Theme: The Good Life

Join us on May 19 2021 as TEDxMaplesMetSchool presents its third annual TEDx event led by students and faculty around the Seven Oaks School Division. Together we will explore our theme for this year’s event, which is “the good life”.

When you hear the term “the good life” what do you think of? Is it a person’s constant pursuit of happiness or does a picture of a pool of money come to mind? Is it having anything at your disposal or do you simply see a group of laughing and happy faces? Do you see yourself being fit and immune to diseases or do you imagine a world where nature is cared for? We all want to lead a good life, but do we really know what that is. Let’s see you there as we break apart the meanings of the good life and enter a world of reflection.

Seven Oaks Performing Arts Centre
711 Jefferson Ave
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2P 0P7
Canada

Dan Lett

Journalist

Born and raised in and around Toronto, Dan Lett came to Winnipeg in 1986, less than a year out of journalism school with a lifelong dream to be a newspaper reporter. No really, it was his earliest dream, one that possessed him since he was a kid. He carefully studied every episode of Lou Grant, watched All the President’s Men repeatedly and memorized Humphrey Bogart’s concluding monologue from Deadline USA. As you can imagine, Dan did not have many friends growing up. That’s what happens when no one on the playground will go “on the record.” Since arriving in Winnipeg, he has worked at Free Press bureaus covering every level of government — from city hall to the national bureau in Ottawa. And he has seen some stuff.

Justin Schiffer

Justin is an advisor at the San Diego Met.

Leah Gazan

Member of Parliament

Leah Gazan is the Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre. She is an educator by trade and has spent her life working for human rights on the local, national, and international stage. Gazan is the NDP Critic for Children, Families, and Social Development and recently introduced Bill C-232 The Climate Emergency Action Act and submitted Motion 46 to convert the Canada Emergency Response Benefit into a permanent Guaranteed Livable Basic Income. MP Gazan is a member of Wood Mountain Lakota Nation, located in Saskatchewan, Treaty 4 Territory.

Manpinder Dhillon

Student

Manpinder Dhillon is a grade 12 student at the Maples Met School. Manpinder’s passions include law, politics, and social justice which have led to internships with M.L.A Rob Altemeyer’s office, Derek Dabee’s re-election campaign, Seven Oaks Immigrant Services, and M.P. Leah Gazan’s office. He plans on attending the University of Winnipeg for post-secondary.

Mary Courchene

Mary Courchene is an elder in the Seven Oaks School Division.

Mitch Bourbonniere

Community Helper

Mitch is a pipe carrier and a 25 year Sundancer. Mitch has formed a therapeutic community by which he and a group colleagues offer a cultural program for Aboriginal youth through Métis, Dakota Ojibway, West Region, Sagkeeng, Awassis, Animikii, and Kinosao Sipi Minisowin Child and Family Services. The group participates in monthly sweat lodges, the summer sundance season, and many other ceremonies. The group also actively participates in various community events that involve such issues as Missing and Murdered Women, the impacts of Residential Schools and any issue that impacts the Aboriginal community. Mitch is a Social Worker in the Louis Riel School Division. He also consults and contracts for Manitoba Blue Cross, Urban Circle Training, Rossbrook House, Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, Wahbung Abinoonjiiag, Native Addiction Council of Manitoba, N.E.R.C, C.E.D.A, Thunderbird House, and the Youth Correction Spotlight Probation Gang Unit.

Nora Lett

Nora Lett is a community activist in Winnipeg.

Paolo Camus

Paolo Camus is a graduate of the Maples Met School and a member of the Manitoba Youth Orchestra.

Parneet Buttar

Student

Parneet is a Grade 12 student at the Maples MET School. Her passions include, Sociology, Social work and political news. Her idea of the good life, after many years of pondering, is the relationships you create and maintain as you go about living. She enjoys crocheting, tending to her plants and overthinking about the world in her free time.

Ryan Spence

Ryan is a graduate of the Maples Met School and a world class Métis fiddler.

Sofia Ervin

Student

Sofia is a student at the San Diego Met School.