In our city’s history, immigrants have always played an important role. They build our economic prosperity, diversify our culture, contribute to our social vitality.

Jim Watson
Mayor of Ottawa
The work and expertise that OLIP brings to our community is so important as it helps us to build bridges and break down silos.  I look forward to our continued work together. 

Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa
All the WOW events that I went to were great – WOW does give a sense of a community trying to improve its attraction and retention!

Caroline Andrew
Professor, University of Ottawa
The target beneficiary of the work of OLIP is the whole community. In this short period we have planted together important seeds for Ottawa’s development.  

Dick Stewart
OLIP Council
Canada has been shaped by people who came from all over the world to build this country. WOW offers a platform for us to celebrate this history and the future it will help…

Alex Munter, Chair of the OLIP Council and President and CEO of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre
OLIP helps to unite and share scarce resources for greater impact by working together in the field of student education.

Walter Piovesan
Associate Director of Education, Ottawa Carleton District School Board
The OLIP Council is committed to leadership.  In only a few years, we have a common vision and priorities, and are up to the task of implementing the Ottawa Immigration Strategy.

Salimatou Diallo
OLIP Council Vice Chair, Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario
The WOW seminar on immigrant women’s nutrition and health was a step in the right direction towards closing the gap between academic researchers and service providers.

Josephine Etowa
Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of Ottawa
We are very pleased to have done the “Opportunity Cost of Not Investing in Interpretation” report – it is so important to have clarity on these challenges and…

Hindia Mohamoud, Director, OLIP
My nomination is an indication that our hard work in building Canada is recognized. All we do is to serve the community in return for embracing us when we needed it.  

Mehdi Mahdavi
Ottawa Immigrant Entrepreneurship Awards Nominee

Marie-Elise Lebon

Marie Elise 200x200Marie-Elise Lebon is the Coordinator of “Réseau de soutien à l’immigration francophone de l’Est de l’Ontario”, a host  program of the Economic and Social Council of Ottawa-Carleton (CESOC), an organization which helps francophone immigrants settle in Ottawa by providing them access to resources and links to established francophone communities.

In her current capacity, Marie-Elise plays a key role in the coordination of the Eastern Ontario chapter while leading a team of three officers. Marie-Elise has helped strengthen networks between municipalities and immigration agencies with the objective to increase the francophone immigrant presence within the province of Ontario’s eastern region in partnership with various non-profit organizations and government agencies servicing the francophone communities. Marie-Elise has been instrumental in building capacity for municipalities on specific francophone issues such as education, health, employability, and hosting.

Social and cultural causes are Marie-Elise’s passion. She has held positions such as project Manager, Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal; Consultant, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT); among others.

With more than 20 years of work in the non-profit sector and experience dealing with government and inter-governmental agencies, Marie-Elise is also exceptionally knowledgeable with fundraising strategies, grant writing, and the implementation of projects aimed at restructuring organizations in order to improve overall efficiency while streamlining operations. Notably, in her capacity as consultant for the Kenya Girl Guides Association (KGGA), she revitalized the KGGA in the late 1990s. The KGGA chapter is instrumental in providing leadership skills training to young girls and engaging in fundraising activities in particular to improve the nutrition, health and education of abandoned children in Nairobi slums.

Marie-Elise’s also possesses managerial experience in the area of Human Resources. In the past she has held several positions as a Human Resources Manager for Pepsi, and as Staff Manager for the Airport Authority in Haiti. As an entrepreneur, Marie-Elise is also the founder and chair of her own company MEL Productions, a service company specializing in the organization of special, corporate, social and artistic events.