Developing Minds 2026

Brad Epperly

University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Global Studies, Political Science

Brad Epperly is an associate professor at the University of British Columbia - Okanagan. His existing research examines various facets of the rule of law, including judicial independence, corruption, and equality before the law, generally in the context of Eastern European/post-communist politics. While still interested in these matters, his current major research project focuses on the uses of law and violence to suppress Black political participation in the post-Reconstruction American South.

Dangerous Ideas

Mark Leier

Simon Fraser University, Department of History

Mark Leier is an award-winning historian at Simon Fraser University who has taught the survey course in Canadian history to hundreds of BC teachers. He is the author of Bakunin: A Creative Passion, a biography of the 19th century anarchist, and four books on labour history. He is, with John-Henry Harter, the co-author and co-editor of Roles of Resistance, a collection of roleplays to teach economics, history, and organizing for social change that won the United Association for Labor Education 2025 award for creative expression.

The Luddites Had a Point: AI in the Historical Context of Work and Resistance
AI may be the most intrusive and overwhelming development of technology but it is hardly the first. This session will workshop a roleplaying game that can be used in high school classrooms to examine why constant technological innovation is a feature of capitalism and to evaluate it critically. Thinking about this “logic” of capitalism will help us think about, teach, and respond to AI in our workplaces.

Sam Black

Simon Fraser University, Department of Philosophy

Sir, I Find Your Class Offensive": The Value of Offensive Speech in Education and Society
Among incoming students (and among university faculty) there is increased polarization over public values (e.g., DEI policies). But on one issue both sides frequently agree: in an ideal world their intellectual opponents would be cleansed from campus life. I treat my large introductory course in ethics as an opportunity for a lesson in civics. The lesson is that students owe a debt of gratitude to people who offend them: especially, those people who work hard at offending them. After reviewing some of the empirical evidence for growing ideological intolerance on North American campuses, I explain why we teachers should convey the message that offensive people are a public good.

Sam Sullivan

Global Civic Policy Society, Founder

Public Salon - Curated by the Global Civic Policy Society

This session offers brief introductions and insights into a variety of resources and ideas that could be of interest to teachers. Each presenter has 7 minutes to educate, inform, entertain or provoke. This is the Public Salon model developed by Sam Sullivan who will curate the session. 

The session includes presentations by the following speakers:

• Wendi Campbell. Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship in the Schools.
  
• Al Etmanski. The Courage to Care.
• Margareta Dovgal. Immigration and the Positive Story of British Columbia.
• Jens von Bergmann. Mapping and Visualizing Canadian Data in the Classroom.
• Chad Huntington. Municipal Mapping of Vancouver and Burnaby.
• Kelley Charlebois. Fiscal and Economic Literacy.

Zara Anwarzai

Simon Fraser University, Department of Philosophy

Using Political Organizing Tools to Promote Student Agency and Learning
Students today are learning in a world with fewer economic certainties and greater existential challenges (from climate disaster to war) than ever before. This instability can cause students to lack a sense of social and political agency, which then negatively impacts their learning. In this session, we’ll talk about the relationship between students’ sense of agency and their willingness and ability to learn. We’ll discuss strategies for bringing basic political organizing skills into the classroom as a means to promoting learning and empowerment in and out of the classroom.

Nicolas Fillion 

Simon Fraser University, Department of Philosophy

Dr. Fillion has been at SFU since 2013, shortly after completing his PhD in philosophy at Western University. His main research contributions are in the philosophy of science and applied mathematics. In addition to his teaching and research activities, Nic has also been involved with various outreach, regulation, and curricular initiatives to promote the teaching of philosophy and critical thinking in BC high schools.

Sizing Your Tin Foil Hat: Clear Thinking about Conspiracies
Is the world controlled by the Illuminati? Was 9/11 an inside job? Is Justin Trudeau the son of Fidel Castro? In this session we will look at examples of true conspiracy theories, some false ones, and we will talk about how to use critical thinking to adjust our beliefs in conspiracy theories in a rational way. We will further discuss what attitude members of healthy democratic societies should have with respect to conspiracy theories.

Kevin O'Neill

Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Education

Plenary Debate: AI in Education
In this debate, panelists from different perspectives will talk about the role of AI in education. Moderated by Dr. O'Neill, the session will feature the following panelists: 

• Mr. Mark Pearmain (Superintendent, Surrey School District)
• Dr. Olivia New (STEAM Researcher), 
• Mr. Derek Smith (Secondary Social Studies Teacher, Central Okanagan Teachers' Association), 
• Dr. Nic Fillion (Philosophy Professor, SFU), 
• Ms. Cari Wilson (District VP Innovation and Technology, West Vancouver School District), 
• Mr. Obie C./Ms. Quynh D. (Students, Vancouver Technical Secondary)