Lecture

University of Guelph MA graduate, Austin Foster, presents the history of the University of Guelph’s War Memorial Hall, based on archival research for the War Memorial Hall: Its Early History, Heritage, and Legacy – A Centennial Retrospective (1924–2024) report. 

The lecture will premiere in-person at the Guelph Civic Museum. The recorded conversation will be available on YouTube, and the Museum Everywhere Portal.

The Military Lecture series is a partnership between the Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada and Guelph Museums.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation starts at 7 p.m., followed by a question period.

Join Jane Thomas, to discuss her recently published book, Wilful Neglect. Drawing on the Department of Indian Affairs annual reports, memoranda, and budgets over more than seventy years, Thomas' work reveals how federal health policies, shaped without Indigenous input and rooted in colonial ideologies, allowed tuberculosis to devastate First Nations in Canada. This conversation will explore the lasting impact of these policies today and the urgent need to reckon with the legacy of systemic racism in Canada’s health systems.

• In person at Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada, 232 King St. N., Waterloo
• On Zoom -  Register for the Zoom livestream

Join Carelle Sarkis, PhD candidate at McMaster University for her talk, "Tacit Terrains: A Look at Tacit Knowledge Development in Ontario Dairy Farmers."

Sarkis examines how new milking technologies and systems changed human-animal interaction in Canadian dairy farms in the post-1970 period.

The event will be held in person and on Zoom. 

In person: MacKinnon Rm 132, University of Guelph

Online: Register for the link

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Rebecca Beausaert or Ben Bradley.

Two presentations:

Bram Fookes, Billy Bishop Museum: "Ordnance in the Orchard: WW2 and the Militarization of Rural Ontario," and Lydia Kinasewich, History, University of Guelph: "Raw Milk Debates: Rural Producers and Consumer Health Concerns, 1956-91"

The presentation will take place in person at the University of Guelph in Room 132 of the MacKinnon building, and also remotely over Zoom. All are welcome to attend the in-person talk. For the Zoom presentation, please register through Eventbrite.

Join The Art of Solidarity editors Rob Kristofferson, history professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, and Stephanie Ross, McMaster University to learn about their book that delves into the rich tapestry of labour arts and heritage in Canada.

• In person at Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada, 232 King St. N., Waterloo
• On Zoom -  Register for the Zoom livestream

Drawing upon his 20+ years of experience as a War of 1812 reenactor, Tom Fournier will talk about his motivation for being a reenactor.  He will share his memories on the field, travelling the globe, meeting royalty, and even experiencing the paranormal.

Did you know that the Region of Waterloo is home to a Cold War nuclear shelter? Built in 1966 and designed by the same architectural firm responsible for the CN Tower, the bunker was constructed to ensure the continuity of government in the event of a catastrophic nuclear strike.

Join Dr. Sara Matthews for a discussion about how communities imagined nuclear survival and the role of Canadian Cold War propaganda. Together we will explore the visual communication of public safety and consider the question, “how is citizenship constructed in relation to threat?”

Join Dr. Robert Dunbar, University of Edinburgh, for this Scotland-Canada Academic Partnership Inaugural Lecture.

Gaelic, a language with a history of over 1,500 years in Scotland and 250 in Canada, is now a highly vulnerable minority language. It was once the third most spoken language in Canada at the time of Confederation. Professor Dunbar will explore efforts to support Gaelic in Scotland and Canada and the lessons the two communities can learn from each other.

The event will be online, so register for the link.

Dr. Marcel Martel (F. R. S. C.), York University, and Dr. Alex Gagné bring to light a wide range of factors that shaped the early wine industry in Ontario.

The presentation will take place in person at the University of Guelph in Room 132 of the MacKinnon building, and also remotely over Zoom. All are welcome to attend the in-person talk. For the Zoom presentation, please get a ticket to register (registration is free).

Join Dr. Alan MacEachern from the Western University History Department on Tuesday, September 23, 3:30–5:00 pm, McLaughlin LIbrary, Whitelaw Room 246B, University of Guelph for the first lecture in the Rural History Roundtable series for Fall 2025.

Dr. MacEachern's talk draws from his recent book, Becoming Green Gables : The Diary of Myrtle Webb and Her Famous Farmhouse. A few copies will be available for purchase at his presentation, and copies can also be ordered at McGill-Queens University Press.

Register for the Zoom link if you wish to attend remotely.