Ezra on the Seminar

Ezra Levant's most recent Publisher's Note entitled "A retreat to advance liberty" is all about the Liberty Summer Seminar: "Looking for real liberals?," asks Ezra, "You'll find them every year, standing up for liberty, at Ontario's Liberty Summer Seminar."

Writes Ezra:

The word "liberal" used to be an adjective rooted in the Latin word for freedom, as in Alberta's provincial motto, "Fortis et Liber" (strong and free). Today the word liberal has been corrupted, and is used as a noun to describe people who believe that government should constrain personal freedom. Some true believers in liberty try to reclaim that word, describing themselves as "classical liberals," but that assumes a knowledge of the classic works of liberty that isincreasingly rare amongst graduates of our state-run schools.

That's exactly right!

He continues:

Peter's Liberty Summer Seminar is a weekend summer camp-style conference, and most guests bring tents and pitch them near the large, gorgeous swimming pond on the Jaworski family's bucolic property (I admit I retreated to a hotel in Toronto at night).

Well, eventually we'll have to figure out some way of keeping you on the property.

Ezra goes on to say:

I was delighted to be invited for my second year running, to give an update on our magazine's progress and to chair a media panel featuring the National Post's Marni Soupcoff, the Toronto Sun's Michael Taube and our own Karen Selick. Just as exciting was the presence of liberty-oriented bloggers, including Stephen Taylor, who posts frequently to our own website's blog, The Shotgun.

You can listen to Ezra's talk about the magazine by looking on the right-hand side of this blog, and clicking on Ezra in the "Podcast" section. (Stephen Taylor rocks, by the way. Not only did he come to the Seminar, he also posted an ad for it on the Blogging Tories website, and urged others to come as well. Perhaps next year we'll ask him to be a speaker, hm?)

Ezra has more to say:

It was a serious refresher on the basic principles of liberty for me, and a great chance to reconnect with other journalists and activists from across the country (including loyal readers of the magazine). But what I liked best about it was the fact that Peter is building an institution that is helping to promote the ideas of liberty through a fun annual event--really, a two-day picnic (the food was delicious, by the way). I'd encourage anyone to attend next year. Here are some photos to show you what I mean.

Yup, my mother's and father's cooking is hard to compete with, and the most exciting feedback we've received typically has something to do with the food. De gustibus non est disputandum, I guess.

I'll post an image or PDF file of Ezra's article shortly.