Gurpreet Chana is a student of music, engineering, composing, & performing live. Informed by the language of the Tabla, his multi-instrumental musical practice seeks to engage melody and rhythm as a way of supporting interpersonal communion.
For Virtual Enhanced Citizenship Ceremony Gurpreet will be performing a short piece with the Hang. The Hang (pronounced Hung) is an instrument that brings sounds from many worlds and cultures together; blending steel drum acoustics with the hollow bass of the South Indian Ghatham and African Udu drum. It is the creation of Felix Rohner and Sabina Scharer, originating 23 years ago from Bern, Switzerland.
Each Hang is individually handcrafted with a particular tuning or scale.
Jeff Bryant and Kraig Waye began harmonizing together the day they first met in 2007.
From the Ottawa Bluesfest to Stage West Calgary and the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, Jeff and Kraig have been joyfully connecting with audiences across the country ever since.
Dr. Perley is Wolastoqew, Muskrat and Fox Clan. She is active in reviving her traditional language through tweets, teaching courses and language Apps. In May of 2019, Imelda received an honorary doctorate of letters degree from University of New Brunswick for her “incredible work contributing to the support, education and visibility of Indigenous peoples at UNB and across the province”.
Dre. Perley est Wolastoqew, Muskrat et Fox Clan. Elle s’emploie activement à faire revivre sa langue traditionnelle à travers des tweets, des cours d’enseignement et des applications linguistiques. En mai 2019, Imelda a reçu un doctorat honorifique en lettres de l’Université du Nouveau-Brunswick pour son « travail incroyable contribuant au soutien, à l’éducation et à la visibilité des peuples autochtones à l’UNB et dans toute la province ».
Supinderjit Singh Rattan is an active community leader and a community builder.
Since immigrating to Canada in 1998, Supinderjit Singh Rattan has genuinely embraced the Canadian values of humanity, dignity, respect, and inclusivity. Mr. Rattan devotes much of his time to helping the most vulnerable in our community.
In 2016, Supinderjit established the U Foundation with guidance from the Universe, which promotes three distinct areas of support for humanity: Langar for Hunger, Achint Mental Health, and The SoxBox Campaign.
He is also actively involved in blood drives for the Canadian Blood Services and raising funds for Heart and Stroke Foundation over the last 15 years. Additionally, Mr. Rattan is an authentic coach and mentor for youth in our community. He engages with people of all age’s ethnicities, and backgrounds while leading various community service initiatives demonstrating the values of diversity, inclusivity, and multiculturalism.
He served as a Board member of the Sikh Heritage Month Committee. Due to his efforts, The Nishan Sahib (Sikh Flag) was first raised at the Ottawa City Hall in 2016 to commemorate Sikh Heritage Month, an example followed later by many other regions and municipalities across Canada.
He serves as an advisory board member with Project Tapestry with the Archives department of the City of Ottawa. He is a recipient of the Ontario Volunteer Medal and received an award for excellence in Volunteering from ICOBC.
He has also been providing active mental health support and other supports to many Indo-Canadians living in Ottawa and surrounding areas and is a highly valued volunteer in the Community.
Mrs. Margaret Thom was appointed as the 17th Commissioner of the Northwest Territories on June 26, 2017. She is very active in the North as an educator, counselor, facilitator and volunteer with many years of service to the people of the Northwest Territories. Commissioner Thom also promotes the North and the people in her travels outside of the Northwest Territories. She continues to help to preserve the Dene Zhatie and Dene Culture.
Commissioner Thom’s professional career has included work as a School Community Counselor and a Deh Gah Got’ie First Nation Program Officer. She has led many workshops and has participated in conferences and other events for diverse audiences on topics such as wellness, Aboriginal languages and community development. She is also the co-editor of a Dene Elder’s book titled “Nahecho Keh – Our Elders”.
Commissioner Thom has served on a variety of boards all in support of protecting and advancing Indigenous communities. In celebration of her work, Commissioner Thom is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal, the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for Nova Scotia, a member of the NWT Education Hall of Fame and has been honoured with an NWT Wise Woman Award.
Ingrid D. Johnson is a Jamaican/ Canadian published poet, spoken word recording artist, short film maker, and singer-songwriter who found her musical dream within a dream years ago, awaking to the humming of her first song that has led to a 16+ year career filled with soulful, socially conscious, poignant songwriting, backed by her band, The Funky Fresh Crew, and influenced by musicians from Leonard Cohen to Billie Holiday.
Committed to sharing her music and healing journey after the trauma of childhood sexual abuse, Johnson has been honored in the 2011 Government publication: Women in The Arts: Artists Working for Social Change. Thus, confirming Johnson’s vision and mission for her small production company, In The Closet Productions, to be “a voice for the voiceless.”
Murray Jowett is a violinist and fiddler from Winnipeg, Manitoba, located in Treaty 1 territory. He is known for his wide range of styles drawn from the diverse regions and people of Canada. For years, he has traveled from coast to coast to coast sharing songs and stories and delighting in the cultural and natural beauty of this country.
Sedalia Fazio, native Kahnawake, is a very active elder within the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) community. She is frequently invited as elder and speaker in public events, conferences, and seminars. She represents and defends Autochthons’ rights in Canada.
Sedalia Fazio, originaire de Kahnawake, est une aînée très active au sein de la communauté Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk). Elle est fréquemment invitée en tant qu’aînée et conférencière lors d’événements publics, de conférences et de séminaires. Elle représente et défend les droits des autochtones au Canada.
Karen Mazurkewich joined the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) in June 2022 and is the Vice-President of Stakeholder Relations and Communications. She leads a diverse team covering Media, Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Stakeholder Relations, Corporate Marketing and Design and Sustainability and Social Impact.
Prior to joining the GTAA, she was Vice-President of Strategic Communications at MaRS, the largest innovation hub in North America. At MaRS, she also built a unique in-house agency and content studio supporting hundreds of entrepreneurs and founded a new type of think tank that produces data-driven insights about the Canadian ecosystem.
Karen spent a decade as a senior journalist at the Wall Street Journal in Asia and the Financial Post in Toronto, covering a wide variety of topics ranging from business innovation to international art markets. After leaving journalism, she co-founded a tech start-up, and managed her own consulting practice to help traditional media companies tackle digital transformation.
She has authored reports on innovation for the Canadian International Council and the University of Waterloo, programmed events for various creative agencies such as Interactive Ontario and directed documentaries for the Discovery Channel.
Karen began her career as a communications officer for the National Film Board of Canada. She is the author of books on Canadian animation and Chinese antique furniture.
Julie Jodoin has been appointed as the Director of Montréal Space for life in 2022, after a successful interim period of two years during which time she oversaw the integration of the Biosphere as the 5th institution of Montréal Space for life and the grand opening of the Insectarium.
Manager with more than ten years of experience, mainly in public organizations and the creative community, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in management from HEC Montréal. She joined Montréal Space for life in 2013 after heading up the strategy and public financing portfolios of TOHU, la Cité des arts du cirque. Since she joined Montréal Space for life, Julie has progressively taken on more responsibilities, starting as Special Advisor to the Director, then as head of strategy and business development, and as Director of operations.
Throughout her career at the City of Montréal, she has always been driven by the desire to accelerate the socio-ecological transition through the various research, educational and community engagement programs brought forth by the five museums.
Mrs Jodoin is also involved in the Montreal cultural scene as a member of the board of directors for Montréal Arts Interculturels (MAI) and Posthumains, a theatrical production company.
Space for Life is committed to protecting and increasing awareness of our planet’s biodiversity. Together, the Biosphère, Biodôme, Insectarium, Jardin botanique and Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan form the largest natural sciences museum complex in Canada.
Julie Jodoin a été nommée directrice d’Espace pour la vie en 2022, après avoir assumé la direction intérimaire pendant deux ans, une période au cours de laquelle elle aura intégré avec succès la Biosphère comme 5e institution d’Espace pour la vie et inauguré le nouvel Insectarium après sa grande Métamorphose.
Diplômée de HEC Montréal, elle a développé une expertise en management et en développement organisationnel, particulièrement dans les organismes culturels. Elle rejoint Espace pour la vie en 2013, après avoir été responsable des stratégies de financement public à la TOHU, la Cité des arts du cirque. Successivement Conseillère à la direction, Cheffe de la stratégie et du développement des affaires puis Directrice de l’exploitation, elle assure la réalisation des orientations stratégiques afin d’amplifier le rôle de la recherche, de l’éducation et des programmes publics mis en oeuvre par les cinq musées afin qu’Espace pour la vie contribue activement à la transition socio-écologique.
Mme Jodoin est également impliquée sur la scène culturelle montréalaise en tant que membre du conseil d’administration de Montréal Arts Interculturels (MAI) et de Posthumains, une compagnie de création théâtrale.
Espace pour la vie regroupe la Biosphère, le Biodôme, l’Insectarium, le Jardin botanique et le Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan et constitue le plus grand complexe muséal en sciences de la nature au Canada.
