Upcoming courses and events

August 10, 2026

Toronto, ON + Online

What is going on in El Salvador and how does this matter to Canada? 

In March 2022 the Nayib Bukele administration in El Salvador invoked an emergency measure called a “state of exception” in reaction to a spike in gang violence.

Under the pretext of protecting public order, this measure suspends freedoms of assembly, association, and expression, as well as fundamental rights surrounding arrest and detention. These include the right of habeas corpus, the right to be informed of the reasons for detention, access to legal assistance, and numerous guarantees of due process.

Though the Constitution allows for such exceptional measures on a temporary basis, the state of exception has been renewed continuously on a monthly basis, making it a permanent security policy. It is also wielded as a tool of repression against environmental defenders, human rights workers, lawyers, journalists, political opposition members, and others.

Over 91,000 people have been imprisoned under the emergency regime, making El Salvador’s incarceration rate the highest in the world at 2% of the population.

There has been a dramatic drop in gang-perpetrated murders, but at the cost of a human rights catastrophe. National and international organizations have documented dismaying patterns such as arrests for alleged gang membership with no evidence, often in poor communities, persecution and arrest of courageous defenders of human rights, environment, and democracy, severe mistreatment in detention amounting to torture, and preposterous and cruel collective trials of hundreds at a time on gang-related charges. According to the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) there have been 483 deaths in custody. 

Join us on August 10, Prisoners’ Justice Day, for a panel discussion and educational Q&A session on who is being affected by unjust imprisonment in El Salvador, and Canada’s stake in the erosion of democracy and human rights in El Salvador.

When – August 10 – doors open: 6:30pm, event starts 7pm
Where – College Street United Church – 502 Bathurst Street, Toronto ON | + Online
How – Advance registration required – Free

This event will be taking place in person in Toronto and online. Please register for further details and online meeting link.  

This informational event is being co-organized by the Leo Panitch School and the Committee in Solidarity with the Victims of the State of Exception in El Salvador. 

Event endorsements:
Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLAC) at York University. 
Comité pour les droits humains en Amérique latine (CDHAL)

Our featured speakers

 Samuel Ramirez, activist with the The Movement of Victims of the Regime (MOVIR)

Ingrid Escobar, human rights defender, and Director of Socorro Juridico Humanitario (Humanitarian Legal Aid)

Those in attendance are warmly invited to gather afterwards to continue this important conversation. Complimentary refreshments will be on offer. 

Accessibility
College Street United Church is located at College and Bathurst in Toronto. The building is wheelchair accessible and features multiple accessible, gender neutral washrooms. We kindly ask all attendees to refrain from wearing scented products at Leo Panitch School events. 
Any questions or requests regarding accessibility, participation, or programming can be directed to  info@leopanitchschool.ca.

August 15, 2026

Toronto

Having problems at work and are not sure what to do? Have you heard about unions and want to know how to get started? Do you lack the confidence to talk to your coworkers about forming a union? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the How to Organize Your Workplace course is for you!

Over two days participants will learn what it takes to go from zero organization at work to a functioning committee of coworkers that can take on the boss and win! Together we will learn and practice the ideas, methods, and skills necessary to build power at work. The course will also feature a general discussion of unions: strengths and weaknesses, potentials and limits, and why organizing at work should be a top priority for those who want a better world.

When: August 15-16 (morning until late afternoon)
Breakfast and lunch to be provided.
Where: Toronto, ON (Downtown – venue TBA)
How much: Free/by donation 
Who: Anyone curious about how to organize at work!

Registration deadline: August 8. We kindly ask that all participants register individually for this training. Coworkers and friends are welcome, please just let us know! 

Please note that we are currently asking potential participants to register their interest. Space for this pilot version of the course will be limited and selections may be made to ensure a diversity of backgrounds and experience.

If you have questions or you’re unsure if this course is right for you, we’d be happy to answer any questions via info@leopanitchschool.ca
Do you work at a College or University? We’d invite you to sign up for a special higher education edition of the course taking place August 22-23! 

August 22, 2026

Toronto

Having problems at work and are not sure what to do? Do you work at a College Or University and want to get connected to union struggles? Do you want to build worker power both in union and non-union parts of the higher education sector? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the How to Organize Your Workplace course is for you!

This edition of the workshop catered especially for people working at colleges and universities. All workers in the higher education sector are welcome, including academic, non-academic, admin,  custodial, maintenance, campus housing, and student workers! Those who have worked in higher education in the past or are likely to again in the near future, including students, are also welcome!

Over two days participants will learn what it takes to go from zero organization at work to a functioning committee of coworkers that can take on the boss and win! Together we will learn and practice the ideas, methods, and skills necessary to build power at work. The course will also feature a general discussion of unions: strengths and weaknesses, potentials and limits, and why organizing at work should be a top priority for those who want a better world.

When: August 22-23 (morning until late afternoon)
Breakfast and lunch to be provided.
Where: Toronto, ON (Downtown – venue TBA)
How much: Free/by donation
Who: Anyone who works in higher education and wants to organize at work!

Registration deadline: August 8. We kindly ask that all participants register individually for this training. Coworkers and friends are welcome, please just let us know!

Please note that we are currently asking potential participants to register their interest. Space for this pilot version of the course will be limited and selections may be made to ensure a diversity of backgrounds and experience.

If you have questions or you’re unsure if this course is right for you, we’d be happy to answer any questions via info@leopanitchschool.ca
Not a higher education worker? We’d invite you to sign up for the general version of the course taking place August 15-16!

September 20, 2026

Toronto, ON + Online

An important note from the organizers: As this is a pilot version of the course, online participation may be limited in order to ensure a manageable class size for our instructors. In person participation is highly recommended for those in the Greater Toronto Area. 

Frustrated with capitalism and its impacts on human beings and the planet? Do you believe that a more equitable, democratic, and liberatory society is possible?

Waking up from the capitalist nightmare requires a clear understanding of what we are up against: how we understand capitalism, how it works, and how it compels us to act in certain ways – these all shape what kinds of strategies will be needed to move beyond it.

This course will approach these questions and others through An Introduction to the Three Volumes of Karl Marx’s Capital by Michael Heinrich, one of most approachable and understandable guides through Marx’s masterwork. Capital remains the most important work of critical analysis of capitalism in history, through its exploration of the economic principles that govern capitalism, and the problems faced by workers and society.

Why not just read Capital directly? Capital is infamously long and difficult! Many aspiring socialist activists over the years have plunged in head first, only to find the language daunting and the ideas hard to grasp. Heinrich’s book gives a compact, concise, and clear presentation of the main points, providing a solid understanding of how capitalism functions.

We will discuss the most common questions raised by Heinrich’s book (and Marx’s three volumes of Capital), as well the political and practical relevance of the material today. Understanding capitalism isn’t just an intellectual exercise, it’s a key part of how we begin to build a better world!

When – Sunday September 20, weekly until November 8. All classes 2-5pm
Where – Toronto ON + Online
How – Advance registration required
Cost – Free/recommended donation: $40

All are welcome to this introductory 7-week course. Whether you’re just dipping your toes into socialist politics and full of questions, or an experienced activist wanting to revisit your understanding of capitalism, we’d love for you to join us!
Participants will be asked to read along as we work our way through a 220 page book over seven weeks. A free PDF or at-cost physical copy of the book will be made available. 

The course will be taking place both in-person in Toronto, and online via Zoom, upon request. Please note that space for this course is limited and selections may be made to ensure a participant group with a variety of experiences.

Accessibility
The venue for this event is wheelchair accessible and features multiple gender neutral washrooms. We ask that participants refrain from wearing perfume or other scented products. Please contact us with any accessibility concerns.

August 28, 2026

Toronto, ON

The Leo Panitch School is proud to present Memories of Underdevelopment as the next entry in the special FilmSocial series showcasing films on Cuba. 

Film description and more details to come. For now, make sure to save your spot and stay tuned! 


Accessibility

College Street United Church is located at College and Bathurst in Toronto. The building is wheelchair accessible and features multiple accessible, gender neutral washrooms. We kindly ask all attendees to refrain from wearing scented products at Leo Panitch School events. 
Any questions or requests regarding accessibility, participation, or programming can be directed to  info@leopanitchschool.ca. 

Poster design: Ben Davis

September 25, 2026

Toronto, ON

The Leo Panitch School is proud to present Che: Part One as the next entry in the special FilmSocial series showcasing films on Cuba. 

Film description and more details to come. For now, make sure to save your spot and stay tuned! 


Accessibility

College Street United Church is located at College and Bathurst in Toronto. The building is wheelchair accessible and features multiple accessible, gender neutral washrooms. We kindly ask all attendees to refrain from wearing scented products at Leo Panitch School events. 
Any questions or requests regarding accessibility, participation, or programming can be directed to  info@leopanitchschool.ca. 

Poster design: Ben Davis

November 12, 2026

Toronto, ON

Unions and social movements today are operating under incredibly dire circumstances. There is great economic uncertainty and we confront the worsening impact of climate change as well as a global situation marked by the growing threat of conflict and war. When workers strike or communities under attack take to the streets, it seems that victories are much harder to win and past gains more difficult to defend.

This course will grapple with these questions by looking at the forms of exploitation and oppression that exist in society and the means by which the power structure acts to limit and contain our struggles. The course will move towards a discussion of how our movements can overcome the factors that hold them back and to fight to win!

This is not a ‘how to organize’ course, as important as these are. It is intended for activists who realize that the methods of struggle that were developed at an earlier time need to give way to more powerful and effective forms of social resistance.

Instead of lengthy lectures, each session will involve in-depth and participatory group discussions of the issues under consideration. The knowledge and lived experiences of those participating will be a vital part of the course. This will be true both for longtime organizers and for those just now dipping their toes in the world of activism.

When – Thursday November 12, weekly until December. All classes 6-8pm
Where -Downtown Toronto – Venue shared with registrants
How – Advance registration required
Cost – Free/recommended donation $20

This edition of the course has been condensed from its original 12 session form, into a new 4-week condensed course. Previous Fighting to Win students are welcome to take part, though space is limited and selections may be made to ensure a group with a variety of experiences is present.

Accessibility 
The venue for this event is wheelchair accessible via an elevator that is available upon request. It features multiple gender neutral washrooms. We ask that participants refrain from wearing perfume or other scented products. Please contact us with any accessibility concerns.