ENVIRONMENT | Elizabeth May and Gwynne Dyer on Finding Hope: Confronting Climate Wars
With environmentalists the world over marking the 40th anniversary of Earth Day tomorrow, two of the country's leading green thinkers join forces to urge Canadians to take action. Writer Gwynne Dyer who's columns appear in 175 newspapers around the globe, and Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party, are calling attention to the threat posed by climate change. While the Pentagon famously drafted a report on how climate change will eventually lead to war as groups are forced to fight for dwindling resources, Canada's government has stayed mum on this aspect of the global warming crisis which Dyer himself wrote about in his most recent book Climate Wars. Dyer and May will be outlining the threat we're facing, and present possible solutions to avert disaster.
Trinity-St. Paul's United Church, 427 Bloor Street West, $15 (available through May's website, 7:30 pm

BOOKS AND LIT | Words on the Wall: Geoffrey Reaume in Conversation with Ruth Ruth Stackhouse
There are big changes happening on Queen Street West these days. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, an institution that has housed the city's mentally ill for over 140 years, is tearing up its old buildings to create a new nine-block open neighbourhood to help patients integrate into the larger community and cope with their afflictions. But the institution wasn't always so forward thinking. Geoffery Reaume's book Remembrances of Patients Past recalls a darker time before the 1940s, when CAMH was known as the Toronto Hospital for the Insane and patients could expect decades of monotonous living, segregation from the community, and unpaid labour. Tonight Reaume is leading a walking tour of the CAMH grounds before being interviewed by psychiatric survivor, activist, and director of the Friendly Spike Theatre Band Ruth Ruth Stackhouse about the re-release of his important book. A mixed-media art project about the hospital's patients created by Workman Arts will be on display, and there will be a silent auction of bricks painted by local artists.
Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West, $5, Auction and art viewing 4 pm, interview 8 pm
Walking tour begins at 6 pm at main entrance to CAMH, 1001 Queen Street West

FESTIVAL | FAT - Toronto Alternative Arts and Fashion Week
Starting today, Toronto's Alternative Arts and Fashion Week celebrates its fifth year with five days of runway shows, art exhibitions, and musical performances in Liberty Village. Showcasing the work of pioneering designers and artists from around the world, the theme of this year's festival is "Made With Love", and each night of the program explores a different aspect of the heart; Longing, Lust, Rage, and Joy. FAT kicks off tonight with music by DJ Adam Smith, runway shows by designers including Hyun Yeu from the Netherlands, Melissa Bolduc from QuĂŠbec, and the UK's Jasper Garvida, as well as the opening of the festival's photography and video exhibit.
Liberty Village Studio City, 1 Pardee Avenue, $25 Day Pass, $70 Week Pass, 6 pm - 1 am daily

THEATRE | A Fabulous Disaster at the Performance Spring Festival
The ongoing Performance Spring Festival at Factory Theatre changes gears today with its production of innovative performance artist Denise Clarke's A Fabulous Disaster. The concept behind the solo show centres around a woman, recently jilted by her lover and stranded in a burning forest, as she attempts to save woodland creatures, herself and her broken heart. Ummm, pretty standard stuff really. Clarke dons an elaborate costume for the role made out of a hooded paper jumpsuit and big black work boots, covering her head for most of the performance. It sounds utterly bizarre, but the show's so popular Clarke's been able to tour the piece for six years now. Runs til April 25.
Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street, $25 - $35, Wednesday to Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 2 pm

BOOKS AND LIT | eh List: Linden MacIntyre
The host of Canada's preeminent investigative news program the fifth estate, Linden MacIntyre has always had a nose for big stories. Perhaps it was his investigative intuition that led him to pen a novel about priestly abuse a few months before the biggest scandal to hit the Catholic church in decades engulfed the Vatican. MacIntyre's second novel, the Bishop's Man tells the story of a "fixer" priest, who's sole job is to protect the church's reputation by sweeping the crimes of pedophile clergymen under the rug. The novel won last year's Giller Prize and in the wake of recent events seems more topical than ever. MacIntyre comes to the North York Central Library tonight to discuss his book and the stories behind the headlines.
North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Free, 7 pm

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