51吃瓜网

---

MCLL Spring 2025 Workshops and Lectures

MCLL Workshops

YCLML 865 Ladies Only Self Defence (in person)

Time: Friday, May 23, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Howard King & Linda Sidel
Attendance: In person, limited to 10 people

This is non-threatening. There will be a PowerPoint Presentation, videos and a demonstration on some fun ways to stop an aggressor. Your participation is voluntary, but in the past, everyone participated. Be prepared to be surprised at what you really can do.

---

YCLML 866 Poetry Excursion #2 (online)

Time: Friday, June 6, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Gordon Postill
Attendance: Online

A 鈥淧oetry Excursion鈥� primes the pump for what really matters, getting us out of our heads and into our hearts. Using an understated delivery, the presenter will recite poems of universal appeal by renowned poets such as Mary Oliver, John Updike, and Jane Kenyon with themes like awe, sadness, affection, death, hope, and longing. Each poem will be recited twice for clarity, followed by ample time for personal introspection and shared reflections.

---

MCLL Lectures

YCLML 867 The Hidden Portraiture of Tudor England (in person)

Time: Friday, April 25, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Robert Tittler
Attendance: In person

We may all know the familiar, iconic portraits of Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. But there is another kind of portraiture in the Tudor era, one produced by anonymous, native English painters, outside the court circle, who were employed by, e.g., the merchants, professionals, and local officials. Its lack of refinement keeps it out of most art galleries and museums and therefore 鈥榟idden鈥� from the public view. It contrasts sharply with the formal and polite work being produced at court, but it was similarly intended to serve the social and religious requirements of its sitters.

---

YCLML 868 How to Keep a Commonplace Book (in person)

Time: Friday, April 25, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Maxine Ruvinsky
Attendance: In person

This lecture is about keeping a commonplace book to spark or reinvigorate your writing, whether you write for publication or simply for pleasure (or both!).

---

YCLML 869 The Future of 鈥楩ree Healthcare鈥� in Canada (online)

Time: Friday, April 25, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Ron Vexler
Attendance: Online

Canadians are now well into our 7th decade of universal healthcare provided without limitation to all citizens. How is that working for you? What are likely to be the challenges going forward? Can comparable models offer any insight?

---

YCLML 896 Canadian Election Round Table (in person)

Time: Friday, April 25, 3:00 p.m.
Presenter: Anthony Frayne
Attendance: In person

With a federal election in front of us, perhaps the most crucial of our lifetimes, this Round Table is envisioned as an opportunity to share our thoughts on the issues and possible outcomes of this election. Will Mark Carney win easily as the polls are forecasting? Will it be a minority government? Will the Bloc have an important impact in winning a lot of seats in Qu茅bec? Please join us for a lively and interesting discussion.

---

YCLML 870 Sweden (in person)

Time: Friday, May 2, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Harald von Cramon
Attendance: In person

This is a short overview of Swedish history starting with the first settlers, the Vikings. Christianization, runic writing, the Vasa kings and the Nordic Empire they created will also be explored. The decline and emigration in the early 19th century, followed by the development of a modern socialist state will be discussed including a virtual visit to Stockholm, and its film stars, and food and drink.

---

YCLML 871 Van Gogh, Turbulence, and the Stars (online)

Time: Friday, May 2, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Peter Watson
Attendance: Online

Arguably Van Gogh鈥檚 Starry Night is the most easily recognizable painting in existence. Recently it has received a great deal of media attention (e.g. click ), because of a claim that the picture shows that he had a profound understanding of the behaviour of liquids. So, we will look at classical paintings to see how well artists represent phenomena that they could not possibly have understood. We will start with Giotto and end with Van Gogh.

---

YCLML 872 Understanding Hearing Loss (in person)

Time: Friday, May 2, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Dale Bonnycastle & Debra Fisher
Attendance: In person

Hearing loss affects at least 30% of individuals over the age of 60. It is invisible and insidious, and its impacts are serious. This presentation will provide some basic information on hearing and hearing loss, with an emphasis on practical and useful information. We will share details on available services, communication tips, and information on assistive listening technology.

---

YCLML 873 Geopolitics and International Trade (online)

Time: Friday, May 2, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Ron Krystynak
Attendance: Online

A retired Canadian public servant, Ron Krystynak spent most of his career involved in areas related to international trade, including trade negotiations. In this talk, he will examine the current global trading system as it faces disruption by actions announced by the new U.S. President against Canada, Mexico, China and other countries. Ron will argue that 鈥淎merica First鈥� trade policies will not rebalance trade in manufactured goods, nor satisfy the real drivers of populism.

---

YCLML 874 Senior-Aware 鈥� a FADOQ Program Against Fraud and Abuse (in person)

Time: Friday, May 9, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Sophie Duchesneau & Kim Fortin
Attendance: In person

Senior-Aware is a program intended to raise awareness about fraud and abuse towards seniors. The aim of the information sessions is to encourage discussion and reflection, with videos concerning fraud and mistreatment. These tools both help participants define the problems and provide prevention tips. To provide real, up-to-date information, the conferences are co-hosted by an SPVM community officer.听

FADOQ:

---

YCLML 875 Canada鈥檚 North and Its Politics (online)

Time: Friday, May 9, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Graham White
Attendance: Online

The North looms large in the Canadian imagination but few of us have spent time 鈥渘orth of 60.鈥� This talk will offer an overview of society and politics in the three territories 鈥� Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Since Indigenous peoples 鈥� First Nations, M茅tis and Inuit 鈥� are unusually numerous and politically influential in the North, a central theme will be their role in the distinctive and innovative political arrangements found in the territories.

---

YCLML 876 Partners from Birth: Sibling Success Stories (online)

Time: Friday, May 9, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Laura Carlson
Attendance: Online

In this talk, historian, writer and educator Laura Carlson will explain how history鈥檚 most influential sibling partnerships built remarkable empires in the worlds of literature, music, sports, business and beyond. We鈥檒l be taking a tour of the Jazz Age salons of George and Ira Gershwin, soaring into the skies with Orville and Wilbur Wright and dropping by the Victorian parlors where sisters Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte became a famous trio.

---

YCLML 877 British Invasion of Vichy Madagascar (in person)

Time: Friday, May 9, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Paul Kuai-Yu Leong
Attendance: In person

May 1941 at Port Diego Suarez (Vichy held Madagascar), Britain launched the Allies' first large amphibious landing of WW2, The Battle of Madagascar. We will discuss the importance of Operation Ironclad, the exclusion of the Free-French in the operation, the Japanese submarines' actions, and the storied role of Percy and Berthe Mayer (For more information on Percy Mayer, click .) Amazing but little-known history of WW2.

---

YCLML 878 A Walk-Through of TS Eliot鈥檚 The Waste Land (in person)

Time: Friday, May 16, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Martin Jones & Julian Mulock
Attendance: In person

The Waste Land, a 434-line poem by TS Eliot, is one of the most influential and difficult literary works of the 20th Century. This presentation, originally performed at the Arts & Letters Club of Toronto in honour of the 100th anniversary of the poem鈥檚 publication in 1922, consists of a spoken text from poet and study group leader Martin Jones offering an interpretation of the poem, interspersed with segments read by actor and artist Julian Mulock.

---

YCLML 879 Is Bombing Civilians Justifiable? (online)

Time: Friday, May 16, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Mark G. Peacock
Attendance: Online

Arial bombing of civilians is commonplace in contemporary warfare. It was not always so. This lecture explores Britain鈥檚 response to Hitler鈥檚 bombing of British civilians during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz through the role played by Air Marshall Sir Arthur Harris, head of RAF Bomber Command. Analyzed also will be participation of Canadian airmen, the Dam-busters Raid, and the role of the U.S.

---

YCLML 880 Estate Planning (in person)

Time: Friday, May 16, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Thomas Conway
Attendance: In person

This lecture on estate planning is designed for those who need to create a plan to distribute assets during life or at death.

---

YCLML 881 When a German Officer Met a Jewish-Polish Pianist in WW2 ... (in person)

Time: Friday, May 16, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Paul Kuai-Yu Leong
Attendance: In person

In Roman Polanski's film The Pianist, a poignant part was when the Jewish-Polish pianist W. Szpilman received help from a German army captain W. Hosenfeld. In 1998 Szpilman applied to have Hosenfeld recognized as Righteous Among the Nations - and in 2008, Yad Vashem did so. It is a story on humanity - and a special presentation for Yom HaShoah.

---

YCLML 882 The Subversive Humour of Mordecai Richler (in person)

Time: Friday, May 23, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Russell Chapman
Attendance: In person

Humour can take many forms, from the subtle to the sarcastic. In his novels, Mordecai Richler uses humour in a subversive way to undermine social expectations and conventions, by challenging various groups and their norms. Richler has been described as an equal opportunity insulter ridiculing conventional values, and not in a subtle way. His novels have created memorable characters and dialogues. We will examine this in selected novels and read the passages that can leave us both grinning and cringing.

---

YCLML 883 250猫me L鈥檃nniversaire de l鈥檌nvasion du Qu茅bec (in person)

Time: Friday, May 23, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Jean-Pierre Raymond
Attendance: In person

En fran莽ais avec participation dans les deux langues officielles听

Cette conf茅rence examine l'invasion du Qu茅bec 脿 travers les actions de la famille Lotbini猫re, notamment la construction du Fort Chambly et des remparts de Qu茅bec, le combat au Fort St-Jean et le soutien 脿 la r茅bellion am茅ricaine.

This lecture is an account of the invasion of Qu茅bec through the eyes of the Lotbini猫re family, whose father-in-law built Fort Chambly and the Qu茅bec ramparts, the brother-in-law built Fort St-Jean. Future generations include his son who fought in Fort St-Jean, and his son-in-law who fought for the Americans. His brother became the first Catholic chaplain of the US Army. Lotbini猫re built Fort Ticonderoga and was sent by Vergennes to Boston to support the rebellion.

---

YCLML 884 The Acadians: From Nova Scotia to Louisiana (online)

Time: Friday, May 23, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Barry Lane
Attendance: Online

The Grand D茅rangement, the deportation of 15,000 Acadians (French colonists) from Maritime Canada between 1755 and 1763 is one of the most poignant chapters in North American history, a story made famous by Longfellow鈥檚 epic prose poem Evangeline. With beautiful colour illustrations from a 19th-century edition of the poem, Barry Lane tells the dramatic tale of the expulsion, the arrival of 鈥淐ajuns鈥� in Louisiana and Acadians鈥� partial return to the Maritimes.

---

YCLML 885 Quelques figures marquantes parmi les maires de Montr茅al (online)

Time: Friday, May 30, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Ginette Charbonneau
Attendance: Online

En fran莽ais avec participation dans les deux langues officielles听

Parmi les nombreux maires qui ont fa莽onn茅 le destin de Montr茅al, certains ont eu un impact particuli猫rement significatif. La conf茅renci猫re pr茅sentera une douzaine de maires montr茅alais et leurs actions d茅terminantes pour l'histoire de la ville.听

Of the many mayors who shaped the destiny of Montreal, whether well-known or not, some had a particularly significant impact. Ginette Charbonneau, a Quebec educator with a deep passion for history and genealogy, will introduce us to a dozen Montreal mayors and explain how their actions were pivotal in the city's history.

---

YCLML 886 What Can We Do About Loneliness? (in person)

Time: Friday, May 30, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Prithu Mukhopadhyay
Attendance: In person

Loneliness is a universal emotion and not a personal failure. Science is clear, loneliness affects our physical and mental health. What can we do about it? The truth is each of us is unique. Instead of adopting habits, we can bring small changes to our habits. Each time we change our habits we develop a new identity. Our past must not dictate our present. Our present mindset will shape our future ones.

---

YCLML 887 Film Noir: Cynicism and The Racket (in person)

Time: Friday, May 30, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Lewis Cattarini
Attendance: In person

The lecturer will screen the John Cromwell film (1951) starring Robert Mitchum and Robert Ryan, exposing the confrontation between two firebrands: a gangster and a policeman. Afterwards, the narrative's pervading sense of cynicism will be discussed as a theme of film noir.

---

YCLML 895 Fasting: Theory and Practice听(online)

Time: Friday, May 30, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Jacques Lalanne
Attendance: Online

This lecture will explore the concept of fasting as an ancient therapy re-discovered in today鈥檚 world. Participants will enjoy a lively discussion led by an experienced practitioner.

---

YCLML 888 Principles of Long-Term Financial Investing听(online)

Time: Friday, June 6, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Neil Matheson
Attendance: Online

Discover the principles related to successful long-term financial investing from one of our members who recently retired from a career in institutional investing. Long-term investing involves extremely long investment horizons. In portfolio construction, asset allocation is the #1 determinant of return. The aim is not to beat the market! Don鈥檛 chase the next 鈥渂ig thing鈥�. The aim is to meet your needs and to take only as much risk as is required to meet your targets. What are your goals? Income? Legacy? Medical care? In personal retirements, total return after inflation may be the goal. There are no 鈥渞ight鈥� answers鈥� needs are different for different people.

---

YCLML 889 The Power of Language vs. the Power of Speaker (online)

Time: Friday, June 6, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Iryna Malynovska
Attendance: Online

The lecture is devoted to the impact of speech manipulation on individuals and society as a whole. At the backdrop of the substantial illustrative material, various methods and techniques of speech manipulation in advertising, business, politics as well as everyday life are considered. The discussion focuses on how to recognize and control linguistic manipulations.

---

YCLML 890 Comparison Between Ancient Greek and Roman Architecture (online)

Time: Friday, June 6, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Raymond Stern
Attendance: Online

There were significant differences between Ancient Greek and Roman Architecture - not simply with the built form but driven by the contrasting cultures which became expressed in stone. Whereas the Ancient Greeks sought sublimity in design, the Ancient Romans strove for an expression of power. Each had three basic design concepts, which will explain their priorities. There were fundamentally different patterns of life and architecture. This period greatly affected all walks of life, particularly the path taken by architecture, and still affects us today in many ways. This lecture will have a dynamic image-driven format.

---

YCLML 891 Catherine the Great: Empress, Visionary, Conqueror (online)听

Time: Friday, June 13, 10:00 a.m.听听
Presenter: Alan Freeland
Attendance: Online

This talk throws the spotlight on a towering figure who reshaped history, Catherine the Great. Rising to power at a time women were rarely allowed to lead, Catherine became one of the most remarkable and complex rulers of all time. Her reign from 1762 to 1796 saw bold reforms, artistic flourishing and a relentless drive to expand the Russian empire, including taking in southern Ukraine. Visionary, cunning, and unapologetically ambitious, Catherine set an example undoubtedly in Vladimir Putin鈥檚 mind.听

---

YCLML 892 McGill's Remarkable General Sir Arthur Currie (online)

Time: Friday, June 13, 10:00 a.m.听听
Presenter: Mark G. Peacock
Attendance: Online

How General Sir Arthur Currie came to be revered in Canada and Britain for his military and civilian accomplishments is the focus of this lecture. By exploring his character, mind, leadership and commitment to the ordinary soldier, we will learn about Sir Arthur鈥檚 contributions both on the battlefield and at McGill, including the Montreal Neurological Institute. Two darker chapters will also be dissected for the lessons they provide, along with his creative approaches to problem-solving.

---

YCLML 893 Literary Montrealers: A History (in person)

Time: Friday, June 13, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Christopher Neal
Attendance: In person

Montreal journalist and author Christopher Neal reviews the evolution, ruptures and change that mark our city's literary history, citing the work of selected writers, poets and playwrights, in both English and French.

---

YCLML 894 Alexander von Humboldt and The Invention of Nature (in person) - Repeat lecture

Time: Friday, June 13, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Wolfgang Schneider
Attendance: In person

Based on Andrea Wulf鈥檚 biography, we will explore the life of Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), a visionary German naturalist and polymath whose discoveries forever changed the way we understand the natural world. He is famous for his explorations in South America, his descriptions of nature as an interconnected web of life, and for warning of man-made climate change. His writings became the basis of ecology and climate science. He was also a global superstar, the most famous man after Napoleon, according to his contemporaries, yet his name has been all but forgotten today in the English-speaking world.

---