Good political decisions are hard to make. Just like a fastball is hard to hit. We can do it. But it takes work. And practice. This talk discusses why we make bad political decisions, assessing the role of individual psychological processes and social, political, and economic structures in our thinking and reasoning. Why are good political decisions important? And how can we make better political decisions by drawing on and amending the processes and structures that shape and direct our lives?

Dr. David Moscrop is a political theorist, a SSHRC postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Communication at the University of Ottawa, and a columnist for the Washington Post. He also writes from time to time for Maclean's Magazine, the Globe and Mail, and other publications. He is a frequent commentator for television, radio, and print. His first book Too Dumb for Democracy? Why We Make Bad Political Decisions and How We Can Make Better Ones is on bookshelves now.

Our democracy is a train wreck. Our elections feel hollow, our legislatures toxic. Fierce partisanship, centralized power and distorted election results all contribute to our growing cynicism. Environmental crisis looms on the horizon and economic inequity continues to grow.  But the future of our species doesn’t need to look like an inevitable disaster. We’re capable of so much more. This talk offers a collection of solutions aimed at transforming our democracy into something that feels meaningful, inviting, thoughtful and authentic.

Dave Meslin is an activist, organizer and author. His TED talk about apathy has more than 1.7 million views and his video clip from the 2016 Canadian election coverage, using stacks of Lego bricks, has over 2.5 million views on Facebook. Dave’s work inspires us to invert the traditional pyramid of hierarchy by creating meaningful opportunities of engagement. His best-selling book, Teardown: Rebuilding Democracy from the Ground Up, is a roadmap for change and a cure for cynicism.

On Homecoming Saturday bring your family and friends to our Alumni Tailgate and BBQ. There will be photo opportunities and free giveaways while they last. Young Guns BBQ will be onsite cookin' up some delicious smoked meals. Don't forget to wear your blue and yellow!

Rain or shine.

Cheer on your fellow alumni as they take on the Lakehead Orillia Thunderwolves Men's Hockey team!

Mushrooms come in different sizes, shapes and colours, and they can appear overnight, covering lawns, meadows, woods, and wetlands. Mushrooms grow on both living and dead matter, and they often form mutually beneficial relationships with other living flora. Although mushrooms have long been considered a culinary delicacy, some are poisonous and even fatal if consumed. In this workshop, participants will learn to identify mushrooms through examination of spore colour, gill attachment, and growth substrate. We will learn to appreciate not only the incredible variety of early local mushrooms, but also the ways in which mushrooms support and communicate within an interrelational, networking ecosystem.

Join fellow alumni at the Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery for an opportunity to socialize, sample local craft beer and show off your trivia skills.

Registration is required. 

Date: Wednesday, August 28

Location: St. Pauls Centre, 62 Peter St. N.

Time: 7 p.m.

Description: In the aftermath of the Second World War, leaders from Western Europe, Canada, and the United States established a system of international security with NATO as its cornerstone. NATO’s fundamental goal was to prevent the world from falling back into general war. So far it has been successful. But how did NATO’s leaders fear war might come? And why, in 2019, are those fears rekindled?

Instructors: Bob Bowles, Coordinator of the Ontario Master Naturalist Program, and Luke Eckstein, Ontario Master Naturalist

Description: This second mushroom workshop will build on what you learned last month about the early mushroom species. We will focus on the many species found later in the season specifically, but will also review elements from the first workshop concerning spore colour, gill attachment, and growth substrate.  In this workshop, you will learn how to forage for choice edible mushrooms and avoid poisonous mushroom species in our area. This class may be taken in conjunction with Workshop 1 for a fuller experiential knowledge base.

Join Michael Bryant, Executive Director and General Counsel at Canadian Civil Liberties Association, for a discussion on "In Your Face Tech: A Moratorium on Facial Recognition Surveillance in Canada"

Lecturer Biography

Michael Bryant - Executive Director and General Counsel

Mr. Bryant is a barrister certified by the Law Society of Ontario.  He has appeared before all levels of court, from bail courts as Duty Counsel through the Ontario Court of Appeal and Ontario Review Board as solo practitioner, to the Supreme Court of Canada as counsel at McCarthy Tetrault LLP.   After retiring from elected office, he served as Special Advisor to Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, Chair of the Public Accountants Council, and Chief Negotiator for the Chippewas of Kettle & Stony Point, resulting in the historic Ipperwash Settlement Agreement.  In the '90s, Bryant clerked for the former Chief Justice of Canada, and served as Lecturer in Law at King’s College, London, and Adjunct Professor at U of T and Osgoode Hall.  In 2019, Bryant was named Canadian Lawyer's Top 25 Most Influential in the justice system and legal profession in Canada.

Free Admission, Refreshments will be served!

Instructors: Tristan Knight, Terrastory Environmental Consulting, and Bob Bowles, Coordinator of the Ontario Master Naturalist Program

Description: Lichens play an important role in the environment, as they are the pioneer species that establish on barren habitat, paving the way for mosses and then plants. Lichens are composite organisms made up of fungi, algae, and cyanobacteria and this workshop will focus on identifying them in systematic ways. The focus of this workshop will be corticolous lichens growing on tree bark, limbs and branches in local woodlots, and saxicolous lichens growing on both calcareous and siliceous rocks, concrete and cement. In the field, we will look closely at lichen species in forests around the Lakehead campus and the special alvar species at Carden Alvar.