Principal’s Message
Canada’s Role in the World is one of the issues of contemporary concern that we are exploring at Massey College. To this end, last week we launched the 2025 CBC Massey Lectures: “Universal: Renewing Human Rights in a Fractured World” to a sold-out house. This week, our Chair of Public Policy, Tom Axworthy, is hosting a conference on “Water Security for Canada and the World”.
And today, I am thrilled to announce our new Massey College Chair for Peace: General Romeo Dallaire.
General Dallaire and I served side by side in the darkest days of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. His integrity and drive toward lasting global peace and security have not faltered in the decades since, as he continued to serve as a military commander, Canadian senator, humanitarian, author, and international advisor.
Since 1994, Roméo Dallaire has been tireless in bringing national and international attention to situations too-often ignored, whether those be the prevention of mass atrocities and the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict; the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder on veterans and their families; or strategic solutions for lasting peace.
As the Massey College Chair for Peace, General Dallaire will be our Special Guest at the High Table on Friday October 24. Please reserve your place at what I know will be an extraordinary evening.
James Orbinski
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday, September 25 | 8:30am – 3:30pm
Online Access Only
Ensuring the Flow: Freshwater in Canada
Massey College, in partnership with The Forum for Leadership on Water (FLOW), is pleased to host “Ensuring the Flow: Water Security for Canada and the World,” a timely and urgent conference exploring the centrality of water to our collective future—locally, nationally, and globally.
Tickets are all sold out for this very important conference, but join us online throughout the day. Attend online here.
Monday, September 29 | 5:00-6:30pm
Junior Common Room
Meet the Incoming Visiting Scholars at Massey College
Join us for a reception to meet this year’s Visiting Scholars and hear more about their sabbatical projects.
Monday, September 29 | 8:00 – 9:00pm
Upper Library
Junior Fellow Lecture Series Presents – Earth in Transition: Climate, Sustainability & Planetary Health
What does it mean to live responsibly in a changing climate? Drawing on environmental science, theology, engineering, and policy, this theme examines how societies can respond to ecological crisis through innovation, communication, and sustainable practices that honor planetary health. RSVP here.
Tuesday, September 30 | 10:00 – 11:30am
Massey College Quadrangle
Ceremony for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
Please join us as we gather at 10:00 a.m. for a special ceremony to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Originally and still colloquially known as Orange Shirt Day, September 30 is a day to acknowledge the ongoing legacy of residential schools, to honour the children who never came home, and to reflect on the importance of reconciliation.
The ceremony is being held in partnership with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and Ogimaa Kwe Claire Sault will be in attendance. It will take place in the Quadrangle, weather permitting – otherwise in the Junior Common Room. It will last about 45 minutes, and will be followed by a reception with light refreshments. RSVP here.
Friday, October 3 | 8:30am – 1:00 pm
Robertson Davies Library
Textiles in Ethiopian Manuscripts Colloquium
Explore the fascinating intersection of art, history, and material culture at this half-day colloquium presented by the Textiles in Ethiopian Manuscripts SSHRC-funded research project.
Co-directed by Professor Michael Gervers (University of Toronto) and Massey Senior Fellow Sarah Fee (Royal Ontario Museum), this project brings together an international, multi-disciplinary team studying textiles found inside the book boards of 15th–19th-century Christian Ethiopian manuscripts.
The event will share insights into Ethiopian culture and the global origins of these textiles — followed by a special viewing of Robertson Davies Library’s latest acquisition: a late 18th/early 19th-century Ethiopian manuscript with a 19th-century textile pastedown and leather carrying case. Lunch will be provided! RSVP here.
We note here that sponsorship opportunities are available for this very special colloquium. Please contact Alex Pompilii, Advancement Specialist (apompilii@masseycollege.ca | 416-978-2549) to learn more.
Wednesday, October 8 | 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Upper Library
Massey Grand Rounds 2025 Janet Rossant Lecture
The Janet Rossant Lectureship was established in 2018 at Massey College in recognition of Dr. Janet Rossant’s distinguished career as a scientist, scholar, builder and leader in medical research. This, coupled with her dedicated mentorship of young scientists and scholars, is reflected in the purpose of this honour. This honorific Lectureship will attract accomplished visiting scientists to engage graduate students and faculty members alike, as part of the Massey Grand Rounds (MGR) program at Massey College.
Join us for the 2025 Janet Rossant Lecture on “Cancer Care at a Crossroads: Balancing Innovation, Cost, and Equity.” Join us Wednesday, October 8 from 1:00–4:00 pm for talks by Dr. Danielle Rodin (Janet Rossant Lecturer), Dr. Beverley Essue, and Dr. Keith Stewart at Massey College. RSVP here.
Massey is Lunch
Massey is Lunch is a community-building initiative that connects Senior Members of Massey College with Junior Fellows over lunch. The program fosters intergenerational dialogue, mentorship, and community engagement in an informal and welcoming setting. If you are a Senior Fellow, Quadrangle Society Member, Alumni 5+ years out, Journalism Fellow or Visiting Scholar, we invite you to register here.
