Conversations With Canadians

Who am I? Why am I seeking the nomination for the Conservative Party of Canada in Vaughan-Woodbridge? Find out on this episode. Website: www.michael4vw.caOccupation: Executive Vice President, Operations Education: Business Management: Diploma Political Science: B.A MBA: Currently finishing degree. Political Experience: Liberal Party of Canada: 2013-2016Conservative Party of Canada: 2018-Present Deputy Campaign Manager & Director of Communications for Member of Parliament  for King-Vaughan Anna Roberts.  President: King-Vaughan Conservative Riding Association: 2019-2022Vice President: King-Vaughan Conservative Riding Association: 2022-2023  

Dr. Zachary Paikin is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy. He earned his Ph.D in International Relations from the University of Kent in the United Kingdom.On this episode we chat about the history of the Ukrainian and Russian conflict. We dive into Russian security issues and the role the West has played in how we have gotten to where we are at, the consequences for Europe, and more.

Hi All,On this episode I give a brief update on my current status and to why I have been MIA for a few weeks (COVID), and I briefly give my thoughts on the Emergencies Act.Thanks for listening and I will get back to regular episodes shortly. Mike 

Candice Malcolm is a best-selling author, investigative journalist, nationally syndicated columnist with the Toronto Sun, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of True North (tnc.news). She has reported from war zones, broken news stories that have made headlines worldwide, and exposed major terrorist networks operating in Canada.On this episode we chat about the state of affairs in Canada and our response to COVID-19. The future of conservatism, journalism, illiberalism, and a whole lot more.True North - https://tnc.news/Candice Malcolm Twitter - @CandiceMalcolm

Phil Gurski is an author and intelligence expert who formally worked as a strategic analyst at CSE and CSIS, two of Canada's spy agencies. He specialized in radicalization and homegrown Islamic extremism.On this episode we chat about terrorism, security threats to Canada, CSE, CSIS, and working in intelligence. 

Welcome to conversations with Canadians. I hope your new year is off to a fantastic start. I have to say regardless of what one thinks of 2021, the year went by rather quickly for me. This podcast is now 1 year old. I would like to take this time to thank each one of you for tuning into the podcast, your support is really all the motivation I need to keep going. I never would have thought when I started this that it would grow into what it has. Thank you for that. When I first started the podcast, I had never initially intended to do so much in the political space. Politics is an area of interest of mine, but I had intended to be a bit broader in my scope. I am going to try and do some of broadening this year. Let me know what you think as the episodes unfold. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.On today's episode of the podcast I had the pleasure of speaking with Kaya Usher. Kaya is a singer song writer, mother to 4 children, and the wife of the late Gordon Downie. Kaya was a real treat to speak with. She is an optimistic, which I love. We chat about a host of things from her music, her recent album that she recorded with her children, and most interestingly, her spiritual awakening and the awakening going on all around us. It was a fascinating conversation and I really enjoyed it.Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you, Kaya Usher. Mike "Ryan" G Contact InformationYouTube Channel - This is a brand new channel. Please head over a subscribe to help me get it off the ground.Feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Anthony Koch has worked on Parliament Hill, was a key member of the movement to oust Andrew Scheer, is a former campaign surrogate for Erin O'Toole and currently serves as Managing Principal of AK Strategies. On today's episode we chat about COVID, vaccine mandates, how governments have removed responsibility from pandemic policy, and our issue assessing risk in the current climate.  We also chat about Erin O'Toole recent booting Senator Batters from caucus for putting together a petition to make O'Toole face a leadership review. We chat about the future of the Conservative party, and more.Follow Anthony on Twitter -Anthony's Twitter

On today's episode we have Part 3 of my discussion with Dr. Irvin Student about The Six National Crises facing Canada. On this episode we discuss the emerging social crisis, the economic crisis, the mania around vaccinated 5–11-year-old children, and we also look at issues surrounding public health in our country. These topics are all part of Dr. Studin's new book, Canada Must Think For Itself: 10 Theses For Our Countries Survival and Success in the 21st century, which is available now. Irvin Studin is a Canadian academic, author, public intellectual, and former two-time all Canadian soccer player who is the editor-in chief of Global Brief Magazine and the President of the Institute of 21st Century Questions. He is also the Chair of the Worldwide Commission to Educate All Kids. Irvin holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Schulich Business School. He studied at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar earning a Master of Arts degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. He studied International Relations at the London School of Economics and has a PHD in Constitutional Law from Osgood Hall Law School where he earned the Governor General's Gold Metal.Dr. Irvin Studin's BookCanada Must Think For Itself: 10 Theses For Our Countries Survival & Success in the 21st Century

On this episode we chat about a whole host of issues relating to Canada / China relations. We discuss how China bullies Canadian companies operating in China, the case of the two Michael's, China's AI race, China's movement towards totalitarianism, and the need for Canada to stand up for itself in the face of Chinese hostility. We also chat about China's surveillance state, their social credit system, and what Canadian strategy towards China should look like going forward. Margaret McCuaig-Johnston is Senior Fellow at the Institute for Science, Society and Policy and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa where she has been lecturing and writing on China's science and technology policies since 2013.Over a 37-year career in the public service, Margaret held senior management positions in the Governments of Canada and Ontario.  Most recently she was Executive Vice-President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; prior to that she was Assistant Deputy Minister Energy Technology and Programs at Natural Resources Canada; and her first Assistant Deputy Minister appointment was at the federal Department of Finance. She has also had management positions at Industry Canada, the Prime Minister's National Advisory Board on Science and Technology, the Ministry of State for S&T, and the Privy Council Office (the Prime Minister's department).

Today's episode of the podcast is Part 2 of my three-part series with Dr. Irvin Studin on the Six National Crises Facing Canada. This episode covers the crisis of national unity and the international crisis. These topics are all part of Dr. Studin's new book, Canada Must Think For Itself: 10 Theses For Our Countries Survival and Success in the 21st century, which is available now. Irvin Studin is a Canadian academic, author, public intellectual, and former two-time all Canadian soccer player who is the editor-in chief of Global Brief Magazine and the President of the Institute of 21st Century Questions. He is also the Chair of the Worldwide Commission to Educate All Kids. Irvin holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Schulich Business School. He studied at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar earning a Master of Arts degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. He studied International Relations at the London School of Economics and has a PHD in Constitutional Law from Osgood Hall Law School where he earned the Governor General's Gold Metal.Dr. Irvin Studin's BookCanada Must Think For Itself: 10 Theses For Our Countries Survival & Success in the 21st Century

I had a great conversation with Dr. Irvin Studin about an important topic, the six national crises facing Canada post-pandemic. I wanted to have Irvin on again (he was the second guest on my show) because he wrote a very timely and important book titled, “Canada Must Think For Itself: 10 Theses For Our Countries Survival and Success in the 21st century”, and I was interested in doing a deep dive into the 6 national crises facing Canada. Irvin and I are going to do a series of three episodes and tackle two of the crises at a time.On this episode we look at Canada's crisis of institutions, and the crisis of public  education  Irvin Studin is a Canadian academic, author, public intellectual, and former two-time all Canadian soccer player who is the editor-in chief of Global Brief Magazine and the President of the Institute of 21st Century Questions. He is also the Chair of the Worldwide Commission to Educate All Kids. Irvin holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Schulich Business School. He studied at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar earning a Master of Arts degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. He studied International Relations at the London School of Economics and has a PHD in Constitutional Law from Osgood Hall Law School where he earned the Governor General's Gold Metal.

Duff Gibson is a Canadian athlete who won the gold medal in the men's skeleton at the 2006 Olympics . He has recently written a book, The Tao of Sport, about the mental side of sport.On this episode we chat about Canadian politics and how political tribalism and social media cause political parties to abandon the centre. We chat about his time as an Olympian, the mindset of an elite athlete, psychology, passion, being present, and more. I hope you enjoy the episode.The Tao of Sport BookDuff Gibson TwitterMike "Ryan" G Contact InformationYouTube Channel - This is a brand new channel. Please head over a subscribe to help me get it off the ground.Feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Emily Taylor is a musician and singer songwriter born and raised in Price Edward County Ontario. In 2020 at the Maple Blues Awards in Toronto she was awarded Female Vocalist of the Year, New Artist of the Year, and the Sapphire Canadian Blues Music Award. She has released several albums, and her latest is a live album that was released during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic.On this episode we chat about how Emily got into music, the mindset and determination it takes to follow your dreams, life as a working musician, and more.Miss Emily Website

Anthony Furey is a national columnist for the Sun newspapers chain in Canada. He's also written for TIME, NY Daily News, Literary Review of Canada and other publications. He regularly appears on talk radio and has been featured on BBC, Fox News Channel and other channels. He is also the host of the Postmedia podcast Full Comment with Anthony Furey.On this episode we chat about the recent federal election, lockdowns, vaccine passports, and having the courage of your convictions. Anthony Furey Twitter: @anthonyfureyFull Comment With Anthony Furey Podcast

Jeff Ballingall is the founder of Ontario Proud and Canada Proud, and the founder of Mobilized Media Group LTD. He also served as Erin O'Toole's digital director during his successful leadership campaign. On this episode we chat about digital media and its important role in modern elections, memes,  the Conservative Party, conservatism in Canada, and more. Canada ProudOntario ProudJeff Ballingall Twitter @jeffballingall

This episode is a solo episode where I explore the vaccine passport debate in Canada. I examine both sides of this debate and give my opinion on the topic.I hope you enjoy it. 

Dr. Wesley Wark earned a B.A. from Carleton University, a M.A from Cambridge University, and a P.H.D in from The London School of Economics and Political Science. Wark was President of the Canadian Association for Security and Intelligence Studies and served on the Prime Ministers Advisory Council on National Security from 2005-2009. He is a frequent commentator in the media on National Security Issues and Intelligence, he is the author of several books on the subject and has taught at several Canadian universities. On this episode we chat about Disinformation, Spies, Fake News, National Security, and more.

Helen Walsh is a Canadian author and the founder and president of Diaspora Dialogues, Canada's premier literary mentoring organization. She was formerly the publisher of the Literary Review of Canada and a founding director of Spur, a national festival of politics, arts, and ideas. Walsh spent five years working as a film/digital media producer in L.A, and New York., She was also part of the G8/G20 research group. On this episode we chat about geopolitics, Canadian politics, her time as a producer in the film industry, sexual and physical abuse, and more.Diaspora Dialogues

Christopher Dummitt is a professor of Canadian history at Trent University and host of the Canadian history podcast 1867 & All That. ​He specialize in Canada's political, cultural and intellectual history and has a growing a side interest in research methods and issues of academic freedom. His books have focused on the history of Canada's most successful prime minister, the social and legal history of morality, the writing of Canadian history and the history of masculinity.​He is a regular contributor to The Hub and The Literary Review of Canada and have also published on history, politics, culture and current affairs in places like Quillette, The National Post, The Globe and Mail, The Dorchester Review, The Ottawa Citizen and The Toronto Star. On this episode we chat about the letter signed by several Canadian Historians that calls out the Canadian Historical Association for promoting a fake consensus by Historians in Canada around the idea that Canada is committing mass genocide. We also chat about Canadian identity, the lack of viewpoint diversity in academia, and we explore what activists get wrong about figures like Sir John A. Macdonald and Adolphus Egerton Ryerson.Christopher Dummitt Website

Candice Malcolm is a best-selling author, investigative journalist, nationally syndicated columnist with the Toronto Sun, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of True North (tnc.news). She has reported from war zones, broken news stories that have made headlines worldwide, and exposed major terrorist networks operating in Canada.On this episode we chat about a wide variety of issues relating to Canadian politics, including the bias in Canadian media and the rise of independent media. True North - https://tnc.news/Candice Malcolm Twitter - @CandiceMalcolm

Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue is a Canadian Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. She is the author of the best-selling book "Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox: How a Little-Known Vitamin Could Save Your Life".On this episode we chat about the importance of the immune system and the best ways you can boost immune function. We talk about sleep, exercise, and vitamins/supplements (we cover Vitamin D, K2, Multivitamins, Zinc, Fish Oil, Calcium, Magnesium, and Vitamin C). Dr. Kate Website 

Anthony Catenacci is a professional strength and conditioning coach, and the owner of the fitness facility 905 Athletics,. He was formally a CrossFit coach and athlete. We chat about the importance of physical fitness and living a healthy lifestyle, the link between physical and mental health, CrossFit and how it has evolved, COVID-19, and personal growth.Anthony Catenacci Website

Spencer Fernando is a Canadian political commentator and columnist. He is a campaign fellow for the National Citizens Coalition, a columnist for the Western Standard, a contributor to The Post Millennial, and the owner and author of his own popular blog spencerfernando.com On this episode we talk how Canadian Conservatives are going through an identity crisis, the rise of authoritarianism, censorship, the hypocrisy of the media, and the long-term danger of allowing our rights to be suspended by government for the “common good”. Spencer Fernando Contact:Spencer Fernando BlogSpencer Fernando Twitter: @SpencerFernandoSpencer Fernando Facebook

Dr. Jason Granzotto is doctor of neuropathic medicine and owner of the Tri-Health Wellness Centre in Woodbridge Ontario. Dr. Jason Granzotto ND graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2007 and has been practicing in Vaughan for over 12 years.  His philosophy of medicine is focused on returning balance to the body through natural means and allowing the body to heal and regulate it-self.  On this episode what discuss what naturopathic medicine is and the differences between naturopaths and standard doctors. We chat about the basics of health, vitamins, supplements, sleep, and more. Tri-Health Wellness Centre

Today I am going to do something a bit different. I will post my regular weekly conversation episode tomorrow. But there is something that I need to address relating to a particular political ideology that is unfortunately capturing more and more of our mainstream institutions and political parties. I think it is important that we understand what is going on here and recognize the philosophical war being waged on enlightenment liberalism in our culture. In this episode I look at the section of the Ontario Governments new mathematics curriculum titled “An equitable mathematics curriculum recognizes that mathematics can be subjective” and attempt to highlight the ideological capture of both education policy and Ontario's Conservative Party that has taken place by postmodernism and critical race theory. For me this was an exercise in trying to understand the implications of the language used in this document and what it represents in our culture. Update: Late Tuesday night July 13th the government removed the section in question. 

Louise Johnson is a former beauty marketing executive turned full-time journalist who recently wrote her first book, Behind the Red Door: How Elizabeth Arden's Legacy Inspired My Coming-of-Age Story in the Beauty Industry.I have to say that this was an interesting episode for me. Louise and I dive into the history surrounding Florence Nightingale Graham (aka Elizabeth Arden), who was a Canadian business magnate that pioneered the modern beauty industry. I was puzzled that I did not know Elizabeth Arden was Canadian or that her name was Florence Nightingale Graham before I encountered Louise's book. Not only was Elizabeth Arden one of the richest women in the world, and inducted into the American business hall-of-fame, but she and I were even born in the same town of Woodbridge Ontario. We chat about Louise's time working at Elizabeth Arden and some of the parallels between her journey and that of Florence Nightingale Graham. We discuss risk taking, the importance of introspection, pursuing your personal version of success, the impact of social media on our psyche, the impact of beauty standards on young people, and so much more.Louise is a real gem, a brilliant writer, and I encourage you to check out her book.Louise Social Media Instagram @LouiseclairejohnsonTwitter @LouiseJohnsonTOLouise YouTubeLouise Website and BookMike "Ryan" G Contact InformationYouTube Channel - This is a brand new channel. Please head over a subscribe to help me get it off the ground.Feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Jonathan Kay is a Canadian journalist, author, and public speaker. He is currently a senior editor at Quillette, a publication dedicated to freethought. He was previously a member of the editorial board at the National Post in Canada, and from 2014-2017 he served as editor-in-chief at The Walrus, another Canadian publication. On this episode we chat about how Canadian progressives have imported U.S culture wars. We discuss critical race theory, intersectionality, and how otherwise good people manage their cognitive dissonance through virtue signaling. We also touch upon the attempts to cancel Canada Day, the self hating rhetoric of Canada's elite, and more. Jon is a very thoughtful guy and he is someone who very clearly has thought through many of his his political positions. I hope you enjoy the episode. Jonathan Kay Twitter @JonkayNational Post Article: How the left's obsession with American-style culture wars corroded Canadian identity

Steve Paikin is a journalist, author, and documentary producer whose career has spanned almost 40 years. He is the anchor for TVO's flagship current affairs program, The Agenda with Steve Paikin. Steve has moderated several leadership debates at both the federal and provincial levels, and he has been the host and co-host of several TVO political programs. He has produced several documentaries, written 8 books, and in 2013 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This guy is a true gentleman who has spent his career trying to maintain a balanced approach towards political issues so he can bring some of the most contentious debates in our society directly to the public. If you spend any time talking to him it is obvious that he really cares about our country. On this episode we chat about how Steve Paikin got into political journalism, his interview style and preparation, the need to fight disinformation with empirically driven facts, and more.The Agenda TVOSteve Paikin Twitter @spaikin

Dany Assaf is an Edmonton native, fourth generation Muslim Canadian, globally recognized lawyer at Torys LLP, and now, author of the new book Say Please and Thank You and Stand in Line: One Man's Story of What Makes Canada Special, And How to Keep It That WayOn this episode we chat about Dany's family history and how his great grandfather helped establish the first mosque in Canada in 1938, living through 9/11 and the impact on him and his family, social media and how it encourages group think and can move society away from its true values, the greatness of Canada and everything this country could be if we get our aim right.  Danny Assaf website - (https://www.danyassaf.com/)Mike "Ryan" G Contact InformationYouTube Channel - This is a brand new channel. Please head over a subscribe to help me get it off the ground.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-OBDJzTOUKimR7AcRTd6xAFeel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Ben Woodfinden is a doctoral candidate and political theorist at McGill University. He's a contributor at The Hub and publishes a newsletter called The Dominion. This episode is a long one but a good one, it was a very intellectually stimulating conversation. We do a deep dive into Canadian identity, looking at how conservatism and then liberalism shaped Canadian identity, and we examine the idea that PM Justin Trudeau's post-national world view is the logical end point of the hyper rational individualistic liberalism of PM Pierre Trudeau. We explore the idea that individualistic liberal universalism is not sustainable in the long-run for Canada, and Ben lays out what a new pathway for Canadian identity might look like. We also chat about a host of other issues such as UFO's and Ben's Hobbes in space theory, Bill-96 in Quebec, Canadian federalism, the federal Conservative and Liberal parties, the potential impacts of the provincial and federal COVID-19 response on national unity, the conditions for freedom, and more. The Dominion - Ben's Newsletter - https://thedominion.substack.com/Twitter @benwoodfinden

Neville is a retired professor of history who taught at the University of Western Ontario, where he taught modern British and European history. He is the author of several books, including his recent work, The Third Man: Churchill, Roosevelt, Mackenzie King, and the Untold Friendships That Won WWII.On this episode we discuss Canada's longest serving Prime Minister Mackenzie King. We chat about Canada's role in the second world war, and how Prime Minister Mackenzie King's friendship with both Roosevelt and Churchill was a crucial component to the success of the allied forces in WWII. Neville was a real pleasure to chat with and I hope you enjoy the conversation.Purchase The Third Man: Churchill, Roosevelt, Mackenzie King, and the Untold Friends That Won WWIIPlease feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Lance Mortlock is a strategy partner with Ernst & Young, a visiting professor at the Haskayne School of Business and a board member for the Canadian Energy & Climate Nexus. His book Disaster Proof: Scenario Planning for a Post-Pandemic Future is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever books are sold. Connectwith Lance on LinkedIn and his website www.lancemortlock.com.We had a great conversation about scenario planning, why it is important, and how to implement it. We discuss scenario planning at a macro level, and we narrow the focus of the conversation to the level of individual/smaller firms. Lance also highlights what leaders can do to incorporate scenario planning at their firms. I hope you find the conversation useful.Please feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Michael Geist. We had a very timely conversation on the topic of Bill C-10, the internet regulation bill that is currently being proposed by the Federal government.  To say this bill has its critics would be a bit of an understatement, and Professor Geist has been making noise about this bill for quite some time. On this episode we get into the implications of Bill C-10 on free expression, and a host of other issues pertaining to the way this bill could potentially impact the online experience of Canadian users and content creators. If you have not been paying attention to the debate surrounding Bill-C10, I suggest you start. This impacts everyone who users the internet in Canada. Dr. Michael Geist is a law professor at the University of Ottawa where he holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law and is a member of the Centre for Law, Technology and Society. He has obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees from Cambridge University in the UK and Columbia Law School in New York, and a Doctorate in Law (J.S.D.) from Columbia Law School. Dr. Geist hosts a podcast called Law Bytes where he explores the intersection between law and technology and more.  Dr. Michael Geist Website - https://www.michaelgeist.ca/

Rhys Waters is a Canadian podcaster who co-hosts the brilliant podcast, Canadian Politics is Boring, with Jesse Harley. Rhys immigrated to Halifax Nova Scotia from Wales three years ago. He has produced, directed, and edited over 60 hours of TV, radio, and commercials. He has been involved in podcasting since 2014, having developed and launched and run the hit BBC show (the Unexplainers), and consults new podcasts through his company Podstarter. On this episode we chat about Podcasting, Canadian and U.K Politics, The Royal Family, and more.  Canadian Politics is Boring Website - https://www.canadianpoliticsisboring.com/

On today's episode I had the pleasure of speaking with the Honourable Tony Clement. We chat about COVID-19 and the pandemic, new media, human behaviour, government, and life as a Cabinet Minister. Tony Clement is a former Federal Cabinet Minister who served in Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet, and he served as Provincial Cabinet Minister in the governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves. In the provincial government his positions included Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Minister of the Environment, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister of Transportation.  As Health Minister he successfully steered Ontario through the SARS pandemic.In the federal government he served as Minister of Health, Minister of Industry, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, and President of The Treasury Board.  In his post political life he is a start-up entrepreneur, public affairs advisor, business strategist, and media personality. He also hosts a weekly podcast called And Another Thing, which he co hosts with Jodie Jenkins. Tony Clement's Website - https://www.tonyclement.ca/Twitter @tonyclementcpc - https://twitter.com/TonyclementCPC

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. He is as well the former Dean of the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph's Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. While at the University of Guelph, he was also the Associate Dean of Research for the College of Business and Economics. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has a 6th book on poutine.  He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. He also hosts a podcast.On this episode we chat about the origins of Poutine, his opposition to Quebec separatism, Food Security, and the impact of COVID-19 on food prices.  Dr. Charlebois Twitter @FoodProfessorFood Professors Podcast - https://the-food-professor.simplecast.com/episodes

Anthony Koch has worked on Parliament Hill, was a key member of the movement to oust Andrew Scheer, is a former campaign surrogate for Erin O'Toole and currently serves as Managing Principal of AK Strategies.On this episode we chat about how Anthony converted to Judaism after being an atheist, finding purpose and meaning in life, Quebec Nationalism, Conservatism, and Canada's COVID-19 response. We also look at what Canada and being Canadian means to Anthony.  Follow Anthony on Twitter -Anthony's Twitter Please feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

On today's episode I chat with my childhood hero, the family and children's musician, Fred Penner.  We chat about his life as a musician, his philosophy of entertaining, the impact of music on children, and his Canadian roots.Fred is a gentle giant with kind eyes and an undeniable ability to make you feel good about yourself, this musical master brings 45 years of commitment, consistency and depth to a career that skillfully blends the many genres of performing and communication. Dubbed “Mr. Multi-Media” by Billboard Magazine, his diverse repertoire includes a prolific 12 Children's Albums, countless energetically packed live shows for throngs of eager audiences across North America, composing the music for APTN/YTV's Tipi Tales, and writing the score and hosting the TV documentary The Simple Way (focused on the relevant, world-wide topic of voluntary simplicity). He has, without a doubt, established himself as a fundamental part of the North American family entertainment scene. And whether it's through CDs, videos, books or television, his cornerstone philosophy remains the same: absolute trust that his work can make a difference. More than the music, the two-time Juno winner (equivalent of a Grammy) for Best Children's Album, Fred Penner's Place (1985) and Sing with Fred (2004) and eight-time nominee's body of work is about energy and emotional connection. The guy who crawled magically out of that hollow log for 12 seasons and more than 900 episodes in the hit CBC TV show Fred Penner's Place receives fan mail to this day from some of the 55 million American viewers where the show ran for four years on the Nickelodeon's Nick Jr.. Always building on a common theme rooted in integrity and a “belief in what I can do” he has created a lasting impact that crosses the generations and continues to grow.Please feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Hugh Segal is an author, academic, political strategist, and former Canadian Senator. He served as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Hugh resigned from the Senate in 2014 to accept an appointment as Master of Massey College in Toronto. He has written several books including the book we reference during our discussion, The Right Balance: Canada's Conservative Tradition.In this episode we talk about the impact of Canadian conservatism on Canada, the difference between traditional conservatism or a Red Tory and American conservatism, the importance of the Crown, universal basic income, and his life as a Senator. The Right Balance: Canada's Conservative TraditionPlease feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Micayla Doria is the founder and CEO of Celebrate Toronto, a non-profit organization that highlights small businesses, artists, musicians, and hosts a large-scale festival each year honouring The City of Toronto's anniversary. Micayla graduated from OCADU, and her extensive community involvement and volunteerism has landed her recognition awards for her outstanding work and dedication to community.On this episode he chat about the Celebrate Toronto organization, the arts, Toronto, culture, and more.Celebrate Toronto EventPlease feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Dr. Dennis Pilon is an associate professor of Canadian and comparative politics at York University. Dr. Pilon has written several academic articles on election systems and electoral reform, as well as two books on the subject: The Politics of Voting: Reforming Canada's Electoral system, and Wrestling with Democracy: Voting Systems as Politics in the 20th Century West (Studies in Comparative Political Economy & Public Policy). In this episode we discuss a topic that I think more Canadians should reflect on: Our voting system and if should be changed. In our discussion Dr. Pilon lays out the case for ditching our majoritarian voting system and replacing it with a proportional representation voting system. We also chat about what Canada and being Canada means to him.  For more information you can visit Fair Vote Canada Please feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Dr. Kent A. Williams is an Assistant Professor in Climate Change Leadership at the Rowe School of Business, Dalhousie University and has a leadership consulting company, Integral Dialogue Project  His research and facilitation work is connected to his ‘why' of co-inspiring human potential toward desired futures. He loves leading nature retreats that connect leaders to the relationship with themselves and the sacredness of place. We talk about ethics and its relationship to climate change and sustainability. We discuss ethical leadership and its impact on employee behaviour, and we chat about the importance of discovering your values and pursuing a meaningful life. Please feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Yves Messy is a Canadian London-based Enterprise Architect in Capital Markets and Insurance Fintech. He works on large scale deployments of AI & Blockchain technology for Tier 1 financial institutions and large corporations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Yves also advises startups and judges Fintech selection and investment rounds as a Tech and Venture Capital mentor at the Swiss Stock Exchange's F10 Incubator and Accelerator in Zurich, Switzerland. On this episode we discuss the technical side of Blockchain (what it is and why it is secure). We chat about Fintech and how it impacts everyday consumers. We do a deep dive into Cryptocurrencies and look how how they are created and the potential impact they have on financial markets and emerging markets. And we discuss the problem of Canadian tech talent in the Blockchain space leaving Canada to work abroad. We cover  some interesting ground in this episode and I hope you learn as much as I did. If you enjoy this episode and please remember to subscribe and leave a review.Yves Messy Contact Information Instagram - @YvesmessyPlease feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Craig Baird is a former journalist, and he is currently the host of several Canadian history focused podcasts. First, is his flagship podcast Canadian History Ehx. Second, is From John to Justin (a podcast that looks at every Prime Minister from Sir John A Macdonald to Justin Trudeau). Third, is Pucks and Cups (a podcast that looks at the history of Hockey). In this episode we chat about some fascinating aspects of Canadian history that are not so well known, small town history, Canadian identity and culture, indigenous issues, Prime Ministers Pearson, and Diefenbaker, the Flag Debates, and more. We also chat about Craig's various podcasts which I encourage you to check out. You can check out Craig's podcasts wherever you listen to your podcasts.Craig's InformationWebsite:  https://canadaehx.com/Twitter: @craigbairdInstagram: @Bairdo37Please feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Eli Martyr is a professional stuntman in the film industry. He also has a YouTube channel, The Free Melon Society, that talks about health, wellness, and spirituality.  We get into all sorts of interesting things on this episode such as Eli's diet. He pretty much only eats fruit, crazy right? We talk about spirituality, the benefits of solitude, calming the mind,  fasting, lucid dreaming, astral projection (inducing out of body experiences!), and we ask the question, what is consciousness and reality?If you are enjoying these episodes please remember to hit the subscribe button! Eli's Channel and VideosFree Melon Society  How To Lucid Dream Fruitarian Lifestyle Please feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Anastasia Nikolakakos is a professional mixed martial artist with an amateur record of 8-0 and a professional record of 3-0. She is health and fitness coach, life coach, motivational speaker, and Instagram and business consultant. Annie is the founder of TeamAnnieAnimale, and she is full of energy. In this episode we talk about her knee surgery, what got her into MMA, discipline and commitment, spirituality, motivation, and having the mindset of a winner. Annie is a real pleasure to talk to. She is crazy, I love her. I hope you enjoy the episode.You can listen to this episode wherever you listen to your podcasts.  TeamAnnieAnimale Contact InformationWebsite - https://www.teamannieanimale.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/teamannieanimale/?hl=enPlease feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Neelofer Mansuri has spent several years working on Parliament Hill. She is the former Stakeholder Outreach, Event Coordinator and Operations Aide to the Minister of Women and Gender Equality Maryanm Monsef.  Prior to working for a federal minister, she was the Executive Assistant to the member of parliament for Vaughan-Woodbridge. Neelo is involved in many charity organizations including: Afghan Women's Organization, Variety The Children's Charity, Malala Fund, IDRF, Islamic, Makeanimpact, and she runs her own charity, Vitality Sport. On this episode we chat about everything from her parents journey from Afghanistan to Canada, to what it was like growing up as an Afghan Muslim during 911, her time working on Parliament Hill, and what the daily life of a staffer of a Member of Parliament and Federal Minister is like. We also touch upon some of the work of the Ministry of Women and Gender Equality and what the ministry has been doing to support men and boys.Neelo is an all-around amazing human being and I hope you enjoy the show.You can follow Neelo on Instagram or FacebookInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/nee1o/?hl=enFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/neelo.mansuriPlease feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Dr. Zachary Paikin is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy. He earned his Ph.D in International Relations from the University of Kent in the United Kingdom. On this episode we chat about a number of  topics such as  how Canadian identity has shifted since confederation, the influence of American politics on Canadian culture, the consequences of an American centric foreign policy, what strategic interests Canada might share with Russia, and how Canada might contribute to a peaceful international order. We also discuss his recent piece Multiculturalism at 50: Rethinking Canadian identity and independence in a post-American world. I hope you enjoy this episode. If you like what you are hearing please remember to subscribe and leave a review. Dr. Zachary Paikin Contact InfoTwitter Please feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Michael Appugliese aka Mike Fresh is an exuberant Canadian entrepreneur. He is the owner of Fresh House Juice Bar and an all around motivating and inspiring dude. We chat about how he turned his life around, the importance of surrounding yourself with the right peers, mindset, meditation, work ethic, and secrets to running a successful business. This is one of my favourite episodes to date! I hope you enjoy it.If you like what you are hearing please hit the subscribe/follow button wherever you listen to your podcast.Mike Fresh Contact InformationWebsite: https://www.freshouse.ca/Instagram:  @freshouse.juicebarhttps://www.instagram.com/freshouse.juicebar/?hl=enConversations With Canadians Contact InformationPlease feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram  @Conversations_With_Canadians 

Welcome to the Conversations with Canadians podcast. I am your host, Mike Ryan.So What is the conversations with Canadians podcast? This is first and foremost a podcast about Canadians. For the last several years, an increasing concern of mine has been that the discussion in our country has been about politics and culture beyond our borders. We consume American media, follow American thought leaders, we are inspired by their entrepreneurs, scientists, academics, celebrities, and many Canadians know more about the history of the United States then they do their own country. Our country needs to stop being influenced in such a significant way from the outside. We need to start thinking for ourselves. To do this we need to shift the psychology of Canadians, to one that gets us to see ourselves as the brilliant, amazing, and inspiring people that we are. One that will get us to realize what all that we could be. My aim of this podcast is to showcase Canadian people doing amazing things - from all different walks of life. I plan to interview people in Politics, Academia, Science, Media, Sports, Business, and everyday folks to highlight the amazing and interesting work they are up to and to uncover what it means to be Canadian. I hope you enjoy these episodes as much as I love doing them. If you like what you hear, please subscribe and follow me wherever you listen to your podcasts. Please feel free to provide me feedback and criticism at mikeryang1@gmail.comFollow me on Instagram at conversations_with_CanadiansTwitter @mike_ryangI hope you enjoy the show. 

Irvin Studin is a Canadian academic, author, public intellectual, and former two-time all Canadian soccer player who is the editor-in chief of Global Brief Magazine and the President of the Institute of 21st Century Questions. He holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Schulich Busines School. He studied at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar earning a Master of Arts degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. He studied International Relations at the London School of Economics and has a PHD in Constitutional Law from Osgood Hall Law School where he earned the Governor General's Gold Metal. We chat about Irvin's professional soccer experience and how that influenced his academic pursuits. We discuss a number of topics such as the new strategic borders facing Canada in the 21st century and the importance of China. Why Canada needs a  population of 100 million. The 6 major crises facing Canada in the post pandemic world with a particular focus on the disintegrating education system in Canada.  We talk about the future of Canada in the 21st century, and Irvin discusses his thoughts on what being Canadian means to him.Irvin Studin can be reached on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/irvin.studin, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/irvin-studin-28087b112/?originalSubdomain=ca. Global Brief Magazine - https://globalbrief.ca/Institute For 21st Century Questions - https://www.i21cq.com/I hope you enjoy the episode. If you like what you are hearing please remember to hit the subscribe button. Please feel free to reach out to me and provide feedback at MikeRyanG1@gmail.com On Twitter @MikeRyanGOn Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mike_ryang/    @Mike_RyanG