Tonight on The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is first joined by Neil Seeman, entrepreneur, researcher, columnist, and one of Canada’s clearest thinkers on innovation and the economy. Neil argues that Canada doesn’t have a creativity problem, but a commercialization problem. Together they explore why Canadian ideas struggle to scale, why young talent is leaving, how global capital is shifting, and what Canada must do to compete in an AI- and clean-tech-driven world. Neil breaks down the psychology of innovation, the power of honest collaboration, and what it will take to turn Canadian invention into Canadian prosperity.

Brian is then joined by STEEP Daniels (Jesus Guggenheim) painter, filmmaker, cultural catalyst, and 2025 Resident Artist for the Ekran Polish Film Festival. STEEP shares how a spontaneous artistic tribute to Prince launched his connection to the festival, leading to a decade-spanning exhibition and the creation of this year’s festival trailer. They explore how his paintings become cultural movements, how Polish storytelling shapes his work, and why giving back, particularly to SickKids, is woven into everything he creates. The result is a rich, heartfelt conversation about art, identity, and using creativity as a force for community and change.