YMUN 2010 Keynote Speaker & Host
 

Keynote Speaker: Saeed Rahnema

Saeed Rahnema is award-winning Professor of Political Science at York University. He has served as the Director of the School of Public Policy and Administration, and Coordinator of the Political Science program at Atkinson Faculty, York University. In his homeland Iran, he taught and worked as a member of the executive of the Industrial Management Institute in Tehran. He has also served with the UNDP, was a Director of the Middle East Economic Association (MEEA), and has been as a member of Editorial Board of several journals. He is the author of several books and numerous articles in English and Persian. He is a frequent commentator on Canadian and international media on the issues of the Middle East and Islam, social movements, and Muslim diasporas. Professor Rahnema is the winner of the most prestigious Leadership in Faculty Teaching Award of the Government of Ontario, and several other university awards, and for successive years was listed in the Maclean’s Magazine Guide to Canadian Universities as a most popular professor.

Host: Mario Sergio, MPP York West,
PA to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Mario Sergio was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 1995 and was re-elected in 1999 and 2003 and 2007. In opposition, he was critic for small business and served as deputy whip.

Mr. Sergio’s service in public office spans more than 30 years. His first municipal election victory was in 1978, when he was elected to the City of North York Council. He was chairman and a member of North York's Planning Board Committee for 14 years. From 1985 to 1988, he also served on Metro Toronto Council, where he was chairman of the Metro Transportation Committee. Mr. Sergio has also served on the Public Works Committee, the Metro Toronto Housing Authority, the Metro Toronto Region Conservation Authority and the Canadian National Exhibition board. Formerly Parliamentary Assistant (PA) to the Minister of Tourism and Recreation, responsible for the seniors' portfolio, Mr. Sergio is currently PA to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Before he entered politics, Mr. Sergio was a registered general insurance and real estate broker. At age 21, he started his own general insurance business while working as a life insurance agent. In 1969, he started his own real estate brokerage, which he operated until his municipal election win nine years later.

Mr. Sergio’s community service spans more than 35 years and has included being a: founding member of C.O.S.T.I., member of the York Finch Hospital Board, co-chair of the United Way of North York, director of the Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association, and member of the Knights of Columbus, the Children's Aid Society and American Public Works Association.

Mr. Sergio was born in Italy in 1940. He and his wife, Rose, have two sons and four grandchildren.



 

2004; Mario Sergio, M.P.P.; All Rights Reserved.