Module 10
Collaboration Across Governments
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George Abbott has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in politics and public service. Most recently, he was BC’s Minister of Education (2010-12), successfully launching such initiatives as the BC Teachers Council, the BC Education Plan and full-day kindergarten.
George also served as Minister of Health for four years (2005-09). His leadership in prevention, primary care, acute care, pharmaceutical management and health practitioner regulation helped establish BC as a leader in Canadian health care. He also served as Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation (2009-10), Minister of Sustainable Resource Management (2004-05) and Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services (2001-04). From 1996 to 2001, George served as Deputy House Leader for the Official Opposition.
On George’s retirement, columnist Gary Mason of the Globe and Mail stated, “Abbott will go down as one of the most effective government ministers of the last three decades – or longer. Top notch in every way.”
Prior to his election to the Legislature, he served for 17 years in local government including as Director and Chair of the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District and as a Councillor at the District of Sicamous.
George was a Sessional Lecturer in Political Science at Okanagan University College from 1980 to 1996. He is currently a Sessional Lecturer at the University of Victoria and recently completed his PhD in Political Science.
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Jan Sanderson graduated with her Masters degree in Public Affairs in 1980. The first ten years of her career were spent in Saskatchewan working for first for the Federal government and subsequently for the Province. In 1989 she returned to her roots in Manitoba and began a 27 year career with the Province of Manitoba, spanning a range of progressive assignments in human resources, labour relations, and program management.
In 2001, Jan became the CEO of Healthy Child Manitoba, reporting to the Healthy Child Committee of Cabinet. In 2009, this role was merged with her new assignment as Deputy Minister of Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors. In 2012, while retaining her CEO role, Jan was appointed Deputy Minister of the newly created Department of Children and Youth Opportunities.
In 2016, Jan left the Province of Manitoba and became a Research Chair at Red River College. In January 2020, Jan was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada for her career service in the Manitoba public sector.
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Margaret Biggs is the Matthews Fellow in Global Public Policy for the School of Policy Studies and Department of Political Studies at Queen's University. From 2008 - 2013 she was President of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). In this role, she was accountable for policy advice, partnerships, programming and performance management related to Canada’s international development and humanitarian assistance, including Canadian initiatives on maternal and child health, sustainable economic growth, and fragile and conflict-affected states. In this capacity, she also contributed to the horizontal management of major foreign policy priorities such as the whole-of-government mission in Afghanistan. Previously, Ms. Biggs served as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Plans) and Assistant Secretary, Priorities and Planning, in the Privy Council Office. As an Assistant Deputy Minister she held positions responsible for social and labour market policy and for skills, learning and social development programs.
Ms. Biggs has an extensive background in federal-provincial relations and social policy and played a key role in the creation of Canada’s National Child Benefit. She started her career at the North South Institute. Ms. Biggs has represented Canada in numerous international fora and has served as Canada’s Alternate Governor to the World Bank, as International Executive Co-chair of the China Council on International Cooperation on Environment and Development, and on the Board of Governors for the International Development Research Centre. Ms. Biggs is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University.
