The Root of the Idea Exchange
Moderator /A\ News Anchor Tony Grace &
co-host Bailey Thompson
We welcome and thank our esteemed guest panelists
for leading, sharing and caring.
Let's share thoughts. Open mike Q & A.
Come out and speak with our esteemed panel of guests. Share thoughts, ideas, laughter, celebration. A relaxed conversation with those who know.
The Root of the Idea Exchange is an opportunity to be heard. Teach, Learn, Explore, Share. A "soapbox" format. New green ideas, new technologies, questions asked in public.
Our panel of experts are on board to discuss new ideas, lead in opinion development and explore new and interesting perspectives with on-site public input.
- Lake Simcoe Preservation – Responsibilities
- Rural Economics – Energy Farms vs Market Farms
- Alternate Oil
- City of Barrie and Area – Future Planning & Development
Join us for an "Open Mike" session.
Sunday June 12 | 2:00pm
Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Ph.D.
She is a member of the Chippewa of Georgina Island First Nation in Lake Simcoe, and has dedicated her life to building bridges of understanding between people. She sees endless merit in bringing people from diverse cultures, ages, and backgrounds together to engage in practical dialogue.
Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux is an Advisory Member of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, holder of the Nexen Chair in Aboriginal Leadership at the Banff Centre in Alberta, a member of the Lake Simcoe Science Advisory Committee, a Lady of the Lake, and an active and engaging media representative.
She is deeply committed to public education and active youth engagement, and co-runs a youth project out of the University of Toronto www.canadianroots.ca.
Gayle Wood
Chief Administrative Officer of the Lake Simcoe
Region Conservation Authority
Gayle Wood is currently the Chief Administrative Officer of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority in Ontario Canada.
Gayle has a Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree from the University of Waterloo, and has worked with the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of the Environment, private sector and several conservation authorities.
She has worked internationally regarding integrated watershed management with China, Thailand, Suriname, Russia and Vietnam, winning an award from the State Council of China. She was proud to see the LSRCA win the 2009 Thiess International Riverprize.
Mayor Jeff Lehman
Jeff Lehman is the 46th Mayor of the City of Barrie. The Ward 2 Councillor for the City of Barrie from 2006 to 2010, he was the Chairman of the Finance Committee of Council, chaired the City's Growth Management Working Group, and created the Historic Neighbourhoods project, a new initiative to protect and revitalize Barrie's oldest neighbourhoods.
Jeff has lived in Barrie for most of his life, having grown up in Allandale and attended Barrie Central Collegiate. Jeff holds a B.A. from Queen's University, and a Master's Degree with first class honours from the UK's prestigious London School of Economics. He was hired to teach at the LSE following his graduation, and lived and worked in London for two years as an academic.
Since that time, as an economist, he has worked with cities across Canada to manage redevelopment and invest in their urban infrastructure. In 2005, he established the Growing By Degrees Task Force to assist in expanding university education opportunities in Barrie, and has volunteered his time with many organizations in the City. Jeff lives near Downtown Barrie with his wife, Jennifer, a part-time professor of political science, and their young daughter Cassie, who is already smarter than her father.
MP Patrick Brown
Conservative Party of Canada
Andrew Miller
Provincial Green Party Candidate for Barrie
Andrew Miller is the founder of Back to Basics Social Developments, a not-for-profit that works on food, water, shelter and education projects catering to those living in poverty. To date, Back to Basics has given away more than 25,000 pounds of vegetables to food banks, and taught over 100 volunteers the art of organic farming. Back to Basics also started Barrie's first Biodiesel cooperative in collaboration with Everpure Biodiesel Coop.
Back to Basics is expanding its urban farming focus with 10 new gardens planned in downtown Barrie and Toronto in collaboration with shelters, food banks and social agencies. They are also developing an innovative 30-unit, self-sufficient, low-income housing project in Barrie that will also offer the County's first transitional housing. Most recently, Andrew became the Provincial Green Party Candidate for Barrie.
Andrew is the father of three adventuresome girls, ages 8, 7 and 4. They enjoy spending their time outdoors mountain biking, skateboarding and snowboarding. Most recently, Andrew became the Provincial Green Party Candidate for Barrie.
Mike Fox
Founding member Transition Towns Barrie
Mike has been a resident of Barrie since 1987 but has been connected to this area most of his life. A graduate of Georgian College, School of Business, Mike's professional career has included everything from executive positions with a few multinational corporations, to running his own business.
He is co-founder and steering committee member of Transition Barrie and sits on the steering committee of the BDNA (Barrie Downtown Neighbourhood Association) and the Barrie Chamber of Commerce BASE3 committee (Barrie Association for Sustainability in Environment, Energy and Economy).
Tony Grace
Senior Anchor, /A\ News at 6
Tony joined /A\ News in Ottawa in August 2001 as a videographer , then became the 11:00 pm News Anchor and later the National Affairs Reporter for the /A\ Network. Tony has extensive reporting experience on major news stories including the Dawson College shooting rampage in Montreal, the deadly Laval overpass collapse in Quebec, and the aftermath of 9/11 in New York City.
Grace is an experienced political reporter, most recently covering the G8 Summit in Muskoka and the G20 in Toronto. He is also a veteran of live election broadcasts and regularly interviews Canada's top political leaders including Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the other national party leaders.
Tony is an avid runner who competes annually in 10k races. He's loves travelling, is a big reader...and enjoys the challenge of cooking new things.
Bailey Thompson
Green Like a Frog
Bailey Thompson is just your average teenager, and an aspiring environmentalist with a drive for success and a passion for the written word. Bailey is currently a regular monthly columnist for the Innisfil Scope and a freelance writer with her works appearing in publications from community newspapers to a New York Times Best Selling Book.
One of her most popular articles was one appearing front page of Springwater News, covering the history of the controversial Dump Site 41 including quotes from Maude Barlow. She is also the winner of the Barrie Examiner and RBC's Future Woman in Business Award.
Bailey's greatest initative, however, is the recent launch of Green Like a Frog, an environmentally based business dedicated to spreading the word about environmental problems and offering simple solutions to the average consumer.
Bailey Thompson's message is clear; the planet doesn't need saving, the issue is that we need to ensure our own civilizations survival. Her vision is simple; take action, spread the word and save the future.
All materials to be shown at the festival must pass our GREEN INSPECTION and will
be subject to removal without prejudice or harm intended. We are a Green Festival and
we ask that you respect the following:
The following items will not be allowed: Styrofoam, Plastic Water Bottles, Hand distributed flyers (other than those previously approved), plastic bags, plastic utensils. Please do not post any bills or signs outside of your own presentation area.
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