Our volunteers …..

May 26, 2020 | Uncategorized

Thank you to –

  • Anne Green (Supervisor) and Marie McCready (Assistant Supervisor) and their Refreshment team: Mary Armstrong, Louise Armstrong, Migs Baker, Margaret Donahue, Bonnie Gibson, Fran Holden, Janis Miller, Charlotte O’Dea, Cheryl Smith-Juzenas, Barbara Kemp, Lee McLoughlin, Francoise Picot, Nola Turner and Pat Yeager
  • Chris Corbett and her team of door greeters: Ann Bardoel, Carolyn Ellis, Janet Hogarth, Ann Simpson, Roberta Spicer, Anne Stevens and Jane Wallace
  • Joyce Ballagh and Doug Brown, Facilities help
  • Barb Mackenzie, Julie D’Costa, Bridgette Schmidt and Lindsay Richards who managed Walk In Sales
  • Linda Skeries, Registrar’s Assistant
  • Rachel May, Volunteer Co-ordinator

Thank you to our Volunteers at all our Livestream Venues –

  • Liz Cole and their team at Simcoe Street Theatre: Jill Duncan, Debra Holmes, Ene-Liis Martens, Leah McKean, Jane Noble, Susan Spencer and Cheryl Wild
  • Joyce Honsberger her team at Wasaga Beach: Diane Nagel and Dale Ross
  • Harold Higdon, Refreshment and Facilities co-ordinator at Wasaga Beach
  • Catherine Campbell and Fran Breithaupt and their team at Creemore Station on the Green: David Johnson and Tracy Kolowska

Thank you to our Technical Teams at the Livestream Venues and New Life Church

  • Harv Honsberger, David Hogg, Basil Guinane, Sean Dolan, David Green, led by Michael Quinn our AV and Technical Co-ordinator. Then with Michael and David’s technical guidance we were able to deliver the successful Spring lecture series.

Thank you to the Founder’s Lecture Committee who worked throughout this year to plan a Founder’s Lecture for 2020 and then had to adapt due to the virus.

  • Ann Stevens, Charlotte O’Dea, Mary Brereton, Joan Carter and David Green

Thank you to the Curriculum Committee who tirelessly helped with the logistics of cancelling, reorganizing and implementing changes during the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Ingrid McLeod-Dick, Tom Stefanyk, Margot Bevan, Mary Brereton, David Hore, Bob Hyland, Susan Leat, Bonnie Lindsay, Barbara Mann, Linda McBurney, Sue McKearnen, Rudy Putns.
    With special thanks to Penny Bourne, who is retiring, for her many years of dedicated contribution to this Committee. She has managed many lecture series and for several years took on the extra role as Secretary. Her contribution to Curriculum has been invaluable.
    Sincere appreciation to Judy Ross, who is also retiring, for her valuable contribution to the Committee as a manager of many series as well as her tireless efforts organizing and preparing our Brochure each year.

Thank you to the Board members who attended extra meetings and took on additional tasks to tackle the challenges of growing our organization this year with the new Livestream venues and adapting our delivery so that we could still operate during the current COVID-19 situation.

  • Sarah Dennis, Rudy Putns, David Green, Ivor Corbett, Larry Hogarth, Peter Coolican, Ingrid McLeod-Dick, Janis Miller, Tom Stefanyk.
    With Special recognition to Angela Keller, Director of Registration who led her team through various ticketing challenges and multiple venues to expand our reach into the Community and for their support delivering the Spring series through livestreaming at home. Her extra hours during this year, have been greatly appreciated.
    Grateful acknowledgement to Gayle Smithson, Acting Director of Communications for staying on with the Board an extra year beyond her intended retirement to help guide us through the Website and Communication logistics of this year. We have relied on her heavily and would not have been able to do without her tremendous assistance.
    Thank you to Joanne McLachlan for her contribution as Director of Communication working hand in hand with Gayle, as she retires from the Board.

This is a volunteer-based organization and quite simply could not run as it does without the countless hours put in by all of you. We look forward to when we can gather again in person and celebrate together.

Thank you – From the GTLLI Board

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Chapnick’s Responses to Extra Questions

May 10, 2020 | Uncategorized

Question 1.
With respect to  Canada- US  relations and Canada-China  relations, and the  arrest  of the  Huawei executive, do you think that there was a better course of action  the government could have adopted so as to not antagonize China as much as it did, and still appear to somewhat support the US?  It seems we did not think this through very carefully, and the situation was not of our making, yet we are suffering the consequences. 
Today’s date (dd/mm) : 08/05 

Dr. Chapnick’s response
That’s a tough one. I suspect that we did actually think it through as carefully as we could, but I don’t think there were any good options. Some people have suggested that we should have tipped off Meng’s people that the American extradition request was coming. The problem with that approach is that it assumes that we could have kept our actions secret. In this day and age, everything gets out eventually, and if the Americans (under this president) had found out that we had gone behind their backs and undermined their effort, the consequences would likely have been much worse than just two kidnapped Canadians. Some also suggest that we should have refused to hold Meng because the crimes she is alleged to have committed are not considered criminal in Canada. And while this argument might ultimately end up being reasonable, it is not one that politicians can make. It is up to our courts to dismiss the request for extradition, and Meng’s lawyers have been dragging out the legal process. Skipping the courts in Canada gives other countries the green light to do the same, and we’ve already seen how that rarely ends well.

The real issue in this case is that the Americans never should have made the request of us in the first place unless they were prepared to do everything possible (which they clearly haven’t done) to get those Canadians freed. This situation would never have gotten this far with any other US administration. 

Question 2.
Given that the  Saudi attack on Yemen is causing horrible human suffering, given that  it is an illegal act by international standards and given that Yemen  was two states in recent past, what legitimate reason is there for Canada’s failure to  demand a ceasefire and promote a negotiated  settlement?  [note also that the official government has been described as a kleptocracy by Wikileaks]
Today’s date (dd/mm) : 08-05

Dr. Chapnick’s response
I think sometimes countries have to calculate the impact that their demands will have and adjust their behaviour accordingly. If Canada were to demand a ceasefire in Yemen (although I think the Saudis are now unilaterally shutting the engagement down temporarily), the Saudis would, at best, ignore us and, at worst, retaliate. Bottom line, our demand would have no impact on the people of Yemen. It follows that if we want to call for a ceasefire, it makes more sense to do so as part of a larger coalition that might actually be able to scare the Saudis into changing their behaviour. If there is no such coalition to be had, then we know that the international community is unwilling to do anything about this huminatarian catastrophe. And if that’s the case, there’s really nothing Canada can do (we can accept Yemeni refugees, I guess, and provide humanitarian assistance, but that’s about it). We could still demand a ceasefire to feel like we’ve done the right thing, but we would probably end up facing some pretty significant criticism for being all talk and no action, because there is no way that Canada would send troops to Yemen on their own to back up our words.

Question 3.
A  general question about  foreign policy .  Given that  Federal elections  in Canada use a first past the post system which generally results in governments  elected with a less than 50%  of the vote,  what input do other political parties have into foreign policy ?
Today’s date (dd/mm) : May 8

Dr. Chapnick’s response
The way that our system works means that, generally speaking, the opposition has as much input into foreign policy as the government wants them to have. Sometimes, for example in the early Mulroney years, that can be quite a bit. The Mulroney government launched a policy review that included the House of Commons and the Senate, which meant that members of the opposition had a real opportunity to inform the government’s thinking. In times of genuine crisis, the government might also reach out, but it does not have to. At other times, the opposition has no input whatsoever. That said, the Senate can at times compensate for a lack of opposition input.

 

 

 

Register to create a GTLLI account

Apr 7, 2020 | Uncategorized

To create a new GTLLI account –

1. Read the information below and then go to Log In/Create Account on the main menu.
2. Click on Register New Account.
3. Complete the information requested.

*** A unique email address is necessary to create a GTLLI account, to buy ticketsor videos and get receipts, to recover lost passwords and to communicate with GTLLI.
If you have a unique email address, enter it

*** If you do not have any email address or share one with another GTLLI account holder, there are 2 options to provide the mandatory unique email address ……
. either create a separate email address for yourself (eg gmail address)
. or enter a fake email address using exactly this format….. gtllimember+yourfirstnamelastname@gmail.com
for example ….  gtllimember+johndoe@gmail.com or gtllimember+bettysmith@gmail.com
This specific fake address will allow you to create an account but does not function for email.
You will not receive any communication through it.

.*** your username is whatever you chose to log in with in the future. You can also sign in with your email address.
Choose something easy to remember and easy to key in. It must be unique to you.

If you require the assistance of a volunteer to create an account, leave a message at 705 300-3251 or email info@gtlli.ca

 

GTLLI During COVID-19

Mar 17, 2020 | Uncategorized

Thanks to technology we have been using for the past two lecture series, spring ticket holders for New Life Church, Simcoe St. Theatre and Creemore  and anyone who bought a ticket for viewing at home were able to enjoy these lectures.  The recorded videos are available on your computer, tablet, smart TV or phone – anywhere there is internet service.  See details below.

VIDEOS – are free to spring course ticket holders but single lectures or the bundle of 6 are for sale.

Videos are available until June 30, to watch as often as you wish.  For information on requesting the free videos, watching them on your device and on your TV …. Click on https://gtlli.ca/category/videos/

LANYARDS
Finally, please retain your GTLLI lanyards and return them when we see you again at a lecture.

 If you have questions or require assistance, talk to your family or friends, or leave a message at 705-300-3251.

 

2019-20 PERSPECTIVES

May 1, 2019 | Uncategorized

Sept 6: THE LIFE OF A CONCERT PIANIST

The oh-so-glamorous life of a concert pianist revealed. This presentation takes us backstage to experience the high-strung, travel-laden, cosmopolitan life of a modern concert pianist.

Daniel Wnukowski is an internationally recognized Polish-Canadian concert pianist. He has a M.Mus from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (London, UK) and a B.M. from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins Institute.  He is the founder of the Collingwood Summer Music Festival and the pan-Canadian outreach project, Piano Six “New Generation”.

Sept 13: DEVELOPING A WINNING MINDSET

The winning mindset of successful athletes involves three qualities: confidence, mental toughness and effective management of thoughts and emotions. Resiliency is one component that helps overcome significant obstacles. We will learn about the mental preparation strategies that are often used by elite athletes on their road to success.

Paul Dennis, BPHE, B.Ed, MA, PhD, has spent 20 years with Toronto Maple Leafs as their player development coach and as a consultant to NBA’s Toronto Raptors and Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC.  He is currently an advisor to the Ontario Hockey League and Hockey Canada.

Sept. 20: THE ARCTIC IN THE MODERN ERA

Part One of this presentation will look at the physical Arctic, and the first peoples to occupy its vastness. The second part will focus on the modern Arctic. The Inuit are confronted by the headwinds of western culture and climate change. Despite these challenges, they are determined to gain a future homeland that is truly theirs.

Peter Middleton is a retired Outdoor Educator with a passion for the Canadian Arctic. His travels, as a guide to the Arctic, spanned nearly five decades, and provided him with a wealth of direct experience and perspective. Global challenges, both to the ecology and the Inuit culture, are particular areas of interest. Peter has presented to the GTLLI on two previous occasions.

Sept 27: CANADA: A NATION OF INNOVATION

Innovation is the basis of a strong economy. This presentation describes an ‘Education for Innovation’ initiative supported by the Rideau Hall Foundation and intended to cultivate and celebrate innovation in Canada. We will hear about Canadian innovators and the learning activities used to promote innovation mindsets in youth.

Dr. Maria Cantalini-Williams was a full Professor of the Schulich School of Education, Nipissing University and is presently an instructor at Wilfrid Laurier University. She leads the Education for Innovation project and has authored many academic publications and teaching resources.