We are committed not only to raising the critical issues, but to engaging the public in an active dialogue about education and current affairs.
Our core mission is captured in the catchphrase “Engaging the Public in Education” and it’s that passion that drives our public policy initiatives, education advocacy, school and civic reform projects, and periodic forays into community development. Much of our Director’s volunteer time, energy and organizational capabilities has been devoted to a series of ventures advocating for civic engagement, global awareness, and local community development.
Recent Initiatives
Public Events and Forums – Canadian International Council, Halifax Branch, 2024 to Present
The Great Debate and Public Talk on “The Future of the United Nations” with Canada’s UN Ambassador, Bob Rae, and a team of leading student debaters, Monday September 11, 2024, Dalhousie University. The whole event tackled a key question: Does the UN still have relevance in today’s world?
The U.S. Presidential Election – What are the Stakes for Canada? Public Talk by Dr. Christopher Sands, Director, Canada Institute, Wilson Center, Washington, D.C., and Reaction Panel, on Monday October 21, 2024, co-sponsored with the American Chamber of Commerce, RA Park, Halifax.
Halifax Dialogue Salon Series, 2023 – 2024
Our Director initiated an innovative public policy discussion group known as the “Halifax Dialogue Salon,” in September 2024 and hosted nine monthly group discussions with two dozen public-spirited citizens in Halifax, the largest city in Atlantic Canada. Fixing health care, tackling homelessness, urban transportation reform, municipal leadership, and reviving civic engagement topped the list of topics.
The Pandemic, Education and the World’s Children – for CIC Halifax, February 2021
Taking the initiative in the depths of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Paul Bennett initiated and moderated an international webinar on February 9, 2021 in cooperation with Atlantic Council for International Cooperation (ACIC) and featuring leading experts Prachi Srivastava (UNESCO/World Bank), Irvin Studin (Global Brief Magazine) and Fakira Najib (Power 99 Foundation, Pakistan).
Past Initiatives
The State of the School System - Public Talks and Seminars, 2020-2023
Starting in September 2020, our Schoolhouse Director was actively engaged in promoting Canadian education reform on a national speaking tour talking up The State of the System: A Reality Check on Canada’s Schools. He appeared on national and regional television and radio and spoken to a wide variety of audiences, including the Conference Board of Canada (Bright Future Series, Sept 2020), Cardus Education Foundation (Sept 2020), and the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (October 2020).
Revitalizing Board Governance – for the Library Boards Association of Nova Scotia, 2015-16
Our Director served as a governance consultant to LBANS during his time as Chair of the Halifax Regional Library Board. Working with the provincial board, he gave a series of governance workshops and produced a report on revitalizing library board governance, delivered in June 2016 to LBANS and Communities, Culture and Heritage Nova Scotia.
Promoting Community Hub Schools – for Nova Scotia Small Schools Initiative, 2012-2013
As co-founder of the Nova Scotia Small Schools Initiative, Dr. Bennett formed a Public Interest Research Group and lead the team in producing the 2013 book, The Last Stand: Schools, Communities and the Future of Rural Nova Scotia. Throughout 2013-2014, Paul presented public talks on rural schools in over 30 different communities in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
Saving Small Community Schools in Maritime Canada, 2011-2012
The publication of Vanishing Schools, Threatened Communities (2011) made author Paul W. Bennett a speaker much-in-demand to provide advice and counsel to community school groups facing closures across the Maritimes. From March to November 2011, Dr. Bennett gave ten Public Lectures on the history of school closures in Dartmouth, Charlottetown, Fredericton, Lunenburg, Truro, Windsor, Antigonish, Yarmouth, and West Saint John, NB.
Education Reform Leadership and Ventures – Nova Scotia and Ontario, 1993 to 2011
Two of our Director’s many public school reform projects made a mark in two provinces, Nova Scotia and Ontario. He was co-founder of the Ontario Coalition for Education Reform and organized its founding meeting at Toronto’s Metro Hall (January 1993). Under the auspices of the Schoolhouse Institute, Dr. Bennett collaborated with Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) in helping to stage a Public Forum on "Putting Students First" in March 2011 and in producing the Declaration of Principles for Students First Nova Scotia.
