RCMC Newsletter
March/April 2022

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Mar. to Aprl. - Virtual and Live Meetings

March 3rd. - Zoom Virtual Meeting - Chris White:
                Conservation Act: The impact of Changes on the GRCA
 
​​Presentation:
  
At time of publishing presentation details where not available.
We are sure that it will be very interesting.


 
Bio:

Chris White, has lived in Rockwood with his family since 1999. Chris has a BA from the University of Toronto and has worked at IBM, in the hospitality industry, as an ISO auditor and in publishing. Chris completed his second term as Warden of Wellington County in 2014 and is in his forth term as Mayor of Guelph/Eramosa Township. Chris is currently the Chair of the GRCA and he is also the past Chair of the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA), past Chair of the Rural Caucus of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and a founding member of the Rural Ontario Institute.(ROI)
Chris White
Mayor, Guelph/Eramosa Township
Chair - Grand River Conservation Authority




10am. To be followed by Live Questions    

Mar. 17th. -  ZOOM VIRTUAL MEETING - Alison Blay-Palmer
         Global Food System: Interconnected, Environmental and Social Challenges

  
Presentation: 

​The global food system is broken. It fails more than 3 billion vulnerable people worldwide who cannot afford a healthy diet, contributes 31% of climate changing gases, destroys biodiversity and undermines the livelihoods of the most disadvantaged. On the flip side, it is also an opportunity for change. Through case studies of sustainable initiatives around the world, this presentation explores how we can build better food systems for people and the planet.  

​Bio:

Alison Blay-Palmer, the UNESCO Chair on Food Biodiversity and Sustainability Studies, is the founding Director for the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and a Professor in Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. Her research and teaching combine her passions for sustainable food systems, biodiversity and community viability through civil society engagement and innovative governance. Alison collaborates with academics and practitioners across Canada and internationally including partners in Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, and the United States . This work gained national recognition in both 2012 and 2019 when her partnership was one of three nominees for a national SSHRC Partnership Impact Award, Alison has been a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists since 2016.

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10am. To be followed by Live Questions.  

Mar. 31st. -  ZOOM VIRTUAL MEETING - Dr. Michael Johns: 
                     The Erosion of Trust in 21st Century Politics
 
Presentation:

This talk will examine the decline of trust in modern society generally and in politics specifically. The talk will discuss what happens in a democracy when people do not trust the government, experts and each other. The presentation will look at how we measure trust in a society and what these results show here in Canada and around the world. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of how we can improve the overall level of trust in society and the consequences if we don’t.

Bio:
Dr. Michael Johns is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Politics at York University and an Instructor in Geo-Politics, Trade and Development at Georgian College. He was an Associate Professor of Political Science at Laurentian University. He has also held the positions of Vice Dean of Arts, Chair of the Department of Political Science, Acting Chair of the Department of Marketing and Management at Laurentian University and Honourary Visiting Research Fellow at Cardiff University. 
He received his PhD from the University of Maryland and holds a Master’s degree of Arts in Government and Politics from Maryland and a Master’s degree of Science from the London School of Economics in Comparative Politics. Dr. Johns has taught courses on International Relations, Comparative Politics, European and American Politics as well as Federalism and Electoral Systems. 
His research focusses on the role the European Union plays in the promotion and protection of minority and migrant rights. In 2014 he published his book, The New Minorities in Europe: Social Cohesion in the European Union (Lexington Press) and has co-edited four books on issues surrounding International Relations, with particular emphasis on Russia. His most recent publication is on the crisis in Catalonia in the European Yearbook on Minority Issues.
Dr. Johns was an instructor for the Ontario Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform and in 2019 completed his second deployment to Ukraine to monitor the parliamentary election in the contested Donetsk region as part of the Canadian Civilian Reserve.  

​10am. To be followed by Live Questions    ​ 

Apr. 14th. -  LIVE MEETING - Paul Taylor:
   Woodlawn Memorial Garden..The Centre of Guelph's History​

Presentation:

​This presentation will be the history of Woodlawn in stories and pictures. Some from first hand experience and some from stories past down to me through others.
Bio:

I have been a humble Cemeterian for the past 45 years all working for the same Historic Cemetery. Who just loves meeting the people of Guelph and listening to the stories of their loved ones.
From a simple education in Guelph I have always known my future was going to be involved with operating equipment, working with horticulture and meeting people. But never thought one of Ontario's top Cemeteries was going to be involved in that journey. A journey which has taken me to the other side of the world to see cemeteries in Sydney and Alice Springs, to New York City, Montreal, Vancouver Halifax, Las Vegas and many more. A two term President with the Ontario Association of Cemeteries, member of the Cremation Association of North America, an Executive Board Member of Guaranteed Funeral Deposits of Canada. Past President of the Rotary Club of Guelph. And a home town boy who really just likes to meet people in his back yard and help them out.

Married to Cindy for 43years, we have 2 adult boys, both in their 30's, both married and we have one precious little beautiful granddaughter, named Linnea. Still living in the Cemetery house on the grounds for the past 41 years. Weekends find us at our Port Albert cottage, located at the mouth of the Nine Mile River which runs into Lake Huron where you will find the best sunsets in Canada.

10am. To be followed by Live Questions      

Apr. 28th. -  LIVE MEETING - Dr. Manish N. Raizad: 
​                           Beyond Subsistence Farming

​Presentation:
​
University of Guelph Prof. Manish Raizada has developed low cost technologies that help farmers in Sub- Saharan Africa and South Asia to utilize natural, biological resources in place of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides. Working with farmers on the steep hillsides in the foothills to the Himalayas in Nepal, his team have been able to increase yields and fight climate change.
​
Bio:

University of Guelph Prof. Manish Raizada has developed low cost technologies that help farmers in Sub- Saharan Africa and South Asia to utilize natural, biological resources in place of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides. Working with farmers on the steep hillsides in the foothills to the Himalayas in Nepal, his team have been able to increase yields and fight climate change.


10am. To be followed by Live Questions   

Chris White

Alison Bay-Palmer

Dr. Michael Johns

Paul Taylor

Dr. Manish N. Raizada

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Messages

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Call for Nominations for the position of Director to the Board
The Constitution states that a notice shall be placed in the April issue of the Newsletter inviting members to volunteer names for consideration as Officers and Directors.
If you would like to nominate member to the Board, please submit your nomination to Frank Webster, Chair of the Nominations Committee, by Thursday, May 26th, 2022.

RCMC Committee Recruitment
We will soon be gearing up for “in person” meetings after two years of COVID 19.
In order to do so, we need to add members to our committees. Please consider helping out by becoming a member of the Speakers Committee, the House Committee or the Activities Committee. If we all “pitch in” in a small way, we will once again have a thriving active club ready for in person meetings.
Please contact Frank Webster at franklinw51@gmail.com or 519-821-0953 or Julian Sale at juliansale@gmail.com or 226-790-0269 for more information.
Thanks for your consideration
John Sneyd, Vice President
Frank Webster, Past President

Future Meetings

Meetings for May/June
                                       
Check Schedule on Website

Activities & Events

Coffee/Breakfast 10:am

Cancelled Until Further Notice

 

Other News

There is a new What's New section on the Home page of our website.  This will give you quick links to any new information which has been posted on the website.

If you have any new content for the website, please send to Ritchie Zelk at  edna.ritchie@sympatico.ca

Membership

Please send any updates to your entry in the Membership Directory, including any change in email address, to Del Campbell, 519-826-0679, susan-delcampbell@sympatico.ca

Members are encouraged to invite male friends and acquaintances to our meetings.