Caribbean Canada Leaders Dialogue 2025

global CSC 2023 conference

In May 2025, Canada will host the opening plenary of the Caribbean Canada Leaders Dialogue.

President

Her Royal Highness Princess Anne

Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, is President of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conferences and has participated at each conference since 2003.

The Princess Royal was given responsibility for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conferences after her father chaired the  conference in Canada, in 1998. She has served as President of the Conferences in Canada in 2023, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015  and 2011. We are proud the Princess is President of the organization.

Princess Anne
Wes Hall

2025 Conference Chair

Wes Hall

Wes Hall, Executive Chairman and Founder of WeShall Investments, overcame humble beginnings in rural Jamaica to become a prominent figure in Canadian business. Starting his career as a mail clerk on Bay Street, he transformed a $100K loan into Canada’s leading shareholder advisory firm, Kingsdale Advisors. His expertise played a pivotal role in significant business transactions, and he is recognized for his philanthropic efforts, such as founding the BlackNorth Initiative.

Wes serves on several boards and has received 6 honorary doctorates and other prestigious awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Business Leader from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and the Nation Builder Award from the Empire Club. In 2024, Wes was named one of Bay Street’s top 40 most influential figures in the past 4 decades by The Globe and Mail.

In addition to his business achievements, Wes is an accomplished author, podcast host, and television personality, making him a sought-after speaker and guest on Canadian business news channels.

Caribbean Canada Leaders Dialogue 2025 Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor

Commonwealth Builder

Region Builder

Community Builder

Advocate

Friend

Speakers

Erin Ariss

Erin Ariss

Provincial President, Ontario Nurses’ Association, RN

Leading a  association, which represents more than 68,000 nurses and health-care professionals and 18,000 nursing student affiliates., Erin is a  fierce advocate for ONA members and their patients, residents and clients.

Erin has never been afraid to take on difficult issues and has seen a number of successes from fighting for access to personal protective equipment during the pandemic to safer workplaces, improving equity for all.

For two decades, Erin worked in critical care and the emergency department at St. Mary’s Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario. Her first involvement in union activism was as a Human Rights and Equity Representative in 2015.

Erin has proudly served in virtually every Local and Bargaining Unit capacity and provincially, including representative for Return to Work, Health and Safety, Hospital-Association Committee, Local Secretary, ONA Provincial Negotiating Teams, Board Governance and Nominations Committee, Political Action Committee and on the Five Unions Steering Committee and Action Committee. She also served as an ONA Leadership Coach and received formal governance training at Queen’s University.

Erin continues to fight for better and trailblaze change for equity, public health care, and safe and decent work for all. A member of the 2SLGBTQI+ community she  knows first-hand that  differences don’t define us – our unity does.

Deborah Flint

 Deborah Flint

President & Chief Executive Officer, Greater Toronto Airports Authority

 A vision-driven, Canadian-born business leader with over 25 years of experience in the international aviation industry, Deborah leads the operator of Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada’s biggest passenger and cargo airport with daily direct connectivity to the world’s largest economies.

At the helm of Toronto Pearson, she is focused on ‘Putting the Joy Back into Travel’, by creating a world-class passenger experience and sustainably building the airport of the future through a Transformational Capital Plan.

Deborah has a track record of spearheading airport infrastructure and capital transformation. As the Chief Executive Officer of Los Angeles World Airports (LAX, VNY),  she  initiated a $14 billion airport modernization plan, including the first Airport Rail Connector Project, standing up the largest rental car facility in the United States, and accelerating a terminal development plan to better service over 90 million annual passengers at LAX and VNY, one of the busiest general aviation airports in the
world.

She  is a Director of the Airports Council International World Governing Board, and the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Deborah formerly served as a Director on the Federal Reserve Bank (San Francisco Branch), and as Chair of the National Academy of Science’s Airport Cooperative Research Program. Deborah is a proud recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Wes Hall

Wes Hall

Chairman and Founder of WeShall Investments, Kingsdale Advisors, and BlackNorth Initiative

A prominent leader in Corporate Canada, Wes is known globally for his leadership, entrepreneurial enterprises, innovation, and being a notable champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

In 1985, he immigrated to Canada from Jamaica and from the start, he has been dedicated to his success with an impressive range of six honorary degrees. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for his outstanding leadership, philanthropic efforts, and his commitment to education.

In 2021, he was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and named the Canadian Business Leader of the Year by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and in 2023, he received the Nation Builder’s Award from the Empire Club of Canada. The Globe and Mail noted Wes as one of Bay Street’s 40 most influential figures and one of the nation’s “most influential powerbrokers”. The Canadian Business magazine named him one of the “most powerful businesspeople”, the Toronto Life magazine named him among the “50 most influential Torontonians, and the International Association of Business Communicators (Toronto) named him its “2020 Communicator of the Year”. In addition to this, Maclean’s magazine ranked him number 18 on its Power List of the “50 most powerful people in Canada in 2021.

Wes was appointed the 35th Chancellor of the University of Toronto in July of 2024 – this prestigious honor that made Canadian history. Wes’ impact extends far beyond the business world, and he is passionate about his responsibility as a prominent change leader. He is a highly sought-after change leader and public figure and often featured as a guest on BNN Bloomberg, sharing his astute insights and expertise on various business and economic topics.

Bob Rae

Bob Rae

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York

Serving in this post since August 4, 2020, Bob has been active in all aspects of the work of the UN, culminating in his election to the Presidency of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2024-25, the second Canadian to assume this role, and joins Lester Pearson (President of the General Assembly 1952-53) and George Davidson (ECOSOC 1958-59) as Canadians elected in their personal capacity to preside over UN Charter bodies.

He served as Premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995, and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2011 to 2013. Bob was elected to federal and provincial parliaments eleven times between 1978 and 2013. He has been honoured by the alumni of both bodies for his distinguished service.

Bob  received his Honours B.A. in Modern History from the University of Toronto, an M.Phil in Politics as a Rhodes Scholar at Balliol College in Oxford University, and graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 1977. He was a Lecturer in the Faculty of Business (1976-77) and also served as assistant to the Canadian General Counsel of the United Steelworkers from 1975 to 1977. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in February in 1980 and was named a Queen’s Counsel in 1984.

Among other notable assignments, Bob  led the restructuring of the Canadian Red Cross, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and chaired the board of the Royal Conservatory of Music. He also wrote “Lessons to be Learned” on the Air India bombing, and “Ontario a Leader in Learning” – a study of the Ontario higher education system. Bob was also named to the Security and Intelligence Review Committee by then Prime Minister Chrétien. He served as the Chief Negotiator for the nine First Nations that are members of the Matawa Tribal Council in Northern Ontario between 2013 and 2018.

Bob  is a Privy Councillor, a Companion of the Order of Canada, a member of the Order of Ontario, and has numerous awards and honorary degrees from institutions in Canada and around the world.

Robert Ready

Robert Ready

Executive Director, Canada-Caribbean Institute

Born in Kingston, Ontario, Robert received his university education there. He holds a BA Honours [History: 1978] and a Masters [Public Administration: 1981] from Queen’s University.

He has had a long and varied career in the public service, working for the House of Commons, the Government of Saskatchewan, and several Government of Canada departments and agencies. From the early 1990s his focus has been on advancing Canada’s interests internationally, especially in international business, as a trade and investment treaty negotiator.

Robert has led Canadian delegations in negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO); in regional and bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations; and in bilateral Foreign Investment Protection Agreement (FIPA) negotiations. His last headquarters assignment was as Director General, responsible for Intellectual Property trade policy and Trade in Services trade policy and well as Canada’s Chief Air Transport Negotiator.

Robert served as Canada’s High Commissioner to Jamaica and The Bahamas from 2012 until the fall of 2015, concurrently leading the Canada-CARICOM trade negotiations.

Following 34 years of service, much of it in the capacity as a senior executive, Robert retired back to Ottawa in the fall of 2015.

Since retirement Robert has stayed in touch with the Caribbean. He served for 6 years as a Board Member and Chairman of the Board of Food For the Poor Canada, a registered non-profit delivering development projects in the Caribbean and Central America. He also headed the Latin America and Caribbean Study Group of the Canadian International Council.

Robert currently serves as Executive Director of the Canada-Caribbean Institute and also serves on it’s Board of Directors.

Lyne Robinson-Dalpé

Lyne Robinson-Dalpé

Director, Advisory and Compliance, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner of Canada

Overseeing a team of advisors, Lyne assists some 3,000 Parliamentarians and public office holders in complying with their obligations under the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons and the Conflict of Interest Act.

She began her career with the federal public service almost 30 years ago at Human Resources and Skills Development Canada where she spent eight years in programming and social development. Lyne  later served at the Canada Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, advocating on behalf of the organization with central agencies and other government departments, while coordinating as national delegate, the OECD Territorial Review of Canada.

Prior to joining the Office, she spent two years at the Privy Council Office as a consultant to the Task Force on the Coordination of Federal Activities in the Regions. Lyne has been relied upon to advise ministers on major files, represent her department at national and international events, and lead consultations with officials from other levels of government.

A  graduate of the University of Ottawa., Lyne  has been at the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and the previous Office of the Ethics Commissioner since 2004. In addition to her current position she has served as Executive Advisor to the Commissioner and Director of Corporate Management.

Samuel Berridge

Samuel Berridge

High Commission of St. Kitts and Nevis to Canada

With over two decades of dedicated service to his country, Samuel  possesses extensive expertise in foreign affairs, international trade, and development policy. His experience is deeply rooted in a comprehensive framework of bilateral, regional, and multilateral engagement.

Samuel’s distinguished career includes non-permanent delegate to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, and Counsellor and Head of Chancery at the Permanent Mission of St. Kitts and Nevis to the United Nations in New York, where he actively participated in the open-ended working group process to frame the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, commonly referred to as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Additionally, he served as charge d’affaires in 2015.

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Trade, and the Regional Integration and Diaspora Unit of the Prime Minister’s Office,  he excelled in various senior capacities, including Head of the Multilateral Division, Senior Trade Policy Officer, and Senior Assistant Secretary.

Samuel  is a graduate of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus, Jamaica, with a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in French and International Relations, and a plethora of professional training programs with institutes such as Georgetown University, Seoul National University, the Korean National Diplomatic Academy, and the UWI Cave Hill Campus.

As High Commissioner, his focus is on building and strengthening relations with Canada, through solid partnerships with universities and research institutions, potential investors, and members of the diaspora.

V. Alfred Gray

V. Alfred Gray

High Commissioner of The Bahamas to Canada

After completing his Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree from the University of Pennsylvania, USA, Alfred  earned a Teacher’s Certificate from the Bahamas Teachers’ College in 1972 and served as the Principal of the All-Aged School in Acklins until 1974. In that same year, he was appointed as a Family Island Commissioner/ Administrator serving several Family Islands throughout The Bahamas including Abaco, Grand Bahama, Crooked Island, Acklins and Exuma.

With a thirst for knowledge and inspired by the work he was doing, Alfred, decided to pursue further studies in Law in 1980 and was called to The Bahamas Bar in 1985 and launched his law firm, V. Alfred Gray & Co., where he currently practices as a Senior Partner with the firm.

A community-minded son of the soil, he  has served the nation of The Bahamas in numerous capacities. Alfred first entered the halls of its Honorable Parliament, the House of Assembly, in 1987, when he represented the fine people of the Carmichael constituency. He served there until 1992. In 2002, he was re-elected to the House of Assembly and proudly represented his native homeland of Acklins under the grouping of islands called “MICAL” (Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay), which representation spanned until 2017. With this, Mr. Gray has humbly served a total of 20 years in Parliament.

In addition to the honor of serving the public as a Member of Parliament, Alfred  served twice in the Cabinet of The Bahamas under the governing administration of the Progressive Liberal Party. From 2002-2007, he served as Minister of Local Government & Consumer Affairs as well as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries & Local Government, and as Minister of Agriculture & Marine Resources from 2012- 2017.

Marsha Coore Lobban

Marsha Coore Lobban

High Commissioner of Jamaica to Canada

A career diplomat, Marsha  has over twenty-seven (27) years of experience in the Jamaican Foreign Service. Prior to assuming duties in Canada, She served in several senior capacities in the Jamaican Foreign Service, including as Acting Under Secretary for Diaspora, Protocol and Consular Affairs as well as for Bilateral Regional and Hemispheric Affairs, and as Director of the Caribbean and Americas Department.

Marsha has also served at several other overseas Diplomatic and Consular Missions, including at the Jamaican Missions in Washington D.C., first serving as the Deputy Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), and subsequently as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Jamaica. Prior to her stint in Washington, she served as Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Jamaica in Miami; and briefly as Chargé d’ Affaires, a.i. at the Embassy of Jamaica in Brazil, where she spearheaded the opening of Jamaica’s first Embassy in that country.

During her career, she has worked extensively on Jamaica’s relations with various regional and hemispheric bodies, including CARICOM; the OAS; CELAC, and the ACS. She was also responsible for overseeing Jamaica’s bilateral relations with numerous countries, particularly across the Caribbean region. Marsha  also had responsibility for overseeing Jamaica’s relations, within the context of CARICOM, with several Third Countries, including Canada and the United States of America. She also has extensive experience in Diaspora engagement and consular affairs.

Marsha holds a Master of Science in International Relations and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History (Hons) from the University of the West Indies (Mona).

She is a recipient of several citations and recognitions for her dedicated and outstanding service to Jamaica and the Diaspora, including a Proclamation from the Maryland State Senate; as well as Awards from the National Association of Jamaican and Supportive Organizations Inc. (NAJASO); the Jamaica National Association Inc; and the Jamaica Association of Maryland. Marsha  is also the recipient of the “Individual Excellence in Service” Award from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

Samuel Berridge

Dr. Gervan Fearon

President, George Brown College

An accomplished economist, scholar and teacher, Gervan brings his vision for the transformative impacts of education to leading one of Canada’s most culturally diverse, urban post-secondary institutions. Recognized for his ability to inspire and move teams toward positive and constructive change, Gervan collaborates across the college to support career-focused programs, advance applied research and innovation, and promote community development.

Gervan has an esteemed record of progressive leadership positions in higher education. He served as the president and vice-chancellor at Brock University in Ontario and Brandon University in Manitoba (where he also served as provost and vice-president, academic). Prior to his presidential appointments, he was dean of the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Toronto Metropolitan University, associate dean at York University’s Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies (where he also held a faculty position) and was a visiting scholar at the University of Washington. Dr. Fearon began his career as an economist and policy advisor in government.

Improving social and economic mobility through education is one of his areas of expertise, and Gervan shares his insights around the world. He currently chairs the external reference group for the federal government’s Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, which is advancing Canada’s commitment to the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent, and is a board member with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Niagara Health and Ingenium – Canada’s museums of science and innovation. He also co-founded the Canada Caribbean Institute with Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies. His work has been recognized with the Order of Ontario, Queen Elizabeth II Platinum and Diamond Jubilee Medals, and The Michaëlle Jean Foundation Influencer Award, among other honours.

Gervan earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Western Ontario (now Western University) and received his master’s and bachelor of science degrees in Agricultural Economics from the University of Guelph. He holds a Chartered Professional Accountant designation (CPA, CGA) and an Institute of Corporate Directors designation (ICD.D).

Samuel Berridge

Abram Benedict

Ontario Regional Chief

As the current Ontario Regional Chief (ORC) for the Chiefs of Ontario, Abram was elected to a three-year term in June 2024 and advocates, supports, and lobbies for all 133 First Nations in Ontario. He is the first Haudenosaunee person to hold the position of Ontario Regional Chief since the inception of the Chiefs of Ontario 50 years ago. 

Abram prioritizes mining, additions-to-reserve (ATR), asserting First Nation Rights, and relationship building. In addition to his regional priorities, the Chiefs-in-Assembly provide the ORC and the Chiefs of Ontario with mandates and directives that form part of the many of his responsibilities.

He has spent the last 19 years in community leadership, first elected a District Chief for the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne in 2006 and later elected the Grand Chief in 2015. As the Grand Chief for Akwesasne, Abram has successfully led several successful negotiations, including two significant land claims that will help advance Akwesasne’s priorities with proceeds of over $280 million. Other negotiations include cooperative land use agreements, union negotiations, government contribution agreements, and civil disputes.

Abram also served as a volunteer board member as the Aboriginal Representative to the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS) board, a member-based agency representing the 47 children’s aid societies in Ontario, including the nine Aboriginal Agencies. Abram has also served in multiple board positions, including as chair for St. Lawrence College’s board for six years, and as a former board member of Cornwall Community Hospital.

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