Library Board Members
Contact the Board (Board@BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca) or 613-580-2424, ext. 32172.
Councillor Jan Harder (Chair)
Jan Harder has been a councillor for nine years -- first at the former City of Nepean, then since the amalgamation of the new City of Ottawa in 2000. But she has always been a community leader, a wife, a mom and most recently a "nana." In fact, despite her reputation as one of the most effective and hardworking councillors, Jan considers one of her finest accomplishments to be her family: husband Larry, daughters Andrea, Elena and Brandi, two stepdaughters and now, three grandchildren.
Jan serves as a City Councillor and member of the Planning and Environment and Rural Affairs Committees. She also contributes to her community and to her city by serving as Chair of the Ottawa Public Library Board and a member of the boards of Hydro Ottawa Inc. and Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc., SCO Health Services (Chair of the Community Advisory Committee), Barrhaven Business Improvement Area and Carleton Lodge.
Pamela Sweet (Vice-Chair)
Pamela Sweet is well known and highly respected in the Ottawa planning community and is currently Vice President of FoTenn Consultants Inc., a consulting firm of urban planners. She has over 25 years of professional planning experience in the Ottawa area. Prior to joining FoTenn Consultants Inc. in 2001, Pamela was the Director of Policy and Infrastructure Planning with the Region of Ottawa-Carleton. Pamela has a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning degree from Queens University. She was President of the Canadian Institute of Planners and was honoured with her appointment as a Fellow of the Institute in July 2001. She is presently on the Board of Directors for the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.
Paula Agulnik
Paula Agulnik has been the Executive Director of Reach Canada since 1985. Reach Canada is an NGO dedicated to improving the quality of life for persons with disabilities through lawyer referral service and on-going education to consumers, family members, health/social service providers and law students.
Paula's interests include reading, cycling and volunteering in the areas of community development, social justice, poverty and homelessness. Paula currently volunteers on the Social Action Committee of Agudath Israel Congregation and in particular, coordinated the first Muslim-Jewish Dialogue committee. She was active at St. Luke's Lunch Club for six years (feeding program for hungry and homeless) and recently completed her term on the Board of Directors at Hillel Lodge Long Term Care Centre, Jewish home for the Aged , where she remains a volunteer. In 2001 she was nominated for the YMCA-YWCA Women of Distinction Award and in 2002 was selected to be an Ambassador for the 10th Annual YMCA-YWCA Women of Distinction Awards. She participated in Leadership Ottawa, 2002. Paula has a B.A. from Carleton University.
Councillor Michel Bellemare
Michel Bellemare, is a five-term Member of Council in Canada’s capital.
First elected to Ottawa-Carleton Regional Council in 1994 at age 27—and re-elected ever since. Michel Bellemare represents over 35,000 residents in Beacon Hill-Cyrville ward on Ottawa City Council.
Councillor Bellemare currently serves on Ottawa’s Community and Protective Services Committee, the Planning and Environment Committee, the Ottawa Public Library, and the Pine View Golf Course Board of Management.
Councillor Bellemare knows that good governance is essential to protecting Ottawa’s future. As chairman of the Audit Committee, he led efforts to create an independent office of City Auditor General, reporting directly to City Council instead of senior management.
Michel Bellemare successfully led efforts to keep property taxes down and worked with his colleagues to improve many municipal services. He led the charge to save the Blair Road fire station, keeping it open to protect our neighbourhoods. Councillor Bellemare was instrumental in delivering federal jobs to our area, and has worked to develop a public-private partnership to build an arts and cultural centre in Orléans.
Michel Bellemare also served on the Police Services Board, working to see that Ottawa’s law enforcement organization has the necessary resources to protect our neighbourhoods.
Councillor Bellemare has gained experience and in-depth knowledge of local issues serving on many committees and boards, including:
- Ottawa Police Services Board
- Ottawa Public Library
- City of Ottawa’s Community and Protective Services Committee
- City of Ottawa’s Planning and Environment Committee
- City of Ottawa’s Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee (Vice Chairman)
- City of Ottawa’s Audit Committee (Chairman)
- Pine View Golf Course Board of Management
- The Ottawa Partnership (TOP), bringing together Ottawa’s economic development agencies and leading business associations
- Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa-Carleton
- Region of Ottawa-Carleton’s Community Services Committee, focused on public health, social services and long-term care
- Island Lodge Home Advisory Committee (Chairman)
- Region of Ottawa-Carleton’s Transportation and Transit Committee
- Region of Ottawa-Carleton’s Planning and Development Committee
- Region of Ottawa-Carleton’s Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee
Ottawa City Council is responsible for overseeing a two billion-dollar annual budget and a wide range of services including police, fire, ambulance, public transit, social assistance, public health, long-term care, transportation, economic development, libraries, parks and recreation, and planning and development approvals for projects throughout Ottawa.
Michel was born in Ottawa on July 10, 1967, the son of Eugène Bellemare and the late Roberte Bellemare (née Gauthier). He is the fifth generation of his family living in the nation’s capital. After graduating from the University of Ottawa in law, political science, management and public policy, he practiced law in Ottawa.
Councillor Bellemare is married to Nathalie Tremblay and they have three young children. The family lives in Ottawa’s Beacon Hill neighbourhood.
Jim Bennett
Jim Bennett is a consultant who specializes in health, education, and science intelligence/analysis as a knowledge exchange broker and who provides advice to the international scientific/university/government community as an editor.
A life-long learner and former educator, Jim received a B.A. from Carleton University and B.Ed., M.Ed. (Educational Administration), and Computer Specialist Certification from uOttawa.
Jim has considerable experience on advisory committees (municipal, education) and in communications (public relations, outreach, marketing) addressing client service needs in science, education, health, and social services augmented and refined by specialized training and practice.
At present, Jim is a community member on a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Peer Review Panel and has sat, in 2005-6, on City of Ottawa municipal advisory committees (including Health and Social Services, and Light Rail Transit Community Design Plan).
Jim looks forward to assisting the Board in meeting its strategic goals, and fulfilling its mission of nurturing the love of reading and pursuit of knowledge.
André Bergeron
André, originally from Timmins (Ontario), has lived and worked in Ottawa since 2001. Currently, he is an economic analyst with Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions and has previously worked with Health Canada. He is serving on the City of Ottawa's French Language Services Advisory Committee since 2005. André has a B.Sc. from the University of Sherbrooke (Quebec) and an M.A. from the University of Ottawa, both degrees specializing in economics.
Bernard Clavel
Bernard Clavel worked as a secondary school teacher-librarian in Plantagenet (Ontario) for 30 years. Since his retirement, he works part-time as an adult language instructor at MLS – Multi-Langues Services. His recent background includes being a municipal councillor in Clarence Township, a school trustee, a member of the Association canadienne-française de Prescott-Russell, a trustee on the Clarence County Public Library Board, a trustee on the Clarence-Rockland Public Library Board, and a member of the Fédération des aînés franco-ontariens. Bernard has a B.A., a B.Ed. and an M.Ed., all from the University of Ottawa. You can reach him at 613-824-5802 or at bclavel@sympatico.ca.
Councillor Peggy Feltmate
Peggy Feltmate was re-elected in 2006 as the councillor for Kanata South. She was first elected in 2003 to represent Kanata on Ottawa City Council. She is Vice Chair of the Planning and Environment Committee and also sits on the Community and Protective Services Committee, the Ottawa Public Library Board, and the Ottawa Community Housing Board.
A resident of Kanata since 1983, Peggy was the Executive Director of the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre for the first 16 years of its existence. As centre director, she managed 500 staff and volunteers. Her work gave her a reputation as an effective leader who gets things done in Kanata and who revolutionized the delivery of community services in Ottawa.
Peggy's leadership has earned her significant community recognition, most recently receiving the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. She was named a Woman of Distinction by the YW-YMCA, a Community Builder by the United Way of Ottawa and a Rotary Foundation Paul Harris Fellow.
Peggy is one of Kanata's most familiar faces. A long-time member of the Kanata Chamber of Commerce, she sat on the Kanata Economic Development Task Force, the Citizens Panel on Local Governance and was an active member of the Ottawa Senators Community Coalition. Her many community involvements have also included the Queensway-Carleton Hospital board, the Kanata-Hazeldean Lions Club executive, the Kanata Youth Centre board, Partners for Jobs and the Kanata Seniors Centre development committee.
Peggy was born in Wallaceburg, Ontario in 1949. She and her husband Tom live in the Katimavik-Hazeldean community and have one daughter, Katie. They are active members of the Kanata United Church.
Councillor Diane Holmes
Diane was born and educated in Montreal, Quebec. She attended McGill University where she obtained a degree in Physical Education, a subject she later taught at both McGill University and the University of Toronto. Diane has done community volunteer work in both Halifax, Nova Scotia and Ottawa. She is the past President of the Centretown Citizens Community Association and Heritage Ottawa.
Since being first elected Ottawa City Councillor for Wellington Ward in December 1982, she has maintained a strong interest in planning, transportation, the environment, culture, health services and women's issues. In 1994 she became the first directly elected Regional Councillor for Somerset Ward, and was acclaimed to another term three years later. In 2003, Diane was elected as City Councillor for Somerset Ward, where she now serves a diverse community of all ages, incomes, and origins.
She is a Founding Member of the Ottawa-Crime Prevention Council WISE Women’s Initiative for Safer Environments; a Past Chair of the Housing Committee, Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Regional Arts Advisory Committee Round Table to End Violence Against Women; and a Council Representative to the Bank Street Promenade Business Improvement Area, the Preston Street Business Improvement Area, the Somerset Heights Business Improvement Area, the Somerset Village Business Improvement Area, and the Sparks Street Mall & Sparks Street Mall Authority.
Murray MacLean
Murray MacLean is a retired city administrator, having been the Chief Administrative Officer of the Village of Rockcliffe Park from 1988-2000, the City Manager of the City of Moncton, Chief Administrative Officer for the City of London, and Senior Manager for the City of Ottawa. Murray has been the director of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and sat on the Boards and Executive Committees of both the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators and the Institute of Public Administration. Murray was the founding president of the Administrative Officers Association of New Brunswick, and a member of the Admissions Committee of the University of Western Ontario’s Urban Regional program. Murray was the founding chair of the NAC’s “Backstage Circle” (which supports the Arts Centre’s activities);a member of the Building Committee of the Board of the London Art Gallery; and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Moncton Regional Hospital. He is the first and only Canadian to have been awarded the prestigious Cookingham Award from the International City Management Association. Murray has won the silver medal in high hurdles event of the Dominion Junior Track and Field Championship of Canada; he was a member of the Eastern Ontario Junior Football Champions; team captain of the Eastern Ontario Intermediate Basketball Champions; skip of the rink, winning the RCMP Curling trophy; and long time member of the Minto Skating Club, where he was a bronze and silver medalist. Murray is also a vocal coach, and has been a member of the London Symphony Association, and is an active member of Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa. Murray was Vice Chair of the National Arts Centre Orchestra Association. Murray has a B.Comm. from Carleton, along with several other professional accreditations.
Tony Manera
Tony Manera, a native of Italy and a Canadian citizen, holds a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Now retired, he has worked as an engineer in the US aerospace industry, as a university and technical institute professor of electronics and mathematics, and as a senior executive in post secondary education and broadcasting. He is an author of books published in the US, Japan and Canada, and numerous opinion articles in leading Canadian publications. A former President and CEO of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Vancouver Community College and Niagara College, he has also done extensive consulting work in Canada, Asia and Europe in broadcasting, education and human resource management for the Canadian federal government, as well as for various non-profit and for profit organizations. He has served on numerous boards of directors in Canada and the US, in the education, broadcasting and health sectors. He is currently a member of the board of governors of the Ottawa Hospital, the Ottawa Public Library, and Opera Lyra Ottawa.
Vicki Metcalfe
Vicki worked as an analyst and in management over a 30 year career as a federal public servant, and has continued to provide consulting services to the Government of Canada. Since retirement she has done work for the Canada Revenue Agency and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Her full-time career included assignments in six departments. Vicki is a current board member and treasurer for the Crichton Cultural Community Centre (a registered charity). Vicki has a B.F.A. from Concordia, and an M.P.A. from Queen's.
Councillor Shad Qadri
Shad has been a community leader, friend and successful businessperson in Ward 6 for over 13 years. Over that time, he has been instrumental in the preservation of Stittsville’s ‘village’ feel while at the same time encouraging and guiding the many positive changes that the community has experienced. Shad has held many volunteer positions and played a major role in many fundraising efforts and other initiatives in Stittsville. Over the years Shad has represented the community on local school parent councils including A. Lorne Cassidy Elementary School, Sacred Hearth Catholic High School, Guardian Angels Catholic Elementary School and Holy Spirit Catholic School. From 2000-2003 Shad proudly served as Treasurer and Director of the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre.
Shad attended Carleton University, and was employed with a major food retailer chain for over twenty years in a variety of increasingly senior positions. Since 1989, Shad has successfully operated both franchised and independent small businesses. Shad and his wife Theresa currently own and operate Showbiz Entertainment and Gifts, which has been a community mainstay and effectively the Stittsville ‘village store’ since it opened many years ago. The Councillor was nominated for Business of the Year and Business Person of the Year by the Kanata Chamber of Commerce in 2005 and 2006. He was also nominated for Volunteer of the Year for 2006. Shad is Vice Chair of the City’s Community and Protective Services Standing Committee.
Shad was instrumental in establishing the Rotary Club of Ottawa-Goulbourn in 2004 and he was elected its first President. Shad was also one of the founders of the Stittsville Village Association in 2001 and was elected its first Vice-President, a position he held until 2003 when he became the Association’s President. He remained in that capacity until he took a leave of absence in April 2006 to run for Ward 6 Councillor in the municipal election.
Councillor Marianne Wilkinson
Marianne graduated from Trinity College, University of Toronto in Honours Geography and taught in Perth, Hamilton, Toronto and Nepean. She has also obtained a Master of Management Studies from McGill University, in June 2002.
Within days of moving to Kanata she became a Director of the local Community Association and a year later became the first woman elected to the March Township Council. For 17 years, Marianne served as a municipal politician. During nine of these years, she was the Head of Council as Reeve of March Township and the first Mayor of the City of Kanata. These positions meant that she was also a Councillor for the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton during that time.
Among her accomplishments, Marianne founded KanPlan, where community volunteers developed the planning system that provided the framework for Kanata's development. She assisted High Tech industries to locate in the Kanata North Business Park and served on the Kanata Library Board. At Regional Council she chaired the Planning, Waste Management and Budget Review Committees; served on the Social Services, Transportation and Economic Development Committees and as an OC Transpo Commissioner. During this time she was elected to the Board of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario serving in many capacities, including President in 1985.
She has been a lifetime volunteer, contributing extensively in a variety of roles at the local, provincial and national level. Her involvement in her community includes serving as Chair of the Steering Committee that established the Community Resource Centre for Kanata, Goulbourn and West Carleton; founding President of the Kanata Choral Society; and President of the Beaverbrook Community Association. Among her recent activities has been serving on the Boards of both the local and provincial Councils of Women; as Chair of the Board of Director's of the Ottawa Talent Initiative, a grassroots movement to assist laid off technology workers; as Treasurer of both the Canada Day Committee and the Canadian Federation of University Women Kanata; as a Director of the Beaverbrook Community Association, contributing significantly on planning issues; as a member of the Steering Committee of the Ottawa Chamber of Voluntary Organizations; as Chair of the Kanata Food Cupboard and as Warden of St. John's Anglican Church where she also Chaired the Committee for an addition to the church hall and represented the church on the Board of the Blue Heron Co-operative Housing Development that was built on church lands. Her awards include the Queen's Golden Jubilee medal in 2003 and the 2005 Y Woman of Distinction award for Lifetime Achievement. Marianne is Vice Chair of the City’s Transit Committee.