Conversations That Matter

A Conversation That Matters with John Horgan

Episode 33 BC NDP Leader John Horgan

We can do better in BC

This week’s Conversation That Matters features John Horgan the leader of the BC NDP on the one year anniversary of his rise to the leadership. In this conversation he talks about everything from resources to First Nations, pipelines, LNG, education, transit and so much and on every topic he says we can do better. He maintains that when we do, everyone benefits.

Horgan says, “everyone’s a New Democrat they just don’t know it yet.” He goes on to say, “most British Columbians have the same hopes and dreams that I do for themselves and their families, the trick is how do we get there together.” You can meet and hear his ideas on this weeks Conversation That Matters.

Join veteran broadcaster Stuart McNish for this important and engaging Conversation that Matters. on The Vancouver Sun website. Each week McNish explores the most important issues shaping the future of B.C.  Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

A Conversation That Matters with Jim Chu

Episode 32 Chief Jim Chu

A lifetime of service to the City

This week’s Conversation That Matters features Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu as he steps down from the lead role with the Vancouver Police. He says, ‘policing has changed a lot from the early 80’s”,  when he first signed on, “you didn’t have the massive number of drug addicts, you didn’t have the mentally ill.”

Chief Chu, however, maintains the city is safer than it was, “the number of violent crimes and the perception of safety and the reputation of certain neighbourhoods”, have all improved. He credits that drop in crime to the work of police officers who have focused on violent crime.

He says, not only has he had a great career with the Vancouver Police but most importantly to him, he met and married his wife who was a career police officer. He thanks her for the incredible sacrifice and support she gave him throughout his three and a half decades with the force.

Join veteran broadcaster Stuart McNish for this important and engaging Conversation that Matters. on The Vancouver Sun website. Each week McNish explores the most important issues shaping the future of B.C.  Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

A Conversation That Matters with Brenda Lau

Episode 31 Dr. Brenda Lau

Pain Specialist

One in four people suffers with chronic pain.

This week’s Conversation that Matters features Dr. Brenda Lau who says, “pain is not just a physical symptom”, she says, “once it starts affecting the body, the body behave differently, the mind thinks differently, you relate to people differently, it takes over everything.”

Dr. Lau is working with a small group of specialists to help deliver relief to chronic pain sufferers and to help other physicians help their patients. Pain BC is the network and website that has been created to help. You can find more information at www.painbc.ca

Join veteran broadcaster Stuart McNish for this important and engaging Conversation that Matters. on The Vancouver Sun website. Each week McNish explores the most important issues shaping the future of B.C.  Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

A Conversation That Matters with Andrew Petter

Episode 30 Andrew Petter

President and Vice-Chancellor of Simon Fraser

BC can be the education province

This week’s Conversation that Matters features Andrew Petter the President of Simon Fraser University believes BC has the opportunity to become the go to place for post secondary education in Canada.

Petter says, over the next few years, “BC will become the education province, it’s already becoming the place where if you have an idea to grow a company or you need talented people in order to succeed this is the go to place.” He goes on to say we need to invest more in education so that BC can realize it’s full economic potential.

Join veteran broadcaster Stuart McNish for this important and engaging Conversation that Matters. on The Vancouver Sun website. Each week McNish explores the most important issues shaping the future of B.C.  Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

A Conversation That Matters with Tzeporah Berman

Episode 29 Dr. Tzeporah Berman

A solar spill is just another sunny day.

This week’s Conversation that Matters features Dr. Tzeporah Berman who says, “climate change is one the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced and unless we address it quickly we will destabilize the climate to such an extent that the majority of the world’s population will not be able to meet basic needs.”

Berman while sounding the alarm bells is also hopeful saying, “ we’re already starting to address it, we have seen more technological advances in the past two years on renewable energies than in the last 20, we’ve seen more market investment in renewable energy around the world than ever before.”

Join veteran broadcaster Stuart McNish for this important and engaging Conversation that Matters. on The Vancouver Sun website. Each week McNish explores the most important issues shaping the future of B.C.  Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

A Conversation That Matters with Ken Green

Episode 28 Dr. Ken Green

I’m deeply skeptical of computer models

This week’s Conversation that Matters features Dr. Ken Green author of Global Warming: Understanding the Debate and the Senior Director at the Centre for Natural Resources at the Fraser Institute, he says, "computer models never predicted an 18 year temperature pause".

Green says, “when you enter the land of climate modeling you are no longer doing normative science. I’m deeply skeptical of computer models of any type, climate or economic, who?,  six months ago would have predicted the current price of oil?”

He agrees the climate is changing and that human generated greenhouses gases are affecting it, however, he says, “it’s the assumptions that lead to the higher estimates of warming that are placed in the computer models that I don’t regard in the same category as normative science.”

Join veteran broadcaster Stuart McNish for this important and engaging Conversation that Matters. on The Vancouver Sun website. Each week McNish explores the most important issues shaping the future of B.C.  Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

A Conversation That Matters with Freeman Dyson

Episode 27 Freeman Dyson

The earth is actually growing greener

This week’s Conversation that Matters features Princeton University’s preeminent physicist Freeman Dyson who says models do a good job of helping us understand climate but they do a very poor job of predicting it.

Dyson says, “as measured from space, the whole earth is growing greener as a result of carbon dioxide, so it’s increasing agricultural yields, it’s increasing the forests and it’s increasing growth in the biological world and that’s more important and more certain than the effects on climate.”

He acknowledges that human activity has an effect on climate but claims it is much less than is claimed. He stresses the non-climate benefits of carbon are overwhelmingly favourable.

Join veteran broadcaster Stuart McNish for this important and engaging Conversation that Matters. on The Vancouver Sun website. Each week McNish explores the most important issues shaping the future of B.C.  Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

A Conversation That Matters with Dr. Gerald Baier on why every vote counts.

Episode 26 Gerald Baier

Every Vote Counts

This week’s Conversation that Matters features Dr. Gerald Baier of UBC's Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions and he says voter turnout, particularly with younger voters is dropping. The unintended consequence is older people are becoming more powerful.

As we head into the Transit Referendum it’s young people who will benefit the most from an increase in transit service, yet the data shows they are not the ones voicing their opinion in the voter booth.

Baier says the reasons why young voters are disenchanted include a loss of respect for many of the institutions that are an extension of government and a loss of respect for the people who are running them.

Baier says your vote or lack of it matters. He goes on to say one or two votes really do matter.

Join veteran broadcaster Stuart McNish for this important and engaging Conversation that Matters. on The Vancouver Sun website. Each week McNish explores the most important issues shaping the future of B.C.  Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv

A Conversation That Matters with Seth Klein - We're living in a false economy

Episode 25 Seth Klein

We’re living in a false economy

This week’s Conversation that Matters features Seth Klein of the Centre for Policy Alternatives,  he says we all need to recognize that we’ve undermined our fiscal capacity to pay for the things that we need to pay for.

Klein says, “instead of boasting about having the lowest taxes in Canada, what if we simply said let’s be average, let’s tax at the average of Canadian provinces.” He says that would put an additional $2.4 Billion in the Provincial Treasury.

Klein was responding to Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu’s “Conversation” about Mental Health, Addiction and Homelessness. Klein says if we addressed the issue upfront with appropriate funding for those in need we’d save money and we save valuable resources.

A Conversation That Matters with Daphne Bramham - No, Maybe - Maybe Yes to Transit Referendum

Episode 24 Daphne Bramham

No - Yes - Maybe to  the Transit Referendum

This week’s Conversation that Matters features Vancouver Sun columnist Daphne Bramham who says vote No is likely to win, well maybe - well maybe not.

Brmham says, “if you vote no, you’re telling politicians I don’t want taxes raised, you’re telling politicians you’re not prepared to pay anymore money, so when you vote no you better be prepared for worse service, not better service, worse service. What you’re saying is I’m prepared to have less service.

Bramham points out the no side has the emotional argument locked up and that’s much easier to sell. The yes side has the difficult job of convincing you that improved transit is good not only in the short run but even more so into the future which she admits is a difficult sell.

Join veteran broadcaster Stuart McNish for this important and engaging Conversation that Matters. on The Vancouver Sun website. Each week McNish explores the most important issues shaping the future of B.C.  Please become a subscriber and support the production of the program at www.conversationsthatmatter.tv