Podcast appearances and mentions of samara centre

Public libraries are the forum for intellectual freedom, a core value that librarians protect for the sake of democracy. Yet libraries have now become a target in the culture wars of the U.S. – and in Canada, too. It's an urgent conversation to have, no matter where one sits on the political spectrum. Libraries exist to give everyone access to a wide variety of content, even when books may offend others. Librarians are increasingly having to persuade skeptics that all ideas belong on their shelves. In our series, IDEAS for a Better Canada (in partnership with the Samara Centre for Democracy) we ask: What do we have if the freedom to read isn't ours anymore?

PEI has the highest voter turnout of any other province in Canada. Voting is fundamental to this community. Residents see firsthand how their vote matters — several elections were decided by 25 votes or less. In this small province, people have a personal and intimate connection with politicians. MLAs know voters on an individual basis and they feel a duty to their job. In the third episode of our series, IDEAS for a Better Canada (produced in partnership with the Samara Centre for Democracy), Nahlah Ayed visits the birthplace of Confederation to hear how Prince Edward Islanders sustain the strong democracy they built.

Like many cities in Canada, Nanaimo has a housing crisis. As rent prices have surged, so has homelessness. According to the city's last official count, there are 515 unhoused people in Nanaimo at any given time. By population, that is a higher homelessness rate than the city of Vancouver. The second episode in our series, IDEAS for a Better Canada (produced in partnership with the Samara Centre for Democracy), explores how homelessness affects the health of our democracy and why long-term solutions are so hard to achieve.

Canadians' biggest fear for the country's future is “growing political and ideological polarization,” according to a 2023 EKOS poll. As part of our series, IDEAS for a Better Canada (produced in partnership with the Samara Centre for Democracy), host Nahlah Ayed headed to the fast-growing city of Edmonton to talk about the creative ways local residents are working to find common ground. From video games to an engagement technique called “deep canvassing” used to bridge gaps across differences, we can learn a lot from Edmontonians on how to build a better democracy for Canada. 

One week until voting day, Canada! At World Report, we know democracy doesn't happen in a silo. That's why we're recommending the IDEAS for a Better Canada series. IDEAS invites listeners to slow down, check their assumptions, and maybe even change their minds. And with another federal election approaching, Nahlah Ayed has been hosting cross-Canada discussions that focus on local solutions with the potential to inspire national change. The four-part series was made in partnership with the Samara Centre for Democracy.In today's episode: an audience in Edmonton considered ways to nurture healthier conversations across political divides, and shared strategies to foster civil debate.You can listen to all of the IDEAS for a Better Canada series here:  https://link.mgln.ai/tmupPj

As Canadians prepare to head to the ballot box, the integrity of this vote matters more than ever. From foreign agents to fake influencers... How serious are the risks to Canada's democracy? Can Elon Musk be considered a hostile state actor? And what are officials doing about these threats? Parliamentary reporter Janyce McGregor will tell you where we're most vulnerable, why meddling keeps happening, and what you need to know in this season of spin.Featuring:Gloria Fung, the Canadian Coalition for a Foreign Influence Transparency RegistryHenry Chan, former co-director of Saskatchewan Stands with Hong Kong Balpreet Singh, World Sikh OrganizationSukhdev Singh Gill radio host of 'AJJ DI AWAAZ' Kiu Rezvanifar, President of the Canadian Ethnic Media AssociationFormer NDP MP Charlie AngusBeatrice Wayne, Director of Research and Policy, Samara Centre for DemocracyStéphane Perrault, Elections Canada Chief Electoral OfficerVivek Krishnamurthy, Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Law School...and more!

A new report by The Samara Centre for Democracy evaluates abusive content on Twitter during the last Alberta provincial election. The platform, owned by Elon Musk, is now known as X. The study was part of a multi-year initiative that measures abusive content received by Canadian political candidates on social media. It raises big questions about the democratic threats that Canadians face in digital environments. Lorraine Chisholm speaks with Beatrice Wayne, research director at The Samara Centre for Democracy.

In this episode, Dax speaks with Sabreena Delhon, Chief Executive Officer of the Samara Centre for Democracy. They discuss some of the threats faced by elected officials in Canada online and in person, the roots of our contemporary discontent, the fine line between free expression and a hostile public environment, and some ideas for strengthening Canadian democracy, among other things.

She's one of Canada's most decorated journalists, having won a Pulitzer Prize, a Peabody and a Columbia-Dupont Prize for her podcast series, Stolen: Surviving St. Michael's. Yet Connie Walker had been reluctant to feature stories about her family in her journalism. Until she realized her family's survival in residential schools embodies the defining reality for virtually all Indigenous Peoples in Canada. She discusses this with Nahlah Ayed at the Samara Centre for Democracy's annual, In Defence of Democracy live event.

You weigh in on the growing concern around political polarization with guests Sabreena Delhon with the Samara Centre for Democracy, MP Marco Mendicino, former public safety Minister, and Journalist Justin Ling, author of a final report on polarization for the Public Policy Forum.

These are anxious times for journalism and democracy. As part of an event hosted by the Samara Centre for Democracy, former news anchor Lisa LaFlamme tells IDEAS what can and must be done to bolster journalism so it can better safeguard democracy. *This episode originally aired on Jan. 15, 2024.

Sabreena Delhon is the CEO of the Samara Centre for Democracy. She has directed multi-stakeholder research and outreach initiatives across justice, academic and non-profit sectors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The federal government recently introduced legislation aimed, it says, at making the online universe much more safe. Bill C-63 would tackle online abuse with serious consequences for hate crimes - including possible prison time. For insight on what's needed to make Canadians safer in the digital world, we welcome:Sabreena Delhon, CEO of the Samara Centre for Democracy; Barbara Perry, Director of the Centre on Hate, Bias, and Extremism at Ontario Tech University;and Dax D'Orazio, a post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Political Studies at Queen's University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These are anxious times for journalism and democracy. As part of an event hosted by the Samara Centre for Democracy, former news anchor Lisa LaFlamme tells IDEAS what can and must be done to bolster journalism so it can better safeguard democracy.

We've come to the final chapter of an MP's civic journey. What is it like to leave office? Whether they resigned, decided not to run again, or lost an election, former MPs tell us their stories of leaving parliament. Just like any ending, it brings lots of mixed emotions. After hearing all the ups and downs of their lives as MPs, one question remains: was it worth it?THIS EPISODE FEATURES:Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor-Tecumseh, (2015-2019)James Cumming, Conservative, (2019-2021)Hon. Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, (2008-2019)Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019) - Interviews for Humans of the House were conducted in the summer of 2022 and the show was launched in March 2023. In August 2023 Romeo Saganash was charged with sexual assault. We will update when the court case is complete.Hon. Scott Brison, Progressive Conservative, Kings-Hants, (1997-2003); Liberal, Kings-Hants, (2003-2019)Hon. Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, (2008-2021)Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina-Fort York, (2014-2021)Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, 2015-2019; Independent, Whitby, (2019)RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE:View our episode page at https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-6/ WHO on the importance of mental health at work: Mental health at workFollow us on Instagram and Twitter @TheSamaraCentre and on Facebook at the Samara Centre for Democracy for updates. Join the conversation using #HumansOfTheHouse.This podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy's MP Exit Interview Project. This series is produced by Media Girlfriends (https://www.mediagirlfriends.com/) for The Samara Centre for Democracy.Visit our website to learn more about how The Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation. Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey.The Samara Centre for Democracy and SSENC/RESCC have partnered on curriculum-connected teaching resources based on Humans of the House. Click here to access free accessible teaching resources for your classroom! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We elect our representatives hoping they'll make meaningful change while in office. We lose trust when we see their election promises broken. But we don't often get to see the process of making change from their point of view. What does it take for MPs to make a difference? THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019) - Interviews for Humans of the House were conducted in the summer of 2022 and the show was launched in March 2023. In August 2023 Romeo Saganash was charged with sexual assault. We will update when the court case is complete.Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, (2015-2019)Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)Hon. Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, (2008-2019)Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, 2015-2019; Independent, Whitby, (2019)Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)EPISODE RESOURCES:Episode page: https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-5/ On the Indian ActNative Women's Association of Canada (NWAC), Government of Canada.On Celina Caesar Chavannes leaving the Liberal Party: Celina Caesar-Chavannes quits Liberal caucus, will sit as independent MPOn mandatory minimums: Bill C-5: Mandatory Minimum Penalties to be repealed Why the Liberals took the long road to sentencing reformOn the SNC-Lavalin affair: Charges against SNC-Lavalin explained — and how the PMO allegedly got involvedOn the 2018 budget, Black youth, and mental health: Budget 2018 and 2019 Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism InitiativesOn Bill C-262 and the Senate halting UNDRIP:The Senate Halts Recognition of Indigenous Rights on National Indigenous Peoples DayShare your thoughts on this episode on social media @thesamaracentre #humansofthehouseThis podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy's MP Exit Interview Project. This episode features audio clips from ABC News, Global News, CNN, Bloomberg, The Ottawa Citizen, and PBS NewsHour.Produced by Media Girlfriends for the Samara Centre for DemocracyVisit our website to learn more about how the Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation.Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who is an MP's real boss? Their party leader? Canadians? Themselves? MPs have to strike a balance between serving their riding's needs, their party's interests, and their own goals that brought them to Ottawa in the first place. But what happens when these priorities clash? This episode, we explore partisan politics and party power. Former MPs tell their stories of learning unwritten rules, striking out on their own, compromise, and unlikely friendship. Plus, what's the best place in parliament for making unlikely friends? This episode features:Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, (2015-2019); Independent, Whitby, (2019)Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, (2015-2019)Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)Hon. Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, (2008-2021)Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina-Fort York, (2014-2021)Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019) - Interviews for Humans of the House were conducted in the summer of 2022 and the show was launched in March 2023. In August 2023 Romeo Saganash was charged with sexual assault. We will update when the court case is complete.Hon. Scott Brison, Progressive Conservative, Kings-Hants (1997-2003); Liberal, Kings-Hants (2003-2019)Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor-Tecumseh, (2015-2019)Resources for this episode:View our episode page at https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-4/On dissenting votes: “Liberal backbenchers, Tory leadership hopefuls among Parliament's biggest dissenters”.More on party discipline in Canada:Our Commons - Committees Flip the Script Whipped: Party Discipline in Canada Who do you think should be an MP's real boss? Let us know on Instagram and Twitter @TheSamaraCentre and on Facebook at the Samara Centre for Democracy. Join the conversation using #HumansOfTheHouse.This podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy's MP Exit Interview Project. This series is produced by Media Girlfriends for the Samara Centre for Democracy.Visit our website to learn more about how the Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation. Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is Parliament Hill like as a workplace? Is it respectful? Is it safe? If we want our democracy to thrive, it should be. Former MPs tell us how they were treated on the job, both inside and beyond the House of Commons. How did they navigate the extreme workloads and all the pressure? And when you're in such a huge job, where can you turn for support?This episode features:Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019) - Interviews for Humans of the House were conducted in the summer of 2022 and the show was launched in March 2023. In August 2023 Romeo Saganash was charged with sexual assault. We will update when the court case is complete.Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor-Tecumseh, (2015-2019)Hon. Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, (2015-2021)Hon. Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, (2008-2019)Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)Resources for this episode:View our episode page at https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-3/ On the challenges of balancing MP life with personal life: Why Divorce Rates are so High for MP'sMP spouses often lead even lonelier lifeParliament family-friendly? HardlyOn resting and productivity: How Resting More Can Boost Your Productivity.More data from SAMbot, tracking online toxicity during Canadian elections.More info on the Speaker of the House and other roles in the House of Commons. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @TheSamaraCentre and on Facebook at the Samara Centre for Democracy for updates. Join the conversation using #HumansOfTheHouse.This podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy's MP Exit Interview Project. This episode features audio clips from CTV News, CBC and CPACThis series is produced by Media Girlfriends for the Samara Centre for Democracy.Visit our website to learn more about how the Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation. Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So, you won an election and are officially a Member of Parliament. Now what? This episode, former MPs take us inside their very first days on Parliament Hill. What does an MP do in an average week? Where do they go? And as they settle into their new jobs, are they being set up to serve Canadians well? THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, (2015-2019); Independent, Whitby, (2019)Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)Hon. Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, (2015-2021)Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, (2015-2019Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina-Fort York, (2014-2021)Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)James Cumming, Conservative, (2019-2021)Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019) - Interviews for Humans of the House were conducted in the summer of 2022 and the show was launched in March 2023. In August 2023 Romeo Saganash was charged with sexual assault. We will update when the court case is complete.RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: View our episode page at https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-2/ Learn more about how new Members find their feet with this fact sheet from the 44th Parliament.Learn more about onboarding and retention: The True Cost of a Bad Hire.On motions and the legislative process: The process of debate The legislative process in Parliament.More on a typical sitting day in the House of Commons.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @TheSamaraCentre and on Facebook at the Samara Centre for Democracy for updates. Join the conversation using #HumansOfTheHouse.This podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy's MP Exit Interview Project. This episode features audio clips from Global News and The Canadian Press. This series is produced by Media Girlfriends for the Samara Centre for Democracy.Visit our website to learn more about how the Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation. Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new podcast called Humans of the House offers a rare look at the people behind the politics in Ottawa, from how they entered public life to why they ultimately left. We talk to podcast host Sabreena Delhon, executive director of The Samara Centre for Democracy; Romeo Saganash, a former NDP MP and Cree lawyer; and Scott Brison, a former Progressive Conservative, then Liberal MP, and now vice-chair with BMO Wealth Management.

Would you ever run for political office? For many of us, “politician” is the last job title we'd ever consider. What is it that drives people to run for political office? In this episode we talk to former MPs from across Canada. They each have a unique journey that brought them to Ottawa to serve their communities. For some, federal politics was a childhood dream – for others, something they had never thought to aspire to. Some were chosen by their parties, and some put their own hats in the ring. Plus, background on the nominations process that determines our electoral candidates in the first place.THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, (2015-2019)Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019) - Interviews for Humans of the House were conducted in the summer of 2022 and the show was launched in March 2023. In August 2023 Romeo Saganash was charged with sexual assault. We will update when the court case is complete.Hon. Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, (2008-2019)Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina-Fort York, (2014-2021)Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, (2015-2019); Independent, Whitby, (2019)RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: View our episode page at https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-1/ For more on how federal election candidates are chosen, visit our website.This episode features audio clips from Bloomberg, The Ottawa Citizen and CBC. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @TheSamaraCentre and on Facebook at the Samara Centre for Democracy for updates. Join the conversation using #HumansOfTheHouse.This podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy's MP Exit Interview Project. This series is produced by Media Girlfriends for the Samara Centre for Democracy.Visit our website to learn more about how the Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation. Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey.The Samara Centre for Democracy and SSENC/RESCC have partnered on curriculum-connected teaching resources based on Humans of the House. Click here to access free accessible teaching resources for your classroom! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Humans of the House, we are on a journey that explores the human side of politics. Prepare to be surprised, maybe even moved, by the real lives of Members of Parliament.Interviews for Humans of the House were conducted in the summer of 2022 and the show was launched in March 2023. In August 2023 Romeo Saganash was charged with sexual assault. We will update when the court case is complete.The Samara Centre for Democracy and SSENC/RESCC have partnered on curriculum-connected teaching resources based on Humans of the House. Click here to access free accessible teaching resources for your classroom! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Democratic backsliding is speeding up. Is there a way to revive civic engagement and resilience and push back against public apathy? IDEAS host, Nahlah Ayed talks to former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi about the possibility of renewing civic purpose in Canada, as part of a public lecture hosted by the Samara Centre.

The charitable sector has navigated many new challenges in the past few years. How do we now quantify our impact, respond to the future of work, and relate and respond to social movements? In this Five Good Ideas session, recorded live on September 28, Sabreena Delhon, executive director of the Samara Centre for Democracy, discussed how to break out of default binary non-profit work processes to find exploratory, creative, and substantive approaches to making meaningful change. [5:18] 1. Measure the obvious [8:17] 2. Challenge the production formula “PDF, Tweet, repeat” [13:17] 3. Maximize your resources through partnerships [15:20] 4. Fill knowledge and lived-experience gaps [18:06] 5. Make it easy to be your audience [21:41] Q & A Download the session handout. Follow along with the transcript and check out Sabreena’s recommended resources. Presenter bio: Sabreena Delhon is the Executive Director of the Samara Centre for Democracy, a non-partisan civil society organization that is committed to securing an accessible, responsive, and inclusive democratic culture in Canada. Prior to joining Samara, Sabreena was the Principal of Signal Strategies and managed access to justice initiatives at the Law Society of Ontario. She has directed research studies that examine public perceptions of legal technology and the justice system; results have informed the work of Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General and can be found on law school syllabi. She is a Fellow with Simon Fraser University’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue and Massey College.

Incidents of harassment like the one in Grande Prairie, Alberta, aimed at Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, are on the rise, according to politicians. We hear from Leah Gazan, NDP MP for Winnipeg Centre, and Liberal MP Pam Damoff about their experiences. And Sabreena Delhon of the Samara Centre for Democracy tells us harassment has now become part of the job.

Our guest today is Andrea Nemtin, Executive Director of SI Canada. Sally and Andrea talk about what Social Innovation is, the history of the field in Canada, and how Social Innovation Canada (SI Canada) came to be.  Andrea talks about the priorities of the organization as our country emerges from COVID, and how solutions to the complex challenges of social justice and climate change can be catalyzed and aligned through education, intentional networking at local and national levels across all sectors, and storytelling.     Resources:   Social Innovation Canada:   https://sicanada.org  hello@sicanada.org  Post Event Check-in with our National Gathering Design Team  Igniting Local Actions for an Inclusive Economy  Andrea Nemtin LinkedIn  White Fragility Subscription Box:  https://www.edmontonshiftlab.ca/shift-lab-2-0-prototype-the-white-fragility-subscription-box/ Report: Unfunded:  https://www.forblackcommunities.org/reports/ Foundation for Black Communities:  https://www.forblackcommunities.org/ NFB film The Children of Fogo Island: https://www.nfb.ca/film/children_of_fogo_island/ SiG – Social Innovation Generation:  https://thesigstory.squarespace.com/ MaRS Discovery District https://www.marsdd.com Tonya Surman: https://socialinnovation.org/team/tonya-surman/ Darcy Riddell: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/darcy-riddell-11153a52 Alex Ryan: https://www.marsdd.com/bio/alex-ryan/ Radius: https://radiussfu.com/ Manitoba's Social Enterprise Centre: http://www.secwpg.com/ Boldness Project: https://www.winnipegboldness.ca/ Alberta's ABSI Connect: https://www.absiconnect.ca/ Quebec's MIS – Maison de l'innovation sociale: https://www.mis.quebec/ Atlantic Canada's Inspiring Communities:  http://www.secwpg.com/ Democracy Collaborative:  https://democracycollaborative.org/ Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority. https://rpra.ca/ Circular Economy Act: https://rpra.ca/the-circular-economy/ Michael MacMillan: https://www.samaracanada.com/about-us/board-of-directors The Samara Centre for Democracy:  https://www.samaracanada.com/home  . Thank you for listening to Impact Conversations with Lynn Fergusson & Sally Fazal .   Find out more about our work at Social Impact Advisors: https://socialimpactadvisors.ca

In this conversation hosted and led by the Toronto Foundation, Andrew Chunilall and Senator Ratna Omidvar discuss some of the top trends, key areas of debate, and opportunities for progress in Canadian philanthropy in 2022.--BiographiesAndrew ChunilallAndrew joined Community Foundations Canada in 2013 and became CEO in 2017, following a six-year tenure as Vice-President of Finance for the London Community Foundation and his long-standing service as a finance and regulatory expert for Canada's philanthropic milieu. Now at the head of the community foundation movement, Andrew is working closely with the Community Foundations of Canada Leadership team, Board and foundations in Canada and abroad to help the philanthropic sector transform, innovate and meet the new challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. An increasingly active public speaker, Andrew is helping raise awareness for how the philanthropic sector's convening power, leadership and action around targets such as the Sustainable Development Goals can help Canadian communities reach their full potential.Outside of Community Foundations of Canada, Andrew has been highly active in the nonprofit community for 15 years, serving on numerous boards including Community Living London and Art for AIDS International. In 2014, he was appointed to the Board of the Southwest Local Health Integration Network by former Minister of Health, Deb Matthews. In 2015, he was among 250 selected emerging leaders to participate in the Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference. He recently joined the Board of WINGS, the global network of grantmaker associations and philanthropic support organisations.With a background in education in economics and commerce, Andrew obtained his chartered accountant designation in 2002 and began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as a manager in the Assurance and Advisory Group.Senator Ratna OmidvarRatna Omidvar is an internationally recognized voice on migration, diversity and inclusion. She came to Canada from Iran in 1981 and her own experiences of displacement, integration and citizen engagement have been the foundation of her work. In April 2016, Ms. Omidvar was appointed to the Senate of Canada as an independent senator representing Ontario. As a member of the Senate's Independent Senators Group she holds a leadership position as the Liaison Officer. Senator Omidvar is also the Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology and served as Deputy Chair of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector.Senator Omidvar is a Director at the Samara Centre for Democracy, a Director at the Century Initiative, a Council Member at the World Refugee and Migration Council and Chair Emerita at the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council.Previously at Ryerson University, Senator Omidvar was a Distinguished Visiting Professor and founded the Global Diversity Exchange, a think-and-do tank on diversity, migration and inclusion. Prior to her appointments at Ryerson, Senator Omidvar was the President of Maytree, where she played a lead role in local, national and international efforts to promote the integration of immigrants.Senator Omidvar is co-author of Flight and Freedom: Stories of Escape to Canada (2015), an Open Book Toronto best book of 2015 and one of the Toronto Star's top five good reads from Word on the Street. She is also a contributor to The Harper Factor (2016) and co-editor of Five Good Ideas: Practical Strategies for Non-Profit Success (2011). Senator Omidvar received a Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws, from Ryerson University in 2018 and from York University in 2012.Full bio available here: https://sencanada.ca/en/senators/omidvar-ratna/

We talk with Sabreena Delhon, Michael Sabet, and Dr. Jennifer Wolowic about how we can strengthen processes of dialogue, deliberation, and consultation in our culture and society. Delhon is executive director of the Samara Centre for Democracy, Sabet is a PhD student at the University of Toronto, and Dr. Wolowic is program manager at the SFU Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue.

There is no doubt that social media has changed politics. It has connected politicians and constituents, making it easier for them to speak more freely with one another than ever before. But these sites have also changed the way people communicate with politicians. If you look at the replies to any tweet, by any politician, you will see a series of replies that express disagreement, or support. But there is also a steady stream of hatred directed toward politicians, from a minority of people who engage in behaviour that experts have described as “toxic.” It's easy to brush off these tweets as nothing more than posts on a Website, but they can actually have a harmful effect on our democracy. Not only do they make politicians' work – already difficult – even harder, they dampen people's willingness to engage in political conversations online and dissuade people from entering the political arena. My guest today is hoping to stop online toxicity, for the betterment of Canadian democracy. Sabreena Dellen is the executive director of the Samara Centre for Democracy, a charity dedicated to strengthening democracy in Canada. The Samara Centre recently partnered with Areto Labs on a project that tracks the tweets received by incumbents who are running for re-election, to find out how toxic these tweets are and who is receiving them. Today we will discuss the project, as well as SAMbot, which they use to track this data, and how they hope to foster a positive culture change in digital democracy. If you would like to find out more about SAMbot, check it out here - https://sambot.ca/

For our third episode of “Advancing justice,” we’re pleased to welcome Sabreena Delhon. Sabreena is the Executive Director of the Samara Centre for Democracy. She is an experienced public sector leader with a proven track record of directing multi-stakeholder research and outreach initiatives across justice, academic, and non-profit sectors. Prior to joining Samara, Sabreena was the principal of Signal Strategies and held senior roles at the Law Society of Ontario. She is a Fellow at Simon Fraser University’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue and Visiting Fellow at Massey College. In our conversation, Sabreena talks about why this is a crucial time to advocate for major overhauls to key components of the justice system. Advocates must seize this opportunity to call for justice policies that are responsive to the public's lived experience and to press for investment in justice reform. Yet, as she writes in her contribution to the series, the majority of mainstream efforts aiming to improve access to justice across Canada are stagnating because the organizations behind them suffer from an entrenched diversity problem. You can find the transcript of the conversation at https://maytree.com/maytree-podcasts/advancing-justice-podcast/. For other contributions to the series and links to resources, visit the Maytree website at maytree.com/what-we-focus-on/advancing-justice/.

Glen McGregor, CTV News; Omar Sachedina, CTV News; Kevin Gallagher, CTV News; Terry Duguid, Liberal Party candidate; Dan Albas, Conservative Party Candidate; Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP candidate; Retired General Rick Hillier, former commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force; Todd Battis; CTV News; Nik Nanos, Nanos Research; Stephanie Levitz, the Toronto Star; Ian Bailey, the Globe and Mail; Marcella Munro, McMillan Vantage; Tom Mulcair, CTV News Political Analyst; Tasha Kheiriddin; Principal, Navigator Ltd.; Sabreena Delhon, Samara Centre for Democracy; Sarah Bain, Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Jason Lietaer, Enterprise Canada; and Anne McGrath, NDP National Director.

Guest: Sabreena Delhon - Executive Director of the Samara Centre for Democracy. 

Power & Politics for Monday, August 30th with The Writ's Éric Grenier, former Canadian ambassador to Ukraine Roman Waschuk, Samara Centre for Democracy Executive Director Sabreena Delhon, Khadija, Simon Fraser University Sustainable Energy Professor Mark Jaccard, and the Power Panel.

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics begin tomorrow. Amy Latimer. of the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at Queen's University discusses their new research into inclusion within para-sport; Why do we have recurring dreams? And what do they say about our state of mind or emotional well-being? We find out more from Jillian Roberts who teaches educational psychology at the University of Victoria; Small businesses have been hit especially hard during the pandemic.Karl Littler of the Retail Council of Canada discusses the effect of the pandemic and what can be done to help businesses cope as they're challenged by the fourth wave; A recent study in the American Journal of Addictions says there is growing evidence to suggest that the prevalence and severity of Internet addiction has increased during the pandemic.Ronald Kellestine, a psychotherapist and addiction counsellor offers his perspective; Sabreena Delhon of the Samara Centre for Democracy tells us about their 'sambot' which will allow them to track toxic comments on Twitter with respect to election campaign.The bot has the capacity to analyse millions of tweets and identify those containing rude comments, insults, sexual explicit remarks and threats; Ontario's Patient Ombudsman, Craig Thompson outlines the kind of complaints the office received during waves two and three of the pandemic hospitals, long-term care homes, vaccination clinics and more.

Episode transcript available here.Why should I vote? Who am I voting for? How does politics effect me? These are all questions that someone who is newly entering the political sphere might have, and they are questions that may keep them from engaging with elections at all, but they are also questions that we address-along with many others during our newest episode in conversation with our guest Mike Morden, of the Samara Centre for Democracy.MICHAEL (MIKE) MORDEN - Mike Morden is a Research Director at the Samara Centre for Democracy in Toronto. Mike holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Toronto, and he's responsible for leading the Samara Centre's program of democracy boosting research, and contributing to its mission of asking critical questions, producing new evidence and linking knowledge to action.To find out more you can visit their website or follow them on Twitter @SamaraCDA.The Field Guide to Online Political ConversationsTo find out more about how to get involved in politics that goes beyond voting: Political Participations ActivitesVideo: How to Be an Everyday Political CitizenA collection of long-form interviews with former MPs: Real House LivesWhat to Expect When You're Electing?  Delivered in a clear, concise, and non-partisan manner, this explainer series helps you navigate Canada's federal election by busting common myths, answering frequently asked questions, and supporting healthy political conversations

We talk with two dual citizens who voted for different candidates in yesterday's presidential election; Jane Lytvynenko of Buzzfeed News discusses the role that false and misleading information in this U-S election; Democrat and dual citizen, Jenni Beaver, offers her reaction to the election; Political scientist Matthew Lebo of Western University discusses Trump's claim that he will contest the admissibility of certain ballots all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary; Angela Lewis Maddox, a professor of Political Science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has analysis of the the election; Our guest for this week's book column is Mike Morden of The Samara Centre for Democracy. He offers some reading on political themes; CBC business columnist Donna Guzik has early reaction in the markets to the voting; Leon Neyfakh, host of the podcast Fiasco, will take us back to the recounts during the Bush/Gore election of 2000, and what lessons we can take from it today; Jess McDougal is Canadian with strong ties to Texas where she has family. She explains why she supports Donald Trump.

Alex is joined by Ian Lee from Carlton’s sprott school of business to talk about the projections from the Bank of Canada for Canada’s fourth fiscal quarter, and what it means for you. Then she speaks with a lawyer from the are to talk about the land claim debates in Caledonia, and Dr. Mike Morden, Interim Executive Director of the Samara Centre for Democracy and lead author of a report that found Canadians have more trust in the government than they did last year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Scott Thompson Show Podcast Chrystia Freeland at the helm of the financial file now, are some in the business industry excited or not to have her there? Dan Kelly, President and CEO of the Canadian Federation for Independent Business. - Bill Morneau stepped down as Finance Minister, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland stepped in, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked Governor General Julie Payette to prorogue Parliament, all within the span of 24 hours! To catch up on everything, Scott welcomes Michael Taube to the show. Guest: Michael Taube, Troy Media syndicated, columnist, and Washington Times contributor - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked Governor General Julie Payette to prorogue Parliament. Is this an appropriate time prorogue Parliament – in the middle of a pandemic with kids across the country heading back to school? Guest: Dr. Michael Morden, Research Director for the Samara Centre for Democracy, a non-partisan organization - The question has to be asked, what happens if an election is called? Never mind the financial concerns. Can we safely manage one during the pandemic? Guest: Dr.Todd Coleman,  PhD Assistant Professor Department of Health Sciences Wilfrid Laurier University - Chief Cleveland Thomas joined Scott to discuss the latest developments surrounding the land dispute in Caledonia. Guest: Chief Cleveland Thomas of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chief's Council

We spoke with Michael Morden, research director at the Samara Centre for Democracy 

Alison Loat is the Co-Founder and former Executive Director of the Samara Centre for Democracy. Alison Loat Twitter account https://twitter.com/AlisonLoat Richard Pietro Twitter account twitter.com/richardpietro ABOUT ABOUT Stories from the Open Gov is a podcast published by www.reopengov.org and is dedicated to telling the stories about what Open Government & Open Data look like. Your host is Richard Pietro, an Open Government & Open Data practitioner for the past 10 years. Listen and learn how Open Government & Open Data are becoming a reality! MUSIC ATTRIBUTION - Introduction & conclusion Singing Sadie - I Can't Dance freemusicarchive.org/music/Singing_…3_I_Cant_Dance Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/

Canadian Senator Ratna Omidvar walks listeners through the impact refugees and migrants have on economies and why civil society should rethink its attitudes. Listen now! Ratna Omidvar is a recognized voice on migration, diversity, and inclusion. She came to Canada from Iran in 1981 and her own experiences of displacement, integration, and citizen engagement are the foundation of her work. In 2016 she was appointed to the Senate of Canada as an independent Senator representing Ontario. She is a councilor on the World Refugee Council, a director at the Samara Centre for Democracy, chair emerita for the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, and, formerly, a visiting professor at Ryerson University.  Ms. Omidvar is co-author of Flight and Freedom: Stories of Escape to Canada, an Open Book Toronto best book of 2015, and one of the Toronto Star's top five good reads from Word on the Street. She was appointed to the Order of Ontario in 2005 and became a Member of the Order of Canada in 2011, with both honors recognizing her work on behalf of immigrants and devotion to reducing inequality in Canada. In 2014 she received the Cross of the Order of Merit of Germany in recognition of her contribution to the advancement of German-Canadian relations. 

And just like that, the election is over! Listen to our final episode on what the new parliament looks like, what happens next and how you can stay involved. Dr. Paul Thomas, Senior Research Associate at the Samara Centre, tells us about majority and minority governments and what that means for our newly elected officials. He also gives tips on how to stay engaged between elections. Have a listen!

The election is less than a week away!!! This week, we have the Research Director of the Samara Centre, Dr. Mike Morden, on to tell you everything you need to know to vote on election day. Listen now!

More than anything else, a successful democracy depends on an informed and engaged population: if people don’t know what’s going on, or they’re not showing up to vote, things spiral into chaos. Kendall Anderson, managing director at the Samara Centre for Democracy, joins us for a bonus episode to talk about the condition of Canada’s democracy, what measures we can take to ensure young people are informed and engaged, and whether we’re seeing any symptoms of the kind of populism that led to Trump in the United States or Brexit in the United Kingdom (ironically, neither are particularly united at the moment). With election day drawing ever closer, we thought it was important to discuss the state of our union, and what we need to do to keep our democracy healthy and sustainable. https://www.samaracanada.com/ www.upfordnetwork.com

As we reach the midpoint in this election, you may’ve found yourself in one or two heated discussions by now. After all, it’s easy to get caught up in emotion when talking about issues that matter to you. But online fights don’t lead anywhere constructive. We understand that having constructive political conversations can be tough, whether in person or on social media. This week, your host, Yvonne Su, speaks to Dr. Mike Morden, Research Director at the Samara Centre for Democracy on how to keep conversations civil. Mike covers, why it's difficult to have civil political conversation and tips for discussing politics in a constructive way so we can avoid getting into twitter flame wars. Listen now!

With the election underway, are you being inundated with wall to wall election coverage? This week on What to Expect When You're Electing: where to find information about parties, candidates, and election issues, and how to avoid being misled by bad information. Your host, Yvonne Su, speaks to Dr. Paul Thomas, Senior Research Associate for the Samara Centre for Democracy, to help you wade through it all. Listen now!

This week on What To Expect When You’re Electing: Election 2019 is officially on! With a lot of noise and confusion to filter out, you might be finding yourself a bit overwhelmed. Luckily, we’re here to help you get oriented. You’ll learn what factors to weigh when deciding how to vote, what a party platform is and how it’s created, and the difference, and importance, of local party candidates and your leaders. Your host, Yvonne Su, speaks to Adelina Petit-Vouriot, Research Analyst for the Samara Centre for Democracy, to help shed light on this exciting election season. Listen now!

Welcome to What to Expect When You’re Electing, a series of short explainers designed to help you navigate the federal election! First up: an overview of how Canadian federal elections work (and why we don’t actually elect the prime minister). Your host Yvonne Su is joined by Dr. Mike Morden, Research Director of the Samara Centre for Democracy.

According to a report from the Samara Centre for Democracy, the appetite for populism among Canadians is on the decline except among politicians. Guest: Dr. Michael Morden, Research Director, Samara Canada.

Photo: (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) An event at a downtown coffee shop where the public could chat with police officers to ask questions has been cancelled after there was threats of “picketing and protesting the event”. Guest: Glenn deCaire, former Hamilton Police Chief. According to a report from the Samara Centre for Democracy, the appetite for populism among Canadians is on the decline except among politicians. Guest: Dr. Michael Morden, Research Director, Samara Canada. Auto insurance rates continue to rise in Hamilton, but why?  Guest: Justin Thouin, CEO, Lowest Rates.ca.

Guest: Jane Hilderman. With Ontarians heading to the polls, The Agenda on Politics focuses on one group of voters who could make a big difference in this election: millennials. This cohort is notorious for not voting, but they could be the key to victory for one lucky party this time around. Jane Hilderman, executive director of The Samara Centre for Democracy looks at millennial attitudes to voting and how that could play out in this election. Host: John Michael McGrath, Producers: Colin Ellis and Tim Alamenciak, Technical Producer: Matthew O'Mara, Podcast Intern: Michal Stein, Production Coordinator: Caitlin Plummer, Podcast Manager: Hannah Sung.