Staying Engaged in Winter
Winter 2026
This event is offered livestream on Zoom
Recordings for the series will be available to ticketholders
Tuesdays, January 20, February 17, March 17, 1:30 – 3:30
Note: New Speaker March 17
Join us for three top-notch speakers, each expert in their topics, to stave off the long, cold winter and stay engaged in current issues that affect us all!
And if you’re looking for gift ideas, what about purchasing a gift certificate for the series?
Facts, Truth and Public Trust– Endangered Species
January 20: Carol Off, Author and Broadcaster
A lack of trust in government, institutions and the media is an ailment that’s spreading around the world. It’s often called the trust deficit and comes about when we no longer agree on what’s true; when we don’t know who or what to believe anymore. This is a dangerous place for any democracy.
Carol Off’s decades of work as a journalist and interviewer has given her insights and some answers to the hard questions:
What has caused the trust deficit? Who benefits from making us suspicious? And what can we do about it?
Feeding a Nation: Understanding Food Challenges and How We Can All Stay Resilient
February 17: Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, The Food Professor
Canadians hear constantly about food prices, shortages, and supply issues—but what does it all mean for everyday life? In this presentation, Dr. Sylvain Charlebois breaks down the key issues affecting food distribution and why more Canadians are now facing food insecurity. Designed for a general audience, this talk offers clear explanations, relatable examples, and a hopeful look at what can be done to ensure Canadians of all ages—especially seniors—continue to have access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food.
Canada’s productivity emergency meets external uncertainty: The case for bold economic policy reform
March 17: New Speaker – Charles Lammam
For over a decade, Canada’s economy has been in a state of structural decline, with real GDP per capita growth trailing nearly all OECD peers. This “lost decade” is defined by stagnant productivity, an investment crisis, and a widening living standards gap with the United States. Now, this internal underperformance is colliding with the profound policy uncertainty of “Trump 2.0,” creating a high-stakes moment for our national prosperity. While we cannot control American trade policy, we can—and must—fix our own domestic policy environment. Charles Lammam argues that “tinkering” is no longer an option. He outlines a serious, bold agenda built on six pillars of reform—from fundamental tax overhaul to regulatory modernization—designed to restore Canadian dynamism and boost economic performance.
Speakers
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Carol Off
Carol Off is the award-winning author of At a Loss for Words: Conversation in an Age of Rage, an instant number one Canadian bestseller. The book examines how key words, including freedom, democracy and truth, are being hijacked and weaponized in order to diminish liberal democracy. It is her fifth book.
For 16 years, Carol was the co-host of the multi-award winning CBC radio program As It Happens where she did more than 25,000 interviews. Before that, she spent decades as a TV and radio journalist, covering stories in Canada and around the world. Carol lives and works in Toronto.
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Dr. Sylvain CharleboisDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor at McGill University and a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.
Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world’s most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened-to Canadian management podcast in Canada.
Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.
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Charles Lammam
Charles Lammam is an economist and public policy professional with two decades of experience spanning government, business, think tanks, and non-profits. Currently a contributor to The Hub Canada, he recently served as Vice-President of Public Policy & Public Affairs for a major professional regulatory organization, directing its government relations and policy advocacy. Previously, Charles held senior roles in the Ontario government, including Executive Director of Policy & Budget at the Ministry of Finance—advising the Premier and two Ministers on economic policy—and Director of Policy for the Minister of Health. A recognized thought leader on fiscal and economic issues, he has authored over 100 policy reports and 500 articles, and testified before parliamentary committees and government panels. He holds an MA in Public Policy and a BA in Economics.