Thursday, April 4, 2013, 7:30 PM

The West Toronto Junction Historical Society salutes Raymond Souster

Remembered by his friends and admirers, reading his work including his classic, Last Sad Day for Our West Toronto Station.  Poet Robert Priest recently quoted John Robert Colombo on Souster’s lasting impact: “Ray served as the still centre of poetry in Toronto. He established a north pole to complement the south pole of the academics. He single-handedly introduced Modernism in poetry to the city. He also corresponded with many of the movers and shakers of American poetry — notably Charles Olson, Frank O’Hara, Robert Creeley, LeRoi Jones — and brought them to Toronto to read at a series of fabled readings at the old Greenwich Gallery and the later Isaacs Gallery. Not for nothing was he known as the Dean of Toronto Poets.”

Thursday, March 7, 2013, 7:30 PM

 David Wilson on the Life and Death of D’arcy McGee

Professor David Wilson heads the Celtic Studies program at the University of Toronto, and he’s written two volumes about the life and death of McGee, and his role in creating Canada. Once a revolutionary republican, ultimately a liberal-conservative father of Confederation, D’arcy McGee was the victim of the first assassination in Canadian history, a martyr to his remarkably modern vision of Canada as a place where different minorities could co-exist harmoniously without losing a sense of Candianism. Professor Wilson’s books are called D’arcy McGee: Passion, Reason and Politics, and D’arcy McGee: The Extreme Moderate.

Thursday, February 7, 2013, 7:30 PM

Zig Misiak:   Detroit to Niagara: Natives in the War of 1812

An authority on First/Native Nations history and culture specifically Haudenosaunee (Six Nations/Iroquois), Zig Misiak’s mission is to write and produce books that enlighten teachers, students and the general public around First/Native Nations and the War of 1812. Zig is very clear stating that he speaks about but not for the First/Native Nations. His years of accumulated knowledge about the Haudenosaunee is respectfully referred to. His new book is called War of 1812: Highlighting Native Nations.

Thursday, February 7, 2013,  Annette Library, 145 Annette Street, (West of Keele Street), Lower Level, Committee Room One

Thursday, January 3, 2013, 7:30 PM

John Warburton U.E. on the War of 1812 and the Capture of York

Relive the spine chilling events as the city of Toronto is under siege from an American force in the harbour. A naval flotilla has landed on the lake shore to the west, defeated the defending British force and captured the fort, town and dockyard. As they made their strategic retreat, the British have blown up the fort’s magazine. Now, the American forces are looting and the Parliament buildings are in flames. Come, feel the heat! A man of trademark enthusiasm, John’s presentation is as entertaining as it is informative with much audience participation.

Thursday, January 3, Annette Library, 145 Annette Street, (West of Keele Street), Lower Level, Committee Room One