The Hon. Michael Kirby is an international leader in advancing health care. His distinguished career spans academia, business, provincial and federal service. He was appointed the first Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. He also serves on several boards including The Bank of Nova Scotia, Extendicare, Ontario Energy Savings Income Trust, MDC Partners and Indigo Books and Music. Former Senator Kirby was past chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. He has been a member of the Trilateral Commission, the Council of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Luxemburg, Austria, and the Club of Rome. He was also a full-time professor in the School of Business Administration and the School of Public Administration at Dalhousie University.