Canada is having a complicated moment. The country is experiencing increasingly destructive wildfires, extreme heat, floods and drought, while at same time pushing ahead with plans for more oil pipelines and LNG development.So what do we do with that contradiction?On this episode of Change My Mind, Lynda Steele sits down with award winning author and journalist John Vaillant, whose book Fire Weather takes readers inside the devastating 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire. John is well known for his work exploring what happens when a changing climate collides with an economy built around fossil fuels.This isn't a conversation focused on whether pipelines are good or bad. It's about something much harder to untangle.Canada depends heavily on its natural resources. Oil and gas generate jobs, exports and government revenue. Also, global demand for fossil fuels does not appear to be dwindling anytime soon.  At the same time, the climate is changing and the costs are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.That’s where Lynda and John dig in.  Together, they explore what happens when those two realities collide. Can Canada continue to benefit from its fossil fuel economy while seriously addressing the climate crisis? Can we expand production and still make meaningful progress toward lower emissions? Can resource wealth help pay for the transition, or does continued expansion make that transition harder?There are no easy answers. There are competing interests, real economic consequences and increasingly visible environmental ones. This is a conversation about the choices Canada is making now and what those choices could mean for the country today, tomorrow and into the future.No debate. No winning. Just talking it through.Enjoyed this episode? Please like, rate, and review on your favorite platform to help others find the show!

Canada is having a complicated moment. The country is experiencing increasingly destructive wildfires, extreme heat, floods and drought, while at same time pushing ahead with plans for more oil pipelines and LNG development. So what do we do with that contradiction? On this episode of Change My Mind, Lynda Steele sits down with award winning author and journalist John Vaillant, whose book Fire Weather takes readers inside the devastating 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire. John is well known for his work exploring what happens when a changing climate collides with an economy built around fossil fuels. This isn't a conversation focused on whether pipelines are good or bad. It's about something much harder to untangle. Canada depends heavily on its natural resources. Oil and gas generate jobs, exports and government revenue. Also, global demand for fossil fuels does not appear to be dwindling anytime soon. At the same time, the climate is changing and the costs are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. That’s where Lynda and John dig in. Together, they explore what happens when those two realities collide. Can Canada continue to benefit from its fossil fuel economy while seriously addressing the climate crisis? Can we expand production and still make meaningful progress toward lower emissions? Can resource wealth help pay for the transition, or does continued expansion make that transition harder? There are no easy answers. There are competing interests, real economic consequences and increasingly visible environmental ones. This is a conversation about the choices Canada is making now and what those choices could mean for the country today, tomorrow and into the future. No debate. No winning. Just talking it through. Enjoyed this episode? Please like, rate, and review on your favorite platform to help others find the show!

Canada is having a complicated moment. The country is experiencing increasingly destructive wildfires, extreme heat, floods and drought, while at same time pushing ahead with plans for more oil pipelines and LNG development.So what do we do with that contradiction?On this episode of Change My Mind, Lynda Steele sits down with award winning author and journalist John Vaillant, whose book Fire Weather takes readers inside the devastating 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire. John is well known for his work exploring what happens when a changing climate collides with an economy built around fossil fuels.This isn't a conversation focused on whether pipelines are good or bad. It's about something much harder to untangle.Canada depends heavily on its natural resources. Oil and gas generate jobs, exports and government revenue. Also, global demand for fossil fuels does not appear to be dwindling anytime soon.&nbsp; At the same time, the climate is changing and the costs are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.That’s where Lynda and John dig in.&nbsp; Together, they explore what happens when those two realities collide. Can Canada continue to benefit from its fossil fuel economy while seriously addressing the climate crisis? Can we expand production and still make meaningful progress toward lower emissions? Can resource wealth help pay for the transition, or does continued expansion make that transition harder?There are no easy answers. There are competing interests, real economic consequences and increasingly visible environmental ones. This is a conversation about the choices Canada is making now and what those choices could mean for the country today, tomorrow and into the future.No debate. No winning. Just talking it through.Enjoyed this episode? Please like, rate, and review on your favorite platform to help others find the show!

The Fire, the Fuel and Canada’s Future

Disagreement is part of everyday life. We disagree about politics, public health, immigration, climate change, foreign affairs and increasingly, just about everything else. Even family dinners and workplace conversations can become battlegrounds.The problem isn't disagreement itself. In fact, democracies depend on it. The problem is what happens when disagreement hardens into polarization. When the person on the other side stops being someone we disagree with and starts becoming someone we fear, dismiss or even hate.On this episode of Change My Mind, Lynda Steele sits down with conflict resolution and engagement expert Dr. Aftab Erfan to explore why we are so quick to see the world as “us versus them” and what we can actually do about it.Together, they discuss moments many of us recognize, such as when a family member’s comments cross a line or small frustrations build quietly with a friend until emotions explode. The conversation also explores the role of social media, fear-based messaging, misinformation, as well as who benefits when people remain divided.Dr. Erfan, who is the Executive Director of SFU Centre for Dialogue, also offers practical tools for navigating disagreement in our everyday lives. Whether you're dealing with family conflict, workplace tension or someone whose views seem completely opposite to your own, she has insights to share. At the heart of the conversation is this simple idea: you don't have to change someone's mind to have a meaningful conversation, but you might just understand them a little better.No debate. No winning. Just talking it through.Enjoyed this episode? Please like, rate, and review on your favorite platform to help others find the show!

Disagreement is part of everyday life. We disagree about politics, public health, immigration, climate change, foreign affairs and increasingly, just about everything else. Even family dinners and workplace conversations can become battlegrounds. The problem isn't disagreement itself. In fact, democracies depend on it. The problem is what happens when disagreement hardens into polarization. When the person on the other side stops being someone we disagree with and starts becoming someone we fear, dismiss or even hate. On this episode of Change My Mind, Lynda Steele sits down with conflict resolution and engagement expert Dr. Aftab Erfan to explore why we are so quick to see the world as “us versus them” and what we can actually do about it. Together, they discuss moments many of us recognize, such as when a family member’s comments cross a line or small frustrations build quietly with a friend until emotions explode. The conversation also explores the role of social media, fear-based messaging, misinformation, as well as who benefits when people remain divided. Dr. Erfan, who is the Executive Director of SFU Centre for Dialogue, also offers practical tools for navigating disagreement in our everyday lives. Whether you're dealing with family conflict, workplace tension or someone whose views seem completely opposite to your own, she has insights to share. At the heart of the conversation is this simple idea: you don't have to change someone's mind to have a meaningful conversation, but you might just understand them a little better. No debate. No winning. Just talking it through. Enjoyed this episode? Please like, rate, and review on your favorite platform to help others find the show!

Polarization, Difficult Conversations and Finding a Better Way to Talk

This episode of Change My Mind with Lynda Steele explores one of the most current and complex questions in Canadian healthcare: should Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) be available when a psychiatric disorder is the sole underlying condition?Rather than debating whether MAID and mental illness belong together, this conversation with Claire Brosseau — a writer, actor and advocate living in palliative psychiatric care — focuses on what it means to hold both autonomy and caution, as well as the lived reality of psychiatric suffering.Grounded in honesty, and shaped by Claire's willingness to speak openly, the conversation also explores questions around courage, caution and whether the two can coexist. Not as a debate, but as a dialogue. No winners. No noise. Just talking it through. CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), self-harm and suicidal ideation. The views expressed are those of the guest and this content is not medical, legal or mental health advice. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please seek support from local emergency services or a qualified medical professional.

This episode of Change My Mind with Lynda Steele explores one of the most current and complex questions in Canadian healthcare: should Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) be available when a psychiatric disorder is the sole underlying condition? Rather than debating whether MAID and mental illness belong together, this conversation with Claire Brosseau — a writer, actor and advocate living in palliative psychiatric care — focuses on what it means to hold both autonomy and caution, as well as the lived reality of psychiatric suffering. Grounded in honesty, and shaped by Claire's willingness to speak openly, the conversation also explores questions around courage, caution and whether the two can coexist. Not as a debate, but as a dialogue. No winners. No noise. Just talking it through. CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), self-harm and suicidal ideation. The views expressed are those of the guest and this content is not medical, legal or mental health advice. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please seek support from local emergency services or a qualified medical professional.

This episode of Change My Mind with Lynda Steele explores one of the most current and complex questions in Canadian healthcare: should Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) be available when a psychiatric disorder is the sole underlying condition?Rather than debating whether MAID and mental illness belong together, this conversation with Claire Brosseau — a writer, actor and advocate living in palliative psychiatric care — focuses on what it means to hold both autonomy and caution, as well as the lived reality of psychiatric suffering.Grounded in honesty, and shaped by Claire's willingness to speak openly, the conversation also explores questions around courage, caution and whether the two can coexist. Not as a debate, but as a dialogue. No winners. No noise. Just talking it through. CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), self-harm and suicidal ideation. The views expressed are those of the guest and this content is not medical, legal or mental health advice. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please seek support from local emergency services or a qualified medical professional.

MAID and Mental Illness: Can Courage and Caution Coexist?

<blockquote> It’s called Change My Mind — but not in the way you think. In this first episode, Lynda Steele introduces the podcast and the kind of conversations she is trying to create — thoughtful, curious and grounded in listening. Along with her producer, she explores what’s driving division and why it matters to talk things through instead of diving into polarizing noise. They share stories about how we've lost the art of respectful conversation and reveal the key to reviving it—curiosity. No debate. No pressure to win. Just conversation.  </blockquote>

It’s called Change My Mind — but not in the way you think. In this first episode, Lynda Steele introduces the podcast and the kind of conversations she is trying to create — thoughtful, curious and grounded in listening. Along with her producer, she explores what’s driving division and why it matters to talk things through instead of diving into polarizing noise. They share stories about how we've lost the art of respectful conversation and reveal the key to reviving it—curiosity.No debate. No pressure to win. Just conversation.

It’s called Change My Mind — but not in the way you think. In this first episode, Lynda Steele introduces the podcast and the kind of conversations she is trying to create — thoughtful, curious and grounded in listening. Along with her producer, she explores what’s driving division and why it matters to talk things through instead of diving into polarizing noise. They share stories about how we've lost the art of respectful conversation and reveal the key to reviving it—curiosity. No debate. No pressure to win. Just conversation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Change My Mind Introduction

<blockquote>We live in a time when everyone has an opinion — but few are willing to rethink it. Change My Mind with Lynda Steele is a podcast for people who still believe in curiosity over certainty. The title might sound combative. The show isn’t. Each episode, veteran broadcaster, Lynda Steele, starts with a position on a hot topic or complex issue. Then she sits down with an expert to explore it — not to debate, but to listen and learn. No one is trying to win. No one is being asked to change their mind. Instead, listeners are invited into a real conversation, rooted in curiosity and a genuine attempt to understand. This isn’t about telling you what to think. It’s about staying open, especially when it’s hard. After each discussion, Lynda reflects on what shifted for her — what challenged her, what held and what she’s still thinking about. If you’re tired of the noise, the polarized takes and looking for something more thoughtful, come along for the journey.</blockquote>

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We live in a time when everyone has an opinion — but few are willing to rethink it. Change My Mind with Lynda Steele is a podcast for people who still believe in curiosity over certainty.The title might sound combative. The show isn’t. Each episode, veteran broadcaster, Lynda Steele, starts with a position on a hot topic or complex issue. Then she sits down with an expert to explore it — not to debate, but to listen and learn.No one is trying to win. No one is being asked to change their mind. Instead, listeners are invited into a real conversation, rooted in curiosity and a genuine attempt to understand. This isn’t about telling you what to think. It’s about staying open, especially when it’s hard.After each discussion, Lynda reflects on what shifted for her — what challenged her, what held and what she’s still thinking about.If you’re tired of the noise, the polarized takes and looking for something more thoughtful, come along for the journey.

We live in a time when everyone has an opinion — but few are willing to rethink it. Change My Mind with Lynda Steele is a podcast for people who still believe in curiosity over certainty. The title might sound combative. The show isn’t. Each episode, veteran broadcaster, Lynda Steele, starts with a position on a hot topic or complex issue. Then she sits down with an expert to explore it — not to debate, but to listen and learn. No one is trying to win. No one is being asked to change their mind. Instead, listeners are invited into a real conversation, rooted in curiosity and a genuine attempt to understand. This isn’t about telling you what to think. It’s about staying open, especially when it’s hard. After each discussion, Lynda reflects on what shifted for her — what challenged her, what held and what she’s still thinking about. If you’re tired of the noise, the polarized takes and looking for something more thoughtful, come along for the journey.

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