Conversations That Matter Stuart McNish, Veteran Canadian Newsman

Ep 498 - How Canada Saved Me
Guest - Sasha Luchkov
 
By Stuart McNish
 
On February 24th, 2022, in the dark of the night in Mukachevo, Ukraine, Sasha Luchkov woke to the news that his country was under attack. Sasha, a piano protege at the age of 17, was already an accomplished pianist. He had recently placed second in the Scherzo International piano competition, where he performed Beethoven’s Sonata #17.
 
Luchkov also performed at the Horowitz International piano competition and the Perugia MusicFest. When the war intensified, Luchkov says, “I was in fear of my life and I fled from Ukraine – first to Italy and with the help of Thrive Refuge, I made my way to Canada, which accepted me as a refugee.”
 
Luchkov says, “Canada and Canadians have been remarkably kind and helpful to me.” Through Thrive Refuge, Sasha was able to complete his high school education and is now attending UBC’s School of Music, studying under the direction of Dr. David Fung. On April the 12th, Sasha is performing at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in the Concert for Peace to help raise funds to support Thrive Refuge’s Fine Arts Bursary.
 
Sasha Luchov joins us for a Conversation That Matters about his journey to finding a second chance in Canada.
 
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
 
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
 
Join us April 23 rd  for Conversations Live - One on One with Premier Edy

Ep 497 - Climate Action: The Net Zero Economy
Guest - John Stackhouse
 
By Stuart McNish
 
“Population and economic growth spell a demand for much more energy,” states the opening paragraph of RBC’s Climate Action Institute report. The Institute is honest in its assessment of the path forward to a Net Zero economy. The bank’s John Stackhouse says, “Climate pressures spell an imperative for a different mix of energy sources.”
Looking forward, the global population is forecast to exceed 9 billion by approximately 2040. “Can the world population power itself into a new age of sustainable growth?” askes the report. It goes on to ask, “Can Canada, a global leader in energy, create new technologies, realize new opportunities and create value in a Net Zero economy?”
We invited RBC’s Head of Thought Leadership, John Stackhouse, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the highlights of the research the report lays out, its six major conclusions, and the path forward.
 
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
 
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
 
Join us April 2  for Conversations Live - Energy and the Environment

Ep 496 - Ballooning Public Service
Guest - Renaud Brossard
 
By Stuart McNish
 
According to the Montreal Economic Institute, Justin Trudeau ranks first among Canadian Prime Ministers over the past 40 years when it comes to the expansion in the size of the civil service. In a recent study, MEI notes that “over the past few decades, the number of employees in the federal public service has fluctuated somewhat under the mandate of successive governments under Justin Trudeau's current government. However, we are witnessing a truly unprocessed identity expansion.” 
 
Renaud Brossard speaks on behalf of MEI and he says, “An expanding public service has consequences that adversely affect the economy, including undue competition with the private sector for employees. And that, in turn, exacerbates the already challenging talent market.” The report goes on to show the increase on a percentage basis from Prime Ministers Mulroney  to Trudeau; Mulroney and Chrétien both oversaw about 10% reduction. Martin and Harper also decreased the number of civil servants, but to a lesser extent. Prime Minister Trudeau's increase is a whopping 25%. 
 
We invited Renaud Brossard of MEI to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the report and why a rapidly expanding civil service is a cause for concern.
 
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
 
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca
 
Join us April 2  for Conversations Live - Energy and the Environment

Ep 495 - Child Sex Trafficking
Guest - Cathy Peters
 
By Stuart McNish
 
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Canada is February 22nd. It was instituted as part of the government’s commitment to fighting human trafficking. The point was to “raise awareness of the magnitude of modern day slavery in Canada and abroad and to take steps to combat human trafficking.”
 
In her book, “Child Sex Trafficking in Canada,” Cathy Peters says, “This book should never have been written. But here we are. Society and culture have come to a point where the most vulnerable are not being protected.” Peters goes on to say, “As a society we have a moral obligation to address sexual exploitation immediately, resolutely and robustly.”
 
Today’s children are targeted in ways that you have little awareness of and from around the world. These children are marginalized, vulnerable, and at risk. Peters says, “They are unaware of the insidious, coercive, and manipulative tactics of the sex industry.”
 
We  invited one of Canada’s leading advocates on behalf of vulnerable children, Cathy Peters, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about what we all need to know about child sex trafficking and how to stop it.
 
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
 
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 494 - Canada and China: What Happened?
Guest - Dr Paul Evans
 
By Stuart McNish
 
In 1970, Canada led the Western world by recognizing China. According to Paul Evans in his book, “Engaging China,” the Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau “believed that many of the world’s major issues ‘will not be resolved completely or in any lasting way unless and until an accommodation has been reached with the Chinese nation.’”
 
Over the course of the next 50 years, the Chinese economy and its clout grew from 1.7 percent of global GDP to more than 17.3%. China went from one of the poorest countries on earth to one of the most powerful economies. Through that growth, China invested heavily in Canadian energy and technology companies.
 
Then at the start of this century, the relationship between Canada and China started shifting. China started to flex its muscles and Canada failed to realize it was no longer the dominant member of this relationship. China grew tired of being told what and how to manage its affairs.
 
Enter Xi Jinping, who had no patience for moralizing and virtue signalling. Canada woke up to China’s influence and the influencing tactics at home and abroad. Over the past five years, the relationship has soured.
 
We invited Paul Evans, Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia, to join us for a Conversation That Matters on what happened between Canada and China and what is happening between us and India.

You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
 
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 493 - A Call to Purpose
Guest - Mike Rowlands
 
“Redefining success for the purpose economy,” Mike Rowlands says, “is to become a part of the rapidly growing movement toward social purpose in business. The social purpose focus creates healthier communities, restoration of our shared environment and better outcomes for companies’ staff, customers and other stakeholders.”
 
Rowlands says the path to developing this framework  “emerged from our work with the nonprofit sector – a sector that required new brand strategies that enriched and enhanced their organizations' messaging.” The next step on the path to a social purpose framework was the development of “Theory of Change,” which is a methodology to set out intended social change outcomes.”
 
We invited Mike Rowlands, the CEO and President at Junxion, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about social purpose and how it focuses businesses to accept responsibility for outputs, outcomes and building a better world by being in business.
 
By Stuart McNish
 
Researchers at Simon Fraser University and BC Cancer have pinpointed specific physiological traits that they say “can 
 
You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/
 
Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca