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January 27, 2026:
Ted Barris, C.M.,
Journalist, Broadcaster, Author, and Professor

Canadian Air Men in the Battle of Britain

Ted Barris is an acclaimed Canadian journalist, broadcaster, author, and professor who has made significant contributions to Canadian literature and historical writing. Ted gave a fascinating talk to the Whiff in November 2022, about the longest battle of WWII: The Battle of the Atlantic. His latest book, Battle of Britain: Canadian Airmen in Their Finest Hour, vividly chronicles the critical 113 days in 1940 during which Royal Air Force pilots, including over 100 Canadians, defended Britain against relentless Nazi air attacks

February 24, 2026:
Gideon Arthurs,
Executive Director, Soulpepper

Theatre as an Antidote to Social Division

Gideon Arthurs is the Executive Director of Soulpepper Theatre Company and the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, a role he assumed in 2022. He is leading Soulpepper’s new mission:  Inclusivity and Community Service in a changing Toronto. A seasoned arts leader with a strong track record in institutional transformation, Arthurs previously served as the CEO of the National Theatre School of Canada (2014–2022), where he spearheaded major initiatives to modernize the curriculum and enhance diversity, including the rescue and revitalization of the Sears Drama Festival.
 

March 31, 2026:
Myke Healy,
Assistant Head of Senior School, Trinity College School (TCS)

AI Arbitrage: Can Schools Survive Artificial Intelligence?

Myke Healy is the Assistant Head of Senior School –Teaching & Learning at TCS, where he has been a driving force in academic innovation since 2004. A forward-thinking educational leader, he oversees faculty professional development, curriculum strategy, and the school’s Advanced Placement Capstone program. Currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Calgary, Myke’s research focuses on the intersection of generative AI and academic integrity, positioning him at the forefront of modern pedagogical challenges.

April 28, 2026:
Professor Patrice Dutil
Professor, Politics & Public Administration & Planning,
Toronto Metropolitan University

Reconciling with Sir John A. Macdonald

Patrice Dutil‘s work focuses on political and public sector leadership, elections, policy processes, and Canadian political history, with over a dozen books, including recent 2025 releases like Ballots and Brawls: The 1867 Canadian Election and Statecraft: Canadian Prime Ministers and their Cabinets. He has published scholarly articles in journals such as Canadian Public Administration and International Journal of Public Leadership, and runs the podcast Witness to Yesterday (with French version Témoin d’hier). Dutil also sits on editorial boards for the International Review of Administrative Sciences and Canadian Public Administration.

As of January 2023, the Whiff of Grape Club is compelled, by our new contract with our host clubs, to implement the following revised Dinner Reservation and Cancellation Policy: The Whiff must commit to a firm number of dinners by five business days ahead of each dinner meeting, aka, the Cut-off Date. That number is then the minimum for which the Whiff will be invoiced. After that date there’s also very little flexibility available for an upward revision. To be confident of a dinner reservation, you must reply “Yes” to the e-invitation – and make full payment – before 1PM on the Cut-off date, e.g., Thursday, the week before a regular Tuesday meeting. If payment isn’t received by that time, your reservation cannot be guaranteed. Cancellations before Cut-off date can be made by RSVPing again on the speaker’s bio page, changing your response to “No”. If you have already paid for the dinner, the Treasurer will either keep a credit on file and apply it to your next dinner charge or can e-Transfer the funds back to you. Post Cut-off date dinner reservation requests or payments: The Whiff has no choice but to treat  your reservation as tentative . All tentative reservations will be considered, but unhappily there will be times the Whiff simply won’t be able to accommodate some latecomers. Please only attend the dinner after receiving a Confirmed Reservation email from RSVP@Whiff-of-Grape.ca Late Cancellations Once the Cut-off deadline has passed, should there be a need to cancel an already paid reservation, please notify the Whiff by email to rsvp@whiff-of-grape.ca with Subject: Cancellation notice so that food will not be wasted. Since the Whiff has had to guarantee payment to the host club for the committed dinner count, refunds to confirmed members and guests will not be issued in the case of  late cancellation or non-attendance.