World Affairs Conference
The World Affairs Conference, commonly referred to as WAC, is Canada's oldest annual student-run current affairs conference. Hosted annually at Upper Canada College in Toronto Canada, the conference typically attracts upwards of 800 students from Canada and abroad. The World Affairs Conference is considered one of Canada's premiere forums for acclaimed speakers in the field of current affairs. WAC welcomes any students in High School to the conference, which is typically run near the beginning of February every year. Students should expect a lively environment of learning, discussion, and debate, on a variety of pressing world issues. WAC provides a unique experience to its delegates in which they can broaden their perspectives, and absorb context to their studies at school.
History
It was first held in March 1983 and initiated by UCC student David James Wilson, working in collaboration with faculty advisor, Paul W. Bennett. The first Keynote Speaker was Dr. William Epstein, United Nations Expert on the Nuclear Arms Race. The program format combined speakers, panels, theme plenaries and student-moderated discussions, first initiated by Stephanie Reford's Introducing the World Program. In 1984 and 1985, UCC student Ira Nishisato became Chair and WAC expanded. In February 1985, WAC attracted some 1,600 students from over 70 different high schools across North America. A student organizing committee carried the conference forward over its first 10 years, guided at first by Paul Bennett, then by Thomas Matthews. Both Faculty Advisors went on to become Headmasters in other Canadian independent schools. In 2011 the conference welcomed speakers including economic speech-writer for President Bush David Frum, Deputy Speaker of the Ontario Legislative Assembly, and Cheri DiNovo. Today the conference continues to maintain its history as Canada's the oldest annual student-run current affairs conference. The most popular keynote speakers have included: UN Ambassador Stephen Lewis, Editor Robin Morgan, Ralph Nader, and Lord David Owen. Other noteworthy speakers at WAC include: David Frum, Marc Garneau, Michael Ignatieff, Susan Faludi, Gwynne Dyer, Bob Rae, Jeffrey Sachs, and Samantha Nutt. Senior students from UCC and Branksome Hall began working together in the late 1980s and have sustained the annual conference for over 25 years. More recently, the conference has drawn attention from around the world, hosting a number of well-established speakers.
Conference Specifics
The conference takes place typically on February 2nd and 3rd each year. On the third the Lionel Gelber Keynote Address is an event open to the Toronto community. The Keynote consists of one noteworthy speaker who addresses and then fields questions with the audience in Laidlaw Hall at Upper Canada College. The following day, the fourth, houses the opening panel, plenary sessions, and later the closing panel for the student delegates of the conference. The conference often begin at 8AM in the morning and run until 4:30PM, a full day with plenty of engaging material available.
For more information on the conference, please to not hesitate to access our website for the latest conference information. The registration package, descriptions of each plenary, full schedule, and more are updated on the website as they become available.
Particulars of Recent Conferences
Each year the main focus and content of the conference changes to reflect the dynamic state of the world. The following is a brief history of what WAC has discussed and focused on in its past years.
2015 Conference
Conference Theme: Threats to Humanity
Date: February 2nd and 3rd 2015
Lionel Gelber Keynote Address: Digital Privacy with Edward Snowden
Opening Panel: The Climate Crisis
- Speakers: Bruce Hyre, Senator Grant Mitchell, Dr. Gordon Faulks
Closing Panel: Threats to Humanity
Conference Plenaries:
- Democracy Faltering: An Outdated Framework?
- The Critical Necessities: Global Food and Water Security
- Speakers: Professor Hugo Melgar-Quinoez
- Peace and Sports
- Speakers: Alan R. Sanderson
- Diagnosing Global Health
- Speakers: Dr. Onil Bhattacharyya
- Future of [...]
- Speakers: Syed Soharwardy
- The Kashmir Dispute
Conference Executive Members:
- Conor Healy - Conference Chair
- Nicholas Elder - Head of the Dpt. of Registration and Media
- Lucas Cusimano - Head of the Dpt. of Programs
- Andrew Patel, Matthew Patel - Keynote
- Jack Oneschuk, Faraz Fadavi - Department Of Operations
2014 Conference
Conference Theme: The Peoples Regime: Individual Liberties Versus Government Authority
Date: February 2nd and 3rd 2014
Lionel Gelber Keynote Address: Dr Samantha Nutt
Opening Panel: LEGALIZATION OF DRUGS
- Speakers:
- Donald MacPherson - Executive Director of the Canadian [...] Policy Coalition
- Andrew Murie - MADD Canada's Chief Executive Office
- Stefan Molyneux - Host of the Freedomain Radio
Closing Panel: Marc Keilburger
Conference Plenaries:
- Gun Control
- Speakers: Mark Saunders, Tony Bernardo
- The Changing Face of Healthcare
- Speakers: Robert Oullellet, Notisha Massaquoi
- Government Surveillance
- Speakers: Paul Finkelman, Graeme Hirst
- Legalize Organ Trade
- Speakers: Sigrid-Fry Revere, Anja Jakobi
- Sweatshops in the Developing World
- Speakers: Julia Greeve, Daniel Drache
- Carbon Tax
- Speakers: Garth Lenz, Rocco Achampong
- Foreign Intervention in Syria
- Speakers: Clifford Orwin, Robert Latham
- Euthanasia
- Speakers: Wanda Morris, Alex Schadenberg, Catherine Ferrier, Udo Schulklenk
Conference Executive Members:
- Savinay Chopra - Conference Chair
- Eamonn OKeeffe - Conference Chair
- Christopher Taylor - Conference Chair
- Conor Healy - Conference Chair
- Nicholas Elder - Web Developer, Graphic Design
Links of Interest
2014 - Present Conference Website