Group of 78 - Le Groupe des 78

North Korea After the Winter Olympics
2018-01-30 12:00 - 14:00 (America/Toronto) | Palais Imperial Restaurant, 311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
Marius Grinius

North Korea After the Winter Olympics (event PDF)
Speaker’s Notes (PDF)

Tuesday January 30, 2018
12:00 p.m.
Palais Imperial Restaurant,
311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa

$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)
$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)
RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday January 26, 2018 by 12:00 pm
Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.
Individuals who do not cancel their reservations at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.

Online Registration
While yet another round of tougher UN sanctions is initiated against North Korea, tensions between North and South Korea have eased as they agree to talk to each other against the backdrop of the Winter Olympics. Meanwhile, a curious meeting on the nuclear standoff is convened in Vancouver, but without China or Russia. However, it is what happens after the Winter Olympics that will determine the way forward, as North Korea continues its march to achieve a credible nuclear weapons capability. Marius will argue that the window for verifiable and irreversible North Korean denuclearization has passed and we now need to look at the diplomacy of containment and de-escalation, all in the context of the “new Great Game” being played out by an ascendant China and a retreating United States.
Marius Grinius
After serving in the Canadian Army for 12 years Marius joined the Foreign Service in 1979. His early postings included Bangkok, Brussels/NATO and Hanoi. Assignments in Ottawa included Foreign Affairs (nuclear arms control, South East Asia), the Privy Council Office (social policy, security and intelligence) and Western Economic Diversification. Marius is the former Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam (1997-99), South Korea (2004-07) and concurrently North Korea (2005-07) and to the United Nations and Conference on Disarmament in Geneva (2007-11). Prior to retiring in 2012 he served at DND as Director-General for International Security Policy. Marius is a Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.

Book Launch - A United Nations Renaissance: What the UN is, and what it could be
2018-02-09 16:30 - 19:00 | Army Officers’ Mess, 149 Somerset St. W, Ottawa, ON, Canada
John Trent and Laura Schnurr will launch their new book, titled “A United Nations Renaissance: What the UN is, and what it could be” on February 9, 2018.
They have been busy writing a book over the past couple years — it’s a small book about a big topic! In a nutshell, it’s about how we can better manage the big global issues of our time, such as climate change, terrorism, sustainable development and human rights. The United Nations is well-placed for this, but the book explores the major changes required for it to be capable of effectively governing the world.

Here’s what others have said about the book:
“This book makes clear why this is such an important cause for our time. And its focus on mobilizing young people to the cause is a worthy recommendation.”
– Lloyd Axworthy, Past President, University of Winnipeg, former Foreign Minister of Canada
“A concise, crystal clear, superbly informed explanation of how the United Nations works – and why it matters.”
– Michael Byers, Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law, University of British Columbia
“Trent and Schnurr provide a persuasive and user-friendly introduction for a new generation of change-makers.”
– Thomas G. Weiss, Presidential Professor of Political Science, The CUNY Graduate Center, Past President International Studies Association

DATE AND TIME
Friday, February 9, 2018
4:30 PM – 7:00 PM
LOCATION:
Army Officers’ Mess,
149 Somerset St. W, Ottawa, ON
RSVP is NOT required.
For more information, check the Poster, as well as the Facebook event and the website https://unitednationsrenaissance.wordpress.com/.

Syrian Refugees - No Relief in Sight
2018-02-27 12:00 - 14:00 | Palais Imperial Restaurant, 311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
Fatos Baudouin
Syrian Refugees – NoRelief in Sight (PDF)

February 27, 2018
12:00 p.m.
Palais Imperial Restaurant,
311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa

$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)
$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)
RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday February 22, 2018 by 12:00 pm
Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.
Individuals who do not cancel their reservations at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.
Online Registration

Dr. Baudouin will share her experience as the WHO consultant in Turkey in the city of Gaziantep where the two large refugee camps are located and the refugee population comprises 22% of the city population. She will argue that since the solution to Syria problem is nowhere in sight, it is time to look into the possibility of integrating the refugees to the existing societies by provide training, help finding jobs and provide job security. A lot of cooperation and collaboration is needed between the host government, UN agencies and the NGOs. Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, UN identified that some 13.5 M Syrians are requiring humanitarian assistance of which more than 6M are internally displaced within Syria and more than 5M are refugees from outside Syria. The UNHCR counted more than 1M asylum applicants in Europe as of August 2017. The journey that refugees take, the hardship and the tragedies lived is little understood by the outside world. Among the countries of the Regional Refugee and Resilience, (3RP), a coordination platform including the neighboring countries (excluding Israel and Egypt), the UNHCR counted more than 5M refugees as of August 2017. Turkey is the largest host country of registered refugees with over 3M registered refugees followed by Lebanon close to 1M.

Fatos Baudouin
Fatos Baudouin is a Mental Health Specialist and Research Scientist with a specific focus on Common Mental Disorders and PTSD as well as developing educational programs for Primary Health Care Professionals. She has completed her medical education in Ankara /Turkey and arrived in Canada in 1983. In Canada she has worked as research associate with the Royal Ottawa Psychiatric Hospital, Alcohol and Drug Addiction Unit while completing a two year of “Advance Program for Addiction and Mental Health Studies” at the Addiction Research Foundation (ARF, now named Center for Addictions and Mental Health, CAMH). She was a guest professor at the University of Tunis, Medical Faculty Department of Psychiatry as well as Istanbul University Medical Faculty Department of Psychiatry 1990-1994. Since 1991 she has been working as international consultant for the UNDCP, WB, WHO and the Canadian Federal Ministry of Health as well as Provincial Ministries of Health. While working in Geneva for the WHO Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse her responsibility was to complete and finalize an educational project entitled “Mental Disorders in Primary Care” targeting Primary Health Care Professionals across the globe.
Later, this educational program has been implemented in several provinces in Canada by Dr. Baudouin with funding from the Federal Ministry of Health, provincial Ministries of Health and with the collaboration of the medical schools. Her duty travels include Chad, responsible for 4 refugee camps on the Sudan border as well as running the Guereda field hospital. Philistine and Gaze (2 assingments) Diyarbakir/Turkey

South Africa and Zimbabwe - Limits to Change
2018-03-27 12:00 - 14:00 | East India Company Pub & Eatery, Ottawa, 210 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON, K2P 0J4, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
Featuring:Linda Freeman
South Africa and Zimbabwe – Limits to Change (PDF)
Paper from Linda Freeman is now available to download!
* Please Note: This paper is for a festschrift collection, not for quotation or reproduction

March 27, 2018
12:00 p.m.
East India Company Pub & Eatery,
210 Somerset St W., Ottawa

$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)
$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)
RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday, March 23, 2018 by 12:00 pm
Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.
Individuals who do not cancel their reservations at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.
Online Registration

In the last months, events have produced a reconfiguration of forces in both Zimbabwe and South Africa. In Zimbabwe, the 37-year old regime of Robert Mugabe came to an end, while in South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa emerged as a powerful alternative to Jacob Zuma.
What a difference a year has made or has it?
This talk will explore the origins and nature of change in these two southern African countries and assess its significance. Does the rise to power of an authoritarian political leader in Zimbabwe offer a glimpse of South Africa’s future? Or will the different historical terrain and stronger institutions (the judiciary, the media, the political opposition and civil society) enable a positive alternative? Above all, what prospects are there for democratic forces within each country to secure greater accountability from hitherto dominant forces – be they corporate or state, foreign or local?
Linda Freeman
Linda Freeman is an emeritus professor in the Department of Political Science and the Institute of African Studies at Carleton University. Her study The Ambiguous Champion – Canada and South Africa in the Trudeau and Mulroney Years won the Harold Adams Innis Prize for best book in the social sciences, written in English in 1998/9. She specializes in African political economy, with a particular interest in southern Africa. She is working on a manuscript on South African relations with Zimbabwe. She has testified regularly to parliamentary sub-committees and is a frequent commentator on African affairs for the Canadian media.

Iran, the US and the Regional Crisis
2018-04-19 19:00 - 21:00 | Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Lisgar St., Ottawa, ON, K2P 2L7, Canada
WHEN: Thursday, 19 April 2018 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
WHERE: Knox Presbyterian Church – 120 Lisgar Street, Ottawa, ON

Ambassador Seyed Hossein Mousavian will talk about the complexities of the bilateral relationship between Iran and the US, and will shed light on regional issues from different views, pointing the way forward necessary to foster sustainable peace and security.

Event background PDF, Click Here
*****
Moderator:

Roy Culpeper, Chair of the Group of 78

Speaker:

Hossein Mousavian is a Middle East Security and Nuclear Policy Specialist at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. From 1997 to 2005, he was the head of the Foreign Relations Committee of Iran’s National Security Council; from 2003 to 2005, he served as spokesman for Iran in its nuclear negotiations with the European Union. He is the author of “The Iranian Nuclear Crisis: A Memoir” published by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in June 2012.

Online Registration
Tickets will also be available at the door

$10.00 – Early Bird Regular Ticket, RSVP (Sale ends April 9th, 2018)
$15 – Regular Ticket (Sale ends April 19th, 2018, 6:00 pm)
$20.00 – At the Door
$5.00 – Student/Unwaged Ticket, RSVP (Sale ends April 19th, 2018 6:00 pm)
$10.00 – Student/Unwaged Ticket at the Door

How To Stop Corporate Tax Dodging
2018-04-24 12:00 - 14:00 | East India Company Pub & Eatery, Ottawa, 210 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON, K2P 0J4, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
Featuring: Dennis Howlett
How To Stop Corporate Tax Dodging (PDF)

April 24, 2018

12:00 p.m.
East India Company Pub & Eatery,

210 Somerset St W., Ottawa

$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)

$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)

RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday, April 20, 2018 by 12:00 pm

Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.

Individuals who do not cancel their reservations at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.

Online Registration

In the wake of the Panama and Paradise Papers scandals, revealing global tax evasion on a massive scale, and increasing evidence of tax avoidance by the world’s largest corporations, Dennis Howlett will talk about whether such practices can be stopped, and how.

Dennis Howlett

Dennis Howlett is currently the Executive Director of Canadians for Tax Fairness. Dennis has helped to launch campaigns to roll back corporate tax cuts, tackle tax havens and close tax loopholes. He is frequently called as an expert witness for the House of Commons Finance Committee and is often quoted in print and electronic media. He also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Global Alliance for Tax Justice.

For over 30 years he worked for a number of ecumenical social justice coalitions including Ten Days for Global Justice, the Ecumenical Coalition for Economic Justice and KAIROS where he led successful campaigns for cancellation of Third World debt, fair trade certification of coffee and other products, and ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change.

How can Canada regain its reputation as a world leader on caring and safe communities?
2018-05-29 12:00 - 14:00 | Palais Imperial Restaurant, 311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
Irvin Waller

How can Canada regain its reputation as a world leader on caring and safe communities? (PDF)

Tuesday, May 29, 2018
12:00 p.m.
Palais Imperial Restaurant,
311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa

$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)
$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)
RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday May 25, 2018 by 12:00 pm
Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.
Individuals who do not cancel their reservations at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.
Online Registration

Canada and world leaders committed to reducing violence against women and street violence when they endorsed the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. Scientific evidence has identified how violence prevention can be both effective and cost effective. “Upstream” prevention is focused on youth outreach, mentoring for jobs and in sports, positive parenting, life skills curricula and other proven programs Pioneering cities such as Glasgow in Scotland reduced street violence by 50% within three years of implementing a citywide plan.
Canada has failed to demonstrate leadership in crime prevention. Compared to other G7 countries than the USA, Canada has a rate of homicide double their average and the homicide rate for Indigenous People is seven times that of non-Indigenous. Overseas, rapid increases in aid expenditures on policing, poorly trained and paid, is still common and not matched by equivalent targeted social investments.

Irvin Waller has won international awards for his groundbreaking work in criminology. He is the founding executive director of the UN-affiliated International Centre for Prevention of Crime. He has advised the governments of more than 50 countries around the world. His recent publication on Smarter Crime Control is a guide on how to invest in effective crime prevention. It is the third in a trilogy of books on crime victim rights and humane crime policies published in the USA and translated into Chinese, Spanish and other languages. He is retiring this year as Full Professor of Criminology at the University of Ottawa and as President of the International Organization for Victim Assistance in order to dedicate more time in Canada and internationally to the crime prevention agenda

www.irvinwaller.org | @IrvinWaller

Science for Peace Conference: How to Save the World in a Hurry
2018-05-30 09:00 - 2018-05-31 17:00 | University of Toronto, Room 140 University College, 15 Kings College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H7, Canada
Science for Peace invites you to attend the upcoming forum:

“How to Save the World in a Hurry”

WHEN: Wednesday & Thursday, May 30 and 31, 2018
WHERE: Room 140-University College, 15 Kings College Circle, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
TICKETS: General registration $100, Students & Unwaged $40
* Register now through Eventbrite

All participants will have an opportunity to question several experts before choosing a “Platform for Survival” — the 25 public policy proposals that seem most promising for reducing these six global threats: War and weapons (especially nuclear), Global warming, Famine, Pandemics, Radiation explosion, Cyber attack. For information about these crises, see the website: tosavetheworld.ca

******
Confirmed Speakers include:
Douglas Roche (Canadian senator and former ambassador for disarmament) • Doug Saunders (Globe and Mail columnist) • Gordon Edwards (Canadians for Nuclear Responsibility) • Dr. Larry Brilliant (Skoll Foundation chair of “End Pandemics” and former leader of campaign that eradicated smallpox) • Mark Z. Jacobson (Director of Stanford University’s Atmosphere/Energy Program) • Peggy Mason (former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament; director of the Rideau Institute).
******
Day 1:
we will have question-and-answer sessions with pairs of experts on each of these threats. Then most participants will have dinner in a restaurant and hear the Globe and Mail journalist Doug Saunders speak about the protection of democracy.
***Note: If you wish to attend the dinner and/or order box lunches, you must purchase them separately through Eventbrite when registering for the forum. None will be sold at the door. To do so, see Eventbrite’s “How to Save the World Meal Tickets.”
Day 1:
we will break into separate groups to select the most promising policy proposals for each threat. Then, upon returning to a plenary session, we will compile them to form a one-page-long list of 25 policy proposals called our “Platform for Survival.” All individuals and NGOs will be able to endorse it thereafter and use it as a common agenda for campaigns to repair our world and keep it safe for everyone.

Fifty Years and Counting: Is the Israeli Occupation Sustainable?
2018-06-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Lisgar St., Ottawa, ON, K2P 2L7, Canada
WHEN: Wednesday, 13 June 2018 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
WHERE: Knox Presbyterian Church – 120 Lisgar Street, Ottawa, ON

The Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory is currently the longest in the world, at 50 years and counting. The Israeli settlement population continues to grow faster than the Israeli population, annexation legislation is being debated in the Israeli Knesset, and the peace process that ended in April 2014 shows no sign of revival. Gaza has become a serious humanitarian crisis, the Palestinian economy is flat-lining and the predominant mood in the occupied territory is despair. Amidst this gloom, is there any room for optimism for a sustainable and just peace accord between Israel and Palestine?

Event background PDF, Click Here
*****
Moderator:

Michael Atallah, Senior Middle East Analyst at the Privy Council Office

Speakers:

Michael Lynk, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Western University
Nadia Abu-Zahra, Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa

Online Registration
Tickets will also be available at the door
$10.00 – Early Bird, RSVP (Sale ends June 6th, 2018)
$15 – Regular Ticket (Also available at the door for $15.00, cash, cheque, and credit card will be accepted)
$5.00 – Early Bird, Student/Unwaged Ticket (Sale ends June 6th, 2018)
$10.00 – Regular Ticket, Student/Unwaged Ticket (Also available at the door for $10.00, cash, cheque, and credit card will be accepted)

Film Screening: Anote’s Ark (2017)
2018-09-27 18:45 - 22:00 | Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank St, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 3X3, Canada
What if your country was swallowed by the sea?

The Pacific Island nation of Kiribati (population: 100,000) is one of the most remote places on the planet, seemingly far-removed from the pressures of modern life. Yet it is one of the first countries that must confront the main existential dilemma of our time: imminent annihilation from sea-level rise.

While Kiribati’s President Anote Tong races to find a way to protect his nation’s people and maintain their dignity, many Kiribati are already seeking safe harbour overseas.
Set against the backdrop of international climate and human rights negotiations, Anote’s struggle to save his nation is intertwined with the extraordinary fate of Tiemeri, a young mother of six, who fights to migrate her family to New Zealand. At stake is the survival of Tiemeri’s family, the Kiribati people, and 4,000 years of Kiribati culture.
co-presentation with One World Arts and the One World Film Festival (http://www.anotesark.com/).
Panel & Discussion to follow – $10.00 tickets at the door – Members and senior discounts

MEETING THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE: Accelerating the Transition to a Post-Carbon World
2018-09-28 - 2018-09-29 | Cartier Place Suite Hotel, 180 Cooper St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Group of 78 Annual Policy Conference

Group of 78 Annual Policy Conference
Cartier Place Suite Hotel, Ottawa, September 28-29, 2018

Program Chair Statement
Credit Card Registration Register by Cheque/Email Transfer

Conference Outline
Accumulating evidence shows the world’s ecosystem careening towards ever more unpredictable and disruptive outcomes, even as the global community’s responses become increasingly disjointed and incoherent. If this course is not altered, the global community faces an existential crisis that, similar to the use of nuclear weapons, could spell the end to civilization as we know it, and perhaps of humanity itself.
The aim of the conference is to identify policies, actions and forces to be mobilized to achieve transformation to a fully sustainable society, in every nation state and globally.
Too often, news reports of climate change related disasters in all parts of the world do not make the connection to human causes. Thus much of the global public remains in denial of the serious need to act aggressively both politically and economically.
Yet there are solutions. A small but increasing number of governments are adopting policies and promoting actions to mitigate climate change. Market forces are shifting toward cheaper green energy and other low carbon technologies. Civil society is mobilizing public opinion and advocating constructive government action.
Against this backdrop Canada’s Liberal government has defined itself – and has been widely perceived – as a beacon of hope and positive engagement in sharp contrast to the depressing spectacle of a US government gutting environmental regulations, doubling down on use of fossil fuels and actively sabotaging the modest achievements of the Paris Climate Accord.
While the Canadian government’s language in this drama has changed for the better since the previous government’s “war against science”, the question remains how serious is our government’s commitment to the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Recent projections indicate that Canada will fall well short of meeting its Paris commitments. Some argue that its efforts are incoherent and lack the ambition necessary to make more progress and show leadership on this front.
The conference will examine questions such as:

The complex context of the Climate Challenge, nationally and internationally, and the policy framework required to address it.
The leadership needed to promote global cooperation in addressing the Climate Crisis in a timely manner.
Creating coherence between green public policies and related socio-economic policies such as military and trade agreements.

A conference report will be shared widely and the Group of 78 will work with other organizations to press for changes in government policy and action to implement the conclusions and recommendations.

Program
THURSDAY, Sept 27, 2018 evening – $10.00 tickets at the door
6:45 p.m.

Film Screening: Anote’s Ark (2017), at Mayfair Theatre, co-presentation with One World Arts and the One World Film Festival
http://www.anotesark.com/
Panel & Discussion to follow

FRIDAY, Sept. 28, 2018 evening
6:00 p.m.
Dinner & Keynote Address:
What’s love got to do with it? Climate politics, solutions and the future of our planet

Indigenous Acknowledgement: Elder Verna Macgregor, Algonquin Nation
Moderator: Roy Culpeper, Chair, Group of 78
Keynote speaker: Joanna Kerr – Executive director, Greenpeace Canada

SATURDAY, Sept 29, 2018 day
8:30 a.m.
Panel 1: Magnitude of the Problem, A Comprehensive Approach Needed
Moderator: Manfred Bienefeld, Vice Chair, Group of 78
Speaker 1: Rohinton P. Medhora – President, Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)
Speaker 2: Prof. Gordon McBean – President, International Council for Science; Co-chair, Governing Council, Future Earth
Speaker 3: Mike de Souza – Managing Editor, National Observer
11:00 a.m.
Panel 2: The Trudeau Government’s Policies in a Global Perspective
Moderator: Susan Tanner, Board Director, Group of 78, & Chair, Conference Planning Committee
Speaker 1: Tzeporah Berman – Author, environmental campaigner, and Adjunct Professor, York University Environmental Studies
Speaker 2: Scott Vaughan, CEO, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)

12:30 p.m.
Lunch & Speaker: Serious About Climate Resilience? Empower Gender Equity
Tracy Mann, Climate Wise Women

2:00 p.m.
Panel 3: Getting from Here to There – Inspiring initiatives – Mobilizing People
Moderator: Andrea Harden, Climate Campaigner, Council of Canadians
Speakers:
1: Martin Settle, Co-Executive Director, USC Canada – Actions on Global Agriculture
2 : Karine Peloffy, Avocate conseil, Centre québécois du droit de l’environnement – Climate Lens on Environmental Assessment
3: Val Courtois, ED, – Indigenous Leadership Initiative on Indigenous Stewardship
4: Dr. Curtis Lavoie, CPHA, – Climate Change Impacts on Public Health

4:00 p.m. Conference Conclusion and Closing Remarks: Roy Culpeper & Susan Tanner

Group of 78 Annual Meeting to follow immediately

7:30 p.m. Climate Stomp: Dancing, Live Music, Cash Bar, and Appetizers will be Provided

Climate Stomp! September 29, 7-11pm
2018-09-29 19:00 - 23:00 | Cartier Place Suite Hotel, 180 Cooper St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Please join us at our upcoming event: Climate Stomp! Hosted by the Group of 78.
This evening will include live music, dancing, fundraising activities, appetizers, and a cash bar!
This is a free event, so invite friends and family to join us for a night of singing and dancing.
Donations are greatly appreciated at the door. Donations of $20 and over will receive a tax receipt.
Where: Brittany Salon, Cartier Place Suite Hotel, 180 Cooper St
When: September 29, 2018 – 7:00pm – 11:00pm
Email group78@group78.org

Musicians/Bands

THREE TIMES LUCKY

THREE TIMES LUCKY will be belting those blues away, back beat-rhythms rockin’ the stage, and players kicking out the jams, guaranteeing that ‘this party is
only just getting started!’ So throw on your favorite dancing boots lads ‘n lassies, grab yer partner, and get ready to juke, chuck ‘n jive all night long!
Band Members

Leslie Barkell Rohonczy – Lead Vocalist and Percussion,
Dave Reid – Guitars and Vocals
Jean Lamarre – Keyboards and Vocals,
Larry Deszcz – Drums, Percussion and Vocals,
Zteve Reid – Bass Guitar and Vocals, X-Box

Stay-Tuned/Restez-à-l’écoute

Stay-Tuned/Restez-à-l’écoute: The band’s repertoire ranges far and wide, from classics of the ‘great American songbook’ by the likes of George Gershwin and
Jerome Kern, to songs by Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, and Sting.

Band members

Ferline Regis, vocals
Michèle Castonguay, vocals
Ron Ferguson, trumpet
Steven Pierre Louis, electric bass
Gord Graham, acoustic bass
Dan Quinlan, drums
Karl Nerenberg, piano

Singers

Michele Castonguay
Ferline Regis

Oil and World Politics- Canada Plays the Oil Game too
2018-10-17 19:00 - 21:00 | St. Paul’s Eastern United Church, 473 Cumberland St, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 7K1, Canada
Pdf
Early Bird Ticket Sale – Eventbrite Only (sale ends Oct. 16th)

$5.00 – Early Bird, Student/Unwaged Ticket (Sale ends October 16, 2018)
$10.00 – Early Bird, Regular Ticket, (Sale ends October 16, 2018)
Tickets on 17th October:
$10.00 – Student/unwaged
$15 – Regular Ticket
Available at the door or through Eventbrite

Petroleum is the most valuable commodity in the world and an enormous source of wealth for those who sell it, transport it and transform it for its many uses. As the engine of modern economies and industries, governments everywhere want to assure steady supplies. Without it, their economies would grind to a standstill.
Petroleum geopolitics are complex. When clashes and conflicts occur, they are multi-dimensional. Foster’s book “Oil and World Politics. The real story of today’s conflict zones: Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ukraine, and more” explores pieces of the multi-faceted puzzle in the dark world of petroleum and fits them together.
“Petroleum geopolitics are as opaque as they are complex. This vital driver of so many of the world’s conflicts, and in particular, of western military interventions, is rarely if ever part of our public discourse. John Foster’s invaluable book changes all that. The book – and this lecture- are a must for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of global conflict and its potential resolution.” – Peggy Mason, President of the Rideau Institute

Speaker: John Foster
John Foster has spent his working life as an oil economist. He understands the underlying role played by oil and gas in international affairs. He identifies the hidden issues behind many of the conflicts in the world today. He explores military interventions (Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria), tensions around international waterways (Persian Gulf, South China Sea), and use of sanctions or political interference related to petroleum trade (Iran, Russia, Venezuela). He illuminates the petroleum-related reasons for government actions usually camouflaged and rarely discussed publicly by Western politicians or media. Foster is an energy economist with more than 40 years’ experience in policy and economic issues relating to infrastructure and petroleum. While holding positions with the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, Petro-Canada and BP group, he witnessed first-hand the impact of petroleum geopolitics in more than 30 countries around the world.

Making Sense of the Russia Trump Media Circus
2018-11-06 12:00 - 14:00 | Palais Imperial Restaurant, 311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
Making Sense of the Russia Trump Media Circus
Featuring: Manfred Bienefeld

Tuesday, November 6, 2018
12:00 p.m.
Palais Imperial Restaurant,
311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa

PDF
$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)
$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)
RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday Nov 2, 2018 by 12:00 pm
Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.
Individuals who do not cancel their reservations at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.
Online Registration

According to the endlessly repeated official “line”, western powers are fully justified in waging economic and diplomatic war on all things Russian because it: has egregiously flouted international law (Crimea); lent active military support to a brutal dictator (Assad); violated the sovereignty of other countries by attacking people it considers “enemies” inside their borders (Skripal); and is actively seeking to sow dissention and influence elections in the US and elsewhere (the DNC hack). But even if all the above charges were accepted at face value, are Russia’s alleged transgressions so disproportionately more serious than those of other international actors, to justify this western hostility? After examining the available evidence, Prof. Bienefeld will argue that any Canadian truly concerned with creating a world in which international law will play a significant and effective role in protecting sovereign nations from hostile diplomatic, financial, informational or military interventions in their internal affairs, should focus on opposing the increasingly provocative and dangerous policies of NATO and its main western supporters, especially the U.S. and Canada.
Manfred Bienefeld is Professor Emeritus at Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration. Having taught, published and lectured widely on the political economy of international development his work has long focused on the key Keynesian insight that relatively unrestrained international capital flows would erode the capacity of nation states to manage their economies in response to their citizens’ needs and priorities and that this would eventually recreate the political, social and economic turmoil of the 1920s. And based on this insight he argued in a 1994 paper that dreams of a peace dividend would remain unfulfilled because, instead of moving into a multi-polar world, we were moving into a dangerous unipolar world in which the sole superpower was determined to universalize an indefensible and ultimately unsustainable neoliberal economic model.

What Would it Take to Achieve Peace in Yemen?
2018-11-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Lisgar St., Ottawa, ON, K2P 2L7, Canada
Pdf
Early Bird Ticket Sale – Eventbrite Only (sale ends Nov. 13th)

$5.00 – Early Bird, Student/Unwaged Ticket (Sale ends November 13, 2018)
$10.00 – Early Bird, Regular Ticket, (Sale ends November 13, 2018)
Tickets on 17th October:
$10.00 – Student/unwaged
$15 – Regular Ticket
Available at the door or through Eventbrite
Join us on Wednesday, November 14, 2018 for a stimulating and thought provoking discussion on the current state of the conflict in Yemen, exploring into greater detail the causes of conflict, the actors involved, and the potential outcomes. Following the presentation by our panelists will be a Q&A period where participants can further discuss topics of interest with the panelists.
At this event, a table will be set out with copies of “Two Boys from Aden College” ($15) and “Forbidden Love in the Land of Sheba” ($12), written by panelist Dr.Qais Ghanem, available for purchase.

Speakers:
Dr. Qais Ghanem
From Aden, South Yemen. A graduate in medicine from the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Ghanem immigrated to Canada in 1970, where he then trained in pediatrics at Queen’s U, then in neurology and neurophysiology at Michigan U & Ottawa U. He was the former head of Neuro Lab at NDMC, Sleep Lab at OGH and Monfort H.
Dr. Mustafa Bahran
A professor of physics at Carleton University and the University of Oklahoma, Dr.Bahran served as Minister of Energy in Yemen from 2007-08 and was the founder of the National Atomic Energy Commission, as well as the co-founder of the Yemeni Scientific Research Foundation.
Dr. Najat Sasani
From the town of Ibb, in Yemen. Dr.Sasani traveled with her diplomat father to the USSR and Pakistan. A graduate of the U of Sanaa, Yemen, in medicine, she trained in pediatrics in Halifax, FRCPC. She has been living in Ottawa for nearly 3 years.

The Division of America: Looking ahead after the 2018 Midterm Elections
2018-11-27 12:00 - 14:00 | Palais Imperial Restaurant, 311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
Sarah Goldfeder
The Division of America- Looking ahead after the 2018 Midterm Elections (PDF)

Tuesday, November 27, 2018
12:00 p.m.
Palais Imperial Restaurant,
311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa

$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)
$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)
RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday, November 23, 2018 by 12:00 pm
Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.
Payment/registration options:
1) Interac e-transfer: direct deposit payment to group78@group78.org, please include a note with registrants info.
(preferred)
2) e-mail RSVP (cheque, cash, credit at the door):
3) Online
Online Registration
*Individuals who do not cancel their reservations at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.
In all likelihood, the Democrats will retake the House of Representatives in the November 6th elections. That will set the stage for an even more divisive atmosphere in Washington, as the Democrats will now be empowered to pass legislation in Congress that reflects their values and concerns. Will the 116th Congress look to heal wounds and find ways to build bridges or will it further entrench the two tribes? What will be the impact on Canada? For the global rules of order?

Sarah Goldfeder is a Principal at the Earnscliffe Strategy Group in Ottawa and a fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. She provides high-level insight on the inner workings of the U.S. and Canadian governments, including how they work together on important issues. With 15 years of experience in the U.S. federal government, Sarah most recently served as Special Assistant to two U.S. Ambassadors to Canada, fostering bilateral relationships at the most senior levels. Her understanding of the interplay between state and federal governments complements her service within the U.S. federal bureaucracy. She has expertise in a wide range of policy issues, which has enabled her to provide practical short and long-term advice on managing the economic, cultural and political dynamics in North America.

CIPS Hosts Release of Asia Foundation’s 2018 Survey of the Afghan People
2018-12-11 09:00 - 11:30 | Demarais Hall, University of Ottawa, 55 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada
Event Date: December 11, 2018 – 9:00am to 11:30am
Location: Faculty of Social Science 4004, 120 University Private, Ottawa
Voices of the Afghan People
The Asia Foundation releases its 14th annual public perception survey
Afghanistan is at an important moment in its history. Despite a persistent insurgency that continues to control and destabilize roughly half of the country, high levels of voter enthusiasm in the recent parliamentary elections demonstrated that the people of Afghanistan remain invested in the future of their democracy. Amid a renewed focus on political reconciliation and the upcoming presidential elections in April, citizens face important choices about Afghanistan’s future stability and prosperity. These and other pressing issues facing Afghanistan are the subject of The Asia Foundation’s 2018 Survey of the Afghan People. Please join The Asia Foundation and the Center for International Policy Studies (CIPS) at the University of Ottawa on Tuesday, December 11, for a presentation on the key findings, and a panel discussion on the trends and shifts in the views of Afghan citizens from past years. The annual survey is based on face-to-face interviews with a nationally representative sample of more than 15,000 citizens across all 34 Afghan provinces. The results reveal citizens’ views on a wide range of crucial issues, including security, the economy, corruption, justice, youth issues, reconciliation with the Taliban, access to media, the role of women, governance and political participation. This year’s survey also includes new questions related to local security, access to government services, and elections. First commissioned in 2004, the survey provides an unmatched barometer of Afghan public opinion over time and a unique resource for policymakers and the international community, the Afghan government, and the broader public in Afghanistan.
Featuring
Dr. Tabasum Akseer, Director of Policy & Research in Afghanistan, The Asia Foundation
Dr. Nipa Banerjee, Senior Fellow and Adjunct Professor at the School of International Development and Principal Researcher, Center for International Policy Studies- University of Ottawa.
Elyas Irfani, Senior Desk Officer – Afghanistan, Global Affairs Canada
Moderator
Pauline Tweedie, Senior Technical Advisor for Conflict and Development, The Asia Foundation

Democratic Transition and Peacebuilding in Ethiopia
2018-12-14 02:00 - 16:00
December 14th, 2018, 2:00-4:00pm
University of Ottawa, L’amoureux Room 220
145 Jean-Jacques-Lussier Private
December 15th, 2108, 1:00pm – 4pm
Bronson Centre
211 Bronson Ave

Ethio-Canadian Peacebuilding Network is organizing events focused on the importance of peacebuilding and national reconciliation in Ethiopia. Over the last 8 months Ethiopia has gone through unprecedented political reform that is having significant impact in laying the groundwork for democratic transition in Ethiopia and building peaceful and mutually beneficial relationship among the countries of Horn of Africa.
While the on- going changes in Ethiopia are having positive effect on the country and the region this process of reform is facing some hurdles particular in the area of peace and security. Decades of polarized political policy and the sawing of division and hatred is manifesting itself through sporadic inter-group conflicts in various parts of the country.
While the government in Ethiopia is exerting all efforts to make sure the lack of peace and security doesn’t hamper the reform process, it needs support in its effort of achieving sustainable peace in the country and the region.
It is against this backdrop that the Ottawa based Ethio-Canadian Peacebuilding Network is organizing an event entitled : Our Role in Building Sustainable Peace in Ethiopia. This event will feature two speakers: Mr. Neamin Zeleke a member of the Executive Council of Patriotic Ginbot 7 Movement for Justice Freedom and Democracy will be presenting on From Authoritarian Rule to Democracy in Ethiopia and Mr. Digafie Debalke Conflict Resolution practitioner will be discussing under the title : Building Peace through Traditional and Contemporary Peacebuilding Mechanisms (Please see the attached poster for details)
We would be grateful if you join us for this important event and also share this information with your network.
Sincerely,
Ethio- Canadian Peacebuilding Network

Bolsonaro in Power: The Why, The Ugly, and The Foggy
2019-01-29 12:00 - 14:00 | Palais Imperial Restaurant, 311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
Jean Daudelin
Bolsonaro in Power: The Why, The Ugly, and The Foggy (PDF)

Tuesday, January 29, 2019
12:00 p.m.
Palais Imperial Restaurant,
311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa

$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)
$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)
RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday, January 25, 2018 by 12:00 pm
Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.
Payment/registration options:
1) Interac e-transfer: direct deposit payment to group78@group78.org, please include a note with registrants info.
(preferred)
2) e-mail RSVP (cheque, cash, credit at the door):
3) Online
Online Registration
*Individuals who do not cancel their reservations at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.
Outline:
Jair Bolsonaro was sworn in as President of Brazil on January 1st. An ultra-conservative, bitter, prejudiced and verbally aggressive admirer of Brazil’s military regime, he had been on the political and ideological fringe for more than two decades but now finds himself as the head of one of the world’s largest countries, whether by territory, population or the economy. His election, last October, was met the world over by shrill warnings of fascism and hair-raising comparisons with the Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte, and Chile’s Augusto Pinochet—whom he praised during the campaign.
It remains very early to venture predictions about the likely implications of Bolsonaro’s election. A tentative picture can nonetheless be drawn, building on an analysis of the forces that took Bolsonaro to power, of the composition of his cabinet, of congressional caucuses and coalitions, of the current dynamics at the Supreme Court and in the armed forces, and of the noise coming from the state governors who were also sworn in on January 1st.
Speaker:
Jean Daudelin is Associate Professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. He has been studying Brazil since the 1980s, was visiting Professor at the University of São Paulo and is a Research Associate at the Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas em Políticas de Segurança, at the Federal University of Pernambuco, in Recife. With José Luiz Ratton, he has just published Illegal Markets, Violence, and Inequality, Evidence From a Brazilian Metropolis (Palgrave, 2018).

Canada and Palestine: Exploring Canada’s Historical and Contemporary Relationship with Palestine and the Palestinian People.
2019-02-22 08:00 - 19:00 | Demarais Hall, University of Ottawa, 55 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada
RSVP to canpal2019@gmail.com. Please include a brief 2-line bio in your RSVP.
Co-Organizers: Professor Nadia Abu-Zahra, Professor Reem Bahdi, Professor Michael Lynk, Dr Jeremy Wildeman & Omar Burgan
Canada-Palestine Research Symposium 2019
We cordially invite you to join us on 22 February 2019 from 8 am to
7 pm at the University of Ottawa for the first Canada-Palestine Research Symposium and the launch of a Canada-Palestine research network to facilitate ongoing discussions about the understudied topic of Canada and Palestine.
Palestine looms large in Canadian foreign policy. Canada was intrinsic to the 1948 partition of Palestine and has played a key role in United Nations resolutions concerning Palestinian rights and self- determination. The Pearsonian ‘Golden Age’ of Canadian foreign policy, formative in establishing Canada’s national identity as a state independent of the British Empire, was forged out of Canada’s relationship with the Middle East and conflicts that often centred on Arab support for Palestinians. In 1992, Canada was assigned the role of ‘gavel holder’ for the highly important Refugee Working Group, as part of playing a lead role in the multilateral track of the then Middle East Peace Process. Since, 1993, Canada has also sat on the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee of major bilateral donors overseeing the foreign aid envelope and the state-building programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Canada has further since 1993 dispensed over $US 600 million in aid to Palestinians, making Canada one of the largest donors to Palestine, and making Palestinians one of Canada’s biggest ever aid recipients.
Palestine also looms large on the domestic front in Canada. Palestinian human rights advocacy and criticisms of Israel have divided Canadians in various sites including postsecondary institutions, unions, places of worship and within civil society organizations. Prime Minister Harper carried out a crackdown on Canadian civil society and research institutions working on Palestinian rights, while Prime Minister Trudeau has repeatedly denounced as ‘anti-Canadian’ campaigns to boycott, divest from or sanction Israel in response to its policies toward the Palestinians. Canadian courts, moreover, have suggested
that a commitment to Palestinian human rights may disqualify legitimate refugee claims in the national security context.
In spite of the importance of this subject to Canada and Canadians, little published work in any scholarly discipline focuses squarely on Canada and Palestine. This symposium will change that.
Over 40 participants from across Canada will discuss original research about Canada’s contemporary and historical relationship with the Palestinians. The symposium will include practitioner plenaries and scholarly panels exploring topics such: as the relationship of the Conservative and Liberal parties with Palestinians, refugee and mobility restrictions, Canadian policy towards the Palestinians and international law, perceptions of the Palestinians and relationships of power, relationships between Canadians and Palestinians outside their governments, the politics of human rights advocacy in Canada, and the significance of Canada’s relationship with Palestinians for Canada’s self-identity.
Our keynote speakers are:

Michael Lynk, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, and Professor of Law at the University of Western Ontario
Sylvia McAdam, co-founder of the international movement Idle No More, and Professor of Law at the University of Windsor

This symposium represents a unique moment in history and offers an opportunity for reflection and sharing. Ultimately, this collective study of Canada through its relationship to Palestine explores how we can do better and be better, how we can face and present our findings, and how we can keep talking with one another in academia, government, and the public realm.
Please RSVP to canpal2019@gmail.com with a brief 2-line bio.
Symposium Schedule and PDF
Supported By:

The CJPME Foundation
Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)
Canadian Union of Labour Employees (CULE)
Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) National Region
Centre for International Policy Studies (CIPS) uOttawa
Community Mobilization in Crisis (CMIC) uOttawa
Conseil central de la Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)
Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)
CUPE Local 4600
Faculty for Social Sciences (FSS) uOttawa
Fellowship for Reconciliation and Peace (FRAP) – Saskatoon
Human Rights Research and Education Centre (HHREC) uOttawa
Independent Jewish Voices (IJV)
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC- Canada)
National Council on Canadian Arab Relations (NCCAR)
Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) National Office
Rideau Institute
School of International Development and Global Studies (SIDGS) uOttawa
UNIFOR
UNIFOR 2025
Zatoun

Faculty of Social Sciences
School of Internation Development and Global Studies

Feb 26, Luncheon Speaker Series - Canada's "Illusory Foreign Policy": How Canada Addresses the World, One Gesture at a Time
2019-02-26 12:00 - 14:00 | Palais Imperial Restaurant, 311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
Andrew Cohen
Canada’s “Illusory Foreign Policy”: How Canada Addresses the World, One Gesture at a Time (PDF)

Tuesday, February 26, 2019
12:00 p.m.
Palais Imperial Restaurant,
311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa

$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)
$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)
RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday, February 22, 2019
Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.
Payment/registration options:
1) Interac e-transfer: direct deposit payment to group78@group78.org, please include a note with registrants info.
(preferred)
2) e-mail RSVP (cheque, cash, credit at the door):
3) Online
Online Registration
*Individuals who do not cancel their reservations at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.
Andrew Cohen is an author, columnist, broadcaster, and professor of journalism at Carleton University. He teaches courses on Canada and the United States, Canada and the World, and analytical writing.
In a career of 40 years, he has written for The Globe and Mail, The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, United Press International, Time, CNN.com, and The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, among other publications.
He has won two National Newspaper Awards and three National Magazine Awards and been awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal. He writes a weekly column for The Ottawa Citizen and appears as a commentator on CTV News Channel on U.S. politics.
His seven books cover subjects ranging from Canada’s constitutional politics to national character to Arctic exploration. His study of Canadian foreign policy — While Canada Slept: How We Lost Our Place in the World — was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction.
A native of Montreal, Professor Cohen went to McGill University, Carleton University and the University of Cambridge. He has degrees in political science, journalism and international relations.
He was correspondent and columnist for The Globe and Mail in Washington, where he recently returned as a Fulbright Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center.

March 26, Luncheon Speaker Series - Can Canada Do More for Refugees?
2019-03-26 12:00 - 14:00 | Palais Imperial Restaurant, 311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
Jean-Nicolas Beuze
Can Canada Do more for Refugees? (PDF)

Tuesday, March 26, 2019
12:00 p.m.
Palais Imperial Restaurant,
311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa

$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)
$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)
RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday, March 22, 2019
Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.
Payment/registration options:
1) Interac e-transfer: direct deposit payment to group78@group78.org, please include a note with registrants info.
2) e-mail RSVP (cheque, cash, credit, debit at the door):
3) Online (Eventbrite)
Online Registration
*Individuals who do not cancel their reservations for the lunch at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.
Outline
With some 25 million refugees – a record since WWII – on top of which one should add more than 40 million internally displaced, and some 250 million migrants, human mobility has become a major topic of discussion. While the overwhelming majority of those forcibly displaced will remain in the developing world where new partnerships with the private sector or international financial institutions are making us revisit the paradigms of international aid, Western countries have been prone to populist rhetoric that is leading to more and more stringent and security-focused policies. If Western media highlighted the Rohingya refugee crisis for a few months, most crises remain underreported and as a result, the gap between humanitarian funding requirements to save lives and donations – from governments in particular – is increasing. Solutions exist though – including in Canada through resettlement of the most vulnerable – although the gap between the needs and the spaces offered is similarly increasing. What is the role of Canada in addressing these challenges and seizing opportunities to do better?
Bio
Jean-Nicolas Beuze worked for more than 20 years with the United Nations in the areas of Human Rights (OHCHR), Peacekeeping (DPKO) and UNICEF at Headquarters and in the field (Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Afghanistan and the Middle-East and North Africa region) before joining UNHCR in Lebanon as Deputy Representative for Protection and Inter-Agency Coordination.
Prior to joining UNHCR, he was the UNICEF Child Protection Advisor for the MENA region (2010-13) working on emergency responses in Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, and strengthening public child protection and education systems in the region. He was previously appointed as the Deputy Director of the Human Rights Unit of UN Peace-Keeping/DPKO mission in Afghanistan/UNAMA (2008-10) focusing on women’s rights, elections, poverty and the protection of civilians.
He previously worked as a Research Director in a human rights think-tank (International Council on Human Rights Policy) on issues of peace agreements, transitional justice, national human rights institutions and the reform of the UN human rights system. Jean-Nicolas Beuze holds a LL.M in international human rights law from Essex University, UK, and a Master in international relations from the Graduate Institute of International Relations, Geneva/Switzerland.

Governance of African Land Rights and Implications for Women
2019-03-27 15:30 - 17:30 | University of Ottawa Campus, 120 University Private, Ottawa
The Coalition for Equitable Land Acquisitions and Development in Africa (CELADA) invites students, faculty, and policy makers to explore the potential for Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy to strengthen Africa women’s access and rights to land.
A panel discussion moderated by Christopher Huggins, uOttawa will feature: Nyambura Githaiga, Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Lindsay Mossman, Aga Khan Foundation, Shakilla Umutoni, Rwanda High Commission to Canada, Jean Symes, Inerpares.
Link to event poster: https://group78.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/CELADA-poster-ENGLISH.pdf

March 29, Fundraiser: Jazz and Dinner with, Stay Tuned / Restez-à-l'écoute
2019-03-29 19:00 - 21:30 | Jambo Resturant, 69 Kempster Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, K2B 6M2, Canada
Event Poster (Pdf)
Please join us for an evening of dinner and Jazz at Jambo restaurant. Enjoy the “true taste of Africa” and the music of, Stay Tuned / Restez-à-l’écoute.
To guarantee your seat call the restaurant and make your reservation, 613-726-9393.
Donations are greatly appreciated, and vital to the Group of 78’s work. They help us provide programming and advocate for peace, justice, and survival. Please note that a charitable tax receipt will be available for donation over $20.00.
Share this event/make a donation through Eventbrite, or Facebook
Band members:

Ferline Regis, singer
Ron Ferguson, trumpet
Ian Schwartz, alto saxophone
Neil Sealy, bass
Dan Quinlan, drums
Karl Nerenberg, piano

April 30, Luncheon Speaker Series - Responding to the Central American Crisis
2019-04-30 12:00 - 14:00 | Palais Imperial Restaurant, 311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
Laura Macdonald
Responding to the Central American Crisis (PDF)

Tuesday, April 30, 2019
12:00 p.m. Lunch and Presentation
12:45 p.m. Presentation Only
Palais Imperial Restaurant,
311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa

$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)
$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)
RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday, April 26, 2019
Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.
Payment/registration options:
1) Interac e-transfer: direct deposit payment to group78@group78.org, please include a note with registrants info.
2) e-mail RSVP (cheque, cash, credit, debit at the door):
3) Online (Eventbrite)
Online Registration
*Individuals who do not cancel their reservations for the lunch at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.
Summary:
Donald Trump’s repeated calls to “build a wall” and his threat to cut off development assistance to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador overlook the complex causes of Central American migration to the United States and the ways in which the U.S. is implicated in migrants’ decision to leave their homes. In this talk, Laura Macdonald examines the causes of migration and the recent caravans, and the role of the Mexican government. She calls for a regional response, including from Canada, to the overlapping environmental, economic, and security crises faced by the region.

Bio:
Laura Macdonald is a Professor in the Department of Political Science and the Institute of Political Economy at Carleton University. She has published numerous articles in journals and edited collections on such issues as the role of non-governmental organizations in development, global civil society, social policies and citizenship struggles in Latin America, Canadian development assistance, Canada-Latin American relations and the political impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Her recent work looks at transnational activism in North America around labour rights, migration, and human rights in Mexico, and policies to reduce crime and violence in Mexico City.

Transparency International Thematic Priorities: Political Integrity and Dirty Money
2019-05-14 17:30 - 19:00 | Demarais Hall, University of Ottawa, 55 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada
Register For Free

Book Launch: Science and Secrets of ENDING VIOLENT CRIME
2019-05-16 17:00 - 19:00 | Senate of Canada Bulding, 2 Rideau St,, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A4
RSVP
RSVP by May 14, 2019
Irvin Waller Book Launch
May 16, 2019 5-7:00 PM
ROOM C-128, Senate of Canada Building

Clyde Sanger Book Launch, "Coming of Age in Kentucky: Politicians, Editors....and mermaids
2019-05-25 02:00 - 16:00 | Colonel By, Dinning Room, 43 Aylmer Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5R4

May 28, Luncheon Speaker Series - How could the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples change Canada’s international trade and environmental normative framework?
2019-05-28 12:00 - 14:00 | Palais Imperial Restaurant, 311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Group of 78 Luncheon Speaker Series
The Honourable Marilou McPhedran, C.M.
How could the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples change Canada’s international trade and environmental normative framework? (PDF)

Tuesday, May 28, 2019
12:00 p.m.
Palais Imperial Restaurant,
311- 313 Dalhousie St., Ottawa

$30 for luncheon and presentation (12:00 p.m.)
$5 for presentation only (arrive 12:45 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available)
RESERVATIONS: Group78@group78.org 613-565-9449 ext. 22 by Friday, May 24, 2019
Late registrations are welcome for presentation only.
Payment/registration options:
1) Interac e-transfer: direct deposit payment to group78@group78.org, please include a note with registrants info.
2) e-mail RSVP (cheque, cash, credit, debit at the door):
3) Online (Eventbrite)
Online Registration
*Individuals who do not cancel their reservations for the lunch at least 24 hours before the luncheon will be billed $30.
The Honourable Marilou McPhedran, C.M.
Marilou McPhedran is a human rights lawyer, professor and activist, appointed as an independent senator in the Parliament of Canada by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in November 2016. Marilou was one of the most influential leaders of the 1981 Ad Hoc Committee of Canadian Women on the Constitution conference- the grass roots social movement of women across Canada resulting in stronger equality rights in the constitution. She co-founded several internationally recognized non-profit Canadian organizations such as the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF); the Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children (METRAC); and the Gerstein Crisis Centre for homeless discharged psychiatric patients. She was the founding Principal of the University of Winnipeg Global College and has facilitated student access to UN sessions for more than 20 years to provide practical skill building by providing rapporteur services to NGO presentations. She is a founding board member of the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (Young Women for Peace and Leadership) and has given extensive voluntary support to civil society organizations that focus on peacebuilding and women’s rights, including the Afghan Women’s Organization, Canadian Council of Muslim Women, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, and Manitoba Women for Women of South Sudan.

Clyde Sanger Book Launch, "Coming of Age in Kentucky: Politicians, Editors....and mermaids
2019-06-09 02:00 - 16:00 | wild Oat Bakery, 819 Bank St, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 3V7
