Native activist and professor Taiaiake Alfred is the author of "Peace, Power, Righteousness: An Indigenous Manifesto". In it, he acknowledges that the Canadian government has tried to redress historic unjustices and to raise the economic well-being of indigenous peoples. However, their offer of help often comes with too many strings attached. Quite often, some band leaders respond to government-offered incentives and end up becoming assimilated into western government culture. Self-government is desirable but it must be a government that is reflective of their own culture by being more consenus-based. It is imperative that the younger generation of indigenous peoples re-connect with their traditions. (Originally aired April 2008)

David Suzuki is co-author of "Tree: A Life Story", (augmented by illustrations from Robert Bateman) which spans the 700-year life cycle of a Douglas fir. How the survival of the tree is interlinked with a myriad of plant and animal life, is a metaphor for humans, whose lives are also part of a diverse ecosystem. Suzuki believes that one of the root causes of environmental problems is that there is often a disconnect between human behaviour and its outcomes. He also mentions the Nature Challenge and gives tips on some effective ways to conserve nature. (Originally aired November 2004)

Astronomer Ray Jayawardhana is author of "Strange New Worlds", which is about our search for new planets and alien life. In the last 15 years, astronomers have discovered hundreds of new planetary systems and if some of these planets have life-sustaining properties, then they may support alien life, even if only at the bacterial level.

Controversial Bishop John Spong has written another book, "Liberating The Gospels", the sub-title of which is "Reading The Bible With Jewish Eyes". In it, he says that because the Gospels were written by Jews in a midrashic style, the stories should not be taken as literal narratives but rather as portraits to capture the impact of Jesus. (Originally aired February 1997)

Joseph Nye is Dean of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and former Assistant Secretary of Defence in the Clinton administration. His new book is called "Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics." He defines "soft power" as being the power to attract others to your value system. He further explains why America lost a lot of soft power after their invasion of Iraq. An example of a country with increased soft power is Norway, because of its role in peace processes. Canada, he believes, has some soft power but not enough hard power. (Originally aired April 2004)

Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough has written "The Great Journey", which covers account the period 1830-1900 in which many American artists and scientists who lived and studied in Paris. Subjects include Samuel Morse, James Fenimore Cooper and Charles Sumner. Sumner witness racial equality whilst at the Sorbonne and became an abolitionist when he returned to the U.S. McCullough also mentions his past biography of President John Adams and states that the calibre of the Founding Fathers was far superior to that of modern day politicians.

Journalist Chrystia Freeland is the author of "Sale of The Century" which covers Russia's journey from communism to capitalism. The transition caused a huge drop in the standard of living for the average Russian but was also responsible for the birth of the super-wealthy oligarchs, who were given control of the country's natural resources in return for their political support.

(Originally aired May 2005)

John Ralston Saul is President of PEN International. He talks about the work of PEN in protecting the rights of writers around the world and of his work in preserving indigenous languages.

First guest is Dr. Samantha Nutt, co-founder of War Child Canada. Her new book is "Damned Nations", in which Dr. Nutt writes about her sixteen years working in war-torn countries. She believes, that unwittingly, Canadians have become consumers of war because of the trade in "blood minerals" and heavy investment in arms companies by Canadian pension funds. Second guest is John Ralston Saul, President of PEN International. He talks about the work of PEN in protecting the rights of writers around the world and of his work in preserving indigenous languages.

Medical Ethicist Dr. Philip Hebert reviews the nature of medical mistakes that occur in doctor's offices, labs and hospitals, and what medical professionals and patients can do to help prevent them. Dr. Philip Hebert is Director of Clinical Ethics at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto. (Originally aired May 2003)