The Conversation Piece

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SOCIETY & CULTURE
TWICE MONTHLY

Need something new to talk about? Subscribe to the podcast that challenges the way you see everything in ten minutes or less. The Walrus Talks is a national event series that sparks conversations on the issues that matter most to Canadians. *The music in this podcast has been licensed and is called Intelligent Molecule by LexPremium. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 MAR

Dr. Emma Duerden: Teenage Digital Consumption

Social media is built around rewards—a digital feedback loop of likes, shares, and comments. For teenagers, whose brains are still developing, the risks associated with those rewards may not be immediately apparent. At The Walrus Talks at Home: Teens and Screens, Dr. Emma Duerden, Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience and Learning Disorders at Western University, explains how the adolescent brain’s reward system develops earlier than its cognitive control centre—and what that means for how young people experience both online and offline spaces. Dr. Duerden spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Teens and Screens on October 10, 2024. To register for upcoming events happening online or in a city near you, and to catch up on our archive of The Walrus Talks, visit thewalrus.ca/events. And subscribe to The Walrus Events newsletter for updates and announcements, at thewalrus.ca/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 min
19 FEB

Jeff Adams: Resilience in Sport

As the 2026 Winter Olympics continue and the Paralympics approach, a familiar narrative emerges, one of triumph through determination. But resilience isn’t forged by determination alone—it is shaped and sustained by the people around us. Three-time Paralympic gold medalist Jeff Adams reflects on a wheelchair racing event where a chorus of support gave him the strength he needed to persevere through adversity, reminding us that none of us get to our finish lines alone. Adams spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Resilience on May 16, 2021. To register for upcoming events happening online or in a city near you, and to catch up on our archive of The Walrus Talks, visit thewalrus.ca/events. And subscribe to The Walrus Events newsletter for updates and announcements, at thewalrus.ca/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 min
5 FEB

Dr. Daniel Munro: Challenging Technology that Enforces Bias

We’re often told that improving our digital skills will help keep us safe online. Yet managing the risks we face has less to do with our own know-how than with the way technology is designed. Philosopher and public policy analyst Dr. Daniel Munro stresses the importance of reexamining digital infrastructures and challenging tech makers to create a safer, fairer digital world by confronting harmful content and algorithmic bias. Dr. Munro spoke at The Walrus Talks Digital Skills in Toronto on June 6, 2023. To register for upcoming events happening online or in a city near you, and to catch up on our archive of The Walrus Talks, visit thewalrus.ca/events. And subscribe to The Walrus Events newsletter for updates and announcements, at thewalrus.ca/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 min
22 JAN

Rachel Blais: Food Insecurity in Nunavut

Food insecurity among Inuit in Canada has been called one of the longest-lasting public health emergencies in Canadian history. It’s a crisis rooted in colonial policy—and one that continues to shape who has access to food, income, and self-determination in Nunavut. Rachel Blais—former executive director of Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre—explains why the right to culturally appropriate and sustainably harvested food is critical to achieving true and lasting food security in the North. Blais spoke at The Walrus Talks Global Hunger Crisis in Ottawa on October 18, 2022. To register for upcoming events happening online or in a city near you, and to catch up on our archive of The Walrus Talks, visit thewalrus.ca/events. And subscribe to The Walrus Events newsletter for updates and announcements, at thewalrus.ca/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 min
04/12/2025

Jesse McCormick: We Can’t Build Canada Strong Without Building Trust First

Canada is racing to build the infrastructure that will shape its economic and political future. But moving faster means little unless the systems guiding that development are strong enough to be trusted. Independent lawyer and consultant Jesse McCormick argues that making any meaningful progress with Canada’s major projects will require building trust with First Nations by prioritizing their consent and establishing regulatory systems that put First Nations behind the wheel. McCormick spoke at The Walrus Talks Sovereign Canada in Toronto on October 28, 2025. To register for upcoming events happening online or in a city near you, and to catch up on our archive of The Walrus Talks, visit thewalrus.ca/events. And subscribe to The Walrus Events newsletter for updates and announcements, at thewalrus.ca/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 min
20/11/2025

Pacinthe Mattar: DEI and Anti-Palestinian Racism

The adoption of DEI, or diversity, equity, and inclusion, is often framed as progress, but for some, it functions as nothing more than corporate strategy. For journalist Pacinthe Mattar, nowhere are the limits—and failures—of DEI more stark than in relation to Palestine. She shares how the “Palestine exception” plays out in newsrooms, schools, and other areas of public life, and underscores the importance of confronting the anti-Palestinian racism DEI has failed to name. Mattar spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: DEI on June 17, 2025. To register for upcoming events happening online or in a city near you, and to catch up on our archive of The Walrus Talks, visit thewalrus.ca/events. And subscribe to The Walrus Events newsletter for updates and announcements, at thewalrus.ca/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 min
06/11/2025

Bardia Sinaee: Poetry Versus The Machine

What happens to poetry—and art at large—in a world shaped by algorithms? Poet Bardia Sinaee considers what it means to live in a time dominated by data and celebrates poetry’s ability to offer meaning where machines cannot. Sinaee spoke at The Walrus Talks Cultural Futures on April 30, 2024. To register for upcoming events happening online or in a city near you, and to catch up on our archive of The Walrus Talks, visit thewalrus.ca/events. And subscribe to The Walrus Events newsletter for updates and announcements, at thewalrus.ca/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 min
23/10/2025

Dr. Jan Hare: The Role of Teachers

Teachers play a significant role in the lives of youth, shaping not just what they learn, but who they become. Yet, across Canada, schools are facing unprecedented teacher turnover due to demanding workloads, complex student needs, and the lingering effects of COVID-19. Dr. Jan Hare, Dean of Education at the University of British Columbia, highlights the critical work teachers do, the pressures they face, and what it will take to ensure the sustainability of the profession. Dr. Hare spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Public Education and Philanthropy on March 25, 2025. To register for upcoming events happening online or in a city near you, and to catch up on our archive of The Walrus Talks, visit thewalrus.ca/events. And subscribe to The Walrus Events newsletter for updates and announcements, at thewalrus.ca/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 min

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TRAILER

Season Two Trailer

Season Two of The Conversation Piece launches next week, and with The Walrus Talks at Home in full swing, we have even more ideas (in under 10 minutes) to treat your ears to. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2

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1 min

Need something new to talk about? Subscribe to the podcast that challenges the way you see everything in ten minutes or less. The Walrus Talks is a national event series that sparks conversations on the issues that matter most to Canadians. *The music in this podcast has been licensed and is called Intelligent Molecule by LexPremium. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.