Bright Future

As peaceful protesters around the world have taken up the chant of Black Lives Matter, the push to address systemic racism in Canada has opened the eyes of many to some of the hurdles Black people in this country face. The conversations we’re having today are the same ones Black activists were having in the 1970s. The information, the stories, the solutions are all there. Waiting for people to listen.  

Our guest this episode wants you to listen. And she wants you to understand and think about your own bias. Dr. Hadiya Roderique, writer, lawyer, and diversity advocate, wants to support actions over symbolism. She’s dedicated herself to creating more inclusive and diverse organizations. She talks to us about how recruiting strategies are only a good start, what people can do to better understand race, and how organizations can become more inclusive. 

Connect with Hadiya on Twitter and LinkedIn, or at www.hadiyaroderique.com. 

Hadiya’s articles referenced in this article: 

“Black on Bay Street,” The Globe and Mail 

“The Case for Black Joy,” Flare 

Christine Dobby, “Why Are There Still So Few Lawyers on Bay Street,” The Globe and Mail 

Books referenced in this episode: 

So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo 

The Skin We’re In, Desmond Cole 

How To Be an Antiracist, Dr. Ibam X. Kendi 

Me and White Supremacy, Layla F. Saad 

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As we enter the recovery, many people are wondering if they can get back in the air. Airlines are investing in new equipment and developing protocols to try to provide a safe environment. But the global nature of the industry means airlines—and their passengers—all need to do their part to keep everyone safe. When you get into the details, things can get incredibly complicated.  

Duncan Bureau, senior vice-president of sales and distribution at Etihad Airways, talks about what the airlines industry is doing to make flying safe and why he’s sure the industry will bounce back. 

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As the pandemic spread around the world, normal life shut down to shelter people. In its wake, millions were left unemployed. As regions start to relax their restrictions, many people are returning to their jobs or have found new ones. But many are still looking. 

This episode’s guest has published articles and books on career development and has been involved in a number of award-winning career development projects. Norman Amundson, UBC professor emeritus, advocates for hope during this emotional roller coaster. He joins us to talk about the importance of finding purpose, of being ready to take advantage of opportunities when they come, and how career advisors can evolve to help in the changing job market.  

He also shares his tips for those dealing with a layoff. 

Find Norman on Twitter, LinkedIn, and at doubleknot.works.  

To access Hope Central resources https://www.kuder.com/solutions/kuder-career-planning-system/hope-central/ 

To read Norman’s new book, click here: https://titles.cognella.com/career-recovery-9781793518927 

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We need a vaccine for COVID-19. There have been many advancements in helping people recover, but the surest way to get back to a place where we can shake hands with strangers again is a vaccine.  

And the race is on. Labs around the world have been working hard to understand this virus, develop a vaccine, and get it through the various stages of testing to be sure it is safe. 

Our guest this episode is Dr. Volker Gerdts, Director and CEO of VIDO-InterVac. He and his team are on the front line of vaccine development. They’re not only working on a vaccine for this pandemic, but also trying to predict the next one. 

We talk about the challenges in developing a vaccine, Canada’s place in solving a global problem, and how VIDO-InterVac is positioning itself to be Canada’s pandemic centre. 

Find the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac) on Twitter, LinkedIn, and vido.org. 

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Are our cities a reflection of the people who live in them? Are they built for people? As our economy starts to recover, will our cities? Or are these sprawling urban jungles built for a different time, retrofitted as our needs have changed? 

Is now a good time to rethink the city? 

Our guest this episode, Jennifer Keesmaat, is passionate about creating places where people flourish. She was Toronto’s chief planner for five years and has been named one of the “most powerful people in Canada” by MacLean’s and one of the “most influential” by Toronto Life. Currently, she’s the CEO of The Keesmaat Group, senior-level urbanists working to find solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time. 

She joins us to talk about how our cities will emerge from the pandemic, and how the changes we’re seeing can be important lessons in how we navigate our communities. We talk population density, resiliency, planning, and sudden changes we’ve had to make. What changes should we keep? We also talk about how the pandemic has exposed the weaknesses in our cities, especially for racialized and vulnerable communities.

Read the 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities
Recent articles by Jennifer in
Foreign Affairs: “The Pandemic Does Not Spell the End for Cities”
Macleans: “Should our lives be centred around our neighbourhoods post-coronavirus?”
Mentioned in this episode: A Call to Courage, by Jay Pitter
Listen to Jennifer Keesmaat's podcast series: https://www.thekeesmaatgroup.com/jennifer-keesmaat

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Millions have been relying on the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) these past few months. This has been an extraordinary response to an extraordinary time. But people concerned about fighting poverty are looking to draw lessons from the pandemic for the future. Discussion is growing around the creation of a universal basic income for Canadians. 

This episode, the Honourable Hugh Segal, Canadian political strategist, author, commentator, academic, and former senator, joins us to talk about a guaranteed basic income for Canadians. Hugh has touted guaranteed basic income as a way to break families out of poverty for decades.  

We talk about experiments with basic income from the past and the lessons he hopes we learn from programs created during the pandemic. Can governments seize this opportunity for leadership and create a new approach to helping the poor in Canada?   

Our economists were recently asked about universal basic income: Ask an economist. 

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Immigration is vital to Canada’s economic growth and competitiveness. The people we welcome fill the gaps in our labour market, bring valuable skills and experience, and have connections around the world. But they can face an uphill battle to have their credentials or experience recognized in Canada. 

This episode, Shamira Madhany, Managing Director, Deputy Executive Director, World Education Services, talks to us about immigration during the pandemic, where new Canadians are working and where they want to be working, the role of immigrants in rebuilding our economy, and provides a path forward to recognizing skills the experiences of new Canadians. 

Learn more: 

Find out more about World Education Services: Twitter, @WESCanada; Facebook, facebook.com/worldeducationservices; and LinkedIn, linkedin.com/company/worldeducationservices.  

Are Intentions to Immigrate to Canada Changing in the Face of COVID-19?

#ImmigrantsWork: Building Immigrant Inclusion into Business Recovery Plans  

Who is Succeeding the Canadian Labour Market: Predictors of Career Success for Skilled Immigrants  

Beyond Academic Credentials—Toward Competency-Informed Hiring  

COVID-19 Derails Canadian Immigration, RBC Economics  

Implicit Association Test  

You can find all of our research here: Immigration - Signal49 Research

The territories face special challenges when it comes to dealing with an outbreak. Many communities are remote or isolated, and emergency health care is often far away.  

On this episode of Bright Future, The Honourable Ranj Pillai, Deputy Premier of Yukon, shares his personal experience with COVID-19 and how it helped shape the territory’s response. He talks about the territory’s labour shortage before and during the pandemic, tourism, the economic outlook for the region, and Northern entrepreneurship.  

Find Minister Pillai on Twitter, @RanjPillai1, and Facebook, facebook.com/ranjpillailiberal. 

Learn about Yukon’s COVID relief efforts here: 

• A path forward: Yukon’s plan for lifting restrictions 
• Yukon Business Relief Program 
• Paid sick leave rebate 
• Essential workers income support program 

Find research on Northern and Indigenous communities at https://www.signal49.ca/focus-areas/indigenous-northern-communities/

Read our commentary on Indigenous communities responding to COVID-19 here. 

Listen to our other podcasts at https://www.signal49.ca/podcasts/bright-future/ 

You can find all of our research here: https://www.signal49.ca/  

Health columnist André Picard joins us to talk about what we can expect as we move to the next phase of the COVID-19 crisis: the slow reopening. What lessons have we learned so far? And will we remember them? How will we bring social distancing to the workplace? And what are the “bright spots” in this—the changes that are happening that have been a long time coming.

Learn more about André Picard at www.andrepicard.com.

Find Signal49 research on health at https://www.signal49.ca/focus-areas/health/

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You can find all of our research here: conferenceboard.ca

Stéphane Hamel is a leader in the digital marketing, analytics, and privacy world. He has been working in it and speaking about it for over 20 years. In this episode, he talks to us about privacy, consent, trust, and what it will take for Canada to get ahead of COVID-19. 

Learn more about Stéphane at his website: stephanehamel.net. 

Find Signal49 research on innovation, technology and AI here: Innovation & Technology - Signal49 Research 

Listen to our other podcasts at Bright Future - Signal49 Research. 

You can find all of our research here: Signal49 Research