Kaitlin Bos
From: Tracy Loch
Sent: January 6, 2020 11:14 AM
To: Sherri Gropp
Subject: FW: PM Statues – Public Educational Symposium – Leadership and Why It Is Important
Tracy Loch|Curator/Director| Castle Kilbride National Historic Site |Township of Wilmot
60 Snyder’s Road West, Baden, ON N3A 1A1|P. 519.634.8444 x256|F. 519.634.5035|Toll. 800.469.5576|TTY.
519.634.5037
www.castlekilbride.ca
From: dave@caputo.ca [mailto:dave@caputo.ca]
Sent: Friday, January 3, 2020 10:57 AM
To: ‘Don Bourgeois’ <donbourgeois@gmail.com>; ‘Jim Rodger’ <jrodger3070@rogers.com>; ‘John English’
<jeng386313@aol.com>; Tracy Loch <tracy.loch@wilmot.ca>
Subject: RE: PM Statues – Public Educational Symposium – Leadership and Why It Is Important
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Requests sent to Peter Shawn Taylor and Stratford Festival for block of Margarette Trudeau’s thing Saturday night.
; Jim Rodger (jrodger3070@rogers.com) <jrodger3070@rogers.com>;
; Tracy Loch <tracy.loch@wilmot.ca>
Stay tuned.
-dave
From: Don Bourgeois <donbourgeois@gmail.com>
Sent: January 3, 2020 9:21 AM
To: Subject: PM Statues – Public Educational Symposium – Leadership and Why It Is Important
Jim/Tracy, and I met yesterday and sketched out a proposed educational symposium for the evening of Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20. The symposium would be free to the public and tied into the unveiling of the next 4 statues – assuming we could do the unveiling on the Saturday.
Details on the symposium are below, but thought important to set-out the strategic objectives:
- provide an academically-sound and entertaining educational sessions on leadership, the role of prime ministers and an assessment of PMs. The intention is also to make the symposium an annual event – see next objective;
- set the stage for a “Centre for the Study of Canadian Prime Ministers”, based at Castle Kilbride and the proposed Township library. I understand that the Township is interested in building a library in that area. This 1″Centre” could be similar to The Grace Schmidt Room at the KPL, but with additional focus on active research on political history, publications, etc. Before you need cardiac assistance, we know this is a big vision approach. Our objective at this stage is to set the stage for that discussion and as part of doing so inviting participation in some fashion by a few people who are also interested.
- promote the PM Statues project for fundraising and “friendraising” purposes. We do not necessarily see the symposium as a fundraising event in and of itself, but to continue to spread the positive messages, build awareness, obtain support, etc.
Symposium Logistics
- I have lined-up a donation of up to $5,000 to support this initiative. There may be other funding sources to support or enhance
- use the council chambers for the public events – Tracy – what is the capacity?
- expenses – we would pay accommodation and meals. I checked the Walper Hotel site and rooms available from $129 on Friday, June 19. Not saying it is the Walper, but just a benchmark for an historic hotel that has welcomed Prime Ministers and former Prime Ministers. We would also pay for Friday night dinner
- symposium would in time for those who are intersted to attend Margaret Trudeau’s show at Stratford on Saturday evening, for which tickets can be arranged
- N.B. – not all of the individuals listed below have agreed or even been asked so keep confidential. Some have agreed.
Friday Evening
- Paul Martin – speaking on leadership and how important it is in politics and its impact on Canadian society, Canadians and the role of Canada in the world.
Saturday
- “Journalists” Panel (Session 1)
o 1 hour
o Luisa D’Amato, Peter Shawn Taylor, another???, and former Governor General David Johnston
o D’Amato and Taylor would each be asked to prepare a 10 minute presentation, with Johnston chairing and asking questions to follow-up – he had a very long career interviewing guests
o focus is, from a journalist’s perspective, what is leadership, how is to be assessed, by whom is it to be assessed and how should it be recognized.
o we also would encourage noting “Things You Don’t Know About Prime Ministers and Perhaps You Should Know”, i.e., SJAM’s support for an ex-slave’s legal defence against an attempt to force him back to the U.S.
- Academic Panel (Session 2)
o 2 hours
o Ken McLaughlin – the 1896 election, which ties nicely into the statues that are to be unveiled, and its importance
o Chris Pennington – assessing the 1891 election, which was last for SJAM
o Ryan Touhey, St. Jerome’s University, to speak on John Diefenbaker and assess his leadership
o Norman Hillmer – assessing WLMK – who consistently ranks as Canada’s best prime minister by
academics and journalists
o Patrice Dutil – assessing other 19th century prime ministers
o Bob Bothwell – assessing more recent prime ministers
- Statue Unveiling
o assuming the statues will be ready, could do Saturday afternoon
o speakers could include, of course, the Mayor and perhaps some councillors (note 3 of 5 councillors are women elected in 2018 and were photographed with Kim Campbell)
2o other speakers could include Bardish Chaggar as the Federal Minister in Waterloo Region, Tim Louis at the MP for Kitchener Conestoga, Mike Harris as the MPP for Kitchener Conestoga, Karen Redman as Regional Chair and former MP
- Visioning Session
o this would be a shorter brain-storming session on what a Centre for Study of Canadian Prime Ministers could be. Perhaps it is private or perhaps, depending on where the Township is on its planning, part of a public consultation
We also discussed some other potential speakers, such as Margaret Macmillan – one of Canada’s foremost historians with lots of public speaking experience. John has also noticed that Jean Charest – who may be running for the Conservative leadership – is in Stratford that day.
—
Don Bourgeois