Citizens' Assembly Staff Profile

Jack was appointed chair of the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform in May 2003 by the B.C. Legislature.  He has considerable experience as a facilitator who can bring people together around a common goal.

Jack is a former president of Simon Fraser University.  In various university capacities, he increased access to degree-completion opportunities and helped create special undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as liberal arts and professional programs for adults.  He was instrumental in the creation of Simon Fraser University’s downtown campus and the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue.  The centre is acclaimed worldwide for its design and support for dialogue. 

Jack continues to serve as a Commissioner of the International Joint Commission, a treaty organization dedicated to resolving transboundary water issues between Canada and the United States.
 
He has served as chair of the Fraser Basin Council, which brings together all levels of government, including First Nations, and the private and civil sectors to resolve sustainability issues in B.C.’s Fraser River Basin. 

Jack is also co-creator and founding director of Action Canada, a unique public-private partnership whose mission is to identify and encourage future leaders of Canada.
 
Jack has served on a variety of community boards, such as those of the Vancouver Museum and Planetarium and the Vancouver Police Department.

He has received several national and regional honours, including an honorary doctor of laws from UBC and the Order of British Columbia.
 
Jack was born and lives in Vancouver and has explored most of it by foot.  He loves what he calls “urban hiking,” walking around cities, getting to know neighbourhoods, chatting with the folks he meets.  Jack enjoys cooking and reads stacks of newspapers from all over the world.