Conversations That Matter

Are you a word nerd? - Jonathan Berkowitz

Dec 18, 2020

Ep 326 - Are you a word nerd?

Guest: Jonathan Berkowitz

 

What’s a 14-letter word for a crossword puzzle lover that, when used, makes you sound sesquipedalian? Naturally, the answer is as plain as day: it is “cruciverbalist” which the enigmatologist Will Shortz says “is a person who loves to have the cruciverbalist pleasure centre in their brain tickled.”

 

Crossword puzzles are a gift, not just for Christmas or for filling endless hours of pandemic isolation. They are simply a gift to the spirit – the imagination and the mind of solvers. As Margaret Farrar wrote, “You can’t think of your troubles while solving a crossword.” Ms. Farrar was one of only four editors of the New York Times crossword puzzle which is the gold standard in North America.

 

The wonderful thing about crossword puzzles is they are for everyone. There is a puzzle-solving level that meets your enthusiasm to solve the puzzle. As Jonathan Berkowitz says, “Puzzle creators actually want you to solve their puzzle.” And how you do that is up to you. There are no rules. You can click through letters on your keyboard with the “error check mode” on or off; you can call a friend or you can look it up. You can solve the puzzle any way you choose.

 

In the solving of the puzzle, you often discover new words that ignite thoughts and open doors to history, geography, law, the sciences – and they are the key to your imagination. Crossword puzzles are much more than entertainment. They are a launching pad to worlds you can discover and rediscover.

 

We invited Jonathan Berkowitz, cruciverbalist extraordinaire, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the deep rich world of puzzling.

 

Conversations That Matter is a partner program for the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The production of this program is made possible thanks to the support of the following and viewers like you.

Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge https://goo.gl/ypXyDs

Are cows getting a bad GHG rap? - Professor Myles Allen, PhD

Dec 11, 2020

Ep 325 - Are cows getting a bad GHG Rap?

Guest: Myles Allen, PhD

 

Leading climate scientist Myles Allen says, "The traditional way of accounting for methane emissions from cows overstates the impact of a steady herd by a factor of four” – which, he says, is a problem. Allen goes on to say, "If we are going to set these very ambitious goals to stop global warming, then we need to have accounting tools that are fit for purpose… The errors distort cows' contributions – both good and bad – and, in doing so, give CO2 producers a free pass on their total GHG contribution." 

 

Allen is a heavyweight in climate circles. The BBC described him as the physicist behind Net Zero. Based on his work with the IPCC in 2001, when quantifying the size of human influence on observed and projected changes in global temperatures. In 2005, he proposed global carbon budgets and in 2010, he received the Appleton Medal and Prize from the Institute of Physics for his work in climate sciences. 

 

Over the past few years, he has been the coordinating lead author for the 2018 IPCC special report on “1.5 degrees” and he has long been a proponent of fossil fuel producers being made to take responsibility for cleaning up after the products they sell, rather than shifting that onus on powerless consumers. All of this leads to cows and why he cares that the math is right. 

 

According to Allen, cows get lumped into the CO2 equivalent measurements, which the Oxford professor says is wrong. "And that," says Allen, "lets carbon producers off the hook because they can and do point to incorrect – yet widely accepted accounting of cows' contribution to GHG production. In essence, they're blaming the cows rather than taking full responsibility." 

 

We invited Myles Allen to join us for a Conversation That Matters about why a steady herd size of cows is not the problem and a slow decrease in herd size, may in fact be part of the solution.

 

Conversations That Matter is a partner program for the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The production of this program is made possible thanks to the support of the following and viewers like you.

Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge https://goo.gl/ypXyDs

What Precisely is happening to the News? - Jas Johal

Dec 4, 2020

Ep 324 - In the name of Jack Webster; What Precisely is happening to News?

Guest: Jas Johal

 

He was known as the King of the airways in British Columbia for close to 40 years. Since his retirement the foundation in his name has been recognizing and celebrating excellence in journalism. This year on Dec 8, the awards dinner is being netcast opening up attendance, for the first time to the general public who can join in on the celebration. 

 

Back to Webster the reporter, if it was on the public agenda, he was there. When prisoners at the BC Penitentiary rioted and took hostages in 1963, they asked Webster to resolve the standoff. They asked for him because he was trusted at a time when mainstream media was believed to be fulfilling the responsibilities for the fourth estate – to step in, stand up, advocate, call out, and record the people and events of our lives.

 

Since Webster’s retirement in 1988, the media landscape has changed dramatically. In Vancouver, for example, the major powerhouses of media in print, radio, and TV  have all seen their constituencies dwindle. Along with the shrinking audiences, so too goes ad revenue which, in turn, leads to cuts in newsrooms and that leads to further reductions in audiences.

 

The money simply isn’t there to support media outlets that we trust to provide an overview of our province, regions, cities, and municipalities. There aren’t enough resources to go around and that robs readers, listeners, and viewers of valuable and vital information they need to make informed decisions.

 

Alternative or non-mainstream media outlets have popped up and are attempting to fill the void. The challenge, however, is that most of those outlets – including this show – have fewer resources than the big players. Then add in a less than full-bodied embrace of journalistic standards, and the value of the information shared through smaller or single issue outlets can diminish and be dismissed.

 

We invited two-time Webster Award Winner and former MLA for Richmond-Queensborough Jas Johal to join us for a Conversation That Matters about his take on the state of media.

 

Conversations That Matter is a partner program for the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The production of this program is made possible thanks to the support of the following and viewers like you.

Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge https://goo.gl/ypXyDs

Is Alberta Right about Independence? - Paul Hinman

Nov 27, 2020

Ep 323 - Is Alberta right about independence?

Guest: Paul Hinman

According to George Bernard Shaw, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Dialogue – healthy dialogue – is the foundation of solid respectful relationships. For anyone who looks at and understands the relationship between Ottawa and Alberta, they know it has been toxic, controlling and hostile. Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier in 1905 divided up the Northwest Territories and, in doing so, forever ensured that Alberta would be subservient to Ottawa.

 

Laurier’s Minister of the Interior Clifford Sifton in 1904 said, “We desire – in fact, every patriotic Canadian desires – that the great trade of the prairies shall go to enrich our own people in the east, to build up our factories and our workshops and contribute in every way to our prosperity.” The Canadians Sifton was referring to were those in Ontario, not Canadians from coast to coast.

 

It is a mindset and it has been the practical reality since Alberta was created by Ottawa in 1905. Ottawa was fully aware of the oil in the Athabasca basin going back to the late 1800s. The basin is also home to one of the world’s richest high-grade uranium supplies. The region, all of which was the Northwest Territories, was and continues to be the economic engine of Canada. 

 

The winds of separation blew through Alberta in the 80s but were calmed when investment in the oil sands soared, providing billions of dollars in employment and taxes. Any hint of discontent literally evaporated during the early 2000s. Then the Saudis, in an effort to undermine American oil production, crashed the price of oil and also crashed the Alberta economy.

 

Over the years, Ottawa received in excess of $600 billion in transfer payments from Alberta alone. Then as Alberta’s economic boom calmed, tensions between Ottawa and Edmonton grew. They grew to the point where an appetite for separatism reemerged and continues to grow.

 

Independence parties started to crop up and now a coalition of separatist groups has formed under the Wildrose Independence Party banner. We invited Paul Hinman, the leader of the Wildrose Independence Party to join us for a Conversation That Matters about why he says the time to act is now. 

 

Conversations That Matter is a partner program for the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The production of this program is made possible thanks to the support of the following and viewers like you.

Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge https://goo.gl/ypXyDs 

Fighting for Justice - Matthew Caruana Galizia

Oct 30, 2020

Ep 322 - Fighting for Justice

Guest: Matthew Caruana Galizia

 

In the afternoon hours of October 16th in Bidnija, Malta, the car of investigative reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia was ripped apart by a powerful bomb. “My mother had to go to the bank, she left the house and then I heard the explosion,” said Matthew Caruana Galizia in an interview for the Allard Prize for International Integrity. His mother was a fearless Maltese journalist who was assassinated for ceaselessly uncovering corruption in her country. Her car was found more than a city block from the ignition point of the blast. It was a powerful message to anyone who dared to expose corruption at the highest level in Malta.

 

When the Panama Papers were released, Caruana Galizia traced millions of dollars back to the power elite in Malta. Despite increasing intimidation and threats, she dug into the details of the money and who was behind it. Her blog was extremely popular and had subscription rates that eclipsed the major media outlets in the country.

 

Matthew says, “Journalists in Malta were expected to cover up for powerful people, to partake in the culture of silence, and my mother refused to do that.  This put her in an ultra minority.” Fellow Maltese blogger Manuel Delia says, “When political parties are threatened by a journalist, they will isolate them, dehumanize them. In the case of Daphne, they will demonize her.” In an interview Daphne said, “They have made me into what is in effect a national scapegoat.” 

 

Daphne Caruana Galizia is the posthumous co-winner of the Peter A. Allard Prize For International Integrity, which was awarded in Vancouver on October 21, 2020. We invited her son Matthew to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the unveiling of corruption and the high price Daphne paid for her brave pursuit of the truth.

 

Conversations That Matter is a partner program for the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The production of this program is made possible thanks to the support of the following and viewers like you.

Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge https://goo.gl/ypXyDs

Surprising Farm Facts - Andrew Campbell

Nov 13, 2020

Ep 321 - Surprising Farm Facts

Guest: Andrew Campbell

 

Did you know that more than 95% of farms in Canada are family-run operations? Families that have been working the land for three and four generations. You probably have little or no reference to the world of farming. I didn’t.

 

Andrew Campbell does. He’s a third generation dairy farmer and he’s also a storyteller, to which he says “is an unusual combination because most farmers work the farm for a reason. They really like Mother Earth and all of its inhabitants. They have been content doing their jobs with little fanfare. In a world of social media and environmental campaigns, that is not a good idea.

 

Farming is under the microscope from a variety of different constituencies that include (but are not limited to) consumers, regulators, politicians and activists. Campbell says, “If we don’t share our stories – the real stories of farming – then someone else is going to and they are going to get it wrong.”

 

Campbell operates a dairy farm in Southern Ontario and he is also out telling the story of farming. One year, he challenged other farmers to join him and post a photo a day online. Then he took a huge leap forward and produced 52 did-you-know videos about farming called “Dinner Starts Here,” where he took viewers onto 52 farms across Canada.

 

Fresh Air Media, his production company, continues to produce videos and podcasts because Andrew Campbell says farmers need to be heard as the food production authorities they are.

 

I invited Andrew Campbell to join me for a Conversation That Matters - Food For Thought about food production from the farmer’s perspective.

 

Conversations That Matter is a partner program for the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The production of this program is made possible thanks to the support of the following and viewers like you.

Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge https://goo.gl/ypXyDs

What's the Beef with Beef - Bob Lowe

Nov 6, 2020

Ep 320 - What’s the Beef with Beef?

Guest: Bob Lowe 

 

There is a growing portion of Canadians who have a beef with beef. The belief appears to be that beef is bad for humans and cattle are bad for the environment and the atmosphere. In fact, according to the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity, one-third of us are negative about food production in Canada and another third are losing faith in the system.

 

Beef is front and centre. There are incorrect arguments that suggest we could eliminate cattle and substitute it with plant-based protein and in doing so, we’d all be better off and so would the environment. Bob Lowe, the President of the Cattlemen’s Association has heard it all and he says, “It simply isn’t true. In fact, if you take cattle off of the grasslands, then those grasslands and the thousands of species that call them home will die.”

 

He’s right – science has demonstrated that large grazing ruminants are essential to the health and well-being of grasslands. Cows graze, they turn over the soil and their saliva, urine and poop fertilize the land. When they chomp on the grasses that, in turn, stimulates growth. 

 

What they are eating is sequestered carbon and they then convert those grasses into protein-rich nutrients. They also eat corn and barley and potatoes that are not fit for human consumption and they convert those carbon based organisms into protein and in the process reduce food waste.

 

And then there is their place in the flow of carbon. Cow burps are the by-product of carbon conversion that happens in their bodies, which is then emitted as methane which eventually returns to carbon and is once again sequestered in the vegetation the cows eat.

 

I invited Bob Lowe, the President of the Cattlemen’s Association to join me for a Conversation That Matters about the vital role cattle play in our well-being and the well-being of the environment.

 

Before we get to that conversation, here is an excerpt from the documentary “Guardians of the Grasslands”

 

Conversations That Matter is a partner program for the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The production of this program is made possible thanks to the support of the following and viewers like you.

Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge https://goo.gl/ypXyDs

Blowing the Whistle on Danske Bank: Howard Wilkinson

Ep 319 - Blowing the Whistle on Danske Bank

Guest: Howard Wilkinson

 

He is the man who blew the whistle on the largest money laundering case in history. Howard Wilkinson uncovered and exposed an international money laundering scheme that reached all the way to the Russian secret police, which included relatives of President Vladimir Putin. More than 230 billion euros passed through bank accounts at the Danske Bank in Estonia.

 

Wilkinson reported his suspicions to senior officials at Danske Bank – to which he was let go, muzzled, and paid off. His report, while not acted upon at the time, has come to light and he says, “Charges have been laid against 12 former bankers in Estonia and another 10 Danish bankers have been served with preliminary charges.” The scandal has rocked the financial world in Europe and the US, where the Securities Commission and the Department of Justice are carrying out investigations.

 

Wilkinson is the co-winner of the Peter A. Allard Award For International Integrity, which was awarded in Vancouver on October 21, 2020. We invited Howard Wilkinson to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the unveiling of the largest money laundering scheme in the world.

 

Conversations That Matter is a partner program for the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The production of this program is made possible thanks to the support of the following and viewers like you.

Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge https://goo.gl/ypXyDs

Food Integrity in Canada: John Jamieson

Ep 317 - Food Integrity in Canada

Guest: John Jamieson

 

There is only one thing you do more often than eat, and that is breathing. Food is vitally important to your well-being, your lifestyle and your ability to work. “In Canada, we are extremely fortunate,” says John Jamieson of the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity. He goes on to say, “The average Canadian grocery store has 50,000 items in it. We have tremendous choice and we know that food is safe to consume.”

 

Despite the robust nature of our food system, the CCFI, in its 2019 Public Trust Research survey, found that only one in three Canadian consumers believe Canada’s food system is headed in the right direction and another large segment of the population isn’t sure.

 

How can this be? Canada not only feeds itself, it also exports in excess of $57 billion of food annually to countries around the world. Jamieson says, “Those countries boast about Canadian food as a benchmark in quality and yet we are seeing a disconnect here at home.”

 

Jamieson says, “Agriculture today is based on science and technology. We are able to produce more per acre. We're able to feed more people per acre because we do a good job of what we do and we use the tools that are available to us and it's very safe.  There's so many checks and balances. There are inspectors at every step along the way. Industry associations have codes of practice and processors have regulations and requirements they must follow.”

 

We invited John Jamieson, the CEO of the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the safety and integrity of Canada’s food supply.

 

Conversations That Matter is a partner program for the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The production of this program is made possible thanks to the support of the following and viewers like you.

Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge https://goo.gl/ypXyDs

Ruthless Consistency: Michael Canic

Ep 314 - Ruthless Consistency

Guest: Michael Canic, PhD

 

It’s not uncommon to believe you have the will to win. Most of us want to come out on top. It’s a nice idea, one that really gained acceptance with the “believe it and you can achieve it” movement that sprang forth from California in the 1980s.  It was as if all you had to do was think and believe, and it would come to be because you were attracting the right energy.

 

Not so fast, says Michael Canic, a human performance specialist and author of a new book titled “Ruthless Consistency.” Canic says, “A lot of people say they have the will to win but do they have the will to do what is needed to win?” In other words, are you willing to work long enough, hard enough and make the sacrifices to win?

 

Muhammad Ali said, “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” Canic agrees. He says most change initiatives – be they personal, professional or organizational – fail. Why? “The reasons are many and they are complex,” says Canic. Foremost amongst them is a lack of consistency.

 

Canic says, “You may think you’re consistent but you can’t see yourself the way those around you see you. You need a strategy that helps you define what you do, why you do it, [and] how you will do it. And then you have to be willing to do the work – the hard work of every day, staying on task.”

 

We invited human performance expert and author Michael Canic to join us for a Conversation That Matters about a shift in mindset that can propel anyone in any discipline on a path to consistency.

 

Conversations That Matter is a partner program for the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The production of this program is made possible thanks to the support of the following and viewers like you.

Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge https://goo.gl/ypXyDs