According to Statistics Canada, being a person of faith, or at least admitting to being a person of faith is becoming less popular. That might just be about the ebb and flow of our culture, and history may cycle again to make religion popular again, but in the meantime, the places that were built at the height of “worship culture” sit in disrepair and worse. And according to Natalie Bull, that is sad for more than just those who worship there. Bull is the Executive Director at The National Trust...
Dec 29, 2021•9 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Immersing yourself in your subject is not a new concept. Actors do it. Engineers do it. Writers do it. But why is it important? According to wildlife photographer Kerri Martin , sometimes in pursuit of accurate representation, you can discover a deeper meaning in why you do what you do. And doing it in a conscious way has all kinds of benefits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 15, 2021•8 min•Season 3Ep. 12
There are days when it may seem like we have solved the diversity issue in the arts here in Canada. When you look around and you finally see Indigenous books winning the biggest awards, and Black poets sharing the stage with their literary peers it starts to feel like hope. But according to Devyani Saltzman, who has led programming at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Banff Centre, while we are getting better at promoting the individual people, we don’t do enough to create a safe space for true...
Dec 01, 2021•9 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Many of us have experienced isolation over the past 18 months, which has taken a toll on our collective mental health. During these restless times, it’s natural to fight the feelings of loneliness, grief, and sadness. But as mental health advocate Mark Henick has learned, these feelings can be an excellent teacher if we’re willing to just … sit with them. Henick is an author and mental health advocate and he spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Mental Health in 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...
Nov 17, 2021•6 min•Season 3Ep. 10
When you think of the natural world, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? To some, it might be National Park forests, the Great Lakes, or the Rocky Mountains.Carly Ziter spoke about the ecosphere that often receives less attention: the one living within our cities. Carly Ziter is an assistant professor in the Department of Biology at Concordia University and member of the Smart, Sustainable, and Resilient Communities and Cities Research Group. She spoke at The Walrus Talks: Living Better i...
Nov 03, 2021•7 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Canada has a lot of work to do to improve relationships with Indigenous communities. But how will we get there as a country? According to Roberta Jamieson, the solution goes beyond charity. It requires philanthropy based on Indigenous reciprocity. Roberta Jamieson is a Mohawk woman from Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario. She is the former president and CEO of Indspire and is on the board of directors for RBC. She spoke at The Walrus Talks: Philanthropy in 2015. Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...
Oct 20, 2021•13 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In the midst of a pandemic, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in Canada, so it makes sense that we have large laboratories for conducting cancer research. But according to Steve Shih, when it comes to building research facilities, bigger is not always better. This might be a moment (strategically) to think small. Shih is an Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Concordia University and he spoke at The Walrus Talks: Disruption in 2017. Hosted on Acast. See ...
Oct 06, 2021•9 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Caring for a sick loved one is one of the hardest things a person can go through. But as Damian Rogers found out, it can also be an opportunity to learn how to live a more meaningful life. Damian Rogers is a poet, author, and teacher. She spoke at The Walrus Talks: Living Better in 2019. A transcript of this episode is available on our website . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 22, 2021•8 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Nationalism has become a bad word for many on the political spectrum, but according to Prerna Singh, it is a word people who believe in democracy should fight to take back from those who would use it to divide. It can be empowering. It can build nations and activate citizens. And most of all, it can motivate social change. Singh is a Mahatma Gandhi Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Brown University and she spoke at The Walrus Talks: Boundaries in 2019. Hosted ...
Sep 08, 2021•10 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Indigenous women are among the most marginalized in Canada. In her talk, Vanessa Tait speaks about how the sacred roles they previously held in their communities have been dismantled through colonialism and how all Canadians need to work together to support them. Vanessa Tait is a Two-Spirit Cree woman from O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba. She is a Queen Elizabeth Scholar and has obtained a master’s in Indigenous development at the University of Winnipeg. She spoke at The Walru...
Aug 25, 2021•10 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Most of the decisions about Canada’s future are being made by the current leaders in government. To Sara Abdessamie, there’s another voice that needs to be included in the conversation: Canada’s youth. Abdessamie is an alumna of the Prime Minister’s Youth Council and a graduate of the medical sciences program at Dalhousie University. She spoke at The Walrus Talks National Tour: We Desire a Better Country in 2017. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Aug 11, 2021•7 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Have you ever been referred to as “resilient?” To some, resilience means survival, and calling someone resilient is meant as a compliment to their ability to survive. But to Philomina Okeke-Ihejirika, that label is not one she seeks for herself or for other Canadians. Okeke-Ihejirika is a professor of women’s and gender studies and director of the Pan African Collaboration for Excellence (PACE) at the University of Alberta. She spoke at TD Bank Group presents The Walrus Talks at Home: Resilience...
Jul 28, 2021•6 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Resilience is often a celebrated state of being. But is it useful to use resilience as a policy? Resilience might be the watch word if you’re fighting a zombie apocalypse or evading a meteor that threatens all life on earth, but if we zoom out, celebrating resilience doesn’t solve or change issues that plague society, like inequality. Vinita Srivastava spoke about the need for structural change to the systems that no longer serve us. Srivastava is an editor at The Conversation and the host and p...
Jul 14, 2021•8 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Welcome back to The Conversation Piece. The first episode of season three drops next week, but here's a teaser to whet your appetite: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 07, 2021•1 min
Women have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Many have been forced to drop out of the workforce over the past year, with some people calling the COVID-19 economic downturn a she-cession. This downturn impacts racialised women even more. Journalist and author Ann Hui travelled across Canada, visiting Chinese restaurants in small towns from coast to coast to explore this issue, especially as it pertains to minority communities. Hui is a food journalist at The Globe and Mail and the...
May 26, 2021•7 min•Season 2Ep. 30
Female leadership has been front and centre during the pandemic. From New Zealand where COVID-19 infections have been managed under the leadership of a female Prime Minister, to Canada where the country’s top doctor is a woman of colour. How are women leading differently during the pandemic and how is it redefining what leadership is? Lauren McKeon is an author and journalist and she spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Living Better in March. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...
May 19, 2021•6 min•Season 2Ep. 29
It’s probably not surprising that so many of our speakers over this past year have focused on the loneliness of lockdown. Part of the reason it’s important to keep having this conversation is to fight the stigma against talking about loneliness and mental health issues. The physical and mental effects of loneliness are as serious as any other health issue. Health reporter Wency Leung immersed herself in this problem in order to cover it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...
May 12, 2021•6 min•Season 2Ep. 28
The idea that we as immigrants who were colonised can move to Canada and become settlers is an unsettling thought. But to the Indigenous peoples of Canada, that is who we are. We are all immigrants, and we participate in some way in a colonial system inflicted on the Indigenous people. In her talk, Anubha Momin is a writer and performer in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and she talks about her Southern privilege and decolonising herself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
May 05, 2021•10 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Personal storytelling has historically provided a new lens of experiences that challenge oppressive systems and introduced thousands of readers to the hardships of marginalised communities. Author and journalist Eternity Martis believes that these stories inspire future generations to create real change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 28, 2021•9 min•Season 2Ep. 26
The words we choose to share, write, and speak can influence and change the narrative of stereotypes we see in Canada, encouraging for more accurate depictions and stories of marginalized communities and characters. With World Book Day just around the corner, we wanted to acknowledge storytelling’s influential force on culture in Canada. For Annishinaabe author and journalist Waubgeshig Rice, words gave him the ability to change the conversation around Indigenous communities and break stereotype...
Apr 21, 2021•12 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Simple routines can suck up an incredible amount of time and energy for disabled people. Dianna Hu is a software engineer at Google, and she describes this energy as a limited number of spoons you start your day with and are destined to run out of. During the pandemic, Hu has begun to reclaim her spoons and find accessibility through working at home. With more spoons, comes more freedom; a new more accessible normal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Apr 14, 2021•7 min•Season 2Ep. 24
When we think of black holes, we think of a dark and terrifying unknown that distorts everything it touches. But, have we ever considered black holes to be polite? Daryl Haggard is a Canadian Research Chair in Multi-messenger Astrophysics and associate professor of Physics at McGill University and she spoke at CIFAR Presents The Walrus Talks Exploration in March 2020. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 07, 2021•9 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Children’s learning begins in the home - and the language spoken in the home is fundamental to a young child’s education.So, should parents be raising children with more than one language? And what are the benefits of children being bilingual? On International Mother Language Day, we celebrate linguistic diversity with Krista Byers-Heinlein, a developmental psychologist and associate professor of Psychology at Concordia University who spoke at The Walrus Talks Living Better in 2019. Hosted on Ac...
Mar 31, 2021•8 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Are we equal in our praise for philanthropic acts? When you read news about support for something you believe in, how often do you read about the small acts of kindness? The contributions that may seem tiny when compared to what a sports star or a soft drink company CEO can give, but are significant to the person who gives. Anand Giridharadas is a former columnist for The New York Times and writer of three bestselling novels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 24, 2021•10 min•Season 2Ep. 21
For many of us, this week marks a full year of social isolation. Urged to stay home and keep our in-person interactions to a minimum we continue to rely on technology to stay connected. Some research even shows that isolation is just as bad as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. Now that we have all experienced 365 days of isolation and the loneliness that comes with it, why would we ever purposely impose such hardship on other people and how do we create a society where everyone belongs? Kim Samuel ...
Mar 17, 2021•11 min•Season 2Ep. 20
With the majority of research conducted by men, it’s no surprise that most research favours men. So much that even the original crash test dummy was modelled after a man and a study, originally for the menstrual cycle, was cancelled when Viagra was discovered through it. On this International women’s day, it seems like a good time to ask: how can women gain a seat at the table when they aren’t even in the room? This is journalist, author and human rights activist Sally Armstrong. Hosted on Acast...
Mar 10, 2021•9 min•Season 2Ep. 19
While Canada is far from a Utopia, we are trying to be peaceful and green and right our wrongs. We are trying to offer safety and clean water and homes. We are trying to be a better country, but first, we must be kind. In his talk from 2017, award-winning Canadian actor Graham Greene discusses how we can live better through kindness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 03, 2021•8 min•Season 2Ep. 18
What do you eat? Your choices can transform the world. This applies to everything from the news you take in to the stores you shop at. But this is particularly true when it comes to the food you eat. Irwin Adam urges us to look at what happens before our meals are on our plates. The process is rather inefficient. What can we do to change this? Flour made from insects? Edible packaging? Tasting Data? We need to reimagine the way we taste and consume. Irwin Adam is a Creative Scientist and Food Fu...
Feb 24, 2021•8 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Accessibility often doesn’t take into account different needs — if it is accessible for one person it might not be for another. Accessibility is not universal, but according to Aimee Louw it can be harmonised across our country. In her talk, Louw advocates for a future where accessibility isn’t treated as a favour or charity but as justice and equality. Where people are paid a living wage, where taking care of yourself is prioritised, and where ableism is abolished. Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...
Feb 17, 2021•9 min•Season 2Ep. 16
In 2018, Siri Agrell spoke at The Walrus Talks Humanity about the important steps in human connection that can be lost in the virtual world. That Talk lead to a new book by Agrell, that is out in February 2021, and deserved an update from the author about how this pandemic and isolation influenced her writing. How to get Laid Without your Phone is available to order at www.withoutyourphone.com . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 10, 2021•15 min•Season 2Ep. 15
