Posted May. 24/06
- Accepting their Arthur Kroeger College Awards for Public Affairs are, from left to right, Keith Martell, chair of First Nations Bank of Canada; Rick Mercer, host of Rick Mercer Report; Francis Lankin, CEO and president of United Way of Greater Toronto; Ken Lyotier, executive director of United We Can; and Alan Landsberg for Stephen Lewis, UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. (Photo: Mike Pinder)
Vancouver organization United We Can establishes self-sustaining urban enterprises and creates jobs for inner city residents with multiple barriers to re-entering the workforce. Its bottle depot, opened in 1995, serves thousands of inner city residents, recycles millions of containers each year, and employs 24 full-time workers.
On April 11, Ken Lyotier, the organization’s executive director and a former Vancouver “dumpster diver”, received a standing ovation when he accepted the Arthur Kroeger College of Public Affairs Award in Citizenship and Community Affairs in recognition of United We Can’s creativity, persistence and overall leadership in demonstrating the value of a locally based initiative.
“It was encouraging to receive this award,” says Lyotier. “We work on the gritty edge of a poor part of Vancouver, and from day to day it can be hard to see what we’re accomplishing. This award recognizes there is value in what we do and it connects us to a vision broader than our own community.”
The Arthur Kroeger College Awards for Public Affairs were established in 1999 to recognize individuals and organizations who have made Canadians more informed, their governing institutions more effective and their country a better place to live. More than 250 academics, business people and media, government and non-profit representatives attended the sixth annual gala awards dinner, sponsored by Sun Life Financial at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa.
“No other awards program spans the areas of civic society leadership that we celebrate,” says Eileen Saunders, associate dean of the Faculty of Public Affairs and Management and director of Arthur Kroeger College of Public Affairs. “Guests and sponsors have the opportunity to hear a renowned guest speaker, to celebrate the contributions our award recipients have made, and to support a worthy cause since their donations support students.”
- Derek Burney delivered the keynote address on leadership in a new government. (Photo: Mike Pinder)
The keynote address on leadership in a new government environment was delivered by Derek H. Burney, former Canadian ambassador to the US and head of the Harper transition team, now an adjunct professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs and senior distinguished fellow at the Centre for Trade Policy and Law at Carleton.
“We need more creative individuals, policy entrepreneurs, with a zest for results,” he said of the public service. “Men and women of competence and confidence, who accept that their role is not to challenge or obstruct the political direction of the day but to channel it most efficiently to the desired goal.”
On cue, the evening’s “policy entrepreneur” award winners were served up with dinner. Individuals and organizations were nominated by a cross-section of Canadians and winners were selected by independent juries each containing one PAM faculty member.
Stephen Lewis, the UN’s special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa was awarded the Arthur Kroeger College Award in Ethics for providing an inspiring example of the importance of ethics and values in public life for his ongoing efforts to bring attention to Africa’s struggle with AIDS.
- “Our continued growth and development are important in linking aboriginal communities and businesses to other Canadian financial markets,” says Keith Martell, chair of First Nations Bank of Canada. “We believe we’re making a difference, proving that aboriginal people and their institutions are a growing economic force in Canada and one that will play a key role in the continuing development of this country.” (Photo: Mike Pinder)
The Award in Management went to First Nations Bank of Canada, a partnership between a number of First Nations communities and the TD Bank, which is a model for future co-ventures between First Nations and traditional corporations.
United Way of Greater Toronto received the Award in Policy Leadership for serving as a model to others on how to define and consider public policy challenges, mobilize resources and activate responses.
Television personality Rick Mercer, famous for his satire and political rants, won the Award in Public Discourse, which recognizes the importance and the power of artfully presented exposition and explanation, important factors in the quality of debate in civic society.
Want more information? Read Derek Burney’s speech online at carleton.ca/duc/newsroom.
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Fast fact…
The sixth annual Arthur Kroeger College Awards for Public Affairs gala dinner raised $120,000 for bursaries and scholarships and a state-of-the-art resource centre for the Arthur Kroeger College Endowment.