The Conversation Lab

Vancouver Co-op Radio
  • 4.0 (1)
  • Society & Culture

The Conversation Lab is a monthly radio program at CFRO FM in Vancouver. It airs on the last Saturday every month at 9am and its available on community and campus radio stations across Canada as well as on your favorite podcasting platform. My focus is on giving community groups, non-profit organizations, and changemakers a voice to talk about those things that are most important to them. Learning how to build bridges into different communities seems critical as we explore the uneven development of colonialism and global capitalism in our community.  I'm a veteran broadcaster and Ph.D. Candidate, at UBC's Social Justice Institute. My dissertation is about the cause and effect of polarization and how the words we use open up or shut down our conversations. I'm learning about the science, psychology, cultural, and emotional components of conversation and what they have in common to gain insight and improve on existing knowledge of how we engage with each other whether about climate, race, gender, culture, politics, or social justice issues to contribute to positive social change. CFRO FM (Co-op Radio) is located in Vancouver's downtown eastside on the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-waututh) Nations where we are grateful to be able to do this work.

  1. What's an OCP?

    Jun 10

    What's an OCP?

    Understanding an Official Community Plan (OCP) If you've ever wondered whether your children or grandchildren will be able to afford to live in your community, worried about housing, transportation, water, wildfire risk, climate change, traffic congestion, environmental protection, or simply what future generations will inherit, then you already have a stake in this conversation. While this episode focuses on Bowen Island where I live, the questions being discussed are the same ones facing communities across British Columbia and Canada. How do we grow? What should we protect? What infrastructure will we need? And how do we balance housing, environment, economy, and quality of life? In this episode, we talk with Mayor Andrew Leonard, Daniel Martin (Manager of Planning and Development), and James Crandles (OCP Steering Committee Co-Chair) to unpack Bowen Island's proposed Official Community Plan and the current phase of public engagement. Together they explore: • What an Official Community Plan (OCP) is — and what it isn't • Why Bowen's OCP is being updated now • The guiding frameworks shaping the draft • Housing diversity and infrastructure planning • Biodiversity, stewardship, and climate resilience • Transportation, community vitality, and circular economy principles • Land use maps, conservation areas, and development permit areas • How residents can participate meaningfully during this phase of engagement Whether you live on Bowen Island or in a growing community elsewhere, this conversation is about understanding the choices, trade-offs, and opportunities that shape the places we call home.You can learn more at bowenislandmunicipality.ca.

    45 min
  2. Farhan Samir - A Reflection on Complexity and Meaning-Making

    Feb 15

    Farhan Samir - A Reflection on Complexity and Meaning-Making

    AI systems carry embedded worldviews. This isn’t a metaphor—it’s architecture. They inherit Western epistemologies, English-language biases, individualistic assumptions, capitalist logics, hetero-normative defaults, racialized categories, settler-colonial knowledge priorities, Silicon Valley’s belief in optimization and speed, and a particular moral grammar about what counts as “rational,” “true,” or “good.” This is a converstion with Farhan Samir that began in November as we graduated from UBC. Talking with him I felt something familiar—something that sits at the centre of my own work on conversation, polarization, and the power of language. Our conversaion reminds me how much complexity lies beneath even the simplest act of interpretation, and how rarely we pay attention to it.

    43 min
  3. Jonathan Eaton - Disaster Preparedness

    11/16/2025

    Jonathan Eaton - Disaster Preparedness

    Dr Jonathan Eaton is the lead author of a new study that takes a deep dive into how Vancouver residents think about disaster preparedness. He talks about how disaster preparedness is about more than seismic retrofits, sandbags, or evacuation routes - It's about people, about how we understand risk and what we value, and how our sense of place, memory, and community shape the choices we make before the ground starts shaking.

    49 min
  4. Jean Watson Final

    08/29/2025

    Jean Watson Final

    Two years ago, I underwent open-heart surgery at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. What stayed with me, beyond the procedure itself, was the extraordinary level of care I received—from the cardiac team, nurses, and support staff. It felt deeply human, attentive, and intentional. When I later circled back to thank them, many of those I spoke with credited their approach to the teachings of Jean Watson. I was curious who was this person shaping how care is felt in a clinical setting? Jean Watson is a nurse, scholar, and founder of the Watson Caring Science Institute. Her work has transformed how we think about healing—not just as a physical process, but as something deeply relational and grounded in compassion. So, I reached out to her. I wanted to understand more about what it means to truly care, and what lessons her work might offer not just to those in healthcare, but to all of us—especially in these divided and uncertain times.

    26 min
  5. Liz Stewart - Neighbours United & Deep Canvassing

    07/06/2025

    Liz Stewart - Neighbours United & Deep Canvassing

    In this episode of Sticks & Stones, Roots & Bones, we sit down with Liz Stewart, a Defend Our Homes organizer with Neighbours United in British Columbia. Liz shares how deep canvassing, a powerful tool rooted in empathy and storytelling, is helping bridge divides in forestry towns where proposed biodiversity legislation is sparking debate. With curiosity and care, Liz opens up about what it means to meet people where they’re, the emotional weight of conversations across difference, and the quiet power of asking why. From growing up in resource-rich Manitoba to confronting her own assumptions, Liz’s journey reveals how vulnerability and respect can shift hearts and minds, one door and one conversation at a time. This isn’t just a conversation about forests. It’s a conversation about how we talk to each other and what’s possible when we truly listen.

    32 min
  6. Andrew J. Hoffman - Business School and the Noble Purpose of the Market

    04/02/2025

    Andrew J. Hoffman - Business School and the Noble Purpose of the Market

    Andy Hoffman is a distinguished professor at the University of Michigan, holding joint appointments at the Ross School of Business and the School for Environment and Sustainability. His work bridges two often disparate worlds—business and environmental stewardship—challenging the status quo by advocating for a new kind of capitalism, one rooted in moral purpose and long-term societal impact.  His latest book, Business School and the Noble Purpose of the Market, offers a provocative vision for how business education must evolve in response to the existential challenges of our time. In this conversation, we explore not only the key themes of his new book but also his thoughts on capitalism, corporate responsibility, the intersection of business and policy, and how future business leaders can navigate a world increasingly shaped by social and environmental crises.  I hope you can join us.

    44 min
  7. Ian Williams - What I Mean to Say: Remaking Conversation in Our Time

    12/26/2024

    Ian Williams - What I Mean to Say: Remaking Conversation in Our Time

    Ian Williams is a poet, novelist, and essayist whose work explores themes of race, identity, and social complexity. Born in Trinidad and raised in Canada, Williams has developed a distinctive voice that combines lyrical sensitivity with sharp cultural insight. His debut novel, Reproduction, won the 2019 Giller Prize and was celebrated for its inventive structure and moving exploration of familial bonds across race and class.  I was particularly looking forward to our discussion to talk about his work, his latest book and about his PhD research which focused on the nuanced dimensions of tone and voice in print, examining how people’s identities and intentions are subtly encoded in their written words, particularly through everyday typing and texting. As you might imagine we talked about the transformative power of open, authentic conversations in fostering trust and understanding amid societal polarization. I hope you can join us.

    52 min
  8. barbara findlay - How Language Structures our Perceptions

    07/26/2024

    barbara findlay - How Language Structures our Perceptions

    barbara findlay is an old white cisgender queer lawyer with disabilities who was raised working-class and christian on the prairies. In this episode, we explore barbara's extensive career and contributions to social justice, her involvement in fighting against oppression, and her continuous advocacy work. The conversation touches on significant topics such as the challenges of navigating difficult conversations, the current wave of transphobia, and the profound impact of language on perception and interaction. barbara shares her experiences and strategies in dealing with these issues, offering valuable insights into the complexities of social justice advocacy.

    43 min
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About

The Conversation Lab is a monthly radio program at CFRO FM in Vancouver. It airs on the last Saturday every month at 9am and its available on community and campus radio stations across Canada as well as on your favorite podcasting platform. My focus is on giving community groups, non-profit organizations, and changemakers a voice to talk about those things that are most important to them. Learning how to build bridges into different communities seems critical as we explore the uneven development of colonialism and global capitalism in our community.  I'm a veteran broadcaster and Ph.D. Candidate, at UBC's Social Justice Institute. My dissertation is about the cause and effect of polarization and how the words we use open up or shut down our conversations. I'm learning about the science, psychology, cultural, and emotional components of conversation and what they have in common to gain insight and improve on existing knowledge of how we engage with each other whether about climate, race, gender, culture, politics, or social justice issues to contribute to positive social change. CFRO FM (Co-op Radio) is located in Vancouver's downtown eastside on the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-waututh) Nations where we are grateful to be able to do this work.

Information

  • Creator
    Vancouver Co-op Radio
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    118
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Vancouver Co-op Radio
  • Show Website
    The Conversation Lab

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