Sunday, June 3, 2018

Sunday Day Pass: $40
Save $11 (excludes theatre performances)

Who Do We Think We Are?

10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Haroon Siddiqui and Dr. Myer Siemiatycki
LIB 072 Lecture Theatre, Library Building, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street
$17 online and $20 at the door

Who Do We Think We Are brings together two leading thinkers as they trace Canada’s journey from the BNA Act to the Charter of Rights, as well as the Multiculturalism Act. From our indigenous roots to our pluralistic present, Canada has been a guarantor of collective rights and an exemplar of a culture of many cultures. In this era of populist anger at “The Other” across much of the Western world, Canada remains an amicable land of civility. Will it remain so in the Age of Donald Trump?

Haroon SiddiquiHaroon Siddiqui is The Toronto Star’s Editorial Page Editor Emeritus. He is a winner of numerous journalistic awards, including four citations of the prestigious National Newspaper Award, and has been awarded the Order of Canada, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for advocating “fairness and equality of opportunity in our pluralistic society” and for forging a broader definition of the Canadian identity. Mr. Siddiqui is also the former president of Pen Canada, the writers’ group, and has been a member of the board of PEN International. He is the author of Being Muslim, a post-9/11 bestseller book, based on his travels through Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and the Far East. Since 2016, he has been Distinguished Visiting Professor at Ryerson University, in both the Faculty of Arts, and the Faculty of Communication and Design.

Dr. Myer SiemiatyckiDr. Myer Siemiatycki is a Professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Ryerson University. A member of the Yeates School of Graduate Studies, Myer was the founding Director (2004–2008) of the Interdisciplinary MA program in Immigration and Settlement Studies. Most of Myer’s teaching has been in three areas: local government, labour policy, and immigration politics. His research interests typically explore the intersections of immigration, urban, and labour studies in Toronto, and he is a frequent media commentator on local, provincial, and national political matters. In 2012, Dr. Siemiatycki was appointed as the first Jack Layton Chair, a position he held until 2015.

Buying Time: How Modern Medicine and Holistic Living are Extending Life

1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Dr. Peter Lin
LIB 072 Lecture Theatre, Library Building, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street
$17 online and $20 at the door

The rise of holistic methods have provided encouraging options for alternative care, when traditional medicine has been unsuccessful. By contrast, modern medicine provides access to advanced diagnostic tools and standardized medication that have done much to aid cures in the fields of infectious diseases and emergencies. Modern medicine and holistic living may be racing against time, to by us more time, but can either guarantee quality of life?

Dr. Peter LinDr. Peter Lin is the Director of Primary Care Initiatives at the Canadian Heart Research Centre. He has two busy family practices in Toronto. Currently, he is the health columnist for CBC Radio. He is also Associate Editor for the Elsevier Web Portal – Practice Update Primary Care. He is also a contributing author to the Canadian Diabetes Guidelines 2013 and the upcoming 2018 version. Dr. Lin received a teaching award from the Canadian College of Family Physicians in 2011.

Theatre of Our Times

2:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Aki Studios, Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas Street East
$18 online and $20 at the door

Theatre of Our Times showcases three short works about the way we navigate life’s challenges and absurdities written, performed, and directed by the Estelle Craig Act II STUDIO. In Aurora, by Dvora Levinson, you’ll witness the unfolding of an unanticipated journey of self-discovery of two older women – strangers who meet following the loss of their husbands. We bring back Stan Channing’s 2003 popular absurd comedy, Will She Push the Button?!, with added music and lyrics. As a special treat, enjoy the rarely seen and absorbing world of masked characters as they pursue their lives and loves in a 21st Century Masquerade.

Theatre of Our Times

Oops… They Did it Again: Wishful Thinking and Self-Delusion in History

3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Dr. Olivier Courteaux
LIB 072 Lecture Theatre, Library Building, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street
$17 online and $20 at the door

Why are we collectively blind when confronted by obvious facts and warning signs? Why have our leaders repeatedly failed to understand and analyze critical moments in history? The long list of those turning points includes the widely accepted idea that the Great War would only last a few weeks. There’s also the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the emergence of radical Islamism. Together we will decrypt the causes behind such wishful thinking and self-delusion, and consider the wise words of visionaries often overlooked.

Dr. Olivier CourteauxDr. Olivier Courteaux holds a doctorate in the field of 20th century international relations with a particular emphasis on conflicts. He has taught at various Canadian universities, including Ryerson University and the Royal Military College of Canada. Dr. Courteaux is the author of The War on Terror: The Canadian Dilemma (2009) and Canada between Vichy and Free France, 1940–1945 (2013) on Franco Canadian relations during the Second World War (also published in French in 2015).