Canadian Podcast with ZAK

Alberta's environment and energy future is the focus of this conversation with Rebecca Schulz, Alberta's Minister of Environment and Protected Areas and MLA for Calgary-Shaw.

What does practical environmental policy look like for Alberta's economy? How can the province balance protecting natural landscapes with innovation and growth?

Expect to learn: Minister Schulz's path from Municipal Affairs and Children's Services to leading Environment and Protected Areas, her take on tackling affordability for Alberta families, and the common-sense policies she says will drive the province's economy.

Schulz, re-elected in 2023 after first winning Calgary-Shaw in 2019, brings a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University and a background in communications. As a wife and mother of two, she speaks directly to the challenges Albertan families face and shares her vision for Alberta's future.

Philanthropy and community impact are the focus of this conversation with Monique Barrie, a former dentist turned entrepreneur and philanthropist.

What does it take to give back in a way that genuinely strengthens a community? How do delegation, mentorship and surrounding yourself with the right people fuel both business and personal growth?

Expect to learn: how Barrie built her path from dentistry to entrepreneurship, why she treats community engagement and philanthropy as central to a fulfilling life, and her lessons on leadership, delegation and trust.

Barrie also speaks about the Alberta film industry, arts and culture, and how childhood experiences and positive mentorship shaped her values — plus an honest word on mental health and seeking help when needed.

Follow Monique on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mbarriem
More from the show: https://www.canadianpodcast.ca

Eye care and mentorship are the focus of this conversation with Dr. Diana Monea, an optometrist with a 40-year practice and clinics in Calgary and Regina.

How did a farm upbringing in Saskatchewan shape a career at the forefront of optometry technology? What does it take to build a practice that now serves five generations of families?

Expect to learn: Dr. Monea's path from the University of Waterloo (Doctor of Optometry, 1978) to leading the way in digital imaging and diagnostics, why patient care comes first in her progressive clinics, and how she gives back through charitable work.

She spearheaded the Eye See, Eye Learn project, which offers a free pair of glasses to every kindergarten-age child in Alberta who needs them, and supports Anna's Vision, donating eye exams and glasses to adolescents through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Calgary. Known for house calls and personal emails to patients, Dr. Monea shares what resilience and mentorship have meant across four decades in practice.

More from the show: https://www.canadianpodcast.ca

Animal welfare is the focus of this conversation with Tiffany Beaton, Communications Coordinator of the Cochrane Humane Society.

What happens to an animal shelter when a cold snap hits Alberta? How can you help when over 60 puppies and many other animals need refuge at once?

Expect to learn: how the Cochrane Humane Society is handling an unprecedented capacity crisis, what it takes to care for dozens of abandoned puppies through extreme cold, and how adopting or fostering changes outcomes for these animals.

Beaton describes her team's dedication under overwhelming circumstances and the everyday choices that give these animals a better future. If you can adopt or foster, your support makes a real difference.

Learn more or help: https://www.cochranehumane.ca/
More from the show: https://www.canadianpodcast.ca

Men's mental health and addiction recovery are the focus of this conversation with Willis Janvier, the first Dene podcaster and a linguistic artist from La Loche.

How does someone move from addiction to becoming a voice of hope for their community? What role can language and culture play in healing?

Expect to learn: Janvier's personal journey through addiction and his fight to overcome drugs and alcohol, how he is pioneering the use of the Dene Yati language in modern media, and why his story resonates as a force for men's mental health in La Loche Reserve and beyond.

Janvier speaks openly about the challenges he faced, the help that made sobriety possible, and how preserving Dene cultural heritage inspires others facing similar battles.

Learn more: https://episodes.canadianpodcast.ca
More from the show: https://www.canadianpodcast.ca

Peer support for first responders is the focus of this conversation with Mo Shaukat, a serving law enforcement officer and military reservist who leads Boots On The Ground Alberta.

What helps a first responder open up after a crisis? Why does talking to someone who has lived it matter more than advice from the sidelines?

Expect to learn: how Shaukat built the Alberta division of Boots On The Ground from the ground up, how his handpicked team of serving officers and civilians provides peer support across the province, and why lived experience sits at the heart of the approach.

Shaukat is passionate about giving first responders across Alberta an avenue to talk with somebody who truly understands, through experience rather than education alone.

Learn more: https://botgalberta.com/about/
More from the show: https://www.canadianpodcast.ca

Mental health and policing are the focus of this conversation with Jason Sobkowicz, who served 19 years with the Ontario Provincial Police.

What does recovery look like after years of frontline policing? How do farming, martial arts and honest conversation help heal mental injuries from the job?

Expect to learn: how Sobkowicz navigated the mental injuries of police work, why hobby farming and homesteading became part of his recovery, and how martial arts, fitness and the outdoors support his well-being.

A devoted husband of eight years and father of three, Sobkowicz also hosts 'The Raven Chronicles with Muninn and Huginn' (co-hosted with John), a podcast that grew from his first project #Talkingtohorses — through which he aims to help others facing mental health trauma.

Follow Jason on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Jason.Sobkowicz/
More from the show: https://www.canadianpodcast.ca

The underdog spirit is the theme of this 200th-episode milestone reflection from ZAK, founder and host of the Canadian Podcast.

What can a Depression-era racehorse teach us about resilience? Why do the quietest Canadian stories often carry the most grit?

Expect to learn: how Seabiscuit's improbable rise — with Canadian-born jockey Red Pollard, including the 1938 Pimlico Special win over War Admiral — parallels Canadian resilience, and why veterans, military personnel, first responders and entrepreneurs deserve the same celebration.

ZAK also reflects on the past year's challenges, drawing on Canadian icons like Leonard Cohen and Donovan Bailey: it is never too late to achieve dreams, and true success comes from perseverance and grit.

Thank you to the guests and listeners who made 200 episodes possible.

More from the show: https://www.canadianpodcast.ca

Rural mental health is the focus of this conversation with Erica Leniczek, MA Counselling Psychologist.

What makes mental health care harder to reach outside the city? How do isolation, stigma and limited services shape well-being in rural Alberta and Canada?

Expect to learn: the unique challenges rural communities face — geographical isolation, limited access to professionals, and stigma — plus the initiatives, policies and resources working to close the gap between urban and rural care.

Leniczek draws on her professional experience to share effective strategies, the support systems in place, and what the future could look like for rural, northern and Indigenous communities.

More from the show: https://www.canadianpodcast.ca

Personal growth and inner strength are the focus of this conversation with Susannah Pierce, President of Shell Canada Limited.

What does it take to face your fears and uncover your true identity? How does understanding your 'why' change the decisions you make?

Expect to learn: how Pierce harnessed inner strength to grow through grace and inner peace, why vulnerability and self-reflection lead to personal growth, and what her journey offers anyone navigating life with courage and purpose.

Pierce shares personal experiences and insights on making impactful decisions — in her career and her life — and the resilience and determination behind overcoming challenges.

Episodes: https://episode.canadianpodcast.ca
More from the show: https://www.canadianpodcast.ca