Roundtable Meeting of the signatories of the Canadian Philanthropic Commitment on Climate Change

2 December 2025 / Registration Closed

The Canadian Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change is a call on all foundations and other funders in this land to signal their commitment to act on climate change regardless of their respective missions.

Proposed agenda for Dec 2 meeting

  • Review: Survey data and input on Implementation Report use case
  • Guest: Reflections from COP 30 with Lucy Lu (Peter Gilgan Foundation)
  • Update: Climate Philanthropy Learning Series — Spring 2026 plans
  • Future: Topics and owners for upcoming roundtables

If you are a member of this group, you will receive a calendar invitation.

If you are not a member of this group, please visit our webpage to learn how to join.

Andre Williams

Programs Coordinator

Andre has six years of experience in social innovation. His expertise lies in qualitative data analysis, strategic storytelling, and driving social justice initiatives.

Andre Williams took on a program support role during his time at inPath, a training hub dedicated to empowering Indigenous youth through the arts. He spearheaded publications, engagement strategies, and research projects for nonprofits, showcasing his ability to lead and deliver results.

With a background in urbanism, his passion for creating inclusive public spaces was evident in his contributions to design, research, public engagement, and creative direction in collaboration with project managers and local communities.

Additionally, his work as a steering committee member with Concordia University’s Shift Centre for Social Transformation has been instrumental in supporting philanthropic initiatives. He has an eye for reviewing grant applications, budget allocations, and overall governance.
Land acknowledgement:

Andre Williams has called Tiohtià:ke (Montreal) home for the last 10 years. Tiohtià:ke has long been a meeting place for various Indigenous nations, including the Kanien’kehà:ka (Mohawk) Nation, who are part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Tiohtià:ke (Montreal) is also home to a diverse urban Indigenous population, including members of the Anishinaabeg, Huron-Wendat, and Inuit communities, among others.

Andre remains committed to systemic change and holds himself accountable to continue learning from and serving Indigenous communities.

André Pawan Vashist

Director, Learning & Collaboration

A multi award winning social innovator, André has 20 years of experience in community wellbeing and transformations and is a facilitator of multi-stakeholder collaborations that are working towards social and ecological justice.

At his core, he is a dedicated family member with two children, a lover of the land with joy for being outdoors, a poet who expresses openly about life’s journey, and a passionate collaborator for a better world.   

Co-designing solutions to shared challenges is where André likes to infuse his magic by weaving identities with a healing centered approach - connecting the inner and outer work as we attempt transformations to solve societal challenges. Watch this TEDx Talk to learn more about André.

André is currently located on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek (Ah-nish-in-a-bek), Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-no-show-nee), Lūnaapéewak (Len-ahpay- wuk) and Chonnonton (Chun-ongk-ton) Nations, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum - also known as London, Ontario, and along the river, Deshkan Ziibi.   

The three Indigenous Nations that are neighbours to London, Ontario are the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation; Oneida Nation of the Thames; and the Munsee-Delaware Nation who all continue to live as sovereign Nations with individual and unique languages, cultures and customs.      

(This Land Acknowledgement is a first step towards reconciliation. Awareness means nothing without action. He continues to learn and take steps towards decolonizing practices, including being informed about the traditional lands, Treaties, history, and cultures of the Indigenous people across Turtle Island.)