Keynote Speakers

Mary Gordon

Mary Gordon, Member of the Order of Canada, Author, and Social Entrepreneur has created award-winning programs that have been informed by the power of the loving relationships of families. In 1996 Mary Gordon founded Roots of Empathy, a not-for-profit, evidence-based classroom program that has shown dramatic effect in reducing levels of aggression and violence among schoolchildren while raising social emotional competence and increasing empathy.

Mary is also the founder of Canada’s first and largest school-based parenting and family literacy program, which she initiated in 1981. This program has been used as a best-practice model throughout North America and has attracted the attention of educators and policy makers from Japan, Australia, Jordan, South Africa, and England. 

Recognized nationally and internationally as a child advocate and parenting expert, Ms. Gordon speaks and consults to governments, educational organizations, and public institutions.  She is the recipient of several prestigious awards recognizing her contributions to innovation in education and international social entrepreneurship and is the author of Roots of Empathy: Changing the World Child by Child, published in 2005. 

In 2006, Ms. Gordon is collaborating with the World Bank Institute of the World Bank in Paris and is a contributing member of the World Health Organization. 

The Nelson Mandela Children’s Foundation in collaboration with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) brought her to South Africa to share her parenting expertise. 

Ms. Gordon served as a panel member on the U.S. Government’s Early Childhood Development Research Agenda Setting Committee and was a member of the groundbreaking “Ontario Early Years Study”, chaired by Dr. Fraser Mustard and the Honourable Margaret McCain. 

Mary Gordon is a panel member of Best Start, Ontario’s comprehensive strategy for healthy development and wellbeing to help all of Ontario’s young children to be successful in school and in life. 

In June 2002, Mary Gordon became the first female Canadian Ashoka Fellow, recognizing her as a member of an international circle of “social entrepreneurs who have the creativity that enables them to envision new and better ways to address persistent social problems and the entrepreneurial skill and determination required to bring their ideas to fruition.” According to Ashoka which has 20 years of success in identifying and investing in social entrepreneurs around the globe, only individuals whose ideas meet the highest standards of innovation, entrepreneurial skill, creativity, social impact and human ethics are selected as Fellows. 

In the past five years Mary Gordon has been the recipient of the following awards: 

• The first Fraser Mustard Award which recognizes corporations and individuals for their contributions to the physical, emotional and intellectual well-being of Canada’s next generation of leaders
• Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by the Ontario Teachers’ Federation for her service to students, teachers and the profession in Ontario
• Community Services Award from the Psychology Foundation of Canada
• Distinguished Educator Award (national), given by the University of Toronto
• Ontario Teachers’ Federation Fellowship Lifetime Award
• Woman of the Village, Every Child is Sacred, 2005
• Member of the Order of Canada

Jacques Demers

Jacques Demers is recognized as a proven professional hockey coach. He began his illustrious career in 1972 as coach of the Chicago Cougars in the World Hockey League; a few years later, in 1979, he became the first head coach of the Quebec Nordiques. His career has also featured coaching stints with the St. Louis Blues and then the Detroit Red Wings.

After a short hiatus, during which he worked as an analyst at Nordiques hockey games, he went on to coach the Montreal Canadiens. This was a particularly exciting time in his life, as he led the “Habs” to a Stanley Cup victory on June 9, 1993. He capped his coaching career working with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Today, on the strength of his experience in the big leagues, Jacques Demers can be seen on RDS, where he works as a hockey analyst. With customary verve, he captures the attention of all viewers, sharing his expertise and offering astute commentary.

In a biography written by sportswriter Mario Leclerc in 2005, Demers revealed he was unable to read most sentences and was functionally illiterate. He kept his secret from just about everyone while he built his NHL career and found ways to cover up his secret.  Demers says now that he hopes by bringing the issue out in the open and coming out from the shame, he’ll help others like him.

Jacques Demers has enjoyed a most impressive career. He was nominated three times for coach of the year. On his right hand, he proudly wears the Stanley Cup ring captured with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. He led his team to the conference finals on three occasions. He is also a member of the very select club of five National Hockey League coaches to have coached in more than 1,000 consecutive games. Mr. Demers knows the importance of teamwork, and with unfailing dynamism and verve, he is always happy to share his experience, and by that very fact, to open the doors to success for your company.