Inspirational Men & Woman

I don’t know much about James Woller but an article I read online - made me stopped and thought for a bit that if everyone would be a little like James Woller - wouldn’t this world be a much better place.  Why? James Woller can be a lot of things - afterall, has a BA in International Affairs with a concentration on Economic Development.  But instead - he is helping children who were abandoned, orphaned or destitute and is permanently now in Bulembu.  Where ? i hear you asking.  Yes where is Bulembu indeed.  Bulembu is located in Swaziland  - not Switzerland ok - Swaziland is somewhere in South Africa.

James Woller works with AIDs orphans, helping them with developing a life skill - also creating AIDs awareness within the public school system to bring understanding of the illness to children.  I cannot imagine what the condition of the place is - but it cannot be anything like where we are - now his hometown Vancouver.  It takes are really “big” man to leave the comfort of everything to do something so incredible and selfless.  That’s James Woller - I hope the world has more James Woller.

Shirley Douglas is the mother of Kiefer Sutherland from 24 - the tv series that had been running for years now.  It is only today that I learned about this - and what a beauty she was - i mean she still looked really stunning for her age.   I bet if she was living in Asia - her dad would need some good deadbolt locks to keep the suitors/admirers out hahahah!!   But of course in the West - things are quite different and locks are only meant to keep the crooks out and not those who genuinely admire their daughters.

Shirley Douglas, the daughter of the Greatest Canadian, Tommy Douglas carries on his legacy by being actively involved in lobbying federal and provincial government officals to retain and improve Canadians’ medicare system.

In 1965, Shirley married Douglas Sutherland - the year i was born and moved to California, where she actively protested against the Vietnam War and helped to establish Firends of the Black Panthers.  Refused a US work permit, she eventually returned to Canada in 1977.  Her had many acting role after returning home and in 2000, Shirley received a Gemini Award for Best Featured Actress in the 1999 television film, Shadow Lake, an honourary doctorate from Ryerson Polytechnic University in 2001, and the diamond award from the Variety Club.

I was reading on  www.sensareviews.net about my health but instead was distracted when i saw a newspaper article on Margaret Mitchell this morning.  You see I am inspired by Margaret Mitchell - and hoped that all MPs in Canada or anywheres in the world would be more courageous like Margaret.  Margaret Mitchell is a MP for NDP in Canada and in 1982 - when she raised the issue of violence against women she was laughed at in the House of Commons but that did not stopped Margaret Mitchell there.  The outcry from women brought national attention to the issue - and Margaret Mitchell made sure - she was heard.  And heard she was because till today - there are people still going up to her and talking about that incident.

A social worker by professional -and how can i not be inspired by her when she was the only MP who was against the pay raise for MPs and then donated hers to charity and thus went to the Margaret Mitchell Fund for Women.   When I think of Margaret - what I do for my community is not even 10% of what she did. She is not only the voice for immigration, housing, status of the women here, health and welfare and multiculturalism and citizenship.  Yes - she inspires me - and i hope she will more people in the parliament and do the right thing for the people in Canada - we need more people who would do things for the greater good and not for their own good.

We all loved pilots - whether they are female or male - but i think we don’t come across many female pilot but born in 1971 - from Quebec - Maryse Carmichael is not only a pilot but a Captain. She is not a commercial pilot but one with the Canadian Air Force.  Maryse is not an ordinary pilot, she is what we called  a VIP pilot - those that flies the Prime Minister or the Governor General of Canada.  If you want a model for a top rated diet pill , Maryse Carmichael is definitely the candidate - till today - she is still as fit.

In November 2000, she became the first female pilot to fly with the Canadian Forces’ national aerobatic team, the Snowbirds.  In 2001, she was promoted to the rank of Major.  She is married to Major Scott Greenough who is also a pilot with the Canadian Forces.  By 2006, posted to 3 Wing Bagotville, she was name one of the top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada in the category of Trailblazer by the Women’s Executive Network.  I’m in awe when I hear about the Snowbirds - they were here for two consecutive years.

Harmony Rice is close to home exactly like the  smoke shop for the outlaws- because i read the Spirit Magazine all the time - born in 1979 - she is the publisher and writer for Spirit Magazine.  She is a Pottawatomi/Cayuga writer, performer and a multimedia artist from Wasauksing First Nation in Ontario.  Raised as a jingle dress dancer, hand drum singer and ceremony girl in Wasauksing.

Harmony Rice was published in a motherhood anthology called Between Interruptions and is the host of a television show called When the Music Speaks on Sun TV.  She also received the 2008 Youth Entrepreneur Award from the Waubetek Buisness Development Corporation.  She is developing a SPIRIT Magazine television show and is producing the 4th annual SPIRIT Music Issue CD compilation.

Rice is on the Board of Directors for the Harmony Movement, a national non profit race relations organization and she is on the Youth Engagement Program Advisory for the Laidlaw Foundation.  She is also the co-treasurer for the Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts. A woman with many hats and full of achievement.

Nora Bernard is not into  treatment for blackheads but she is definitely into doing good for the people - her people.   Born in Millbrook, Nova Scotia - Nora was a Canadian Mi’kmaq activist.  She successful filed a landmark lawsuit against the federal government on behalf of the Aboriginal residential school survivors.

In 1945, Nora’s mother was forced to sign the consent forms to send her children to a residential school run by the Roman Catholic Church in Shubenacadie, NS.  Nora spent 5 yrs in the school where she saw physical and sexual abuse, child labour, the withholding of food, clothings and proper education, and the loss of language and culture.

She was directly responsible for the largest class action lawsuit in Canadian history, representing an estimated 79, 000 survivors.  The Canadian government settled the lawsuit in 2005 for upwards of 5 billion dollars.  At 72 years if age in Truro, NS she was beaten and stabbed to death on December 27th 2007.  Her 24 yrs old grandson was sentence to 15 yrs for his crime.  How sad is that..??

Barbara ATkin is a fashion director and also an Innovator - born in Toronto, Ontario and has been traveling around the globe for Holt and Renfrew since 1987.  While reading about hair loss treatment for men i came across her picture and the girlfriend said -she is Barbara Atkin - surely you know who she is.  Apparently, she was a Fashion Director for 17 yrs and has out stayed five presidents.  She is respected by the industry’s best minds for her talent, and her contribution to the fashion industry.

Barbara Atkin is also the creator of the Vintage Couture concept and the award winning Holt Renfrew World Design Lab, an incubator for emerging designers and a lab for experimental ideas and new merchandising techniques.  As VP of Fashion Direction for Holt and Renfrew, Barbara Atkin was named by Elle Canada as one of Canada’s Top Power Women.  She also devotes her time as the director of Tourism Toronto and is a member of the advisory committee for the Fashion Design Counsel of Canada.

Belinda Stronach was not only a Politician but a Businesswoman too - born in Newmarket, Ontario - she is only a year younger than I but definitely a lot better looking than myself - she must know where to get the best wrinkle cream.  She is a member of the board of directors of Magna from 1988 to 2004 before being appointed president and CEO in 2001. During this time, she added 3000 jobs and profits each year.

In 2001, the National Post named Belinda Stronach the most powerful businesswoman in Canada, and the World Economic Forum named her a Global Leader of Tomorrow.  Fortune Magazine ranked her #2 in its list of the world’s most powerful women in business in 2002.  She was also named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40.  In 2004, Time Magazine ranked her as one of the world’s 100 most influential people.

Highly profiled in the media during her political years, she was the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and the Minister responsible for democratic renewal. In 2007, she decided not to return to politics because she wanted to help end poverty in Africa.  She was diagnosed with breast cancer and is now a breast cancer survivor.

Dr Bertell is a President and founding member of the International Institute of Concern for Public Health.  She directed the International Medical Commission in Bhopal, India, which investigated the aftermath of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal, as well as the International Medic 1 Commission in Chernobyl, Ukarine, which convenced the Tribunal on violations of the human rights of Chernobyl victim in 1996 in Vienna.

She is the author of the Handbook for Estimating the Health Effects of Ionizing Radiation (1984, 1986); No immediate Danger:Prognosis for a Radioactive Earth and a Human Rights Implications that i’m currently reading while knitting my  slipcovers .  Her major awards include United Nations Environment Program, Global 500 Laureate 1993 and  Onatario Premier Council On Health Award -   Health Innovator Award 1991.

Jeanne Sauve may not be a fighter for affordable health insurance but she is definitely an active figher who worked and travelled the world as a journalist.  After her university years Jeanne entered into federal politics becoming the first woman from Quecec to enter the federal Cabinet.  She was appointed Minister for Science and Technology and then Minister of the Environment and Minister of Communications.

In 1980, she was elected Speaker of the House of Commons, becoming Parliament’s first woman Speaker of the House of Commons, becoming Parliament’s first woman Speaker.  In 1983, she was elected Speaker of the House of Commons, becoming Parliament’s first woman Speaker.  In 1983, she was appointed the first woman Governor General of Canada.  Her term began in May 1984, but withdrew for health reasons.  She used her time to create a $10 million fund for youth.  She was named Companion of the Order of Canada and Commander of the Order of Military Merit (1984), member of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem and winner of the Canadian Centennial Medal and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal.