Board

Chris Gosse

Board Member

Brittney Senger

Board Member

Né à Québec, Karl Bélanger est un militant social-démocrate de longue date et ancien directeur national du Nouveau Parti démocratique du Canada. Il est devenu membre et militant du NPD à l'âge de 18 ans et s'est présenté à deux reprises comme candidat lors d'élections fédérales. Il a siégé à diverses instances du NPD avant de se joindre à l'aile parlementaire en 1997. En près de 20 ans sur la colline parlementaire, il a été un proche conseillers de quatre chefs néo-démocrates successifs, soit Alexa McDonough, Jack Layton, Nycole Turmel et Thomas Mulcair. // A native of Quebec City, Karl Bélanger is a long time social-democrat activist and a former National Director of the New Democratic Party of Canada. He joined the ranks of the NDP at 18 years old and ran twice for a federal seat. He held several positions within the NDP and joined the Parliamentary wing shortly after the 1997 Federal election. During his political career, Karl Bélanger served as a senior advisor to successive NDP Leaders Alexa McDonough, Jack Layton, Nycole Turmel and Thomas Mulcair.

Irene Mathyssen

Vice-President

Irene Mathyssen served as the Member of Parliament for the riding of London-Fanshawe from 2006 to 2019. Irene was the Official Opposition Critic for Veterans, and sat on the Veterans Affairs Committee. She served previously as Seniors Critic, Pensions Critic, Deputy Heritage Critic, Critic for Status of Women, as the chair of the NDP’s women’s caucus and as the chair of the Status of Women committee. Irene also served as Deputy Whip for the NDP in the 42nd Parliament. Previously, Irene served as the MPP for London-Fanshawe from 1990 to 1995, and as a Cabinet Minister in the government of Premier Bob Rae. She has also served as a member of the Ontario Health Coalition. Irene holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Derek de Vlieger

Vice-President

Derek de Vlieger is a transplanted prairie boy who is a practising lawyer in Ottawa. Derek previously worked for the NDP government in Saskatchewan under Lorne Calvert prior and then moved to the nations capital to attend university and to work in an MP’s office on Parliament Hill. He has been Vice-President and Board Member with the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation since 2017. When not working and participating in social justice causes, Derek spends his time running trails and coaching kid’s soccer.

Mohammad Akbar

Secretary

Mohammad Akbar joined the DCLF Board in 2017. He has worked in student unions, the arts, labour unions and human rights movements for a decade. After working in 5 cities in Ontario, he shifted to Saskatchewan to better support and develop supports for marginalized groups in the province.

Rebecca Blaikie

Board Member

Rebecca Blaikie currently works as Director of Community Services at Mount Carmel Clinic (MCC) in Winnipeg’s North End. MCC is a not-for-profit community health centre that strives to provide culturally competent wholistic care and programs that acknowledge all the social determinants of health. Blaikie served as President of Canada's NDP from April 2011 to April 2016. Following her tenure as President Rebecca worked with the National Democratic Institute to facilitate campaign training to women candidates and activists in Morocco, Algeria and Kosovo.

Brad Lavigne

Board Member

Brad Lavigne is longtime campaign strategist and director. He served as the Principal Secretary to the Hon. Jack Layton, and the New Democratic Party’s National Campaign Director in the 2011 general election that resulted in the party’s best election in its 50-year history, becoming Canada’s Official Opposition for the first time.

Mike Perry

Board Member

A lawyer and social worker by profession, Mike Perry is past Executive Director of the City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team. Mike currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Institute for Change Leaders and is an alumni of the public leadership program at Havard. He is an award-winning educator and community advocate with extensive expertise advising charities, social services, businesses, and labour organizations on issues related to governance, strategic planning, fundraising, policy, and communications. A proud past member of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves, Mike is currently Lead of Law & Constitution with the Métis Nation of Ontario. Aussi bilangue en français.

Erica Saunders

Board Member

Erica Saunders is a care work advocate, with specific research experience concerning Early Childhood Educators who work split shifts. She holds a Master's degree in Early Childhood Studies, and has most recently been a panelist in the Gender and Gendered.

Jonathan Weier

Board Member

Jon Weier is an established historian and educator, policy professional, and commentator on social and labour movements, specializing in the nonprofit sector, trade unions, political parties, and other efforts by workers, social activists, and reformers to achieve progressive social and economic change. Jon is a professor at George Brown College where he teaches courses on labour and social history. Jon has been actively involved in the NDP and the Canadian Labour Movement for the last 25 years. He is a research fellow the Broadbent Institute and a research associated with the Wilson Institute for Canadian History.

Stephen Yardy

Board Member

Stephen is a leader with over a decade of political and legislative experience. He is one of Canada’s top progressive campaign managers, having executed more than 25 campaigns across the country.

Stephen currently works in Canada’s Parliament for the NDP’s Defence Critic, advising on defence and human rights policies, and serves as President of his local union.

Board

Karl Bélanger

President

Irene Mathyssen

Vice-President

Derek de Vlieger

Vice-President

Mohammad Akbar

Secretary

Melissa Hunter

Treasurer

Rebecca Blaikie

Board Member

Diana Idibe

Board Member

Chris Gosse

Board Member

Brad Lavigne

Board Member

Mike Perry

Board Member

Erica Saunders

Board Member

Anne Scotton

Board Member

Brittney Senger

Board Member

Jonathan Weier

Board Member

Stephen Yardy

Board Member

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