Equality Breakfast 2024
Equality Breakfast 2024
Presenting Pam Palmater
International Women’s Day
Friday, March 8, 2024
Please note this event has passed
For current events see: Attend an event
We are grateful to the more than 650 friends, supporters, sponsors, and allies who helped us celebrate International Women’s Day at our annual Equality Breakfast. Thanks to your incredible response, we raised much-needed funds to advance equality and justice for those in BC who are marginalized because of their gender.
You can now relive the magic—or see what you missed—by:
For event logistics, accessibility, and more details, visit our FAQ section.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Pam Palmater
Considered one of Canada’s Top 25 Movers and Shakers, Mi’kmaw lawyer, Dr. Pam Palmater, is an internationally-renowned speaker, award-winning podcaster, prolific author, and activist driving reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, human rights, and social justice.
Dr. Pam Palmater is an internationally renowned speaker, award-winning Indigenous podcaster, prolific author, and social justice activist driving reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. With four degrees, including a doctorate in law focusing on Indigenous rights, Pam helps change academia as Professor and Chair in Indigenous Governance at Toronto Metropolitan University. A Mi’kmaw Nation citizen and member of Eel River Bar First Nation, she champions social justice through both mainstream and social media outlets, educating people about Indigenous rights so they can push for meaningful changes to Canadian laws and policies.
As a practicing lawyer for over two decades and an expert in Indigenous law, she testifies before United Nations treaty bodies, Parliamentary committees, and inquiries like Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and the most recent Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission. Considered one of the Top 25 Movers and Shakers by the Financial Post; Pam’s 200+ publications on Indigenous issues, human rights, and social justice for major outlets like Chatelaine, Maclean’s Magazine, The Lawyer’s Daily, and a host of online news outlets like CTV, CBC, and APTN; she catalyzes change, forging a path towards social justice and climate action.
Emcee: Michelle Eliot
Michelle Eliot is an award-winning journalist and the host of CBC British Columbia’s weekday call-in show, BC Today, where she engages in conversation with listeners on the day’s top stories and on issues important to British Columbians.
Eliot has hosted numerous CBC news specials, including election and provincial budget coverage on both local and network programs. She has also tapped into her Filipino heritage as part of CBC’s Mabuhay B.C., an ongoing initiative to share stories from the province’s Filipino community. Eliot has been recognized by the Radio Television Digital News Association and the Jack Webster Foundation for stories that delved into the opioid crisis in B.C., the immigrant experience in Canada, and for coverage of the 2017 NDP-Green deal for a minority government in B.C.
Eliot was born in the Philippines and moved to Canada at 12-years-old, settling in North Vancouver. Her experience as a young immigrant inspired a yearning to tell the stories of people whose lives are changed by new circumstances. She received a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from UBC (University of British Columbia) and then went on to study Broadcast Journalism at BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology) before joining CBC Vancouver in 2000.
Active in the community, Eliot has hosted numerous events and forums throughout the Lower Mainland, including panel discussions on proportional representation, basic income, costs of caregiving, and anxiety and motherhood. When not in the host chair, Eliot enjoys hiking and exploring Metro Vancouver’s diverse culinary landscape with her husband and two children. As a parent of a child with special needs, Eliot also participates in events in the disability community. In her spare time, she can often be found digging into a good book or dancing it out at a local hip-hop dance studio.
Keynote Address by Pam Palmater
2024 Equality Breakfast Photos
Welcome to the 2024 Equality Breakfast photo gallery. What a photogenic crew of equality supporters you folks are!*
These gorgeous images were captured by the talented Johnny Liu and Tony Doan of Johnny Liu Photography. You can follow Johnny Liu Photography on Facebook Instagram and Pinterest. Photo files are compressed; to see a larger image, click on the photo, it will open in a new window, then click on it again to see a higher-resolution version.
*If you would prefer that we take an image down from our website, don’t hesitate to contact us to make a specific request.
Partner with us next year!
Our annual Equality Breakfast is only possible because of the generous support of our Partners.
Partnership is a highly visible way to demonstrate that you value gender inclusion and diversity in leadership, are committed to social responsibility, support access to justice for all, and want to see a more equal and just BC.
Volunteer with us next year!
Are you passionate about gender equality and social justice?
Would you like to contribute to the success of a large-scale fundraising event?
Email us at volunteer@westcoastleaf.org for more info.
Frequently Asked Questions
Event Details
Cutoff to buy early bird tickets is January 31, 2024.
- After early bird closes, regular individual tickets will be $140 and regular table pricing will be $1,600.
Cutoff to buy regular tickets is noon on March 4, 2024.
Friday, March 8, 2024, from 7 am to 9:00 am PT.
Doors will open at 6:30 am PT.
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, 900 West Georgia Street. See map.
The Equality Breakfast menu is, as usual, lacto-ovo vegetarian with a vegan option upon request. For other dietary requests including allergies, please fill out the form linked in your order confirmation email by Monday, March 4, 2024.
The venue has an upgraded air filtration system. We will have N95 masks available for guests.
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is wheelchair accessible. We provide American Sign Language interpretation and CART live captioning. Please let us know if you would benefit from ASL interpretation so that we can ensure that you have appropriate seating. For those who use a wheelchair or other assisted mobility device, we would like to reserve you a fully accessible seat.
Please enter any accessibility requests on your order form or email info@westcoastleaf.org. Please note that the deadline for accessibility requests is Monday, March 4, 2024.
There will be a photographer present to help us capture the event. If you do not want your photo taken for any reason, please let the photographer know. You may be photographed in a crowd shot. If you have safety concerns regarding photography, we will have a lanyard that you can wear to help us identify which crowd shots we should not publish or use to promote our activities.
Tickets
Yes. There are virtual livestream tickets available by donation here.
Registration for this event is non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, you are welcome to transfer your ticket to a friend, colleague, or loved one. You are also welcomed to donate it back to us and we will redistribute it to a community member who might otherwise be unable to attend.
To take advantage of this option, please donate the ticket back to us via info@westcoastleaf.org no later than Monday, March 4, 2024.
Yes; you can ensure you are seated together by either becoming a Partner or by purchasing a table. Your organization can become a Partner, which, among other benefits, will give you access to a priority table so you can socialize with your group.
We do have a limited number of tables available for purchase. Otherwise, we suggest you plan to arrive early to choose seats together from the available open seating.
Tax receipts will be issued for a portion of the ticket and/or table purchase prices.
Partnerships
To learn about the impact and benefits of becoming a Partner, request a partnership package, or to discuss your level of support, please send us an email.
Silent auction
The silent auction will be available online and in person this year. You’ll have several days to peruse and bid on coveted items and services.
Can’t attend the event? You can still make your bids and win your most-wanted items. More details to come!
To donate to the silent auction, send an email and someone on our team will get back to you!
Membership
By purchasing an individual ticket, you are automatically eligible to become a member. Opt-in on the payment page!
If you did not purchase an individual ticket, you can purchase a membership.
Yes!