Call the Question

For the Call the Question finale, we welcome Indigenous leader, best-selling author and former Attorney General and Justice Minister, Jody Wilson-Raybould, back to the podcast to share her thoughts on democracy, leadership and the interconnectedness we all share. We talk about her bestselling book, Indian in the Cabinet, and about her conviction that the great challenges of our time - social and racial justice, the climate emergency, the pandemic and more - require us all to work together in new ways. And, Lesli and Maria sign off our final episode with a call to action on vaccine equity, and discuss how we're preparing ourselves for challenges of a world that is changing rapidly before our eyes.This podcast was recorded in the unceded territories for the Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueam and Squamish peoples. This episode was produced by Collins Maina. A warm thanks to all of the generous guests, patrons, friends, supporters and sponsors for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to our past producers Simone Hill, Ronnie Jones (also an amazing photographer for our pod), and Emma Renaerts for helping to make our vision a reality. Jusqu'à la prochaine fois.

Maria and Lesli take a look at the 2021 Federal Election, which produced a new parliament...a lot like the old one. We take a look at the campaigns, the issues that did (or didn't) resonate with the public in this election, and how little the composition of parliament changed in this pandemic election. We also talk about what's next for the podcast.

Award-winning labour, employment and human rights lawyer Susanna Quail of Allevato Quail and Roy joins the podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of workers' rights in BC and Canada. We take a deep dive into migrant workers' rights, exploitive working conditions, and the added complexity the pandemic presented in protecting the health and safety of seasonal migrant workers. We also talk about the legal rights of workers (including sick leave and vaccination leave) in the COVID-19 pandemic. And, we talk about some of the precedent-setting cases Susanna has led in the fight for workers' rights. Lesli and Maria open the podcast with look ahead to a potential summertime federal election, and riff on the latest fractures in the Green Party of Canada (as one of their MPs crosses the floor to the Liberals), and the challenges Annamie Paul is facing as she attempts to unite and modernize her party.

We welcome the world's most famous OBGYN, Dr. Jen Gunter, back to the pod to talk about her new book, The Menopause Manifesto. Jen helps us solve one of the great mysteries of human health - that is, understanding menopause. She reveals how what we know (or don't know) about menopause is inextricably connected to the patriarchy, and its assumption that the value of a woman is somehow diminished when she no longer menstruates. Jen coaches women on owning our health "with facts and feminism," by learning more about menopause, our bodies, and how to address the complex array of symptoms experienced during menopause. The good doctor also explains hot flushes and menopause hormonal therapy (MHT), and also debunks the "use it or lose it" myth around the connection between sexual activity and sexual function during and after menopause. And, we talk with Jen about some of the some of the increased health risks people face during and after menopause, and the steps we can all take to take to manage - and maintain - our health for the rest of our lives.Check out Dr. Jen Gunter's podcast, Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter, today: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/body-stuff-with-dr-jen-gunter/id1566425638

We're proud to welcome Kasari Govender, BC's first independent Human Rights Commissioner, to the podcast. In our fascinating discussion, Kasari walks us through the BC Human Rights Commission and its role as an indepenent office of the Legislature. We discuss our rights and obligations as both people and as citizens, and the need to recognize our political and economic rights, as well. Kasari tells us about "The grandmother perspective," her office's 2020 report calling for data that reflects the lived experiences of many, allowing their stories to be heard clearly by those in power to inform development of policy that effectively addresses systemic inequalities in our society. And, we talk with Kasari about UNDRIP and DRIPA, and the role her office plays in decolonization, and Indigenous rights and recognition, in BC. Read "The grandmother perspective," the BC Human Rights Commission's report on the need for disaggregated data to addressed systemic inequalities: https://bchumanrights.ca/publications/datacollection/ Follow Kasari on Twitter @KasariGovender

Rachna Singh, MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers and BC's Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives, joins the podcast for a frank and open conversation about the need to change the laws, institutions and systems that help to perpetuate systemic racism in BC. Rachna tells us about how BC has moved away from the language of "multiculturalism" and towards "anti-racism," and in doing so, is acknowleding the lived experiences of Indigenous and racialized communities in BC. Rachna shares the work her government is doing to improve race-based data collection, while explaining the complexities of gathering and sharing data in a way that doesn't harm or stigmatize racialized people further. We also discuss on the rapid rise in anti-Asian racism during the pandemic, plans for the BC's first-ever Anti-Racism Act, what's happening with BC's all-party committee reviewing the BC Police Act, and more.

Call the Question welcomes the remarkable Mebrat Beyene - executive director of WISH Drop-in Centre and Society - to the podcast. Mebrat shares insight into her organization's support for women and gender-diverse people working in street-based sex work in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. She explains what sex work is, guides us through the differences between sex work and human trafficking, and shares her thoughts on the often-challenging relationship between street-based sex workers (and their advocates) and the police. And, Mebrat tells us about the steps WISH has taken during the pandemic to provide more access to services to sex workers (including basic sanitation and much more) that she doesn't want to see go anywhere after the current pandemic crisis passes.Learn more about WISH and make a donation to suppor their work at https://wish-vancouver.net.

We're delighted to have Spring Hawes - entrepreneur, past municipal councillor, board director for a BC health authority, and a candidate in the BC election last October - join us on the pod. A tetraplegic, Spring talks to us about the experiences of disabled people in the pandemic, the implications of Canada's new medical assistance in dying (MAD) legislation, and about BC's highly anticipated new accessibility legislation. We also talk about disability justice, the ableism that's embedded in every part of our culture and built environment, and and the kinds of stories about disabled people she'd like to see and hear more in media and popular culture.Check out the "10 Principles of Disability Justice" Spring and Maria mentioned in our interview here: https://www.sinsinvalid.org/blog/10-principles-of-disability-justiceLearn more about disability justice from this 2013 interview with disability justice activist, Mia Mingus: https://equitableeducation.ca/2013/mia-mingus-disability-justice

"We don't care about the votes - we care about the voters." The extraordinary LaTosha Brown - musician, artist and co-founder of Black Voters Matter, an US voters' rights advocacy organization - joins us on Call the Q. LaTosha takes us behind the headlines for a closer look at voter suppression tactics in US states like Georgia, Alabama and more, and how BVM and many other community organizations are working with legislators to protect vote access for Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized communities. We also talk about intersectional feminism, the ascendant leadership of Black women and women of colour, and about BVM's organizing model - one that both puts people before politics, and delivers the vote. Oh - and she sings for us ;)

Mel Woods, Vancouver-based writer, audio producer, and a former viral/trending editor with HuffPost Canada, joins the pod to give us the scoop on what the f*** happened in early March when Buzzfeed suddenly shut down HuffPost Canada. Mel tells us how she and her colleagues heard about the closure, which took place just two weeks after HuffPost Canada employees voted to unionize. We also talk about "benevolent billionaires," the role of organized labour in digital media (and how CWA is supporting HuffPost workers now), emerging media models, and notions of journalistic "objectivity" in today's world.

CTQ welcomes our first episode on US politics - and our first US-based guest - with Sophia Jordán Wallace, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Washington, and the Director of the Washington Institute for the Study of Inequality and Race. Sophia walks us through the wild world of US politics, with a focus on how race and immigration politics have influenced organizing and voting behaviour over the past few years. Sophia talks about how changing demographics in the US are both creating new opportunities for women and people of colour in politics, and presenting a "demographic threat" to some Americans that, in part, helped to fuel the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol. And, we reflect on the leading role of women of colour are playing in transforming US politics today.To learn more about her research on the role of race and immigration policy in Trump's America, pick up or order a copy of Sophia's book with Chris Zepeda-Millán, "Walls, Cages, and Family Separation: Race and Immigration Policy in the Trump Era," wherever you buy your books.

CTQ is thrilled to welcome the indominatable Karen Ward - drug policy, overdose response and poverty reduction consultant for the City of Vancouver - to the podcast. The consultant, advocate, poet and artist is 100% badass in this wide-ranging conversation on COVID-19, drug policy, toxic drugs and increasing access to safe drug supply, NIMBYism, "organized fascists," and "fighting for space" - space for art, space to live, space to thrive - in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Try to keep up. "It's not the drugs, it's the drug policy." ~ Karen Ward.

Celina Caesar-Chavannes - author, entrepreneur, former Member of Parliament, and force of nature - joins the podcast to talk about her new memoir, "Can You Hear Me Now?" and her experience in federal politics. We talk about the importance of making mistakes in business, embracing our vulnerabilities and loving ourselves. We explore the optimism of her early days as an MP, the tokenism she experienced in the Liberal caucus as a Black MP, how race and gender informed her decision to leave the Liberal Party and sit as an independent, and the status of the anti-racism movement in Canada. And, we share out thoughts on mental health, and supporting and taking care of each other.Celina's new book, "Can You Hear Me Now?" is available now.

Sonia Furstenau, Leader of the BC Green Party, joins the podcast for our first episode of 2021. The MLA for Cowichan Valley shares her experience at the helm of the BC Greens, and reflects on her party's three-year cooperative agreement with the BC NDP in its minority government, and the recent October 2020 provincial election. She also shares her thoughts on climate action, electoral reform, environmental and racial justice, community development, and the dramatic recent events in US politics. And, we touch on the importance of striving for balance - in our lives, for our health, in our communities and in our environment.

Call the Question welcomes Carole James - BC's Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance until her recent retirement from politics in October 2020 - to our final podcast of the year. We ask Carole about the challenges ahead for the BC government as it faces significant budget deficits in the next few years, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We talk about how, as finance minister, she sought to balance fiscal responsibility with the needs of people and the environment, and about the achievements she's most proud of during her tenure. And, we examine the barriers women encounter when they take on political and economic leadership roles, and talk about the women in her life who inspired her to chart her own path to success. Note: This podcast was recorded on December 7, 2020.

Sharon Gregson, provincial spokesperson for the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC's $10aDay Child Care Campaign, joins the pod to give us an update on their recent breakthroughs to make affordable, accessible child care available to more parents in BC than ever before. We talk about October's provincial election - when every major BC party endorsed some form of affordable child care - and also take a closer look at how the COVID-19 pandemic has intensfied demands for an expansion of affordable child care, as part of a just recovery that doesn't leave parents - and, let's face it, women - behind.To learn more about Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC's campaign for $10aDay Child Care or to make a donation, visit https://www.10aday.ca.

Call the Question welcomes the dynamic duo - BC legislative reporters and BC political news experts Bhinder Sajan of CTV, and Liza Yuzda of News 1130 - to debrief on the takeaways from the 2020 BC Election, while we all wait for the final results in mid-November 2020. We read the entrails of the election, including what the heck happened with the BC Liberals, how the BC Greens and leader Sonia Furstenau fared, and the BC NDP's historic majority. We also discuss the lack of measureable gains for women and BIPOC candidates in this election, and what it all means. For more from our panel, follow them on Twitter: Liza Yuzda @lizayuzda and Bhinder Sajan @bhindersajan.

We welcome BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF) President Teri Mooring. When Teri was elected head of the BCTF - the union that represents BC's 45,000 public school teachers - she knew she'd be leading the next round of contract negotiations, but a global pandemic wasn't something she'd bargained for. We talk with Teri about the role she's played in advocating for health and safety protections as hundreds of thousands of BC kids returned to public schools in September. We also talk about the patriarchy and its impact on how women leaders are treated, equity and diversity in unions, and how she's helping rewriting the book on what it means to be a woman leader in labour. Of course, Teri also gives us her two cents on what teachers are looking for in the upcoming BC election on October 24.For more on Teri, follow her on Twitter at @terimooring or visit https://bctf.ca.

By popular demand, we present a special segment of "WTF with Maria Dobrinskaya," where Maria makes mincemeat out of a leaked BC Liberal event video - where BC Liberal MLA Jane Thornthwaite sexualized her fellow North Vancouver MLA, the BC NDP's Bowinn Ma, at an online "roast" for retiring West Van BC Liberal MLA Ralph Sultan - and the party's tone-deaf, foot-dragging response to the controversy that followed. For the Mo Amir/@vancolour tweet that shared the video for the first time, visit: https://twitter.com/vancolour/status/1315138165888307202?s=20

CTQ welcomes award-winning Canadian author Jen Sookfong Lee to the pod for a lively, wide-ranging discussion on her diverse body of work, the recent reckonings on race, gender and compensation in publishing (and society), and anti-Asian racism in the pandemic. Jen also shares her approach to social media (and how she uses humour and wit to deliver her message), her take on politics in this intensely political moment, and what the pandemic experience has challenged her to reflect on and reconsider.

After a long delay (thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic), Lesli and Maria finally welcome Adrienne Smith, Vancouver-based transgender human rights activist and social justice lawyer, to the podcast. Adrienne challenges both the hosts and our pod's listeners to think about inclusion, allyship and social justice goals in a new frame, and from a distinctly intersectional feminist perspective. We talk about defunding the police, women-only spaces, transgender rights education, and more. They also share their general discomfort with being called a 'lawyer,' and how they trained as a lawyer mainly to "smuggle a legal education over to our side of the barricade". In What the Fuck!, Maria and Adrienne take on the recent disturbing pandemic trend of normalizing poor bashing and anti-homelessness sentiment in Yaletown, the Downtown Eastside and elsewhere in our city. You can learn more about Adrienne Smith and contact them at adriennesmithlaw.com

Call the Question is back! Maria and Lesli are back at the mics (well, sort of), recording the pod remotely after a COVID-19 pandemic-driven hiatus. We talk about why we pressed "pause" on CTQ, what we've up to for the past five months, and take a look ahead to what's next (including some incredible new guests). In this first episode of the new season, we get caught up on what's been happening in Canadian and BC politics during the pandemic: the WE contract controversy, the federal Conservative leadership contest, elections (in the pandemic) in the air, and more.To our loyal listeners and Patreon supporters: thanks for sticking with us as we figured out how to get this podcast back off the ground in the pandemic, with new technology solutions...and a new producer, Emma Renaerts! Your continuing support means the world to us, and look forward to delivering great new content to you in the months to come.https://www.patreon.com/CalltheQuestion

Our fabulous guest is the Oscar-winning #HairLove story artist - Vancouver-based illustrator and animator Pearl Low. We talk with Pearl about storytelling, representation, diversity in film and animation, and…of course, hair. We'll also talk with her about her own graphic novel, Tension, on her own struggle with her own! We also talk with Lesli's dad, Cliff, about the word "settler," and the legacies of colonialism in Canada in a new edition of Cliff Notes. Watch the Oscar-winning short animated film, "Hair Love," on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNw8V_Fkw28You can order a copy of Pearl Low's book, Tension, here: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/671692113/tension

Call the Question welcomes our first-ever male guest, Jagmeet Singh, to the pod. We talk with Canada's NDP leader about the intersections between race- and gender-based discrimination in politics, being judged based on how one looks, and his case for the need for truly universal, head-to-toe health care in Canada. Lesli and Maria also discuss the harrowing story of former university elite athlete Megan Brown, and how some universities and sport organizations appear to ignore sexual misconduct in amateur sport in the drive to win...at any cost.You can follow Jagmeet Singh on Twitter @theJagmeetSingh.Read Michael Doyle's expose on the University of Guelph and Megan Brown's story in the Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-athlete-breaks-silence-about-sexual-misconduct-of-university-of-guelph/

Vancouver writer Manjot Bains was a senior advisor for the Government of Canada on anti-racism initiatives - that is, until she and her father made brief comments on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's brownface/blackface-wearing past in an interview. Manjot shares her incredible story with Call the Question. We also talk about Arielle Kayabaga, a city councillor in London, Ontario who dared to speak against the elimination of funding for a WiFi Hotspot lending program at the London Public Library. We'll tell you what happened at City Council in response to her comments.We mentioned on the pod an upcoming summit on February 23, Women Shaping Surrey: Towards a Women-Friendly City. The summit will provide an opportunity for participants to share their views, experiences and perspectives and explore how to amplify the diverse voices of women and girls, and to ensure that a gendered perspective is applied to all city policies, programs, and activities. You can get tickets on Eventbrite:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-shaping-surrey-towards-a-women-friendly-city-tickets-88518883363

Call the Question launches our third series with extraordinary Vancouver-Granville MP and former Attorney General and Justice Minister of Canada, Jody Wilson-Raybould. We talk with Jody about everything from Indigenous rights and UNDRIP, to SNC-Lavalin (and the "joys" of being gaslighted), her strength under pressure, and her priorities today as an independent MP. We also discuss one of the biggest #vanpoli stories of 2020: the Indigenous grandfather and granddaughter who tried to open a bank account at a Bank of Montreal branch in December 2019, but instead, were suspected of fraud and detained and handcuffed by Vancouver police officers.

It's Call the Question's wrap up podcast for 2019! Maria and Lesli riff on what's hot in Vancouver and BC politics issues at the end of the year (and offer a few predictions for 2020, too). We begin by nerding out on #vanpoli, with a look at the city-wide planning process, rental housing proposals, and a proposed hefty 8.2% property tax hike. Next up is #bcpoli: recent UNDRIP legislation, unanimously passed in the BC Legislature; the recently averted transit strike; the ongoing handwringing around ride hailing (Uber, Lyft) in BC; and, our predictions on what's next for BC politics (including the prospect of an early provincial election) and BC party leaders in 2020.We want to hear from you, too! How did we do with these first few months of our podcast adventure? What would you like to hear from us on Call the Question in 2020? Drop us a line with your ideas and suggestions at hello@boldtcommunications.com, or @ us on social media @CalltheQPodcast on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook! See you in 2020!

Money money mo-ney! We welcome Vancity's chief member experience officer, Christine Bergeron, to talk about $$$: women in finance, and *women and finance*. Christine talks about her own experience in the financial sector as a hedge fund manager, and how gender dynamics and the sector's intense focus on maximizing profit may prevent more women from working the field. She also tells us how an increasing industry wide focus on CSR and sustainability is helping to change industry culture. We also dig into the complex relationships many women (and men) have with money and our own personal finances, and that we may know more about money than we think we do.Then, Maria and Lesli take a look at the growing number of local BC bylaws - including the recent bylaw passed in Maple Ridge - to punish people with *no money* with fines for being poor and homeless. WTF?

Elizabeth Cull joins us to share some fascinating stories of her time in government in the 1990s as Minister of Health, Minister of Finance and as Deputy Premier. Elizabeth talks about the steps she took to legalize midwifery in BC, offer Hepatitis B vaccinations to every BC kid through our public schools, and a little Order-in-Council she passed to protect women's access to safe, legal abortions in BC. She also talks about how she learned to play the boys' political game better than they could, and how important activists and community organizations continue to be in making meaningful change (the "inside-outside game," as Maria calls it). Lesli and Maria wrap the episode with our analysis of the 2019 Federal Election results. Catch Elizabeth Cull each week on the political panel on CBC Victoria's On the Island morning show with Gregor Craigie.

Dr. Jen Gunter, author of The Vagina Bible and host of the new CBC Gem streaming series, Jensplaining, joins us to talk about her bestselling book, and share her "radical feminist vagenda". Dr. Jen takes on the persistent myths around vaginal health (no, ladies, you don't have to steam, douche or wear white cotton underwear to be "clean" down there), the role the patriarchy plays in perpetuating lies about women's bodies, and the importance of electing women to push back against the "weaponization" of women's reproductive systems to make laws to control and oppress women.You can find Jen's book, The Vagina Bible, at bookstores and libraries everywhere. Find Jen's streaming series, Jensplaining, on CBC Gem: https://cbcgem.app/jensplaining

For our Federal Election 2019 episode, we welcome the University of Victoria's Grace Lore to provide razor-sharp analysis and insight into #Elxn43 to date - from a feminist perspective. Grace walks us through some of the data and critical issues that women (and persons who identify as female) care about the most in the election, and also tackles the extent to which gender is - or isn't - being talked about in this campaign. And in WTF, Maria calls bullshit on the one of the biggest issues of this campaign - one that keeps rearing its very ugly head, as much as some people wish we could just "move on" - and that's systemic racism and white supremacy in Canada. What. The. Fuck.

BC Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Selina Robinson - who is also responsible for TransLink, Metro Vancouver's transit authority - shares her story of how she got into politics, that squeaker of a first BC election she ran in (where she actually *lost* on election night), and why it's so important for women to be at the decision-making table in government. Of course, we also dig into the housing crisis (and some of the solutions), and where things are at with transit investments in the Metro Vancouver region. Then, Lesli and Maria talk about that controversial, anti-immigrant op-ed that ran in the Vancouver Sun, and how it raised serious questions (including from the Sun's own journalists) about how op-eds are solicited and selected by editors.

The incredible Stephanie Allen, Associate Vice President of Strategic Business Operations and Performance for BC Housing, joins us this week to talk about race and urban planning, Vancouver's Black community (past and present), housing affordability, Hogan's Alley and so much more. And, we're introducing an occasional new segment on Call the Question called Cliff Notes, featuring Lesli's dad, where Cliff will give us his reviews of our recent episodes, along with his takes on current political issues and (what else) the patriarchy.Learn more about Hogan's Alley Society and Vancouver's Black community, visit http://www.hogansalleysociety.org. And, you can find out more about the Federation of Black Canadians at http://fbcfcn.ca.

We kick off Series 2 of Call the Question with Joanna Chiu, bureau chief of the Star Vancouver newsroom of the Toronto Star. We've been fans of Star Vancouver's sassy newsroom personality from the get-go, from the reporters' hilarious tweets, to the massive scoops, to the smart analysis on major issues, like Tessa Vikander's LGBTQ2+ and trans rights reporting, Melanie Green's reporting on Islamophobia, and much more (listen to the pod for more newsroom star name-dropping). We talk with Joanna about diversity in newsrooms, how her team hustles for the story, and the intentional approach they all take to doing things differently. We also talk about one the hottest stories of the year (still going): the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, where Joanna reported from earlier this summer. In WTF, Maria drops the hammer on the recent surge in Downtown Eastside trash talking and poverty shaming, and slams the resurgence of the discredited "broken windows theory" of how to "clean up" a neighbourhood.

Lesli and Maria reflect on the eighth and final pod of our first series, with a look back at our kickass guests in Series 1, and what's next for us in Series 2. We also have a look at some of the hot topics in politics in BC so far this year, including: JWR and SNC Lavalin, the ongoing BC housing crisis, gong shows in municipal politics, spending scandals at the BC Legislature (aka "WoodsplitterGate") and, our growing collective anxiety of the climate emergency. Thanks to all the listeners who've joined us on this journey so far. We're back with all-new episodes in September. Enjoy your summer!

We speak with New Westminster City Councillor Nadine Nakawaga about being one of the first two racialized people (along with Chinu Das) ever elected to New West Council, the importance of staying engaged in the community after one is elected, and how local government can be an integral part of reconciliation with Indigenous people. And in WTF, Maria talks about the "truth" in "truth and reconciliation," as she reviews the findings of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and the disturbing reaction of the Canadian media and political establishment.For those of you who want to learn more about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Report and supplementary reports, you can find them here: https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca #MMIWG

In this episode, we learn about medicine, harm reduction and the experience of women in the opioid crisis from two of its leading experts in BC: Dr. Christy Sutherland and Coco Culbertson of PHS Community Services Society. We talk about decriminalization of opioids, the science and the sociology around substance use, and how their work is breaking new ground and creating hope for solutions to the opioid overdose crisis in BC and beyond. And WTF, Maria opens a can of whoopass on the complicity and greed that has allowed BC and Canada to become known as a global centre for money laundering.

In this episode, we feature Nicola Spurling, CBC Early Edition political pundit and BC Green Party candidate in the 2017 BC provincial election. Nicola talks about what it takes to run for office, the importance of inclusion and representation in politics, and her take on how the BC NDP's Confidence and Supply Agreement with the BC Greens is doing, two years in. In WTF, Maria takes aim at the renewed attacks on a woman's right to bodily autonomy, both in Canada and south of the border.

In Episode 4, we talk to indominatable Georgia Straight education columnist and former long-time Vancouver School Board Chair Patti Bacchus about her introduction to electoral politics, getting fired (along with the entire school board) for refusing to make deep cuts to Vancouver schools, and that time she got called a bully. And, in this episode's WTF, Maria makes the case for greater public access to menstrual products for those who need them. Period.

Lesli's dad gave us a review of our podcast and, among other things, asked whether we'd be having men on the podcast at some point. Find out what we had to say about that...

Former Surrey City Councillor and mayoral candidate Barinder Rasode joins us for a lively discussion on what it takes for a woman to run for office, the barriers that women and people of colour face, and where she's finding inspiration for the future. In this episode's WTF, Maria looks at Canada's new reality following the Alberta election: a country without a woman premier. NOTE: We're still ironing out a few wrinkles in our sound production in this episode. Thanks for your patience.

We welcome News 1130 Legislative Reporter Liza Yuzda to talk about working at the BC Legislature, the recent #RightToBareArms dress code controversy at the Ledge, and her tips for engaging on social media - especially Twitter - without losing your cool. And, in this edition of WTF, Maria takes aim at the barriers that continue to get in the way of gender pay equity. NOTE: We had a few technical issues with sound on this episode - thanks for your patience!

For our first-ever full episode of Call the Q, we speak with Ginger Gosnell-Myers, who was the City of Vancouver's first-ever Indigenous Relations Manager and is widely respected as a leader in helping to advance reconciliation in Canada's cities. We'll also hear from Maria on WTF is up with the Chilliwack school board and some of their wacky thoughts on how girls - in particular - should dress at school so as not to tempt or distract men.

So what the heck is Call the Question? Find out what our new politics podcast is all about.