Tuesday, 11 March 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM EDT
Online, Zoom
'Why Are We Here: A Meditation on Canada' by Mary Jo Leddy.
Joined by Stephen Scharper
Released in 2019 Mary Jo Leddy’s ‘Why Are We Here: A Meditation on Canada’ is very much a timely reflection for Canadians to ponder in 2025. In the midst of imaginative - and disturbing - talk about Canada being the 51st U.S. state most Canadians suddenly find themselves valuing more than ever what it means to call Canada home… both those who were born and raised here, and those who chose to be here as newcomers.
Mary Jo writes as a Catholic theologian, social activist, and in particular the founder of Romero House to help integrate the presence of new refugees and landed immigrants into Canadian society and identity, a society and identity they greatly value and are appreciative of.
Her reflections on Canada revolve around the question posed by a Tsimshian Chief to the first European explorers when they arrived on the coast of what we know of as present day British Columbia: “Why are you here?”. She explains that our response to this question is worthy of our meditation of what makes Canada Canada.
The first Reading Forum of our scheduled series over the next few months is an opportunity to read and reflect upon the gift of calling ourselves Canadian, a gift that cannot be taken for granted.
Stephen Sharper, of the University of Toronto’s Department of Anthropology and School of the Environment - as well as good friend of Mary Jo Leddy’s - will join us to reflect upon this question of the Tsimshian Chief in light of his own wisdom as an ecologically minded thinker and cherishment of this land we call home with its indigenous peoples… how a sense of place deepens our appreciation of this part of Turtle Island we call Canada.
Read the book before the event!
Purchase it on novalis.ca and use the discount code 'LWCONF2025' to get 25% off.