Truth & Inspiration - Three different views regarding the social and political impact of climate change. In this episode of the Conversation Lab, I talk with Naomi Klein, Al Gore, and Michael Mann about climate change, politics, and social justice. While dated, the speakers emphasize the urgency of addressing climate change and the need for transformative change and progressive policies. They discuss the rise of white supremacy and the dangers of equating wealth with wisdom. Klein highlights the importance of understanding the roots of the current political climate and the potential for even worse crises in the future. She calls for an alternative vision that addresses the underlying causes of multiple crises, such as climate change and inequality. The speakers also highlight the need for conversation and dialogue to foster understanding and create a culture where people can discuss important issues.

Heather Wong-Mitchell and I talk about key issues, QMUNITY's many programs, outreach through BC, funding, aging and a few other interesting and quirky things.

Kit Rothschild and Olive Bing are with the PACE Society located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. They talk about its origins and issues and about an amazing group of dedicated, compassionate people committed to providing Sex Worker-led and driven programs and services for Sex Workers.

Linda Solomon Wood is a journalist, entrepreneur, and the publisher of the National Observer. In our conversation, Linda talks about her vision to build a local and national news platform, what’s wrong with journalism, diversity in media, local and global citizenship and more. She also talks about "dark nights of the soul" and how to get through them.

Trying to understand Vancouver's Downtown East Side is complex. Which is why professionals come from all over the world to try and understand. Tom Wanklin is a senior planner with the City of Vancouver and he explains many of the issues.

Karen Mahon is a strategist, organizer, facilitator, fundraiser, and teacher with more than 25 years in making social change. Early in her career, she led Greenpeace's campaign to protect the old growth rainforest of Clayoquot Sound, now a UN Biosphere Reserve. Karen has been a student and teacher focused on the intersection of the inner spiritual and emotional realms with the outer ecological and social crises. Our conversation visits the edges of death, politics, climate and what it means to be human. We also spend a little time talking about climate hope, Karen’s latest project and retreat at Hollyhock in September.

Of the estimated $360 million per year to operate 260 social services and housing sites in the greater downtown east side, three-quarters of the spending is funded by governments, and the rest by private donors. For those like Mission Possible that can't rely on funding alone they have created a social enterprise to help support their work with community development, and street-level care. Mathew Smedly and Jasmine Allen join us in a lively conversation.

Eco-Justice lawyers have represented community groups, not for profits, First Nations, and individual Canadians on the frontlines of the fight for environmental justice since 1999. This conversation with the Executive Director explores our "gold rush laws" and Canada's environmental track record.

Roy Scranton is the author of War Porm, Learning to Die in the Anthropocene, and We're Doomed, Now What? His journalism, essays, fiction, poetry, and reviews have been published in Rolling Stone, the New York Times and many other publications. He is also one of the editors of Fire and Forget: Short Stories from the Long War. He holds a Ph.D. and teaches creative writing in the Department of English at Notre Dame. This is one of the most sobering interviews I've ever had!

Women in Canada live at greater risk than men of domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment, and sex trafficking. Because it costs women their lives: approximately every six days, a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner. Thankfully there are gentle warriors like Angela Marie MacDougall to help.