Featured Speakers

Convention is a great time to learn from your fellow delegates, and from visiting experts in elections, campaigns and progressive movements. Here are the speakers and panelists you’ll hear from during Convention.

Olivia Chow

Olivia Chow has served the people of Toronto for over three decades. Born in Hong Kong in 1957, she immigrated to Toronto with her parents at the age of 13. An apartment in the St. James Town neighbourhood was the launchpad for her remarkable personal journey as a community organizer, activist, school board trustee, Metro Toronto Councillor, Member of Parliament, and now the first person of Asian descent to serve as Mayor of Toronto, and the first woman to serve as Mayor since the six municipalities of Metro Toronto were amalgamated.

As Toronto’s new Mayor she is working hard to build a city that holds the same kind of hope and promise that it did when she first arrived here – a city that is more affordable, caring and where everyone belongs.

David Eby

Premier David Eby is B.C.’s 37th premier. He entered public service to build a better, stronger future for everyone.

David is passionate about getting big money out of politics – a passion that has yielded results for people both in the beginning of his career working in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, and more recently during his time as B.C.’s housing minister.

To this day, David remains grounded in the values he grew up with. He is a proud husband and father with two children, Ezra and Iva. He loves playing with his kids, practicing yoga and hanging out with his wife Cailey, a family doctor in Vancouver.

Andrea Horwath

Andrea Horwath is the 58th Mayor of Hamilton, elected in October 2022.

A lifelong Hamiltonian, Mayor Horwath is dedicated to supporting a thriving city where people of all ages and income levels can build a great life.

Before becoming mayor, Horwath served the people of Hamilton as a City Councillor and a Member of Provincial Parliament. She was the leader of the Ontario NDP from 2009 to 2022, during which time she focused on improving education and health care, making housing affordable, protecting the environment and giving workers the respect they deserve.

The City of Hamilton is her pride and her inspiration, and she’s working hard to fulfill the city’s promise.

Marit Stiles

Marit Stiles is the Leader of Ontario’s Official Opposition NDP. She came to Ontario from Newfoundland 30 years ago for school and fell in love with the province for the jobs and opportunities it provided.

Over the course of her career, Marit has fought for workers’ rights, better childcare, and stronger education. As the party’s Education Critic, she made a name for herself holding Ford’s Conservatives accountable and demanding better for students.

Now, as the newly elected leader of Ontario’s NDP, Marit brings a fresh take as she continues to fight for an Ontario with strong, caring communities and more opportunity and fairness for all.

Bea Bruske

Bea Bruske is the President of the Canadian Labour Congress. She is only the second woman to hold the position.

For more than three decades, Bea has served workers and their families as an activist, workers’ advocate, negotiator, community organizer, and labour leader. Her passion for workers' rights was ignited in 1987 when she and her UFCW Local 832 co-workers held the line for 125 days to achieve a fair contract at the Westfair grocery chain in Manitoba.

Bea has also served as Vice-President of the UFCW Canada National Council, and had previously served as Secretary-Treasurer for UFCW Local 832, where she was responsible for the largest private-sector union local in Manitoba.

Thorsten Klute

Thorsten Klute is a German politician from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. He is a member of the Social Democrat Party (SPD) and has served in the state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia since 2022.

Klute sits on the Committee on Integration and on the Committee on Health, Labor, and Social Issues. Prior to his current role, Thorsten Klute served as State Secretary for Integration from 2013 to 2017, and Mayor of the town of Versmold from 2004 to 2013.

Klute is a trained lawyer, having studied law at Bielefeld University and completed an LL.M. in Dresden. He is fluent in German, English, and Polish.

Robert Comeau

Robert Comeau is the president of the Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS).

He previously worked as a medical imaging technologist until he was elected as a political liaison officer in the newly formed APTS in 2004.

Robert first joined the APTS executive committee in 2010, and occupied many positions until he was elected president by acclamation at the APTS Convention in 2021.

Robert’s commitment over the years has always been driven by the desire to improve the working conditions of professionals and technicians.

With years of experience at the APTS and a keen awareness of issues involving union democracy, Robert’s contributions to workers’ issues are invaluable.

Jennifer Bowes

Jennifer Bowes is the Saskatchewan NDP MLA for Saskatoon University.

Elected in 2020, Jennifer has been proud to advance issues of social and economic justice during her time in public office, including paid sick leave, universal birth control, pay equity, living wages, and barrier-free access to abortion.

She has been an advocate for workers’ rights for years, representing workers in a variety of sectors, from cooperatives and credit unions to grocery stores and health care.

Jennifer is a passionate advocate for causes here and abroad, having served as Vice President for the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan, Board Director for QUINT Development Corporation, and as a Gender Advisor overseas with Cuso International in Burma.

Trisha Estabrooks

Trisha Estabrooks has spent years listening, learning and leading. Since 2017 she has served as a Trustee with the Edmonton Public School Board and spent four years serving as chair. Before being elected a Trustee she worked for CBC in stations across the country.

Trisha is a strong advocate for public education and believes in the power of education to create positive social change. She's also an award-winning journalist who worked with Journalists for Human Rights in West Africa and was co-host and producer of the Broadcast, a podcast about women and politics. She’s a runner, loves hiking in the mountains and while originally from the Maritimes, is proud to call Edmonton home.

Janis Irwin

Janis Irwin is the NDP MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. Janis currently serves as the Official Opposition Critic for Housing, after previously serving as the Critic for Status of Women and 2SLGBTQ+ Issues.

Prior to being elected, Janis was a high school teacher and vice principal in rural Alberta. Edmonton soon became home for her when she began working for Alberta Education as the Senior Manager, Social Studies, and then as the Executive Director for High School Curriculum.

Janis has been a champion of social change for years. She has served as a board member and volunteer with many community organizations.

Janis loves being outside, biking, running, and exploring Edmonton’s beautiful river valley.

Tiffany-Lee Norris Parent

Tiffany-Lee Norris Parent is the councillor for the district of Touraine in Gatineau. Elected in 2021, she became the youngest person elected in Gatineau’s history.

Tiffany-Lee Norris Parent was born in Gatineau. Her early involvement in the community made her quickly aware of the various challenges and injustices facing our society. These include the low proportion of women in politics, racism and discrimination, and the cynicism of some people towards politics and social issues. These are all challenges that Tiffany-Lee seeks to overcome during her career.

She is president of the Commission du vivre-ensemble, co-president of the Youth Council, vice-president of the Table de concertation sur les événements and a member of the Commission des loisirs, des sports et du développement communautaire. While in office, Tiffany-Lee pursues a bachelor's degree in political science.

Maja Tait

Maja Tait is the mayor of Sooke, currently serving her third term in the community she proudly calls home. No stranger to public service, she served two terms as a councillor before being elected as mayor in 2014.

Maja was raised in Alberta and lived in Calgary and Japan before moving to Vancouver Island. Attracted to Sooke’s natural setting and community spirit, Maja moved to Sooke with her husband Alexander in 2006, and they recently welcomed their child Ewan!

Maja has served on numerous committees, regionally and provincially, and is a proud life member of the Union of BC Municipalities.

In her spare time, Maja enjoys exploring the wild areas of Sooke and testing new recipes on her family and friends.

Monique Taylor

Monique Taylor is the Ontario NDP MPP for Hamilton Mountain.

As the Official Opposition Deputy Whip and the Critic for Children, Community and Social Servies, Monique continues to challenge the current government on the issues that matter to Hamiltonians, Ontarians, and the communities they live in.

Monique’s passion for community and all of her amazing constituents fuels her advocacy and activism.

That passion is easily seen when she’s at Queen’s Park. Having been escorted out of the chamber for standing up and speaking out about the Ontario Autism funding, Monique is known for not backing down and was voted “most determined MPP” by her colleagues in the Legislature.

Monique holds true to the words - You, Me and the NDP!

Joanne Webb

“Aanii,Boozhoo,Sago

Ogemaha a’na’ goke n’dishnicaaz. // My Traditional name is Leader of Stars.

Hamilton n’doonjdda. // I live in Hamilton.

Mississauga n’daa. // My nation is Mississauga.

I’m known as Joanne Webb.”

Joanne has been a strong voice for workers’ rights and Indigenous rights for decades.

Throughout her career as a hospital worker, she occupied many roles within her local union – from President to Health and Safety Representative.

During her time as a member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), she served as Diversity Vice President for Aboriginal Workers in Ontario and was an Indigenous representative to the National Board. She also served as Diversity Vice President for the Aboriginal Council of the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL).

Since retiring, Joanne continues to sit on many boards in her community, advocating for housing and better education on the Mississauga of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) culture and history. She is currently the President of Hamilton Regional Indian Centre.

Yuk-Sem Won

Yuk-Sem Won is the current candidate for Thunder Bay-Rainy River, continuing her momentum from the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

She is a community leader with vast experience in both Labour and Social Justice areas. Yuk-Sem is a labour litigator for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) in mediations and arbitrations across Ontario, as well as a professor at Confederation College in the Business Management and HR programs.

As a professional artist, when time permits, she can be found painting and capturing moments in the beauty of Northern Ontario.