An all-in approach to solving Canada’s affordability and climate crises

Yasmin Abraham is president and co-founder of the Kambo Energy Group, a social enterprise that reduces energy poverty and improves housing in communities that have been historically underprioritized. She is a steadfast advocate for equity, diversity and social change, and her commitment to eliminating energy poverty has shaped much of her career over the last decade. She is a leading expert in equity-based energy and climate programming, and works with governments and utilities across Canada to design and deliver inclusive solutions.

Lisa Rae is the director of system change at Prosper Canada and is responsible for advancing policy and advocacy efforts. Lisa has worked in public policy, advocacy, stakeholder engagement and communications for 15 years. She has held roles in membership organizations, the post-secondary education and health sectors, and in government. Lisa served as a senior adviser to the Ontario minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development and served as the minister’s lead on the co-creation and introduction of legislation recognizing Indigenous Institutes and on the transformation of the Ontario Student Assistance Program.

Nate Wallace is the clean transportation program manager at Environmental Defence. In this position, he works on decarbonizing the transportation sector, with a particular focus on electrifying light-duty vehicles, expanding public and active transportation options and building more sustainable and inclusive cities. He is a member of Transport Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Council and co-chair of the Affordability Working Group. Nate has been a frequent contributor to infrastructure-related chapters of the annually published Alternative Federal Budget co-ordinated by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. His commentary on public policy issues has been published in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and Hill Times. Before joining Environmental Defence, Nate was a policy adviser at the Canadian Urban Transit Association.

Jennifer is the President and CEO of the IRPP. She is a not-for-profit sector executive and seasoned communicator with 25 years of experience working to make complex public policy issues and politics better understood by Canadians. From 2016 to 2021, she was the editor-in-chief of the IRPP’s influential digital magazine, Policy Options. Prior to joining the IRPP, Jennifer spent two decades covering national and parliamentary affairs for The Canadian Press and for CBC Television.

Peter Fragiskatos was first elected as the Member of Parliament for London North Centre in 2015. He previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue. Additionally, he has served as a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, the Standing Committee on Finance, and the Special Committee on Canada-China Relations. He was also a member of various other committees, parliamentary associations, and interparliamentary groups.

Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Fragiskatos was a political scientist at King’s University College at Western University and a media commentator.