The Lindsay Canadian Club: An invitation to the community
Imagine a community-based organization that invites people from all walks of life – millennials, seniors, students, retirees, people working full-time – to gather in an inclusive setting and hear dynamic voices from across Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, and Canada speak about some of the most important topics and issues affecting our community, province, country, and planet. Imagine spending an evening over drinks and eats with like-minded individuals who have gathered to hear guest speakers, chat with these change-makers, and engage with panelists.
You needn’t imagine it, because it already exists! Welcome to the Lindsay Canadian Club, which embarks on its 83rd season on October 9.
What is the Lindsay Canadian Club?
The Canadian Club movement traces its origins to Hamilton, Ontario, in 1892, when Charles McCullough and others began a group that would ‘encourage the study of Canadian history, literature and resources, the recognition of native worth and talent, and the fostering of a patriotic Canadian sentiment.’ By the early 1900s, more than a dozen Canadian Clubs had sprung up across the country. That in Lindsay emerged in 1936, with Col. G.A. Weeks serving as its first president.
Canadian Clubs have changed over time. Today, membership is open to Canadians from all walks of life and from all parts of the world. Clubs have leveraged the power of social media and invited some of the most progressive and engaging trailblazers in the world of culture, education, healthcare, politics, and social enterprise to share their thoughts with multi-generational audiences.
For Angie Ursel, who joined in 2018, the Lindsay Canadian Club offers an opportunity to hear from people who are passionate about their subject in a lively and engaging setting. “We need more of this real person-to-person sharing of information in this time of increasingly online delivery,” she says. No longer a supper club, it has taken on a café-style character, with coffee, tea, and snacks included in membership.
A cash bar is also available in the Vimy Room at the Royal Canadian Legion (12 York Street), where the club meets on the second Wednesday of the month between October and April. Doors open at 6:45 pm. The 2019-2020 season offerings are as follows:
October 9th 2019: Senator Kim Pate on marginalized populations in Canadian prisons
November 13th 2019: former Mayor of Ottawa Jackie Holzman on Compassionate Ottawa
January 8th 2020: Financial Literacy in 2020
February 12th 2020: Film Screening of Angry Inuk, with live Q&A with director Alethea Arnaquq-Baril
March 11th 2020: Panelists will be sharing their insights into entrepreneurship in a small town
April 8th 2020: Panelists will discuss conservation and sustainability of the Scugog
Yearly membership in the Lindsay Canadian Club is $60, or choose any three events for $30. Attend a single event for $15. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Check www.facebook.com/CanadianClubLindsay for more information or write to .
