Pod Bless Canada

In this episode, MLI Communications and Digital Media Manager Brett Byers is joined by Munk Senior Fellow Sean Speer to discuss his recent commentary paper, "Working-Class Opportunity and the Threat of Populism in Canada." Speer's piece locates the cause of rising populism - as witnessed in the US, UK, and elsewhere - in the anxieties felt by working-class people facing economic dislocation. From this premise, he contends that preventing the rise of populism in Canada will require policymakers to address the uncertain economic futures of Canadians without post-secondary education. This episode considers this argument in the context of an ongoing national discussion about diversity and political representation. It also touches on several related topics such as identity, differing models of income support, and natural resource development. Speer's commentary can be read in full here: http://macdonaldlaurier.ca/files/pdf/MLICommentary_Dec2018_Speer_F.pdf

In this episode of Pod Bless Canada, Ken Coates is joined by Carol Anne Hilton to further an enduring dialogue at MLI around Indigenous economic development and opportunity. Their conversation explores how the last 20 years of Indigenous legal and economic progress have created a platform for collaborative, nation-to-nation economic growth. Hilton explains the concept of Indigenomics, that is, 'economics from an Indigenous worldview', and highlights its importance when it comes to reaching the ambitious target of $100 billion generated directly through Indigenous commercial activity. Carol Anne Hilton is the Founder and CEO of The Indigenomics Institute where she has made a name as one of Canada’s most thoughtful speakers on Indigenous economic development. She currently serves as a Senior Advisor on both the Canadian Federal Economic Growth Council and the BC Economic Task Force. She holds an MBA from the University of Hertfordshire.

In this episode of Pod Bless Canada, Ken Coates is joined by MLI Senior Fellow Dwight Newman to discuss the current state of affairs in Canada with respect to Indigenous rights in law, recent court cases, and what this all means for the resource economy. Their discussion traces watershed events in Canadian legal history to the present, clarifying the legal standing of claims now at the heart of a national debate around Bill C-69. Dwight Newman is Professor at the University of Saskatchewan and holds the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Rights in Constitutional and International Law. Dwight is a foremost scholar and regular commentator concerning the topics discussed in this episode. He holds a doctorate in Legal Philosophy from Oxford University where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar.

In this episode of Pod Bless Canada, Ken Coates is joined by MLI Senior Fellow Linda Nazareth to discuss her upcoming book, Work is not a Place: Our Lives and Our Organizations in the Post-Jobs Economy. Her book considers the future of work in Canada questions the traditional notion of a ‘job’ in today’s economy. This episode takes listeners through several issues addressed in the book, which ultimately argues that the future may be brighter than we think. Linda Nazareth is an economist, author, blogger, broadcaster and speaker who has also authored several books about how labour is changing in today’s economy. She previously worked as a senior economist in the public and private sectors and spent a decade with BNN Bloomberg as Canada’s only full-time on-air economist.

As the federal government heads into the last year of its majority mandate, MLI Munk Senior Fellows Sean Speer and Ken Coates discuss how the Trudeau government's agenda can overcome disruptions created by the election of Donald Trump, a changing economy, declining business investment, challenges to developing resource infrastructure, and complex relations with Indigenous peoples. This conversation was recorded in September, 2018.

Ep. 16 Part 2 - Canada-US relations and the NAFTA talks with Chris Sands and Brian Lee Crowley by Macdonald-Laurier Institute

Ep. 16 Part 1 - Canada-US relations and the NAFTA talks with Chris Sands and Brian Lee Crowley by Macdonald-Laurier Institute

In this episode, MLI Munk Senior Fellow Ken Coates is joined by Julie Ann Wriston to discuss her role in some major projects that have brought prosperity to Indigenous communities in Canada. As the former CEO of Pinehouse Business North and currently a Strategist at Creative Fire, Wriston is among Canada's most preeminent young business leaders. Her trailblazing successes as a young entrepreneur and Métis woman demonstrate the vast and untapped opportunity for inclusive economic growth in natural resource development. Wriston shares her experience of embracing her Métis identity while also describing the importance of aligning prosperity with cultural and community values.

In this episode, Ken Coates is joined by Dr. Greg Finnegan to discuss his role as Chief Executive Officer at Na-cho Nyak Dun Development Corporation. Na-cho Nyak Dun is a vibrant and unique northern Yukon community with natural resource mining at its backbone. Coates and Finnegan elaborate its long history of Indigenous entrepreneurship as well as how Na-cho Nyak Dun has been successful in confronting several challenges along the way. A long-time Yukoner and economic geographer, Dr. Finnegan brings exceptional insight to the very timely issues of Indigenous reconciliation, natural resource development, and the continued prosperity and independence of northern communities.

In this episode, Sean Speer is joined by Jill Golick, one of Canada's leading thinkers on broadcasting and cultural policy. An award-winning screenwriter, former President of the Writers Guild of Canada, and current Director of Women in View, Ms. Golick is among the most experienced leaders and advocates for Canada's creative sector. This episode explores her extensive vision for taking Canadian media to new levels of commercial success and creative achievement. In light of the federal government's recent decision to review Canadian broadcasting, telecommunications, and radiocommunications policy, Speer and Golick drill down on the outdated aspects of current policy that must be overhauled to allow Canada's content creators to thrive in the digital media age.

In this episode, Shuvaloy Majumdar is joined by Richard (Dick) Fadden, one of Canada's most decorated civil servants and foremost experts on issues related to national security. Most notably, Mr. Fadden has served as National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, Deputy Minister of National Defence, and as Director of CSIS. In this episode, his deep expertise is applied to questions surrounding the current state of cybersecurity in Canada. The conversation differentiates various forms of cyber threats while challenging Canadians to be more mindful of the lurking dangers posed by cyber warfare and cybercrime, as well as by online propaganda, misinformation, and politically-motivated "fake news."

In this episode, Shuvaloy Majumdar is joined by Dr. Stephen Blank, a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, D.C., and former Professor of Russian National Security Affairs at the US Army War College. Majumdar and Blank discuss the nature of and rationale behind the multidimensional threat posed by Russia to the West.

In this episode, Ken Coates is joined by Guy Lonechild, Indigenous leader and CEO of First Nations Power Authority (FNPA). FNPA's mandate is to support and derisk the development of First Nations-led renewable energy projects. Coates and Lonechild discuss how groups like FNPA create new opportunities for Indigenous communities to contribute significantly to decision making and productivity in Canada's growing renewable energy sector.

In this episode, Brian Lee Crowley is joined by Dwight Newman, MLI Munk Senior Fellow for Constitutional Law, to discuss the current status of the Trans Mountain Pipeline and negotiations between Kinder Morgan and the Canadian Government. Dwight's deep constitutional expertise is applied to questions around British Columbia's legal position for challenging the construction of the pipeline. The conversation also touches broadly on themes of federalism, Indigenous rights, interprovincial trade, and the implications of legal uncertainty for Canada's investment climate.

MLI Munk Senior Fellow for Foreign Policy Shuvaloy Majumdar discusses Canadian national security and interests with Ward Elcock, former special advisor to the Privy Council Office and CSIS director.

MLI Munk Senior Fellow for Foreign Policy Shuvaloy Majumdar discusses the Sino-Indian rivalry in the Indo-Pacific and beyond with Dr. Mohan Malik, professor in Asian security at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu.

Managing Director Brian Lee Crowley and Ryerson University's Patrice Dutil discuss Canada's history and its impact on the current political agenda on the latest episode of Pod Bless Canada.

Managing Director Brian Lee Crowley and J. Michael Cole, Senior Fellow at the China Policy Institute discuss Taiwan, China, and how the two play a role in Canada's interests.

MLI's Managing Director Brian Lee Crowley and Munk Senior Fellow Sean Speer discuss public attitudes, the Canadian business community and its role in political decision making in Canada.

MLI's Managing Director Brian Lee Crowley and Munk Senior Fellow Ken Coates discuss the issues facing Indigenous People and the Natural Resource Economy.