David Ross has just returned to Canada from northern Ethiopia where he worked from March until September as an access and civil-military coordination officer. Contracted by RedR Australia to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), David facilitated humanitarian access in Tigray Region, an area severely disrupted by conflict since November 2020. The emergency is vast, complex, and often dangerous. Moreover, the pressures caused by the several hundred thousand people 
who have flooded into cities and internally displaced person camps, continue to be immense. David worked alongside many hard-working, innovative and committed humanitarians who made the tour of duty all the more fulfilling. Continue reading The Tigray Conflict – David Ross (Ottawa) – October 26, 2021
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Kamran Khan MD, FRCPC, MPH, Scientist, Founder, CEO at BlueDot Inc. September 28, 2021
Dr. Kamran Khan is an infectious disease physician with training in public health and preventive medicine based at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital. After completing his training in infectious diseases, preventive medicine, and public health at Cornell, Columbia, and Harvard, he returned to Toronto just before SARS crippled the city during the 2003 outbreak. Deeply motivated by this event, Dr. Khan has dedicated his career to finding solutions that help the world better prepare for and respond to tomorrow’s infectious disease threats.
He is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. His research interests focus on the globalization of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases.
Continue reading Kamran Khan MD, FRCPC, MPH, Scientist, Founder, CEO at BlueDot Inc. September 28, 2021
Michael Bryant, Executive Director and General Counsel, Canadian Civil Liberties Association, October 26, 2021
Growing up on Vancouver Island, the cataclysmic wrongs perpetrated on Indigenous people in my homeland of British Columbia left me determined to work in the field of indigenous rights. Plus my grandfather was a union leader, and local politician, as was my father. From them I learned about how democracy can empower people to either do good works, or abuse their power. From my mom, a teacher, I saw how education forms the ability to think critically — about everything. I’d take those lessons into my own political career, after which I continued fighting for indigenous rights, and began a career as a criminal defence lawyer, often as a public defender, assisting the indigent, Indigenous, and mentally ill.
Continue reading Michael Bryant, Executive Director and General Counsel, Canadian Civil Liberties Association, October 26, 2021
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2020.07.04 Post June Bash Junta Announcement
July 4, 2020
The Whiff’s Junta would like to provide you with a brief update of the virtual June Bash held on June 23, using the Zoom platform. Our June Bash experiment was extremely successful! Members who participated gave high marks to the event and the Zoom method of communication. The evening was highlighted by having several breakout sessions. This provided a unique opportunity for a number of participants to communicate freely their ideas one with the other in a relaxed atmosphere, with all observations and ideas then shared with everyone participating in the evening. I might add, the “open bar” concept was popular and contributed to the relaxed evening.
The Junta has lined up an exciting list of speakers for our Fall meetings. There is a significant possibility that these meetings will need to be held on a virtual basis. Therefore, prior to the commencement of our Fall campaign, the Whiff technologists will be offering the opportunity to Whiffers to update their technology skills in order to utilize the Zoom platform.
We will be communicating with you at the end of August. In the meantime, your Junta wishes you a safe and healthy Summer. We look forward to seeing all of you, either physically or virtually, in the Fall.
John Paterson
Chair of the Toronto Chapter of The Whiff of Grape on behalf of your Junta:
Peter Baines, Ian Brown, Mac Borden, Jim Cairncross, Ron Foreman, Charles MacRae, Stuart McKay and Brian Westlake.
Thank you for RSVPing for the June Bash
Thank you for RSVPing that you
will be attending the June Bash @RCYC
which starts at 6:00 PM, Monday, June 3rd, 2024
To complete your RSVP:
You must now make a $125pp Interac Payment
to treasurer@whiff-of-grape.ca
before Midnight, Wednesday May 29th.
[A PDF “cheat sheet” on how to make Interac e-Transfers
to the Whiff may be downloaded from here.]
Once payment has been received,
you will be sent a final confirmation
along with details regarding the RCYC logistics.
Cancel before May 29th as per cancellation policy.
Need to change any of your RSVP response?
Click here.
Thank you for RSVPing
Thank you for RSVPing that you will be attending the upcoming Toronto Whiff Dinner.
Dinner Fees Reminder:
If you are an Associate Member and/or you have invited guests, please make an immediate Interac e-Transfer to treasurer@Whiff-of-Grape.ca for the dinner amount owing – $85/person. A PDF “cheat sheet” on how to make Interac e-Transfers to the Whiff may be downloaded from here.
May 18, 2021, Anti-Racism and Inclusion, Toronto’s Building Back Stronger Report, co-chaired by Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson and Blake Goldring, Executive Chairman, AGF Management Ltd.
Be inspired to act hearing the city’s Economic and Culture Recovery Advisory Group report, including their Anti-Racism and Inclusion recommendations, and learn about an innovative mentor-ship program for Black youth.
Continue reading May 18, 2021, Anti-Racism and Inclusion, Toronto’s Building Back Stronger Report, co-chaired by Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson and Blake Goldring, Executive Chairman, AGF Management Ltd.
April 27, 2021, Sarwar A Kashmeri, “Between the grape & a hard place: America-Canada-China”
Sarwar Kashmeri is an international relations specialist, author, and commentator, noted for his expertise on U.S. global strategy and national security. He speaks frequently before business, foreign policy and military audiences. He is the host of Polaris-Live, featuring 30 minute YouTube live conversations on the business and geopolitical impact of China’s rapid rise to superpower status. Continue reading April 27, 2021, Sarwar A Kashmeri, “Between the grape & a hard place: America-Canada-China”