Meet the Presenters
The Honourable Larry Campbell
Ottawa, Canada
• Visit www.LarryCampbell.ca
Born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, Senator Campbell became a steelworker in Hamilton in the 1960s. In his first career move, he joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and was transferred to Vancouver in 1969, later joining the RCMP drug squad in 1973.
With more than 12 years experience with the RCMP, Campbell transitioned into death investigation, establishing Vancouver's first District Coroner's Office in 1981 and becoming the Chief Coroner for British Columbia in 1996. In this capacity, he became the inspiration behind the popular CBC drama Da Vinci's Inquest, as well as its spin-off, Da Vinci's City Hall. Larry Campbell was intimately involved with the television programs, writing and collaborating on scripts for the series.
A huge proponent of the Four Pillars approach to ending drug abuse, Campbell ran for Mayor when he felt this strategy was being neglected. In 2002 he was elected by the citizens of Vancouver under the banner of the Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) in what was a landslide election. Carrying on the legacy of his predecessor Philip Owen, Mayor Campbell spearheaded the approval and establishment of North America's first legal safe injection site and continued to champion the Four Pillars Drug strategy. In addition to drug and crime prevention, he was also instrumental in the successful Vancouver bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In August 2005, Campbell was summoned to the Senate of Canada by Prime Minister Paul Martin. As a Senator, Campbell has continued his work on drug policy, mental health and Aboriginal issues. In addition, Senator Campbell covers the Big City Mayors Caucus for the Senate and continues to work as an advocate for Canadian municipalities.
Senator Campbell is currently a member of the Senate Standing Committees on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Aboriginal Peoples and Fisheries and Oceans. He holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from City University in Vancouver.
Cathy Cleary
Provincial Coordinator
Ontario Harm Reduction Program
Kingston, Ontario
Cathy Cleary has been working in the areas of community health and social justice for 13 years. A community developer at heart, particularly around issues of homelessness and housing and completing a Masters Degree in Social and Health Policy this year, she aspires to work with vulnerable and marginalized populations in an effort to create inclusive and understanding communities.
Frank Coburn
HIV/HCV Harm Reduction Outreach Worker
Toronto, Ontario
Frank Coburn is an HIV/HCV Harm Reduction Outreach Worker in downtown Toronto. He was a member of Toronto mayor David Miller’s committee that drafted the present Toronto Drug Strategy Report. Frank presents regularly at Harm Reduction conferences across Ontario and draws from personal experience to illustrate the importance of Harm Reduction as a necessary intervention in dealing with substance use. He was recently featured on the CBC documentary: Crack Sunday.
Diana Gowanlock
Public Health Nurse
Infectious Disease Program
Thunder Bay District Health Unit
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Diana moved to the Infectious Disease Program at the Health Unit after working in the Vaccine Preventable Diseases Program and the Sexual Health Program. Previously she has worked in long term care, psychiatric, complex continuing care, home care and flight nursing. She is a graduate of Lakehead University and is currently furthering her studies at Lakehead in the Masters of Public Health Program where she hopes to complete her research project/thesis in the area of hepatitis C. With the keeping busy theme, she is using her free time to study to hopefully receive her certification in infection control next fall.
Dr. Sarah Eckler
Family Physician
Norwest Community Health Centre
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Dr. Eckler has an interest in community and street-based medicine. She graduated from medical school from the University of Toronto, completing a family residency at North York General Hospital in Toronto.
Mushkiki-Gizhi-baa-sense-Kwaa, Bear Clan
Ron Kanutski, Registered Social Worker
Native Cultural Coordinator/Counsellor
Children’s Centre Thunder Bay and
Mental Health & Addictions Counsellor
With Care Consulting
Thunder Bay, Ontario
An Ojibway tribal member of Opwaaganasiniing First Nation (Lake Helen Reservation/Red Rock Band) and Whitewater First Nation, Ron, who best describes himself as a cultural teacher and facilitator, has been working in the human services field for 17 years. He has worked extensively throughout Northern Ontario, Manitoba, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois. As a consultant, group facilitator and counsellor, Ron delivers a wide variety of mental health, addictions, and cultural sensitivity seminars, workshops and services to Aboriginal children, youth and adults residing in urban, rural and remote communities. In his position at Children’s Centre Thunder Bay, Ron delivers community based programming and counselling to youth 12-17 years who are struggling with concurrent disorders.
Ron’s gift is his natural ability to blend traditional Ojibway healing methods and ceremonies shared by the elders with mainstream healing modalities to provide unique learning experiences and opportunities for all participants. Ron always looks forward to meeting new people and enjoys sharing and learning from others.
Lee Sieswerda
Epidemiologist
Thunder Bay District Health Unit
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Lee Sieswerda holds a Master's degree in epidemiology from the University of Alberta. He has been Epidemiologist at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit since 2001. The Chair of the Pandemic Influenza Surveillance Committee for the District of Thunder Bay, he is also an Assistant Professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
Abi Sprakes
Manager
Substance Abuse Programs
Family Services Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Abi Sprakes is the Manager of the Alcohol and Other Drugs Program and the Addiction Services Initiative at Family Services Thunder Bay. She is on the Advisory Committee for Superior Points, the local needle exchange and HCV committee and on the Advisory Committee for the Injection Drug Outreach Program of AIDS Thunder Bay.
Constable Frank Tropea
Emergency Task Unit, Thunder Bay Police Department
Constable Tropea has been a member of the Thunder Bay Police Department for the past five years and a member of the Emergency Task Unit for the past 2 years. He has a personal interest in infectious disease precautions for law enforcement. On his off duty time, Frank is also busy as a professional kickboxer.
Dr. David K. Wong
Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto
Clinical Director, Liver Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital
Director of Hepatology Education, University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario
A graduate of the University of Toronto Medical School in Internal Medicine and of McMaster University Medical School in Gastroenterology, Dr. Wong was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School with a focus on immune responses to hepatitis C. Dr. Wong has a special Interest in Viral Hepatitis.
Don Young
Program Manager
Superior Points Harm Reduction Program
Thunder Bay District Health Unit
Thunder Bay, Ontario
In addition to his role with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, Don is also the Clinical Harm Reduction Support Worker at the Norwest Community Health Centre. He represents Northwestern Ontario on the Provincial Needle Exchange Advisory Committee and the ONEN Best Practices Advisory group. Don was also appointed by the Minister of Health to a three year term on the Ontario HCV Secretariat. He also co chairs the Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program and is one of the co authors of the Ontario Best Practices Recommendations, the first of its kind in North America.
Don has a reputation as a local, provincial and national advocate for harm reduction services and he is recognized as a speaker on these topics. Don has co-presented provincially and nationally on “Harm Reduction in Small Urban and Rural Communities” and this presentation was selected for the 1st South American Harm Reduction Conference and the 5th annual Harm Reduction conference in Louisiana. Don has been able to focus attention on the issues faced by Thunder Bay and the district both by being a strong voice and advocate but by having a significant role in two documentaries on drug use and harm reduction. The two documentaries are “Prescription For Addiction” and “Sleeping Giant: A Day In The Life Of A Needle Exchange”.
www.BloodSweatandFears.ca
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