Beyond the Headlines

Today's episode is on social media and internet governance. Misinformation, cyber warfare, cybersecurity are rising threats to the stability and security of our way of life. Meanwhile, internet governance is becoming increasingly fragmented, with different countries pursuing different approaches. Joining us to discuss internet governance and the need for a global response are Aaron Shull and Nanjala Nyabola from the Centre for International Governance and Innovation (CIGI).

COVID-19 has highlighted many of the inequalities present in our society today. This includes systemic racism. While systemic racism is not a new problem, and there have been calls for change over the years, there was a large resurgence in movements associated with tackling systemic racism this past summer. These include the Black Lives Matter and "Defund the Police'' movements, which have occurred across North America and garnered international support. There is evidence that systemic racism occurs in numerous institutions, including but not limited to police forces, prisons, healthcare, and more. Today, we are joined by two volunteers with the Toronto-based organization Rittenhouse: A New Vision. Our discussion will cover topics such as the links between COVID-19 and systemic racism and social movements tackling systemic racism, and will explore alternative methods of justice and how they can pave the way for a more just and equitable future.

“There is one and only one social responsibility of business — to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits.” This quote by famed economist Milton Friedman, as well as his held belief that a business should be accountable only to its shareholders, is increasingly falling out of fashion. Employee and consumer activism about increasingly emergent global issues are causing more and more businesses to adapt and become better corporate citizens. This has also led to the rise of impact investing.

ESG, referring to Environmental, Social, and Governance, represent the three key dimensions in measuring the sustainability and societal impact of a business. Today, we’ll be speaking with three business leaders about ESG, impact investing and whether it is here to stay.

COVID- 19 has significantly altered the delivery of healthcare services in our country. While significant attention has been given to the primary healthcare services, covered under the universal healthcare program, not enough attention has been shown towards those services which are traditionally delivered privately like optometry and dentistry. These healthcare services uniquely intersect the private, public, provincial and federal regimes and raise unique questions. For instance, How has our decentralized federal system affected the delivery of these healthcare services during the pandemic? How have the healthcare workers and patients been affected? Has the pandemic made any permanent changes to the delivery of these services? Join us as we explore these questions.

By any measure, Canada is a wealthy country, but not all of our citizens share this prosperity. In the past decades, and more sharply since the financial crisis of 2008, the fortunes of the best and worst off have diverged; wealth and security are taken for granted by the top percentiles of Canadians, while the bottom half are left with diminished earning power and very little assets to speak of. 

Worse still, experts say that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated these alarming trends, and that as a polity, we are close to our breaking point. So what is to be done? Today we will learn about wealth and income inequality in Canada with our guests, David Macdonald (Senior Economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives) and Dr. Evelyn Forget (Economist, University of Manitoba). We also explore Universal Basic Income as a policy solution to rebalance the scales.

One of the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19 can be seen through the increase in homeless tent encampments across Toronto parks. While there are numerous non-profit organizations and shelters operating to meet the needs of the homeless community, there have been 649 cases of COVID-19 contraction and at least 5 deaths in the homeless population since the pandemic began. The lack of social distancing and increased risk of staying in shelters is one of the greatest motivators behind homeless individuals’ decisions to seek shelter in tents. Today, we will be discussing the socioeconomic determinants of homelessness and explore current initiatives being taken by Toronto to address homelessness in the context of the pandemic.

COVID-19 has exposed cracks in our socioeconomic system and brought attention to multiple issues, especially climate change. We know that significant efforts need to be made for the world to reach its climate targets. But how can we finance these solutions and what role can the financial sector play? Today we’ll hear from three impact investing and sustainable finance experts to learn more about how investing can support the recovery and help tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.

On May 13 2020, António Guterres Security General of the United Nations, declared that governments, civil society, health authorities “...urgently address the mental health dimension of this pandemic.” Since the beginning of the pandemic, societies across the globe have seen a decline in mental health levels and major disruptions to critical mental health services. In today’s episode, we discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues, what can be learned from this, and ways forward for mental health and wellbeing policy post-COVID-19 Canada.

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Canada’s employment rate had dropped over 15% compared to the previous year. Canadians from all walks of life are hurting, and data suggests that COVID-19 has put a strain on not only the response to climate change, but the prospect of a more equitable economic future. So what is to be done? Today we sit down with leading thinkers James Meadowcroft and Brendan Haley to understand the complex economic transformations taking place in our society, and pathways which can lead to a resilient future for all Canadians. Avenues for retrenchment and backsliding are also considered. We dive into recent green stimulus announcements from the Canada Infrastructure Bank and analyze efforts to make retrofits and construction of energy efficient buildings central to Canada’s economic recovery.

This year, the Y7 2020 Canadian delegation, along with fellow delegates across the G7 and the EU took part in the first online Y7 summit due to the unprecedented effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 Y7 summit focused on four major themes: Peace and Security, Education & Jobs, Global Connectivity & Trade, and last but not least, Energy.