Brief Remarks

This is the first in a three-episode series on cities in Canada. In 1911, 45 percent of people lived in cities in this country. By 2021, that number had risen to 82 percent–and growing.The growth of cities in Canada has been painful. Today, they face significant challenges including housing policy, policing, and public transit. And yet, they get far less attention than other orders of government and exist under the thumb of provinces. To try to understand what this means for residents, we ask: What is the state of cities in Canada?On this episode of Open to Debate, David Moscrop talks with Andrea Reimer, Principal at Tawaw Strategies, adjunct Professor of Practice at the University of British Columbia’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, and former three-term Vancouver city councillor.

Anti-trans hate and violence is on the rise in Canada and the United States. Indeed, 2021 was the most violent year for trans people on record worldwide. Online and offline, trans people face growing threats driven in large part by right wing extremists and their enablers in the media and politics, as well as those who remain silent. Tackling this hate and violence requires a combination of community and government work across borders. Towards that end we ask: How should we fight anti-trans hate? On this episode of Open to Debate, David Moscrop talks with Wynne Nowland, chief executive officer of Bradley & Parker and trans advocate.

In 2021, Frances Haugen leaked tens of thousands of internal documents to the Wall Street Journal and testified before the US Senate on the vital challenge of ensuring that the biggest social media companies don’t put profits before public welfare and safety. Now, she's devoted her life to advocating for a reformed social media ecosystem that protects the wellbeing, trust, and health of its users and all of society. On October 18, 2022, Canada 2020 hosted a conversation with Haugen and Supriya Dwivedi, Director of Policy and Engagement at the Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy, on how we can strengthen the information environment for a healthier democracy, and build social media that brings out the best in humanity. 

The labour movement is having a moment. Both in the United States and in Canada, unions have won breakthroughs at workplaces including Amazon, Starbucks, Medieval Times, and Blizzard alongside union drives at Staples, Indigo, and WestJet. While union rates in both countries are low, particularly in the private sector, recent momentum offers an opportunity for a resurgence. And while management and owners are pushing back against workers, the terrain on which they do battle is changing. And so on this episode we ask: What is the future of the labour movement?On this episode of Open to Debate, David Moscrop talks with Jon Melrod, activist, human rights lawyer, and author of Fighting Times: Organizing on the Front Lines of the Class War.

In a pluralist society, individuals and groups each have their own preferences, interests, and goals. Together they compete, cooperate, intersect, and diverge in public and private spaces, shaping the world and how we live together. Like it or not, industry plays a central role in that process – and can’t help but be drawn into the politics of the day in public and not-so-public ways.Beyond advocating for the interests of industry in public policy, businesses may also engage in political activity in public, shaping perceptions, setting the agenda, and taking sides in controversies in good faith and in bad. A new book looks to make sense of how businesses engage in political spaces, when and how they should, and when they shouldn’t – and with it we ask: What is the new political capitalism?On this episode of Open to Debate, David Moscrop talks with Joe Zammit-Lucia, founder of Radix, a public policy think tank, and author of The New Political Capitalism: How Businesses and Societies Can Thrive in a Deeply Poli

In May of 2022, Indigenous leaders from across sectors came together with Canada 2020 to reflect on the importance of economic reconciliation to their communities, and to demonstrate the unquestionable value of Indigenous economic leadership, stewardship, and innovation. This special edition podcast is a featured conversation from that summit, with insights from Mark Podlasly, Director of Economic Policy at the First Nations Major Projects Coalition; Cherie Brant, Partner and National Leader, Indigenous Law at BLG; and the Hon. Marc Miller, Minister of Crown Indigenous Relations.

Threats and harassment directed at journalists in Canada are on the rise. A vicious coordinated campaign of hate targeted at a handful of women, especially racialized women, in recent weeks stands out as particularly troubling. As the far-right continues to organize and grow in the country, and as cynical politicians and media elites fan the flames, the implications of these campaigns press beyond the borders of news media and into the territory of our democracy. Protecting journalists and uprooting hate requires an immediate, coordinated, and sustained counter-movement. The effort must also be adequate to the task. Those who choose violence cannot be met with tolerance, since infinite tolerance undermines the foundations of inclusion. But to understand what is to be done, we must start by understanding the nature and extent of the problem. So, we ask: What does the targeted harassment of journalists mean for journalism and democracy?On this episode of Open to Debate, David Moscrop talks with Erica Ifill, rac

The crisis in healthcare across the country has opened the door for "reform." In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford is pushing "innovation." In recent days, he’s taken that message to Atlantic Canada, too. But what does "innovation" mean? It could mean further starving the public system of the resources it needs. It could mean privatisation. It could mean introducing a two-track system. Supporters of a strong public system aren’t inclined to give conservative reformers the benefit of the doubt, nor should they be.Understanding the future of healthcare in Canada requires us to understand the challenges the system faces and the battle between those who wish to renew the public system and those who wish to undo it. Those are the questions we’ll dig into as we ask: What is the future of public healthcare in Canada?On this episode of Open to Debate, David Moscrop talks with Vivian Stamatopoulos, associate teaching professor at Ontario Tech University and LTC advocate.

Artificial intelligence is embedded in our daily lives whether we notice it or not. It shapes how we live, work, and play. Shopping, gaming, healthcare, cybersecurity, travelling, social media, policing, war and plenty of other facets of contemporary life feature AI technology – and there’s more on the way. And while discussions of AI tend towards questions about sentience – and robot overlords throwing off the yoke of human rule and taking over – the more immediate and pressing concerns of use, abuse, equity, and privacy still need to be answered.Shaping AI to serve human needs and the public good requires that the community take part in determining the boundaries and ethics of the technology. Determining those uses and limits starts with understanding its applications. So, in this episode we ask: What can artificial intelligence do?My guest on this episode of Open to Debate, is Yves Jacquier, Executive Director of Ubisoft La Forge.

The agriculture sector is a significant global source of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2019, the United Nations suggested eating less meat was a key step in lowering such emissions – especially beef. But while the sector contributes to climate change, it is also an essential component of our food security, biodiversity, and meeting daily nutritional needs. Understanding how beef consumption fits into our fight against climate change requires us to dig into Canada’s cattle industry, how it operates, and how it fits into domestic and global food and ecological systems.While it’s easy to say “Eat less beef,” there’s more to it than that. To sort out just what that entails, we ask “What do cattle have to do with climate change?”On this episode of Open to Debate, David Moscrop talks with Dr. Tim McAllister, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and host of the podcast Cows on the Planet.

In February, 2021, we took a deep breath and mixed things up by checking in with one of our favourite comedians as we celebrated our 40th episode. At the time, we’d been in the pandemic for a year. Now, we’ve been at it for over two years and we’re approaching 70 episodes. So, what better time to check back in with one of our best-loved guests.Last time, we asked “How are you doing?” It would be lazy to ask the same question, so this time we ask: How are you doing-er? On this episode of Open to Debate, David Moscrop talks with Brittlestar— Stewart Reynolds—comedian, video-maker extraordinaire, and, according to his website, The Internet’s Favourite Dad* (*still unproven).

After two seasons of conversations about our increasingly risky world, @Risk is taking a break. For our final episode of @Risk, we’re looking back on conversations with risk experts on the role risk plays in our bigger picture. Join Jodi for our final look back on the series with evolutionary biologist and professor Carl Bergstrom; journalist and advocate Nana aba Duncan; author and expert on psychology and decision making Dan Gardener; journalist Jeff Jarvis; retired four-star US army general Stanley McChrystal; best-selling author, journalist, and educator Andrew Potter; and writer, legal scholar, and member of the second Obama administration Cass Sunstein.

After two seasons of conversations about our increasingly risky world, @Risk is taking a break. But before that, we want to look back on some of our favourite conversations through this series. In this episode of @Risk, we’re looking at risk in the world of art. Join Jodi for a look back at conversations with the brains behind all sorts of creative work: journalist and fashion entrepreneur Jeanne Beker; painter, sculptor, and educator, Eric Fischl; poet and author (and lawyer!) Michelle Good; self-styled “dirty nature writer” David Huebert; novelist Emily St. John Mandel; and one of Canada’s favourite comedians, Mark Critch.

The pandemic isn’t over. Someday, it will be. But we aren’t there yet. We are, however, at a critical juncture – a fork in the road at which we can choose another path forward. Today, we ought to be devoting much of our attention to an analysis of how we can rebuild or remake our social, political, and economic institutions in ways that serve us more effectively, sustainably, and equitably. Rebuilding or remaking our institutions requires us to think critically about what has worked in the past, for whom, and what might work better in the future. It requires us to ask a basic question and to be willing to follow where it leads us. It requires us to imagine something different. So, we ask: How should we put ourselves back together post-pandemic?On this episode of Open to Debate, David Moscrop talks once more–for a record-setting fourth time–with Amanda Watson, feminist theorist, lecturer at Simon Fraser University and author of The Juggling Mother: Coming Undone in the Age of Anxiety.

After two seasons of conversations about our increasingly risky world, @Risk is taking a break. But before that, we want to look back on some of our favourite conversations through this series. In this episode of @Risk, we reflect on something we’re all extremely familiar with: our health at risk. Jodi looks back on conversations with health reporter and columnist for the Globe and Mail, André Picard; CEO of SE Health, Shirlee Sharkey; founder and CEO of Children First Canada, Sara Austin; Science magazine correspondent, Kai Kupferschmidt; and global health reporter, Helen Branswell.

In the first year of the pandemic, police-reported hate crimes rose by 37 percent. That’s from a recent Statistics Canada report that recorded 2,669 incidents in 2020 – the highest number since such data became available in 2009. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. No one who has been paying attention to the rise in hateful rhetoric, threats, and the growing mobilization of white supremacists in Canada will be surprised by this data. But it’s shocking and troubling nonetheless. Rooting out hate in Canada requires that we face it head on: going to its source and dealing with both the individuals and the structures that produce violence. So, on this episode we ask: Where do hate crimes come from and what is to be done?  On this episode of Open to Debate, David Moscrop talks with Mohammed Hashim, executive director of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.

After two seasons of conversations about our increasingly risky world, @Risk is taking a break. But before that, we want to look back on some of our favourite conversations through this series. In this episode of @Risk, we revisit conversations with cybersecurity expert Shuman Ghosemajumder, Olympic athlete and doctor Hayley Wickenheiser, our 18th prime minister, the Right Honorable Brian Mulroney, NASA systems engineer Dr. Farah Alibay, and the First Canadian Commander of the International Space Station Colonel Chris Hadfield to reflect on what it means when you’re in the business of risk.

In the United States, a leaked draft opinion on the constitutional right to abortion has put those who support choice on high-alert. The constitutional protection of that right is at risk, putting the well-being and lives of millions in the path of peril as the country tilts ever further towards Christian theocracy. As news of the U.S. leak circulated, many in Canada took notice and raised questions about the right to choose in this country, wondering whether it was secure and for how long. As is often the case, a chorus of “It can’t happen here,” emerged. But this country has its own issues when it comes to abortion rights and access. To find out what those are, we ask: What is the state of abortion rights and access in Canada?On this episode of Open to Debate, David Moscrop talks with Frédérique Chabot, director of health promotion with Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights.

On this episode of @ Risk, Jodi Butts is joined by Mark Podlasy (Nlaka’pamux Nation), the Director of Economic Policy and Initiatives at the First Nations Major Projects Coalition, to discuss how the righting of our nation’s greatest shame can help address one of the world’s top catastrophic risks.

There’s nothing like coming home after a long trip. It makes us appreciate wherever home is, but also opens up our eyes to some of the ways it could be, well, better. This week on No Second Chances, host Kate Graham lands back in Canada for the last episode of the season. She talks with Dr. Susan Franceschet, a professor of political science at the University of Calgary, and the incredible Marci Ien, Canada’s Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, to take an honest look at what it’s going to take for us to build a fairer, and more equitable Canada. Here’s a hint: each of us has more power than we think we do.