TELUS Talks with Tamara Taggart

Never before have so many of us experienced so much uncertainty, loss, and grief all at the same time. We can grieve when we lose a loved one, but we can also grieve the loss of a job, a plan or a way of life. Grief expert and author Claire Bidwell Smith talks with Tamara about the connection between grief and anxiety and how meditation and ritual can ease our anxious thoughts. Claire suggests that if we could accept the grieving process as a normal part of life, it has the potential to be transformational.

As the social justice movement gains enormous traction, Canadians are reflecting on the racism experienced by Indigenous Peoples across the country. Chastity Davis has extensive experience acting as an empathetic and consultative bridge between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, communities and companies. Besides education and policy change, Chastity says the key to lasting change is making space for Indigenous voices.

George Floyd’s death sparked worldwide protests and fueled open conversations about systemic racism and white privilege. Vancouver-based diversity and inclusion consultant Cicely Belle Blain unpacks how the social justice conversation is unfolding in Canada, the meaning of privilege and unconscious bias, and how Canadians are both participating in and impacted by racism.

In Chechnya, LGBTQ+ people are living in fear of being discovered and killed, just for being who they are. A group of activists are risking their lives to create safehouses to help persecuted Chechens escape. Oscar-nominated filmmaker David France discusses his documentary Welcome to Chechnya, which is a tribute to the human spirit. While we celebrate Pride this year, we are reminded that hard-fought rights can be reversed and that we must speak up in defense of those who are vulnerable.

Experts knew it wasn’t a matter of if, but when a deadly virus like COVID-19 would hit. Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director of the Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, weighs in on why the pandemic still caught us off guard and how the interconnectedness of our global economy is making the impact worse. There are no easy solutions, but Dr. Osterholm discusses some simple ways we can reduce the spread.

Restaurants are part of the social fabric to many communities and give cities their unique personalities. But across the country, few industries have been hit harder by COVID-19 than hospitality. Restaurants are vital - they hire locally, keep neighbourhoods thriving and support many aspects of our economy - and today, they’re performing herculean feats to keep their doors open. Tamara sits down with two owners to talk through the challenges they’ve faced with nation-wide shutdowns and gradual re-openings.

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the global economy. Everyone is feeling the effects - from families, to small businesses, to big companies. The Honourable Perrin Beatty is CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and is uniquely equipped to discuss where our nation’s economy is headed. Perrin links our adaptability to major events in the past and explains that although our new normal will look different, we can help our communities adjust.

We’re four months into this pandemic, and our mental health is being pushed to the limits in new ways. It’s getting harder to stick with the routines and behaviours that keep us stable, and tense conversations with friends, family members and strangers on social media are making things worse. Psychiatrist and TELUS Chief Neuroscience Officer Dr. Diane McIntosh joins Tamara again to share advice for keeping ourselves and our loved ones mentally healthy.

COVID is turning regular business owners into skilled technologists, as the digital wave continues to change how we live and consume. CBC Dragon, tech entrepreneur and Club Penguin creator, Lane Merrifield talks with Tamara about how businesses are navigating the pandemic and why it’s not a bad thing if your kid is spending more time playing video games.

Are you sifting through COVID-19 articles to get to the right info? For award-winning health reporter and columnist for the Globe and Mail, André Picard, there may be an abundance of headlines on the pandemic, but it’s a once-in-a-century event that can’t be underplayed. Throughout his 40-year career, Picard has covered almost every infectious disease. He takes us through the most pressing issues facing healthcare in Canada, simplifying the daily bombardment of news into facts and common sense.