I had a profound and heart-wrenching conversation with renowned infectious disease specialist Steffanie Strathdee. Steffanie is Canadian-born and named by Time Magazine as one of the 50 most influential people in healthcare. She has written a book titled The Perfect Predator. A Scientists race to save her Husband from a Deadly Superbug. Steffanie's story unfolds like a gripping thriller. On holiday in Egypt, with her husband Tom, a deadly Superbug hijacks his body and it has Superpowers. It stea...
Dec 14, 2023•43 min•Season 4Ep. 155
Join me to hear untold stories of the Canadian Pacific Railway and the birth of Canada. Acclaimed Author Stephen Bown shares excerpts from his new book Dominion, vividly describing the price paid to build the CPR and unite Canada. In this monumental saga, we learn about the ambitions, sacrifices, and the crimes against humanity that came with Canada’s most extraordinary infrastructure project. Stephen paints a vivid picture of an era of greed, corruption, destruction, discriminatory labour pract...
Dec 07, 2023•47 min•Season 4Ep. 154
What does it take to be exceptional? Why haven't we closed the gap if diversity has proven to create a more robust and resilient culture and greater profitability? Does that mean others must stand down if you stand for diversity and inclusion? How can you create or contribute to a culture of excellence if the people you count on work remotely? How can an individual make a difference in a world with many headwinds? What does having privilege mean, and why should it be surrendered for the benefit ...
Nov 30, 2023•58 min•Season 4Ep. 153
"We, as a society, do not talk about childhood abuse, and worse, many children between the ages of 5 to 18 go through some abuse." — Deenah Patel [00:33:41 → 00:33:52] Note: We don't share any details of the abuse; what Deenah shares is her path back. Deenah Patel has twice joined me on Chatter that Matters to offer advice to help small business owners. When the microphone was turned off, Deenah opened up about her story of being sexually abused as a child, decades of deeply buried trauma and ho...
Nov 24, 2023•51 min•Season 4Ep. 152
We have a surprise twist in this week’s Chatter That Matters. Mark Ferrier steps in as guest host and interviews Tony Chapman on his journey. Mark is a natural; the banter between them is like listening to two close friends, and you will uncover many parallels between their lives and I am guessing yours. Tony shares a childhood where their family had to deal with emotional uncertainty and dire financial insecurities resulting from his father's failing mental health. Tony promised himself that he...
Nov 17, 2023•47 min•Season 4Ep. 152
Unveiling a Heartfelt Journey: Love, Family, and Resilience in Military Life. This week, we honour Remembrance Day by shedding light on the selfless commitment and sacrifice of military spouses. My guest is Vicki Cody, author of here memoir “Army Wife: A Story of Love and Family in the Heart of the Army,” Vicki shares her experience as an army wife as well as a leader to many in her community. Our story begins in the summer of 1969 when Vicki crosses paths with West Point cadet Dick Cody. What i...
Nov 10, 2023•36 min•Season 4Ep. 151
Hello everyone, With so much negativity flooding our feeds and, with it a growing sense of impossibility manifesting into a mental health crisis, I encourage you to listen to this episode to uncover ways in which you can help. This isn't a show about committing suicide; it is about preventing it from happening. Some sobering facts: for every death by suicide, there are 20 attempts. And with every attempt, on average, 135 people are impacted including family, friends, peers, neighbours etc. Pleas...
Nov 03, 2023•51 min•Season 4Ep. 150
Today's episode marks my 200th episode of Chatter that Matters. My guest is the marvellous Myra Sable, who, in her eighties, continues to build her gourmet food company, Sable and Rosenfeld, while being a warrior for a better world. And stick around as I introduce her Grandson Julien Sable Alvarado later in the show. Julien is taking over the business. Mark Twain once said that age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. Many over sixty would agree, but what about ...
Oct 27, 2023•43 min•Season 4Ep. 149
In front of a live audience at the Convenience Industry Council of Canada's National Summit, I sat down with Jean-François Archambault. JF is a beautiful human being devoting his life to fighting food insecurity. It is also a powerful love story between Mother and Son and how her ten-year unsuccessful battle with cancer took JF to a crossroads, offering two very different paths. The first was to take away his sadness and darkness by ending his life; the second was to do something with it. Thank...
Oct 20, 2023•46 min•Season 4Ep. 148
I titled this episode of "Chatter That Matters" "Forever Young" and recorded it live at the Toronto Hunt Club. The idyllic setting alone adds a unique backdrop to a conversation that erupts with laughter and spontaneous applause. The man at the center of it is the master storyteller, the iconic Canadian editorial cartoonist and painter Andy Donato. Andy Donato is not just an artist; he's a force of immense character, and his character is woven into the very fabric of who he is, from his distinct...
Oct 13, 2023•43 min•Season 4Ep. 147
The story begins when Mark Ferrier's father robs a bank, is arrested, and, in his sxites is put in Millhaven Maximum Security Prison to serve a five-year term. For decades, Mark buries this reality and wraps himself in a veneer, masking his insecurities and imposter syndrome with a persona of confidence and swagger. Mark gets married, raises two beautiful daughters, and is wildly successful as an entrepreneur. His path led him to the Young President's Organization and to Harvard where he earned ...
Oct 06, 2023•44 min•Season 4Ep. 146
Step back in time to 1984. It's a pivotal year in the history of Canadian television — it's the year Much Music was born. In this episode of Chatter that Matters, we look at its fascinating journey and Canadian content that competed with the best in the world. Much Music was one of the first Canadian specialty channels; this ground-breaking concept emerged from the vision of two trailblazing individuals, Moses Znaimer and John Martin. Against all odds, with limited resources but boundless creati...
Sep 29, 2023•45 min•Season 4Ep. 145
As a father of two wonderful girls, I have always asked - Why aren't more women in power? Only 10 percent of CEOs at Fortune 500 companies are women, and only 27 of the 193 countries in the world are led by women. I believe that if more women were in power, there would be less conquest and a dramatic shift in spending from the military to what matters - healthcare, humanity, education, fiscal responsibility and the health of our planet. My guest this week is Claire Shipman, a world-renowned Emmy...
Sep 22, 2023•49 min•Season 4Ep. 144
Arthur Smith shares excerpts from his book Reach - Hard Lessons and Earned Truths from a Lifetime in Television. Arthur talks about what it was like to work with Gordon Ramsay on Hell's Kitchen (excellent) and to try and convince Donald Trump to be part of a show. (not so excellent). Arthur also talks about his surprise hit American Ninja Warriors and many other behind-the-scenes stories, including Simon Cowell. Arthur Smith grew up as a shy kid surrounded by a wonderful family who believed in a...
Sep 15, 2023•49 min•Season 4Ep. 143
I loved talking with Deepa Mehta. I could have listened to her for hours, and I wish she could be my friend for life. Deepa is a citizen of the world, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose work is celebrated internationally and has played at every major film festival. Deepa has worked with George Lucas, yet often has turned down Hollywood to create emotionally resonating, award-winning cinema that matters to her and you and me. Born in India and an immigrant to Canada, Deepa is a visionary storytel...
Sep 08, 2023•40 min•Season 4Ep. 142
What if your health and even life was a matter of choice, not chance? Yuri Elkaim dreamed of a pro soccer career until his health deteriorated. Chronic fatigue and hair loss, followed by a seven-year search for answers, forced Yuri to make his health a matter of choice, not chance. As a teenager, Yuri Elkaim fixated his gaze and even touched on a professional soccer career due to his tireless work ethic and athletic ability. But health's betrayal shifted his focus. Chronic fatigue, pain and sudd...
Sep 01, 2023•42 min•Season 4Ep. 141
This week on Chatter that Matters, Sheri Segal Glick talks about her memoir: 'The Skinny: My Messy, hopeful fight for full recovery from anorexia." Sheri's journey unfolds with unflinching honesty as she unmasks the hidden truth of eating disorders. Sheri takes us to the depths of her addiction, what she did to game the system, her lonely and even life-threatening hospital stays, her obsessive workouts, and most importantly, how she battled for decades but eventually found her way to defeat her ...
Aug 25, 2023•41 min•Season 4Ep. 140
A 120-foot fall free-climbing almost cost Dov his life but freed him to pursue his calling. The search for meaning has been an obsession of Dov Baron from his earliest days. He was born in Northern England in abject poverty, surrounded by crime, violence, and addiction, and knew there must be more to life than suffering and abuse. Dov left his destructive environment to travel and study with some of the world's leading thinkers. He then parlayed his learning into founding and building companies ...
Aug 18, 2023•41 min•Season 4Ep. 139
The Many Lives of Mama Love. A memoir of lying, stealing, writing and healing. This story will become a blockbuster movie or a must-watch Netflix series. My guest today is NY Times Best Selling author Lara Love Hardin, and her book The Many Lives of Mamma Love is her story. From the worst beginnings, and then addiction, and then theft and jail, is someone who ends up breaking bread with Oprah, meditating with the Dalai Lama, writing Desmond Tutu's book, and becoming a successful CEO. Picture a m...
Aug 11, 2023•40 min•Season 4Ep. 138
Biologist Dr. Manrique Prada and thought leader John Stackhouse joined me this week in an episode I titled two conversations with Mother Nature. Dr. Manrique Prada, a Ph.D. in biological science, stands as one of South America's most esteemed environmentalists. In his new book Voices of Mother Earth, Manrique shares his experiences living among the Xavante people—an indigenous tribe who lives off the land and in harmony with Mother Nature. Manrique imparts their wisdom of attentively listening t...
Aug 04, 2023•32 min•Season 4Ep. 137
Peter Weissman. A journey marked by trauma, resilience, advocacy and two brothers. Two weeks ago, I shared the story of Eric Weissman who battled addiction to become an advocate for people experiencing homelessness. Today we celebrate his brother's inspiring journey. Peter Weissman's life turned upside down at four when his Mom left home to pursue her dream of becoming an artist, something she succeeded at. Peter's description of what he saw when his Mom died is so powerful. Peter's Russian immi...
Jul 28, 2023•40 min•Season 4Ep. 136
Would you remain optimistic if the cards of life are rarely dealt in your favour? This week's inspiring guest is Lindsay Ireland, who spent idyllic childhood summers in Vermont, riding horses, playing detective with her cousin, and living with her famous aunt and uncle, Jill Ireland and Charles Bronson, the action star of his day. Lindsay's world changed at age eleven when she noticed blood in her stool. At first, hiding it from her parents, things got worse, and she found herself confined to a ...
Jul 21, 2023•40 min•Season 4Ep. 135
Let me introduce my guest and his powerful story about transformation and triumph. Eric Weissman was a child living in a home marked by turbulence, trauma and aggression. Eric developed an insatiable appetite for consuming and selling drugs until addiction consumed him. He spent six years living nomadically and even on the street. Few break this cycle. He didn't just break it; Eric Weissman, PH.D.he is working to end this cycle. He is one of our country's advocates for change. An Associate Profe...
Jul 14, 2023•45 min•Season 4Ep. 134
Kevin Newman: Learning how and where his son sought the truth was harder than finding the truth. Alex Newman: Finding answers in chat rooms versus the family room (felt safer). Until he came out to his family. This is one of my favourite interviews of all time. It brought back memories of my relationship with my father, which I describe in the opening. As I introduce my two guests, you will instantly know the voice of Kevin Newman, one of North America's most acclaimed journalists, but instead o...
Jul 07, 2023•46 min•Season 4Ep. 133
In 1967 Canada was the world’s ninth largest economy; today, it is seventeenth. Regarding income per person, we’ve fallen from third to fifteenth. What kind of Canada are we leaving our children? How do we avoid falling further behind? Join us for a special Canada Day podcast recorded at the prestigious Toronto Hunt Club. I interviewed three authors who wrote "Everybody's Business: How to Ensure Canadian Prosperity Through the Twenty-First Century." You will hear from the charismatic Dany Assaf,...
Jun 30, 2023•53 min•Season 4Ep. 132
Nicole Bourque-Bouchier's journey from humble beginnings to RBC's 2022 Women of Influence - CEO Excellence Award Winner . Hailing from a lineage of trappers, Nicole Bourque-Bouchier claims her indigenous and entrepreneurial roots to be a role model to her family and community while building Bouchier into one of the largest indigenous-owned companies with revenues of $150 million, 1000 employees and 400 heavy equipment vehicles. Nicole intimately shares her family's transformative journey from th...
Jun 23, 2023•42 min•Season 4Ep. 131
Being a father was the most magical thing in Garry Junkuhn's life. He could never have imagined that he would lose contact with his two sons for over three years when his girlfriend moved in with him. His pain was akin to four wild horses tearing him apart. Garry's life unravelled further when he learned from a school email that his older son had changed his last name to his mother's surname. However, amidst the darkness, a glimmer of hope emerged. A mentor stepped into Garry's life, urging him ...
Jun 16, 2023•40 min•Season 4Ep. 130
Can pressure be your superpower? Can it be the wind at your back instead of a suffocating weight on your shoulders? My guest today is Dane Jensen, the CEO of Third Factor, an acclaimed speaker, an instructor at Queen’s University and the University of North Carolina, a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review and author of The Power of Pressure. Dane has an incredible way with words, and he talks about what he learned about pressure from discussions with Olympic athletes, Navy Seals, o...
Jun 09, 2023•43 min•Season 4Ep. 129
Imagine this. Your name is Steph Catudal. You are a young teenager, and you adore your Dad. He can do one-arm pushups and entertain a crowd, and when you have a terrible asthma attack, he calms you down. One day you hear the first of many horrible coughs and soon learn he is dying of lung cancer. His death tears at your soul, and you become rebellious and angry; try to escape with substances and replace your father with a relationship with an older man. Years later, you meet the love of your lif...
Jun 02, 2023•41 min•Season 4Ep. 128
I first heard Shabana Basij-Rasikh share her moving story on 60 Minutes, and I knew I had to have her on Chatter that Matters. You will soon hear why National Geographic named her their Explorer of the Year. Shabana calls herself an ordinary Afghan woman, but I see her as a hero of immense courage and fortitude and one of the many brave women defying the tyrannical rule of the Taliban. What we take for granted, Shabana and others risked their lives for. At age 6, defying the Taliban's desire to ...
May 26, 2023•51 min•Season 4Ep. 127
