Electric Sky

Close Your Eyes examines the impact of sound, in a variety of forms, in our lives. I encourage you to listen to this entire program with your eyes closed.

613 Casual Choir leaders Lee Hayes and Rob Cosh, and well over 75 singers who braved a frigid January evening in Ottawa, make the case for singing as an act of survival.

For most aspiring rock stars, the prize is recording and touring, and having a loading dock to receive the mountains of cash being delivered to your home.

Democracy is a political simulation game you can't win. It's engaging and fun, and it reminds us that each political decision is like a flap of a butterfly's wings.

Shawn MacDonell ignored his guidance counsellor who was pointing high school students like sheep toward computer science degrees. Instead, he developed a program to teach children how to read. With baseballs.

Neil and Jeff followed their passion, curiosity and creativity to create a documentary about their favourite television show.

I grew up with a romantic view of radio pirates; ordinary people using public airwaves to build communities from locations offshore, from basement studios and from mobile transmitters in the backs of vans.

I’ve often heard people say they’re fighting or they’ve beaten cancer. It was a shift in my thinking when, after being diagnosed with breast cancer, my wife talked about healing and being a survivor. Six months, three surgeries and six rounds of chemotherapy later, I understand. Show ID and intro Interview with Andrea Ross You […]

One of my favourite lessons taught by Dewitt Jones is to study your tools and how to use them so you can capture the extraordinary no matter which tool happens to be in your hand at the time.  Dewitt knows this well.  His extraordinary photographs have graced pages and covers of National Geographic magazine for […]

A new all-ages book by historian and author, Hugh Brewster, explores the valour and determination of the Canadian forces as one problem after another stacked against them for the raid on German forces at Dieppe.  His book includes details on the planning and execution of the raid, as well as the incredible stories of survival […]

We tend to be myopic when we face challenges — it’s much more comfortable to focus inwards.  Leaders are no exception.  So, when leaders talk about thinking out of the box, they should be first in line. This concept has been embraced by Bill Hybels who founded The Leadership Summit fifteen years ago.  While the […]

It’s amazing who you can meet in a park during your child’s soccer game. I was introduced to Stephen Gritt on one such occasion last summer by someone who knew that Stephen would make a great guest for Electric Sky. They were right. Show ID and intro Interview with Stephen Grit National Gallery of Canada […]

During the annual Great Glebe Garage Sale (a huge community garage sale in Ottawa), my family stumbed on Jennifer Barnaby, a Cordon Bleu Chef who was serving baked goods she’d made while her husband, Jim, brewed up espresso and handled the transactions. Every single cent collected from the sales went directly to charity. They didn’t […]

I’ve wanted to produce a documentary on honesty for almost three years. In preparation, I gathered some street audio on honesty and dishonesty, definitions of the ideas and self-analysis (unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced some of this audio). I also conducted an incredibly insightful interview with Brad Blanton whose book Radical Honesty: How to […]

While in Perth, ON last August, I learned about Bracelets of Hope, an initiative to raise the money necessary to build a medical clinic for a Village of Hope in Harare, Zimbabwe — all by selling handmade bracelets. Even more impressive is that the initiative was dreamed up by a ten-year-old. I met with Carrie-Anne […]

Our family vacation in August 2007 was a two-week, unplugged, extravaganza down the Fundy side of New Brunswick. The camping was fantastic and we were able to witness the awesome vertical tides of the Bay of Fundy. The highlight of our trip was a whale watching expedition on the Jolly Breeze, a tall ship based […]

Sir Ken Robinson explains 'back to basics', offers ways in which parents can help foster creativity in their children, and outlines his ideal school.

Sir Ken Robinson's book "Out of Our Minds" offers an in-depth analysis of education systems and the role of creativity as part of our development.

In March 2006, I took a day off of work to spent time with the residents of Harvest House, a recovery program based in Ottawa. It was an incredibly educational and emotional day. I am currently producing a thirty-minute documentary based on my experiences that day. The program will be available at Electric Sky later […]

Ottawa Valley Honey is one of the popular attractions at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market. Children and adults flock to this booth to study the section of beehive that is always a part of the display. I had the opportunity to interview Michael Kositsin, one of the beekeepers, about his amazing honey bees. Show ID and […]