Mercy Ships Founder Speaks in Ottawa and Toronto

Canadian parliamentarians, diplomats, donors and alumni gathered at three receptions in Ottawa and Toronto March 24 and 25 to hear Mercy Ships President and Founder Don Stephens present the work of the international hospital ship charity that provides medical and developmental programs free of charge to the forgotten poor.

Don Stephens, Debbie Noble, Mercy Ships Canada Board Chair, and Mercy Ships Canada National Director Tim Maloney first met with a small group of MPs and Senators in the Parliamentary restaurant the afternoon of March 24th, where those attending committed to promoting Mercy Ships within their communities and areas of influence.

That same evening, more than 90 from Ottawa’s diplomatic corps, federal service and business community concluded a stand-up reception in the Marriott Hotel with an extended question-and-answer time. Many stepped forward to offer their support to move Mercy Ships forward in the Ottawa area.

Mr. Francis Loko, the Ambassador from the Republic of Benin, and Mr. Kossivi Osseyi, the Ambassador from Togo, both commented on the work of Mercy Ships in their homelands, thanking Stephens on behalf of their people.

Following a Mercy Ships Canada Board annual meeting on March 25th, another reception hosted some 30 business people, donors and alumni in the Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto. Organized by board member, John McLeod, a Senior Manager with the Royal Bank of Canada, the reception again ended with an enthusiastic Q&A time. Mercy Ships alumnus Kate Forsythe of Scarborough, ON, commented on how privileged she felt to have spent a short time serving as a nurse with Mercy Ships in Benin in 2009 and how she looked forward to a longer term of service onboard the Africa Mercy.

Both Stephens and Maloney felt the events in Canada’s political and financial centers opened eyes and hearts to involvement in helping transform lives through the work of Mercy Ships.

“My time in Ottawa and Toronto,” said Stephens, “was especially fulfilling as I was able to meet some of the people of influence in Canada and to spend some time with long-time supporters and alumni. Tim and I look forward to further involvement with those who stepped forward to offer their help to build awareness through their spheres of influence.”

Maloney added, “The question-and-answer times showed the keen interest of people in our work and I believe we will see further involvement from many of them.” He also expressed his thanks to those who helped organize the receptions: Dominique Myre, Assistant to Denise Savoie, MP Victoria and David Sheppard, Assistant to Senator Terry Mercer for the Parliamentary meeting; Marilyn Collette, Estreliata Aboukassam, Kyle McRobie and Karen Lochhead for the Ottawa reception and John McLeod for the Toronto event.

From left: Tim Maloney, National Director, Mercy Ships Canada; Senator Terry Mercer, Nova Scotia; Tom Lukiwski, MP Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre; Don Stephens, Founder & President, Mercy Ships; Denise Savoie, MP Victoria; Debbie Noble, Mercy Ships Canada Board Chair; Alan Tonks, MP York South-Weston