Episodes
3 days ago
3 days ago
Ep 504 - Vancouver: Beautiful, yes – but!
Guest: Bridgitte Anderson
By Stuart McNish
No doubt about it: Vancouver is beautiful. It’s beautiful to visit, it’s a beautiful place to study, and it’s a beautiful city to retire in. “But,” says Bridgitte Anderson, the CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, “it’s not so beautiful of a place to build a robust economy.” In fact, according to a new report commissioned by GVBOT, “the region’s economic size and mix under-performs when it comes to creating high-paid jobs or high-performing companies.”
Compared to 20 other “high quality mid-sized city-regions, spanning 9 pillars across economy, liveability and infrastructure and sustainability, Vancouver is well below par.” Anderson says. “Vancouver ranked 14 among the 20 cities for prosperity factors.”
Looking ahead, Anderson says, “The region has to address its underlying weaknesses soon if we hope to stay competitive.” Central to our ability to compete is Vancouver’s beautiful geography, an area that is confined by sea and mountains. Anderson says, “The upshot is that we have to innovate more deeply to stimulate housing, job and economic development.”
We invited Bridgitte Anderson, the CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, to join us as a guest on Conversations That Matter about where our attention needs to turn to close our productivity and prosperity gap.
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
3 days ago
3 days ago
Ep 503 - Canada’s Sagging Productivity
Guest: Jock Finlayson
By Stuart McNish
On March 26th, 2024, the Bank of Canada issued a report titled “Time to Break the Glass: Fixing Canada’s Productivity Problem.” Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers said at a speech in Halifax, “Productivity is a way to inoculate the economy against inflation.”
The question ahead is, why has Canadian productivity sagged and how can it be turned around? Jock Finlayson, the Chief Economist at the Independent Contractors of BC, says, “Canada needs to reorient policy to focus squarely on improving productivity and real incomes per capita – both of which are stagnant and falling.”
We invited Jock Finlayson to join us for a Conversation That Matters about Canada’s productivity crisis and why it matters.
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
3 days ago
3 days ago
Ep 502 - Is Peace Possible in Gaza?
Gidi Grinstein
By Stuart McNish
At the time of the recording of this interview, the war in Gaza raged on. Since Oct 7, when more than 1139 Israelis had been killed and another 240 taken hostage, Israel vowed to destroy Hamas. The atrocities of that day also severely challenged Israeli’s sense of compassion for Palestinians.
In Palestine, the death toll is horrifying – more than 30,000 Palestinians are believed to have died and another 72,000 have been injured.
The war and humanitarian crisis that has resulted has brought calls from around the world for a ceasefire. The government of Benjamin Netanyahu shows little interest in heeding those calls. The level of hate and anger that existed before Oct 7 continues to rise, which leads to the longer term question: can peace ever be achieved?
Gidi Grinstein, the founder of Reut Institute in Tel Aviv, says, “Maybe but the conditions have to be ripe.” He continues, “It won’t be easy; millions of Israelis and Palestinians do not want to live in the same country, much less a shared society.”
We invited Gidi Grinstein, the co-author of (IN) SIGHTS, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about possible paths forward for Israel and Palestine.
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
Tuesday Apr 09, 2024
Ep 498 - How Canada Saved Me Guest - Sasha Luchkov
Tuesday Apr 09, 2024
Tuesday Apr 09, 2024
Ep 498 - How Canada Saved Me
Guest - Sasha Luchkov
By Stuart McNish
On February 24th, 2022, in the dark of the night in Mukachevo, Ukraine, Sasha Luchkov woke to the news that his country was under attack. Sasha, a piano protege at the age of 17, was already an accomplished pianist. He had recently placed second in the Scherzo International piano competition, where he performed Beethoven’s Sonata #17.
Luchkov also performed at the Horowitz International piano competition and the Perugia MusicFest. When the war intensified, Luchkov says, “I was in fear of my life and I fled from Ukraine – first to Italy and with the help of Thrive Refuge, I made my way to Canada, which accepted me as a refugee.”
Luchkov says, “Canada and Canadians have been remarkably kind and helpful to me.” Through Thrive Refuge, Sasha was able to complete his high school education and is now attending UBC’s School of Music, studying under the direction of Dr. David Fung. On April the 12th, Sasha is performing at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in the Concert for Peace to help raise funds to support Thrive Refuge’s Fine Arts Bursary.
Sasha Luchov joins us for a Conversation That Matters about his journey to finding a second chance in Canada.
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
Join us April 23 rd for Conversations Live - One on One with Premier Edy
Tuesday Apr 09, 2024
Ep 497 - Climate Action: The Net Zero Economy Guest - John Stackhouse
Tuesday Apr 09, 2024
Tuesday Apr 09, 2024
Ep 497 - Climate Action: The Net Zero Economy
Guest - John Stackhouse
By Stuart McNish
“Population and economic growth spell a demand for much more energy,” states the opening paragraph of RBC’s Climate Action Institute report. The Institute is honest in its assessment of the path forward to a Net Zero economy. The bank’s John Stackhouse says, “Climate pressures spell an imperative for a different mix of energy sources.”
Looking forward, the global population is forecast to exceed 9 billion by approximately 2040. “Can the world population power itself into a new age of sustainable growth?” askes the report. It goes on to ask, “Can Canada, a global leader in energy, create new technologies, realize new opportunities and create value in a Net Zero economy?”
We invited RBC’s Head of Thought Leadership, John Stackhouse, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the highlights of the research the report lays out, its six major conclusions, and the path forward.
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
Join us April 2 for Conversations Live - Energy and the Environment
Tuesday Apr 09, 2024
Ep 496 - Ballooning Public Service Guest - Renaud Brossard
Tuesday Apr 09, 2024
Tuesday Apr 09, 2024
Ep 496 - Ballooning Public Service
Guest - Renaud Brossard
By Stuart McNish
According to the Montreal Economic Institute, Justin Trudeau ranks first among Canadian Prime Ministers over the past 40 years when it comes to the expansion in the size of the civil service. In a recent study, MEI notes that “over the past few decades, the number of employees in the federal public service has fluctuated somewhat under the mandate of successive governments under Justin Trudeau's current government. However, we are witnessing a truly unprocessed identity expansion.”
Renaud Brossard speaks on behalf of MEI and he says, “An expanding public service has consequences that adversely affect the economy, including undue competition with the private sector for employees. And that, in turn, exacerbates the already challenging talent market.” The report goes on to show the increase on a percentage basis from Prime Ministers Mulroney to Trudeau; Mulroney and Chrétien both oversaw about 10% reduction. Martin and Harper also decreased the number of civil servants, but to a lesser extent. Prime Minister Trudeau's increase is a whopping 25%.
We invited Renaud Brossard of MEI to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the report and why a rapidly expanding civil service is a cause for concern.
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
Join us April 2 for Conversations Live - Energy and the Environment
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Ep 495 - Child Sex Trafficking Guest - Cathy Peters
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Ep 495 - Child Sex Trafficking
Guest - Cathy Peters
By Stuart McNish
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Canada is February 22nd. It was instituted as part of the government’s commitment to fighting human trafficking. The point was to “raise awareness of the magnitude of modern day slavery in Canada and abroad and to take steps to combat human trafficking.”
In her book, “Child Sex Trafficking in Canada,” Cathy Peters says, “This book should never have been written. But here we are. Society and culture have come to a point where the most vulnerable are not being protected.” Peters goes on to say, “As a society we have a moral obligation to address sexual exploitation immediately, resolutely and robustly.”
Today’s children are targeted in ways that you have little awareness of and from around the world. These children are marginalized, vulnerable, and at risk. Peters says, “They are unaware of the insidious, coercive, and manipulative tactics of the sex industry.”
We invited one of Canada’s leading advocates on behalf of vulnerable children, Cathy Peters, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about what we all need to know about child sex trafficking and how to stop it.
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Ep 494 - Canada and China: What Happened? Guest - Dr Paul Evans
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Ep 494 - Canada and China: What Happened?
Guest - Dr Paul Evans
By Stuart McNish
In 1970, Canada led the Western world by recognizing China. According to Paul Evans in his book, “Engaging China,” the Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau “believed that many of the world’s major issues ‘will not be resolved completely or in any lasting way unless and until an accommodation has been reached with the Chinese nation.’”
Over the course of the next 50 years, the Chinese economy and its clout grew from 1.7 percent of global GDP to more than 17.3%. China went from one of the poorest countries on earth to one of the most powerful economies. Through that growth, China invested heavily in Canadian energy and technology companies.
Then at the start of this century, the relationship between Canada and China started shifting. China started to flex its muscles and Canada failed to realize it was no longer the dominant member of this relationship. China grew tired of being told what and how to manage its affairs.
Enter Xi Jinping, who had no patience for moralizing and virtue signalling. Canada woke up to China’s influence and the influencing tactics at home and abroad. Over the past five years, the relationship has soured.
We invited Paul Evans, Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia, to join us for a Conversation That Matters on what happened between Canada and China and what is happening between us and India.
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Ep 493 - A Call to Purpose Guest - Mike Rowlands
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Ep 493 - A Call to Purpose
Guest - Mike Rowlands
“Redefining success for the purpose economy,” Mike Rowlands says, “is to become a part of the rapidly growing movement toward social purpose in business. The social purpose focus creates healthier communities, restoration of our shared environment and better outcomes for companies’ staff, customers and other stakeholders.”
Rowlands says the path to developing this framework “emerged from our work with the nonprofit sector – a sector that required new brand strategies that enriched and enhanced their organizations' messaging.” The next step on the path to a social purpose framework was the development of “Theory of Change,” which is a methodology to set out intended social change outcomes.”
We invited Mike Rowlands, the CEO and President at Junxion, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about social purpose and how it focuses businesses to accept responsibility for outputs, outcomes and building a better world by being in business.
By Stuart McNish
Researchers at Simon Fraser University and BC Cancer have pinpointed specific physiological traits that they say “can
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Ep 492 - The Fountain of Youth Guest - Angela Brooks-Wilson
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Ep 492 - The Fountain of Youth
Guest - Angela Brooks-Wilson
By Stuart McNish
Researchers at Simon Fraser University and BC Cancer have pinpointed specific physiological traits that they say “can help people live longer, healthier lives.” According to a recent study published in GeroScience, the healthiest, older adults live in a “sweet spot,” where more than 100 different physiological traits interact, and that dynamic interaction makes them healthier than their counterparts.
Key to living in the “sweet spot” is homeostasis, which is a collection of mechanisms that your body uses to maintain constancy in blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and body temperature. The more consistent your body is, the healthier you are. Deviations from optimal ranges of vitamin D, calcium, glucose and other mechanisms lead to a higher risk of mortality.
We invited Angela Brooks-Wilson, a co-author of the report, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about what we now know about the “sweet spot” of health and how this knowledge may equip you to live longer and healthier.
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca