The World Affairs Conference

The World Affairs Conference The World Affairs Conference, commonly referred to as WAC, is Canada's oldest annual student-run current affairs conference, hosted at Upper Canada College

The World Affairs Conference, commonly referred to as WAC, is Canada's oldest annual student-run current affairs conference. Hosted annually at Upper Canada College in Toronto Canada, the conference typically attracts upwards of 1000 students from Canada and abroad. WAC is open to any students at the high-school level to attend, and is typically held annually at the beginning of February. It was first held in March 1983 and initiated by UCC student David James Wilson, working in collaboration with faculty advisor, Paul W. Bennett. The first Keynote Speaker was Dr. William Epstein, United Nations Expert on the Nuclear Arms Race. The program format combined speakers, panels, theme plenaries and student-moderated discussions, first initiated by Stephanie Reford's Introducing the World Program. In 1984 and 1985, UCC student Ira Nishisato became Chair and WAC expanded. In February 1985, WAC attracted some 1,600 students from over 70 different high schools across North America. A student organizing committee carried the conference forward over its first 10 years, guided at first by Paul Bennett, then by Thomas Matthews. Both Faculty Advisors went on to become Headmasters in other Canadian independent schools. In 2011 the conference welcomed speakers including economic speech-writer for President Bush David Frum, Deputy Speaker of the Ontario Legislative Assembly, and Cheri DiNovo. Today the conference continues to maintain its history as Canada's the oldest annual student-run current affairs conference. The most popular keynote speakers have included: UN Ambassador Stephen Lewis, Editor Robin Morgan, Ralph Nader, and Lord David Owen. Other noteworthy speakers at WAC include: David Frum, Marc Garneau, Michael Ignatieff, Susan Faludi, Gwynne Dyer, Bob Rae, Jeffrey Sachs, and Samantha Nutt. Senior students from UCC and Branksome Hall began working together in the late 1980s and have sustained the annual conference for over 25 years. More recently, the conference has drawn attention from around the world, hosting a number of well-established speakers.

🗣speaker introductions🗣We’re excited to announce that Mr. Jean-Francois Gauthier will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary spe...
01/27/2022

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We’re excited to announce that Mr. Jean-Francois Gauthier will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!

Mr. Jean-Francois Gauthier is a mechanical engineer and lifelong space geek with over 15 years of experience in the commercial space industry in various capacities at COM DEV including design and test, project management and sales and marketing. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Dalhousie University and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. He is also a graduate of the International Space University’s Summer Session Program (2006). In October 2016, he joined GHGSat to help commercialize the products and services from their breakthrough satellite around the world. He now leads the growing Sales and Marketing team at GHGSat.

At WAC 2022, Mr. Gauthier will be speaking about “Rethinking Sustainability: Innovations for the Environment.” Make sure to sign up for the conference on February 5, 2022 with the link in our bio!

🗣speaker introductions🗣We’re excited to announce that Dr. Sarah Gallagher will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!Dr...
01/27/2022

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We’re excited to announce that Dr. Sarah Gallagher will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!

Dr. Sarah Gallagher is the Science Advisor to the President of the Canadian Space Agency, where she is the liaison to the space science community and the Chief Science Advisor of Canada. She has been a professor of physics and astronomy at Western University since 2008, and the Director of the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration since 2021. Her research focuses on windy supermassive black holes and interacting galaxies. Dr. Gallagher teaches first-year physics and regularly talks to the public about astronomy, space science, and science policy.

At WAC 2022, Dr. Gallagher will be speaking about “Impact Through Education: New Opportunities, New Possibilities.” Make sure to sign up for the conference on February 5, 2022 with the link in our bio!

🗣speaker introductions🗣We’re excited to announce that Dr. Valarie Waboose will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!Dr...
01/27/2022

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We’re excited to announce that Dr. Valarie Waboose will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!

Dr. Valarie Waboose is an Assistant Professor at Windsor Law. Her areas of specialization include Indigenous legal traditions, the legacy of residential schools, and the ways in which First Nations within Canada reconcile with their past. Dr. Waboose is a member of the Three Fires Midewiwin Society and is interested in conducting research and expanding knowledge in the areas of Anishinabe Indigenous knowledge and Indigenous research methodologies. Her Indigenous knowledge is interwoven with the pedagogical methodologies she utilizes within the classroom setting. As an Anishinabe Kwe, she believes in sharing her knowledge with non-Indigenous students so that they can better serve their clients when they enter the legal profession.

At WAC 2022, Dr. Waboose will be speaking about “From Parliament Hill to Turtle Island: The Future for Canadian Truth and Reconciliation.” Make sure to sign up for the conference on February 5, 2022 with the link in our bio!

🗣keynote speaker🗣We’re excited to announce that The Honourable Ahmed Hussen will be joining WAC’22 as our closing keynot...
01/26/2022

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We’re excited to announce that The Honourable Ahmed Hussen will be joining WAC’22 as our closing keynote speaker!

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen is the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Youth of Canada. He was first elected in 2015 to represent the riding of York South—Weston. He has previously served as Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. Serving as National President for the Canadian Somali Congress, Minister Hussen worked with national and regional authorities to advocate on important issues to Canadians of Somali heritage, strengthening civic engagement and integration. His results-driven reputation led to an invitation from the Toronto City Summit Alliance to join a task force for modernizing income security for adults.

At WAC 2022, Minister Hussen will be delivering the closing keynote to all attendees. Make sure to sign up for the conference on February 5, 2022 with the link in our bio!

01/24/2022

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Make sure to register with the link in our bio to get a chance to hear Professor Scott Galloway’s keynote address!

Professor Scott Galloway is Professor of Marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business and a serial entrepreneur. In 2012, he was named one of the world’s best business professors by Poets & Quants. He has founded nine companies, including Prophet, Red Envelope, L2, and Section4. He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Four, The Algebra of Happiness, and most recently, Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity. He has served on the boards of directors of The New York Times Company, Urban Outfitters, and Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. His Prof G and Pivot podcasts, No Mercy / No Malice blog, and Prof G YouTube channel reach millions. In 2020, Adweek named Pivot Business Podcast of the Year.

🗣keynote speaker🗣We’re excited to announce that Professor Scott Galloway will be joining WAC’22 as the speaker for our o...
01/24/2022

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We’re excited to announce that Professor Scott Galloway will be joining WAC’22 as the speaker for our opening keynote!

Professor Scott Galloway is Professor of Marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business and a serial entrepreneur. In 2012, he was named one of the world’s best business professors by Poets & Quants. He has founded nine companies, including Prophet, Red Envelope, L2, and Section4. He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Four, The Algebra of Happiness, and most recently, Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity. He has served on the boards of directors of The New York Times Company, Urban Outfitters, and Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. His Prof G and Pivot podcasts, No Mercy / No Malice blog, and Prof G YouTube channel reach millions. In 2020, Adweek named Pivot Business Podcast of the Year.

At WAC 2022, Professor Galloway will deliver the opening keynote, so make sure to sign up for the conference on February 5, 2022 with the link in our bio!

🗣speaker introductions🗣We’re excited to announce that Mr. Tom Szaky will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!Mr. Tom ...
01/24/2022

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We’re excited to announce that Mr. Tom Szaky will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!

Mr. Tom Szaky is the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, a global leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams. TerraCycle operates in 21 countries, working with some of the world’s largest brands, retailers and manufacturers to create national platforms to recycle products and packaging that currently go to landfill or incineration. Through TerraCycle, Mr. Szaky is creating circular solutions for hundreds of waste streams such as cigarette butts, dirty diapers and used chewing gum that otherwise have no path to be recycled. TerraCycle operates the largest supply chain for ocean plastic in the world, partnering with companies to integrate this material into their packaging.

At WAC 2022, Mr. Szaky will be speaking about “Rethinking Sustainability: Innovations for the Environment.” Make sure to sign up for the conference on February 5, 2022 with the link in our bio!

🗣speaker introductions🗣We’re excited to announce that Mr. Tom Szaky will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!Mr. Szak...
01/21/2022

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We’re excited to announce that Mr. Tom Szaky will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!

Mr. Szaky is the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, a global leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams. TerraCycle operates in 21 countries, working with some of the world’s largest brands, retailers and manufacturers to create national platforms to recycle products and packaging that currently go to landfill or incineration. Through TerraCycle, Mr. Szaky is creating circular solutions for hundreds of waste streams such as cigarette butts, dirty diapers and used chewing gum that otherwise have no path to be recycled. TerraCycle operates the largest supply chain for ocean plastic in the world, partnering with companies to integrate this material into their packaging.

At WAC 2022, Mr. Szaky will be speaking about “Rethinking Sustainability: Innovations for the Environment.” Make sure to sign up for the conference on February 5, 2022 with the link in bio!

🗣speaker introductions🗣We’re excited to announce that Mr. John Hammond will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!Mr. J...
01/18/2022

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We’re excited to announce that Mr. John Hammond will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!

Mr. John Hammond is a Cybersecurity Researcher, and a Threat Operations Analyst at Huntress. He spends his days reverse engineering malware and making hackers earn their access. Previously, as a Department of Defense Cyber Training Academy Instructor, he taught the Cyber Threat Emulation course, educating both civilian and military members on offensive Python, PowerShell, other scripting languages and the adversarial mindset. Mr. Hammond has developed training material and Information Security challenges for events such as PicoCTF and competitions at DEFCON US. He speaks at security conferences such as BsidesNoVA, to students at colleges such as the US Naval Academy, and other online events including the SANS Holiday Hack Challenge/KringleCon.

At WAC 2022, Mr. Hammond will be speaking about “Re-searching Into our Digital Future: A Token for Tomorrow.” Make sure to sign up for the conference on February 5, 2022 with the link in our bio!

🗣speaker introductions🗣We’re excited to announce that Ms. Jaime Leverton will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker! As...
01/13/2022

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We’re excited to announce that Ms. Jaime Leverton will be joining WAC’22 as a plenary speaker!

As CEO of Hut 8, Ms. Leverton sets the strategic direction for the company that is defining the digital asset revolution. She is passionate about advancing high-growth and future-forward technology companies, most recently serving as the Chief Commercial Officer at eStruxture Data Centers. Her 20-plus years of leadership experience also includes driving revenue programs as General Manager of Canada and APAC, with data center and cloud provider Cogeco Peer 1 (now Aptum). Previously, she held leadership roles with National Bank, BlackBerry, Bell Canada and IBM Canada. She sits on the boards of the Stratford Festival, Technation and ComKids, and serves as the Chair of IMWomen Canada.

At WAC 2022, Ms. Leverton will be speaking about “Re-searching Into Our Digital Future: A Token for Tomorrow.” Make sure to sign up for the conference on February 5, 2022 with the link in our bio!

01/10/2022

affair (n): a matter that is a particular person's concern or responsibility.

2022 marks WAC’s 40th year anniversary being North America’s largest and Canada’s oldest annual student-run current events conference. 38 years of being an in-person conference at a regional level, but last year marked the globalization of WAC.

This year, we’re going for bigger and better. With world-renowned speakers, we hope that we can inspire, educate, and nurture the leaders of the future on the affairs that matter.

Because affairs, matter.

WAC40, February 5, 2022. Link in bio.

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200 Lonsdale Road
Toronto, ON

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(416) 488-1125

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