
Day #1 : Friday, May 23, 2025
3:00 pm: Kickoff event
The Charlottetown Forum will begin a tour of PEI (or presentation, if weather is inclement) that incorporates both its Indigenous and settler colonial history. This will contextualize the conversations that will take place, as well as acknowledge the rich history of the site of the Forum.
The Forum will also begin with an introduction to its Poetic Respondent, PEI Poet Laureate Tanya Davis. As Poet Laureate, Tanya speaks to local issues and events and advocates for literacy, literature, and the power of words. As Poetic Respondent of the Forum, Tanya will attend the panels and discussions taking place during the Forum, and craft and present a poetic response to the Forum’s themes at the closing reception.
4:00 – 5:00 pm: PANEL #1: Restoring Dialogue in an Age of Polarization
In an era of growing polarization, unreliable information, and the clash between opinions and facts, how can we engage in meaningful discussions on issues that impact us all? Our panelists will explore the diminishing practice of civic discourse and offer insights on how we can rebuild dialogue and foster collaboration in society. Panelists include Sabreena Delhon, CEO of the Samara Centre for Democracy; Owais Lightwala, professor, artistic producer and tech entrepreneur.



Panellists
Sabreena Delhon
CEO, Samara Centre for Democracy (ON)
Owais Lightwala
Professor, artistic producer and tech entrepreneur (ON)
Special Guest Panellist TBA"
Special Guest Panellist TBA"
5:15 – 6:00 PM BREAKOUT SESSION
7:30 – 8:30 PM Performance or a guided tour of the Gallery (for Forum pass holders)
Day #2 : Saturday, May 24, 2025
10:00 – 11:00 am: PANEL #2: Responding to Climate Change
As a small island on Canada’s East Coast, Prince Edward Island is uniquely positioned to experience the immediate impacts of climate change. This panel will bring together Islanders to explore the pressing issues of rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, and coastal erosion. With a focus on artistic responses, the discussion will highlight how creative practices on PEI are engaging with these environmental challenges, reflecting the island’s climate realities, and inspiring action. Through art, Islanders are not only documenting the changes but also shaping conversations around climate resilience and sustainability, both locally and globally.
Panelists include: Stephanie Arnold, PEI climate specialist for CLIMAtlantic; Kim Griffin, manager of sustainability and corporate communications at Maritime Electric; and Melissa Peter-Paul, award-winning quill artist from Lennox Island. The panel will be moderated by Anna Keenan, sustainable transportation officer for the City of Charlottetown and climate advocate.

Panellists
Anna Keenan
Sustainable transportation officer, City of Charlottetown, and climate advocate (PE)
Stephanie Arnold
PEI climate specialist for CLIMAtlantic (PE)
Kim Griffin
Manager of sustainability and corporate communications, Maritime Electric (PE)
Melissa Peter-Paul
Award-winning quill artist from Lennox Island (PE)
11:15 am – 12:00 pm: BREAKOUT SESSION
12:00 – 1:00 pm: Lunch provided (for Forum pass holders)
1:30 – 2:30 pm: Performance by members of the River Clyde Pageant (for Forum pass holders)
3:00 – 4:00 pm: PANEL #3: A Collective Approach to Canadian Healthcare
This panel brings together four doctors from across Canada who will come together to discuss the systemic challenges that affect equitable care, and how the arts can contribute to a more holistic approach to care. Join us for an insightful conversation on how we can improve healthcare access and outcomes for all Canadians by bridging disciplines and thinking beyond
traditional solutions.
Panelists include: Dr. Megan Miller, PEI’s first chief physician recruiter and palliative care physician; Dr. Paula Cashin, a Mi’kmaw physician whose advocacy work looks at systemic barriers that prevent equity-seeking groups from entering the medical profession; and Dr. Eberhard Renner, former head of the liver transplant program at Toronto General, retired professor of medicine at the University of Manitoba, and now a full-time artist .
The panel will be moderated by Dr. Jillian Horton, award winning medical educator, writer, musician and podcaster.

Panellists
Dr. Jillian Horton
Award-winning medical educator, writer, musician and
podcaster (MB)
Dr. Eberhard Renner
Former head of the liver transplant program at Toronto General, retired professor of medicine at the University of Manitoba, and now a full-time artist (MB)
Dr. Megan Miller
PEI’s first chief physician recruiter and palliative care physician (PE)
Dr. Paula Cashin
Mi’kmaw physician whose advocacy work looks at systemic barriers that prevent equity-seeking groups from entering the medical profession (NL)
4:15 – 5:00 PM BREAKOUT SESSION:
Facilitator: Nick MacDonald, Director of Choral Music at Confederation Centre of the Arts, will lead attendees in a participatory music workshop, while discussing the physical and psychosocial health benefits of group singing.
5:00 – 7:00 PM Closing reception and reading of the Poetic Respondent’s reflection on the 2025 Forum.
A LOOK BACK AT THE 2023 CHARLOTTETOWN FORUM
Learn more about Heritage Programming
Contact Francesca Perez, Director of Arts Education and Heritage
902-629-1178 or [email protected]
Nora Young
Tech journalist
Nora Young is the host and creator of CBC’s SPARK, a fun and informative look at new technology, that explores how it is changing our relationships, our work, and our culture. She was the founding host of the CBC Radio show, Definitely not the Opera, where she often focused on new media and technology, as well as arts and popular culture. She has made documentaries and miniseries exploring a range of questions about being human in a rapidly changing world.
As a journalist, author, and speaker, Nora explores how new technology shapes the way we understand ourselves and the world around us. Her book, The Virtual Self, on the explosion of data about our behaviours, opinions, and actions, is published by McClelland and Stewart. Her favourite technology is her bicycle.
Owais Lightwala
Professor, artistic producer, and tech entrepreneur
Owais Lightwala is an assistant professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, specializing in entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation within the creative industries. He is the co-founder and CEO of Sai, a tech startup focused on transforming how creatives manage their finances, and the founding director of Chrysalis, a multidisciplinary hub at TMU. Previously, Owais was the managing director at Why Not Theatre, where he played a key role in groundbreaking projects like the RISER Project and The Mahabharata.
A recognized leader in the Canadian arts community, Owais has been awarded the Business/Arts Arnold Edinborough Award for his contributions to arts leadership. He holds an MBA from Toronto Metropolitan University, completed the HBX CORe program at Harvard Business School, and was selected for the Impact Program for Arts Leaders at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Owais consults regularly for culture organizations including the National Arts Centre and Toronto Arts Council.
Sabreena Delhon
CEO, Samara Centre for Democracy
Sabreena Delhon is the CEO of the Samara Centre for Democracy, a non-partisan registered charity with a mission to realize a resilient democracy with an engaged public and responsive institutions. For over a decade, she has directed multi-stakeholder research and outreach initiatives that have made an impact across justice, academic, and non-profit sectors.
Sabreena has appeared as an expert witness before Parliamentary committees on matters relating to political participation and frequently provides commentary about democratic engagement for various media outlets such as The Globe & Mail, CBC, and the Toronto Star.
She is the host of Humans of the House, an award winning podcast that explores the lived experience of former Members of Parliament. Sabreena is a Senior Fellow at Massey College and is a recipient of the Coronation Medal for service to Canada. She holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Alberta and an MA in Sociology from Dalhousie University.
Anna Keenan
Sustainable Transportation Officer, City of Charlottetown and climate advocate
With degrees in physics, economics, and environmental studies, Anna Keenan worked as a professional campaigner on climate change and energy politics from 2007 to 2022. She worked for Greenpeace International in Europe for five years before moving to Canada, where she spent four years with the international climate-justice campaign group 350.org. On PEI, she has run as a candidate in 2 federal elections, and taken leadership roles in advocacy and campaigning for proportional representation, climate action, and bike-friendly communities.
In 2023, she shifted into nonpartisan roles in municipal government, first with Victoria-by-the Sea, and now working for the City of Charlottetown as Sustainable Transportation Officer, to expand public transit and active transportation options. In PEI’s arts sector, Anna was a swing dance teacher with Downstreet Dance for five years, and served as the first board chair for the River Clyde Pageant. She is also regularly spotted on stilts, either in the Pageant or community parades.
Kim Griffin
Director of Sustainability & Corporate Affairs, Maritime Electric
Kim Griffin has worked at Maritime Electric for over 15 years and led her team through many weather events. She has helped PEI through major storms including, most recently, Hurricane Fiona. She sees firsthand the impacts of climate change and the increasing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. She also led Maritime Electric’s new climate adaptation strategy. An active community volunteer, she is currently a director with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, and Greater Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce as past president.
She was one of six Canadians in 2024 awarded the inaugural Electricity Canada Face of the Industry National Award for leadership. She has also been awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for public service, and named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women. She holds a Bachelor of Public Relations and a Master of Business Administration with distinction.
Melissa Peter-Paul
Award-winning quill artist from Lennox Island
Melissa is a Mi’kmaw woman from Abegweit First Nation, located on Epekwitk (PEI). Growing up, she was immersed in cultural teachings and was surrounded by a family of basket makers. Melissa began her artistic expression at a young age, making regalia and beadwork, and is skilled in both traditional and contemporary styles. Her exposure to other Mi’kmaq artforms led her to quillwork, a traditional skill in which the ancestors of her maternal grandfather excelled.
Melissa was accepted into an apprenticeship with Mi’kmaq Quill Art in 2015. Her training was grounded in the traditional insertion technique and utilized the study of both cultural teachings and formal material culture resources that were available through historic publications and museums.
Quillwork is created by inserting porcupine quills, either dyed or kept natural, into birchbark. The pieces are then edged with quills, sweetgrass or spruce root. Over the course of her apprenticeship, Melissa learned techniques and protocols related to harvesting raw materials, as well as the complex geometry of traditional design work. Upon completion of her apprenticeship, Melissa has been integral in establishing a community of skilled quill workers. This community of quillers seeks to expand awareness of the artform and recently began working on collaborative projects.
Melissa launched her professional career as a Mi’kmaq quill artist with her first solo exhibit at Receiver Coffee presented by This Town is Small in Charlottetown in 2019. She is heavily influenced by 20th century Mi’kmaw quillwork, and she is supported in her harvesting efforts by her family. Melissa is proud to be passing the art on to her two sons and the broader community.
Stephanie Arnold
PEI Climate Specialist, CLIMAtlantic
Stephanie Arnold works alongside communities, organizations, sectors, and governments on using adaptation pathways, building accountability in adaptation, and bringing together different perspectives to address climate, environmental, and social challenges. Born in Hong Kong when it was an active British colony and currently living uninvited on unceded and unsurrendered Mi’kmaw Homelands in Epekwitk, they strive to center reconciliation, community-building, and systems change in their work.
Centering disruptive kindness has given meaning and purpose to their chemical engineering degree, MBA, and ongoing PhD studies. L’nuey awarded Stephanie the Reconciliation Recognition Award in 2024 for their work in challenging climate change funders, collaborators, experts, and practitioners to scrutinize whether their efforts reinforce settler-colonial power imbalances or support Treaty Rights, Truth, and Reconciliation.
Dr. Eberhard Renner
Former head of the liver transplant program at Toronto General Hospital, retired professor of medicine at the University of Manitoba, artist
After completing medical school and training in internal medicine and gastroenterology / hepatology, Dr. Renner worked as a clinician-researcher and gradually moved into academic and health system leadership positions, initially in his home country (Switzerland), interrupted by a couple of years in the U.S. (UCSF), and since 2004 in Canada, where he served as director GI transplantation at UHN Toronto (2007-2016), then, until his retirement in 2024, as the H.E. Sellers Professor, Head Department of Medicine at UofM, and provincial specialty lead – internal medicine with Shared Health, MB’s provincial health agency.
Dr. Renner has published over 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts and held numerous national grants. He served in various roles in multiple professional organizations in Switzerland, Canada, and internationally. He was an associate editor of the high impact journal Transplantation (2015-2024), is a corresponding member of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences, and recipient of the Distinguished Service Award of the Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver (CASL).
Dr. Renner had started painting at a young age and took art classes during his high school years. The arts took second place during most of his career as academic physician. In 2011, he resumed painting more regularly, initially as a balance to his professional life, more full-time since his retirement from medicine. Using mostly acrylics, he explores dynamic visual interactions between colors and abstract shapes. He is represented by Soul Gallery Inc., Winnipeg, MB; works can be found in private collections in Canada, the US, and Europe.
Dr. Jillian Horton
Award-winning medical educator, writer, musician, and podcaster
Dr. Jillian Horton is an associate professor of internal medicine at the Health Sciences Centre and the University of Manitoba. She directs the Alan Klass Health Humanities Program, is an associate chair in the Department of Medicine, and is a former associate dean of undergraduate student affairs. Dr. Horton has completed a longitudinal internship in teaching mindful practice (at the University of Rochester) and chief wellness officer training at Stanford University.
Her writing about medicine and medical culture appears regularly in the LA Times, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Maclean’s, and a variety of American news outlets by syndication. She is also a contributor to CBC’s Ideas. She is a sought-after speaker and thought leader on the subject of physician health, both nationally and internationally. Her award-winning first full-length book, We Are All Perfectly Fine: A Memoir of Love, Medicine and Healing was released by HarperCollins Canada in 2021 to critical acclaim and is a national bestseller. It is currently being adapted for television by a major network. She was recently awarded an honorary doctorate by Wilfred Laurier University for her work translating the experience of health care workers for the public.
Dr. Megan Miller
P.E.I.’s first chief physician recruiter and palliative care physician
Dr. Megan Miller is palliative care physician who has been involved with the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) Program in PEI since it became a legal option in Canada in 2016. Megan has also worked in the role of chief physician recruiter for the Medical Society of PEI. In both her clinical and leadership roles, she has witnessed how important the arts are in creating cultural richness in our communities, in enhancing resilience and humanity in the practice of medicine, and the incredible impact of the arts when we are facing our most challenging life circumstances. When not at work, Megan is happiest spending time with her husband and five children (three humans and two dogs).