October 2025:
Listening, Speaking Out & Connecting in an Age of Rage
In a world increasingly hungry for authentic connection, Carol Off, celebrated former host of CBC “As It Happens” and acclaimed author, and Professor Timothy Caulfield, University of Alberta, Faculty of Law and School of Public Health, offered compelling insights into navigating today’s complex information landscape. With host Adrian Harewood, Associate Professor, Carleton University, they examined how genuine listening can bridge divides and restore meaning to essential democratic concepts. Drawing from their latest books, At a Loss for Words and The Certainty Illusion, they explored the power of language—how it can reveal truth or create confusion—and how media, politics, and everyday discourse shape our shared realities. Their deeply human conversation challenged us to listen harder, think deeper, and to be smarter about mis/disinformation — to question, verify, stay curious, and to speak out with courage and compassion.
In a dynamic roundtable, Carol, Timothy, and Adrian were joined by young journalists from Carleton University, the Université d’Ottawa and Philemon Wright High School, bringing youth insight, lived experience and fresh perspectives.
Presented in partnership with The Low to Hull & Back News, the independent, multi-award winning newspaper serving the Gatineau Hills since 1973, and Friends of the Low Down (FoLD), dedicated champions of strong, community-based journalism.
