Tuesday, October 4, 2022at 7:30p.m. Free tickets available through the John Elliott Theatre box office. 

As a founding member of the Group of Seven, A.Y. Jackson fought many wars in his crucial formative years: against critics, fellow artists, and Canada’s collecting class, to name just a few opponents. But he also fought a literal war, as a soldier in the Canadian army in World War I. Historian and landscape artist Douglas Hunter explores Jackson’s many battles in founding the Group of Seven and his experiences as both a soldier and war artist. 

Program offered in partnership with CFUW-Georgetown. 

Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 7:30p.m. Free tickets available through the John Elliott Theatre box office. 

Canadians are becoming aware of the potential – and in many instances already present – threats to our environment brought on by climate change, leading many to experience some form of eco-anxiety or even despair. Youth in particular are experiencing anger and frustration. These emotions are all quite understandable and, in some instances, even appropriate. However, left alone, these emotions can lead to despair, inaction, or even depression. 

Join Simon Appolloni, professor of environmental studies at University of Toronto, as he discusses eco(h)ope, a term he utilizes that encapsulates notions of coping and hoping amidst despair. By changing how we engage with the world around us, we can channel potentially negative emotions so that we can develop some form of resilience within us and hope. 

This lecture will be rescheduled in 2023.

In a world that is increasingly centered on rampant consumerism, particularly in areas such as fast fashion, the zero waste movement challenges individuals to be more conscious about the impact of their behaviour as consumers. Join Tara McKenna, author of Don't Be Trashy: A Practical Guide to Living with Less Waste and More Joy, and creator of The Zero Waste Collective lifestyle blog, to learn more about the issue of waste, her personal journey with reducing waste, and tips for becoming a more conscious consumer. 

This lecture will be rescheduled in 2023.  

Climate Change impacts human health in numerous ways from disruptions caused by the physical, environmental and biological systems. Warm temperatures, extreme weather, changes in precipitation and rising sea levels can have serious impacts on our health affecting our food supply, drinking water and air quality, the very basic parameters of our physical and mental health. Through this presentation we will learn how climate change is impacting us locally and how we can prepare ourselves to deal with its impacts. 

Program offered in partnership with Credit Valley Conservation.

Cyber-Security and Identity Theft

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at 7:30p.m. Free registration available through the program calendar. 

Christine Allum is Senior Advisor, Investor Engagement and Stakeholder Partnerships in the Investor Office at the Ontario Securities Commission. She partners with various groups and organizations to deliver investor education and fraud prevention workshops. Prior to joining the OSC, she worked at the Toronto Stock Exchange.  Christine has expertise in adult training, curriculum resource development, event management, relationship management and community outreach.  

Christine will provide information about common types of fraud, warning signs of fraud, questions to ask when working with a financial representative, what to do if you have a problem and where to find additional information. 

Program offered in partnership with CFUW-Georgetown. 

Niagara Escarpment Views

Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 7:30p.m. Free tickets available through the John Elliott Theatre box office.

Come learn about how the Niagara Escarpment Views magazine is succeeding in an era where print publications face numerous challenges. Begun in 2007, with its first issue published in early 2008, the quarterly magazine is now celebrating 15 years of successful publishing.  

Gloria Hildebrandt and Mike Davis are co-founders, co-owners and co-publishers of Niagara Escarpment Views. Gloria Hildebrandt is editor and the main writer while Mike Davis takes on the roles of principal photographer and accounts manager. Before starting the magazine, Gloria was an editor for other magazines, as well as a freelance writer and part-time instructor at Seneca College, Sheridan College and Ryerson University. Mike Davis is a professional engineer with his own practice specializing in environmental engineering. The two co-authored a coffee-table book Views & Vistas: Favourite Photographs from the Whole Niagara Escarpment in Canada, which was published in 2021, based on Mike’s photography for the magazine. 

Program offered in partnership with CFUW-Georgetown.  

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 7:30p.m. Free tickets available through the John Elliott Theatre box office. 

The effects of climate change on local trees and forests are becoming more visible in our communities. Jenny Liu, the Maple, Tree Nut, and Agroforestry Specialist at OMAFRA, will discuss these effects, as well as some management tactics you can take to bolster the resilience of your local trees. This lecture will also include a discussion on some of the scary invasive species that are just on the other side of our borders. You will leave this talk armed with knowledge and just the right amount of paranoia to take action if you see them!  

In her role as the Maple, Tree Nut, and Agroforestry Specialist at OMAFRA, Jenny Liu provides technical knowledge, conducts applied research, and advocates for stakeholder industries internally within the ministry with regards to policy and research funding priorities. She completed her forestry undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia, where she worked in forest management, dendroecology, and forest pest research. She then set her sights on agriculture, earning her Master’s in agricultural entomology at the University of Guelph. She is a Certified Crop Advisor Candidate with agronomy experience in both Ontario’s field and horticultural crop sectors. Her hobbies include hiking, reading, and designing ambitious crochet/knitting projects that she slowly follows through with.   

Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at 7:30p.m. Free tickets available through the John Elliott Theatre box office. 

With the economy taking a dark turn, the healthcare system struggling, and basic necessities such as food, jobs and housing becoming more precarious for many, a lot of people are struggling with the constant state of emergency that we now live in. In a series of vignettes about where we can go in 2023, Dr. Nadia Alam will discuss the many issues facing our lives today and how we can face them to the best of our ability.  

Combining ten years of practical experience as a family doctor and anesthetist with leadership, advocacy, and strategic implementation, Dr. Alam has become a sought-after writer, speaker and mentor. She approaches all projects with creative intelligence and data-driven, evidence-informed analysis.   

This program is offered in partnership with CFUW-Georgetown. 

Landscaping for Birds

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 7:30p.m. Free tickets available through the John Elloitt Theatre box office. 

Join us to learn about the birds that bring colour and birdsong to your yard and community and what you can do to keep them safe and healthy. Discover how to use native plants to create bird-friendly yards that support local and migratory birds.

With a Master of Science, Melissa Creasey has researched songbird ecology and conservation in both Newfoundland and Ontario. As the Coordinator for Sustainable Home Landscapes at Credit Valley Conservation, Melissa works with homeowners, businesses and institutions to promote sustainable landscaping on their properties. Melissa connects people with the plants and animals found in their backyards, while helping them to create healthy, climate-resilient landscapes.

This program is offered in partnership with Credit Valley Conservation and the Town of Halton Hills.