After the tragedy of 9/11, a sign suddenly appeared on a suburban Edmonton lawn that read: “Osama bin Laden lives closer than you think.” The sign pointed to Dany Assaf’s house. Dany was born in Edmonton, where he played hockey and dreamed of the NHL, a life familiar to any Canadian kid. Yet suddenly, despite generations of family history in Alberta, he and his family were branded as Muslim terrorists: the “other” to be feared and shunned. Join Canadian Club Toronto on June 7 as we proudly host Dany Assaf – Past President of Canadian Club Toronto – as he sits down for a fireside chat in conversation with Farah Nasser, to discuss his newly released book, Say Please and Thank You & Stand in Line: One Man’s Story of What Makes Canada Special and How to Keep It That Way. Dany’s memoir offers a blueprint for hope that seeks to reclaim the soul and spirit of what has made Canada unique.
This event is free of charge thanks to our sponsors. You will receive the access link on the morning of the event.
Dany Assaf
Author, Say Please And Thank You & Stand In Line: One Man’s Story Of What Makes Canada Special, And How To Keep it that Way
Dany is the author of a recent book about Canada told through his family’s story including the building of the first mosque in Canada in 1938 called book – Say Please And Thank You & Stand In Line: One Man’s Story Of What Makes Canada Special, And How To Keep it that Way. Dany is also a past President of Canadian Club Toronto and a partner at Torys LLP.
Farah Nasser
Anchor, Global Toronto
One of Toronto’s most recognizable faces in news, Farah Nasser is an award-winning journalist, bringing extensive experience to her role as anchor on Global News at 5:30 & 6.
Nasser’s status as a trusted journalist with a strong political background – having covered elections at every government level – has earned her the opportunity to moderate key political debates, including the main 2018 Ontario provincial election debate, and the only broadcast 2018 Toronto mayoral debate.
Providing viewers across the GTA much needed clarity for nearly two decades, she was on the ground reporting during major events such as the Toronto van attack, the G20 Summit in 2010 and the “Toronto 18” terror trials.
Nasser has been praised for furthering public discourse with her thought-provoking reporting and motivational speaking. She created notable buzz on social media as the force behind #FirstTimeIWasCalled and #LivingInColour, two digital series’ exploring the experiences of marginalized peoples; she similarly received plaudits for her TEDx talk titled “The Power of Intellectual Humility”.
She is also a back-to-back winner of the RTNDA Sam Ross Award for her viral commentaries 93 Killed a Day at the Barrel of a Gun (2018) and What if the fighting in Aleppo was happening in Toronto? (2017); the latter story was viewed 3.5 million times and used as a teaching aid in schools to explain the Syrian conflict.
Nasser began her career with Rogers TV before accepting a position with Newstalk 1010, where she worked her way up to a reporting role. After landing this first major reporting gig, Nasser went on to hold various roles with Toronto 1, A-Channel News, Citytv, and CP24 before joining Global News.
A graduate of Ryerson University’s Radio and Television Arts program, she also attended the University of Westminster in London, England and later interned for CNN in New Delhi, India.
When not reporting on the day’s headlines, Nasser spends her time volunteering in the community. She serves as a mentor for CivicAction, a non-profit that brings together senior and emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds. Nasser regularly speaks at community events and has worked with organizations such as Journalists for Human Rights, the Aga Khan Foundation and the Economic Club of Canada.
Nasser lives in Toronto with her husband and her two young kids. She can often be found looking for hidden gems around the city, having dance parties with her kids, or doing Pilates.
