Board

Chuck Bruce is a senior executive with broad-based experience in finance, operations, and corporate governance. Currently the inaugural CEO of the Public Service Pension Plan Corporation in Newfoundland and Labrador, he was previously the CEO of the Nova Scotia Public Service Long Term Disability Plan Trust Fund (NSPS LTD).

With an extensive background in the fields of corporate finance, strategy and governance, he is former Chair of the Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association. Mr. Bruce has been a member of the MHCC Advisory Council, providing strategic advice and expertise to the MHCC leadership, while serving as an external Ambassador at MHCC events.
Mr. Bruce holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA), Chartered Director (C. Dir) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) professional designations.

Watch Mr. Bruce’s introductory message.

Anne-Marie Hourigan is a retired Judge of the Ontario Court of Justice where she presided exclusively over criminal matters for 12 years. Prior to her appointment to the Court, she practised criminal law in Toronto, both as a defence counsel and as a prosecutor for the Attorney-General of Canada.

Over the course of her 30 years in the Canadian criminal justice system, Ms. Hourigan worked with thousands of people affected by mental illness and came to appreciate the direct and repeated co-relation between the gaps in their mental health care and their appearance before the Courts. She retired early from the Bench so she could bring awareness to this issue.

Since her retirement, Ms. Hourigan has lectured extensively about the intersection of mental illness and criminal behaviour. She has also spoken about the need to embed mental health literacy into the education system in order to increase awareness, reduce stigma and promote early intervention and treatment. Ms. Hourigan has served on the Boards of various organizations dedicated to furthering the mental health of Canadians, including The Institute of Families for Child & Youth Mental Health, Vancouver and the Eva Rothwell Centre, Hamilton. She also has lived experience supporting family members living with mental illness.

Ms. Hourigan holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College, University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Laws from Queen’s University and a Master of Laws (Criminal) from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was awarded the Prime Minister of Canada’s Certificate of Excellence for Public Service and the Ontario Court of Justice Distinguished Service Medal in 2014 and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.

Initially trained as a mathematician specializing in information technologies, André Delorme has been a psychiatrist for over 25 years. He works within an assertive community treatment team at Granby Hospital’s Integrated Centre for Health and Social Services (CIUSSS) in Estrie.

Dr. Delorme also has extensive experience as an administrator. After serving as head of the CIUSSS psychiatry department and director of professional and hospital services, he became head of psychiatry at the CHUM Research Centre, and then director of mental health and director general of mental health at the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services. He is also on the Frayme board of directors.

In 2017, he was selected as one of 150 CAMH Difference Makers in mental health.

Armaghan (Army) is currently a medical student at the University of British Columbia. He has long been passionate about advocating for youth mental health and providing peer support to help ensure that these resources are available and readily accessible across Canada. He also recognizes the importance of educating primary care physicians and other health-care providers on how to become better mental health allies.

During his undergraduate studies at McGill University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) degree in anatomy and cell biology, Army was intimately involved in mental health on campus as chair of the Peer Support Centre at McGill, a student-run organization providing confidential, non-judgmental mental health support to other students. Using these experiences, he also served as a mental health commissioner at the Students’ Society of McGill University, where he worked with McGill’s administration to develop better mental health policies and launch the Rossy Student Wellness Hub.

Prior to joining the board, Army was a member of the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Youth Council. He also co-founded the Canadian Peer Support Network, which sought to bring peer support to institutions across the country.

Carole Shankaruk is a Registered Social Worker and certified counsellor. She is currently the division school social worker for the Mountain View School Division, and will transition to the newly created role of Indigenous Education Facilitator in the 2018-19 academic year.

Carole is also Chair of the Board for the neighbouring division, Park West School Division. Carole is of Metis descent and the great-great-great-great granddaughter of Metis leader Cuthbert Grant.

Carole possesses strong and innovative leadership skills and has extensive experience within diverse sectors including: health care, child welfare, education and private business. Carole’s career trajectory included President of the Manitoba Council for Exceptional Children and an appointment as board member of the Child Welfare Intake Agency All Nations Response Unit. A small business owner and operator in the French Metis community of St. Lazare, Manitoba, Carole also assists her husband with the management of a cattle and grain farm.

A mother of two and a first-time grandparent, Carole seeks a balanced, holistic lifestyle by following her cultural beliefs, focusing on all aspects of self: spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical.

Cheryl Fraser brings over 35 years of experience in the public and private sectors. Currently Chief Talent Officer and Vice President, Communications with Crombie REIT, she has held senior executive roles with the Canada Revenue Agency, Correctional Service of Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.  

A graduate of Dalhousie University, holding a Masters of Environmental Studies and a Bachelor of Science, Ms. Fraser is President of the John Howard Society of Nova Scotia and the Vice Chair of the YMCA of Pictou County.

She has an ICD.D designation and received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for her commitment to public service.

Ms. Fraser’s passions are music and the arts, and in providing mental health awareness and support.

Watch Ms. Fraser’s introductory message.

Christine is the Deputy Minister of the BC Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions. The Ministry is responsible for working with government ministries, Indigenous organizations, municipalities and community partners to ensure a coherent, accessible, and culturally safe mental health and addictions system that is effective for individuals and families across the lifespan. The ministry is also responsible for leading an immediate response to the province’s overdose public health emergency.

Before being appointed as Deputy Minister, Christine served as ADM in in BC’s Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) from February 2018 to November 2020. In her time at MCFD, Christine had different responsibilities including childcare policy and programs, policy for child welfare, child and youth mental health services, as well as policy and provincial programs for the early years and children and youth with extra support needs.

Christine’s other experience in the BC Government includes as Executive Director at the Ministry of Advanced Education where she led the transfer of the regulation of private career colleges from an external Crown agency to the ministry; five years at the Ministry of Health, where she led the Seniors’ Action Plan as well as a number of legislative initiatives including the BC Services Card, the new Pharmaceutical Services Act and the Seniors Advocate Act. From 1995 to 2009, Christine worked in the post-secondary sector, including positions with the Research Universities’ Council of British Columbia, the Ministry of Advanced Education, UBC and SFU.

Christine holds an undergraduate degree (B.A.) from the University of Ottawa and a Master’s degree (M.A.) from Simon Fraser University.

Didier Jutras-Aswad is a psychiatrist at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), where he helped to develop the addiction psychiatry unit, an ultra-specialized treatment program for people living with both drug addiction and mental health problems. He is a clinical associate professor at the Université de Montréal and president of the Centre of Expertise and Collaboration in Concurrent Disorders for its integrated health and social services network (RIUSSS). He is also a Quebec health research fund (FRQS) clinical researcher at the CHUM research centre, where his work focuses on various aspects of drug addiction and related mental health problems. In addition, he leads clinical trials designed to evaluate interventions and care models for these conditions. Much of his research is devoted to understanding the effects of cannabis use on health as well as developing new intervention modalities to reduce its harmful effects.

Elected as a teenager, Donovan was Newfoundland and Labrador’s youngest ⁠— and one of few openly queer ⁠—municipal office holders, serving as a Town Councillor from 2013-2017 in a rural and remote community. Concurrently, Donovan was appointed by the 23rd Prime Minister of Canada and the 12th Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador to provide advice on policy development and youth civic engagement. After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies at Memorial University, Donovan relocated to Toronto for graduate studies in the Ryerson University Master of Professional Communication program. Donovan was a recipient of the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership, an Ontario Graduate Scholarship, and a Canadian finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship.

In Toronto, Donovan tackled workplace mental health and youth employment at CivicAction. They were appointed Vice-Chair of the National Standard of Canada: Mental Health and Wellbeing for Post-Secondary Students (the first standard of its kind in the world) where they guided a large technical committee of senior leaders from universities and colleges. Donovan then led health communication and knowledge translation efforts at the University of Toronto’s Health and Wellness Centre.

Donovan has represented Canadians at the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the G7-Y7 Summit in Tokyo, Japan, and at the International Association for Youth Mental Health Conference in Brisbane, Australia. He was also a spokesperson for the 2019-2020 Faces of Mental Illness campaign.

Donovan is currently a member of NATIONAL’s Atlantic team, working as Senior Consultant, Public Affairs.

Eric Bélair is Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy Branch, at Health Canada. His responsibilities include leading on pharmaceuticals management and pharmacare policies. Mr. Bélair previously worked at Natural Resources Canada on clean energy and climate change policy. He also has over ten years of experience working in central agencies, including at the Privy Council Office, where he provided advice on the government’s overall policy agenda, as well as at the Treasury Board Secretariat. Mr. Bélair started his career at Health Canada, working as an analyst on health care, pharmaceuticals management, and health products regulatory renewal.

Kellie Garrett is passionate about helping others reach their potential. She is an executive coach, speaker and consultant in the areas of leadership, internal culture change, employee engagement, governance and business strategy.

She coaches individuals, teams and boards on trust, constructive conflict, accountability and high performance. A marketing communication expert, Garrett was granted the titles of Master Communicator and Fellow by the International Association of Business Communicators. She is a Certified Daring Way Facilitator, qualified to teach Dr. Brené Brown’s work on courage, vulnerability and shame. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur in 2013, Garrett was a Senior VP at Farm Credit Canada, responsible for business strategy, enterprise risk management, the customer experience, and reputation management.

Three generations of Garrett’s family have lived with depression and anxiety, and she speaks about her own experience to encourage others to seek help and to reduce stigma. An ardent volunteer, Garrett received the Red Cross Humanitarian Award (SK) in 2014, primarily for her work in the area of autism awareness and Dress for Success.

Mike Dalton is an experienced financial executive, corporate director and retired officer in the Canadian Armed Forces. He is the VP Finance and CFO for the Alberta Energy Regulator and a Board Director and Audit Committee Chair with Calgary Co-op. In 2020, Mike completed a four-year term as a Citizen Member of the Audit Committee for the City of Calgary.

As a former military member and board director with the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre, Mike provides additional insight on military life to the MHCC Board.

Mike is a CPA with an Executive MBA and holds the ICD.D designation.

Watch Mr. Dalton’s introductory message.

An experienced leader in the field of the design and implementation of health services for Indigenous peoples, Richard Jock is currently Chief Executive Officer of the First Nations Health Authority in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Mr. Jock brings a wealth of experience gained at the community, provincial and national levels while working with the Assembly of First Nations, Health Canada, The Mohawk Council of Akwasasne, Norway House Health Services Incorporated and as Director of the First Nations Health Commission.
Mr. Jock holds a Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York (Plattsburg) and a Master of Education from St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York.

Watch Mr. Jock’s introductory message.

Sarika is a senior health leader with extensive experience working with executive leaders and leading teams on developing inclusive employee health programs. Building workplaces that are resilient and psychologically safe so that everyone can bring their whole self to work fuels her purpose.

She is currently the Director, Canadian Health and Welfare Benefits at BMO Financial Group and formerly led Deloitte Canada’s wellness and benefits program. Prior to Deloitte she pioneered the development of a national workplace mental health program at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), National Office called the Workforce Mental Health Collaborative.

In addition to serving as a Board Director for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, she is also a member of womenmind™. The womenmind community is united in philanthropy, purpose and impact, working together with CAMH to close the gap in research on the mental health of girls and women, and to support women to become leaders in mental health research.

She holds a Master of Science in Health Services Administration and a Bachelor of Psychology.