Registration details coming!

Will Canada Survive? With Richard Stursberg.

Trump wants to make Canada the 51st state. He has taken out Maduro in Venezuela. He has attacked Iran. He has failed to support Ukraine. He threatens Greenland and others. Will Canada resist if attacked?

A country’s will to defend itself depends on whether its citizens think it is worth protecting and defending – whether its national identity is strong, which is also forged through its media. And when a country’s media presence is weak, its identity falters. Indeed, it is through its books, newspapers, films, magazines, TV shows and social media that citizens come to know their history, each other, their common stories, and hopes for the future.

In the last part of the 20th century, Canada’s media presence was strong and Canadians were proud of their country. But by the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, much of its media had begun to collapse, along with Canadians pride in their country and shared sense of identity. Rising separatist movements in Canada is but one outcome.

How did this happen? What can be done about it?

Richard Stursberg has spent his career exploring the relationship between media and national identity. He was the Executive Director of Telefilm Canada, the government’s film financing corporation, head of English services at the CBC, and Chairman of The Canadian Television Fund. His book on the CBC, The Tower of Babble, was named one of the best books of the year by the Globe and Mail. His next book, The Tangled Garden, documented the destruction of Canada’s media businesses, and what to do to save them. It was short-listed for the Donner prize for the best book on public policy written by a Canadian. His new book, Lament for a Literature: The Collapse of Canadian Book Publishing was released on 27 January 2026.

When: Wednesday, 8 April 2026
Where: The Union Club, 805 Gordon Street, Victoria
Time: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm (registration desk opens at 11:25 am)

This is a CIC member event only.

Purchase a ticket via credit or debit card.  The payment link will be sent to CIC Victoria members soon.

$45 for CIC members
$35 for CIC young professional members
$25 for CIC student members

Tell us if you have any dietary restrictions. The Union Club can accommodate those who want vegetarian or vegan meals, and those who have allergies or other medical conditions.

After 31 March 2026 additional dietary restrictions cannot be entertained.

No refunds are possible after 31 March 2026 unless we can fill the cancellation from a waiting list.

Please join the waitlist if the event appears to be sold out. The event registration window closes on 31 March 2026 at midnight PST.