E05: Dr. Iliana Lega: Understanding Hormone Replacement Therapy

Pervasive myths and misconceptions have made the conversation around hormone replacement therapy a contentious and confusing one. But studies show that hormone therapy can be safe and highly effective, helping many women manage menopause symptoms and reclaim a sense of normalcy.

Dr. Iliana Lega is a Scientist at Women’s College Hospital Research and Innovation Institute, a Staff Endocrinologist at Women’s College Hospital, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks Menopause, supported by Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health.

Lega spoke at The Walrus Talks Menopause in Toronto on October 17, 2024.

E04: Dr. Ariel Dalfen: Four Questions for Menopausal Mental Health

Mental health and menopause are highly stigmatized, making it hard for those experiencing both to chart a path forward. But what if there was a framework that perimenopausal and menopausal women could use to proactively incorporate mental health treatment into their care plans?

Dr. Ariel Dalfen is a Psychiatrist and the Co-Founder and CEO of BRIA. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks Menopause, supported by Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health.

Dalfen spoke at The Walrus Talks Menopause in Toronto on October 17, 2024.

E03: Dr. Jenny Godley: Menopause in the Modern Workplace

Did you know that women over forty make up a quarter of the Canadian workforce? Failing to accommodate those experiencing menopause has the potential to drive women out of the working world, resulting in severe consequences for the socio-economic fabric of our society.

Dr. Jenny Godley is a Professor of Sociology and Adjunct Professor in Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks Menopause, supported by Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health.

Godley spoke at The Walrus Talks Menopause in Toronto on October 17, 2024.

E02: Sarain Fox: Sitting With Your Grandmother

In the Anishinaabe tradition, the experiences of menopause and menstruation are regarded as sacred and in relationship to the land. These stages of life meaningfully connect women and girls to their ancestors, to their communities, and to each other.

Sarain Fox is an Anishinaabe Artist, Activist, and Filmmaker. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks Menopause, supported by Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health.

Fox spoke at The Walrus Talks Menopause in Toronto on October 17, 2024.

E01: Janet Ko: Closing the Menopause Gap

The impact of untreated menopause symptoms is far-reaching, affecting everything from an individual’s mental and physical health to the output and efficiency of the economy. How do we equip women with the necessary information and resources to thrive in this new phase of their lives?

Janet Ko is the President and Co-founder of the Menopause Foundation of Canada. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks Menopause, supported by Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health.

Ko spoke at The Walrus Talks Menopause in Toronto October 17, 2024.

E29: Dianne Whelan: 7 Lessons From Travelling the Trans Canada Trail

487 trails, part of the Trans Canada Trail, can tell an important story about Canada, its history and its people.

Dianne Whelan is a filmmaker, photographer, author, and public speaker. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at Manulife presents The Walrus Talks Nature, supported by Trans Canada Trail.

Dianne Whelan spoke at The Walrus Talks Nature in Toronto, Ontario, on March 19, 2024.

E28: Carolynne Crawley: My Relations

Indigenous people’s relationship to land forms an “ontological belonging.” Their spiritual beliefs connect them to the land and to all things of nature.

Carolynne Crawley is the founder of Msit No’kmaq, co-founder of Turtle Protectors, and a Forest Therapy Guide. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at Manulife presents The Walrus Talks Nature, supported by Trans Canada Trail.

Carolynne Crawley spoke at The Walrus Talks Nature in Toronto, Ontario, on March 19, 2024.

E27: Ambika Tenneti: Newcomers Access to Nature is Vital

Racialized immigrants face barriers that restrict their access to nature. Access to public spaces for new immigrants encourages participation in society and the potential of Canadian pride.

Ambika Tenneti is an Environmentalist and PhD Candidate in Daniels Forestry at the University of Toronto. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at Manulife presents The Walrus Talks Nature, supported by Trans Canada Trail.

Ambika Tenneti spoke at The Walrus Talks Nature in Toronto, Ontario, on March 19, 2024.

E26: Iraz Soaylp: Why We Need Equitable Access to Nature

Environmental health should also consider inequality in the areas of housing, economics, food, education.

Iraz Soyalp, PhD, is the Director of Social Impact, Private Markets for Manulife Investment Management. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at Manulife presents The Walrus Talks Nature, supported by Trans Canada Trail.

Iraz Soyalp spoke at The Walrus Talks Nature in Toronto, Ontario, on March 19, 2024.

E25: Dr. Melissa Lem: The Prescription calls for Nature

Some doctors consider nature time to be “The fourth Pillar of Health”. It can have a positive effect on mood, physical ability and even mental wellness.

Dr. Melissa Lem is the director of PaRx (Parks Prescriptions), an initiative of the BC Parks Foundation, and a family physician. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at Manulife presents The Walrus Talks Nature, supported by Trans Canada Trail.

Dr. Melissa Lem spoke at The Walrus Talks Nature in Toronto, Ontario, on March 19, 2024.

E24: Sean Kheraj: Canadians’ Troubled History with Oil Pipelines

How we interact with nature changes over time. Canada has a long and rocky history with pipelines. The opposition has taken different forms. Understanding the nuances can tell us a lot about environmental concerns over long periods of time.

Sean Kheraj is the Associate Professor in the Department of History, Vice-Provost, Academic at Toronto Metropolitan University. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from his presentation at Manulife presents The Walrus Talks Nature, supported by Trans Canada Trail.

Sean Kheraj spoke at The Walrus Talks Nature in Toronto, Ontario, on March 19, 2024.

E23: Marlaine Koehler: Civic Engagement Builds Our Access to Nature

There is a diversity in trails and their uses. They are a meeting place for communities. They promote an appreciation for the environment. They promote physical and mental health, while also serving as a catalyst for ecological health, community renewal and economic vitality.

Marlaine Koehler is the Executive Director of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at Manulife presents The Walrus Talks Nature, supported by Trans Canada Trail.

Marlaine Koehler spoke at The Walrus Talks Nature in Toronto, Ontario, on March 19, 2024.

E22: Nick Saul: The Magic of Sharing Food in Your Community

Four million people living in Canada are food insecure. We live in a world where we urge our children to share; as we imagine a better future, one where everyone has reliable access to nourishing food, this culture of compassion must be extended on an exponential scale.

Nick Saul—food and social justice activist and president and CEO of Community Food Centres Canada—explores the importance of pushing for systemic change through political engagement and grassroots initiatives on the journey to improving food security.

Nick Saul spoke at The Walrus Talks Living Better in Toronto, Ontario, on October 29, 2019.

E21: Jessica Ching: Trust Patients, Trust Women

A commitment to innovation is important in every field, but perhaps none more so than health care, where a lack of urgency around creating transformative change results in real human costs—especially for women.

Jessica Ching—co-founder and CEO of Eve Medical—speaks to the importance of advocating for patient involvement and cultural shifts in the advancement of health care technologies.

Jessica spoke at The Walrus Talks Health in Ottawa, Ontario, on November 28, 2017.

E20: Paulette Senior: Gender-Based Violence Is Not an Exceptional Experience

There is a gap between our anti-violence values and our competence and confidence to play an anti-violence role in real life, but Paulette Senior is determined to close it.

Paulette is the CEO and President of the Canadian Women’s Foundation. She explains how confronting biases around gender-based violence is critical for supporting survivors and outlines what tools are available to those in crisis through the Canadian Women’s Foundation.

Paulette spoke at The Walrus Talks Gender-Based Violence on November 16, 2023.

E19: Fay Slift and Fluffy Soufflé: Empowering Children to Be Proud of Who They Are

Many 2SLGBTQI+ people face abuse and harassment, often at a young age, but JP Kane and Kaleb Robertson imagine a safer, less prejudiced world for all.

JP Kane (Fay Slift) and Kaleb Robertson (Fluffy Soufflé) are storytellers and the stars of The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy. They explore the violence faced by the 2SLGBTQI+ community and highlight the importance of building safe spaces that empower children to be who they are.

They spoke at The Walrus Talks Gender-Based Violence on November 16, 2023.

E18: Angela Sterritt: Believe Indigenous Peoples’ Stories

Despite making up only 4% of the female population in Canada, Indigenous women are murdered or missing at much higher rates than any other population.

Angela Sterritt is the national bestselling Author of Unbroken. She examines how stereotypes dehumanize Indigenous people and how changing the narrative empowers change.

Angela spoke at The Walrus Talks Gender-Based Violence on November 16, 2023.

E17: Shree Paradkar: You Cannot Silence Journalists with Abuse

There has been a marked increase in the abuse and harassment of journalists, especially journalists who are women of colour.

Shree Paradkar is a Columnist and Internal Ombud at the Toronto Star. She examines the myriad impacts of this abuse, not only on journalists, but on the media landscape and society at large.

Shree spoke at The Walrus Talks Gender-Based Violence on November 16, 2023.

E16: Anuradha Dugal: The Gender Gap in Emergency Planning

There is a gap in our emergency planning when it comes to intimate partner violence. Anuradha Dugal wants to change that.

Anuradha is the Vice President of Community Initiatives at the Canadian Women’s Foundation. She examines the consequences of not shockproofing our emergency planning against intimate partner violence.

Anuradha spoke at The Walrus Talks Gender-Based Violence on November 16, 2023.

E15: Jake Stika: The Papercuts of Patriarchy

Patriarchal structures are bad for women and gender-diverse people, but are they also damaging to men?

Jake Stika is the Executive Director and Co-founder of Next Gen Men. He examines the negative consequences of a patriarchal society on men and explores how men who feel less pain will do less harm.

Jake spoke at The Walrus Talks Gender-Based Violence in Toronto on November 16, 2023. This episode is presented by The Canadian Women’s Foundation.

E14: Pamela Cross: The Unintended Consequences of Criminalizing Intimate Partner Violence

Canadian criminal law is changing in response to intimate partner violence, but is it changing for the better?

Pamela Cross is the Advocacy Director at Luke’s Place. She examines the consequences of criminalizing intimate partner violence and emphasizes the importance of policy that prioritizes victims rather than their abusers.

Pamela spoke at The Walrus Talks Gender-Based Violence in Toronto on November 16. This episode is presented by The Canadian Women’s Foundation.

E13: Navneet Alang: AI in Debate

What is intelligence? Does it require ethical research, group think, or just a well-programmed code? Today, intelligence has an added layer of data and computing power, and AI, a still-emerging technology, poses both opportunities and risks. Toronto Star tech journalist, Navneet Alang, talks about AI’s narrative of progress, its limits, and the need for humans—not just technology—to change.

Navneet Alang spoke at The Walrus Talks Artificial Intelligence in Toronto, Ontario, on June 28, 2023. To listen to more of the speakers from this event, listen to the AI for Social Good podcast on your favourite podcast platform.

E12: Kamal Al-Solaylee: In Defence of Ghettos

Gentrification has reframed the way we think about ghettos. They’re no longer just in inner cities. As real estate booms, entire communities are being pushed out of city cores and into the margins, says Kamal Al-Solaylee, director and professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Journalism, Writing, and Media.

Kamal Al-Solaylee spoke at The Walrus Talks Cities of Migration in Surrey, British Columbia, on September 29, 2016.

E11: Chief Sharleen Gale: First Nations Are on the Front Line of Energy Projects—and Their Impacts

Oil and gas extraction in Canada has been disruptive for Indigenous communities historically. Sharleen Gale, Chief of the Fort Nelson First Nation and Chair of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition, highlights the cultural importance and economic impact of Indigenous-led energy initiatives.

Chief Sharleen Gale spoke at The Walrus Talks Economic Reconciliation in Ottawa on March 28, 2023.

E10: Max Brault: Improving Employment for People with Disabilities

Max Brault, Vice President of People & Change at BDO Canada, describes the five Olympic rings when living with disabilities: housing, transportation, services, community, and employment.

Max Brault spoke at The Walrus Talks Advancing Work in Toronto, Ontario, on November, 2022.

E09: Sharon Nyangweso: Equity and Justice as a Technical Skill

Systemic problems require systemic solutions. Sharon Nyangweso, QuakeLab Inc. founder and CEO, explains why the capacity to build, design, and implement with equity and justice is one of the most critical skills required in the job market today.

Sharon Nyangweso spoke at The Walrus Talks It’s Happening Now in Ottawa, Ontario, on May 11, 2023.

E08: Cheyenne Sundance: The Next Generation of Farmers Are In Our Cities

Cheyenne Sundance, a farmer and the founder of Sundance Harvest, shares her journey of self-taught urban farming and its potential to connect city youth with careers in rural agriculture. She also takes a look at the ongoing challenges Canadian farmers are facing.

Cheyenne Sundance spoke at The Walrus Talks A New City in Toronto, Ontario, on April 26, 2023.

E07: Tabatha Bull: We Will Not Achieve Reconciliation without Vibrant Indigenous Economies

Tabitha Bull, President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Businesses, emphasizes the indispensable role vibrant Indigenous economies play in the quest for true reconciliation.

Tabitha Bull spoke at The Walrus Talks Economic Reconciliation in Ottawa, Ontario, on March 28, 2023.

E06: Cadar Mohamud: Podcasting to Share Authentic Narratives

The eldest daughter in an immigrant household, Cadar Mohamud, the founder and CEO of The Digital Sisterhood, shares how she discovered her sense of belonging when she was struggling with her Blackness, Muslim identity, and womanhood.

Cadar Mohamud spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Digital Citizenship, on October 26, 2022.

E05: Lynne Groulx: It’s a Life and Death Matter

Lynne Groulx, CEO of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, emphasizes the pressing requirement for economic reconciliation in order to effectively tackle violence against Indigenous women. She highlights the NWAC’s meaningful initiatives and calls for transformative change.

Lynne Groulx spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Inequality, on January 27, 2022.

E04: Dr. Syrus Marcus Ware: Toward a Future That Is Bigger Than We Dreamed

What does a future look like where trans people live long enough to become elders, where Black liberation is assured, where there is landback and Indigenous resurgence, and where people with disabilities have everything they need in order to thrive in society? From The Walrus Talks Reconnecting Arts and Culture—Dr. Syrus Marcus Ware shares what it means to work toward a future that is bigger than we dreamed.

Dr. Syrus Marcus Ware spoke at The Walrus Talks Reconnecting Arts and Culture, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on September 13, 2022.

E03: Agapi Gessesse: Building Employment Opportunities for Black Youth

For young Black professionals, the employment line remains a long and bumpy road—to get only half as far. At The Walrus Talks Advancing Work, Agapi Gessesse, Executive Director of the Centre for Young Black Professionals, breaks down how she is ensuring success for young Black Canadians—today and beyond.

Agapi Gessesse spoke at The Walrus Talks Advancing Work in Toronto, Ontario, on November 29, 2022.

E02: Heather O’Neill: Girls Contain Multitudes

When women—especially teenage girls—are depicted under the male gaze in art and media, their agency is minimized, and their creativity and passion nearly always go unnoticed. For International Women’s Day, we’re featuring a 2017 talk by Heather O’Neil, which she gave at The Walrus Talks Belonging.

Heather O’Neill spoke at The Walrus Talks Belonging, in London, Ontario, on October 17, 2017.

E01: Stephen Trumper: Troubleshooting Disability

Stephen Trumper passed away on January 4, 2023, and left behind a legacy of disability advocacy that will never be forgotten. He had been an instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Journalism since 1995. Trumper was also an editor at Toronto Life, Harrowsmith, and Financial Post Magazine, a vice-president of the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors, a board member of the National Magazine Awards Foundation, and among the over 800 fantastic Canadians who have been featured on The Walrus Talks stage.

Stephen Trumper spoke at The Walrus Talks Mobility in Hamilton, Ontario, on October 5, 2017.

E30: André Picard: Were Pandemic Elder Deaths Preventable?

It’s been three years since we launched The Conversation Piece. 90 episodes measured over pandemic years, launched because for a while there, we couldn’t convene the way we love to – at The Walrus Talks. Through three seasons, we’ve done our best to showcase some of the most compelling talkers who have wheeled, walked, and web-cammed onto a stage for The Walrus Talks. Health reporter and author André Picard started us off on this audio journey, with his talk on the epidemic of loneliness, so it only felt appropriate to hand the mic back for the final episode of season 3, because this has been quite a time to be a health reporter, and Picard is one of this country’s best.
Read a transcript of this episode here

E29: Toufah Jallow: How to Humanize and Accept Survivor Stories

Trigger Warning: this episode contains subject matter which includes sexual assault and domestic violence. The stories told by sexual assault survivors are best told through their voice when they are ready, but that can mean secondary pain in the form of judgement, disbelief, and shame. It’s why so many survivors don’t speak their truths. Because words like “allegedly” take the power of their words and minimize them to protect their attacker’s rights. And it’s one of the reasons why Toufah Jallow does what she does. Jallow is an anti-rape activist who spoke at Concordia presents, The Walrus Talks: What’s Next? In Ottawa.
Read a transcript of this episode here

E28: Andrea Gunraj: The 5 C’s and the Care Economy

Women, Two Spirit, trans and non binary people across the spectrum have been at the forefront of what it means to be a caregiver. Whether society defines it as nurture or instinct, one thing’s for certain, over half of the women in our economy work in the 5 C’s: caring, catering, clerical work, cashiering and cleaning. Andrea Gunraj is the Vice President of Public Engagement at the Canadian Women’s Foundation and she spoke about why we need to value care work in order to protect women and gender diverse people. Gunraj spoke at Concordia University presents “The Walrus Talks: What’s Next” in May 2022.
Read a transcript of this episode here

E27: Ashlee Cunsolo: Ecological Grief and the Climate Crisis

Information about global warming is everywhere. And although the delivery of this message brings up awareness, the overload of information can lead to ecological grief and anxiety. According to Geographer Ashlee Cunsolo, says that despite the discomfort these emotions may bring, acknowledging these feelings can better help us understand the severity of the climate situation. Cunsolo is the founding dean of the School of Arctic and sub-Arctic Studies at the Labrador campus, at Memorial University. She spoke at the The Walrus Talks Youth and the Climate Crisis in March 2022.
Read a transcript of this episode here

E26: Chief Cadmus Delorme: The Future of Truth and Reconciliation

Generation Y inherited the truth of the 60s scoop, residential schools, and treaties, they did not create it, but Indigenous and non-Indigenous people have the responsibility of facing that truth. Many generations of Indigenous people have been living in a sort of horizontal survival mode – because their vertical lineage leads straight back to those truths. Chief Cadmus Delorme is currently Chief of the Cowessess First Nation and he spoke at The Walrus Talks: What’s Next? In Toronto.
Read a transcript of this episode here

E25: Camille Dundas: Going Farther than Hiring a BIPOC Conversation

Activism is changing the strategies of how many media organizations tell their stories: from the Black Lives Matter movement to Asian Heritage Month to #MeToo. But it hasn’t been a perfect trajectory – reporting on the changing social and political landscape takes skill, and sometimes learning from mistakes in real-time. Camille Dundas is the Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s largest Black online magazine ByBlacks.com, and she spoke at Concordia presents, The Walrus Talks: What’s Next? In Ottawa.
Read a transcript of this episode here

E24: Naila Moloo: Including Youth in the Climate Change Conversation

The climate crisis is a global issue and requires a coordinated effort from everyone. But the people who will be most impacted by this crisis are often excluded from conversations on climate change: our youth. Naila Moloo believes that youth need to be involved in climate change discussions and in developing solutions. Read a transcript of this episode here

E23: Candice Shaw: Colonialism Creates Poverty By Design

Indigenous peoples face some of the highest levels of poverty in Canada. According to many people, including Candice Shaw, these inequalities are the intended result of colonial systems. Shaw believes that in order to address inequality at its core, we need to decolonize systems of power while continuing to engage Indigenous communities in discussions on reconciliation. Read a transcript of this episode here

E22: Fae Johnstone: Mental Health Is about More than Self-care

Between reinforcing stereotypes and stigmatiized ideas, there’s a lot of cultural obstacles when you’re trying to deal with mental health issues. Especially with depression and suicidality. Fae Johnstone is the Executive Director of Wisdom2Action and she spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Youth Mental Health in 2021. Read a transcript of this episode here

E21: Jake Stika: Redefining What It Means to Be a Man

“Man up,” “be a man,” and “don’t be a girl” are phrases that boys often hear while growing up. They send the message that men should always project toughness, stoicism, and independence. Jake Stika believes that we need to teach boys to express vulnerability, ask for help, and show compassion and that doing so will benefit everyone in our society. Stika is the Executive Director of Next Gen Men and he spoke at The Walrus Talks: Boundaries in 2019.
Read a transcript of this episode here

E20: Kate Harris: Satisfying Our Inner Explorer

Humans have an innate desire to explore. It’s what drove our early ancestors to migrate out of Africa and why modern humans dream of one day landing on Mars. But according to Kate Harris, we don’t need to travel to another planet to satisfy our collective need for exploration. We just need to find a deeper sense of belonging to the one we live on. Harris is the author of Lands of Lost Borders and she spoke at The Walrus Talks: Exploration in 2020. Read a transcript of this episode here

E19: David MacDonald: CEO Bonuses are Boundless

The Canadian economy has suffered since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. But not all Canadians have been impacted equally. While many low income workers have lost their jobs or worked fewer hours, Canada’s richest CEOs have made even more money. According to David MacDonald, the source of the inequality is that CEO pay is based on power rather than merit. Macdonald is a senior economist for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and he spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Inequality in 2022. Read a transcript of this episode here

E18: Menaka Thakkar: Dance is a Universal Language

The late Menaka Thakkar was an accomplished dancer and instructor, but in her 2017 talk, she was full of words about the impact of dancing. And it goes so much further than her artistry – into the power of culture and the beauty of seeing yourself in the art on stage. Thakkar spoke at The Walrus Talks We Desire a Better Country in 2017. Read a transcript of this episode here

E17: Claire Trottier: Tax Me, I Am The 1%

Even in the midst of a pandemic, healthcare needs to be covered, roads need to be fixed, which means taxes need to be paid, and ‘tis the season. According to Claire Trottier, there are 59 billionaires currently in Canada and over the course of their pandemic, their wealth increased by 87 billion. And she’s one of them. Trottier is a philanthropist and tax justice advocate and she spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Inequality in 2022. Read a transcript of this episode here

E16: Karina LeBlanc: Becoming your Best Self Off the Field

This will be our second Olympic Games held during the pandemic, and it promises to be a very interesting, and isolating experience for our athletes. As focused as Olympic athletes are this may be an opportunity to widen their gazes – like former Olympian Karina LeBlanc has. LeBlanc is an Olympian, and former professional soccer goalkeeper and current GM of the Portland Thorns FC, and she spoke at The Walrus Talks Destiny in 2016. Read a transcript of this episode here

E15: Joel Bothello: Who Is Most Susceptible to Imposter Syndrome?

Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg, singer David Bowie, Serena Williams, and Tina Fey have all confessed to suffering from imposter syndrome. But organizational theorist Joel Bothello asks: what if feeling like you’re faking it is not an individual problem, but something that has arisen out of the way we structure work and success? Read a transcript of this episode here

E14: Myrna Lashley: Supporting Youth Mental Health with Equity and Compassion

As Canadian children and their parents are once again confronted with the uncertainty of lockdowns and school closures, the mental health of our youngest community members is of concern. How will this affect them in the short-term? In the long-term? And will this contribute to a new intergenerational trauma? These questions become even more fraught when you add the lens of diversity and Black youth to the equation. Dr. Myrna Lashley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University and she spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Youth Mental Health in 2021. Read a transcript of this episode here

E13: Natalie Bull: A Hope and a Prayer for Places of Worship

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 for Canada, and she spoke at The Walrus Talks Spirituality in 2016.Read a transcript of this episode here

E12: Kerri Martin: Gratitude for Nature and Access to its Beauty

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.Read a transcript of this episode here

E11: Devyani Saltzman: Our Culture is at a Tipping Point

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 systemic change for diversity and representation in our culture. Saltzman spoke at CIFAR Presents The Walrus Talks Survival in 2019.

Read a transcript of this episode here

E10: Mark Henick: Surrendering to our Discomfort

Many of us have experienced isolation over the past 18 months, which has taken a toll on our collective mental health. But as author and mental health advocate Mark Henick has learned, these feelings can be an excellent teacher if we’re willing to just … sit with them. Henick spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Mental Health in 2021.

Read a transcript of this episode here

E9: Carly Ziter: The Ecosystems in our Cities

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.

Read a transcript of this episode here

E8: Roberta Jamieson: I Honour you By Giving, You Honour me by Receiving

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.

Read a transcript of this episode here

E7: Steve Shih: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

When it comes to building research facilities for fighting cancer, bigger is not always better.

Read a transcript of this episode here

E6: Damian Rogers: World Alzheimer’s Day

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.

Read a transcript of this episode here

E5: Prerna Singh: Nationalism Is Not Always Bad for Democracy

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.

Transcript: Microsoft Doc file | Adobe PDF file | Let us know if these formats work for you.

E4: Vanessa Tait: Reclaiming Our Place in the Teepee

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. Tait is a Two-Spirit Cree woman from O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba, a Queen Elizabeth Scholar, and has a master’s in Indigenous development from the University of Winnipeg. She spoke at The Walrus Talks: We Desire a Better Country in 2017.

Transcript: Microsoft Doc file | Adobe PDF file | Let us know if these formats work for you.

E3: Sara Abdessamie: International Youth Day

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.

Transcript: Microsoft Doc file | Adobe PDF file | Let us know if these formats work for you.

E2: Philomina Okeke-Ihejirika: We Want to Thrive

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 in May 2021.

Transcript: Microsoft Doc file | Adobe PDF file | Let us know if these formats work for you.

E1: Vinita Srivastava: Resilience Is Not a Policy

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 producer of Don’t call me Resilient – an anti-racist podcast. She spoke at TD Bank Group presents The Walrus Talks at Home: Resilience in May 2021.

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Season Three Trailer

The Conversation Piece is back with new speakers and a new release schedule.

E30: Ann Hui: Shifting the She-Cession

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 author of Chop Suey Nation and she spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Shifting the She-cession.

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E29: Lauren McKeon: The Leadership of Women

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 who spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Living Better in March.

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E28: Wency Leung: The Toxicity of Loneliness

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.

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E27: Anubha Momin: The Immigrant Settler

The idea that immigrants who were colonized become settlers when we move to Canada is an unsettling thought. But, to the Indigenous people of Canada, we participate in a colonial system. In her talk, Anubha Momin speaks about recognizing her southern privilege as an immigrant to Nunavut and the effort to decolonize herself.

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E26: Eternity Martis: Speak Your Truths

Personal storytelling has historically provided a new lens of experiences that challenge oppressive systems and introduced thousands of readers to the hardships of marginalized communities. Author and journalist Eternity Martis believes that these stories inspire future generations to create real change.

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E25: Waub Rice: The Moment I Realized I Could Change the World

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 stereotypes.

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E24: Dianna Hu: Spoon Suckers

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.

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E23: Daryl Haggard: Why Black Holes Have Excellent Manners

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.

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E22: Krista Byers-Heinlein: The Value of Linguistic Diversity

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.

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E21: Anand Giridharadas: Giving, Getting, and Glorification

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 an 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.

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E20: Kim Samuel: One Year of Social Isolation

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 has some ideas. She taught the first-ever university course on social isolation and social connectedness.

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E19: Sally Armstrong: The Power of Inclusivity

With the majority of research conducted by men, it’s no surprise that most research favours men. So much that even the crash test dummy is 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? Sally Armstrong is a journalist, author and human rights activist.

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E18: Graham Greene: Better Living through Kindness

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.

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E17: Irwin Adam: Your Mouth is Transforming the World

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 Futurist and he spoke at The Walrus Talks Disruption in 2017.

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E16: Aimee Louw: What Would Life be like Without Ableism?

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, activist and podcaster Aimee 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.

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E15: Siri Agrell: How to Get Laid Without your Phone

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.

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E14: Terry O’Reilly: Putting the Vice back into Advertising

It feels like branding and marketing goes in cycles of themes, from earnest to snarky to authentic to sarcastic. At the beginning of the pandemic it all felt very earnest: that banding together, we’re all one human race, let’s get through this together. But as often happens, the cycle … cycled, and we started to get the juicy sarcastic stuff again. A few years ago, Terry O’Reilly, gave his Walrus Talk about vice — are we cycling back up to marketing vice again? Is that even possible in isolation? It was time for an update from the master of advertising himself.

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E13: Sandy Hudson: Why Am I Waiting for Somebody Else to Do This?

It’s hard, separated from each other, living under the threat of a pandemic, witnessing unrest and argument, to feel empowered. But the truth is that each of us has power. Over ourselves for sure. Over our situations, often more than we think. If you’re feeling at the low-end in terms of empowerment, Sandy Hudson – organizer, writer, and the founder of Black Lives Matter Toronto – is about to give you the boost you need.

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E12: Deb Saucier: The Glass Steeple Chase of Academia

Most of the discussion when it comes to education these days is whether students should be in classrooms or learning virtually, but who they are learning from is an ongoing issue, one that needs to be fixed at the root level. Or it will continue to effect both learners and teachers post-pandemic. Who is teaching? Who gets to go to University? Who gets tenure? And who is leading academia? Deb Saucier is the President and Vice-Chancellor of Vancouver Island University and she spoke at The Walrus Talks Inclusion in 2019.

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E11: Samra Habib: Owning our Identities

We all decide how we want to show ourselves to the world. But who gets to define who you are? In her talk, Samra Habib wants us to own our identities–even if it means not always being accepted by the greater community we belong to. As a queer Muslim woman, she’s reimagined her community to go beyond geographical borders. And at a time where we’re online more than ever, community connections linking people to distant places in the comfort of their own homes, have become commonplace.

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E10: Carol Off: This Campfire that is Canada

Everybody has their own origin story. Whether that was crossing a sea, or moving around Turtle Island, we each have our own beginning that brought us here. So why we do we make anyone feel like an outsider? In her Talk, Carol Off urges us to take a step back and look at where we came from. In this time when we can’t get on a plane, travel to see loved ones, or start our next adventure, we can stay connected by sharing stories from different times and different places. To identify with a stranger and help make life a little easier. Carol Off is a journalist and host of CBC’s As It Happens.

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E9: Teva Harrison: Appreciating the Small Everyday Successes

In a world obsessed with instant gratification, Teva Harrison reminds us that there is potential in the quiet moments, the ones without goals or deadlines. She urges us to look at nature and appreciate the small successes of each day: the kindness of a stranger, a chance to do a good deed, a laugh shared with a friend—these are all achievements. Harrison compares the realization of our potential to flowers that grow after the snow melts away, our actions determining when we will blossom. Teva Harrison, was an award-winning writer and graphic artist and she spoke at The Walrus Talks Success in 2018. Though we lost her to cancer in 2019, she continues to inspire with her words and her art.

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E8: Andrew Boozary: Housing and the Pathologies of Poverty

Is there a straight line between healthcare and housing in Canada? Andrew Boozary is a primary care physician who has an on the ground perspective on healthcare in Canada as we navigate this pandemic. In his Talk, he has a lot to say about that line, where we fall short and the magnification of these failures when faced with a pandemic. Boozary is also the Executive Director for social medicine and population health at the University Health Network.

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E7: Valérie Plante: Is there Privilege in Pandemic Times?

As the weather outside becomes snowier and the holidays approach, it gets easier to recognize privilege – right in front of our eyes. The warm home, family gatherings (no more than 10), the ability to give gifts. But, what’s not so easy to see are the full shelters, the nursing homes that can’t have visitors, and long lines for the food bank. At a time when we’re all suffering at different levels, do we have capacity to dig deeper for those that are suffering more? Valérie Plante is the mayor of Montreal and she spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home at the Broadbent Institute’s 2020 Progress Gala in November.

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E6: Shari Austin: We Need More Canadians

Canadians represent 0.48% of the global population, and we’re on track to get even smaller on the world’s stage. In her talk, Shari Austin proposes that Canada’s population needs to triple in less than 100 years. If it doesn’t the country could be facing an onslaught of economic problems. So what do we do? Shari Austin is a consultant and former CEO of Century Initiative, she spoke at The Walrus Talks Disruption in 2018.

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E5: Hilary Black and the Fight to Legalize Cannabis

It wasn’t that long ago that cannabis was illegal in Canada. To many detractors, it was seen as a drug that promotes laziness, rather than a legitimate medicine that can reduce suffering. But tens of thousands of Canadians have regained their ability to function because of medical marijuana. People who were once bedridden are now going outside, playing with their kids, and sleeping at night. So called “normal” activities are made possible again through legal use of medical marijuana. Hilary Black is the Chief Advocacy Officer at Canopy Growth.

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E4: Julie S. Lalonde and the (uncomfortable) Canadian Conversation

Canadians sometimes congratulate themselves on being “better” in comparison to other countries… More democratic, less violent, more open to new ideas… but…when topics like racism, violence against women, and sexual abuse get brought up, the room – and the Zoom, goes silent.Julie S. Lalonde is a women’s rights advocate and public educator.

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E3: Cherise Burda and the Cost of Location, Location, Location

Our thinking about where people live and why has been entirely flipped by this pandemic, but it could just as easily flip right back if a vaccine becomes readily available. In 2015, people were rushing to the city, giving up big houses and spacious yards for small condos and convenience. The cost of their time spent commuting to and from the city outweighed the benefits of living in the suburbs. Now, mid-pandemic, people are leaving the city in herds. Remote work has changed the way people live, and ultimately, where they live. What is the true cost of where you live, and what will you give up in order to save time and money? Cherise Burda is the Executive Director of City Building, at Ryerson University.

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E2: Kaite Burkholder Harris and the Context of the Homeless

You can’t talk about homes and housing without talking about homelessness. It’s a problem that has plagued Canada for too long. Short term solutions cannot eradicate a problem so deeply rooted in our society. In her talk, Kaite Burkholder Harris says that the solution is to look at fixing the context, instead of the person. Burkholder Harris is Executive Director of the Alliance to End Homelessness in Ottawa.

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E1: Yann LeCun Artificial Intelligence VS Cats

We train machines for a particular task and they can be very good at this particular task, in fact, better than humans sometimes, but you modify the task just a little bit and they fail. Intelligence, it turns out, is hard to recreate. Yann LeCun is a CIFAR fellow, an AI Engineer and a VP at Facebook.

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Season Two of The Conversation Piece launches this week, and with The Walrus Talks at Home in full swing, we have even more ideas (in less than 10 minutes) to treat your ears to. This season we’ll hear from the longest serving International Olympic Committee member, Dick Pound, CBC’s Carol Off and Vice President and Chief Artificial Intelligence scientist at Facebook, Yann LeCun.

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E29: Atom Egoyan on Assimilation and the Wondrous Gift of Canadian Citizenship

People from all over the world call Canada home, weaving together cultures from across the globe to create the Canadian identity. But, with this blended cultural identity that we are so proud of, what does it mean to understand your own cultural history? Is it time to redefine multiculturalism? Filmmaker Atom Egoyan spoke at The Walrus Talks National Tour: We Desire a Better Country in May of 2017.

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E28: Paige Raibmon on Personal Identity

Learning requires exploration of one’s identity, and according to our next speaker, this is a First People’s principle of learning that applies to all of us. So on this international day of translation, and at this time when we can’t greet each other in person and with physical contact, this is an opportunity to communicate better with each other. To identify each other and ourselves with clarity and humility. This is Paige Raibmon, CIFAR fellow and professor in the Department of History at UBC and she spoke at The Walrus Talks Boundaries in 2019.

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E27: Dr. Deena Hinshaw on the Network of Humanity in the Face of a Virus

We’ve all had to change and adapt in different ways during the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Deena Hinshaw is the Chief Medical Officer of Health for the Province of Alberta and has been the trusted voice for Albertans during the pandemic, calmly delivering daily briefings on the virus. And telling Albertans what measures they should take to prevent the spread of COVID-19. One of the biggest lessons of these past several months has been how a public health crisis can impact the way we live. Dr. Deena Hinshaw was the keynote speaker at our recent Leadership Forum event.

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E26: Brenda Andress: Women Belong in Sports

Sports is a universal language in the world. From Halifax to Hydrabad, Nunavut to Nairobi. And what also seems weirdly universal is the support of men’s teams over women’s. Instead of wallowing in this vast discrepancy, Brenda Andress wants us to see it as a place to grow from. A rallying cry to mobilize in support of women in sports. Brenda Andress is the former commissioner of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, she spoke at The Walrus Talks Women of Distinction.

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E25: Annie Kidder on Creating Resilient Communities Through Education

As many kids head off to school – in whatever form that takes for them in the midst of a pandemic – it’s easy to pass off the issue of education to the actual humans involved – the parents, the kids and the teachers. But according to Annie Kidder, we all need to be thinking about educating the next generation of Canadians. Annie Kidder is the Executive Director of People for Education and she spoke at The Walrus Talks Resilience in 2014.

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E24: Noor Naga and the Muslim Mistress

Writing is a responsibility in many ways, perhaps none more so than when we think about the cultural expectations inherent in writing as a minority – of any kind. As a woman, as LGBTQ, as a person of colour, as a person with a disability. As writers, what is our responsibility to the rest of our culture? And why does it seem so much heavier than that of CIS-male writers? Noor Naga is a writer and a poet and she spoke at The Walrus Talks “The Future of the Arts,” in 2018.

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E23: Corb Lund: Desire Trumps Natural Talent

Natural talent is overrated – at least according to singer-songwriter Corb Lund. He works hard to create it and believes that work – that constant challenge to focus and refine – is what separates the artists from the rest. And that art itself needs to be accessible to everyone, even the people that don’t see country music as art.

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E22: Emma Donoghue: Seven Ways Creativity is Like Sex

We’re all creative creatures, but what can we do when our creativity feels stalled? Join us in this hilarious pillow talk with the muses as Emma Donoghue shares the playful, demanding, sexy, unexpected sides of creativity and the ways we can strengthen our connection to making the things we love. This is Emma Donoghue from The Walrus Talks Creativity in London, Ontario.

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E21: Lauren Voisin on Creating Access to Technology for Young Minds

Lauren Voisin was a scientist, innovator, entrepreneur, and all before she graduated high school. When she was only 8 years old, Lauren founded her own robotics company. By age 13, Lauren was a U.N. speaker. She was a champion of inexpensive access to technology and stable internet for Canadian youth. She believed in introducing kids to subjects like robotics and coding early on. She passed in April, but with the Lauren Foundation, her legacy continues to inspire young women to innovate and create.

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E20: Waneek Horn-Miller the Hope-Maker

It’s hard, as we go into the triple digits of days that some of us have been at home, isolating from friends and society, to maintain hope. When Olympian Waneek Horn-Miller talks about the health issues endured by the Indigenous people of Canada, she emphasises that hope is what gets her through. Her mother taught her that. She was a Hope-maker.

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E19: Bif Naked: a Failing Kidney and a Lifetime of Optimism

Anger is one of those emotions that transcends age, race, and political affiliation. Everyone is angry. Feeling trapped in a global pandemic will do that to you. But we can get so caught up in expressing our anger. To balance that, maybe our optimism has to be outrageous. Almost unreasonable… because the bad things in our lives are more reasonable than we know, teaching us lessons we may not see. Here’s singer-songwriter Bif Naked at The Walrus Talks Quality of Life.

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E18: Ritu Bhasin on Noticing Differences and Asking About Them

The barriers to building inclusion can feel insurmountable. Especially when people are trying to be politically correct by ignoring differences. According to inclusion professional Ritu Bhasin, we need to notice the differences between us and learn about them, rather than deny that they exist.
Ritu Bhasin is a speaker, author, and a Leadership & Inclusion Specialist and she spoke at The Walrus Talks Resilience.

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E17: Mustafa Ahmed and the Invisible Disabilities

Maybe it was easier to avoid heated debates before we were all living under pandemic rules. Or maybe this is just the result of our small bubbles of safety, but when we have different opinions.. getting caught up in Twitter arguments or disagreeing with family members, it’s easy to forget about what the other person is going through. In this talk, Mustafa Ahmed reminds us that human rights begin with human and that just because disabilities like mental health are seemingly invisible, they are still very much disabilities we need to be aware of.

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E16: Zita Cobb on Economics for Belonging

Something that gets brought into stark focus at a time like this is the value of things. The value of being able to hug a friend you haven’t seen in a long time. The value of being able to work from home and stay positive. The value of adapting to this new environment. Zita Cobb, founder & CEO of the Shorefast Foundation, spoke about the inherent value of things versus what they are financially valued at and the importance of belonging.

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E15: Amanda Parris on the Fear of Being Forgotten

Amanda Parris is a playwright and the host of CBC’s, Exhibitionists and Marvin’s Room and she spoke about her fear of being forgotten by a culture that seems to prefer to forget stories like the ones that she tells and amplifies. How does denial affect us in our individual lives, and what can we do to remedy Canada’s Collective Amnesia?

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E14: Eva Greyeyes: Diversity and Inclusion Are Not the Same

We’ve been talking about Inclusion and Diversity as a society for what feels like forever, with limited success in addressing either. But 2020 is shaping up to be a year of action and as Eva Greyeyes will tell you, it’s time to stop looking to the past, and focus on the future – Resurgence rather than Reconciliation. Eva Greyeyes is Nêhiyaw, from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, and was a grade 11 student when she gave this talk.

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E13: Brittany Andrew-Amofah on Stories of Marginalization in a Rapidly Growing City

As Canadians from Halifax to Vancouver protest against police brutality and racial discrimination, many are asking how do we make the necessary leap from calls for justice to a tangible change in policing that saves lives? In 2019, Brittany Andrew-Amofah spoke about the power of local government that is often overlooked — and underestimated. If cities involve marginalized communities in their systems of governance, could we end police brutality in this country forever?

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E12: Desmond Cole on a Future Without Police

Across the country, Canadians are taking to the streets, protesting police violence. And while some are calling for reforms, others are questioning the need for police altogether. Journalist, activist and author Desmond Cole recently tweeted that when he gave this talk in 2017, he was scared to propose a cop-free future in a room that included the Governor-General and members of the armed forces, RCMP, and local police.

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E11: Samantha Reusch on Inviting Young People to the Table of Democracy

It’s impossible to miss the common thread in the images of protest on all our screens these days. People have reached their limit. And despite a global pandemic, they are gathering in protest. Criticism will always follow protest, and much of the criticism is aimed at the so-called youth. Samantha Reusch from Apathy is Boring spoke about including young people in civic discussion and looking around for who is not in the room.

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E10: Rupi Kaur on the Bridge Between Authenticity and Resilience

Resilience can be about coming to terms with the obstacles in front of you. As we minimize touching and practice social isolation, it’s starting to feel like at least part of this experience will have to become part of our forever experience. Rupi Kaur spoke about the power of resilience in her own life.

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E9: Janice Price on How the Arts Are Our Lifeboat

Artists can’t give you a vaccine or tell leaders how to reopen the economy. But they do give you Netflix to binge-watch, music for your daily walks and books to distract you. Janice Price, president of the Banff Centre, talks about why we turn to the arts in times of crisis. 

E8: The Mother of all Episodes

These are some of our Walrus Talks that remind us of the powerful role mothers play and how their love can shape our future. Writer Lisa Moore talks about conversations between mothers and daughters, musician Pierre Kwenders reflects on the power of the matriarchs in his life and with her baby in her arms, artist Lido Pimienta describes the future of the arts.

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E7: Kamran Khan on Infectious Diseases and an Early Warning

Can we innovate through adversity? Dr. Kamran Khan thinks so. He’s the founder of BlueDot, a tech company that works with doctors and AI to predict outbreaks and track the spread of infectious disease. He knows what it takes to adapt to an uncertain future and the kinds of questions we need to consider before we make our next moves.

E6: Margaret Atwood on the Future of Everything, or Lack Thereof

When Margaret Atwood’s dystopic worlds begin to appear in our real lives, we know we’re in trouble. Canada’s oracular writer has written some of the scariest scenarios for our future. But she herself has hope. Something that we need when confronted with a world-wide pandemic with no end in sight.

E5: Vivek Venkatesh on Coming to Terms with Hate

Physical distancing has real-world repercussions, and sometimes that comes out in expressions of fear or hate. Concordia University’s Vivek Venkatesh lost his cousin in the bombing of Air India Flight 182 in 1985 so he understands why people embrace extremism and hateful rhetoric. He also understands what it takes to become accepting and compassionate.

E4: Jennifer McGrath on Where You Live and How That Effects You

How well do you know your neighbours? Probably way better than you did a few months ago. According to Concordia’s Jennifer Mcgrath, your neighbourhood can have a surprising impact on your health. And she should know. She’s an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Director of the Pediatric Public Health Psychology Lab at Concordia University (www.pphplab.org) and holds the PERFORM Centre Chair in Childhood Preventive Health and Data Science.

E3: Christa Couture on the Un-Optimized Life

Everywhere we go, we’re confronted by the language of betterment. Everything in your life needs to be optimized. Your Insta stories, your smoothies and even your days off need to be filled with wellness. But what if feeling better is not an option?

E2: Shelagh Rogers on Being a Better Listener

In a time when we’re confining ourselves to our homes to stop a quick-spreading virus, we need to stay tuned in to what our communities are saying. Shelagh Rogers is a veteran of CBC Radio, who has been at the forefront of Canadian arts, culture and society for decades. But in the Talk you’re about to listen to, she explores one specific example of listening that goes beyond regular conversation.

E1: André Picard: Loneliness is the Greatest Poverty

André Picard has been a health journalist for The Globe and Mail for more than three decades, and has written about SARS, MERS and many other health threats. He’s also talked about a health issue that may be collateral damage as we all self-isolate from COVID-19: the lethality of loneliness.