Toronto’s most inspirational women of 2019: Ellen Page

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10:11 am

The filmmaker

Ellen Page’s documentary ‘There’s Something in the Water‘ explores environmental racism and was released at TIFF in September

BY MARK RENDALL, ACTOR

For as long as I’ve known her, Ellen Page has always been a very caring and courageous person. To take on difficult issues and to try to effect positive change in people’s lives is right in line with her character. This year, Ellen produced a documentary dealing with environmental racism in her home province. I remember her texting me a map of waste site locations and population by racial demographic. It was absolutely shocking to see the correlation. Environmental racism is a devastating systemic issue that really needs to be brought to light. She has always been an activist at heart, and to see her help create positive change in the world and, more specifically, in her home province of Nova Scotia is really inspiring.

The film industry is a very challenging place to inhabit for anyone. Especially so for women and even more so for anyone who openly identifies as LGBTQ. It takes a lot of courage and vulnerability to live your truth when the world is so full of ignorance and bigotry.

When she came out publicly, she stepped into a long lineage of brave people who fight to make marginalized voices heard and recognized. Ellen has managed to hold her own and stay true to herself over the years. She continues to take on interesting projects and remains a powerful creative force against a lot of odds.

She is an activist, an artist and an advocate for human rights and LGBTQ rights. And she continues to use her influence for good in this world. I think that Ellen really is leaving behind a legacy of positive change in the world.

Next on the list: Bianca Andreescu

Toronto’s most inspirational women of 2019: Bianca Andreescu

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lindsaylow

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10:10 am

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The athlete

Bianca Andreescu is the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam

BY PATRICIA HY-BOULAIS, FORMER TENNIS CHAMPION

What Bianca Andreescu is doing — at 19 winning the Rogers Cup, winning the US Open — is absolutely mind-boggling because she just blew everything up.

I know Bianca quite well because she and my daughter used to travel together when they were both playing a few years ago. Obviously, she was different from the rest of the pack.

She could see the court, which sets her apart. And as she travelled, I noticed she loved reading. And not trash, but insightful books that challenge the brain. She wanted to know more about the mental side of things.

When a tournament was done, she wanted to go out and play some more. She was asking everyone, “Let’s go hit, let’s go hit.”

It wasn’t just that she had a passion for tennis. It was just pure love.

I was commentating at the Rogers Cup so I was watching her and it just sent chills in my body. I could feel how she was feeling, the ecstasy out there. She just handled it so well. And now she has the world on fire. Incredible story. When you have that work ethic in line with the love of what you’re doing, you have the ability to go through the pain that is along the journey. I truly believe that is where Bianca is, lining up her love with her work ethic. And that’s what she can teach young people who are in tennis for the wrong reasons: It’s the love of what she’s doing that makes her who she is.

She is on the journey and she is excelling.

Next on the list: Aurora James

Toronto’s most inspirational women of 2019: Aurora James

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lindsaylow

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10:09 am

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aurora-james-inspirational — Image: Jason Eric Hardwick

The designer

Aurora James received the International Designer of the Year award at the 2019 Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards

BY JEANNE BEKER, FASHION COLUMNIST

As legend has it, I “discovered” the lovely Aurora James about 12 years ago, when she was working at the front desk of the Toronto gym I frequented. All I remember about that day was being taken by this gorgeous, sweet, personable young woman who not only exuded a heartening kind of confidence, but had a warm and charming sincerity about her.

A few weeks later, Aurora was sitting in the Fashion Television offices, putting her eager intern nose to the grindstone. She was only there for the summer, but evidently she was inspired by what she saw. Before we knew it, this creative visionary was on a mission.

Intent on telling stories through fashion, Aurora took her first trip to Africa in 2011. She boldly began experimenting with design and working with different artisans, founding her revered Brother Vellies label in 2013. But beyond the exquisite luxury wares she designs, Aurora is hell-bent on spreading messages of sustainability, committed to taking good care of the artisans she works with and being very mindful of all the materials sourced and how things are manufactured.

Her wonderfully innovative approach to design coupled with her unstoppable energy and tireless ambition have catapulted her to the upper echelons of the fashion world and given her a platform for both edifying and inspiring others. Aurora James is proof positive that passion and originality pay off. And despite all her success, this brilliant young woman remains humble — as sweet, personable, warm and charming as the day we first met.

Next on the list: Margaret Atwood

Toronto’s most inspirational women of 2019: Margaret Atwood

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lindsaylow

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10:08 am

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margaret-atwood-inspirational — Image: George Pimentel/Getty Images

The author

Margaret Atwood won the Man Booker Prize for ‘The Testaments’

BY ADRIENNE CLARKSON, FORMER GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA

Margaret Atwood and I were 18 together and now we’re 80 together. Her birthday was yesterday and mine was in February. The same year, but not the same Chinese astrological sign. She’s a rabbit. I’m a tiger.

I knew she would go on and really be a writer. I think she deserves every bit of the accolades she’s receiving. She works very hard. And as a novelist, she fulfills what E. M. Forster, our idol when we were at university, said, which is that a great novelist is always a prophet. And I think that’s what she is.

When The Handmaid’s Tale came out in the ’80s, I said, oh gosh, really? Is that so? I was really, in a way, upset by it. And I thought why is she doing this? It’s so odd because it was not in the line of her works. And it just popped out. It obviously was a prophetic book, and its time has come now 30 years later because she was ahead of her time.

She has made a continued commitment to the life of the mind. She’s got brains and an interesting point of view. And, of course, she has a wonderful sense of humour. I think she is inspiring — and this is me being very Canadian — because she continues to work hard and to say what she has to say. People who are able to stick with it and do the right thing and do things that are true to themselves are the ones who will last and have continued influence on people.

Next on the list: Tanya Tagaq

Toronto’s most inspirational women of 2019: Tanya Tagaq

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lindsaylow

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10:07 am

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tanya-tagaq-inspirational — © Rebecca Wood

The musician

Throat singer Tanya Tagaq is an advocate for representation

BY JASMYN BURKE, VOCALIST, WEAVES, THE BAND

I met Tanya Tagaq while waiting in line for the washroom on a plane heading for Iceland. She just sort of tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Hello, who are you?” I said, “I’m Jasmyn,” and then it was just like we were friends. That was in 2015.

We’ve been trying to work together for a couple of years. I feel like she’s a punk in a way. So it made sense to have her perform on our song “Scream.” She showed up and within 20 minutes she was in the booth throat singing, and I swear it was amazing. Her voice through the speakers, I felt like it was ripping my heart. It was this very weird sensation. It was really a magical day.

I just love that she’s so vocal about representation. Being women of colour is sometimes hard in Canada as we are not always at the forefront of conversations, not always seen on TV. I feel like she’s a person I can connect to and understands what it’s like to be an outsider. And I love that she’s a mother and a wife.

I have a lot of respect for her and the way she lives her life and expresses herself through multiple platforms. I think she’s really important for young women in our country to see because she’s not about being dainty and conforming to what people think she should be. And I think that’s inspiring to a lot of people in our country who maybe are fearful of stepping outside of their comfort zone.

Next on the list: Huda Idrees

Toronto’s most inspirational women of 2019: Huda Idrees

By

lindsaylow

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10:06 am

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The techpreneur

Huda Idrees is the founder and CEO of Dot Health

BY MICHELE ROMANOW, DRAGON & CLEARBANC CO-FOUNDER

Technology is disrupting every industry in the world, and few are as daunting to tackle as health care. But Huda Idrees, founder and CEO of Dot Health, isn’t deterred by the challenge.

Huda recognized there was no modern solution available to not only track personal health and medical moments, but also understand it. After watching a friend’s father and his family struggle to manage health treatments and information following a late-stage cancer diagnosis, she launched Dot Health.

Overhauling health care is a problem companies like Apple, Google, Amazon and Facebook are trying to crack with much bigger budgets and markedly less success. Not one to be deterred, Huda’s journey growing Dot Health has been admirable. From working with hospitals across Canada to partnering with retail giant Shoppers Drug Mart, the Dot Health team is empowering Canadians to take control of their health.

To do all of this, Huda needs an incredible team, and she’s made a concerted effort to build a company culture that’s diverse and inclusive. The team values competition, autonomy and humility, all important motivators to create the better, more equitable health-care system Dot Health is championing.

One of the things I’m most impressed by is Huda’s commitment to growing a global company here in Toronto. Too many entrepreneurs think too small as a Canadian company, but not Huda. She knows we have the talent to build companies not just in health care, but finance, food and more. I can’t wait to see what she does from here.

Next on the list: Caitlin Cronenberg

Toronto’s most inspirational women of 2019: Caitlin Cronenberg

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lindsaylow

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10:05 am

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The photographer

Caitlin Cronenberg’s photography book ‘The Endings’ was optioned for TV

BY JESSICA ENNIS, ART DIRECTOR, THE ENDINGS

Caitlin and I met through mutual friends because I wanted to do a photo shoot at my grandparents’ amazing time capsule of a place in Toronto.

We had this awesome first day, had a ton in common, and really she’s been one of my best friends since then. We have a similar esthetic and love of the same weird films and all those things.

The place we initially connected was through creativity and a passion for the type of work. She is someone who just throws out these amazing ideas, and I’m like, “Where did you even come up with that?” She’s very creative. And very smart.

I think what I really admire about her is how she hustles. She works harder than anyone I know — whether it’s shooting the celebrities, working on our book [The Endings], having her first gallery show this year or even the directing she’s gotten into more recently (Yes, including the project with Billie Eilish). Even when we were trying to get actors [to feature in] our book, she would go as far as offering to bake pies for them. She balances a lot of things in a way that I really admire.

I’m also a mom, and she is one of those people that makes it look really easy. Secretly, I think she might be a superwoman and not sleep.

But the Caitlin I know isn’t just about work. It’s also about her compassion and her kindness. She really cares about the important stuff: children, family and relationships.

Next on the list: Anita Krajnc

Toronto’s most inspirational women of 2019: Anita Krajnc

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lindsaylow

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10:04 am

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anita-krajnc-inspirational — Image: Elli Garlin/Wiki Commons

The activist

Anita Krajnc is a vegan activist and the founder of Toronto Pig Save

BY GEORGE STROUMBOULOPOULOS, CBC MUSIC HOST

Anybody who puts themselves at risk for the health and welfare and protection of something or somebody other than themselves, that’s a really big statement. I didn’t really know anything about Anita Krajnc until she was giving the pigs water, and that’s when I paid a little bit more attention to her.

Feeding the pigs water is the real shot because that’s about compassion in a direct way. People saw somebody having empathy, and I think that was really powerful. A lot of people talk a big game, but they’re kind of chicken to put it out there and she’s not. To get arrested for the thing you believe in — when the thing you believe in is something so simple as to provide water for an animal in the heat — that’s insane. That shows you where the culture is at and how closed and backwards this culture is and how much it needs to change.

She’s clearly inspirational and has inspired a lot of people along the way. To get Joaquin Phoenix [to attend the Be Fair Be Vegan campaign at St. George station during TIFF] is a testament to her. Joaquin is going to do what feels right for him and his values, so I’m not surprised that he was the person to do it, and I’m not surprised that she was the one to get him to do it.

Real inspiration comes from people who are ready to risk something, and Anita is willing to put herself on the line — I respect that.

Next on the list: Gabriela DeBues-Stafford

Toronto’s most inspirational women of 2019: Gabriela DeBues-Stafford

By

lindsaylow

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10:03 am

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gabriela-stafford-inspirational — Image: NurPhoto/Getty Images

The runner

Gabriela DeBues-Stafford broke the Canadian 1,500 metres record twice

BY LUCIA STAFFORD, TRACK ATHLETE

When my sister Gabriela was 10, she crossed the finish line at a school track meet and cried to our mother, revealingly, “I just want to be the best in the world at something.”

Now, 14 years later, Gabriela is achieving this dream and more, placing sixth at the World Championships with a 1,500 metre time of 3:56 that ranks her among the top 1,500 metre runners of all time.

She’s gone from hoping to make a senior national team, to breaking Canadian records eight times in the span of six months. She’s shifted her goals from wanting to make an Olympic final, to wanting to win an Olympic medal.

Although external factors have gone into this success, including good coaching and drive and focus, which Gabriela has in spades, it’s her confidence and ability to ask herself, “Why not?” When the bell rings for that last lap, you can see the passion in her face and the determination she feels to make it all worth it.

Gabriela is like this in all aspects of life, using her passion and her intelligence to constantly evaluate things that happen around her and challenge them. She’s very open about her opinions and struggles, showing that vulnerability is an important quality that should be nurtured and that living outside your comfort zone is where the most growth happens.

If anything, Gabriela has taught us that this sport is not only about seeing how fast your legs can move, but how fast your brain and heart can will your legs to go. Gabriela has shown us that, for her, it’s pretty damn fast.

Next on the list: Bhutila Karpoche

Toronto’s most inspirational women of 2019: Bhutila Karpoche

By

lindsaylow

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10:02 am

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The politician

Bhutila Karpoche is the first person of Tibetan heritage to be elected to public office in North America

BY GORD PERKS, CITY COUNCILLOR, PARKDALE–HIGH PARK

The night Bhutila Karpoche was elected MPP for Parkdale–High Park, I watched as Tibetan women and men who remember the Dalai Lama being driven out of Tibet wept and laughed and hugged. Being the first person of Tibetan heritage elected to any western government is a lot to carry. Bhutila carries it well.

On occasion, Bhutila talks to community groups about arriving in Parkdale as a refugee. Although there were challenges, that’s not the story she tells. She talks about the community of support her family found. She talks about the public services that cleared the path for her success. She talks about our education system. (She’s currently pursuing a Ph.D. in public health policy.) Her point is to remind us that, when we make supporting each other the centre of our politics, we achieve great things. It’s an invitation, not a complaint. That’s how she lives her politics.

And therein lies what so many of us find exciting about Bhutila’s work. Her method is to show us a way in, instead of drawing lines between people. That isn’t to say that she won’t call out injustice. She can and does, and when she does, it’s something to see. Rather, she appeals to us to look around for ways to help each other and tells us how to do it: look for allies, not enemies. It’s this quality that explains why, at her victory party, everyone who was there joined in the hugging and laughing. She inspires that in people.

Next on the list: Dr. Meeta Patel

Toronto’s most inspirational women of 2019: Dr. Meeta Patel

By

lindsaylow

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10:01 am

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The doctor

Dr. Meeta Patel treated victims of the Yonge Street van attack

BY RICK PENCINER, MD, EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN AND DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL EDUCATION, NORTH YORK GENERAL HOSPITAL

A decade of caring for some of the sickest patients in a hospital on any given day combined with intense training makes Meeta Patel the doctor you want in an emergency situation. But not even she could imagine that our community would be the centre of the Yonge Street van attack on April 23, 2018, and that our hospital, North York General, would call a Code Orange to receive victims of this mass casualty.

Dr. Patel was working that day, and it was a life-altering experience. The attack happened minutes from her hospital, home and young family in North York. Yet nothing else mattered except focusing her skill and compassion to care for those already in Emergency and preparing for an unknown number of victims. She says that day deepened her passion for medicine and this community.

As an emergency doc for over 25 years, I recognize Dr. Patel is a leader and team player, highly regarded by her physician and nursing colleagues. As they will attest, this synergy and respect makes all the difference when you are focused on saving lives every day.

With a personal commitment to the next generation of physicians, Dr. Patel teaches and mentors at University of Toronto Med School. Her colleagues would call her an education innovator, especially in her role co-chairing the largest emergency medicine conference in the country. Incredibly balancing work, volunteering, teaching and family, she is also taking a masters in health teacher education. We are so privileged to have Meeta Patel in the North York family.

Next on the list: Lilly Singh

The best tourtière in Toronto

By

Samantha Peksa

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4:16 pm

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