Talks and Lectures

Practice your communication skills and gain familiarity with Canadian society and culture in this conversation-based class designed for newcomer youth. This in person class is offered in partnership with Action for Healthy Communities. It is a free Edmonton Public Library program at Londonderry Library, every Friday from November 13 to November 27, 2026, 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM. Drop in, no registration needed.

Welcome, Come in! Join Métis author-poet Naomi for a reading of her 2026 children's book the Great Gathering Place and a selection of poetry from Kiyâm. It is a free Edmonton Public Library program at Stanley A. Milner (Downtown) Library, on Sunday, November 15, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Drop in, no registration needed.

For years, Vancouver has topped global rankings as one of the world’s most livable cities, while BC is marketed as a paradise destination. But do our "world-class" city and province live up to the hype? It is a free Vancouver Public Library program at Vancouver Central Library, on Wednesday, November 25, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM. Drop in, no registration needed.

Important: free, but you need to register online for free first. Join us for an evening about quilting as a social, community practice. Come to learn about the VPL Atrium banners, discuss histories of community quilting in Canada, and try your hand at quilting using a traditional clamp quilt frame. It is a free Vancouver Public Library program at Vancouver Central Library, on Tuesday, November 24, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

During World War II, the Canadian government forcibly removed Japanese Canadians from coastal areas to internment camps, seizing and selling their homes and possessions, fishing boats and farms. It is a free Vancouver Public Library program at Vancouver Central Library, on Monday, November 23, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM. Drop in, no registration needed.

Join us for a lively discussion about the art of writing a good crime story with Vancouver-based authors Suzanne Scott Tomita and Sam Wiebe. Book sales and signing to follow. It is a free Vancouver Public Library program at Dunbar Branch, on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM. Drop in, no registration needed.

For generations, a detached house with a yard represented the typical image of a family home, the Canadian dream. But as that dream becomes a pipe dream in cities like Vancouver and Toronto, what comes next? It is a free Vancouver Public Library program at Vancouver Central Library, on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Drop in, no registration needed.

Experience poetry in a variety of expressions and modes at Twisted Poets Literary Salon. Featuring poetry readings and an open mic, there is something for everyone. It is a free Vancouver Public Library program at Britannia Branch, on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 7:45 PM. Drop in, no registration needed.

Important: free, but you need to register for free first. A Rendez-vous durables workshop and discussion on celebrating the holidays in a greener way (Les Fêtes autrement), for ages 16 and up, at Bibliothèque Saint-Luc on Thursday, December 10, 2026, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free for Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu library members ($10 for non members); registration required with the city library.

Important: free for Trois-Rivières residents and library members only, and you need to register first. Librarian Yves Tanguay gives a historical talk on how Quebec public libraries went from an elitist institution to a public service and a lively, inclusive third place. For adults, Thursday, November 19, 2026, 7 pm to 8:30 pm. Register through the Trois-Rivières library catalogue; library membership is free for residents.

Important: free, but you need to register for free first. On November 25 or December 10, 2026, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., at the Robert-Lussier Library in Repentigny. The same talk is given twice by librarian Annie Bonin. Free.

Important: free, but you need to register for free first. On Wednesday, November 25, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM, at the Lachenaie Library in Terrebonne. A talk by Béatrice Bernard-Poulin. For adults. Free.