If there is one person in this world we truly envy, it's Victor Chan. For more than 40 years, Chan has had the incredible opportunity to accompany one of our heroes--His Holiness the Dalai Lama--on his world travels. In a new book, Chan shares stories about the Dalai Lama's encounters with world leaders, children living in poverty, activists, and scientists, among others.

As he approaches his fourth year as Deputy Police Chief -- the "skinny immigrant kid from Jamaica" reflects on his signature contribution to the police board, his time as a peacekeeper in Kosovo and gives advice to new immigrants who may want to emulate such a high profile career.

To those of us who immigrated to Canada in the 1990s, Namugenyi "Nam" Kiwanuka was our introduction to Canada. She was a smart and engaging celebrity MuchMusic VJ. As if being a new mother is not occupying much of her time, the Ugandan native has used whatever time she has left fulfilling the promise of her Canadian citizenship by bringing attention to worthy causes all around the world.

I was vacationing in Muskoka, Ontario. As I was relaxing I was startled by a boat rushed back, yelling, "Someone is down out in the water." I pulled out my phone and searched "CPR" on Google. Page after page there was nothing. So I emailed Google about it...

How does a woman who was abused by her father and addicted to drugs by her parents at that age ever get back on her feet? How does she grow up to become a functioning member of society? It can be hard enough for people with parents who care for them to succeed in life and find happiness, but with criminal acts perpetrated by family members this seems impossible.

As non-scientists, we've been casually observing a trend for some time that we'd initially dubbed: the baffling research phenomenon. We still haven't eradicated polio in all parts of the world. Or malaria, for that matter. Or yellow fever. Every day, people die from vaccine-preventable diseases. So we can appreciate science for the sake of science but our collective time and money, as a species, might be better spent elsewhere.

Toronto's own Jamil Jivani will soon return home as a newly minted Yale Law School graduate. For the nearly 25 year old law student, who is a self-described citizen committed to the "principles of change, hope and progress" -- it has been quite a ride. For him, even a gig as an intern at one of the most exclusive law firms New York was not enough to convince him to stay in the United States.

Diana Alli is one of the many distinguished Canadians being honoured with the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal this year. She shares her unique experience as an immigrant and shares the many volunteer work she is pursing now that she has retired from the University of Toronto after four decades.

Long before Mark Persaud became the Queen's Golden Jubilee medal winning activist, the noted Toronto lawyer spent many trying days as a new immigrant on the streets of Toronto, homeless. He opens up on the early days as an immigrant, his law career, why he is a patriotic Canadian and the reason why he is committed to peace and justice in Canada and abroad via the Canadian International Peace Project.

Robin Wiszowaty left the gleaming strip malls, street grids and coiffed lawns of suburban Illinois for the wilds of rural Kenya in 2002. And she's never looked back. What was meant to be a brief exchange from the University of Illinois to the small Nkoyet-naiborr community in Kenya's Maasai Mara has morphed into her life's adventure. Here, Robin Wiszowaty tells us how she fell in sync with the heartbeat of Africa, and how she found her home.

Ottawa's Mahlet Seifu is having a far reaching impact here at home and abroad. As if having a full time business consultant position is not busy enough, Mahlet started modeling seven years ago, and is now a fashion designer with the hope of helping a cause that is near and dear to her.

Bruce Alexander is helping create a movement of new Canadians to have a huge impact in the Canada of tomorrow. For the last several decades, the 74-year-old former Bay street lawyer has mentored a slew of new Canadian women change their lives and the lives of their communities through the power of an education.

KYIV, Ukraine - At a glitzy Kyiv night club brimming with neon lights and energetic pop music, the models showed off sleek evening gowns and glamorous...