SARS: Cover Up and Aftermath!

SARS:  Cover Up and Aftermath Sunday, November 3, 2013 Room, 156, Library & Archives Canada 4:30 PM Admission:  $12 or with Festival Pass This amazing Canadian documentary examines the extraordinary and insightful human drama during and after the crisis; it tells the stories of the Chinese government's cover up and forgotten SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) survivors who are suffering greatly from the horrific after-effects due to aggressive steroids treatment and their continuing fight for their rights in China; and at the same time, how their fight for their rights are pushing Chinese society forward. You can watch the trailer here. Speaker: Producer Diana Dai. "The Sheik and I" A film about free speech! Saturday Nov 2, 2013 Room 156 4:30 PM The Sheik and I   104 minutes, United States, 2012 Reinventing the wheel Part of the 4th Annual Free Thinking Film Festival 2013  Commissioned by the Sharjah Biennial of the United Arab Emirates to make a film on the theme of "art as a subversive act," independent filmmaker Caveh Zahedi goes overboard. Told that he can do whatever he wants except make fun of the Sheik, who rules the country and finances the Biennial, Zahedi decides to do just that. He turns his camera on the Biennial itself and gleefully presses every culturally sensitive button he can find. But his court jester antics fails to amuse. Zahedi's film is banned for blasphemy and he is threatened with a fatwa.   The Sheik and I Trailer "Whether mocking the Muslim world or indicting Western attitudes toward that world - perhaps a little of both - "The Sheik and I" argues vociferously that it's always better to offend than to bore."     The New York Times, Dec. 2012 "At once preposterous and profound, the film proposes elemental questions about freedom of speech and artistic ethics."     Wall Street Journal, Dec. 2012 How to Buy Tickets You can buy all tickets at the door at the Library & Archives Canada.  Festival passes are now available at Compact Music (785 Bank,206 Bank).  You can also buy passesonline at Ticketweb. Fracknation:  A journalist's search for the fracking truth! Part of the 4th Annual Free Thinking Film Festival 2013 November 2, 2013, 4:00PM Main Auditorium, Library & Archives Canada Admission:  $12.00 or with a Festival Pass. FrackNation Movie Clips - The Truth About Fracking Fracknation follows journalists Phelim McAleer as he faces gun threats, malicious 911 calls and bogus lawsuits when questioning green extremists for the truth about fracking. Fracking is going to make America one of the world's leading energy producers but it has become the target of a concerted campaign by environmentalists who want it banned. In Fracknation, McAleer travels across the USA and Europe to uncover the science suppressed by environmental activists and ignored by much of the media. He talks with scientists and ordinary Americans who live in fracking areas and who tell him the truth about the exaggerations and misrepresentations of anti-fracking activists. "McAleer is an expert practitioner of cinematic jujitsu".     New York Post "Methodically researched...provocative."      The New York Times Powerful as God:  The Children's Aid Society of Ontario Part of the 4th Annual Free Thinking Film Festival 2013 Saturday Nov. 2nd Room 156, 2:30 PM Powerful as God: The Children's Aid Society of Ontario  Watch the Trailer 75 minutes, 2011 Canada blakout.ca Buy tickets here! A documentary that delves into society's most controversial and secretive topics. The film navigates 'truth' by engaging twenty-six witnesses with diverse experiences into conversation. By facilitating a voice for individuals whose lives have been tragically affected, with observations and recommendations by experts who have worked directly with the agency (such as doctors, social workers and lawyers), the film reveals a child welfare system plagued by systemic and bureaucratic abuse that urgently requires public attention. Financed by tax dollars and wielding extraordinary power, CAS employees have been heard to describe their influence over children and families to be as powerful as god.  Powerful as God - Children's Aid Societies of Ontario [TRAILER] Speaker: Producer Esther Buckareff Orchestra of Exiles... How one man saved the best Jewish musicians from the Nazis!  Part of the 4th Annual Free Thinking Film Festival 2013. November 3rd, 1:30 PM Library & Archives, Main Auditorium 395 Wellington, Ottawa Admission:  $12, or with Festival Pass.  Tickets available online or at the door. Orchestra of Exiles Documentary Film Trailer The thrilling story of how one man helped save Europe's premiere Jewish musicians from obliteration by the Nazis. In the early 1930's Hitler began firing Jewish musicians across Europe. Overcoming extraordinary obstacles, violinist Bronislaw Huberman moved these great musicians to Palestine and formed a symphony that would become the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. With courage, resourcefulness and an entourage of allies including Arturo Toscanini and Albert Einstein, Huberman saved nearly 1,000 Jews - and guaranteed the survival of Europe's musical heritage.  "Richly researched and partly told by some of today's top-flight musicians, 'Orchestra of Exiles' aspires to a level of primary research that other historical documentaries could take a page from."       New York Times Performance:  Floralove Katz sings some songs of the Holocaust. An Evening with Barbara Kay!     Part of the 4th Annual Free Thinking Film Festival 2013 Friday, November 1st, 7:00 PM Main Auditorium, Library & Archives Canada 395 Wellington Admission:  $20 ($10 students), or with Festival pass.  Passes also available at Compact Music (785 Bank, 206 Bank). Tickets available at the door. Columnist at the National Post, Barbara Kay is a true Canadian treasure! In this event, Ms. Kay will read from her new book, Acknowledgements, discuss her work with Free Thinking Films President Fred Litwin, and then answer questions from the audience, followed by a private reception. Ms. Kay is a weekly columnist for National Post and a frequent contributor to the Post's opinion blog, Full Comment. Her writings have also appeared in conservative U.S. online opinion sites Front Page Magazine and Pajamas Media, and in print magazines such as Canadian Observer, Dorchester Review and Cité libre. In 2009 Barbara was the National Association of Men's recipient of its award of excellence "for promoting gender fairness in the media." She is also a Woodrow Wilson Fellow. In 2012 Barbara received the Diamond Jubilee Medal for "excellence in journalism. Barbara is a regular guest on many Canadian radio talk shows, from the Maritimes to B.C., as well as more recently on Sunmedia TV. Barbara is the co-author, with Aruna Papp, of Unworthy Creature: A Punjabi Daughter's Memoir of Honour, Shame and Love. "Barbara Kay's writing is brisk and clear. She thinks for herself. She bravely resists the turn of the moment, and the preoccupations of the politically correct..."     Rex Murphy, columnist, National Post "There's one group, the best of a bad lot, columnists I call the cream of the crap... Then there are a few like Barbara Kay, who is good when compared to good writers, not bad ones. She started punditry at an age when some people retire from it. Perhaps that's why she isn't one of those writers about whom you feel they've written more books than they've read. She is a chippy polemicist, but only tells readers who may disagree with her that they're wrong, not that they're small and stupid. Most writers know how to assert; some know how to demonstrate; but only the Barbara Kays of columnists have the capacity to persuade."     George Jonas, columnist, National Post Hacked! China Cyber-Spying against the West... Part of the 4th Annual Free Thinking Film Festival 2013 This is going to be one of the most important events we've ever held.  Please mark this on your calendar right now! November 2nd, 7:00 PM Library & Archives Canada  395 Wellington Admission:  $20 (Students $10) Tickets available at the door. Tickets are also available online here. We will start off the evening with the Australian film, "Hacked!  When Cyber Spies Attack" which investigates Chinese cyber spying into Australia.  It's a very well-done and up to date documentary.   Hacked! - Preview of the 45 minute film After the film, please join us for an amazing panel on China Cyber Spying against Canada and other Western countries.  Joining us on this panel are: Brian Shields - IT Auditor (2.5 yrs), and  then Corporate Systems Security (16 yrs) with Nortel.  Brian's last 5 years were focused on finding APT (advanced persistent threat) intruders in the Nortel network. Richard Bejtlich, Chief Security Officer of Mandiant Corporation, one of the premiere cyber-security firms in the United States.  Bejtlich has more than 15 years of experience in enterprise level intrusion detection and incident response working the US government and Fortune 100 companies.  Mandiant Corporation is the firm that identified specifics on Chinese hacking into the United States. Dr. Rafal Rohozinski, CEO of The SecDev Group in Ottawa, Canada, which works on the crossroads of global security and development. After the panel discussion and Q&A, we will also have a private reception.         The 4th Annual Free Thinking Film Festival! The 4th Annual Free Thinking Film Festival will run between October 31st and November 3rd, 2013 in Ottawa at the Library & Archives Canada. Click here to check out our incredible lineup. Trailer for the 4th Annual Free Thinking Film Festival 2013 You can buy festival passes for the 4th Annual Free Thinking Film Festival at Compact Music (785 Bank, 206 Bank) or online here.  Tickets will also be on sale at the door. How to Buy Tickets for the Free Thinking Film Festival Tickets will be available at the door. Festival passes are now on sale at Compact Music (785 Bank, 206 Bank). You can buy Festival passes ($80), Saturday day Passes ($30), Sunday Day Passes ($30), Individual film tickets ($12), or for the 4 big gala events ($20) online at Ticketweb.ca. Great profile in the Ottawa Citizen  Earlier this year, there was a great profile of me in the Ottawa Citizen. Events from our friends... An important event from the Macdonald-Laurier Institute...  The Macdonald-Laurier Institute presents Great Canadian Debates - Thursday, October 24th at 7pm Barney Danson Auditorium, War Museum Ottawa   - $20 per ticket / Students and Seniors $15 (ID required) RESOLVED: PRESIDENT OBAMA SHOULD WELCOME CANADA'S ETHICAL OIL  Nikiforuk says NAY Morton says YEA Who is right? The environmentalists who believe the US President should refuse Canada's oil, or members of Congress who have approved the deal to open the XL pipeline? That's the question in the first debate of the season presented by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.  Former Alberta Energy Minister Ted Morton will argue for the affirmative that the deal is good for both countries while author Andrew Nikiforuk will argue that exporting more oil to the US is devastating for the environment.    You can purchase your tickets here. Meighen Institute's Maple Leaf Dinner... Arthur Meighen Institute for Public Affairs  Presents  2013 Maple Leaf Dinner honouring The Hon. Preston Manning PC CC  ACE Winner of the 2013 Arthur Meighen Freedom Medal featuring keynote speaker Ben Shapiro and Master of Ceremonies   Brian Lilley  Tuesday, November 5 Downtown Marriott Hotel 100 Kent Street Ottawa, Ont. Cocktails 6 pm Dinner 7 pm Regular Tickets $275 VIP Tickets* $1,000 Tables of 10 $2, 500 For those of you who are interested in attending both the Free Thinking Film Festival and the Maple Leaf dinner, there are tickets for just $325.  Please contact the Meighen Institute for details.