Welcome the 13 Fellows making up the 2020/21 Action Canada cohort. This year’s Fellows will also have an opportunity to work directly on policy solutions for rural and urban dimensions of the future of work in a post-pandemic world.

OTTAWA, JUNE 3, 2020 – Action Canada and the Public Policy Forum are proud to announce the 2020/2021 Action Canada Fellows.

The Action Canada Fellowship is Canada’s top accelerator of policy leaders that aims to enhance emerging leaders’ understanding of the country and public policy choices for the future.

This Fellowship year will be a bit different for the 13 new Fellows due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like most organizations, we will have to adjust and pivot to a dramatically changed global context and we are confident that we can offer a different but equally meaningful and rich Fellowship to the AC cohort of 2020/21 by adopting a suitable approach to converting our current program to a blended program format consisting of a mix of online plenary, small-group and individual sessions as well as hopefully a number of real study tours across Canada.

This year’s Fellows will also have an opportunity to work directly on policy solutions for rural and urban dimensions of the future of work in a post-pandemic world.

We’d like to thank this year’s partners: The Government of Canada and Power Corporation of Canada.

“Now is the time to bring new thinking to the fore and this year’s Fellows will enjoy a golden opportunity to contribute to important public discussions,” says PPF’s President and CEO Edward Greenspon. “This is a very impressive group of individuals and we at PPF are excited that the Action Canada program will furnish them the opportunity for further leadership policy and personal growth.”

“It’s with great pride that we welcome these dynamic and engaged emerging leaders from all across Canada who demonstrate great potential,” adds Annie Sabourin, the Chair of Action Canada’s Board of Directors and a 2012/2013 Action Canada Fellow. “Over the course of this very enriching year, these 13 new Fellows will develop their skills and enhance their understanding of the country and public policy choices for the future. We are happy that they join the more than 200 alumni of the program to form a strong network of devoted leaders who support each other in their work for a better Canada.”

This year’s Action Canada Fellows are:

Tatheer Ali Jean-Sébastien Blais
Gabrielle Bouchard Chardaye Bueckert
Phil De Luna Fadi Haddad
Douglas Judson John Kimmel
Dakota Norris Melana Roberts
Palash Sanyal Kharoll-Ann Souffrant
Helen Tewolde

In light of current circumstances, the Fellows will meet for the first time virtually from July 3 to 6. Read the Fellows’ full biographies on the Action Canada website.