Conversations That Matter

Ep 600 - Conservative Party of BC Leadership Guest: Caroline Elliott By Stuart McNish “We have an urgent need for change in British Columbia, and we need more people with the courage to make that change happen. That’s why I’ve decided to seek the leadership of the B.C. Conservative Party,” says Caroline Elliott, one of the contenders for the leadership of the party. Her campaign is taking aim at the government of David Eby. Elliott says, “Our province has been driven in the wrong direction for some time now. Not just slightly off-course, but drastically so. It is being pushed aggressively downward by a government on an ideological crusade that has constantly put its activist beliefs before the well-being of British Columbians.” That’s a message she believes will resonate with party members and the general public. At the core of her campaign is a message that being a conservative is something to be proud about. Elliott says, “This is a defining moment for the party. If you’re going to lead the party, you have to be proud – not ashamed – to be a conservative.” Elliott goes on to emphasize that creating unity within the party is objective number one. We invited Caroline Elliott to join us for a Conversation That Matters about her vision for the party and the province. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 598 - Conservative Party of BC Leadership Guest: Iain Black By Stuart McNish In an interview with Vancouver is Awesome in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election, Iain Black stated, “I thought my days as an MLA and Minister were behind me. But witnessing the decline of our community – due to rising affordability issues, increasing crime, and a relentless wave of overdose-related deaths – I could no longer stand idly by.” Despite coming up short in the April federal election for Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam, Black has retained his passion to answer the call for public service. Black’s resume includes cabinet posts in the BC Liberal government of Gordon Campbell, serving as Minister of Labour, Minister of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development, and Minister of Labour and Citizen Services between 2005 and 2011. He left politics to take on the role of President and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. During the early days of the internet explosion in the 1990s, Black spent his professional career in the tech sector. He founded internet companies. Following his eight years at the helm of the Board of Trade, Black returned to the tech sector as President and CEO of Maximizer, a Concord Group company. We invited Iain Black to join us for a Conversation That Matters about his bid to win the leadership of the Conservative Party of BC. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 596 - Conservative Party of BC Leadership Candidate Peter Milobar By Stuart McNish He is one of four sitting MLAs running for the leadership of the Conservative Party of BC: Peter Milobar was first elected to the legislature in 2017 as a BC Liberal in the Kamloops-North Thompson riding and is the current Finance Critic for the BC Conservatives. Prior to running provincially, Milobar was a councillor for two terms in Kamloops before winning and sitting as mayor for nine years, from 2008 to 2017. In an interview with Rob Shaw, Milobar said, “I have a demonstrated skill set to deal with diverse views around a large board of elected officials. And then I know how to interstitch all of that with a government bureaucracy. So I think that very much sets me up well for the challenges facing British Columbia.” As he enters the race, 10 people have indicated they want the job. Milobar says, “I bring a level of seriousness to the big issues facing BC. The biggest being the economy and its direct impact on affordability, crime, education and real estate.” As well, Milobar says, “I am uniquely qualified to address reconciliation in BC, and the manner in which Premier Eby and his party are addressing it, is counterproductive.” We invited Conservative Party of BC leadership candidate Peter Milobar to join us for a Conversation That Matters about his vision for the party and the province. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 594 - Why do some children get sick? Guest: Dr. Stuart Turvey, British Columbia Children’s Hospital By Stuart McNish “Why do some healthy children succumb to overwhelming bacterial infection while others survive or not become infected at all?” asks Dr. Stuart Turvey of British Columbia Children’s Hospital and the University of BC’s Faculty of Medicine. “Why do some children suffer crippling juvenile arthritis or life-threatening asthma?” For the past 16 years, Turvey and a team of researchers have been asking and answering these questions through the national CHILD Birth Cohort study, starting with a population of children with a defined infectious or inflammatory disease phenotype. Turvey says, “The knowledge generated by this approach will aid in diagnosis and highlight mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and ultimately identify novel treatments.” We invited Dr Stuart Turvey of BC Children’s Hospital to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the benefits that his research is delivering to children’s health. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 592 - Canadian Dental Plan: Is it Working? Guest: Dr. Bruce Ward, President of the Canadian Dental Association By Stuart McNish “The Canadian Dental Care Plan is working – sorta,” says Dr. Bruce Ward, the President of the Canadian Dental Association. Ward goes on to say, “As of the end of 2025, more than 5.5 million people were approved for coverage. However, not all of them have received care.” According to government figures, 3.5 million people have seen a dentist. The number of people approved is growing and is expected to reach 9 million. It’s not free dental care, as was first promoted by the government. “One of the interesting challenges dentists face are patients who are shocked to learn the plan only covers a portion of the cost,” says Ward. “That confusion has led to a number of uncomfortable conversations for dentists who rather than care for a patient are taking valuable time to outline the rules of the plan.” While the program has been embraced by dentists across the country, there have been growing pains. “Not all dentists have signed on because of issues around pre-authorization, fees, and the amount of administrative work,” says Ward. Even with the drawbacks, according to a 2025 survey by the Canadian Dental Association, “patients report satisfaction and positive experiences. The number of Canadians with a dentist, as a result, has increased to 71% [and] up to 63% a year earlier.” We invited Dr. Bruce Ward, President of the Canadian Dental Association, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the Dental Care Plan, how it’s working and if it will stay. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 590 - The Social Media Warning Paradox Guest: Iman Goodarzi By Stuart McNish “How much time do you spend on social media? Be honest now, because the answer will surprise you,” says Yash Gupta of Lognormal Analytics. “Social media hooks the average person for at least 5 hours a day.” And everything you do is being recorded and analyzed. Algorithms retrieve psychographics from your online purchases, reviews, likes, shares, comments, emails, blog posts, tweets, posts saved, and more – all powered by A.I. “It’s easy to understand the urge to slap a warning label on social media,” says Iman Goodarzi, a public scholar and PhD candidate in marketing at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business. “The challenge,” Goodarzi points out, “unlike cigarettes or alcohol – which contain specific chemical payloads – social media is far more complex, coupled with a series of dopamine hits. It is a mirror of society. It’s a dynamic algorithm-driven marketplace and a void all at the same time.” Goodarzi is responding to calls by the U.S. Surgeon General, the Governor of New York and Quebec’s all-party legislative committee’s report on screen time. In Quebec, the all-party committee recommends: “No screen time for children under two, one hour a day for children two to five, and no more than two hours for children six to 12” – a recommendation that Goodarzi says “is well-meaning but won’t work because it suggests overuse is mainly a youth problem.” We invited Iman Goodarzi of Concordia University to join us for a Conversation That Matters on practical ways to use, understand, and curtail the mental health threats that social media presents. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 588 - What to Do When You Grow Up Guest: Diana MacKay By Stuart McNish “Long gone are the days of working for the firm and retiring with a watch as a parting gift,” says Diana MacKay. “The world is careening forward at breakneck speed.” She continues, “Sometimes we are lucky enough to be holding the harness firmly and riding along – even steering things. But more likely, we’re hanging on.” In the 1970s, Alvin Toffler and Adelaide Farrel wrote “Future Shock,” a book that stated there is “too much change in too short a period of time” and that rate of change would accelerate. “Accelerate, it has,” says MacKay. “Informaiton overload, social media, and a sense of instability due to rapid change has left young people feeling disconnected and disoriented, especially when it comes to their careers.” A professional antidote to the speed of change may be to avoid specialization and embrace a generalist approach. “Specialists remain essential, but generalists are vital translators, interpreters, and connectors in times of turbulence. And being a generalist can be a lot of fun too. As we collectively plow forward, this may be the norm for a lot of young people moving through an unpredictable future.” We invited Diana MacKay to join us for a conversation about navigating wild career swings, and how that diversity of experience enables valuable insights that organizations can also embrace and leverage change and uncertainty. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 585 - The Cowichan Case and Your Property Rights Guest: Radha Curpen & Robin Junger By Stuart McNish Cowichan Tribes v. Canada has rapidly become the most significant land title case in Canada – and possibly in Canadian history. It has sparked intense and competing arguments in private, in public, and in the Legislative Assembly in Victoria. Premier Eby was grilled mercilessly about his defence of private property rights, his government’s slow response to file a stay, and what the decision means to homeowners. Tensions flowing from the decision reflect the need to recognize that, while indigenous Nations are entitled to seek recognition of their constitutionally protected rights, there is also a need for fee-simple owners to maintain certainty in title. Central to this tension is the law does not allow for aboriginal title and fee-simple to co-exist on territory under First Nations ownership. During the case, the impact on private property rights was recognized, to which the court invited the parties to inform fee-simple land owners to be notified. All parties decided not to inform private land owners. We invited Radha Curpen and Robin Junger of McMillan LLP to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the Cowichan case and its implications to landowners in Richmond and the entire province of British Columbia. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 583 - Re-engineering the human body for space travel Guest: Christopher E. Mason By Stuart McNish “To boldly go where no one has gone before” – the phrase was inspired by a 1958 White House pamphlet called "Introduction to Outer Space,” which highlighted humanity’s inherent urge to explore the unknown. It also was the opening to the monologue for Star Trek, where Captain James T. Kirk goes on to say, “These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations.” As an aspiration, it drives the space programs of many countries and a growing number of companies. Here’s the challenge, says Dr Christopher E. Mason. “While we can build machines that can survive in space, the human body was not made for space – at least not yet.” Dr. Mason is the principal investigator of the NASA Twins study, where ten separate teams studied an astronaut and his identical twin. Dr. Mason says, “We observed the physiological, molecular, and cognitive changes that happened to Scott Kelly, who spent a year in space. We monitored the changes in his body compared to his identical twin Mark, who stayed on Earth. From that study, we’re working to mitigate stresses, changes, and new diseases the body may encounter during long-term space flight. This work is the foundation of a 500-year plan to reengineer biology so that life can be possible on other planets.” We invited Dr. Christopher E. Mason, the Genome BC 2025 Don Rix Distinguished Keynote Speaker, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the human body and its ability to adapt to long term voyages to the final frontier. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 581 - Invest or Save? Guest: Pam McDonald & Colin Whelan By Stuart McNish “To invest or to save? That is the question,” says Pam McDonald, the Director of Communications and Education with the British Columbia Securities Commission. “With interest rates on savings accounts so low, more and more people are looking to invest in stocks, bonds and other securities,” continues McDonald. The challenge for those entering the market is how to navigate a complex investment environment, especially if they are endeavouring to do it themselves. “Investment accounts, RRSPs, TFSAs, RESPs, Retirement Income Funds, First Home Savings Accounts, [and] Registered Disability Savings Plans are all options available to anyone who looks to increase the value of their financial portfolio," says McDonald. The challenge for new and even seasoned investors is choosing the right investment vehicle. Colin Whelan of Innovative Research says, “People worry [about] getting it wrong; after all, it is their money. Add in ‘do-it-yourself investing,’ [and] it's scary. Our polls show new investors are worried.” Whelan says, “More than ever, investor education is a protective shield and it helps in achieving better financial results.” We invited Pam McDonald and Colin Whelan to join us for a Conversation That Matters about healthy and successful investing in an increasingly dangerous world. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 579 - Labour Negotiations & Job Action Guest: Kevin Howlett By Stuart McNish Canada Post is in the midst of job action by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. They’re not on a full strike; instead, they’re still delivering mail but not all of it. On September the 15th, the Union implemented a national ban on delivering flyers and neighbourhood mail. This followed an overtime ban in May. Air Canada just concluded negotiations with flight attendants. After a three day work stoppage that wreaked havoc on the airline and passengers, the attendants were ordered back to work but the union ignored the order, negotiations resumed, and they went back to work. Weeks later, union members rejected the company's offer by 99.1% but they also kept working. In British Columbia, the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) initiated job action aimed at gaining an 8.25% wage increase over two years. The union’s website says, “We escalated job action in several key areas: Public service workers who support B.C. 's mining operations joined the strike. An overtime ban was announced in corrections and sheriff services. As the strike carried on, BC Liquor Store Workers walked off the job and as the job action continued into week eight, 25,000 of the 34,000 Union Members in government jobs were on strike. At the time of recording this interview, there is job action but not a full-out strike. We invited human resource specialist Kevin Howlett to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the changing nature of labour negotiations and job action. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Protecting Democracy Guest: Lech Walesa By Stuart McNish On December 13th, 1981, the government of Poland declared martial law. It outlawed the Solidarity Federation of Unions and threw its leader Lech Walesa in jail. He was detained for a year before being released. Once out, he continued the fight against the oppressive rule of the Polish government. Walesa was forced underground to continue to protest against the harsh economic conditions in Poland. In 1988, labour unrest led by Walesa forced the government to restore Solidarity’s legal status and to sanction free elections for a limited number of seats. Solidarity won an overwhelming majority of seats. Walesa went on to become the first democratically elected President of the country. Walesa was a towering international figure who stared down the barrel of a gun and demanded an end to the communist rule in Poland. Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said, “Solidarity and Walesa were the spark that lit the fuse which ultimately brought down what Ronald Reagan called the ‘Evil Empire’ of Soviet Communism.” We invited Lech Walesa, who is on a speaking tour in North America (including Vancouver), to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the current prospects for peace, leadership, democracy, and the challenges facing the world today. Lech Walesa is currently in Canada for a speaking tour. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Doing Business in British Columbia? Yes, but… Guest: Brad Liski By Stuart McNish British Columbia is a wonderful jurisdiction to start a business. “Small businesses benefit from a number of programs that get the wheels turning,” says Brad Liski of Tru Earth. The company is addressing the environmental impact of 30 billion loads of laundry annually around the world. “We founded the company out of a desire to change the world and Tru Earth is doing that, one laundry load at a time,” says Liski. The co-founder says, “I’ve started 26 companies and Tru Earth is the first one that wakes me up in the morning excited to make a difference.” The company focused first on reducing the amount of plastic used in packaging laundry detergent. It then focused on reducing an entire jug of soap into a strip about the size of a business card. They tested the idea and it was an instant success. The company quickly grew and, in doing so, it ran into a series of government rules and regulations that thwarted its ability to scale up in British Columbia. “We’ve had to move much of our manufacturing to other provinces as a result,” says Liski. It was something that he says he didn’t want to do, but the economics of growing in BC worked against the company. We invited Brad Liski of Tru Earth to join us for a Conversation That Matters about a path forward that will support mid-market companies to grow and prosper in British Columbia. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca