Committed to helping individuals and communities prevent
and openly address mental health and addiction issues.

2010 National Awards for Excellence Winners

Excellence in Aboriginal Programming :  Mike DeGagne (Ontario)

Mike DeGagne has played a leadership role in implementing and overseeing a range of community-based healing programs that have reduced the negative effects of alcohol and drug use in Aboriginal communities.   Mr. DeGagne has worked in the field of addiction and mental health for the past 25 years and is the current and founding Executive Director of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF), and organization that since its inception in 1998 has been committed to creating sustainable healing processes for First Nations, Inuit and Metis people.   

Excellence in Community Programming – Ilisaqsivik Society (Nunavut)

The Ilisaqsivik Society, is a non profit health and wellness centre founded in 1997 by the residents of Clyde River, Nunavut.  Through its Family Resource Centre, the Society offers a multitude of extremely innovative, diverse and comprehensive community based and culturally appropriate programs that promote and support physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs of all local residents from infants to Elders.  All of Ilisaqsivik’s programs are based on respect for Inuit traditional values, and are designed, run and evaluated by local people for local people.  This is a wonderful example of a community that has come together to address its own needs.

Excellence in Leadership – Dr. Patricia Erickson (Ontario)

One of the nation’s first harm reductionists, Dr. Patricia Erickson helped bring the harm reduction philosophy to Canada through her scholarly articles and books, community talks and work at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.  She was also the first to thoroughly examine the consequences of drug criminalization.  Several of her publications are considered seminal works in the field. Among her many roles in the addictions field, Dr. Erickson has served as Director of the University of Toronto’s Collaborative Program in Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs, and has served on numerous committees, advisory boards and expert panels.

Excellence in Media Reporting – Rand Teed (Saskatchewan)

A certified drug counsellor and high school teacher, Rand Teed is the creator and host of “Drug Class”, and award-winning educational television program which had been broadcast on Saskatchewan Community Network for the last two years. Drug Class is a documentary of the lives of several youth struggling with substance use problems.   Drug Class won a Gemni Award in 2008 for Best Children’s or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series and Best Direction in a Children’s or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series. The program has been credited with making a major contribution to public understanding of substance use issues in Saskatchewan.

Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use Programming – New Opportunities for Women (NOW) Canada Society  (British Columbia)

Since 1989, Now Canada Society has provided temporary shelter, permanent housing and wide range of transition services for women and female youth, with or without children, who have suffered abuse and struggle with mental health issues, addiction issues, homelessness and poverty.  Since 1989, NOW has worked with well over 400 sexually exploited women and their children, and countless more have accessed the safe centre which since 2002 has answered nearly 5,000 requests.  NOW is the only agency in the Central Okanagan that works specifically with sexually exploited women and female youth, providing a very comprehensive program which target a continuum of services needs for a very disadvantaged population.  

Excellence in Public Policy:  Professor Robert Solomon (Ontario)

Professor Solomon has been a leading legal expert on alcohol and other drug issues for over 30 years.  His major efforts have been focused on impaired driving issues leading to changes in impaired driving policies and programs in several provinces.  He was also one of the first legal experts to analyze and document problems with current illicit drug policies, particularly those concerning marijuana.  As a Founding Director of the Canadian Drug Policy Foundation and one of the first proponents of harm reduction in Canada, he had strongly influenced others in law enforcement, treatment and drug research.   

Excellence in Youth Leadership – Megan Lummiss (Ontario)

A survivor herself, Megan Lummiss has shown tremendous strength of character by completing high school, obtaining her degree in social work, and sharing her story with young people in order to encourage them to seek help.  Since 2005, she had been an integral part of Talking About Mental Illness (TAMI), a community coalition that aims to increase knowledge about mental illness and decrease social stigma. Her work at TAMI contributed significantly to the organization winning 2007 IBM Leading Practices Award and the 2007 Minister’s Innovation Award for Innovations in Health Promotion.   In 2009, Ms. Lummiss, became the youngest person to win the Mary Neville Award.  Her story has been featured on TV news programs, and she has been a key note speaker, presenter and guest speaker at various high profile conferences and workshops.