Council

The Honourable
Julie Dabrusin

Minister

The Honourable Julie Dabrusin is a long-time resident of Toronto–Danforth and was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2015. Prior to becoming a Member of Parliament, Minister Dabrusin practised law in Toronto and was a strong community advocate for public transit, housing, the arts, and the fight against climate change. As a Member of Parliament, Minister Dabrusin has served in various roles, including as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. In both public and private roles, Minister Dabrusin has been involved in climate-based initiatives, including work on modernizing the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, and building a circular and low-carbon economy. As the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, she is focused on delivering ambitious climate action while growing a strong, sustainable economy and creating a healthier and more resilient Canada for all Canadians.

Alicia Bárcena

Secretary

Minister of Environment and Natural Resources She served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from June 2023 to September 2024. Previously, she was the Ambassador of Mexico to Chile. From 2008 to 2022, she held the position of Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). She also served as Deputy Executive Secretary and Director of the Division of Environment and Human Settlements at ECLAC. At the United Nations, she was the Deputy Secretary-General for Management, Chief of Staff, and Deputy Chief of Staff to the former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. Additionally, she served as Coordinator of the Sustainable Development Program for Latin America and the Caribbean at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and as Coordinator of the Environmental Citizenship Project at the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). In 1982, she became the first Vice Minister of Ecology in Mexico, at the then Ministry of Urban Development and Ecology. She also held the position of Director-General of the National Fisheries Institute in 1988. She holds a degree in Biology and a Master's in Ecology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard University. She is the author of more than 50 publications in various international media and academic journals.

Lee Zeldin

Administrator

Lee Zeldin was sworn in as the 17th Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency on January 29, 2025. Administrator Zeldin has dedicated his life to public service. He is currently in his 22nd year in the United States military, having deployed to Iraq in 2006 with the Army’s Elite 82nd Airborne Division and continues to serve as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve. He served in the New York State Senate from 2011-2014 and later represented New York’s 1st Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 2015-2023. During his eight years in Congress, Zeldin worked across party lines to preserve the Long Island Sound and Plum Island. He supported key legislation that became historic, bipartisan success stories like the Great American Outdoors Act and Save our Seas Act to clean up plastics from our oceans. He also led the fight for Sea Grant, combated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water, voted for the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act, and supported clean energy projects on Long Island. At just 23, Lee became the youngest attorney in New York State at the time. Born and raised in Suffolk County, New York, Lee and his wife Diana are proud parents to their twin daughters, Mikayla and Arianna.