Planetary Conversations

In this episode Warren's guest is Kelly Matheson, a lawyer with US organization Our Children's Trust. They work to ensure that courts around the world use the best available science in making decisions about the future of humanity. Kelly is on the team bringing the LaRose vs His Majesty the King case to court in Vancouver, along with Canadian Lawyers and a group of 15 young Canadian Plaintiffs who are seeking to hold the Canadian Government accountable for the harms caused by NOT addressing climate change in our country. Warren and Kelly will talk about the case, and about Kelly's path to becoming a scientist, lawyer and documentary filmmaker.

In this episode hear Warren's interview with Antony Hodgson, President of Fair Voting BC. This very timely interview delves into Tony's background as a biomedical engineer, and his interest in seeing British Columbia adopt a new method for electing candidates to public office. Tony asserts that the "First Past The Post" system creates division in the province, whereas other methods used around the world, such as ranked ballot or single transferable vote, create a more equitable and productive government, representing citizen's interests more accurately. Learn about Fair Voting BC on Planetary Conversations.

On this show Warren's guest is author, podcaster and activist Veronika Perkova. Veronika is a resident of the Czech Republic and is active in environmental issues and in promoting women's rights and their role in building a just society. She has conducted over 200 podcast interviews with professionals from all over the world, and brings a broad perspective to the fight for planetary health, the health of our communities and the role of feminism is bringing about change. Direct from Brno, listen in to hear about life in the Czech Republic and how Veronika Perkova is inspiring change.

On this show Warren is in conversations with geneticist, musician and resident of Edmonton, Alberta, Sabina Quereshi. Warren and Sabina will talk about her unusually diverse upbringing, music education, genetics and the work of Share International. Share International states that "without sharing there is no justice, without justice there is no peace, without peace there is no future." Find out about Maetreya, the World Teacher and the ideas that move Sabina's philosophy and life.

Nancy Whittier is an American sociologist and a professor at Smith College, in Northampton, Massachusetts. Her research and publications focus on activism against child abuse, sexual violence, and violence against women; and on social movements, social change, and feminism. Nancy and Warren discuss the current state of attitudes and progress around feminism and sexual violence towards children and women.

In this episode Warren's guest is Dr. Trevor Hancock, a retired family physician and now health promotion consultant. Trevor was formerly a Professor and Senior Scholar at the School of Public Health and Social Policy at the University of Victoria. He writes regularly on population and public health for the Times Colonist in Victoria. Warren and Trevor will talk about population health promotion, healthy cities and communities, public health policy, and environmental health.

In this show Warren's guest is Julia Beatty, Chair of the Shuswap Climate Action Society. Julia is a retired Professional Biologist and founder of the SCAS. As Chair she leads programs to help members, subscribers and followers to be more aware of the impacts and solutions to the climate crisis, especially in and around the Shuswap. Warren and Julia will talk about the Society, Julia's experiences as a biologist and the "triple planetary crisis" - the three interlinked, core threats to humanity and Earth's ecosystems: climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

In this show Warren's guest is Sheryl Nestel (PhD), a founding member of Independent Jewish Voices (IJV). She is the author of numerous refereed journal articles, book chapters and reports on race and racism in the health professions and the author of Obstructed Labour: Race and Gender in the Re-emergence of Midwifery (UBC Press, 2007). She recently completed a ground- breaking research project, Unveiling the Chilly Climate: The Suppression of Speech on Palestine in Canada written with Rowan Gaudet, which surveys the impact of harassment, intimidation and the suppression of speech on Palestine on faculty, students and activists in Canada. She serves on the steering committees of the Jewish Faculty Network and the International Jewish Collective for Justice in Palestine.

This week Warren’s guest is Alicia Ely Yamin (JD MPH PhD) who is a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School. Known globally for her trans-disciplinary work in relation to economic and social rights, reproductive justice, the right to health, and the intersections between development paradigms and human rights, Alicia Ely Yamin’s career has bridged academia and activism. She has lived in Latin America and East Africa for much of her professional life and worked with local advocacy organizations, including co-founding a program on health and human rights in the Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos (Lima, Peru; 1999). Dr. Yamin is a Senior Adviser on Human Rights and Health Policy at the global health justice organization, Partners In Health, and is the Director of the Global Health and Rights Project at Harvard Law School. Alicia and Warren will talk about her life journey, international work, and research into maternal health programs and human rights standards and principles among national governments and international institutions.

Listeners can learn more by going to DefendPublicHealth.org.

This week Warren's guest is Dr. Nicole Redvers, a member of the Deninu K'ue First Nation Band and the first Dene licensed practicing naturopathic doctor in North America. Dr. Redvers is an Associate Professor, Western Research Chair, Director-Indigenous Planetary Health at Western University. She has traveled the globe, studying traditional medicine systems in various countries and working with Indigenous patients, helping to bridge the gap between traditional and modern medical systems. In addition, Dr. Redvers developed Northern Canada's only integrative medicine clinic from the ground up and co-founded the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation (AIWF). Nicole is the author of The Science of the Sacred: Bridging Global Indigenous Medicine Systems and Modern Scientific Principles. Warren and Nicole will talk about her life and career experiences, and the state of Indigenous Health services in our country.