Jessica Holmes

Celebrated Comedian | Author | Mental Health Advocate

Beloved comedian Jessica Holmes has brought the house down opening for giants like Ellen DeGeneres, Russell Peters, Jerry Seinfeld, and Oprah Winfrey. She has also performed at Just For Laughs and The Second City, and starred in the hit comedy series, Royal Canadian Air Farce and The Holmes Show. Her hilarious take on life’s challenges as well as her unique knack for impersonating celebrities always leaves audiences in stitches.

Holmes, like millions of Canadians, has struggled both with post-partum depression and, as she puts it, “regular, run-of-the-mill, garden-variety depression”. Striving to help end the stigma around mental health issues, she openly shares her personal stories with the humour she’s known for, bringing light to what can often be a dark topic. Her funny and inspiring book, Depression The Comedy: A Tale of Perseverance, delves into her personal journey with validation and warmth. It was named one of the top 25 books about mental health by Reader’s Digest. She is grateful to help end the stigma around mental illness and in 2018 was honoured to join the Bell Let’s Talk team as a celebrity ambassador.

Today, Holmes’ greatest joy is working as an advocate for mental health and helping people take simple, sustainable steps towards fulfillment and well-being, one laugh at a time. In 2025, she will receive her Master’s of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of East London.

Séan McCann

Shantyman | Order of Canada | Recovery Advocate | Author | Great Big Sea Founder

Born in Carbonear, Newfoundland, Séan McCann rose to fame as a founding member of the iconic Canadian band Great Big Sea, whose feel-good folk anthems helped define a generation. But behind the rollicking rhythms and stadium-sized singalongs, Séan carried a secret—a history of trauma and a battle with alcoholism that nearly cost him everything.

In the years since walking away from the spotlight, Séan has become something far more powerful than famous: honest. He is now an acclaimed solo artist, a mental health and recovery advocate, a passionate public speaker, and a recipient of the Order of Canada. His music today isn’t about chart positions—it’s about truth, healing, and human connection.

Through story and song, Séan shares his journey from pain to purpose with audiences across the country, reminding them that music is medicine and that the bravest thing we can do is keep singing. His mantra is simple but revolutionary: Sing. Share. Survive.

Séan doesn’t just perform—he connects. And in doing so, he turns every stage into a space where people feel seen, heard, and a little less alone.