Charlottetown Forum: November 9-10, 2023
The Charlottetown Forum is a newly established event that brings together artists, leaders, and the public to convene for discussions on matters of importance to Canadians.
Meeting at Confederation Centre of the Arts next to the site of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference, the Charlottetown Forum seeks to promote open learning and sharing of diverse perspectives about the evolving identity of Canada.
The Forum is part of the Centre’s wider revitalization plan, which includes the creation of a National Cultural Leadership Institute housing new spaces for the creation of art, cultural learning, and public discourse.
This year’s event features three panels and post-panel discussions on the topics of immigration, economic reconciliation, and finding shared national narratives in a fractured time. Alongside the panels are networking opportunities with speakers, a thematic exploration of the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, and a walk and talk through downtown Charlottetown from both an Indigenous and colonial perspective.
Passes are on sale now. A Forum pass is $50 (plus taxes and fees), or $25 for students (plus taxes and fees) and includes access to all three panels and all events on November 9 and 10. Passes can be purchased online here, via phone at 1-800-565-0278, or in person at the Centre box office.
FULL SCHEDULE
Thursday, November 9
Opening Remarks: 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. – Memorial Hall
Welcome from Steve Bellamy, CEO of Confederation Centre of the Arts; Francesca Perez, Director of Arts Education and Heritage at Confederation Centre of the Arts; and Devyani Saltzman, Senior Curatorial Advisor of the Charlottetown Forum.
Hidden History Walking Tour: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
This tour will ground Forum attendees in the colonial and Indigenous history of Prince Edward Island, from pre-Confederation to present day. The tour will be hosted by heritage coordinator Cameron MacDonald, and Jenene Wooldridge, executive director of L’Nuey. Weather permitting, this will be a walking tour to various locales in downtown Charlottetown. In the event of inclement weather, this will be an indoor presentation.
Boxed Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Studio 1
Included with your Forum pass.
Panel Discussion #1: 1:00 – 2:15 p.m. – Memorial Hall
Newcomers, Immigration, and the Needs of a Rapidly Changing National Community
Panellists: Shamira Madhany (ED, World Education Services); Taleeb Noormohamed (MP for Vancouver Granville); and Nicholas Keung (immigration reporter, Toronto Star)
Moderator: Elamin Abdelmahmoud (journalist, author)
Q&A Session: 2:15 – 3:00 p.m. – Memorial Hall
Coffee Break: 3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
An opportunity to mix and mingle with Forum speakers and attendees.
Tour of Confederation Centre Art Gallery: 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Forum attendees will be invited to tour and discuss two exhibitions with thematic tie-ins to the Charlottetown Forum: the currents that carry us and Making History. The tour will be led by curator Pan Wendt.
Cocktail Reception: 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. – Mavor’s Lounge
Forum speakers and attendees will gather for a reception to close out the day.
Friday, November 10
Panel Discussion #2: 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Memorial Hall
Economic Reconciliation
Panellists: Jonathan Davey (VP, Indigenous Financial Services, Scotiabank), Kateri Coade (Executive Director, Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI), and Keith Martell (former CEO, First Nations Bank)
Moderator: Harvey McCue (Waubageshig), a consultant specializing in Indigenous issues
Q&A Session: 11:00 – 11:30 a.m. – Memorial Hall
Boxed Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Studio 1
Included with your Forum pass.
Panel Discussion #3: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Memorial Hall
Shared Narratives in a Fractured Time
Panellists: Jesse Wente (journalist, board chair of Canada Council); Tanya Talaga (writer, journalist); and Naheed Nenshi (political commentator, former mayor of Calgary)
Moderator: Devyani Saltzman (Canadian writer, curator and arts leader)
Q&A Session: 2:30 – 3:00 p.m. – Memorial Hall
Closing Remarks & Reception: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Memorial Hall
Forum speakers and attendees will gather for a reception to close out the Forum.
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Prior to the Charlottetown Forum, Confederation Centre of the Arts will present the Honourable Michael Ignatieff, PC, CM, with the Symons Medal on November 8, 2023. Held annually, The Symons Medal Presentation and Lecture on the State of Canadian Confederation provides a national platform for a distinguished Canadian to discuss the current state and future prospects of Confederation. Click here for more information about The Symons Medal Presentation and Lecture.
Newcomers, Immigration, and the Needs of a Rapidly Changing National Community
Thursday, November 9 | 1 – 3 p.m.
Canada consistently ranks as one of the most desirable destinations of immigrants and refugees from around the world, and our federal immigration policy includes 500,000 newcomers arriving by 2025. This rapid shift in immigration creates swift demographic change, opportunity, and increased diversity, but newcomers face challenges like lack of housing and affordability. This panels dives into Canada’s immigration systems, the challenges faced by newcomers, and what belonging and integration looks like in a rapidly changing nation.
Speakers
Moderator
Economic Reconciliation
Friday, November 10 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Eight years after the 2015 final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the continued economic disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous prosperity continues to persist. Economic reconciliation refers to the economic redress of historical injustices to Indigenous peoples, and this panel will discuss the growing field focused on increasing intergenerational wealth creation and prosperity in Indigenous communities.
Speakers
Moderator
Shared National Narratives in a Fractured Time
Friday, November 10 | 1 – 3 p.m.
In a quickly changing global landscape, including rising populism, the war in Ukraine, and a domestic landscape seeking recovery post-pandemic, Canada is negotiating its own story both at home and on the world stage. What is our collective identity, if any, and whose stories do we tell? In a moment of changing dominant narratives, new policies that legislate Canadian content, rebranding as a clean energy leader, and shifting foreign policy, we delve into our national narratives and what they may look like going forward.
Speakers
Moderator
Devyani Saltzman, senior curatorial advisor
The inaugural Charlottetown Forum is presented and curated by Confederation Centre of the Arts, in collaboration with senior curatorial advisor Devyani Saltzman, a Canadian writer, curator, and arts leader in-depth experience in multidisciplinary programming at the intersection between art, ideas, and social change. Read more…