Courses & Speakers Series Are Big Hits
Within weeks of becoming independent, Elder College offered six in-person courses at the Community Centre in Parksville. They included the kinds of lifestyle and academic courses that are Elder College’s specialty.
The popular emergencies and disaster preparedness course taught by Ross Peterson returned. It focused on the types of emergencies that concern us here on the Island, and what we can do to mitigate them. “We also tackled our personal responsibility and how to organize our neighbourhoods,” says Ross.
It was followed up by road safety for seniors, which empowers drivers to remain safe and confident on the road, including guidance on preparing for re-examination and how aging can potentially impact driving ability. This course was presented by Tim Schewe, a 25-year veteran of the RCMP, including 20 years on traffic.
The works of four creative geniuses who initiated the Italian Renaissance - Brunelleschi, Donatello, Masaccio, and Alberti - were examined by John Black. “When they hear the word ‘Renaissance’ most people immediately think of Leonardo and Michelangelo,” he says. “But they should think instead of four friends active in Florence a quarter of a century before Leonardo was born, and half a century before Michelangelo’s birth.”
Instructor Steve Lane explored the cultural politics of Ireland from the late 19th century until the 1930s through Ireland’s Nobel Poet Laureate W.B. Yeats. “In addition to reading and discussing some of his poems, we looked at Yeats’ interest in the occult among other oddities,” he says.
The history of First Nations land in British Columbia was taught by Robin Fisher. First the colony of Vancouver Island and then the Province of British Columbia were built on the traditional, unceded lands of Indigenous people. “The past is with us, so let’s get it right,” he says.
The coal mining history of Vancouver Island was presented by Lynne Bowen. “In the first 100 years of colonization on Vancouver Island, coal that laid beneath the land and the ocean from Ladysmith to Port Hardy lured men from all over the world to labour underground and die in the hundreds,” she says. “One Scottish miner became the wealthiest man in British Columbia—and the most hated.”
The robust turnout at these courses reassured Mid Island Elder College that it was on the right track.
Next, MIEC launched its first Saturday Speakers Series, “Canada in a Dicey World.” Three renowned analysts examined challenges from Ukraine to the Arctic to the ballot box. They offered their perspectives on some of the most significant issues that are shaping the world we live in.
These public lectures, held in the Nanoose Place Community Centre, attracted hundreds of people over the course of three Saturdays. Audience members sat in rapt attention, asked provocative questions, and conversed over coffee and cookies.
Military veteran Chris Kilford opened the series on April 13 with his views on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He described the illegal war of aggression as “the biggest threat to peace and security in Europe since the end of the Cold War.” Chris believes the conflict has all the hallmarks of a stalemate. “I think at some point, both sides will be looking for a pathway to ending this. No one will be happy but I think Ukraine’s future is brighter than Russia’s.”
The future of the Canadian Arctic was examined in the second presentation on April 20 by Ken Coates, Chair of the Indigenous Governance Degree at Yukon University in Whitehorse. He was critical of Canada’s leadership for falling behind in northern development. “Several crucial factors will determine the transformation of Canada’s North,” he said. “Indigenous re-empowerment, the campaigns for northern autonomy, and global climate change will all have an impact. But one of the most significant influences will be southern attitudes toward northern regions.”
The spring Speaker’s Series concluded May 11 with an analysis of the state of democracy in Canada and the United States by long-time Elder College instructor Brett Bowen. He sees a number of factors, such as new technology, that have buffeted the prospects of liberal democratic systems and promoted a rise of authoritarian governments and movements. “While these threats can apply to each country, given that this is an important election year in the United States, I focused on that country.”
Robin Fisher, who organized the Saturday Speakers Series, says “the three lectures show the power of Mid Island Elder College to reach and inform our community.”
