Speaker Date Topic
Sam Grello, Marc Abshire Feb 12, 2025
Port Angeles, USA, Ready to share its love for Canadians.
Port Angeles, USA, Ready to share its love for Canadians.
As Canadians consider travel bans and consumer boycotts amid a simmering trade war with the United States, the community of Port Angeles is worried — but ready to show its love for its friends across the strait. Business owners and residents consider Victorians part of the “economic life blood” for the city of 20,000, bringing tourists in for art and culinary festivals, hiking and running competitions and onward to Seattle for major sporting events. They aim to prove it. Sam Grello is executive director of the Port Angeles Waterfront District, Marc Abshire is Executive Director of the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce. Both will join us via Zoom
Les Leyne Feb 19, 2025
Police presence in our schools. How the Greater Victoria School Board lost their jobs over it.
Police presence in our schools.  How the Greater Victoria School Board lost their jobs over it.

Leyne was raised in Qualicum Beach, worked on newspapers in Duncan - where he covered the incineration of 13 tons of marijuana under  RCMP supervision - and the West Shore - where he staged his own impaired driving arrest and then covered it.

He was a Times Comonist reporter for 14 years before becoming an opinion columnist in 1995. He has won Jack Webster Foundation Awards for commentary and was part of a team honoured with the national Michener Award for Public Service journalism.

He currently works part-time, covering mostly legislative sittings, and tries to bike has much as possible.

Senator Pat Bovey Feb 26, 2025
Fraud against Indigenous Artists
Fraud against Indigenous Artists

The Honourable Patricia Bovey,  Former Senator for Manitoba.  

Retired senator Patricia Bovey was appointed to the Senate of Canada in November 2016 as an Independent Senator from Manitoba. She served on the Foreign Affairs & International Trade Committee, Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament Committee and the Official Languages Committee.

As the first art historian and museologist to be appointed to the Senate, Bovey has worked on all issues, from legislation to committee work, primarily through the lens of arts and culture, and from her regional perspective.  She has spoken in the Chamber about the impact of the arts, especially on health and crime prevention. She also installed the first works of Black Canadian Artists in the Senate of Canada since 1867. Her goal is to ensure the voice of arts and culture is heard, in the Senate as well as in every sector of society.

Winnipeg-based gallery director, art historian, professor and arts and culture management consultant, she was Director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery (1999-2004) and the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (1980-1999), and appointed the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s Director Emerita in 2014.

Author and lecturer on Western Canadian art, she is currently writing Impacts and Turning Points: The Western Voice in Canadian Art.

Sonia Furstenau Mar 05, 2025
Green Party of British Columbia
Green Party of British Columbia

Sonia is immediate past party leader of the Green Party of British Columbia.   During Sonia’s time as MLA, Cowichan Valley has undergone significant changes. She takes pride in the historic levels of investment in the riding and the accomplishments since being elected MLA in 2017. A new high school and hospital are under construction, a beautiful hospice has been established, and substantial progress has been made toward a new weir to help protect the Cowichan River from increasingly frequent droughts. Serving the people of Cowichan has been an honour, but Sonia and her family have realized it is time to return to Victoria as her children embark on the next chapters of their lives. With deep roots in Victoria, Sonia wishes to continue her political journey, representing and giving back to the community that nurtured her.

Sonia’s experience in Shawnigan and the Legislature has taught her that just because something is unprecedented, it doesn’t mean it is impossible. She believes that when representatives think creatively, are not beholden to special interests, and focus on data and evidence, the future desired for the communities can be achieved.

Glory Gray Mar 12, 2025
Growing a Podcast for Fun and Profit
Growing a Podcast for Fun and Profit

Glory Gray grew up in Washington, DC. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance and investments and began her career working as an analyst at a U.S. Investment Bank, helping large companies find investment capital to grow their businesses.

She is the founder of Glory Gray Wealth Solutions and Nanoose Bay Wealth Management. Both are independent, full-service financial planning and investment advising practices.

Glory is also the host of the “Women’s Wealth Canada Podcast,” a financial education podcast for women which was named by Feedspot as one of the 10 Best Canadian Women Podcasts.

Glory serves on the board of several non-profits and holds a Master Financial Advisor certification in Philanthropy. She created a workshop for Vancouver Island University called “The Charitable Investor: Making a Difference,” which covers tax-saving strategies for investors who want to build a charitable legacy.

Glory’s has been featured in Canadian MoneySense magazine, Citywire Magazine, Authority Magazine and Ariana Huffington’s Thrive Global project.

She splits her time between Nanoose Bay and Victoria and lives with her husband, David, and superhero rescue dogs, Bandit and Dolly.

Glory will speak on the nuts and bolts of building and growing a podcast as a business or hobby.

Lynn Feasey Mar 19, 2025
The Power of Art to bring Communities Together
The Power of Art to bring Communities Together

Lynn has worked with hundreds of artists over the past 25 years as a curator, gallery owner, artistic director, and creative strategist for artists and arts organizations. She's curated exhibitions, directed national arts festivals, and created an award-winning arts-forward Olympic pavilion. As a writer, Iynn has held the honour of documenting many lives, events and stories of artists, knowledge keepers and culture bearers. She's held the trust of non-profits, Inuit and First Nations organizations, museums, private collectors and all levels of government to create collections, innovative arts strategies, and cultural events. Lynn has written and delivered professional development workshops - and helped many artists.

Zack Zaccardelli, 20th Commissioner of the RCMP Mar 26, 2025
From 20th Commissioner of the RCMP to Director of Strategic Planning Directorate for INTERPOL.
 From 20th Commissioner of the RCMP to Director of Strategic Planning Directorate for INTERPOL.

Giuliano Zaccardelli has a distinguished career in law enforcement and international policing. He joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 1970, beginning his service in Alberta before transitioning to specialized roles in commercial crime investigations in Toronto and Calgary. Over the years, he steadily rose through the ranks, holding leadership positions across Canada, including in New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. In 2000, he became the 20th Commissioner of the RCMP, overseeing its 27,000 employees and operations nationwide.

In 1999, Zaccardelli was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Organized Crime and Operational Policy, a role created to enhance the RCMP's focus on national and international organized crime. His career later extended to global policing initiatives, including serving as Director of INTERPOL’s OASIS Africa program in 2008 and leading the Strategic Planning Directorate in 2009.

Zaccardelli’s leadership earned him numerous honors, including the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and the French Legion of Honour. He has also received several Canadian commemorative medals and was named Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

Born in Prezza, Italy, Zaccardelli immigrated to Canada at age 7 and grew up in Montreal. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Loyola College and has completed advanced training at the FBI Academy and Bramshill Police Staff College in England. Fluent in English, French, and Italian, he is a passionate advocate for integrated, intelligence-led policing at all levels.

TBA Apr 02, 2025
View Royal Mayor Sid Tobias Apr 09, 2025
How a reluctant politician with no political aspiration became mayor.
How a  reluctant politician with no political aspiration became mayor.

Mayor Sid Tobias MSM, CD, MA was first elected as the Mayor of View Royal in 2022. He is View Royal’s fifth Mayor. Mayor Tobias serves as chair to the Finance and Administration Committee for the Town's Committee of the Whole. He is the Town's representative to the Capital Regional District's Board, Hospital Board, and Housing Trust Fund Commission. He also serves as the Town's liaison to the Capital Region Housing Corporation Board, Westshore Chamber of Commerce, Westshore Policing Advisory Committee, and the Te'Mexw Treaty Advisory Committee. Prior to being elected, Mayor Tobias served on the Town's Planning and Development Advisory Committee in 2015 and was nominated Chair in 2016.

Mayor Tobias served in the Royal Canadian Navy for over 24 years retiring as a Chief Petty Officer First Class Naval Combat Information Operator. 

He is a graduate of Royal Roads University with a Master of Learning and Technology (MALT) and a Graduate Diploma in Knowledge Management. Mayor Tobias continues to work and research applications of complexity theory, decision-making and continuous improvement.

Mayor Sid Tobias can address Housing, Public Engagement, View Royal being named the best city in Canada for an entrepreneur to live, but really enjoys sharing how he,  as a "reluctant politician with no political aspirations"  believes that View Royal is a gem because of its natural beauty and the sense of neighbourhood and community made up of residents who are passionate about living there.

Nancy Kostyrka Apr 16, 2025
More Than Just “The Wife Of…” - The Chatelaines of Government House 1851-2012
More Than Just “The Wife Of…” - The Chatelaines of Government House 1851-2012

Nancy Kostyrka, a retired teacher, has been a resident of Victoria for the past 42 years.  Since retirement she has been able to pursued her passion for history, especially British Columbia history, full time.  A keen interest in the history of Victoria and of Government House led her to join the Friends of Government House Gardening Society in 2022.  As a volunteer with the Costume Museum of Government House she conducted extensive research on all 32 Chatelaines for their Summer 2024  exhibit “More Than Just ‘The Wife Of…’ “.  She was able to share some of her research while leading a tour of the graves of Government House Chatelaines at Ross Bay Cemetery last year.  Currently a member of the volunteer team working in the Government House Archives, she is looking forward to publishing a book about the fascinating Chatelaines of Government House.                                                                          

More Than Just “The Wife Of…” - The Chatelaines of Government House 1851-2012

A wealth of information is available about the Lieutenant Governors of British Columbia but the stories of the Chatelaines, especially before and after their time at Government House, have rarely been told.  Thirty two women have taken on the role of Government House Chatelaine in Victoria.  Nancy will share the stories of some of these remarkable women.  Their lives span the years from 1812 to the present day.  They were all women of their time who rose to the challenges of whatever life handed them.  As you will see, they deserve to be know for being more than just “the wife of…”.

TBA Apr 23, 2025
Dwight Owens May 07, 2025
Storing carbon below the seafloor. Ocean Networks Canada’s Dream
Storing carbon below the seafloor.  Ocean Networks Canada’s Dream

Dwight’s career has been largely involved in training, education, science literacy, outreach and capacity development. Since 2008, Dwight has been working for one of the world’s major ocean observing facilities, Ocean Networks Canada (ONC). He has coordinated ONC’s Artist in Residence program for the past 5 years, with deep involvement in a range of Art & Science initiatives. During 2022-2024 he served as Associate Director for ONC’s Learning & Community Engagement department, with oversight for all education and training activities that connect to school age and university classrooms as well as ONC’s work with coastal Indigenous communities. His current role at ONC is as Impact and Capacity Development manager, with a specific focus on creating opportunities for Early Career Ocean Professionals.

Dwight will speak about Ocean Networks Canada’s dream of capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequestering it in basaltic rock formations below the seafloor, where the CO2 transforms into carbonate rock. We have proposed a demonstration of this idea at our deepest site, Cascadia Basin, which is 2.7 km below the sea surface and several hundred km offshore.