Past Talks

The Academy’s Presenting the Presenter session is always one of my favourite Forums. Not only do we get to hear about a range of topics in one sitting, but we are also privileged to hear a trio of speakers from our own ranks who engage the audience in different ways; presenting well-researched topics that tweak one’s brains as well as one’s imagination.

This session fit the model to a “T”, with two topical presentations and one that made you think in a creative way.

  Outgoing Chair of the Talks Committee, Thea Herman started the session by thanking the members of the Talks and Communications Committees, the Treasurer and the staff of Innis College for their contributions towards making this year’s Spring Talks Series…

Michael Crabb – author, journalist and Toronto Star dance critic – posed the overarching question of ‘are the classics an endangered species in the performing arts?’ to Academy members and guests at the fourth 2019 Academy Talk. Crabb introduced himself…

At the Academy’s Spring Talk on May 1, Ann Cavoukian, PhD, one of the world’s leading, and most highly decorated, privacy experts, spoke passionately and persuasively about the importance of privacy in our lives. Cavoukian was introduced by the Academy’s…

The Spring Talk on April 24, 2019 featured Edward Greenspon, former Editor-in-Chief of The Globe and Mail and now President and CEO of the Public Policy Forum (PPF), a policy issue think tank that partners with governments, the private sector,…

Bernie Farber gave a very moving, very personal Spring Talk on April 10, 2019, ending with a call to action.A leading expert on hate crimes and long-time CEO of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Farber began with personal stories illustrating why he has fought for social justice his whole life.

Dr Stephen Gaetz, Director of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness at York University and also President of the Homeless Hub, was speaker at the Academy’s second popular Spring Talk  on April 17th. He was introduced to us by Liz Guccione…

There has been a marked increase in anti-Semitism and hate crimes over the past three years in Canada and North America. Bernie M. Farber explores the history, root causes and the role social media is playing in spreading hate and recruiting extremists.

WHEN: April 10, 2019, 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Ave., Toronto, ON M5S 1J5 (corner of St. George Street)

Kneeling: R. Holloway Front Row: (L to R) L. Tyson, S. Klein, N. Sewards, P. Platt Back Row: (L to R) P. Broadley, M. Reeve, I. Darragh, M. Cole (facilitator) The last forum in the current series – Laughter is…

The wonderful March 13 Academy Forum was presented by Linda Tu’s daughter, Christine Tu. Christine is the Director of the Office of Climate Change and Energy Management for the Region of Peel and her presentation was thoughtful, fact-filled with excellent…