Difference Makers

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they speak with, Douglas Leahy, Group Commissioner at Westmount Park Scouting. He has been the Westmount Park Scout Leader since 2004, and is on the Board of Directors of the St-Patrick's Development Foundation. They also speak with Scott Phelan...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they speak with, Robyn Dalton, Executive Director at LOVE (Canada). LOVE, or Leave Out ViolencE, started in the mid-1990s to reduce youth violence by helping at-risk young people develop empathy and confidence, and Pascal Mathieu, VP at Can...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they speak with Marie Christine Le Bourdais, Director of Programs and Services – Partnership and Alliance Development at the Alzheimer Society of Montreal. Susana Lazaro is President and CEO of Diabetes Quebec. As a former nurse, Susana br...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they speak with Dr. Olivier Farmer, a psychiatrist at Notre-Dame Hospital and an Associate Clinical Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Montreal. Mike Weston is the director of Andy’s House Treatment Centre. He co-fou...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they speak with Valerie Assouline who, with more than two decades of experience as a family lawyer, having been a prominent member of the Quebec Bar since 1998, founded SOS Avocats in 2007. Sandra Watson is Mental Health & Reintegration Dire...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they speak with Leslie Acs, Executive Director of La Passerelle, Leslie devotes his efforts top providing tools and support for mature workers’ re-entry into the workforce and creating public awareness of effective recruitment practices, i...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they speak with Jean-Rémi Mayrand, founder of Les Colocs de l'Ouest, a fabulous residential project on the West Island developed for young adults on the autism spectrum. Judy Martin is the Executive Director of the Hylcan Foundation, whic...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they speak with John Gladu, director of L’Aiguillage since 2014, an organization that offers support to the homeless population of Vaudreuil-Soulanges. Benoit Langevin is City Counsellor for District du Bois-de-Liesse, Arrondissement...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode: Dr. Arwa Hussain, a Ph. D scholar specializing in religion, gender, and digital media. Arwa is a Sacred Writes Public Scholarship Fellow whose research on the religious agency of Dawoodi Bohra women has been recognized with the prestigious Prix...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode: Leslie Roberts currently sits on the board of TALQ, formerly the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN), one of the province’s leading advocacy organizations for English-speaking Quebecers. Pearl Eliadis is an award-winning lawyer, educato...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode: Alessia Di Giorgio, Director of Events at The Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation and Danny Williams, founder of the West Island Men's Shed.

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode: Rosemary Cooke, President of the McGill university Retiree Association, and Michele Chappaz, Executive Director of MMFIM ( Mouvement pour mettre fin à l'itinérance à Montréal).

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode: Marina Boulos-Winton has recently been named to head Sun Youth. Marina has devoted her considerable energy and vision to supporting society’s most vulnerable people, particularly women and youth in precarious circumstances. Sophie Gaillard...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode: Soraya Martinez Ferrada is Mayor of Montreal and has served as leader of Ensemble Montréal since 2025. Soraya tells us in what ways she'd like to be a difference-maker for the city. Antonia Macris is Manager of Corporate Learning and Nati...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode: Chris Gobeil, a chartered professional accountant in Hudson, Quebec with over 30 years of volunteer leadership and creative work, making him a passionate advocate for the arts and his community. Also, Jennifer Hobbs Robert who is a bilingual hea...

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this Best of episode: Valentino Pietrantonio - Executive Director of Big Brothers / Big Sisters West Island and Meagan Sommerville, who runs West Island Community Shares.

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this Best of episode: Claude Pinard - President of the Montreal Executive Committee, volunteer Norm Horner and fundraiser Jim Morrison.  

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they look at a volunteer influencer, a group of families who sing Christmas carols at a veteran's hospital and a remarkable local palliative care centre.

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode,they take a look at philanthropy

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they look at the impact of giving and the impact of a teacher with student school activities. Plus hear some of the listener submitted shout outs to difference markers in the community.

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they look at volunteers in Montreal's business/corporate community and young caregivers who help families manage the effects of mental illness.

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they look at a horse rescue shelter and explain how people who start volunteering at a young age are more likely to continue doing so when they're older.

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they look at Hope for Dementia and employment in Quebec.

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they look at Communitas and their work of reintegrating people who have spent time in prison into society.

Sam Watts of the Welcome Hall Mission and James Hughes of the Old Brewery Mission shine light on people who make a difference in society. On this episode, they explore a fundraising initiative which has been collecting cans and bottles with the help of the community in order to raise money for cancer charities.