Astronaut Dave Williams And Science Centre Andrew Bedeau

On Stage and Out in Space – Getting Our Kids To Think Big

By Stephen Weir for Caribbean Camera

Thursday evening was a special evening for Toronto science geeks … of any age. Over 200 people, many of the children, came out to the Ontario Science Centre to listen to a real Canadian science hero, Dr. Dave Williams.

The 66-year old retired astronaut was on stage with Andrew Bedeau and the Weather Network's Chris Mei to talk about his experiences in space as part of the Science Centre’s Great Conversations speaker series.  The evening attracted many children who came out with their parents to listen to the astronaut and get a selfie when his hour long talk was over.

“ I think that it is a good thing to expose children to science and space travel is something that gets people really excited,” Dave Williams told the Caribbean Camera at the Thursday event.  “Understanding and teaching about the challenges of space inspire (young people) to have BIG dreams.’

Andre Bedeau

Williams told his audience that he always dreamed about leaving the planet. Eleven days before his seventh birthday, a curious kid from Saskatchewan committed to a long-term goal: space travel. Despite setbacks like a cancer diagnosis, his curiosity and passion allowed him to reach his goal.

Thirty-seven years later, the Canadian ER (emergency room) medical doctor, diver and pilot, completed his first space flight. With two space shuttle missions, seventeen hours of spacewalks, five honorary degrees and the Orders of Ontario and Canada under his belt, has just published a book – Defying Limits: Lessons From The Edge Of The Universe –and it should come as no surprise that it is all about life on and off planet Earth.

Dr. Williams talk was multi faceted; slides, space videos and funny personal stories. He then had an on-stage talk with TV announcer Chris Mei and ended it all by taking questions from the children in the nearly full theatre.

Keeping the astronaut on topic and on time fell to Andre Bedeau, a member of the Science Centre’s board of directors.  The Caribbean Canadian had the tough task of being both the ringmaster and the master of ceremonies.

Bedeau, who by day works at the TD Bank and at night sits on the board of  the Ontario Science Centre.  He has been with the Science Centre for almost two years.  And while he is on the Board’s Finance and Audit Committee, it is because he is a parent that he was helping out with Dr. Williams lecture.

Dr Williams talks to fans - photo by Stephen Weir

“ One important reason why I joined the Board of the Science Centre was to find ways to see more young black people take an interest in science. With cuts to budgets, schools are no longer are given the same opportunities as I did growing up in Malvern. So as the Ontario Science Centre develops its plans for the next 25 years, I want to ensure students from low programmed schools are a part of it.”

 “ My father is from Trinidad (Couva) and my mother is from Grenada (Carriacou).” Bedeau told the Caribbean Camera.  “Growing up I was a part of the youth wing of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Ontario and the National Council of Trinidad and Tobago Associations in Canada and some of my best memories h were hearing the leaders talk about their experiences and challenges with their adopted home.”

“ I tell children to chase their dreams, no matter what,” said Dr. Williams.  “ I was a doctor in ER in Toronto when I saw an ad in the Globe and Mail which asked if you wanted to be an astronaut. Yeah I wanted to be an astronaut.  Mine was one of 5,330 applications that were sent in - but 600 were from kids less than 10 years old.

Dr. Dave Williams has lots of fans that lined up after the talk to buy his book, get his autograph and get him to mug for pictures. Earlier in the week his new book Defying Limits landed on store shelves. It is an autobiography about how his career has unfolded from his early days in Saskatchewan to more recent years as a CEO of the Southlake Regional Hospital in Newmarket.