Speakers – Summary by Year

We are in the process of compiling as complete a Toronto Whiff past speaker list as we can. If you recall any speakers and the dates they spoke that are not listed below, please email Whiff Speakers Program.

Archive by year:                        2024  2023  2022  2021  2020 
2019  2018  2017  2016  2015  2014  2013  2012  2011  2010
2009  2008  2007  2006 

2024

2023

(W@H) – Whiff@Home meeting
(HW@H) – Hybrid Whiff@Home 

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

      • November: Naeem U. Hasan, The Arab World In Turmoil
      • October: James Raffan, Speaker, Author, Adventurer
      • September: Sandy Boucher, Foreign Corruption – Ignorance is No Longer Bliss
      • Note: Some bios before this date can be found in the
      • April: Janet Carding, The ROM at 100
      • March: John Tory, Who does Toronto need in the Mayor’s office next fall?
      • February: Nicholas D. Gunz, Moment of Maximum Danger: Submarines, Secret Intelligence, and the Most Dangerous Moment Ever
      • January: Dr. Joseph E. Martin, From Wall Street to Bay Street: The Canadian and American Financial Systems Compared and Contrasted

2013

      • November: The Honourable Mr. Justice Ian Binnie, Is the Charter Ruining Canadian Society?
      • October: Claude R. Lamoureux, Canada’s Pension Challenge
      • September: Odon Wagner, A Passion for Art
      • April: Professor Hugh E. Scully, The Evolution of Safety in Autosport
      • March: Cancelled
      • February: Rocco Rossi, March to the Top
      • January: J. Robert S. Prichard, Metrolinx and the Transportation Challenges facing the GTHA

2012

      • November: Stephen A. Otto, When History Comes Back to Bite Us, The need for interest and pride in public history
      • October: Jim Young, Angels Gate Winery Wine Tasting
      • September: Roger Martin, FIXING THE GAME: Bubbles, Crashes, and What Capitalism Can Learn from the NFL,
      • April: Dr. Ernie Seaquist, Shedding Light on a Dark (Energy) Universe
      • March: Rahul K. Bhardwaj, The World Needs Toronto to Succeed, Find out why, through a look at Toronto’s Vital Signs Report
      • February: Dr. Charles H. Tator, Spinal Cord Injury research, prevention and treatment
      • January: Dr. Walter Dorn, An End to War: Is World Order Evolving?

2011

      • November: Joe Thornley, B.A., M.A. University of Waterloo, Social Media makes connections?
      • October: John Gardner, BA. (Tor), BA., MA. (Oxon), Toronto Whiffer, The Camino de Santiago … the Pilgrims Way
      • September: Bill Gairdner, MA., Ph.D. Stanford, The Trouble with Canada … Still
      • April: Alex Anthopoulos, BA, Always do more than you have to
      • March: Lenna Bradburn, BA, MPA, A Dialogue with Canada’s First Female Police Chief
      • February: Brian Williams, Lessons In Greatness From the Olympic Games
      • January: The Honourable Frank Iacobucci, C.C., Q.C., LL.D., The Role of the Supreme Court in regard to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

2010

      • November: John Anderson Fraser, C.M., M.A., LL.D., “Through a glass darkly: Why academics (and journalists) should never try to predict anything“
      • October: Dr. Anthony Feinstein, “Journalists Under Fire: the Psychological Hazards of Covering War“
      • September: Catherine Swift, Chairwoman, President & CEO, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, “The Importance of Strong Independent Businesses in Canada“
      • April: James Lockyer, LLD, “Wrongful Convictions in Canada“
      • March: Dr. Robert H. Hyland, Past Physician-in-Chief, St. Michael’s Hospital, Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto, “Life as the Physician-in-Chief“
      • February: John Wright, SVP & MD, Ipsos Reid Canada, “We Know What You’re Thinking“
      • January: Chris Rudge, Chairman, Canadian Olympic Committee, “An Insider’s view of the 2010 Winter Olympics“

2009

      • November: Colin Ellard, Associate Chair Psychology, Undergrad Studies, University of Waterloo, “The Connection between Human Beings and the Places They Inhabit“
      • September: Marlene Smith, 2009 Dora Award winner, “The Backstage History, Behind Toronto Theatres’ Front Row Seats“
      • June Bash: Edward Burtynsky, BAA Photographic Arts, Ryerson University, Order of Canada. “We’ve changed the World … Exploring the Residual Landscape“
      • April: Dr. John R. Percy, BSc, MA, PhD U of T, “Galileo’s , : Celebrating 400 Years of the Astronomical Telescope“
      • March: Terry Fallis, B.Eng. “The Best Laid Plans, The 2008 Stephen Leacock Medal Award for Humour“
      • February: John Wright, SVP & MD, Ipsos Reid Canada, “We Know What You’re Thinking”
      • January: Sara Diamond, President, Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD), “The Beauty of Art: Handmade/Digital“

2008

      • November: Paul G. Torrie, BA, LLB, President, Global Resolutions Inc., “The Fall of the Civil Courts and the Rise of Mediation ADR – Alternate Dispute Resolution“
      • October:Timothy W. Casgrain, BA, CA, Chairman of the Board, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, “Meeting the Challenges of the New CBC“
      • September: John Crow, BA Oxon, Economist and former Governor of the Bank of Canada, “The Economic and Financial Outlook“
      • June: Derek Hatfield, RCMP Fraud Officer and Rolex Sailor of the Year, June Bash
      • April: Dr. Ernest S. ‘Tiger’ Burch, PhD, Social Anthropologist and Historical Ethnographer. “Emergence of Northern Democracies“
      • March: Dr. Chris Boulias, PhD, MD, FRCPC, Scientist, Researcher, Physician, “The Real Beauty of Botox“
      • February: Dr. Roberta Lynn Bondar, OC, O.Ont, BSc, MSc, PhD, DSc, MD, FRCP©, FRSC, Chancellor, Trent University, “Space”
      • January: Tom Wright, B.PHE., MBA, 11th Commissioner of the Canadian Football League, “A Former Commissioner’s Reflections“

2007

      • November: Dr. Robert ‘Squee’ Gordon, President Emeritus, Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, “The Future of Higher Education in Ontario“
      • October: Dr. John Mighton, Ph.D, Founder, JUMP Math, “A Man for All Seasons“
      • September: Brian Gallery, Founder of Whiff of Grape, “40th Anniversary Reunion Dinner“
      • April: Chris Mathers, Crime and Risk Consultant “A Cornucopia of Crime & Terrorism – Closer than you think!“
      • March: Allan Seychuk, M.A. (Econ.), CFA, Economist, Philips Hager and North, “Chindia – Global Implications of Rapid Changes in China & India“
      • February: Julian Fantino, C.O.M., O. Ont, Commissioner, Ontario Provincial Police “The Politics of Law and Order”
      • January: Allan Ezra Gotlieb, CC, LL.D., LL.B., MA, Canadian Ambassador to United States, 1981-1989, “The Washington diaries 1981-1989“

2006

    • November: Kitson Vincent, President, Smith, Vincent & Co. Ltd., Member of the underground royal commission, on “Does Your Vote Count?” “Canadian Armed Forces & National Defense Policy: Are We Ready for What the Future Holds?”
    • October: Fred Gorbet, O.C., C.M., Ph.D., CIT Chair in Financial Services & Director Financial Services Program, Schulich School of Business, York University, “Equalization and the Fiscal Imbalance“
    • September: Kenneth Taylor, OC, B.A, MBA, LL.D, “Condelezza Rice’s Vision of a “New Middle East” Good or Bad?“