Massey College is hosting a special discussion this Thursday from 4-6pm on Populism and Populist Leaders with former Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne and President and CEO of the Public Policy Forum Ed Greenspon. They will be in conversation with moderator Haroon Siddiqui, Massey College Senior Fellow and Editorial Page Editor Emeritus at The Star.

The evening is a “conversation starter” on an area with which we all grapple. Is populism on the rise? Is social media a causal factor in populism or simply an amplifier? Are the tactics of populists new or do they predate nationalism? Are populism, extremism, polarization a continuum or each unique and for us to understand better? Why are populist leaders popular? What is their innate appeal?

We will also be joined by Geoff White, a former Southam Journalism Fellow at Massey College and a former diplomat at Global Affairs Canada at 5:30pm to discuss his recent book, Working for Canada, A Pilgrimage in Foreign Affairs from the New World Order to the Rise of Populism.

The event will take place in the Upper Library. Refreshments will be available.

Kathleen Wynne - Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Ed Greenspon - Public Policy Forum