Hart House Student Debates & Dialogues Committee

The Hart House Debates & Dialogue Committee is one of ten standing committees in Hart House at the University of Toronto. Founded in 1919 to protect and uphold the principles of free speech and debate in Canada, it has hosted leaders in every field, including heads of state, senior Cabinet officials, filmmakers, business leaders, activists, poets, policymakers, and philanthropists. Some of our most notable speakers include John F. Kennedy, Christopher Hitchens, Adrienne Clarkson, Noam Chomsky, John Turner, Brian Mulroney, John Tory, Margaret Atwood, Atom Egoyan, Dennis Edney, Marie Henein, and Kathleen Wynne. As one of the most prestigious student-led organizations in Canada and the only student group directly funded by the University of Toronto to invite speakers and curate panels on issues that matter, the Debates & Dialogue Committee has a unique mandate to create accessible and diverse spaces for thought-provoking discourse. In the recent past, we've hosted panels and keynotes such as: Canada's Economic Trends | featuring Former Prime Minister John Turner The Past, Present, and Future of Canadian Foreign Policy | featuring the Honourable Bill Graham The 2016 US Election: Populism and Discontent | featuring the Honourable John LaFalce On Green Cities | featuring David Miller The Future of Canadian Mental Health | Dr. Catherine Zahn, Ms. Louise Bradley, Dr. Carol Hopkins, Dr. David Bloom, moderated by the Honourable Michael Wilson Should We Be Proud of Canada's Immigration Policy? | The Honourable Ratna Omidvar, Leen Al-Zaibak, Lorne Waldman, Omran Faour, Julie Gilmour Keynote Speaker Series | featuring Marie Henein, former Premier Kathleen Wynne, and Dennis Edney. For more information on Hart House, please visit harthouse.ca. For future events and updates on our Committee, please check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/harthousedebates/ Instagram page @hhsddc_official or follow us on LinkedIn.