2026 Health Policy Symposium & Sinclair Lecture

Friday, September 25, 2026
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM (Lunch to follow)
The University Club at Queen's
168 Stuart Street, Kingston

See below for program information

REGISTER NOW Space is limited; reserve your spot today!

This event is co-hosted by HSPRI and the School of Policy Studies

Half-day symposium featuring a series of expert mini-talks and panel discussion on Aging in Communities. Capping off the event is the annual Dr. Duncan G. Sinclair Lectureship in Health Services and Policy Research.

Over a career spanning three decades at Queen's, Dr. Sinclair held numerous senior leadership roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, Vice-Principal, Vice-Principal (Health Sciences), and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. He also served as Director General of Program Operations for the Medical Research Council (MRC) of Canada and was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in recognition of his contributions to health and medical education. Although he retired in 1996, Dr. Sinclair has remained actively engaged in teaching, including providing guest lectures for Queen's graduate-level epidemiology courses.

In recognition of Dr. Sinclair's contributions to the Medical Research Council and his longstanding commitment to health policy and health services research, Dr. Henry Friesen, then President of the Medical Research Council of Canada, announced the creation of the Dr. Duncan G. Sinclair Lectureship in Health Services and Policy Research at Queen's University in 1997. Demonstrating their enduring commitment to advancing health policy research in Canada, Duncan and Leona Sinclair further strengthened the Lectureship through a generous contribution to its endowment in 2001, helping to ensure its ongoing impact for future generations of researchers, health professionals, and policymakers.

This year's lecture will be delivered by Paul McGarry, Head of the Greater Manchester Ageing Hub (see below for more details).

Health Policy Symposium

9:00 – 9:05 AM	Welcome and Land Acknowledgement Catherine Donnelly, Director, Health Services and Policy Research Institute, and Associate Professor, School of Rehabilitation Therapy TBD, School of Policy Studies
9:05 – 9:10	Opening Address Lisa Tannock, Dean, Queen’s Health Sciences
9:10 – 10:10	Panel Discussion: Policy Lens on Ageing in the Community Moderator: TBD · 9:10 – 9:20 Ruth Noordegraaf, City of Kingston · 9:20 – 9:30 Kim Morrison, FLA-OHT · 9:30 – 9:40 Samantha Buttemer, Public Health and Preventative Medicine Program (DFM) · 9:40 – 10:10 Q&A
10:10 – 10:20	Break
10:20 – 11:00	Examples from the Community Moderator: Julia Fournier, Director, Oasis National · 10:20 – 10:30 Helen Mabberly, Program Manager, Kingston Community Health Centre · 10:30 – 10:35 Q&A with Helen · 10:35 – 10:45 Peter Clutterbuck, Oasis Communities for Aging Well · 10:45 – 10:55 Q&A with Peter · 10:55 – 11:00 General Discussion

Sinclair Lecture

11:00 – 12:25 PM

28^th Dr. Duncan G. Sinclair Lectureship in Health Services and Policy Research

Introduction by Catherine Donnelly

New Ageism: Implications for Public Policy and Citizen Action

Paul McGarry, Head, Greater Manchester Ageing Hub
Assistant Director, Public Service Reform, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

12:25 – 12:30

Closing Remarks

Dr. Catherine Donnelly

TBD, School of Policy Studies

Paul McGarry is Assistant Director of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's Public Service Reform Directorate and has led the Greater Manchester Ageing Hub since 2016. He has worked in local government for more than 30 years and has been focused on improving the lives of older people since 1997.

In 2009, Paul established the Age-Friendly Manchester program at Manchester City Council. Under his leadership, Manchester became the first city in the United Kingdom to be recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an Age-Friendly City in 2010. He also played a key role in founding both the WHO Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities and the UK Network of Age-Friendly Communities.

Alongside his policy and leadership work, Paul is a Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, where he contributes to research on ageing, communities, and social inclusion. His contributions have been recognized internationally, including being named one of the United Nations Healthy Ageing 50 leaders. He also received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the British Society of Gerontology for his significant and lasting contributions to the field of ageing studies.

In 2024, Paul co-authored Re-imagining Age-Friendly Communities: Urban Ageing and Spatial Justice with colleagues from the University of Manchester's Urban Ageing Research Group. His work continues to bridge research, policy, and practice, helping to create communities where people can age well and remain connected, valued, and engaged throughout their lives.

Networking Lunch

Please join us immediately following the Sinclair Lecture for an opportunity to connect and engage with health services and policy researchers, academics, students, health system leaders, policymakers, public health professionals, community organizations, members of the public, and other stakeholders interested in ageing and community-based supports.