For many decades, the Korean Peninsula has been the scene of repeated crises that have focused world attention on that small part of East Asia.

The brutal Japanese Occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945 was followed by partition of the Peninsula along the 38th Parallel. The resulting establishment of both the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea led the people of Korea into the disasters of the 1950-53 Korean War, in which Canada participated, plus numerous clashes along the Demilitarized Zone. The War ended with an armistice, but no peace treaty was ever signed.
Continue reading Donald S. Rickerd, Walking on a Tightrope: Canada and North Korea, October 27, 2015 →

Bob Rae’s career has led him to leadership and opposition roles in both provincial and federal government, as well as in two political parties. In this passionate, forthright book, he offers his vision for the future of Canadian politics, arguing that, as progressive citizens, we must demand a more inclusive political process and educate ourselves in the realities of politics in the twenty-first century.
Continue reading Bob Rae: What’s happened to Politics, September 29, 2015 →

For the 2015 June Bash, we are returning to The Toronto Hunt for another perfect early summer Tuesday evening, June 9, 2015, 5:45pm with a wonderful lawn reception and dinner in the wonderful oasis of country life right in the city, perched high above Lake Ontario on the Scarborough Bluffs.

An invitation with complete details will be sent in early May.

April 28, 2015
Captain Gary Hatton RCN, Canadian Forces College Foundation, Independent Corporate Director, Last Post Fund Ontario Branch

Gary will speak about his 2 years in Command of HMCS MONTREAL which encompassed 9/11, the Bali Bombings, the Yemen Tanker attack, the Iraq invasion and numerous other life changing events! Among many he will describe an experience he had conducting /safeguarding a US troop ship carrying 15,000 men through the Strait of Hormuz during the Persian Gulf War. He was 6 miles from shore and threatened by the possibility of Iranian missiles.
Continue reading April 28, 2015: Canada’s Naval Leap into the War on Terror – ​Captain Gary Hatton RCN →

Julian Porter, Q.C. has practised litigation exclusively since his call to the Bar in 1964 and is recognized by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a specialist in civil litigation. He now practices as independent counsel. He has appeared before all levels of Court, in every kind of civil, commercial and criminal proceeding. He acts as defence counsel for professionals and he is fond of appearing before juries.
Continue reading March 31, 2015: 149 Paintings You Really Need to See in Europe (So You Can Ignore the Others) – Julian Porter, FAMILY NIGHT →

February 24, 2015
Dr. Nelson Wiseman, Ph.D., Director of the Canadian Studies Program, Political Science, U of T

Dr. Wiseman is the Director of the Canadian Studies Program. His research interests are Canadian government and politics.
Continue reading Feb 24, 2015: Is Canada a failed democracy? – Dr. Nelson Wiseman →

January 27, 2015
Paul Henderson, B.A.Sc., P. Eng., Olympian, past ISAF President

Living on Toronto Island around boats and sailing, Paul Henderson learned the basics of the sport, as well as the values and importance of sport early in life. He became a very active competitor in sailing, winning medals at World, North American and USA National Championships. He has the record of having competed in all the Canadian Olympic Sailing Trials from 1948 to 1984; having represented Canada at three Olympic Games: 1964, 1968 and 1972; and would have in 1980 but for the Olympic boycott against the Soviet Union.
Continue reading Jan 27, 2015: The “Pope” of Sailing – Paul Henderson →

November 25, 2014
Naeem U. Hasan, MA, MPA, MSC, Ambassador (retired)

Naeem Hasan is a retired career diplomat and political analyst specialising in the Muslim World and South Asian affairs. Besides his student days at the American University in Beirut, when he was also a part time journalist, he has spent a good part of his 35 year diplomatic career in the Arab world on assignments in Turkey, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Syria (as Ambassador). He was also posted in the Pakistan Embassies in Prague, Belgrade and served as Ambassador to Sweden with concurrent charge for Iceland, Estonia and Latvia.

He did a long stint in senior positions, including Chef du Cabinet of the Secretary General at the Jeddah based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – the Muslim UN with membership of 57 countries. During this period he travelled extensively on official missions over the entire Muslim world spanning from Indonesia to North Africa. He was the OIC’s point man for dealing with the UN and other international and regional organisations.
Continue reading Nov 25, 2014: The Arab World In Turmoil – Naeem U. Hasan →

October 28, 2014
James Raffan, BSc, BEd, MEd, PhD Queen’s University Director, The Canadian Canoe Museum

James is a prolific writer, speaker, and adventurer who is currently the Director of Development at The Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario.

For 19 years a Professor of Outdoor & Experiential Education at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, over the years he has produced 16 books and written for media outlets including Canadian Geographic, National Geographic, Explore, The Globe and Mail, as well as for CBC Radio and The Discovery Channel.
Continue reading Oct 28, 2014: Speaker, Author, Adventurer – James Raffan →

September 30, 2014
Sandy Boucher, Senior Manager, Forensic and Dispute Resolution Services, Grant Thornton LLP, BSc University of Sheffield, CFE

Senior Manager, Forensic and Dispute Resolution Services, Grant Thornton LLP, BSc University of Sheffield, CFE

Sandy Boucher and his investigative research team execute and manage large and complex fraud investigations, international due diligence enquiries, international asset tracing and recovery cases, litigation support, fraud and anti-bribery corruption investigations. Solving such cases can be likened to a complex jigsaw puzzle and requires reliable sources to help piece information together.
Continue reading Sep 30, 2014: Foreign Corruption – Ignorance is No Longer Bliss – Sandy Boucher →