Ep 580 - Unmanageable Permitting Processes Guest: Todd Yuen By Stuart McNish   A robust industrial property sector is vital to the economy. According to a Metro Vancouver study, “Industrial lands serve various purposes, such as warehousing, manufacturing, and supporting emerging technology businesses. They provide essential employment opportunities and contribute to supply chains.” In other words, they are vital to economic growth.   Here’s the challenge, says Todd Yuen of Beddie Industrial. “There’s a critical shortage of industrial lands in Metro Vancouver and we’re losing businesses and their employees to Alberta and other jurisdictions.” The reasons for the shortages are complex, according to the InterVISTAS report, which include “constrained land supply, complex jurisdictional overlaps, and a need to review the development process.”   Yuen says, “To give you an example of the unmanageable permitting process, we just put a new site on the market after seven years of approvals. The wheels within the permitting process turn so slow they create an air of anti-progress."   We invited Todd Yuen, the President of Beedie Industrial, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the need to build industrial facilities, the impediments to doing so, and the consequences of inaction. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 579 - Labour Negotiations & Job Action Guest: Kevin Howlett By Stuart McNish   Canada Post is in the midst of job action by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. They’re not on a full strike; instead, they’re still delivering mail but not all of it. On September the 15th, the Union implemented a national ban on delivering flyers and neighbourhood mail. This followed an overtime ban in May.   Air Canada just concluded negotiations with flight attendants. After a three day work stoppage that wreaked havoc on the airline and passengers, the attendants were ordered back to work but the union ignored the order, negotiations resumed, and they went back to work. Weeks later, union members rejected the company's offer by 99.1% but they also kept working.    In British Columbia, the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU)  initiated job action aimed at gaining an 8.25% wage increase over two years. The union’s website says, “We escalated job action in several key areas: Public service workers who support B.C. 's mining operations joined the strike. An overtime ban was announced in corrections and sheriff services. As the strike carried on, BC Liquor Store Workers walked off the job and as the job action continued into week eight, 25,000 of the 34,000 Union Members in government jobs were on strike. At the time of recording this interview, there is job action but not a full-out strike.   We invited human resource specialist Kevin Howlett to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the changing nature of labour negotiations and job action.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 578 - Canada - UK Trade Guest: Thomas Codrington By Stuart McNish   On September the 9th, British-owned Anglo American announced it was merging with Teck to “form a leading global critical minerals champion headquartered in Canada.” Teck CEO Jonathan Price said, “This transition will create significant economic opportunity in Canada while positioning Anglo Teck to deliver sustainable, long-term value for shareholders and all stakeholders.”   It is one of a number of investments and trade deals that have been underway between British Columbia and Britain over the past 5 years. “We’re working to build even stronger relationships with Canada and British Columbia,” says Thomas Codrington, the British Consul General to British Columbia.   Total trade between the UK and Canada is on the rise, thanks to the UK’s response to leaving the EU. In 2020, Canada and the UK signed the Trade Continuity Agreement and it serves as a showcase of the value of diversifying trading relationships. As a result, trade is up by more than 50 percent between 2016 and the first quarter of 2025.   We invited Thomas Codrington, the British Consul-General in Vancouver, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the potential and benefits of increased trade between the UK and British Columbia. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Protecting Democracy Guest: Lech Walesa By Stuart McNish   On December 13th, 1981, the government of Poland declared martial law. It outlawed the Solidarity Federation of Unions and threw its leader Lech Walesa in jail. He was detained for a year before being released. Once out, he continued the fight against the oppressive rule of the Polish government. Walesa was forced underground to continue to protest against the harsh economic conditions in Poland.    In 1988, labour unrest led by Walesa forced the government to restore Solidarity’s legal status and to sanction free elections for a limited number of seats. Solidarity won an overwhelming majority of seats. Walesa went on to become the first democratically elected President of the country.   Walesa was a towering international figure who stared down the barrel of a gun and demanded an end to the communist rule in Poland. Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said, “Solidarity and Walesa were the spark that lit the fuse which ultimately brought down what Ronald Reagan called the ‘Evil Empire’ of Soviet Communism.”   We invited Lech Walesa, who is on a speaking tour in North America (including Vancouver), to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the current prospects for peace, leadership, democracy, and the challenges facing the world today.   Lech Walesa is currently in Canada for a speaking tour.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 576 - How to be a Dude in the 21st Century Guest: Alex Cordero By Stuart McNish   “Massive changes are underway in society that are improving the lives of most people. Those same changes are having a growing impact on young men who are wrestling with what masculinity means,” says Alex Cordero, the author of “How to be a Dude in the 21st Century.” Cordero says, “Boys are struggling to understand masculinity versus toxic masculinity and I wrote this book to help them navigate their way forward.”   In a 2024 article in Psychology Today, neurosurgeon, teacher, and author Gary R. Simonds, MD, says, “Men are falling behind. Dramatically. They risk unemployability and irrelevancy in our ever-modernizing society. The gap between female and male academic performance is substantial and widening, and will soon translate into a similar gap in graduate degrees, employment opportunities, career success, and earnings.”   Cordero agrees: The loss of motivation in young men is clear. We’re seeing a rising number of young men who feel disconnected. They’re idle and, in many cases, ignorant. This leaves them vulnerable to respond with fear, disappointment, frustration, and embarrassment.”   We invited author Alex Cordero to join us for a Conversation That Matters about working to ensure boys grow into men who are motivated contributors to our changing society and workplaces.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Doing Business in British Columbia? Yes, but… Guest: Brad Liski By Stuart McNish   British Columbia is a wonderful jurisdiction to start a business. “Small businesses benefit from a number of programs that get the wheels turning,” says Brad Liski of Tru Earth. The company is addressing the environmental impact of 30 billion loads of laundry annually around the world. “We founded the company out of a desire to change the world and Tru Earth is doing that, one laundry load at a time,” says Liski.   The co-founder says, “I’ve started 26 companies and Tru Earth is the first one that wakes me up in the morning excited to make a difference.” The company focused first on reducing the amount of plastic used in packaging laundry detergent. It then focused on reducing an entire jug of soap into a strip about the size of a business card. They tested the idea and it was an instant success.   The company quickly grew and, in doing so, it ran into a series of government rules and regulations that thwarted its ability to scale up in British Columbia. “We’ve had to move much of our manufacturing to other provinces as a result,” says Liski. It was something that he says he didn’t want to do, but the economics of growing in BC worked against the company.   We invited Brad Liski of Tru Earth to join us for a Conversation That Matters about a path forward that will support mid-market companies to grow and prosper in British Columbia.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

France and Canada Lean In on Trade Guest: Nicolas Baudouin By Stuart McNish   The US tariffs are officially in place and Canada was hit hard. The rhetoric leading up to the imposition of the tariffs focused on a need to develop new trading relationships and expand existing ones. Canada and France have a trading history that goes back hundreds of years. Then in 2016, Canada signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the European Union.   The signing of the agreement opened up greater tariff-free access to France and EU countries. According to the Jean Monnet Network at Carleton University, “trade between Canada and the EU has seen an exponential growth since CETA was implemented.” According to the report, France was the number four trading partner, valued at over $4.4 billion dollars trade in 2021.   “Now is the time to seize on strengthening and building on our trading relationship between British Columbia, Canada, and France,” says Nicolas Baudouin, the French Consul General in British Columbia. “The opportunities are vast and go beyond agri-tech, high value food, and aeronautices,” says Baudouin.   We invited Consul General Nicolas Baudouin of France to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the opportunities and the challenges of increasing trade with one of our oldest international partners.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

The 3% GDP Challenge Guest: Bridgitte Anderson By Stuart McNish   “Whether it’s the rising cost of housing, unaffordable grocery bills, or an increasingly heavy tax burden, too many British Columbians feel the economy is not working for them,” says Bridgette Anderson, the CEO and President of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. Earlier this year as the threat of American tariffs loomed, the Board called on the provincial government to focus on growing the British Columbia economy by 3 percent.   “To build a future worthy of our aspirations and one we can be proud to pass on to the next generation, British Columbia must pursue policies that will boost our economic growth and raise our collective standard of living,” says Anderson. The Board projects that by growing the provincial GDP by 3 percent, the economy will grow, government revenues will increase, and the standard of living for all British Columbia residents will improve.   Anderson says, “We project that a boost of 3 percent will raise personal GDP by $9,000 and will add an additional $4.0 billion dollars to government revenues by 2030.” The challenge comes at a time when the provincial debt and deficit are at all-time highs. The province optimistically projects GDP growth of 1.8 percent, a figure that TD Economics challenges. TD projects a 1.5 percent growth for this year and falling to 1.3 percent next year.   We invited Bridgitte Anderson of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the “Challenge” – the challenges and the opportunities to grow BC’s economy.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

British Columbia Forestry on its Knees Guest: Kim Haakstad By Stuart McNish   Independent of Trump’s tariffs, the US Department of Commerce increased its duty on Canadian softwood lumber from 14 to 35 percent. Kim Haakstad, the President of the BC Council of Forest Industries, says, “It’s a blow to an industry in trouble.” The war in the woods in the early 1990s led to the Forest Practices Code, which led to ongoing changes in legislation that hampered the industry and has seen more than 40,000 jobs disappear.   The reasons the forestry sector is on its knees have more to do with regulations and approval processes that undermine the economics of forestry. Haakstad says, “Wood availability is at historic lows, permitting systems are gridlocked, and investment is retreating in the face of prolonged uncertainty. The risk is not a gradual decline – it’s accelerating closures, job losses, and the permanent erosion of the forest industry.”   Despite promises from the Premier and the Minister of Forests to restore the sector by increasing annual cuts to 45 million cubic metres, Haakstad says that “we need pragmatic actions” that will streamline the issues that are choking the industry.   We invited Kim Haakstad, the President and CEO of the BC Council of Forest Industries, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about saving the once mighty forestry sector.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

The Sensible Environmentalist Guest: Mark Jaccard By Stuart McNish   “We are all capable of believing things we know to be untrue…the only check on it is that sooner or later, a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield,” wrote George Orwell. It’s a quote that opens Mark Jaccard’s book, “The Citizen’s Guide to Climate Success: Overcoming Myths that Hinder Progress.”   “The conversation about energy production in Canada is in transition and we need to  focus on the truth rather than the myths,” says Mark Jaccard, the Chair and CEO of the British Columbia Utilities Commission. His concerns about truth and myth come as a reversal of political policies led to the freezing or elimination of the carbon tax federally and provincially.    “Societal interest in climate change is cyclical,” says Jaccard. He continues, “So, too, is political interest.” The realities of carbon concentration increases and the impacts of it run headlong into competing political and economic interests – myths propagated by climate activists and industry public relations campaigns cloud the debate with exaggerations that inhibit meaningful measures to meet climate and economic challenges.   We invited Mark Jaccard, the author of “The Citizen’s Guide to Climate Success: Overcoming Myths that Hinder Progress” and the Chair and CEO of the BC Utilities Commission, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about finding a path to open dialogue and realistic strategies to address our climate challenges.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Skills and Trades in an A.I. World Guest: Ajay Patel, President of Vancouver Community College By Stuart McNish   As the world learns to adjust to and adapt to artificial intelligence, one of the key questions parents and those entering the workforce are asking themselves is, “What professions will survive? In other words, what should I study to ensure I can be assured work now and into the future?” Ajay Patel, the President of Vancouver Community College answers: “Skills and trades. A.I. can’t mimic the uniquely human skills needed for, in these fields.”   As the world adjusts to the role of A.I. in the workplace, Vancouver Community College has pivoted to integrating its course load to ensure students are equipped to utilize A.I. in careers that need human skills, dexterity, and judgement. “We’re not afraid of A.I.,” says Patel. “We’re embracing it and ensuring our students are the best equipped to meet the needs of the market.”   We invited Ajay Patel to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the vital role community colleges are filling in equipping the workforce of the future.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Fentanyl: No One is Immune Guest: Kevin deBruyckere, former head of federal policing in British Columbia By Stuart McNish   “In 2013, in my role as Head of Federal Policing in British Columbia, I started to see an increase in drug-related deaths attributed to a powder form of fentanyl being delivered by mail,” says Kevin deBruyckere. “On May 23rd 2014, it hit home for my family – my 22-year-old son lost his life and our family became a victim of the fentanyl epidemic.”   Over the next decade, more than 16,000 people have lost their lives due to overdoses in British Columbia. Vancouver is at the epicentre of this epidemic. “Unless there is a significant reframing of response to the drug crisis, we can’t beat it. It’s not a law enforcement challenge or issue only – it’s much larger than that,” says deBruyckere.   “This is a public health issue; it’s a housing issue; it’s an educational issue; it’s a prevention issue,” says deBruychkere. The costs to take on the drug epidemic are significant. The costs of not having a coordinated long-term strategy are much larger. “People are dying, families are being destroyed, and all of society is paying a price,” says deBruyckere.   We invited Kevin deBruyckere to join us for a Conversation That Matters about fentanyl and the devastating impact it is having.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

 C-5: Build, Baby, Build! Guest: Radha Curpen, McMillan LLP By Stuart McNish   In an odd way, it’s as though Prime Minister Mark Carney has borrowed a card from President Donald Trump when he pushed through Bill C-5. The Prime Minister announced the concept of the bill on June 6 and twenty days later, it passed in the House and Senate. That’s lightyears faster than the U.S. President's passing of his “Big Beautiful Bill.”   Bill C-5 has been framed as a national plan to “remove federal barriers to interprovincial trade and improve labour mobility.” Radha Curpen of McMillan LLP says, “Bill C-5 also sends a signal that Canada is open for business. It is a bill designed to improve efficiencies in approval processes. The biggest question is, will it also respect indigenous rights?”   We invited Radha Curpen of McMillan LLP to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the upsides and the concerns about Bill C-5.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Repurposing the Site C Work Camp Guest: Mukhtar Latif, CEO of Pomegranate Housing Consultancy By Stuart McNish   “We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create Canada’s premier centre for excellence in mental health and addictions in [British Columbia]’s northeast,” says Mukhtar Latif of Pomegranate Housing Consultancy. The North Wind Wellness Centre Society and Treaty 8 First Nations have put forward a plan to repurpose the Site C workers’ camp into a permanent asset that will deliver transformational healthcare services.   The worker accommodation facility was built to house 1,600 workers and it came with a wide range of services and utilities.  Now that the work of building the dam is complete, the site is about to be decommissioned. “This facility will address a more than 6 month waitlist for people needing treatment in Northern BC,” says Latif.   If successful in their bid to have BC Hydro endorse the plan to repurpose the site, the benefits are multidimensional. “The centre will generate new treatments and best practices, train more than 200 people in critical healthcare roles, [and] save the healthcare system more than $30 million,” says Latif.   We invited Mukhtar Latif to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the innovative plan to reuse the Site C workcamp as a place of healing.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

 Tech Entrepreneurship in British Columbia Guest: Shawn Johnston By Stuart McNish   In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the journey of building a tech company from scratch in British Columbia can be both exhilarating and daunting. Shawn Johnston, a serial tech company founder, knows the ups and downs better than anyone. “I’ve had my face pressed against the glass more than once. That’s when you stare into the financial abyss and can’t see a way out, but then you do.”   Survival in the hostile world of start-ups and, in particular, tech start-ups demand an ability to focus, refocus, and refocus again and again and again. “Since 2010, I’ve had to reinvent myself so many times I can’t recall all the ways I’ve had to do it,” says Johnston. “I redefined and refocused so many times because it’s the only way to find the path forward. You simply have to stay on task and never give up.”   The founder of Forge and Smith, a web design and web design agency, saw a new opportunity and launched another new company, Refoundry, a low-code themeless site builder for Wordpress. Johnston says, “I saw a need and decided I could fill it for companies that needed a faster [and] lower-cost path for their customer’s presence, and it’s a hit!”   We invited Shawn Johnston of Refoundry to join us for a Conversation That Matters about how you find the inner strength and discipline to keep going in the world of tech entrepreneurialism.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

The Odds of You Being You Guest: Ali Binazir By Stuart McNish   About four and a half billion years ago, Earth’s Hadean eon was undergoing significant geological and chemical changes. Evidence suggests that the Earth’s first crust was forming and the beginnings of life were lining up. Fast-forward 3.8 billion years and biological life started to emerge shortly after the formation of the oceans.   It was a turbulent time in Earth’s history and the evidence suggests that human intelligence emerged a few million years ago. “If you consider everything that had to happen to allow for human life to emerge from the biological soup, the odds worked against it ever happening,” says Dr. Ali Binazir, the author of “Are you a Miracle? On the Probability of You Being Born” and “Five Hidden Love Questions.”   Now add in the odds of you being born you – not your brother, not your sister, not your cousin. You.  Binazir says, “When you factor in the 155,000 generations of your family that preceded you, the odds are one in 400 quadrillion against you being born [as] you.” In other words, you are a miracle.   We invited Dr. Ali Binazir to join us for a Conversation That Matters about embracing the magic and miracle of being born you.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Mark Carney so far Guest: Don Stickney By Stuart McNish   On April 28, 2025, Mark Carney won enough seats to claim victory and form government. He’s three seats short of a majority government in a parliament that won’t defeat him. There is no coalition that will rise up and pass a motion of non-confidence. He immediately went to work as a Prime Minister with confidence that he could rule with authority – and he has done so.   Much to the surprise of many, he quickly cherry-picked the Conservative Party’s platform, incorporated it with his vision, and went to work. Don Stickney, the founder of Playbook, was in Ottawa recently and wrote, “I went in assuming the usual political conversations and measured optimism. Instead, I found myself connecting with Canadians from across the country who were genuinely energized about what is happening right now – premiers collaborating across party lines, federal leadership stepping up on a focused economic strategy, and nearly universal support for increased defense spending.”   Stickney says, “Six months ago, I would never have predicted any of these outcomes. The political landscape felt fragmented, the economic challenges overwhelming, and consensus on major issues seemed impossible.”    We invited Don Stickney to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the unexpected mindset and action changes he witnessed on Parliament Hill. You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 563 - Why Happiness Matters Guest: John Helliwell By Stuart McNish   “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin hit the charts in 1988 and it soared to number one on the Billboard charts. It was the first a-cappella song to hit number one. Why? “Because it struck a chord with people; it lifted their spirits and got them bopping along,” says John F. Helliwell, the author of the World Happiness Report.   Helliwell says, “Happiness is an enduring state of mind that consists of the capacity to experience pleasure on a daily life basis, coupled with the ability to enrich one's life and the lives of others.” Generosity is one of the six elements of a happy life, Helliwell says. “The others include a sense of purpose, a positive mind set, physical and financial well-being, along with positive relationships.”   The good news is, should you take the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire and not be happy with the outcome, it is within your power to make changes that can improve your happiness quotatant. Helliwell says, “It starts with wanting to make a change and that starts the process of re-wiring your brain. A daily commitment to looking for the upside has huge upsides in mind set and health.”   We invited John F. Helliwell to join us for a Conversation That Matters about why happiness matters in the moment and over the course of your life.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Indigenous Tourism’s Many Benefits Guest: Chyanne Trenholm, Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours By Stuart McNish   “It is challenging to know how the tourism industry in British Columbia is going to be affected by ‘elbows up’ nationalism,” says Chyanne Trenholm of Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours, a First Nations tourism operator. “I can tell you we are seeing an increase in interest and in bookings. Just how much business will be up this summer, it’s too early to tell. But business is up.”   A move to unique tourism experiences, such as indigenous wilderness adventures, is in line with changes in sustainable and culturally authentic vacations. Trenholm says, “The Homalco First Nations take visitors on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. They see grizz salmon fishing and orcas breaching right in front of their eyes as an eagle flies overhead. It’s breathtaking.”   The benefits of indigenous tourism include cultural preservation, reconciliation, and jobs. Trenholm says, “More than 7,400 people are working in direct full-time indigenous tourism jobs. The sector generates more than $700 million in direct economic output.”   We invited Chyanne Trenholm of Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours to join us for a Conversation That Matters about indigenous tourism and its benefits to British Columbia.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 561 - Indigenous Rights in One Minute Guest: Bruce McIvor By Stuart McNish   “Over the 27 years since the Delgamuukw decision, the relationship between First Nations and the Government of Canada has changed – in some ways significantly. In others, not so much,” says Bruce McIvor, the author of "Indigenous Rights in One Minute.” The legal relationship took another step forward following the Haida decision in 2004. That decision led to changes in the way resource and infrastructure projects are approved and built.   The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was another milestone: first as a healing journey and second in establishing a record of indigenous history in Canada. The TRC recorded the mistreatment and trampling of rights of First Nations people and shared those stories with the entire country. The Commission heard testimony from 6,500 witnesses, which culminated in a call to 94 actions to further facilitate reconciliation.   Understanding and appreciating the unique legal and societal circumstances indigenous people lived under and endured for more than 150 years is challenging. Bruce McIvor says, “A big part of reconciliation is calling out misinformation and lies, getting to the truth so that we can have honest conversations. That was my motivation to write the book.”   We invited Bruce McIvor to join us for a Conversation That Matters about what we all need to know in order to talk about reconciliation.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/   Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca