Conversations That Matter

Brian’s Fight for Canadian Healthcare Guest: Dr Brian Day

Ep 560 - Brian’s Fight for Canadian Healthcare

Guest: Dr Brian Day

By Stuart McNish

 

“Outdated policy decisions, made more than a third of a century ago, helped create our expensive, ineffective and inequitable Medicare scheme,” says Dr. Brian Day. For thirty years, Dr. Day has been challenging Canada’s healthcare system, prodding it to be better and meet the needs of patients.

 

In 1996, Day took a bold leap – one born out of frustration with the shortcomings of our healthcare system. He opened the Cambie Surgery Centre, a private surgical clinic that has grown to perform up to 5,000 procedures a year. “For that,” says Day, “despite reducing health care costs and waiting lists, we became a target of the Government of British Columbia. The BC Government set out to shut us down.”

 

The Government’s action resulted in a 13-year legal battle – a battle Dr. Day lost. And a battle he outlines in his new book, “My Fight for Canadian Healthcare” – a journey he says takes the reader “through a failing system that has deviated from its intended purpose, ensnaring patients in long cycles of waiting and suffering.”

 

We invited Dr. Brian Day to join us for a Conversation That Matters about our healthcare system and where to go from here.

 

You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/

 

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Sylvain Charlebois - Food Insecurity in Canada

Ep 559 - Food Insecurity in Canada

Guest: Sylvain Charlebois

By Stuart McNish

 

“Canadians are spending less on food today than they did last year,” says Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, one of the authors of the Canadian Food Sentiment Index. “Close to 50% of respondents to our survey report they are paying significantly more for food, leading to widespread concern about food inflation and security.”

 

The increases have led to changes in the way people are buying food; they’re paying more attention to how it’s grown and where it comes from. Charlebois says, “It adds up to consumers becoming more frugal because they’ve reached their limit. Household budgets are strained and food is something they can look to cut back on or find less expensive options.”

 

Prime minister Mark Carney has made a commitment to investing in food production, processing, and innovation. According to Charlebois, “The most important thing he can do in the immediate future is to remove the carbon tax on agricultural products and production. If he doesn't, food prices are going to continue to rise.”

 

We invited Dr. Sylvain Charlebois to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the complex world of food production, security, and affordability.

You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/

 

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Michael Geller - Canada’s Real Estate Crisis Continues

Ep 558 - Canada’s Real Estate Crisis Continues

Guest: Michael Geller

By Stuart McNish

 

“The real estate crisis continues,” says Michael Geller. “The prime minister has made it one of his key priorities; he’s said he wants to double annual housing production by getting into the business of building.” One of his first moves was to appoint former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson to cabinet as Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities of Canada.

 

“He’s an interesting choice for that role,” says Geller. “His record on housing when he was the mayor is spotty. He’s often blamed unfairly for dramatic increases in housing prices.” After being appointed Minister, Mr. Robertson was asked if housing prices should be lower. He flatly stated no. The prime minister quickly jumped in to say it is not a “yes or no” question.

 

“I agree with the Prime Minister; it is not a yes or no question,” Geller says. “It’s remarkably complicated. Much of what the PM is proposing has merit. But the question is, what exactly is needed to tackle the housing issues?”

 

We invited Michael Geller to join us for a Conversation That Matters about Canada’s woes and how we’re going to tackle them.

 

You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/

 

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Jane Talbot - State of Downtown Vancouver

Ep 557 - State of Downtown Vancouver

Guest: Jane Talbot, CEO of Downtown Van

By Stuart McNish

 

“Downtown Vancouver is a unique place!” says Jane Talbot, CEO of Downtown Van. “It’s literally surrounded by water, home to just over 140,000 people, 8,000 businesses and 1,000 storefront businesses, 130,000 people working, the centre of tourist activity, a world of culinary delights and on and on.,” It’s a vibrant and dense place.

 

In Downtown Van’s recently-published “State of Downtown 2025,” it is clear there are shifts underway. Office vacancies have fluctuated and sit at about 12% unoccupied; local visits into the city are down; retail visits on Granville and Robson Streets are up, but down on Alberni and West Hastings.

 

“It’s important to recognize that Downtown Vancouver is a remarkable jurisdiction,” says Talbot, “and at Downtown Van, we continually advocate and innovate to ensure it remains vibrant and resilient.”

 

We invited Jane Talbot, the CEO of Downtown Van, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the state of downtown Vancouver now and into the future.

 

You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/

 

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Krystal Wittevrongel - Decluttering Regulations in Canada

Ep 555 - Decluttering Regulations in Canada

Guest: Krystal Wittevrongel

By Stuart McNish

 

Vowing to get Canada moving again is one of prime minister Mark Carney’s promises – a promise he reiterated while introducing his new cabinet. As the economy has taken a jolt from the shifting relationship with the United States, politicians across the country have turned their attention to improving the regulatory environment.

Krystal Wittevrongel of the Montreal Economic Institute points out that “reducing regulation was stated as a priority in 2018. Unfortunately, that government failed to make it a priority and businesses have suffered as a result.” Recognition of the negative impact is only the first step, says Wittevrongel. “It’s much less clear how and when the government will actually address the complex issues that are clogging trade in Canada.”

We invited Krystal Wittevrongel to join us for a Conversation That Matters about unclogging the gears of regulation that have bogged down trade in Canada.

 You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/

 

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ryan Berlin - Real Estate Reality

Ep 554 - Real Estate Reality

Guest: Ryan Berlin, rennie & associates

By Stuart McNish

 

Metro Vancouver’s housing market is dramatically different that it was 12 months ago, when the provincial government stepped in to ensure affordable and ample housing. In a “Conversations Live” panel in March of 2025, Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley indicated that it didn’t work. In fact, the housing market is now upside down.

 

What happened? Why is the market behaving this way? And what can we expect to come next? Perhaps central to understanding what is happening to the real estate market in Metro Vancouver is a sense of uncertainty – the ongoing trade uncertainty with the United States, the uncertainty associated with a new federal government, and uncertainty over the way in which provincial regulations are affecting the market.

 

Ryan Berlin of rennie & associates has been examining the broader forces at work in the market and why it is moving in such unexpected and uncertain ways. “The factors at work include the economy, interest rates, rising household credit, demographics, government immigration policy and a reformation of the construction sector,” says Berlin.

 

We invited Ryan Berlin to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the uncertainties and what rennie & associates has identified about the Metro Vancouver housing market.

 

 You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/

 

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Diraj Goel - Canada’s Anti-Success Mindset

Ep 553 - Canada’s Anti-Success Mindset

Guest: Diraj Goel

By Stuart McNish

 

“Trump’s economic warfare is hopefully bringing to light how woefully unprepared Canada is as a nation to build wealth independence,” says Diraj Goel, the founder and managing partner of GetFresh Ventures. That may be the silver lining in the unpredictable hostility the President of the United States has directed towards Canada.

 

Goel goes on to say that Canada needs to stop inflicting economic injuries that are crippling our ability to innovate and grow. “Our future is handicapped because we've engineered a system that punishes ambition instead of rewarding it. I’ve witnessed it firsthand; it’s a reality every Canadian founder lives with daily.”

 

“The challenge entrepreneurs and innovators face,” says Goel, “has nothing to do with access to capital and everything to do with government policies that are designed to hamper rather than empower.”

 

We invited Diraj Goel to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the hostile business and wealth generation environment in Canada and what can be done to change it.

 

 You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/

 

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Andy Day - Conserve 30 percent of BC by 2030

Ep 552 - Conserve 30 percent of BC by 2030

Guest: Andy Day

By Stuart McNish

 

On April 22nd of 1970, Earth Day kicked off what would become an international movement to protect the environment. 55 years later, the winds of change are blowing in the opposite direction. In Canada, political leaders have stepped back from the environment in an effort to win votes.

 

Andy Day, the CEO of the BC Parks Foundation, says, “The Earth is where we live, work and play. This year, more than any in the past 55, it is vitally important for us to renew our commitment to protecting our precious planet.”

 

Day says, “The demand for parks and protected areas is growing. The pressure on wildlife, habitat, traditional uses, infrastructure, and ecosystems is increasing through rising use and threats like pollution and climate change. The most treasured places in our great province need support or we risk losing what makes British Columbia the beautiful place we all love.”

 

We invited Andy Day to join us for a Conversation That Matters about our need to protect our most glorious heritage, the environment.

 

 You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/

 

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

David Williams Untapping Canada’s Potential

Ep 552 - Untapping Canada’s Potential

Guest: David Williams

By Stuart McNish

 

The untapped potential of Canada’s natural resource sector is staggering, says David Williams. Williams is the Chief Economist of the Business Council of British Columbia, who has worked in conjunction with business councils in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Collectively, they issued a report called “Untapped Potential: Driving Canadian Prosperity Through Natural Resources.”

 

The report focuses on the vital role that indigenous involvement plays in unlocking resource development. The challenge, according to the report, is “rather than making firm, accountable decisions on how to exercise its duties within project reviews, the federal government has left these matters in limbo, deferring tough choices to the courts to avoid political risk.”

 

The report is pointed and harsh, stating that “the Crown’s unclear process has increased an already uncertain business environment, making it more challenging for companies to navigate their Indigenous engagement efforts.”

 

We invited David Williams to join us for a Conversation That Matters about a path to unlocking Canada’s potential to the benefit of all of us. 

 

 You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/

 

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Dan Woynillowicz - Tilting at Windmills

Ep 551 - Tilting at Windmills

Guest: Dan Woynillowicz

By Stuart McNish

“Tilting at windmills” is an idiom which means “attacking imaginary enemies.” Windmills are, however, real and they have real detractors and attackers – detractors who portray wind turbines as being an environmental blight that produces little power. 

There was a modicum of truth to the knock on windmills in the 1980s when thousands of them appeared in the San Gorgonio Pass in California. By 1987, there were more than 4,200 wind turbines in the Pass leading into Palm Springs that generated between 50 to 100 kilowatts of power. Today, the total number of wind turbines in the San Gorgonio Pass is 666, generating 628 MW or enough to power close to 800,000 homes.

Advances in design, construction, power generation and operation have seen the overall growth of wind generated power improve. The nine new wind farms in British Columbia will be home to 292 next-generation windmills that will produce enough energy to power approximately 500,000 homes, a substantial increase in power generation over California’s wind turbines.

We invited Dan Woynillowicz of Polaris Strategy to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the truth behind wind turbines and the increasing role they are playing in renewable energy in British Columbia and elsewhere.

 

You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/

 

Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca