Manitoba Labour and Immigration
409 - 401 York Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada R3C 0P8
Phone: (204) 945-6281
1-800-263-0234
Fax: (204) 945-6511
Email: msw@gov.mb.ca
Throughout her 25-year career in domestic violence prevention, both inside and outside government, Marlene has been a passionate advocate for women in Manitoba. From 1992-2006 she was director of the provincial government’s Family Violence Prevention Branch. Prior to that, she was a director of two social service agencies in Winnipeg and Brandon. Marlene has also worked internationally in helping countries develop programs in response to intimate violence. A member of the Order of Canada, Marlene is also a recipient of the Manitoba Service Excellence Award for Leadership, and the YWCA Women of Distinction Award. She was appointed Council Chairperson on February 1, 2007.
A graduate of the Faculty of Human Ecology at the University of Manitoba and a recipient of the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal, Heather Acres has over 25 years of experience working on new program start-ups, community development, virtues development and environmental projects.
Yvonne was raised in Camperville Manitoba, a small Métis community located on the shores of Lake Winnipegosis, but now resides in Grand Rapids. She has represented the Missipawstik Cree Nation as a school committee member for 30 years, and is also a full-time school bus driver. Yvonne helps out in the community as a volunteer whenever she can. She has a son and daughter and three grandchildren.
Madeline is a nurse by training who has worked in women’s health policy and program management for over thirty years, at local, national and international levels. She has been the Executive Director of the Canadian Women’s Health Network since 1995, and Coordinator of the Advocacy and Policy Program at the Women’s Health Clinic since 1983. Madeline has been involved in many equity and women’s health initiatives, including groups working to ensure that drugs, health products and chemicals are safe for women and another, Women and Health Care Reform, which examines health service changes and impacts on women. In the past, she co-Chaired the federal Minister of Health's Advisory Committee on Reproductive and Genetic Technologies, and received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Ottawa in 2005 in recognition of her extensive contribution to women’s health in Canada. Her current projects include developing tools to evaluated sex and gender analysis in the results of health research; drug regulation and pharmacare; poverty reduction and reducing health inequities; and managing the next phase of in the development of a birth centre in Winnipeg.
Laurie grew up in Selkirk, Manitoba, received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Winnipeg and spent four years with the Military Police in the Canadian Forces Militia. She acted as program coordinator of the pilot program Ototema, funded by Manitoba Justice. Laurie is the co-founder of the Winnipeg Aboriginal Film and Video Festival, which she co-chaired for the first two years. She believes her mission is to move the agenda forward for women, youth, Aboriginal people and people experiencing poverty and oppression.
April has worked across Manitoba and internationally on issues such as communicable disease, child abuse education, human resource management, marketing and Aboriginal community capacity building. Her efforts in these areas have focused on assisting and supporting women, and she is passionate about women’s health and equality. April is an active community member, serving as a mentor, as well as participating on committees such as the organizing council of the North American Indigenous Games and the Interprovincial Association on Native Employment. She currently works at Red River College as the Manager of Aboriginal Student Support & Community Relations.
Jackie is currently serving as the Executive Director of Taking Charge! Inc., a non-profit organization that serves single parents and women whose goals are to become self sufficient and independent. She was formerly the Executive Director of Ikwe-Widdjiitiwin, Inc., the Aboriginal women’s crisis shelter in Winnipeg, and of the Native Women’s Transition Centre. Jackie’s main work has been in the development and delivery of programs and services for Aboriginal women and children specifically in the areas of family violence and abuse towards women. Jackie also volunteers as board chairperson for two non-profit organizations - Wahbung Abinoonjiiag, Inc. and Oyate Tipi Cumini Yape Furniture Warehouse Project.
Paula has been an active volunteer for many years in the community and is passionate about equality and human rights. She is currently on the board of directors of LEAF Manitoba (Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund) and the Rainbow Resource Centre. Paula is trained as a lawyer and is working with Manitoba Justice Prosecutions as a Crown Attorney in the Domestic Violence Unit.
Bintou is a member of the francophone community in Manitoba, and has worked with several francophone services such as l’Accueil francophone du Manitoba, Plurie-elles and College universitaire de Saint- Boniface. She is currently an office manager and settlement worker with l’Accueil francophone du Manitoba, where she develops and administers programs and services to French immigrants. She is also actively involved in the recruitment of international students from Mali and Burkina-Faso. Bintou is a member of the Board for the Conseil communauté en santé du Manitoba, the official representative of the Francophone community in the areas of health and social services, and participated on the advisory committee on social services in French for the Manitoba Francophone Affairs Secretariat.
Stacy is currently working towards an Honours Degree in Gender and Women’s Studies at Brandon University. She is an experienced student organizer, having served as President of the Brandon University Students’ Union, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students Manitoba Component and board member of the Brandon University Senate and Board of Governors. Stacy developed experience and interest in women’s issues while acting as Chairperson of the Brandon University Women’s Collective. She is currently a board member of the Brandon Folk Music and Arts Society, the Brandon Women's Resource Centre, and the Brandon YWCA. Stacy is an active voice for community and student concerns.
Jane is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Manitoba and the Director of RESOLVE, a tri-provincial family violence research network with offices at the Universities of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Calgary. She is the Principal Investigator of two longitudinal studies: The Winnipeg Family Violence Court, in its 17th year of data collection, and The Healing Journey: a longitudinal study of women who have experienced violence in their intimate relations. She has served as an expert witness at two inquiries into domestic murder suicides, one in Ontario, the Iles- May Inquest (Toronto, 1998) and the Lavoie Inquiry, (Winnipeg, 1996). In 1997/98 she chaired the Lavoie Inquiry Implementation Committee. She has spoken on domestic violence internationally in China, Australia, New Zealand and England as well as across Canada.
Katherena is a writer of both fiction and poetry, and member of the Aboriginal Writer’s Collective since 2004. She has developed and administered a number of social service-oriented curricula and workshops related to education and human resource development. Ms. Vermette has participated in a variety of community and social service organizations, including the Westminister Housing Co-operative, The Elizabeth Fry Society and as Safety and Justice Coordinator with the Central Neighborhoods Development Corporation. She has worked as a counsellor and community organizer. Katherena is currently employed as a classroom teacher with Little Red Spirit Dufferin, an Aboriginal Head Start Program.
Ariana is an immigrant woman committed to addressing the needs and concerns of women. She works as a Refugee Sponsorship Counsellor at Manitoba Interfaith and Immigration Council, and has ten years experience working with humanitarian agencies, including the United Nations Program for Afghanistan in Islamabad, Pakistan. Ariana is the co-founder of the Afghan-Canadian Women’s Organization and the Chair of the Board for the Entry Program – Altered Minds Inc. Prior to coming to Canada, Ariana worked with a number of organizations committed to women’s rights and equality. She co-facilitated the National Consultation Workshop for Afghan Women in Kabul, Afghanistan and the National Human Rights Workshop for the Human Rights Commission in Kabul. Ariana has sat on the Board of the Manitoba Immigrant Women’s Association and the Canadian Council for Refugees. She is also the author of "We Did It" book, a collection of refugees' experiences.
