girls20, is a charitable organisation focused on advancing women's roles in politics and business. G(irls)20 holds an annual summit before the G20 Summit for a week of leadership training, networking, and advocacy. G(irls)20 was founded in 2009 by Farah Mohamed, a Canadian women's rights activist, at the Clinton Global Initiative.
Cindy Nelles is a Canadian rugby union player who plays lock for Canterbury of the Farah Palmer Cup and the Canada women's national rugby union team. She has played for her national side at the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup, where she won a silver medal as an injury replacement, and the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. Nelles has played for Canada 19 times. She was a successful rugby union player at college level, winning McMaster University's first CIS rugby union title as well as multiple awards and honours. Nelles helped Canterbury to win the 2020 Farah Palmer Cup. She works as a civil engineer while continuing her rugby career.
