Policies and Progress: Fellows in Action
The inauguration of Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) School of Public Policy and Democratic Innovation (SPPDI) reaffirms the university’s commitment to strengthening democratic engagement, enhancing public policy through academic rigour, and addressing social inequalities through bold, collaborative, and community-driven research. SPPDI’s interdisciplinary focus is one of its core strengths, combining practical and theoretical knowledge across its scholars, students, practitioners and fellows.
To drive public policy and democratic innovation, the School has welcomed six Policy Fellows whose diverse expertise and extensive engagement across different policy areas will provide critical insights and support to members of the university community and beyond. As part of their role, each fellow will support future public policy champions and increase knowledge through workshops, discussions, and initiatives addressing water policy, Black food sovereignty, labour policy, immigration policy, municipal engagement, and social well-being.
From top left: Michael Goffi, Anan Lololi, Peggy Nash, Ratna Omidvar, Aretha Phillip, John Stapleton
The future of freshwater: Michael Goffin, Water Policy Fellow
Michael Goffin
Goffin shares about freshwater management, key stakeholders and sustainability:
Freshwater management is the practice of ensuring that freshwater resources are safe, clean, and well-managed. It is important because despite Canada’s wealth of fresh water, Canada is facing a freshwater crisis. As Jim Bruce, noted Canadian hydrogeologist and member of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has famously said: “If climate change is a shark, then water is its teeth.” As Canadians, we have been feeling the effects of those teeth, with increased flooding, droughts, and adverse impacts on water quality and aquatic ecosystem health. It is complex because the issues involved are interdependent, cross-sectoral, cross-jurisdictional, and transboundary in nature.
Encouraging students to become champions of freshwater management and future water policy leaders:
Becoming champions and future freshwater policy leaders starts with being aware. For a nation with so much fresh water, our “water literacy” is not strong. Addressing freshwater challenges and opportunities will require a wide range of skills and expertise in science, policy, engineering and other disciplines. For people starting, gaining experience is key. Look for opportunities at the community level, volunteer, and get engaged.
Mobilizing knowledge about freshwater management:
My role as Bruce Water Policy Fellow is to help support the next generation of freshwater policy researchers and practitioners. I hope to spend the majority of my time meeting with students and discussing their interests in fresh water and career opportunities. I’ll also be writing some articles to help raise the profile of some of the freshwater challenges we face.
Upcoming events and conversations:
Keep an eye out for Water Policy Cafes, which will be held throughout the year on a variety of freshwater related topics. Students can also reach out to me for one-on-one discussions on their freshwater interests and aspirations.
Get in touch
Office hours: Wednesdays in JOR-706
Email: michael.goffin@torontomu.ca
Black Food Sovereignty: Anan Xola Lololi, Food Policy Fellow
Anan Xola Lololi
Lololi shares critical insights on Black Food Sovereignty:
In 1995, I was one of the founders of the Afri-Can FoodBasket (AFB) (external link) , the first Black Non-profit community food cooperative focused on delivering food to the most vulnerable members of the Black communities in low-income neighbourhoods. For 26 years as the executive director, I have been involved in what I like to call Black Food Sovereignty in practice; I was engaged in sustainable food systems works intentionally in Black Communities in Toronto; I retired in 2022. I managed the services AFB delivered: urban agriculture programs, food policy work with the Toronto Food Policy Council, food justice anti-racism work and most importantly, youth leadership development through Black Food Sovereignty programming.
I will be documenting the evolution of this new movement in Africa and the Black Diaspora and the emergence of the 3B approach to our work: Black-led, Black-mandated and Black-serving. Our autonomy of the Black Food Sovereignty movement in Canada is very critical regarding the state of Food Insecurity, where 46.3 % of Black Children are food insecure, and nearly 40% of our community is food insecure in one of the most wealthy nations in the world.
Current initiatives:
I am currently the Interim Executive Director of the Black Food Sovereignty Alliance (BFSA), managing and coordinating program delivery, and in 2025, I will be working closely with my colleagues to carry out research on Food Systems Transformation: Black Food Sovereignty Leadership Development. I am a Board member of the Ecological Farmers Association (external link) of Toronto, a Senior Advisor of the Atlanta Black Food Sovereignty Collective, a founder member and a Senior Advisor of the Pan-African Canadian Food Sovereignty Network (PACFSN) (external link) and a Research Associate at TMU’s Center for Studies in Food Security.
Developments in Black Food Sovereignty and how Toronto can ensure its sustainability and longevity:
The community must advocate for dedicated funding and policy support for Black-led Food Sovereignty initiatives rather than trying to fit them into existing food security programs.
In 2021, Toronto‘s City Council approved Canada’s first Black Food Sovereignty Plan to respond to the need to address the problem of food insecurity of Black Torontonians. This plan is a community-led, municipally supported initiative working toward achieving three primary objectives: 1. develop City-supported, Black-led initiatives; 2. identify and establish sustained support and funding for 3B mandated food organizations and Black Food Sovereignty community infrastructure; 3. engage, align, and leverage new and existing City strategies and initiatives to advance systems change and shared goals to realize Black Food Sovereignty outcomes.
This pioneering policy development by the city needs to be monitored to ensure this plan is fully implemented, adequately funded, and closely monitored for progress. These include supporting capacity building by providing resources and support to build capacity within Black-led food organizations, which will help ensure they can sustain efforts long-term. Gathering data on outcomes and regularly reporting progress will be important for accountability and identifying areas needing policy adjustments. By focusing on these areas, Toronto can work to create a policy environment that supports sustainable, long-term Black Food Sovereignty efforts led by the community itself.
Mobilizing Black Food Sovereignty resources and initiatives:
- I recommend the BFSA website (external link) for resources on the emergence of Black Food Sovereignty in Canada.
- (PDF file) Food Policy for Black Communities: Challenges and Policy Opportunities (external link)
- (PDF file) Toronto Black Food Sovereignty Plan (external link)
- View past issues of the Black Food Sovereignty Alliance newsletter (external link)
- Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network (DBCFSN) (external link)
- National Black Food and Justice Alliance (external link)
- La Via Campesina (external link)
Get in touch
Office hours: Wednesdays from 10:00 am-2:00 pm in JOR-725
Email: anan.lololi@torontomu.ca
Workers rights: Peggy Nash, Labour Policy Fellow
Peggy Nash
Nash shares about how students can get started with labour policy:
Labour policy is about democracy and rights at work. The first step to learning labour policy is to find out the basics such as rights at work, and then to dig down to find out the dynamics of how policies were developed, who benefits, and where the opportunities for change are. Students who study politics, sociology, philosophy, history, business or any career-related area can delve into labour policy.
Mobilizing knowledge about labour rights:
I know from personal experience and from many years of organizing what it is like to feel powerless at work. You are not alone. By knowing your rights and joining with others, you can push back against unfair treatment.
Upcoming labour rights workshops:
I will be holding a series of workshops in the new year for anyone wanting to know more about basic rights. The workshops will likely cover basic employment standards such as pay and working hours, occupational health and safety, labour relations, and human rights. If someone has an urgent question and cannot access information from the Ontario Ministry of Labour (external link) , they could call the Workers Action Centre (external link) or email me at peggy.nash@torontomu.ca.
Resources and recommendations:
To find out more about labour organizing, see the Workers' Education Centre (above) or see my podcast 'Activists Make History' - A New Perspectives Journal Podcast Series (external link) .
My book is about engaging in activist and electoral politics, Women Winning Office: An Activist’s Guide to Getting Elected (external link) . I have a new book coming out next spring about labour history. I am also co-editing the next issue of Oxfam's Gender and Development Magazine. (external link)
Websites:
Social Media: @peggynash
Get in touch
Office hours: Wednesday afternoons in JOR-725
Email: peggy.nash@torontomu.ca
Immigration policy perspectives: The Honourable Ratna Omidvar, Immigration Policy Fellow
Ratna Omidvar
Omidvar shares about the political impulse surrounding immigration in Canada:
Immigration policy is uniquely susceptible to public support and public opinion. Over the last few decades, there has been a consensus on immigration–which has provided successive governments with the ability to bring legislative proposals that match their political platforms. The Trudeau government, for example, made significant changes to citizenship policy at the start of its term. Today, public concern about high levels of immigration has resulted in a U-turn in many aspects of immigration policy. Canadians need to be aware of the near-term and long-term impacts of some of these decisions and how these will impact their lives.
Advice to students interested in public policy:
If I give one piece of advice to students interested in public policy, it is to talk to people whose lives will be impacted by policy shifts, to engage with those institutions who are significant stakeholders, and to meet with politicians to do the same. Policy change is often a negotiated, incremental process which is best served by a whole-of-society approach.
Reflecting on the legislative process:
I have spent eight years in the Senate dealing with legislative changes. I know that the best-meaning efforts do not succeed because not enough effort has been put into understanding not just the intended outcome but also the unintended outcome. It is imperative for students to understand policy-making from a 360-degree perspective.
Upcoming events and conversations:
I will be hosting discussions, workshops and lectures with the help of the university community. These will be advertised broadly within TMU at an appropriate time.
Get in touch
Office hours: Tuesdays in TEC 220 (Eaton Centre)
Email: ratna.omidvar@torontomu.ca
Municipal leaders for tomorrow: Aretha Phillip, Municipal Public Service Fellow
Aretha Phillip
Phillip shares how municipal community engagement has evolved over her career:
Community engagement has been a driving force in how the City of Toronto has intentionally found ways to receive input and advice on its programs, policies and services from the residents we serve. Public participation has evolved to now provide for virtual or in-person meetings, meeting communities where they are which has allowed us to reach more individuals and deliver more inclusive, accessible and relevant engagement with the public, particularly Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving communities. The approach has helped us strengthen the relationship between the City and the public with a goal of building trust, openness and transparency.
Advice to students aspiring to a career in public service:
Consider this job a journey to learn about yourself. The purpose is to grow as a human being; to discover what you’re good at, what you love to do, and what you dislike. This can be a very rewarding career in municipal government where you can make a difference in the lives of the residents. I always say, “leave it better than you found it.”
Mobilizing knowledge for future leaders:
I think I can bring my 24-year career in municipal government to the discussion and hopefully inspire students to think about it as a career path and the role they can play in the democratic process. I also want to inspire students to see the part they can play in creating a vibrant city where no one gets left behind.
Guest speaking and upcoming panel discussions:
I have been meeting with students and taking on guest speaking roles in various classes. I am working on a panel discussion for the new year to shed some light on what it is like to work in municipal government with public servants who have worked in both the municipal and provincial space and it will also explore how you navigate political change.
Get in touch
Office hours: Fridays in JOR-725
Email: aephillip@torontomu.ca
Fostering ecosystems for social security: John Stapleton, Social Policy, Ageing and Well-being Policy Fellow
John Stapleton
Stapleton shares about social policy and key stakeholders:
Social policy is a large branch of public policy as a whole and embraces the guidelines, principles, and interventions developed by governments and organizations to address societal issues and improve the well-being of residents. It encompasses a wide range of areas aimed at ensuring basic standards of living, promoting social justice, and supporting vulnerable populations including health care, education, income security, housing, employment, family and child welfare. Good social policy promotes social welfare, reduces inequalities, protects human rights, and provides safety nets for individuals in need. The main stakeholders are all levels of government, educational institutions, advocacy organizations, foundations, activists and the public at large. The private sector— both for-profit and not-for-profit—also plays a large role in social policy.
Untangling misconceptions about Income Security programs:
A common misperception is that government income security programs like welfare, EI, Old Age Security and disability income programs (among others) represent unsustainable levels of spending and will not be there for future generations. All countries able to pay income security dollars to their residents do better economically than those that do not. These programs allow people to sustain themselves throughout their life course, and they form an important foundation for education, work, and family life.
Finding information about income security programs:
The public can find almost all the information they need to access income security programs online on the websites of municipal, provincial and federal governments. Most programs are application-based and are most available when residents file their income tax returns each year. All programs have appeal systems where applicants’ rights may be exercised. For people who do not have online availability, the offices of their Councillors, the Members of Provincial Parliament and Federal Members of Parliament all have the necessary information, as do Service Canada centres.
Advice for students interested in social policy issues:
Social policy concerns such a wide array of topics that students should first try to understand information about the whole ecosystem before centering on the areas that particularly interest them. Students should develop a ‘policy persona’ where they consider policy issues through the lenses and viewpoints of key stakeholders.
Students should have an interest in developing and analysing diverse options and recommendations. They should always be willing to consider policy problems in the context of the best possible courses of action. For example, is it best to avoid, solve or manage a social policy problem? Always remember that social policy issues only exist when they have not been resolved. The best policy analysts are able to carefully understand the positions held by stakeholders who often stand in opposition to each other, all while retaining their own passions and beliefs related to issues.
Mobilizing knowledge about income security:
As a social policy practitioner mainly concerned with (PDF file) benefit design (external link) , I like to refer to the public policy work of the Maytree Foundation (external link) , Prosper Canada (external link) , the IRPP (external link) , and the C.D. Howe Institute (external link) . The National Institute on Ageing (external link) conducts policy development and research regarding seniors.
Get in touch
Office hours: Monday afternoons in JOR-706
Email: jsbb@rogers.com
