A Fireside Chat with the Honourable Lloyd Axworthy

I’m an optimist. I have seen that you can actually make changes.

CFUW Perth & District is honoured to host Canadian politician, elder statesman and academic the Honourable Lloyd Axworthy for an enlightening night of conversation. Join us on Monday, October 20th when he will engage in a fireside chat with diplomat, professor, business leader, and award-winning humanitarian Rosemary McCarney.

Axworthy is recognized internationally as the architect of the Ottawa Treaty, the global convention signed in 1997 that banned the use, trade and manufacture of anti-personnel

landmines. He called this achievement his “Everest” and his leadership on landmines led to his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. During his 27 years as a politician, Axworthy worked with Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to draft the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, one he counts as “his finest moment”.

Change will not happen all at once, but “day-by-day, week-by-week. and conversation by conversation, moving forward. It won’t fall from the sky. Change has to be made by people."

As President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg he worked to make post-secondary education more accessible to inner-city, Indigenous, new immigrant and refugee students. Currently, Mr. Axworthy chairs the World Refugee and Migration Council and is one of Canada's leading voices on human security, global migration and refugee protection. He is a Companion of the Order of Canada. His 2024 book, Lloyd Axworthy: A Life in Politics reflects on decades of public service and issues a challenge to Canadians about the future of their county.

Rosemary McCarney serves with Axworthy on the World Refugee & Migration Council. As CEO of Plan Canada International, she led the Because I am a Girl movement and successfully advocated for the UN International Day of the Girl. She has served as Canada’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. She is now Senior Fellow, Norman Paterson School for International Affairs, Carleton University and Senior Fellow Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary History, University of Toronto. McCarney is a member of CFUW Perth & District.

Dr. Axworthy will sign copies of his 2024 autobiography, Lloyd Axworthy: My Life in Politics and those interested in copies may email The Book Nook at thebooknook@bellnet.ca by Monday, October 6th.

Don't miss out on this chance to hear one of Canada's renowned politicians talk about his public service, citizen activism and meeting new challenges.

FREE EVENT. PUBLIC WELCOME. (Cash donations to support our Education Awards fund at the door welcome.)

When: Monday, October 20, 2025

Time: Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Talk begins at 6:45 p.m.

Where: Royal Canadian Legion, 26 Beckwith Street East, Perth (Free parking) Capacity: 200

“You have to be principled, you have to be tactical, you have to be pragmatic. But you also have to be tough and know what you stand for.”