Canada Leadership Summit and Gala 2023 focus on transforming leaders into nation builders

BY PAUL JUNOR

It was an exciting, empowering and enriching three days at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel and Suites during the Canada Leadership Summit and Gala 2023 hosted by the Canadian Congress on Inclusive Diversity and Workplace Equity from Friday October 6^th, to Sunday October 8^th, 2023. It was founded by Nosakhare Alex Ihama who serves as the Executive Director and has transformed lives, organizations and nations, to ignite the leadership spirit of millions globally.

It is intended to bring together a diverse array of leaders, including entrepreneurs, executives, social justice advocates, professionals, politicians, and more, hailing from Canada and around the world. The mission of the summit is to facilitate discussions and equip attendees with strategic: insights, tools, and techniques to drive national transformation. On September 13^th, 2023, Alex wrote, “Leadership begins with self. Personal development, therefore, is the first step to leadership. Whether you have a position of authority or not, to be effective in creating lasting impact requires constant renewal of the mind.”

On the evening of Friday October 6^th, 2023, was the kick-off of the Canada Leadership event. Alex mentioned that he believed that the Summit is a movement not an event. “We want to remind you that it is not an event.” The speaker of the evening was Dr. Pat Francis, Founder and Chancellor of Chayil Leadership Institute. She states “A great leader reproduces great leaders.  It is great that you are honoured while you are here on earth. They have to bring a Bible School to the church. Pastor Myles, he honoured everybody because he was so great. The first thing we need to get is intelligence. It is okay to be helpless, but not hopeless. We should never be hopeless, because hope builds faith.”

The Saturday evening gala where twelve Nation Building awards were handed out was co-hosted by Moy Fung and Henry Kaddu Luyombya.The names of the award recipients are:

Svetlana Ratnikova

Founder of Immigrant Women in Business and Co-founder of CSR Development

Senator/Senatrice Bernadette Clement

She was elected three times as City Councilor and the first woman to be elected as Mayor of Cornwall

Wendy Cukier

Founder of the Diversity Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University and Academic Director of the Women’s Entrepreneurs Knowledge

Pauline Christian

CEO & President of Best Lifestyle Residence Inc and Immediate Past President of the BBPA.

Courtney Betty

CEO, Betty’s Law Office, Lawyer and Social Justice Advocate

Ardavan Eizadirad

Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University

Honourable Donald H. Oliver

Retired Senator, lawyer, human rights activist and dedicated community volunteers

Honourable Jean Augustine

First Black woman elected to the House of Commons and Founder of the Jean Augustine Centre for Girls and Global Social Justice Icon

Senator Mary Jane McCallum

Chancellor of Brandon University Manitoba and Senator of Canada

Roberto Hausman

Director of Education and Training-International Agency Group and Director and CEO of the Police Foundations Department of Canadian Law Enforcement Training College.

Dr. Peter Morgan

Chairman, International Association of Kingdom Churches & Ministries

Dr. Catherine Patricia Morgan

Conference, retreat speaker, Educational Psychologist and author of “How to Raise Children of Destiny, ” and “Battle of the Seed.”

Anyone interested in learning about the Canadian Congress on Inclusive & Workplace Equity can check the website: www.canadiancongressondiversity.ca