Walter Gordon Symposium — Equity in Peril: Immigration, Urban Planning, and Energy

Policymakers in Canada are grappling with a unique set of challenges that threaten to create or exacerbate existing inequities, including climate change, the shifting political landscape in the US, and a cost of living crisis. This symposium brings together policymakers, academics, and community leaders to explore how Canada can navigate these complex issues while forging a more equitable and inclusive path forward in housing, energy, and immigration policy. Together, we’ll examine actionable solutions that promote fairness, sustainability, and social cohesion for all Canadians.

The Walter Gordon Symposium is named after the Honourable Walter Gordon, who was Minister of Finance and President of the Privy Council under the government of Lester B. Pearson. The annual series, which began in 1990 under the leadership of then head of the College, Ann Saddlemeyer, was designed to present a topic of immediate Canadian significance to an interested audience drawn from academic, corporate and government worlds. 

The event is co-sponsored by Massey College and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy with support by Tom Axworthy (Massey’s Chair in Public Policy) and Carolyn Tuohy (Distinguished Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and Senior Fellow, Massey College).

Agenda

08:30 – 09:00am — Coffee & Breakfast 

• Registration table in foyer – Junior Fellows

09:10 – 09:20am — Symposium Introduction

• Organizing Junior Fellows

09:20 – 09:30am — Welcome Address

• Massey College Principal James Orbinski

9:35 – 10:50am — Belonging and Exclusion in Immigration and Refugee Policy

Panellists:

• Chris Ramsaroop – Migrant Labour Advocate and Scholar
• Idil Atak – Professor, Lincoln Alexander School of Law, TMU
• Shoahib Abdul Rahim - Lecturer, CEES, Munk School; former Mayor of Kabul
• Moderator: Ayberk Dizdarlar – Student, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy

10:55 – 11:15am — Coffee Break

11:20am – 12:35pm — Equitable Housing and Urban Planning

Panellists:

• Karen Chapple – Director, School of Cities; Professor of Planning, U of T
• Juliana Dutkay – Senior Lead, Strategic Initiatives, United Way Greater Toronto
• Carolyn Whitzman – Adjunct Professor & Senior Housing Researcher, School of Cities, U of T
• Moderator: Chaitanya Ahuja – Junior Fellow, Massey College; Master of Applied Science candidate, Civil Engineering

12:35 – 1:25pm — Lunch

1:30-2:45 — Equity in Energy

Panellists:

• Diane Saxe – Senior Fellow, Massey College; Toronto City Councillor; environmental lawyer
• Laura Tozer – Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies, University of Toronto
• Serena Mendizábal – community-based researcher, grassroots organizer, and environmental advocate
• Phil De Luna – Chief Science and Commercial Officer, Deep Sky; Alum, Massey College
• Moderator: Emmanuel Taiwo – Junior Fellow, Massey College; PhD student, Environmental Science

2:45 – 3:00pm — Closing Keynote

• Councillor Diane Saxe

3:00 – 3:10pm — Closing Remarks

• Tom Axworthy (Chair in Public Policy & Senior Fellow, Massey College)

Registration

FREE

Register here

Video Feed

Watch the video stream here