Forty Minute Forum » Spring 2010

APRIL 11, 2010

Victoria Nolan,blind competitive rower; Team Canada member at Beijing Paralympics; TDSB public school teacher; member, CNIB Board of Directors

Recognizing Inner Strength

At age 18 Victoria found out she not only had a degenerative eye disease but she had already lost 90% of her sight.  She has not allowed her disability to make her a victim; in fact it has inspired her to take on leadership roles to raise awareness of disability issues.  With her guide dog by her side she has overcome many obstacles, and has represented Canada at the 2008 Beijing Paralymics.

APRIL 18, 2010

Mike Tennant Producer/Co-Writer with Terry O'Reilly of  "The Age of Persuasion" (Pirate Toronto / CBC Radio); co-author of the book, The Age of Persuasion

Selling God: Christianity's Fatal Attraction to Mass Media

As producer and co-writer of CBC Radio's popular "The Age of Persuasion", Mike Tennant has explored numerous fascinating topics from the world of advertising. Last season, the program marched boldly where the angels of marketing fear to treat - they examined the always-controversial relationship between faith and advertising. Today, as a churchman, he reviews that topic for us, going slightly farther than he could on public radio.

APRIL 25, 2010

Dr. Moain Sadeq Founding Chairman of the Department of Antiquities of Gaza; co-founder of al-Aqsa University; professional archaeologist; author; lecturer, University of Toronto; research associate, Royal Ontario Museum

Discovering Ancient Palestine

Dr. Sadeq was asked to found the Palestinian Department of Antiquities of Gaza in 1994. He set out in his car, photographing and mapping sites. Since then he has excavated many archaeological sites and written numerous articles on the ancient Near East. Today he tells the fascinating story of his work and discoveries in Gaza and the political crisis that forced him and his family to come to Toronto in 2007.

MAY 2, 2010

Robert Harris Broadcaster; presenter of the radio series "Twenty Pieces of Music That Changed the World"; host of CBC-Radio's I Hear Music and many other music programs; author of books on Beethoven and Mozart

The First Million-Seller Recording

In 2008-2009 CBC-Radio broadcaster Robert Harris presented "Twenty Pieces of Music That Changed the World". One of these pieces of music was the first recording to sell a million copies. No longer was music limited to live performances at home, at church, or in the concert hall.  Now we could listen to music anywhere. Today he retells the story of that revolutionary cultural shift.

MAY 9, 2010

Shelton Chen,Collector of Karsh photographs; owner of largest private Karsh collection in the world; exhibitor of photographs in China, France, USA, and Canada

All Things Karsh: Genius in Portraits

For Mother's Day, the Forum displays photography by the great Canadian portraitist, Yousuf Karsh. Shelton Chen gives us a brief insight into why he is so obsessed with Karsh's work. At least two dozen framed masterpieces will be on display -- some familiar, some not -- all of them originals from the studio of Karsh of Ottawa.

MAY 16, 2010

Alanna Mitchell,Science journalist; author of Sea Sick: The Hidden Crisis in the Global Ocean; winner, World Conservation Union / Reuters Foundation title, "best environmental journalist in the world, 2000"

The Hidden Crisis in the Global Ocean

You thought climate was the problem? Actually, it's the ocean. In researching her book Sea Sick, Alanna Mitchell discovered that 99% of the planet's living space is undergoing chemical changes at the hand of man and why that matters. Today she tells about her voyage to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, her snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef and her study of coastal people in Zanzibar, and how they changed her life.