Sunday, May 5, 2024

The origin of COVID-19: The debate opens up

 Where did COVID-19 come from? For a long time after the outbreak of the global pandemic, even posing this question was considered controversial. But several voices have long challenged the assertion that the virus has a zoonotic (animal) origin from a natural setting – and instead argue there are strong arguments in support of […]

Carbon tech, carbon capture: Turning the CO2 threat into an opportunity

Carbon emissions are causing climate changes. Figuring out ways to produce oil, gas, hydrogen, steel, petrochemicals, fertilizer and other products without releasing CO2 into the atmosphere is one of the biggest challenges of our times. A suite of technologies known as carbon capture, utilisation and sequestration, (CCUS) can contribute both to reducing emissions in hard-to-abate […]

Repudiating the Doctrine of Discovery: A symbolic act or a new beginning with Indigenous Peoples?

For generations, Indigenous Peoples have rejected the Doctrine of Discovery, the statement by the Roman Catholic Church that was used widely to justify the European occupation of Indigenous lands. In 2023, the Vatican announced the Catholic Church was renouncing the Doctrine. This webinar addresses three questions: why are Indigenous Peoples so opposed to this Catholic […]

Panel discussion: G7 Hiroshima Summit and Beyond

Kildare House, 323 Chapel Street, Ottawa, ON K1N 7Z2

This year, Japan will host the G7 summit in Hiroshima amidst a backdrop of growing geostrategic competition and persistent threats to the international rules-based order that Tokyo, Ottawa and our partners have invested so much to protect. Canada, rather than viewing these challenges as isolated or temporal, must recognize the profound changes internationally and work […]

The Endless Indigenous Water Controversy

For more than a decade, The Government of Canada has placed a high priority on bringing clean, safe and reliable water supplies to Indigenous communities across the country. While considerable progress has been made -- at a high cost and with delays -- a considerable amount of work remains to be done. In this webinar, […]

The West in Confederation: What’s Behind Western Restlessness?

In the past few years, the combination of Albertan assertiveness, First Nations' engagement, Saskatchewan's social policy activism, and Manitoba's political transitions have attracted national attention. Yet most Canadians outside the region have little sense of what is going on politically, economically and socially in the West. Current battles over resource development, social policy, Indigenous rights, […]

The Notwithstanding Clause: Use It – or Lose It?

In recent years, provincial governments have turned with increasing frequency to Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - otherwise known as the notwithstanding clause - to inoculate legislation from judicial invalidation. Should this trend be concerning, and does it represent a break from the historical norm? When, if ever, is it […]

Indigenous Peoples and Critical Minerals

 The global demand for critical minerals has placed unprecedented pressure on Indigenous groups and governments to approve and fast track resource development projects. This is particularly the case in northern Ontario, where the extensive mineral resources continue to attract a great deal of development interest. How are Canadian Indigenous communities responding to this situation? […]

The Online News Act: Surveying the fallout and what comes next

 The Online News Act (Bill C-18) has not turned out as the Trudeau government intended, with Meta withdrawing from news sharing and Google threatening to do the same. The result has been a disaster for Canadian media, with both legacy outlets and news startups left worse off than before. On this panel, we bring […]

First Nations and the energy to succeed

Indigenous communities have unique and incredibly complex relationships with the oil, gas and pipeline sectors. Media coverage emphasizes - and distorts - Indigenous engagement by focusing on the comparatively small numbers of conflicts with developers. After thoughtful local debate, many Indigenous communities, in fact, choose to pursue careful partnerships with energy firms. This webinar, presented […]