Join an Academy Book Club!

There are now two Book Clubs as well as Special Interest Groups that are running in the Fall and Winter (these groups run monthly online via Zoom and are available to all members).

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Opinions

Bi-weekly;  Week One;  Thursday;  2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
WINTER TERM ONLY – Hybrid **NEW Format**

Participants select a presentation topic from a curated list of articles under Workshop Materials below. The articles typically have appeared in well-known Canadian and US monthly journals or the Opinion/Editorial pages (Globe & Mail, New York Times, Washington Post, Guardian, etc) covering a wide range of current interests- from abortion rights to xenophobia in society. Anything is fair game except “no Trump”. There is “tech”, pop culture, arts, business, politics, international affairs, health & religion. You may also propose an article not on the list to the Facilitators. There will be two 25-minute presentations / workshop session.

This workshop will have a new delivery format, called “Hybrid mode” where some participants can be remote on Zoom, while others are simultaneously in-person in the classroom. Total attendance is limited to 25 participants with any combination of remote and up to 12 in-class. NOTE: Please indicate your preference when registering, however you are free to decide the day before each workshop by notifying a facilitator.

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Mitchell Marcus “City Building Through Creativity: the Redevelopment of the Downsview Airport Lands.” On Wednesday, May 10 at 10:15 a.m. (Spring Talk # 5) at Innis College, 2 Sussex Avenue.

Mitchell Marcus is a cultural entrepreneur, Founding Artistic Director of The Musical Stage Company, and presently the Executive Director of Site Activation and Programming for the Downsview Airport Lands redevelopment project (Northcrest Developments). Mitchell Marcus will share his vision for the transformation of this 370 acre heritage land into one of Toronto’s most culture-forward, innovative communities.

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Andrew Kirsch: “Discussion with a Spy: What CSIS is.  What it does. Why it’s important for you to know more about it.” Wednesday, May 3 at 10:15 a.m. (Spring Talk #4) at Innis College, 2 Sussex Avenue.

Andrew Kirsch, former Canadian Spy, gives a rarely seen peak behind the curtain of Canada’s intelligence agency.  He explains what the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) is and what it’s really like to work there. In a ten-year career with CSIS, Andrew held roles as a policy analyst, a field investigator, ultimately leading teams on clandestine warranted special operations. Andrew now works as a consultant in cybersecurity with Kirsch Consulting Group Inc.

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