Conversations That Matter

Back to Life

Episode 100

Kathy McLaughlin - To the outer edges of life and back

Conversations That Matter features Kathy McLaughlin who was one or two heartbeats this side of death and survived. Her journey is harrowing, it’s gut wrenching, it stretches your imagination to the brink and leaves you wondering if you could have survived.

What did she learn along the way and how did it change her? Did it change her philosophy, her routine, her priorities? Kathy says the biggest lesson and hardest challenge is, “being in the moment. How do you choose to act at this particular moment in time to be fully present to whatever presents itself.  And for me, I was never about that. And I still struggle with it, and then I think, okay, that's not why I'm here, that’s not why I survived.”

Conversations That Matter is a partner program with the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for these important and engaging Conversations shaping our future.

Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

The promise of Fusion?

Episode 99

Nathan Gilliland - The promise of Fusion?

Conversations That Matter features Nathan Gilliland who says the promise of fusion energy is now tantalizingly close which means about 5 years to proof of concept. Gilliland says the advances in fusion production are consistent with “Moore’s Law”, a doubling of capabilities every 18 months, which means the sector is getting close but says, “The biggest challenge is having the capacity to create enough energy to ignite even more energy”.

When that happens, Gilliland says the benefits will include lower cost power, a reduction in carbon emissions and an inexhaustible source of energy. In other words they will have harnessed the power of the sun.

Conversations That Matter is a partner program with the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for these important and engaging Conversations shaping our future.

Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

The $1,000 Genome

Episode 98

Kevin Davies - $1,000 Genome

Conversations That Matter features Kevin Davies who says the promise of mapping the human genome is about to be realized. In 2000 the world of medicine and research was all a flutter with possibility, the human genome project was about to wrap up and we were promised huge health benefits. That was 16 years ago and so far reality has come up short of the promised potential.

Davies, who authored the $1,000 Genome says all of that is about to change. As an example, he points to the Pharmacogenomics trials underway by the BC Pharmacy Association as a huge step forward in the delivery of designer medicine.

Conversations That Matter is a partner program with the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for these important and engaging Conversations shaping our future.

Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

Libraries, who needs em?

Episode 97

Scott Hargrove - Libraries - who needs em?

Conversations That Matter features Scott Hargrove of the Fraser Valley Regional Library who says be careful who’s information your consuming and who you can trust.  He says, “it’s easy to feel as though you have the whole world in your digital device” but he points to out, “you’re not right about that, what you have instead is a mish mash of information that is force fed to you by search engines that second guess your wants, needs and desires and can easily mislead you.”

He goes onto say you’re stuck on the surface web and it prevents you from getting to the ‘deep web’, the place where the really valuable information is waiting to be discovered. Getting there isn’t easy unless you know how and without a library card you probably can’t afford the price of admission. That’s where your library comes in and that Hargrove points out, “is just the beginning of where libraries can take you.”

Conversations That Matter is a partner program with the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for these important and engaging Conversations shaping our future.

Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

Dr. Patrick Moore - Activist, Environmentalist, Agitator

Episode 96

Dr. Patrick Moore - Activist, Environmentalist, Agitator

Conversations That Matter features Dr. Patrick Moore who is one of the most controversial figures in the environmental movement. It’s a position he’s held for more than four decades. Fi

rst in defence of the environment as a member of Greenpeace at Amchitka Island and in the South Pacific protesting nuclear testing then in the mid-70’s taking on the Soviet whaling industry off of the coast of California. His environmental credentials go back a long way.

Along the way, however, Moore and Greenpeace stopped agreeing on GMO’s, Global Warming and Climate Change because he says the the environmental group became more about fundraising campaigns and less about science. In this Conversation Dr. Moore lets loose on a  wide range of topics from golden rice to climate.  

Conversations That Matter is a partner program with the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for these important and engaging Conversations shaping our future.

Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

How safe are the ships in the harbour

Episode 95

Robert Lewis-Manning - Is shipping in BC safe?

Conversations That Matter features Robert Lewis-Manning the President of the Chamber of Shipping in BC on the state of the industry in the coastal waters of British Columbia. Lewis-Manning comes to the job after a distinguished career in shipping that includes 24 years in the Canadian Navy.

He says when it comes to shipping safety on the West Coast and in Canada the numbers speak for themselves. Lewis-Manning says, “we have a safety record that is amongst the best in the world and on the west coast we have the best record in Canada” The reasons why are many. They include but are not limited to; a culture of safety, a pilotage system that is world-class, guide ships, tugs, traffic control systems and traffic management strategies that focus on environmental protection.

Lewis-Manning went on to point out Port Metro, the Coast Guard, Pacific Pilotage, the Chamber of Shipping and the shipping companies that generate more than $500 million per day of economic activity all have safety as the number one priority.

Conversations That Matter is a partner program with the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for these important and engaging Conversations shaping our future.

Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

Everything you wanted to know about Men's Health but were afraid to ask

Episode 94

Dr. John Oliffe - Everything you wanted to know about Men’s Health but were afraid to ask

Conversations That Matter features Dr. John Oliffe the driving force behind a UBC research project looking into why men die almost five years earlier than women. Oliffe says it comes down to five things, diet, alcohol consumption, exercise, depression and heart disease. In other words what you put in your mouth, how much you move and your state of mind.

Key to state of mind is the rate at which men turn to suicide.  Oliffe says, “ it's not the case for every man, but the fact is, men are suiciding at four times the rate of women.” Underlying factors are a loss of purpose, psychological injuries that are left unattended and physical injuries that lead to chronic pain and reduced mobility. According to Oliffe men run away from addressing these issues through self medication. That’s a euphemism for alcohol and drugs.

Oliffe says there are a variety of strategies you can employ that all have the same denominator, ask for and get help.

Conversations That Matter is a partner program with the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for these important and engaging Conversations shaping our future.

Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

How to be old, happy and healthy with Dr. Gifford Jones

Episode 93

Dr. Gifford-Jones - How to be old, happy and healthy!

Conversations That Matter features Dr. Gifford-Jones who has been writing health columns for more than 25 years. He says the secret to getting old and being happy and healthy is relatively simple. He has a list of do’s and don'ts which are pretty easy to follow.

His list includes but is not limited to drink wine responsibly, have sex, walk, lift some light weights, enjoy life, cut out refined sugar. Here’s a big one, look after your teeth they’re really important because they help you eat better calories and while of the topic of calories watch how many you consume.  He goes onto say, “weigh yourself everyday because that way you know instantly if something has changed. There’s no value in waiting to find out.”

While it’s obvious it’s worth repeating, if you want to live to 90 and be happy and healthy don’t smoke.

Conversations That Matter is a partner program with the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for these important and engaging Conversations shaping our future.

Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

How on earth can we get along?

Episode 92

Mafalda Arias - How on earth can we get along?

Conversations That Matter features Malfalda Arias a cultural integration specialist who addresses why we have so much trouble integrating. Arias says at the core of the problem is our inability to define what Canadian culture is, “because we don't know who we are, or what is our culture, then we go to another place or criticize the culture of the different others. As a result we don’t know what to think or what to question. Why do I do this this way? Why do you do it that way? We're not aware.”

According to Arias we need to understand not just what we do but why we do, what drives our behaviour. Then we need to be willing to ask the same questions of others. It’s challenging because the dominate culture wants to stay the same and requests that newcomers adjust.  What slows down the process of integration is a dizzying array of ingredients that frequently start with us expecting others to know what the dominate culture is and how to automatically adjust to it. Arias points out that if we can’t define what we are then we need to have open conversations that help one another find a common understanding and way of being.

Conversations That Matter is a partner program with the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for these important and engaging Conversations shaping our future.

Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

Take the TRC Challenge

Episode 91

TRC Reading Challenge

Conversations That Matter features Jennifer Manuel who is throwing down a challenge to all of us to read the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions report, “because there's not enough engagement in our public discourse, there's not enough people actually participating in a dialogue about the relationship between First Nations and non-First Nations in our country and I do not think that you can rightfully participate in that dialogue unless you first listen to the truth that First Nations people have expressed which are contained in that commission report.”

Reconciliation between First Nations and non-indigenous people is rapidly becoming the most important issue facing Canada. The rights of First Nations established in the courts means future development of all kinds in Canada can only happen with the active partnership and participation of First Nations communities. As Bill Gallagher, the author of Resource Rulers points out, “the good news is First Nations want to do business with the rest of the country”

Manuel echoes the sentiment of Buffy Sainte Maire who says, “we can live in harmony if we understand one another’s journey and heal together”.

Conversations That Matter is a partner program with the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for these important and engaging Conversations shaping our future.

Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv