Professor Nick Eyles
Canada Rocks: 4 Billion Years of Environmental Change
The land we call Canada has a long geologic history. We are a nation whose peoples and rocks have all come from ‘someplace else.’ The land we call Canada is a vast confederation of far-travelled crust brought together by plate tectonic collisions since the first small landmass formed about 4 billion years ago. Some of the oldest rocks and landscapes on the planet, one of its largest meteorite impact craters, its richest mines, the clearest evidence of the beginnings of life, the disappearance of mountain ranges and oceans, and dramatic changes in climate – these have all been part of this amazing geologic journey.
BIOGRAPHY
Nick Eyles holds a Ph.D and D.Sc. and has been at University of Toronto at Scarborough since 1982. He has over 40 years’ experience of geological field work around the world from Antarctica to the Arctic using that knowledge to better understand the history (and future) of planet Earth and Canada. He has written several hundred research papers, 5 award-winning books and hosted 2 five-part documentary series with CBC’s Nature of Things on Canadian geology and world geology with David Suzuki. He has awards from leading learned societies and sits on the board of the Georgian Bay Land Trust.

The arrival of Chinese and the development of Chinatown in Toronto owe their modest beginnings to the completion of the CPR in 1885 after which time a hostile British Columbia sent Chinese immigrants eastwards in search of employment and a more welcoming place.  In 1894, the Chinese population in Toronto numbered fifty.  Today, half a million make up the second largest visible minority in the Greater Toronto Area where the most spoken languages, after English and French, are Mandarin and Cantonese.  Archival photographs and Arlene’s family stories will trace the history from the early years to the current day.

The reputation of Canada’s first prime minister has declined dramatically over the past decade.  He has been accused of being a racist and of masterminding a genocide against the indigenous people.  In this presentation, Dutil will review Sir John A. Macdonald’s claims to fame and address the condemnations that have been levelled against him.

BIOGRAPHY

Patrice A. Dutil, Ph.D is Professor, Department of Politics and Public Administration, Ryerson University.  Among his eight books, Dutil has published works that examine the career of Sir John A. Macdonald, notably John A. Macdonald at 200: New Reflections and Legacies (co-edited with Roger Hall in 2014) and Prime Ministerial Power in Canada: Its Origins under Macdonald, Laurier and Borden (2017).  He is currently writing a book exclusively focused on Canada’s first prime minister.  Dutil founded the Literary Review of Canada in 1991.  He was President of the Champlain Society from 2011 to 2017 and is co-host of the Champlain Society podcast, “Witness to Yesterday.”  His voluntary efforts have been recognized by the Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Ontario Volunteer Service Award.  His website is www.patricedutil.com.

BIOGRAPHY

Arlene Chan, a retired librarian, has written seven books about the history, culture, and traditions of the Chinese in Canada, several nominated for the Ontario Speaker’s Book Award, Heritage Toronto Book Award, Silver Birch Award, and Red Cedar Award.  She shares her stories of growing up in Toronto’s Chinatown through her writing, tours, and presentations.  Arlene serves as the president of the Jean Lumb Foundation, board member of Little Pear Garden Dance Company, advisor for Toronto Public Library’s Chinese Canadian Archive, and member of Ontario Infrastructure Heritage Interpretation Working Group. She is the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Award (2013) and Heritage Toronto Special Achievement Award (2017).