Presented to individuals of Caribbean-Canadian heritage, who have attained success in their field of endeavours.

Harold Brathwaite

Harold Brathwaite

Harold Brathwaite is a proud Bajan-Canadian whose early education began under the tutelage of his mother, Lotty; she ensured that he could read and write, and knew all his tables before he started school at St. Giles Boys School. He attributes his parents’ concern for learning as having a major impact on his life and that of his siblings. Two years at Combermere S.S. preceded his entry to Harrison College (HC), and a U.C.W.I. Exhibition allowed him to complete his first degree in French at Mona, Jamaica, in 1965; this included a year in Lyon, France. After teaching for three years at HC, he emigrated to Canada in 1968 to complete a Master’s degree at McMaster University.

Harold’s working career has spanned more than four and a half decades, including thirty-one years in publicly-funded education. He rose through the ranks of school administration with the Halton Board of Education, and from 1984 to 1994 he served in a number of senior roles with the legacy Toronto Board – Superintendent of French Language Schools, Superintendent of Secondary Schools, and Associate-Director of Program and Personnel. In 1994, he was appointed Director of Education of the Peel District Board of Education, then Canada’s largest school board, and retired in June 2002. In recognition of his contribution to education in Peel, the Board named a high school in Brampton for him. He came out of retirement in January 2003 to take up the position of Senior Advisor to the President of Seneca College. Then, from September 2004 to June of 2015 he served as Executive Director of the Retired Teachers of Ontario (RTO/ERO).

He has been a vocal advocate for public education, for issues of equity, and for building capacity in communities. He served in many roles on Ministry of Education Committees, on Premier McGuinty’s Transition Team, as a Trustee of the Art Gallery of Ontario, as Chair of the legacy Nelson Mandela’s Children Fund of Canada, as a member of the Toronto Lands Commission, as a member of United Way of Peel, as a member and Chair of the Advisory Governance Council of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), and was selected in 1998 as one of a small group of Ontario educators to visit and advise the South African government on systemic education reform.

For his contribution to the community and education Harold Brathwaite has received numerous awards including the first Egerton Ryerson Award from People for Education, the Canadian Black Achievement Award, the Harry Jerome Award, UNICEF Volunteer Award, Distinguished Alumnus Award – McMaster University, the Arbor Award from the U of T, Distinguished Service Award from The Learning Partnership, the Urban Alliance on Race Relations Award, the Barbados Ball Canada Aid Errol Barrow Award, and in 2006 The Order of Ontario.

Justice Gregory Regis

Justice Gregory Regis

The Honourable Justice Gregory Regis was appointed a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in January 1999. He was born and grew up in the fishing village of Dennery, on the east coast of Saint Lucia.
In 2004, he was appointed Local Administrative Judge (LAJ) in Oshawa.
In 2007, he was appointed Regional Senior Justice (RSJ) for the Central East Region, becoming the first non-white person to hold that office. Regional Senior Judges exercise the powers of the Chief Justice in their regions. They also serve on the Executive Council of the Court. He served in that office for the maximum allowable two terms (six years).

He retired in 2014, but continues to serve as a part-time judge. In February 2017, he was appointed Distinguished Visiting Professor at Ryerson University.

Justice Regis has anchored his judicial career around the issue of access to justice. He has conducted seminars and workshops for judicial officers, and other participants in the court system, on the subject of illiteracy and the justice system.
His thesis is that illiteracy or low literacy is a barrier to full participation in the justice system. He submits that all participants in the system must be alert to the issue, and actively take measures to assist anyone who has that problem.

In 2004, he presented a paper titled Literacy and Access to Justice in Canada at the Third International Conference of the Council of Administrative Tribunals (CCAT) in Toronto.

Before becoming a judge, his legal career included one year in private practice, four years as Executive Director of the Jane Finch Legal Aid Clinic, and eight years as an Assistant Crown Attorney.

Justice Regis has had a varied work and community experience. He started his formal working life as a primary school teacher in Saint Lucia. He later worked as a laboratory technician and as a journalist.

His journalism career included positions as photo journalist at The Voice Newspaper (Saint Lucia’s National newspaper) , News Editor at Radio Saint Lucia and correspondent in Saint Lucia for several Caribbean and International news organizations, including The Associated Press (AP), Trinidad Express Newspaper, Radio Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago) and Radio Antilles.

In Canada, he worked as an editor for CBC TV before entering law school. While studying law, he held a regular part-tine position in the CBC national radio newsroom in Toronto as an editor and producer.

Justice Regis has always been engaged in the black and Caribbean Community. He has served in leadership positions on the boards and committees of several organizations. These include The Black Resources and Information Centre (BRIC); The Canadian Foundation for Caribbean Development and Co-operation (CFCDC); Caribbean Cultural Committee (CARIBANA); The Canadian Council for International Co-Operation (CCIC);
Theatre In the Rough; Saint Lucia Toronto Association; Canadian Centre on Minority Affairs (CCMA); Multicultural Council of Oshawa/Durham.

Justice Regis holds a Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B) from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree (B.A.A.) in Journalism from Ryerson University.

He is a member of the Association of Ontario Judges (AOJ), the Canadian Association of Provincial Court Judges (CAPCJ) and the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History.

He is the recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, the Saint Lucia Governor General’s Award, the BBPA’s Harry Jerome Lifetime Achievement Award, the Ontario Medal for Community Service and the African Canadian Achievement Award for Law.

Joy Spence

Joy Spence

Appleton Estate’s Master Blender, Joy Spence, has the honour of being the first woman to hold the position of Master Blender in the spirits industry.
In this role, Joy is responsible creating new rum blends. Simply put, it is Joy’s job to ensure that that all Appleton Estate rum blends meet the high standards that consumers have grown to love and expect.
Joy joined Appleton Estate as Chief Chemist in 1981 where her passion for the art of creating rum-blends was inspired by her predecessor and mentor at the company, then Master Blender, Owen Tulloch. When Owen retired Joy was appointed the Master
Blender in 1997.
The Creator of Fine Rums and Spirits
Over the last 20 years Joy has created some of the finest rums that the world has ever seen including Appleton Estate Reserve Blend and Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12 Year Old.
Most recently Joy created the Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Blend which was released in 2017 to mark her 20 th Anniversary as Appleton Estate’s Master Blender. The Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Blend is a minimum aged 25-year-old rum with rums aged up to
35 years.
According to Joy, to be a good blender you must be a sensory expert, have an artistic and creative flair, have a good understanding of the chemistry of the process, and have a passion for the art and pay attention to the details.
Honoured by the Government of Jamaica, Academia and the Industry:

  • 2005: Government of Jamaica - “Order of Distinction” Rank of Officer, (OD); in recognition of service and outstanding contribution to the spirits industry
  • 2011: Joy received the Golden Rum Barrel Pioneer’s Award for outstanding rum achievement
  • 2014: Honoured by the International Spirits Challenge with the ‘Outstanding Contribution’ Award
  • 2014: University of Loughborough UK- Honorary Doctor of Science
  • 2014: University of the West Indies - Honorary Doctor of Laws
  • 2016: Received the Golden Rum Barrel Award for the Most Influential Rum Blender of the Last 10 Years
  • 2017: Government of Jamaica- “Order of Distinction” Rank of Commander (CD) in recognition of her contribution to the promotion of Jamaica’s rum industry and Brand Jamaica, globally
  • 2017: Tales of the cocktails Grand Dame Award as most influential female in the Spirits Industry
  • 2017: “Food & Wine Magazine”, in partnership with sister publication, “Fortune Magazine” named her in the top 20 ‘Most Influential Women in Food & Drink’

Dr. Juliet Daniel

Dr. Juliet Daniel

Dr. Juliet Daniel is a Professor and Cancer Biologist in the Department of Biology at McMaster University. She received her B.Sc. from Queen’s University and her Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Daniel trained as a Postdoctoral Fellow at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Vanderbilt University in Tennessee before joining McMaster in 1999 as an Assistant Professor.

Dr. Daniel’s research expertise is cell-cell adhesion and signaling through transcription factors in the context of cancer development and progression. Her research led to her discovery and naming of a new gene “Kaiso”, coined after the popular Caribbean music “calypso”. Dr. Daniel’s research team is currently focused on the aggressive and difficult to treat triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) that are most prevalent in Hispanic women and young women of African ancestry despite these groups having a lower incidence and lifetime risk of breast cancer compared to other ethnicities. Since socio- economic status does not fully explain the racial disparity in TNBC prevalence and mortality, Dr. Daniel seeks to identify unique DNA mutations or markers on cells that may explain this racial disparity and which can be developed for diagnostic tests or therapeutics for women diagnosed with TNBC worldwide. Dr. Daniel also partners with The Olive Branch of Hope Cancer Support Service in Toronto to organize and host “Think Beyond ‘Love Pink’ Breast Cancer Awareness” and empowerment workshops for women of African Ancestry.

Dr. Daniel has published in several high caliber scientific journals and her research has been funded by national (CIHR, NSERC, CBCF), and international agencies (US CDMRP Breast Cancer IDEA Awards). Her extraordinary scientific achievements led to numerous prestigious awards including the Ontario Premier’s Research Excellence Award, the Hamilton Black History Month John C. Holland Professional Achievement Award, the African Canadian Achievement Award of Excellence in Science, the Barbados National Honor Gold Crown of Merit, a Hamilton YWCA Women of Distinction Award, a BBPA Harry Jerome Award and more recently a 100 Accomplished Black Canadian (ABC) Women Award. She has also been featured in “Millenium Minds: 100 Black Canadians”.

Over the years, Dr. Daniel has volunteered for several non-profit and charitable organizations including The Canadian Multicultural LEAD Organization, The ACCPI Scholarships Committee, and the National Let’s Talk Science Program. She is a committed mentor and role model for numerous students and youth of African-Caribbean ancestry and she is also a strong advocate for women and under-represented minorities in science and engineering.

Dr. Victor S Blanchette FRCP, FRCP(C)

Dr. Victor S Blanchette FRCP, FRCP(C)

Dr Victor Blanchette is Medical Director of the Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program in the Division of Haematology/Oncology at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto, Canada. He is the McCaig Magee Family Medical Director of the SickKids-Caribbean Cancer and Blood Disorders Initiative in the Centre for Global Child Health at the Hospital for Sick Children.

After completing his medical training at the University of Cambridge and St Bartholomew's Hospital in the United Kingdom, Dr Blanchette pursued subspecialty training in pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, USA followed by fellowship training in pediatric hematology/oncology at McMaster University Medical Centre in Hamilton, Canada.

Dr Blanchette's research interests are in the area of the congenital and acquired bleeding disorders of children. He is Director of the Pediatric Comprehensive Care Hemophilia Program at the Hospital for Sick Children, and Chair of the International Prophylaxis Study Group (IPSG). Dr. Blanchette is recipient of the Canadian Pediatric Society 2009 Alan Ross Award, the Canadian Blood Services 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award, and the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology 2012 Distinguished Career Award. Dr Blanchette is an elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of the United Kingdom.

Dr. Avis Glaze

Dr. Avis Glaze

International Education Adviser for the Government of Scotland

Dr. Avis Glaze is one of Canada's outstanding educators and a recognized international leader in education. From classroom teacher to Superintendent of Schools and Director of Education, this award-winning educator has experience at all levels of the school system. She was one of five Commissioners on Ontario's landmark Royal Commission on Learning, setting directions for the future of the education system. As the Province's first Chief Student Achievement Officer and Founding CEO of the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, she played a pivotal role in working with educators to improve student learning, achievement and wellbeing. She served as Ontario's Education Commissioner and Senior Adviser to the Minister of Education. She taught in faculties of education (York and University of Toronto), and was appointed Professor in Residence at the Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa. Currently, she is President of Edu-quest International Inc., offering a wide range of educational services and speaking engagements across the globe. A highlight of her career was an invitation from Queen Sonya of Norway to address the issue of 'Can schools build better societies' with principals at her awards ceremony.

Dr. Glaze is a consummate capacity builder and inveterate learner who continues to take courses at every opportunity, for example, training in Visible Learning (Certified Trainer), Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and the assessment of emotional intelligence. She co-authored Breaking Barriers: Excellence and Equity for All, High School Graduation: K-12 Strategies that Work, and a series titled, Class Interrupted - strategies for system, school and classroom improvement. Her most recent book, Reaching the Heart of Leadership (2017) is a testament to her people-oriented and outcomes-focussed approach to educational leadership.

Avis has worked with educators in over 50 countries and (U.S.) states, receiving several honorary doctorates some 40 awards for international contributions, including the Robert Owen Award, the first of its kind offered in Scotland. She has served as International Education Adviser to organizations such as Curriculum Services Canada, Learning Forward, and to governments such as South Africa, New Zealand and Scotland.

Avis believes that this is the Golden Age of Education and that educators are strategically placed to enhance life chances and to work, with indefatigable zeal, to build upon their current successes. She encourages all those engaged in this noble enterprise to intensify their efforts to improve their schools with a sense of urgency. As engaged citizens, we have a responsibility to ensure that all students achieve to the maximum of their potential, regardless of background or personal circumstances. For her, students must become solution finders who are prepared to contribute to nation building and prosperity.

Professor Michael S. Pollanen

Professor Michael S. Pollanen

Chief Forensic Pathologist

Michael S. Pollanen is the Chief Forensic Pathologist for Ontario, Canada and a Professor and Vice-Chair (Innovation) of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto. He graduated from the University of Toronto with an MD (1999) and PhD (1995) and completed his residency in 2003. His duties include supervising and directing the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service (7000 autopsies/year), conducting autopsy (>2500 autopsies conducted to date), testifying in court (>250 court testimonies to date), and directing academic activities in forensic pathology at the University of Toronto. Professor Pollanen's main educational focus is training forensic pathologists and strengthening forensic capacity in the Global South.

He has been involved in case work or forensic missions in: East Timor, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Haiti, Thailand, Jamaica, Iraq, and Bermuda. His current research interests include Nodding disease in Uganda and the pathology of torture. He has published over 90 papers in peer- reviewed journals.

Professor Pollanen is a member of the forensic advisory board of the International Committee of the Red Cross and is the immediate Past President of the International Association of Forensic Science (2015-17). He is a Founder of Forensic Pathology in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He is also a Deputy Chief Coroner in Ontario.

Mr. Wayne Purboo

Mr. Wayne Purboo

Entrepreneur and Philanthropist

As President, CEO and Co-founder of Quickplay, Wayne Purboo drives the development, management and execution of Quickplay's innovative strategy. Under his guidance Quickplay has developed award-winning technologies and forged critical partnerships with market leading content providers, video service providers, handset manufacturers and mobile service operators to drive the rapid growth of the company.

Prior to founding Quickplay, Wayne was Chief Technology Officer for Solect Technology Group. When Solect was acquired by Amdocs, Wayne was appointed to the role of Vice-President of Strategy. In this capacity he launched and was Editor-in-Chief of ABR, a quarterly research magazine focused on the future of Telecom with a worldwide circulation to thousands of industry professionals.

Wayne is on the Advisory Board of Virgin Unite, which is developing new approaches to social and environmental issues. He is also active on the boards of GlassBOX, Artscape, Cellwand, and the Toronto International Film Festival. He has been recognized as a Sick Kids' Leader by Sick Children's Hospital and as one of "Canada's Top 40 Under 40” by the Caldwell Partners. Wayne holds a Bachelor of Computer Sciences degree from McMaster University.

Professor the Honourable Renn Holness, O.J.

Professor the Honourable Renn Holness, O.J.

Consultant Neurosurgeon

UWI, Mona graduate and recipient of the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science (DSc) from The UWI, Professor Renn Holness, has been selected by the Canadian Neurosurgical Society (CNSS) to receive The Charles Drake Medal, its Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of his outstanding career and significant contribution to Neurosurgery.

Professor Holness received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Annual Congress of the Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation Congress in Quebec City, June 21 - 24, 2016. The President of the CNSS, Ian Fleetwood, in communicating this signal honour to him referred to Holness' many leadership roles in Canadian Neurosurgery. Renn Holness attained the Gold Medal in the 1968 Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Final Examinations, obtaining Distinctions in Obstetrics &Gynaecology and Pathology & Microbiology as well as Honours in Medicine and Surgery. He served as Professor and Head of the Department of Neurosurgery, Dalhousie University from 1987 to 1994 before serving as Director of The UWI Clinical Training Programme in Nassau Bahamas from April-October 2000.

Professor Holness was President of the Canadian Neurological Society, (1995- 1996) and Chairman of the Examining Board in Neurosurgery, Royal College of Physicians of Canada from 1997 to 2000. The Department of Surgery, Radiology, Anaesthesia and Intensive care extends congratulations to this outstanding graduate. Presently, Professor Holness gives back to his Alma Mater, in his capacity as Professor and Examiner in Neurosurgery in the DM (UWI) Neurosurgery Programme and teaches surgical residents and medical students at the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

Justice Michael Tulloch

Justice Michael Tulloch

Judge, Ontario Court of Appeal

The Honourable Mr. Justice Michael H. Tulloch is a judge on the Court of Appeal for Ontario, a position he has held since his appointment in June 2012 following nine years on the Superior Court of Justice.

Prior to Mr. Justice Tulloch's appointment to the Court, he was appointed an Assistant Crown Attorney in 1991 where he worked both in Peel and Toronto.In 1995, Justice Tulloch entered private practice, specializing in criminal law. He continued in this practice until his appointment to the Bench in 2003.

While in private practice, Justice Tulloch was also appointed a special prosecuting agent with the Federal Department of Justice. He also participated in a number of commissions including the Ontario Government Review on Civilian Oversight on Policing, the Review of the Ontario Legal Aid Plan, and the Criminal Code Review conducted by the Federal Attorney General and the Minister of Justice.

In 2006 Mr. Justice Tulloch was asked by the Dean of Osgoode Hall Law School to chair a Review Panel of the Law School's Admissions Policy, after which the majority of the panel's recommendations were accepted and implemented by the Law School.

Over the years, Justice Tulloch has been very actively involved in post secondary education as well as numerous community organizations. He is a current member of the Board of Directors of the Osgoode Society on Legal History. Justice Tulloch is a former Lecturer and Don for York University, where he is an alumnus. He still sits on the Board of Directors for the Alumni Association. As well, he is an Academic Fellow of McLaughlin College as well as Vanier College, York University and a member of the Advisory Board to the Dean of Osgoode Hall Law School.

In 2011, he was also appointed a Distinguished Research Fellow for the Centre of Law and Policy at Ryerson University. Justice Tulloch is the recipient of two Honorary Doctorate Degrees, one a Doctor of Laws from the University of Guelph and the other a Doctor of Theology for Tyndale University and Seminary, as well as numerous other community awards. On the Superior court, Justice Tulloch was a member of Chief's Education committee and he was Co-Chair of two of the courts Judicial Education Conference for Fall 2010 and Spring 2011.

Justice Tulloch was also a treasurer of the Ontario Superior Court Judges Association; as well, he is the Vice-Chair of the Judiserve Committee, a national advisory body established to advise the Commissioner on Judicial Affairs on the technological usage and needs of Federally appointed judges across Canada. As well, Justice Tulloch is a member of the Judicial Advisory Committee on International Engagement (JUDICIE).

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