Canadian Political Columnist John Ibbitson to Speak August 29

The UPEI Distinguished Visitor Speaker Series continues Tuesday, August 29 at 10:00 a.m. with John Ibbitson, a political columnist who writes primarily on Canadian federal politics for The Globe and Mail. His presentation "The Burden of Identity" will focus on his thoughts about the emerging conflict between identity and progress within and outside the Canadian experience.

Ibbitson has written three books on politics: Promised Land: Inside the Mike Harris Revolution, Loyal No More: Ontario's Struggle for a Separate Destiny, and The Polite Revolution: Perfecting the Canadian Dream. He has also written two full-length novels, 1812: Jeremy and the General, and The Night Hazel Came to Town. He has been nominated for several awards, including a Governor General's Award nomination for 1812. Hazel received a nomination for the Trillium Book Award and the City of Toronto Book Award. Most recently, he was nominated for a National Newspaper Award for his coverage of the inner workings of Paul Martin's government.

Covering Ontario politics from 1995 to 2001, Ibbitson worked for The Ottawa Citizen, Southam News, The National Post and The Globe and Mail. In August 2001 he was appointed Washington Bureau Chief of The Globe and Mail, covering congress and the presidency as a reporter and columnist. He returned to Canada a year later to take up the post of political affairs columnist.

Ibbitson's presentation will take place in the K.C. Irving Chemistry Centre Lecture Theatre, UPEI, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Admission is free. Tours of the historic UPEI campus are available after the lecture. Everyone is welcome. For more information contact Julie Mutch at (902)894-2834 or visit www.upei.ca/summer.