Instructor: Gerald Friesen and guests This course will discuss the history of some of Manitoba’s founding peoples and how they came to terms with evolving provincial, national, and global circumstances in the late nineteenth century. It will include (one in each of the six meetings), First Nations, Selkirk settlers, Michif/French-speaking Métis, Orange Order Canadians, first-wave […]

Course Description: One of the arguments advanced by the proponents of communist ideas is that in spite of all the horrors of Stalinism and other communist regimes, they greatly contributed to the advancement of the countries where they managed to establish themselves. Taking into account the fact that in 1900 Grand Duchy of Finland was […]

Course Description: Religious engagement has been on the rise worldwide, regardless of how any particular religious or spiritual tradition may be faring in Canada. The Pew Institute continues to count that from 80-85% of the world’s peoples self define as religious or spiritual. The old question is new again: are world religions stumbling blocks to […]

Course Description: Given from the point of view of an accused, we will discuss several aspects of the system of Criminal Justice in Canada. We will look at The Courts, the Penal system, and Police Powers as they relate to the rights of all Canadians as described in the Charter.  Ultimately, the goal is to […]

Course Description: This course covers the period from the entrance of Canada into NATO in 1949 to the NORAD modernization process of 2024 posing the question: what does it mean to “defend” Canada?  The topics that will be discussed are: Coming out of the Second World War, Canada had the 4th largest military, but how […]

Course Description: We will explore human health and disease. We discuss what your immune system does to protect you from the thousands of threats you encounter daily – and how, like us, it sometimes makes incorrect decisions – with serious consequences.  We examine the silent goings-on inside which allow most of us to experience lifespans […]

Course Description: This course will explore the complex dynamics of Jewish and Christian self-definition, experience, and interaction in the context of Hellenistic and then Roman imperial rule, focusing on the years 200 BCE to 200 CE. Topics covered will include: The history and diversities of “second temple Judaism.” The impact of Greek political domination and […]

The “Mad” identity is a focus of interest in disability studies which seeks to question the dominant narrative of what modern society calls “mental illness”. This course will offer a new perspective of how culture and music can function as an expression of madness while providing paths to healing. We will explore the history of psychiatric patient activism, while also listening to the works of artists such as Nina Simone, Schumann, Sun Ra, and Iggy Pop.