Naomi Klein is an award-winning journalist, columnist, filmmaker, and author. I had the opportunity to speak with her a few years ago when she wrote No Is Not Enough. While this conversation was a few books ago, when I went back to listen to it I found it eerily relevant as she discusses the political climate and the rise of Trump as a brand. She highlights the dangers of equating wealth with wisdom and the role of billionaires in policymaking. Naomi also discusses the need for an alternative vision and transformative change to address the underlying crises of inequality, climate change, and white supremacy. A suitable and timely addition to this podcast series about the cause and effect of polarization and how the words we use open up or shut down our conversations.

If there was ever a time we needed some radical democracy its now!
In this episode of The Conversation Lab, Stuart Poyntz and Joanna Ashworth talk about the CERi-Participedia Summer School and how they have brought together leading experts, researchers, graduate students, community leaders, activists and change makers to talk about what it means to radically re-imagine, research and practice democracy in our communities and in every day life.

Barry Rooke is the Executive Director of the National Campus and Community Radio Association. He works with 126 radio stations across Canada. In this episode of The Conversation Lab we talk about the differences between campus, community, and commercial radio statiions, the regulatory and financial landscape, changing technologies (including AI), the impact of consolidation in the private sector and why campus and community radio stations - wheather over the air or onlne, are more important than ever.

Jeff Fitzpatrick describes the opportunities and the challenges that a new regional park presents for visitors from mainland communities to Bowen Island. As a long time resident of Bowen David Hocking helps us understand more about the history of nature and conservation in the small village and community of Bowen Island; the threats from logging and development, and the several failed attempts that have carved the path along the way to the Cape Roger Curtis Park that Metro hopes to develop on the island.

This is a conversation from the Victoria Forum. A collaboration between the Senate of Canada and the University of Victoria. I was asked to moderate this plenary session, "Bridging Environmental Divides: Shifting our relationship with the natural world from extractive to regenerative." This conversation analyzes our quest to shift our relationship with the natural world from extractive to regenerative by bridging environmental divides and exploring the many conversational ecosystems that come along with them. Our panel consists of Balgis Osman Elisha, Senator Rosa Galvez, Wendy Smith, and Kresse Wesling.

You can watch all of the sessions from this 3 day event at thevictoriaforum.ca
Heartfelt thanks to Saul Klein, Natalie Slawinski, and the organizers for permission to bring this to our campus and community radio stations.

This is an interview with Ann Mortifee shortly after the introduction her 6th musical,The Mysteries. After many years its a wonderful catch-up about her work and life and what inspires her.

Bowen Island is one of the many (21) municipalities that make up Metro Vancouver. A short bus and ferry ride away former mayor Bob Turner talks about the municipal election,the politics of a small island, the Howe Sound Biosphere and more importantly how local communities provide hope.

Dr. Janis Fook talks about her career, her books, essays, and gives us some ideas of how we can use critical reflection to change our conversations. We talk about her analysis of power, notions of discourse, language, identity, and difference.

Chief Robert Joseph & David Patterson talk about Reconciliation and why it matters.

This is a short story/trailer for the conversation lab podcast.