Kathleen Wynne will share her perspective on what happened in the election in June 2018 and the actions of the Ontario government since then. As former Premier, she has a personal and a political take on the forces that are influencing government policies and decisions. She believes that we are in a period of tumultuous public discourse here in Ontario but that we are not alone. Many of the same forces are at play in the United States, in Europe and beyond. What is most important, she feels, is that people who care about our democracy, our institutions and the well-being of our communities come together to make sense of our political landscape. Kathleen believes that this discussion is not a partisan one but one based in a shared vision that government can be a force for good in people's lives. She will talk about why that discussion is more important now than it has been for a generation.

The term Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been in use since the 1950s, referring to the ability of machines to simulate or augment human intelligence. Notions of AI have long since captured our collective imagination in science fiction. From 2001: A Space Odyssey's Hal 9000 (the original Siri/Google Home/Alexa) to the sentient humanoids of Blade Runner and Star Trek, we have developed utopic, dystopic and fantastical notions of AI's potential. But how does AI work in the real world and how does it differ from that of science fiction lore? You might be surprised at just how many ways you interact with AI each and every day. In the coming years, new developments in AI will continue to change the way we all live, work and play. Please join our panel for an engaging discussion on Artificial Intelligence and its broad-reaching impact on the future of humanity.

The 1928 Persons case, declaring women to be legal "persons", eligible for appointment to Canada's Senate, is one of the most important constitutional decisions in Canadian history. This lecture will consider the case in its political and social context and examines the lives and views of the people behind it - Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung and the other members of the "famous five," the politicians who barred women from the Senate, the lawyers who argued the case, and the judges who decided it.

The Holocaust was central to Western memory and institution building for the entire second half of the twentieth century. It informed the post-war international liberal order we long took for granted, including the creation of the United Nations, an organization that has been central to global stability, and the International Criminal Court, the first tribunal with a mandate to seek accountability for the world’s most heinous crimes. Yet the collective memory of this unprecedented historical event has always been controversial. Today, more than seventy years after this rupture, it is vital to examine how Holocaust memory has altered over the decades, and where it may be headed in the future. Erna Paris’s lecture will explore the social and cultural implications of shifting public memory and the staying power of the so-called lessons of the Holocaust.

There’s enough DNA in all your cells to stretch from Earth to Saturn 9 whole times! But what can all that genetic information really tell us? Apparently – at least according to popular personalized genomics kits being sold online – everything from your health risks to your ideal music playlist or romantic partner… And while your DNA is rich and full of instructions for building and maintaining our bodies, the latest genetics research suggests we’re putting the cart way ahead of the horse, with potentially dangerous consequences. Let’s get up to date on the latest research, and discuss future ethical concerns we need to be considering in policy and health discussions today in this friendly but informative session.

From Tokyo to Canberra, from Warsaw to Westminster, prime ministers are more often removed from power by their own backbenchers than by voters in general elections. In Canada, the idea of MPs wielding that kind of power shocks experts and the public alike. Today the parliamentary system thrives all over the world, but every country's parliamentary system has its unique quirks and conventions. Historian Christopher Moore, author of 1867: How the Fathers Made a Deal invites us to consider Canada's parliamentary culture in world context.

Almost no sporting event captures the imagination like an Olympic Games. Unlike Soccer's World Cup or the NFL's Super Bowl, there's a whole smorgasbord of different sports and disciplines on display. And you get to cheer for your own country to do well. What's not to love? But not all is gold medals and glory. The Olympics has morphed from an idealistic 19th century idea to a 21st century corporate juggernaut. Along the way it has picked up elements of fascist spectacle, capitalist ideology and unrestrained nationalism. Within those problematic realities, there still exist the moments of inspiration, joy and tragedy. How to watch and enjoy the good stuff while not forgetting the bad stuff?

What’s it like being a comedy writer? Are you always laughing? Are there snacks? In brief: challenging, no and occasionally. Join Kevin White as he shares what goes into making successful and unsuccessful TV comedies because he’s done both. Having written and show-run comedies such as THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES, CORNER GAS, SCHITT’S CREEK and KIM’S CONVENIENCE, Kevin will take us behind the scenes to describe how an idea is developed into a half hour of award-winning TV comedy. Or more often, a half hour of comedy most people have never heard of. Come share some laughs, some awkward pauses and if we’re lucky, snacks.