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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, March 7, 2014 | 4 Spark a passion and lead with it: Haddad by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff What began as a rallying cry for equality has turned into an annual Oakville event that gathers hundreds in a celebration of women. Abbey Park High School's Young Women in Leadership (YWIL) council hosted its third annual International Women's Day Breakfast at Le Dome Banquet Hall Wednesday. The breakfast brings together mothers, daughters, sisters and prominent business women, as well as the men who support them, together under one roof in appreciation of International Women's Day, recognized every year on March 8. "We know the future is bright when young women leaders take on an event like this that brings us together to talk about and celebrate our achievements and also to concentrate on what the future holds," said Oakvilleresident Mary Jo Haddad, who is also pastpresident and CEO of Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and was the guest speaker at Wednesday's breakfast. Haddad was the first woman to be president of SickKids, taking on the role in November 2004 and retiring on Dec. 31, 2013. She spoke of how the hospital was founded more than 100 years ago by a woman, Elizabeth McMaster, who was concerned about The third annual International Women's Day Breakfast, hosted by Abbey Park High School's Young Women in Leadership council, included a panel featuring, from left, Dora Anie, founder and president of the Ghana School of Dreams, Ana Golja, actor on Degrassi, and Mary Jo Haddad, past-president and CEO of Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. Haddad was also the featured speaker for the breakfast held Wednesday at Le Dome Banquet Hall. | photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) the number of children dying at that time. The hospital began as six cots in a single bedroom of a home and eventually became one the world's leading hospitals for children. "This is a woman who stood out... had no background in medical training, who trained herself and started a hospital," said Haddad. "If you ever doubt your passion and drive, just remember that story." Revolving around this year's International Women's Day theme of Inspiring Change, Haddad spoke of her personal philosophy that everyone has the capacity to lead, not just in politics or business, but in their community and everyday lives. She asked women to reject the impulse to look to others to lead and take on that role themselves, defining leadership as the ability to inspire others to dream, excel and achieve. "Leading with vision and passion is an idea we should all aspire to," Haddad said. "I encourage you all to find that spark within you." She noted it was hard to imagine that today, women and girls still tolerate injustice and persecution -- more than 600 million women live in countries where domestic violence is not a crime. Haddad called domestic violence just one of the barriers preventing women from achieving leadership roles and while its rates have dropped nationally, she says Canada needs to do a better job of closing "the significant gap in women representational leadership roles in public and private institutions." "There continues to be many barriers... we have significant evidence there's still dosee Leaders on p.9 THE COOLEST BRANDS... We're Here and We've Changed Sunday: Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: Saturday: Early Bird Must Go ($1500 on all sessions) Super Accumulator Comeback @ 7pm session Toonie Tuesday $2/strip on all sessions Wacky Wednesday 3 x $1500 on all sessions Pick the Spot $100 Taptix Voucher on all sessions 12x$1000 @ 7pm and 7x$1000 @ 10pm session Guaranteed 12x$1000 @ 7pm and 7x$1000 @ 10pm session Guaranteed THE LATEST STYLES... FACTORY SHOE OUTLET #1 SHOE STORE #1 CHILDREN'S SHOE STORE HOURS: Monday-Friday 9am to 9pm, Saturday 9am to 6pm · Sunday 10am to 6pm 905-632-9688 2394 FAIRVIEW ST., BURLINGTON Check us out at www.deltabingo.com 483 Speers Road, Oakville FAMILY OWNED FOR 57 YEARS! 905-842-0876