The Honest Talk
The Honest Talk
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The Honest Talk promises to do things differently. We are committed to engaging in real, deeply honest conversation about the experiences, challenges, aspirations and lessons shared of women entrepreneurs, business leaders, and up-and-coming female professionals.
Available episodes
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Mar 17, 2023
Christina Cleveland
Christina Cleveland is RBCs Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion. At a time when D&I discussions are top of mind for businesses, governments, institutions, and individuals across the country and around the world, she shares various perspectives on the importance of why everyone needs to Speak Up for Inclusion.
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Feb 17, 2023
Premier Heather Stefanson
Heather Stefanson is the 24th Premier of Manitoba and the first woman ever to hold the role. She was elected to the Manitoba legislative assembly in 2000, and she has won every election since.
Premier Stefanson has navigated the ups and downs of politics for over 20 years. She has mentored other women who want to get involved in public service, and she has raised two kids while serving her constituency, her community and her province. The Premier joins Jen and Catherine on this episode of The Honest Talk to discuss her childhood, making choices between family and career and managing stress and pressure.
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Jan 27, 2023
Anne-Marie Mediwake
Canadians from coast to coast jumpstart their mornings with journalist Anne-Marie Mediwake, co-host of Your Morning on CTV.
An award-winning national journalist, Anne-Marie has worked at every major television news organization in the country, reporting on some of the biggest news stories of our time. She is a reporter, a mom of triplets and a friend to morning people everywhere, and she joins Jen and Catherine on this episode of The Honest Talk. Listen as she generously shares the behind-the-scenes scoop on her career and family life, her advocacy, and her childhood in Saskatchewan and Alberta after her parents immigrated to Canada when she was a baby.
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Dec 16, 2022
Flora Do
Meet Flora Do, a remarkable woman who is helping to reshape the face and voice of modern corporate Canada. A progressive and influential voice in Canada's largest bank, she is the Vice President of Investments, Transformation and Client Segments at RBC and the head of RBC Healthcare. She has made a big impact at Canada’s largest bank and on the generation of women leaders who are coming up behind and beside her in the workplace. Flora joins Jen and Catherine to talk about it all: her career, management style, childhood, and her incredible mother. It’s personal, it’s informative-and it’s honest. Listen now and prepare to be inspired.
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Nov 18, 2022
Vassy Kapelos
Vassy Kapelos is one of the most well-known figures in Canadian media and politics, and the latest guest on The Honest Talk. An award-winning journalist, she hosted Power and Politics on CBC for five years before recently announcing a move to CTV News. There, she will take on the role of Chief Political Correspondent and host not one, but two shows: Question Period and Power Play.
On the heels of her biggest career move yet, Kapelos sat down with Jennifer Stewart and Catherine Clark for this episode of The Honest Talk. From her first job in Saskatchewan to her new national radio show and bellwether hosting gigs, her childhood, marriage, parenting and more, this interview covers it all.
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Oct 21, 2022
Jacie deHoop
A sports website for women-identifying fans? Now, that is a home run! Just ask Jacie deHoop, co-founder of The GIST, a thriving sports media company and the go-to source for sports coverage and conversations for women. Launched across North America in 2019 by three college friends — Jacie deHoop, Ellen Hyslop and Roslyn McLarty — The GIST is all about changing the game in the male-dominated sports industry, where fewer than 14% of journalists are women and less than 4% of coverage is on female athletes.
On this episode of The Honest Talk, Jacie joins Jennifer Stewart and Catherine Clark to talk about launching The GIST and creating content for women-identifying sports fans. She also breaks down the hard work, dedication and enthusiasm that have grown The GIST from a weekly newsletter to a multi-platform powerhouse in just three years.
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Sep 23, 2022
Vicki Saunders
Vicki Saunders is making her mark in a radically different way. Over the span of her career, Vicki has co-founded and run ventures all over the world. She is an acclaimed author, a mentor, a public speaker, an award winner, and a change maker. At 50 years old, she founded SheEO, now Coralus, a global not-for-profit that finances woman-identifying and non-binary entrepreneurs. Seven years later, the community has successfully expanded into the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom – with no end in sight.
Vicki joins Jen and Catherine on the latest episode of The Honest Talk to chat about her life, her values and her thriving venture capital firm that is rolling out a ground-breaking regenerative capital model and getting attention the world over.
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Jun 17, 2022
Stephanie Dexter
Stephanie Dexter is the first female president of UPS Canada. From being a package handler to senior leadership, Stephanie has seen it all during a phenomenal career that has spanned over 30 years. Although things are starting to change, the feeling of being the only female in the room is all too familiar to her. In this free and frank conversation, Stephanie – who is a champion for women in a traditionally male-dominated industry – talks to Jen and Catherine about her professional journey and her inspiration. She shares how she rose through the ranks in a male-dominated corporate world and never let fear of failure affect her decisions to take on more responsibilities. She also discusses the importance of having both male and female allies and shares her valuable advice to other women looking to be in leadership roles.
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Jun 2, 2022
Minister Carla Qualtrough
“At a very young age, I seriously committed to myself that I would accept people for who they were.”
The Honourable Carla Qualtrough won three Paralympics and four World Championship medals and was named one of Canada’s most influential women in sport six times. Following her exceptional sporting career, she became a human rights lawyer and political leader, currently serving as Canada’s Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Disability Inclusion, where she lives out her deep commitment to equity and inclusivity. In this dynamic conversation with Jen and Catherine, Carla Qualtrough speaks candidly about growing up legally blind and the bullying she endured because of it. She also discloses what drove her to politics, discusses the biggest obstacles currently facing people with disabilities, and reveals how the Paralympics made her who she is today.
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May 20, 2022
Hazel McCallion
“If you want to be a success, you’ve got to work hard and you’ve got to give the time that is required to be a success.”
She was one of the longest-serving mayors in Canadian history, and under her leadership Mississauga grew to be the 6th largest city in Canada. Though she is retired from politics, Hazel McCallion is still living up to her nickname of Hurricane Hazel at the age of 101. Hazel is a Canadian legend, sought out by prime ministers and premiers and inspiring thousands. She joins us on The Honest Talk to discuss her childhood where she witnessed the Great Depression, her secret to political success, her thoughts on politics today, and why she has always worked to prove herself at the local level. Hazel also talks about how she would like to be remembered and gives some valuable advice to young women about speaking their minds.
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May 6, 2022
Shachi Kurl
“One of the enduring things that I will always take away from my time as a journalist, was how willing people were to be open and share their stories at some of their most vulnerable moments.” Shachi Kurl is President of the Angus Reid Institute, Canada’s non-profit foundation committed to independent research, and an award-winning journalist. She is often found on television, radio, and in print offering analysis of current events and news taking place in Canada and across the globe. Shachi joins us on The Honest Talk to discuss her career path, her personal journey, tokenism, leaving a legacy, and her advice to other people looking to change their career paths.
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Apr 22, 2022
Heather Scoffield
Heather Scoffield is the Ottawa Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star and an award-winning journalist. Previously, she spent almost a decade with the Canadian Press as their Ottawa Bureau Chief and also worked for the Globe and Mail. Heather has spent her career covering economics, public policy, and national politics and has been at the forefront of many of Canada’s historic moments. She has also been named as one of Ottawa’s 100 most influential people. In this episode of The Honest Talk, Jen and Catherine speak with Heather Scoffield about how journalism has changed for women over the years and the importance of having diverse representation in the news industry. Heather also talks about what made her become a journalist and issues that she thinks are critical in the current context. Finally, she dives into issues that she is passionate about and provides insight on how she managed to have a successful career while raising two kids.
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Apr 8, 2022
Katie Taylor
“The notion that I’d someday be doing all the things that I am doing is almost unbelievable when you think about where I started.” – Katie Taylor
Katie Taylor is recognized as one of the most influential women in corporate Canada. She is the Chair of the Board at RBC and the first woman to hold this role at a major Canadian bank. In Katie’s remarkable professional journey, she has served as the President and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and has been a member of several boards including The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and SickKids Foundation. Katie has received numerous awards including the Order of Canada. In this episode of The Honest Talk, Jen and Catherine speak with Katie Taylor about women’s underrepresentation on corporate boards and what needs to be done to break the barrier. She also talks about recognizing and seizing opportunities when they come. As a successful corporate leader and the mother of three children, Katie shares insights on how she…
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Mar 25, 2022
Dr. Katharine Smart
“For me throughout my career, advocacy has always been the thing that fires me up the most, brings me the most meaning, and where I feel the most satisfaction.” – Dr. Katharine Smart
Dr. Katharine Smart is President of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and a tireless and vocal advocate for children and youth, access to vaccines, and strengthening the Canadian health care system. Prior to her current role, she was a pediatric emergency medicine physician at the Alberta Children’s Hospital and Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. In this episode of The Honest Talk, Jen and Catherine speak with Dr. Katharine Smart about her approach to leadership and why advocacy is so important to her. They also dive into her interest in global health, her experience working in Northern and remote communities, her role as a physician in Indigenous reconciliation, how she handled hateful online remarks for being a strong advocate for vaccines, and so much more.
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Mar 10, 2022
Jody Wilson-Raybould
“Who I am and where I come from has enabled me to carry myself and be able to confront any challenge that has been put in front of me.” - Jody Wilson-Raybould
She’s a proud Kwakwaka'wakw person from the west coast of British Columbia with a phenomenal career in politics and community development. Jody Wilson-Raybould served as the independent Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, Minister of Justice, Attorney General of Canada, Minister of Veterans Affairs, and Associate Minister of National Defense. Jody is also a lawyer, best-selling author, and leader in British Columbia’s First Nations. She has been a champion of Indigenous and women’s rights throughout her career. In this episode of The Honest Talk, Jen and Catherine speak with Jody about her proud identity and her inspiration, what gives her hope as we continue to struggle through the pandemic, and about her political memoir. Jody also opens up about speaking truth to power and shares how she handled criticism…
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Feb 25, 2022
Cheryl Tjok-A-Tam
“If you can’t be there for yourself, you are not going to have the ability and energy to take care of the others around you.” Cheryl Tjok-A-Tam is transforming the way major corporations embrace change and foster diversity, equity and communication. Cheryl is Vice President of Strategic Initiative and Change Management – Finance with the Royal Bank of Canada, the largest bank in the country. Cheryl immigrated to Canada from Jamaica as a child and rose through the ranks, overcoming biases and stereotypes to establish herself as a leading change agent. As a black woman, Cheryl has made it her mission to nurture a vibrant and collaborative workplace for all. In this episode of The Honest Talk, Jen and Catherine speak with Cheryl about progress made in workplace diversity and gender equity, and what more needs to be done. Cheryl also opens up about people who have inspired her and how she invests in herself to ensure she is able to make positive changes for others.
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Feb 11, 2022
Ginella Massa
“I try to keep it real as much as possible because that’s what helps people connect to our show.” Ginella Massa is an award-winning journalist and the host of Canada Tonight with Ginella Massa on CBC News Network. She is also Canada’s first hijab-wearing television news reporter, local anchor, and national host. Throughout her career, Ginella has worked hard to make sure that diverse voices and stories are heard. In this energetic and motivating interview, Ginella talks to Jen and Catherine about her identity as a Muslim, what drives her forward in her professional life, what she thinks about social media, and much more.
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Jan 28, 2022
Mairead Lavery
“Challenges and adversities that you face are only the preparation for the next challenge you are going to face.” Mairead Lavery came to Canada as a young professional, and now she is making history. Mairead is the President and CEO of Export Development Canada (EDC) – the first woman ever to hold that position. In this episode of The Honest Talk, Jen and Catherine speak with Mairead about her phenomenal professional and personal experiences, what shaped her early career, what made her succeed in Canada, and what she thinks about the Canadian trade sector.
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Jan 14, 2022
Mandy Rennehan
She’s smart, wickedly funny and totally down to earth, and she’s the Blue-Collar CEO. Mandy Rennehan, the founder of multimillion-dollar retail renovation company Freshco (not the grocery store!), is well known for her authenticity, sense of humour and for championing women in a male-dominated industry. In this candid conversation, Mandy – who has a show coming out this spring with HGTV and a soon-to-be-released book from HarperCollins – talks to Jen and Catherine about the entrepreneurial ambitions that emerged when she was a child in rural Nova Scotia, the power of ambition, and the importance of listening, learning and being accountable.
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Dec 22, 2021
Lisa Weagle
Two-time Olympian. World Champion. Communications Professional. There’s no question that Lisa Weagle is working towards, and accomplishing, big goals. In this episode of The Honest Talk, Jen and Catherine speak with Lisa about how she’s preparing for the 2022 Beijing Olympics with Team Jennifer Jones, her advice to young girls in sports, and how to use your voice.
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Dec 10, 2021
Rosemary Barton
She is committed, brave and bold. Rosemary Barton, Chief Political Correspondent for CBC News, is an award-winning and long-time political journalist. She is also the first woman to hold this position. She is well known for breaking political news, asking tough questions, and being an inspiration to many young women across Canada. In this open and honest conversation, Rosemary talks to Jen and Catherine about what drives her forward in her professional & personal life, her relationship with social media and her contribution to the public conversation.
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Nov 26, 2021
Marie Wilson
Marie Wilson is an award-winning journalist who founded northern Canada’s first daily television news service which operated in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. She was also notably one of three Commissioner’s of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, where she traveled the country to witness and record the testimonies of thousands of residential school survivors. In this open and honest conversation, Marie talks to Jen and Catherine about the power of love, the value of hindsight and the importance of building a society where all feel accepted & heard.
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Nov 12, 2021
The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson
The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson arrived in Canada as a toddler, a refugee from Japanese-occupied Hong Kong who grew up to become not just a noted journalist and bestselling author, but the 26th Governor General of Canada – the first Chinese Canadian and only the second woman to assume the role of Commander in Chief.
Adrienne Clarkson never shies away from a good, frank conversation and she discusses health, feminism, supporting new Canadians, and her time as Commander in Chief in her conversation with Jen and Catherine on this episode of The Honest Talk.
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Oct 29, 2021
Jean Augustine
She came to Canada from Grenada as a teenage domestic worker and went on to become not just the first Black woman elected to the House of Commons and a cabinet minister. Dr. Augustine has worked tirelessly to improve her community – as a teacher, a mother, a board member, a social justice and equality activist and now as the President of the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment, and she joins Jen and Catherine to talk about the influence of the grandmother who raised her, the power of education and the things that give her hope for the future.
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Oct 15, 2021
Jennifer Tory
Jennifer Tory spent four decades with the Royal Bank of Canada, a career which saw her scale a dizzying series of heights, retiring as RBC’s Chief Administrative Officer, named to the Order of Canada and selected as one of Canada’s most powerful women.
In this episode, Jennifer joins Jen and Catherine to discuss the changes that still need to take place in corporate offices and boardrooms to ensure true equity and diversity, the decisions she made that allowed her to hold a major job while raising two successful daughters, and her advice for other women who want to go there and do that.
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Oct 1, 2021
Janis Irwin
Janis Irwin is the MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, the NDP critic for Women and LGBTQ2S+ Issues, and the only openly gay elected representative in the Alberta Legislature. She’s a passionate community activist and she joins Jen and Catherine to talk about her journey so far - from growing up in rural Alberta, to a career in teaching to her decision to run for elected office – and we even chat about her most important fan, her famous cat Oregano… it’s all here in this episode of The Honest Talk.
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Sep 17, 2021
Indira Samarasekera & Martha Piper
Martha Piper and Indira Samarasekera were the first and so far, only female Presidents of two of Canada’s largest and most respected research universities in Canada, the University of British Columbia and the University of Alberta.
In this episode of The Honest Talk, they discuss their ground-breaking new book Nerve: Lessons on Leadership from Two Women Who Went First and why they felt compelled to share their experiences navigating the ranks of leadership and contending with life’s big decisions.
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Sep 3, 2021
Cindy Blackstock
Cindy Blackstock is a member of the Gitxsan First Nation and serves as the Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, working tirelessly to ensure that First Nations, Métis & Inuit children can grow up safely at home, be healthy, get a good education and be proud of who they are.
Cindy, who is also a professor at McGill University’s School of Social Work, has over 30 years of experience working in child welfare and Indigenous children’s rights and has been described as “Canada’s relentless moral voice for First Nations’ Equality.” She talks to Jen and Catherine about her past, the changes afoot in Canada when it comes to her essential work, and her hopes for a just, equal future for all children.
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Aug 20, 2021
Kristy Kirkup
Kristy Kirkup is Parliamentary Reporter for the Globe and Mail - an award-winning journalist who has worked for Canada’s largest media companies, covering major news stories and several election campaigns.
In this episode of The Honest Talk, Kristy displays her trademark authenticity and sense of humour as she discusses everything from social media to the joys and terrors of balancing motherhood, a pandemic and a demanding career.
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Aug 6, 2021
Megan Leslie
Megan Leslie has spent her life making a difference. She is a climate and equity advocate, and a former two-term Member of Parliament who served as Deputy Leader of Canada’s Official Opposition and was liked and respected across party lines. Megan is now President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund Canada, and she joins Catherine and Jen to chat about leadership, loss, optimism, and how to make the world a better place.
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Jul 23, 2021
Farah Nasser
Farah Nasser is an award-winning journalist and the anchor of Global Toronto’s supper hour newscasts – a woman who has worked at every level of Canadian media, covering major stories here at home and abroad. Farah is also a wife, a mom, and an active community volunteer and she joins Jen and Catherine today to speak about building a career, facing racism, coping with stillbirth, and elevating the voices of those who feel marginalized.
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Jul 9, 2021
Amber Mac
Amber Mac is a successful entrepreneur, bestselling author, a tv and radio presenter, an award-winning podcast host and a popular keynote speaker. She is also widely recognized as a global technology expert, constantly challenging the status quo when it comes to “what’s next” in the field of innovation. From her childhood in rural PEI to building a thriving media company, Amber Mac talks with Jen and Catherine about highlights, pitfalls and life lessons on this episode of The Honest Talk.
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Jun 18, 2021
Celina Caesar Chavannes
Celina Caesar Chavannes is best known to many Canadians as a former Member of Parliament and as a bestselling author of the new memoir “Can You Hear Me Now?” which has just been nominated for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing.
But Celina is also a mother, a wife, an award-winning entrepreneur, a champion for equity and justice and a woman who is unafraid to use her voice, even when it lands her in hot water. She is candid, outspoken and lays it all on the table in this conversation with Jen and Catherine.
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Jun 4, 2021
Elizabeth Dowdeswell
The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell is the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, carrying out constitutional and ceremonial duties as the representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Born in Ireland, raised in rural Saskatchewan and trained as a teacher, Elizabeth Dowdeswell has followed an extraordinary career path including roles as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. She holds 11 honourary doctorates, is an Officer of the Order of Canada and, perhaps not surprisingly for a home-economics grad, she still finds time to sew her own clothes! Her Honour joins Jen and Catherine for an open, engaging conversation about her life in leadership, taking risks and the importance of community.
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May 21, 2021
Marnie McBean
Marnie McBean is a three time Olympic champion, a three-time World Champion and a member of both the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. Now, Marnie has a big new job as Team Canada's Chef de Mission for the Tokyo Summer Olympics, and she joins Jen and Catherine to offer her humorous, candid and inspirational take on her remarkable athletic career, and how she’s feeling about the Olympic journey she’s about to lead.
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May 7, 2021
Susan Aglukark
Susan Aglukark is a multiple JUNO award-winning Inuk artist whose music has earned international acclaim. She has also received the Order of Canada, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement, holds Honorary Doctorate degrees from several institutions and she has performed before Heads of State and Royalty. But Susan has also faced and overcome many personal challenges. In this episode of The Honest Talk, Susan talks with Jen and Catherine about surviving sexual abuse as a child, her battle with postpartum depression and her journey of self-discovery.
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Apr 23, 2021
Anna Maria Tremonti
Anna Maria Tremonti is one of Canada’s most respected journalists. She has covered major news stories for CBC’s The National, co-hosted The Fifth Estate and worked as a foreign correspondent in global capitals and major conflict zones. She also served for 17 years as host of CBC radio’s popular current affairs show The Current, drawing in more than one million listeners a day. Anna Maria has now embarked on a new journalistic odyssey with the launch of a podcast called MORE With Anna Maria Tremonti, and she joins Jen and Catherine for a thoughtful, funny, and deeply personal conversation which reveals the human side of a life in the news.
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Apr 9, 2021
Sangita Patel
Sangita Patel is a staple in Canada’s entertainment sector – she’s an on-air host with Entertainment Tonight Canada, the current host of HGTV's Home to Win and Canada’s Covergirl ambassador. But Sangita wasn’t always set on a career in TV – in fact, she’s an electrical engineer, but also a dedicated mother, wife, philanthropist and fitness enthusiast - a true example that women can achieve multiple goals in different fields, and that sometimes the best laid plans need to be thrown out the window. Sangita joins Jen and Catherine for a fun, dynamic chat about her fast-paced life, her unusual start in television and, oh yeah… Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
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Mar 19, 2021
Serena Ryder
Serena Ryder is a seven time JUNO award-winning, platinum-selling artist, a powerhouse singer whose potent, heartfelt lyrics have inspired and captivated audiences and fans around the world.
Serena has been performing since she was a kid, but her path has not been without ups and downs – including debilitating struggles with mental health. Through it all, she has persevered and grown as an artist and human being, and she released her latest album – The Art of Falling Apart – in March of 2021. In this wide-ranging, candid conversation, Serena talks to Jen and Catherine about the good spots, the tough spots, the learning experiences and her plans for the future.
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Mar 5, 2021
Dr. Jane Philpott
The Honourable Jane Philpott shot to national prominence as the first medical doctor in Canadian history to be appointed federal Minister of Health, subsequently also serving as Minister of Indigenous Services and President of the Treasury Board.
But politics is only one part of a long and remarkable career so far. Dr. Philpott has served in numerous medical capacities and worked abroad providing healthcare in some of the world’s most marginalized communities.
She is now Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences & Director of the School of Medicine at Queen’s University, and in this interview, she speaks with candour and emotion about the death of her daughter Emily, living a life of integrity, the similarities between politics and medicine, and about her hopes for medicine in the future.
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Feb 19, 2021
Annamie Paul
Annamie Paul is the Leader of the Green Party of Canada. She speaks four languages, has degrees from the University of Ottawa and Princeton, and is a wife, a mom, and lawyer. As the first Black, Jewish woman to lead a federal party in Canada, she is an inspiration to people of all political stripes but remains deeply committed to encouraging women, Indigenous people, Black people, and people of colour to run for elected office. In this candid conversation, she reveals herself to be humble, funny, smart and honest – exhausted by the non-stop schedule required by her new job, but firmly committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of Canadians.
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Feb 5, 2021
Erica Ehm
Erica Ehm shot to fame as one of MuchMusic’s pioneering VJ’s, interviewing the world’s best known musical artists. But Erica’s career has been about so much more than that. She launched a record label and a hugely influential mommy blog, she’s a songwriter, playwright, author and successful entrepreneur, and she has won awards all along the way. Now, she’s got a new children’s multi-platform digital series on the go called Outta The Books and in this interview, she chats with Jen and Catherine about her incredibly diverse career, about motherhood, and even reveals that despite her public persona, she’s actually an introvert at heart.
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Jan 22, 2021
Julie Nesrallah
Julie Nesrallah is well known to music lovers as a celebrated opera singer and the host CBC Radio’s national classical music program: Tempo. Julie has performed around the world for guests ranging from world leaders to royalty like The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Queen Noor of Jordan. She has won several awards, including a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contribution to Canada’s performing arts, and brings her trademark joy, energy and optimism to this wide-ranging conversation – sometimes serious, sometimes fun – with Jennifer and Catherine.
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Jan 8, 2021
Marie Henein, Lawyer
Marie Henein has been called Canada’s most high-profile criminal defence lawyer, acting as counsel on high profile cases which have captured national – and even international – attention. She has argued at all levels of court, including the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada, and regularly appears on lists highlighting the best and most influential lawyers in the country.
In this wide-ranging interview, Marie talks about gender stereotypes, getting more women into positions of authority, the influence of her mother and how she deals with the weight of her remarkable career.
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Dec 11, 2020
Mary Walsh
Mary Walsh is a Newfoundland actor, writer, comedian, activist, and mother… and she’s a Canadian treasure who has created and starred in some of this country’s most iconic tv shows, including CODCO and This Hour Has 22 Minutes.
She has received the Order of Canada, the Governor General’s Lifetime Achievement Award and several honourary degrees, she has written a novel, she has worked in numerous films and other tv productions and she is a noted advocate for mental health awareness. In this deeply personal and compelling episode of The Honest Talk, Mary talks candidly with Jen and Catherine about addiction, abandonment and why she only gets happier as she gets older.
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Nov 27, 2020
Pam Palmater
Dr. Pamela Palmater is an award-winning Mi’kmaw lawyer, author, and social justice activist from Eel River Bar First Nation who has worked to advance native education, sovereignty, and nation-building for the past 25 years.
Pam is Chair of Indigenous Governance at Ryerson University, but she’s also a respected podcast host, a blogger, and her latest book - Warrior Life: Indigenous Resistance and Resurgence – has just been published. In this episode, she talks to Jen and Catherine about the importance of her family in fueling her activism, the systemic racism she has battled her entire life, but also the very real hope she feels for the future.
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Nov 12, 2020
Susan Delacourt
Susan Delacourt is one of Canada’s best known political journalists. The author of four bestselling books, Susan is currently the National Columnist for the Toronto Star, but her remarkable career has seen her reporting from Parliament Hill for The Globe and Mail, the National Post, The Ottawa Citizen and ipolitics, covering every major Canadian political event for most of the past four decades, and winning awards and accolades along the way. Catherine and Jen speak with Susan about sexism and female journalists, her favourite political encounter, and… of course… the US election results.
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Oct 30, 2020
Carole Saab
Carole Saab is the CEO of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, an organization which serves as the national voice of 2,000 municipalities across Canada. Carole was involved in student politics and worked on Parliament Hill before joining FCM, eventually becoming the first female leader in its 119-year history. In this conversation, she talks openly with Jen and Catherine about leaning into your ambitions, dreaming big, and the power of kindness.
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Oct 16, 2020
Ailish Campbell
Ask anyone who does anything in International trade to name one of the world’s most respected and influential trade officials, and Dr. Ailish Campbell will be at the top of every list. As Canada’s Chief Trade Commissioner and Assistant Deputy Minister of Global Affairs, Ailish helps Canadian companies achieve success abroad, and has served in numerous high-pressure roles – setting policy, leading teams and mentoring colleagues. In this interview, Ailish goes beyond her remarkable career, revealing to Jen and Catherine her struggles with infertility, her commitment to diversity and equality, and how she preserves her energy for the things that really matter: the people she loves.
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Oct 2, 2020
Amanda Jétte Knox
Amanda Jetté Knox is an award-winning writer, human rights advocate and a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and education. Her book, Love Lives Here, has become a national best seller and she has taken her message of support and inclusion across the country, telling the personal story of her transgender family and promoting dialogue on the challenges faced by trans people. Amanda has survived bullying, homophobia, mental health struggles and more, and in this episode she speaks with candour and courage about life as an activist, a wife, a mom and a trailblazer.
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Sep 18, 2020
Karina Gould
Not only is Minister Karina Gould the youngest female cabinet minister in the history of Canadian politics, she is also the first to have a baby while holding office. Before entering politics, Minister Gould was a trade and investment specialist for the Mexican Trade Commission, a consultant for theMigration and Development Program at the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C., and spent a year volunteering at an orphanage in Mexico. She is also a mother and passionate advocate for women’s rights.
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Sep 4, 2020
Perdita Felicien
Perdita Felicien spent more than a decade representing Canada as an elite track and field athlete, hurdling her way into the hearts of people across the country and around the world as a two-time Olympian, a world-champion and a ten time Canadian champion. Now retired from competitive sport, Perdita is a wife, a mother, a TV host, a freelance sports broadcaster and podcaster and she has a brand-new memoir coming out soon. Join us as Perdita talks all about her remarkable and extraordinary journey so far.
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Aug 21, 2020
Beverley McLachlin
The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin was the first female and longest-serving Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Raised in a log house without electricity, plumbing or running water in the foothills of Alberta, she grew up to become one of the most respected jurists in Canadian history. Now retired from the Court and the author of two bestselling books, Chief Justice McLachlin speaks candidly about the highs and lows of her extraordinary life.
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Aug 7, 2020
Nicole Verkindt
You could say that Nicole Verkindt was born into business. The child of aerospace industry entrepreneurs, she founded her own global company called OMX in her twenties, and she hasn’t looked back. Most Canadians know Nicole from her stint as a Dragon on CBC’s popular Next Gen Den and from her frequent media commentary, and this award-winning business leader continues to smash glass ceilings everywhere she goes.
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Jul 24, 2020
Marci Ien
Marci Ien is one of Canada’s most recognizable media personalities. She is co-host of CTV’s popular daytime lifestyle television show The Social, and spent more than fifteen years helping to ease Canadians into their day as co-host of Canada AM. Aside from her professional accomplishments, Marci is also a mom, a wife, a community builder and an activist, using her voice to raise awareness of systemic racism and to celebrate diversity and equality for all.
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Jul 9, 2020
Catherine McKenna
Before The Honourable Catherine McKenna became one of Canada’s most recognizable women, she was a human rights lawyer, a negotiator with the United Nations mission in East Timor and the co-founder of a non profit organization which committed to providing access to justice for all. Now serving as Canada’s Minister of Infrastructure and Communities after many years as Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna - mother, lawyer, politician and social justice advocate - talks about her public career and why she chose it, and her passion for building a better, more sustainable world.
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Jun 25, 2020
Michelle Valberg
Michelle Valberg is a celebrated photographer whose photos of people and nature have been featured in publications and exhibits around the world. As the Canadian Nikon Ambassador and the first Canadian Geographic Photographer in Residence, Michelle talks about the challenges and opportunities she has faced as a female entrepreneur in a non-traditional profession, and about using her camera lens to build a better world.
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Jun 16, 2020
Bree Jamieson-Holloway
Bree Jamieson-Holloway is a respected international corporate lawyer and the Founder of Nurtured Life, a mobile health and wellness company. But Bree is also of mixed-race, and breaks her silence about the racism, bullying and aggression that marred her childhood, and how she developed the courage and resilience to chart her own path forward.
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Jun 11, 2020
Ann Douglas
Ann Douglas is an award-winning author, CBC Radio commentator, mental health advocate and speaker. She speaks openly about parenting through a pandemic, her struggles with mental health, her journey to becoming an author and her thoughts about government policy change to better support parents and our economy.
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May 28, 2020
Lisa Raitt
Lisa Raitt, former cabinet minister and deputy leader of the Official Opposition, current vice chair of global investment banking at CIBC, speaks candidly about her upbringing, family life, career path and thoughts around future aspirations in politics.
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May 27, 2020
The Honest Talk
Hosted by Catherine Clark and Jennifer Stewart, The Honest Talk will shed the layers of key messages and talking points, and create a forum that leaves women feeling connected, inspired and motivated in their careers and personal lives.
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