About us
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Centre for Inquiry Canada - Eastern Canada's meetup provides information about our in-person events for humanists, secularists, rationalists, and skeptics, from Ontario east to Newfoundland. If you are looking for events in western regions, please visit CFIC-West
For online meetings and webinars, please visit our Virtual Branch
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Are There Limits To Free Inquiry? Where Do Values And Ethics Come From? Does Science Have All The Answers? Should Multicultural Rights Trump Universal Human Rights?
You’ve Got Answers? We’ve Got Questions.
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NOTICE: CFIC DOES NOT POST ANY OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT ON THIS MEETUP. PLEASE IGNORE ALL SUCH OFFERS, AS THEY ARE ILLEGAL SCAMS
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Centre for Inquiry Canada runs open and friendly events and discussions. Please help us to keep it that way!
CFIC wants to ensure that anyone attending our events and/or discussions is able to participate in them fully, and we are committed to providing a safe and hospitable environment for everyone, regardless of sex/gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion.
We do not tolerate harassment of participants in any form.If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please notify an organizer or member of the leadership team and we will work to resolve the issue. (You can also reach us by email at cficanada@centreforinquiry.ca.)
The CFIC event organizers and leadership team reserve the right to remove anyone from an event if we deem their actions to be disruptive to the event and/or its participants.
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Centre for Inquiry Canada is the largest Freethought, Skeptic and Scientific Advocacy group in Canada. We operate through 10 branches across the Country and incorporate the tireless efforts of hundreds of volunteers in our daily mission to advance knowledge and education in all areas of human endeavor. - See more at: http://centreforinquiry.ca/about-us/
We have a variety of meetings and events - lectures, discussion groups, as well as social activities.
Please feel free to go ahead and suggest lectures, social activities and discussions if you think it would interest other members of this meetup. You do not need to be an organizer to do so.
We are a branch of CFI Canada
Did you know that CFIC relies on memberships and donations?
We are glad you are here! Obviously, you have committed to critical thinking and applying critical thinking to make the world a better place. We need more people like you to promote critical thinking, science and secularism. But we need more than that. To run an organization like CFIC requires funds.
If you can afford to help us financially, we would really appreciate it. Please visit our website to see all of our amazing content and then, why not join CFIC?
CFIC is a registered charity in Canada. Your membership fee and all donations are eligible for a charitable tax receipt.
Upcoming events
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CFIC Volunteer Academy
·OnlineOnlinePlease note: Online registration is necessary.
To participate, please register here:
https://centreforinquiry.ca/cfic-volunteer-academy-zoom-registration/Dear CFIC Volunteers,
I am very pleased to announce the launch of the CFIC Volunteer Academy—a new weekly Zoom gathering open to all CFIC volunteers across Canada.
Participation is entirely optional. You are welcome to attend regularly or simply join whenever the topic interests you and your schedule permits. I believe these sessions will provide real value to our volunteers while giving you a greater voice in CFIC and more opportunities to participate in our work.
If you would like to attend but the scheduled time does not work for you, the sessions will be recorded and made available afterward. You can register even if you cannot attend live, and we will send you a link to the recording.
My name is John Lombard, and I am the new Executive Director of CFIC. I have more than two decades of experience as a trainer and coach, with a particular focus on developing leadership and organizational skills.
My goal is to make the Volunteer Academy much more than another weekly meeting. It will be a practical forum where volunteers can develop useful skills, learn about CFIC’s activities, exchange ideas, support one another, and contribute directly to the growth and direction of our organization.
Each session will include some combination of the following:
Training
We will provide practical training on topics such as organizing successful events, promoting and advertising events, recruiting participants, developing local volunteer teams, and choosing activities that appeal to different audiences.
Upcoming Events
We will introduce and discuss upcoming CFIC events across Canada. This is one of the most exciting aspects of the Volunteer Academy: even when an event is taking place on the other side of the country, you can still contribute ideas about how it should be organized, what activities it might include, and how it can be promoted.
If you are organizing or hosting an event, you will also be able to draw upon the ideas, experience, and support of volunteers from across Canada.
New Volunteer-Led Events
If you have an idea for an event that you would like to organize, we want to help you make it happen. You can present your idea, receive suggestions from other volunteers, learn from people who have organized similar events, and get practical guidance from CFIC.
You do not need to arrive with a fully developed plan. Even a preliminary idea can be brought to the group for discussion.
Volunteer Participation and Collaboration
The Academy will also give volunteers an opportunity to:
- Meet and learn from volunteers in other parts of Canada
- Share successful ideas and experiences
- Ask questions and seek advice
- Suggest training topics and new initiatives
- Learn more about CFIC’s national activities and priorities
- Become more directly involved in CFIC’s work
Our volunteers are essential to CFIC’s success. If we are going to expand our reach and impact across Canada, we need volunteers to be an integral part of planning, organizing, and carrying out that work. The Volunteer Academy is intended to help make that possible.
Our first session will be an introductory session, and will take place:
Date: Friday, Sept. 18, 2026
Time: 4 pm PST; 7 pm EST
Duration: 1 hourTo participate, please register here:
https://centreforinquiry.ca/cfic-volunteer-academy-zoom-registration/You may register even if you cannot attend the live session. Everyone who registers will receive a link to the recording afterward.
Thank you for everything you contribute to CFIC. I look forward to meeting you and working with you through the CFIC Volunteer Academy.
Best regards,
John Lombard
Executive Director
Centre for Inquiry Canada2 attendees
Secular Brunch - Ottawa Centretown
The Lieutenants Pump, 361 Elgin Street, Ottawa, ON, CASecular Brunch - Ottawa Centretown is an in-person and lightly-moderated discussion group for atheists, agnostics, humanists, skeptics, and other free-thinkers in the National Capital Region.
Hosted by Centre for Inquiry Canada (CFIC), this event will be held at the Lieutenant's Pump in the far right corner. You can enjoy their weekend brunch until 1:00 pm, the regular menu after that, or just order water or other beverages. No purchase is necessary!
When: Sunday, September 20 from noon to 2:00 PM
Where: Lieutenant's Pump, 361 Elgin Street, Gallery Room in the right rear corner
What we do: Similar to CFI’s former “Sunday Unsermon” group and our online "Secular Chat", conversations and fun debate topics vary from week to week based on the interests of the participants. Topics might include:
- Current events and progressive politics
- Ethics, philosophy, and history
- Science and skepticism
- Counter-apologetics to religion
- Any other subjects involving critical thinking
There's no set agenda. You can bring a topic to discuss, and we’ll try to fit it in. CFIC volunteers help ensure everyone has a chance to talk.
Prizes: We'll hold a draw, and the winner gets their choice of a new book on secularism from a list of over 20 titles.
How to get there:
- Transit: Take OC Transpo buses 5, 14, or 18 (Elgin/Waverly stop heading north; Elgin/Gladstone heading south).
- Walking: It's a 15-minute walk from the uOttawa O-Train station across the Corktown Footbridge, or a 20-minute walk from Rideau Centre or the Glebe.
- Driving: Street parking is free all weekend.
Alternative Meetings and Support: If you can’t make it to brunch, CFIC offers several other ways to connect:
- Online Secular Chat - Ottawa West is hosted by the CFI Secular Community Network every Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm.
- Skeptics in the Pub is on the first Tuesday of every month at Lieutenant's Pump. It's similar to the event in the park, but due to its size, conversations are usually limited to the people near you.
- Living Without Religion is CFIC's monthly online support group held on the first Sunday of every month .
- Secular groups in Ottawa lists local and like-minded organizations.
- Recovering from Religion (RfR) is setting up an Ottawa branch this fall in cooperation with CFIC. If you're interested in volunteering, go to their website or ask one of the organizers at the event.
Hope to see you this Sunday!
4 attendees
Past events
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