Best Cardus Podcasts (2025)

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Work Barriers for People with Disabilities 44:42

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3+ y ago44:42

44:42

Feature guests: Rabia Khedr, National Director – Disability Without Poverty, and Brian Dijkema, Vice-President of External Affairs – Cardus Canada needs to break down the barriers that stop people with disabilities from getting good jobs. Think-tank Cardus has released a landmark report, Breaking Down Work Barriers for People with Disabilities. It …

1
How Far Does Religious Freedom Go in Canada? 35:02

3+ y ago35:02

35:02

Feature guests: Father Deacon Andrew Bennett, Director of Cardus Religious Freedom and Faith Community Engagement, and Kristopher Kinsinger, a Cardus NextGEN Fellow, an Ontario lawyer, and the National Director of the Runnymede Society. In this special podcast episode, we dive into the controversial issue of limits on religious freedom in Canada. D…

1
Vaccine Passports in Ontario (Special Episode!) 1:11:47

4y ago1:11:47

1:11:47

Feature guests: Lisa Richmond, Vice-President of Research – Cardus & Brian Dijkema, Vice-President of External Affairs - Cardus After giving a “hard no” to COVID vaccine passports in Ontario over the summer of 2021, Premier Doug Ford did an about-face and imposed a passport system on the province in September. Was that a good and effective change? …

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Better Political Journalism in Canada (S03 E09) 36:52

4+ y ago36:52

36:52

Feature Guest: Prof. Lydia Miljan, University of Windsor - Department of Political Science For the final Season 3 episode of The Long Way, we return to the theme of news media bias in Canada and getting better journalism. We can accept from the outset that there aren’t any easy answers. But we can at least make progress toward understanding what is…

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Indigenous Reconciliation in Canada (S03 E08) 27:48

4+ y ago27:48

27:48

Feature Guest: Melissa Mbarki, policy analyst in the Indigenous Policy Program at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute If you look for news on Indigenous reconciliation in Canada, you’ll find a lot of interesting stuff: A lot of talk about the legacy of colonialism and residential schools Environmental activist David Suzuki calling for a new approach to…

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Free Speech and Broadcast Regulations (S03 E07) 27:12

4+ y ago27:12

27:12

Feature Guest: Michael Geist, University of Ottawa professor and the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law When the federal government introduced Bill C-10 to update broadcast regulations, here is the kind of headlines they likely didn't want: CBC: Your free speech is at risk with Ottawa’s push to regulate online content, experts war…

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Federal Budget 2021 (S03 E06) 25:51

4+ y ago25:51

25:51

Feature Guests: Andrea Mrozek, Senior Fellow at Cardus, and Brian Dijkema, Vice-President of External Affairs at Cardus There are many memorable lines from the movie The Princess Bride. But one especially notable line is the following: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. The word in question? Feminist. The fed…

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Social Trust, Pluralism, and Democracy (S03 E05) 28:16

4+ y ago28:16

28:16

Feature Guest: Sean Speer, Editor-at-Large of The Hub Trust and social solidarity seem to be commodities in short supply these days. New polling suggests not just declining institutional trust among Canadians, but an undercurrent of anger that threatens our democratic life. That’s according to data published by The Hub, a new Canadian media outlet,…

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Limits of Religious Freedom (S03 E04) 29:54

4+ y ago29:54

29:54

Feature guests: Carissima Mathen, law professor at the University of Ottawa, and Fr. Dn. Andrew Bennett, director of the Cardus Religious Freedom Institute You’ve seen the stories and you’re read the news about COVID public health orders that haven’t gone down very well with some faith communities. There have been charges, fines, and at least one a…

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Free Speech in a Toxic Culture (S03 E03) 31:55

4+ y ago31:55

31:55

Feature guest: Danielle Smith, a journalist and commentator based in High River, Alberta. Free speech in a toxic culture – communicating across political divides – these are among the biggest challenges of our times. It’s not just a problem in the United States. It’s a problem in Canada too. "In my first five years on radio, if I made an error, I c…

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What do we learn from board games during a pandemic? (S03 E02) 28:31

4+ y ago28:31

28:31

Feature Guest: Jonathan Kay, a Toronto-based editor and podcaster for Quillette, a National Post columnist, and a book author. In 2019, he published "Your Move: What Board Games Teach Us about Life," co-authored with Joan Moriarity. Board games are seeing a surge in popularity as the disruptions of COVID-19 drag on far longer than any of us would l…

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Media Bias and False Balance (S03 E01) 28:31

4+ y ago28:31

28:31

Special Guest: Andrew Coyne, Globe & Mail columnist and CBC At Issue panel member. Media bias, false balance in journalism, free speech, and social media - all these issues touch upon how we communicate, learn about each other, and build social trust. The picture becomes even more complicated when the Edelman Trust Barometer finds that trust in Can…

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Restorative Justice (S2E5) 22:57

5y ago22:57

22:57

Have you ever considered the concept of restorative justice? Have you heard stories of reconciliation or restoration of peace between someone who has committed a crime and a victim of crime? The Long Way will bring you some of those stories in this episode along with some information about how to get involved in helping those who are incarcerated i…

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Systemic Racism (S2E4) 25:27

5y ago25:27

25:27

COVID-19 isn’t the only thing that will go down in history as a marked feature of 2020. Racism and the fight against this evil has also made its mark on the year in Canada and the United States. How do we respond to news about systemic racism and what can we do that contributes to the common good and seeks justice? That’s what we ask our special gu…

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Are We Fine with the 9-5? (S2E3) 21:54

5y ago21:54

21:54

Work lives have changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Working from home has become the norm for many of us. And some are musing again about four-day work weeks. In this episode of The Long Way, we explore the changing nature of work with Dr. Erica Carleton, Professor of Organizational Behaviour at the University of Saskatchewan, and Brian Dijke…

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Truth or Dare (S2E2) 21:28

5y ago21:28

21:28

Journalism is about telling the truth, right? Or is it about correcting injustices? Jen Gerson, a Canadian journalist who left regular, paid work in the media to strike out as an independent and outspoken writer and podcaster, has a definite perspective on such questions. She shares her thoughts with The Long Way as we consider the issue of how to …

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The Hidden Economy (S2E1) 21:27

5y ago21:27

21:27

Amid pandemic-related job loss and economic worries, new research suggests there is a sector of Canadian society that plays an important, but often unrecognized, economic role: religion. The Hidden Economy: How Faith Helps Fuel Canada’s GDP, a new report from think tank Cardus, finds that religion’s annual contribution to Canadian society is worthy…

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From Surviving to Thriving (Ep. 6) 19:46

5+ y ago19:46

19:46

When the economy falls apart, other aspects of society are sure to follow. So, how do you rebuild an economy shattered by a long shutdown? Ashley Challinor, vice-president of policy at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, sheds some light on that question. And then she delves into a related issue: The charitable sector. The business community and chari…

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Shaken Foundations (Ep. 5) 24:20

5+ y ago24:20

24:20

Who is falling through the cracks as pandemic lockdowns drag on? Whom have we forgotten? Jamil Jivani reminds us of those who face extra challenges in life, especially when isolated by a lockdown. With his background as the author of Why Young Men, Ontario's Advocate for Community Opportunities, and managing director of Road Home Research & Analysi…

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Do the Right Thing (Ep. 4) 21:59

5+ y ago21:59

21:59

Life is full of ethical dilemmas – something that’s only made worse by a pandemic. Conscience, ethics, and morals all come into play when hospital resources become strained. But it’s not just the doctors and nurses making hard calls. Everyone is making ethical judgements about lockdown life: whether self or the common good gets prime consideration.…

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Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust (Ep. 3) 24:27

5+ y ago24:27

24:27

Trust is not in short supply in Canada – at least not when it comes to trust in government. Trust levels have skyrocketed during the pandemic according to the Edelman Trust Barometer. But is it a case of easy come, easy go? And will that trust lead to government displacing other social institutions in the future? That’s what David Ryan, Edelman Can…

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Oh Happy Day! (Ep. 2) 20:25

5+ y ago20:25

20:25

Happy during a pandemic lock-down? It’s possible. Arthur Brooks, Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and former president of the American Enterprise Institute explains how. Actually, he’s a podcaster himself through The Art of Happiness. But if that’s not enough to put a smile on your face, then listen to ho…

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Fortitude and Fragility (Ep. 1) 21:34

5+ y ago21:34

21:34

“A combination of worry and gratitude” – That’s how Shachi Kurl, the executive director of the Angus Reid Institute, describes Canadian attitudes during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Shachi provides the data to paint the big picture of the current Canadian mood, while Ray Pennings, executive vice-president of Cardus, examines what possible long-te…

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Graham Crawford Show - Leaders, Hate & Hamilton 1:07:13

6y ago1:07:13

1:07:13

A powerful interview with three Hamilton Councillors on the role elected leaders play in combatting hate, racism and bigotry. Ward 1 Councillor Maureen Wilson, Ward 3 Councillor Nrinder Nann and Ward 9 Councillor Brad Clark. ___________________________________________________________________ Host, Graham Crawford Alex Zafer, producer…

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Graham Crawford Show - with Cameron Kroetsch and Lyla Miklos 43:51

6y ago43:51

43:51

In an ongoing series discussing Hate in The Hammer, we feature two very special guests, Cameron Kroetsch and Lyla Miklos discussing the relationship between our 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and our civic institutions. Both Cameron and Lyla are active and engaged citizens of Hamilton as well as the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Police, Power, Politics are on the …

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Graham Crawford Show - The Cityist, discussing Cardus 15:03

6y ago15:03

15:03

Listen to Graham's audio op-ed on Cardus. Our City Council is about to vote to enter into negotiations with Cardus on their use of Balfour House, and blocking any other groups from consideration. If you haven't looked at some of the content Cardus publishes on their website, you should. Here's Graham's thoughts on what he found. The Graham Crawford…

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Graham Crawford Show - Second Season Premiere 20:20

6y ago20:20

20:20

After a hiatus, Producer Alex Zafer and Host Graham Crawford introduce the return of the Graham Crawford Show. Have a listen. Enjoy! Podcast produced by Alex Zafer with your host Graham Crawford

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Graham Crawford Show 14:27

6y ago14:27

14:27

YES we are back after a long hiatus. Please listen to Producer Alex Zafer's preview to the upcoming episodes of The Graham Crawford Show, including his insightful perspectives on standing up to hate in Hamilton. Enjoy.

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Graham Crawford Show - The Cityist - Discussing the future of the Discovery Centre 32:45

7+ y ago32:45

32:45

A special edition of the Cityist. Civic Panel regular, Maureen Wilson, joins Graham to discuss the future of the Discovery Centre on our waterfront. City Council is considering selling this public building and the 8 acres on which it sits to a private developer. We think there are ways to re-imagine the building’s use and keep it in public hands. J…

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Graham Crawford Show - Civic Panel, Series 13 - Downtown Densification and more 49:54

7+ y ago49:54

49:54

Our Civic Panel sinks their teeth into 3 very current topics on this edition of the podcast. 1. Downtown Densification - High Anxiety Link from The Hamilton Spectator: "Beasley neighbours back development, but not at any price Hamilton’s new downtown plan makes arbitrary changes without adequate consultation" https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/8…

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Graham Crawford Show - The Cityist - CITY LEADERSHIP: Step aside ladies, it's a man's world. 8:48

7+ y ago8:48

8:48

There was a time when all members of the senior leadership team at the City of Hamilton were men. What was the most recent year that was true? Was it 1990? 2000? 2005? If you picked any of those years, you’d be wrong. The correct answer is 2018. That’s right, the unstoppable City of Hamilton is once again run by men. Next to the City Manager, the m…

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Graham Crawford Show - Paul Wilson Interview Series, Episode 14 20:20

7+ y ago20:20

20:20

On this edition of the Graham Crawford Show we talk with Paul Wilson about the bright neon lights of Hamilton, those that once were and those that still light the night sky. Cultural Heritage is defined as an expression of the ways of living developed by a community and passed on from generation to generation, including customs, practices, places, …

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Graham Crawford Show - Interview with Jason Thorne, General Manager of Planning and Economic Development at City Of Hamilton 51:06

8y ago51:06

51:06

We’re very pleased to have Jason Thorne, General Manager of Planning & Economic Development for the City of Hamilton join us for an in-depth, one-on-one discussion about urban design in Hamilton, from how demographics affect planning, to what is excellent urban design, to how the Planning Department contributes to the achievement of our Vision, to …

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Graham Crawford Show - The Cityist, 7:08

8y ago7:08

7:08

On this edition of the Cityist, like many boys and girls throughout Hamilton, I sent Santa a note that began: Dear Santa, I know you’re a pretty busy person, but I’d really appreciate it if you could take a look at my list of 8 Civic Gifts I’d love for you to bring to my town….. Listen to what I asked for from Santa for Hamilton. __________________…

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Graham Crawford Show - Civic Panel, Series 12 - Driving us Crazy 48:17

8y ago48:17

48:17

"Driving us Crazy" - A very lively discussion from several points of views. Our featured panelists Peter Graefe, Maureen Wilson and Tom Flood discuss with Graham the attitudes around urban design and roads. Do drivers in Hamilton own more than the road? _________________________________________________ The Graham Crawford Show, with your host Graha…

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Graham Crawford Show, Paul Wilson Interview Series, Episode 13 23:22

8y ago23:22

23:22

Architectural gems on Wentworth sit empty Paul Wilson discusses two boarded up beauties on Wentworth Street South, one a mansion, the other a lovely apartment building. Both in need of some attention. The original link to the Hamilton Spectator article can be found here: https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/7563034-paul-wilson-architectural-gems-o…

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Graham Crawford Show - The Cityist, #HamAzon, Chasing Rainbows 8:11

8y ago8:11

8:11

The City of Hamilton spent half a million dollars on a proposal to Amazon for Hamilton to become the site of its second headquarters for up to 50,000 employees. I hate to be the party pooper, but I think our senior bureaucrats and elected officials need to have a drink of reality. Chasing expensive rainbows is one way to spend our money and our ene…

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Graham Crawford Show - Interview with Mark Richardson Ward Boundary Hearing 40:07

8y ago40:07

40:07

Mark Richardson joins us to talk about his experience challenging the City of Hamilton about their decision to ignore the recommendations of the consultants they hired to redefine the 15 Ward boundaries to create a more balanced distribution of Wards and population. Problem is, when Watson & Associates presented their findings and their recommendat…

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The Graham Crawford Show - Civic Panel, Series 11 - Melange #2 44:35

8y ago44:35

44:35

After a long summer break The Graham Crawford Show returns with our regular Civic Panel where we discuss a melange of topics. Our featured panelists include Ryan McGreal, Peter Graefe and Maureen Wilson. Pier 8 Design Competition - The Process & the Results Redefining Ward Boundaries - How we got to where we are now Assigning resources (time, money…

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Graham Crawford Show - The Cityist - Council Cohesion, The I of the Storm 7:30

8+ y ago7:30

7:30

Like many others have, I’ve accused Councillors of being tone deaf on these sorts of issues that are completely within their control to remedy. Why is it that they try to ignore us? I have a theory. I think they ignore us for as long as possible because they don’t really want to be seen as reacting to feedback about their own behaviours. You got a …

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Graham Crawford Show - The Cityist - Building Magic at the Westdale Theatre 8:14

8+ y ago8:14

8:14

First of all, a small confession. I’m a member of the Board of Directors of the Westdale Cinema Group, the non-profit organization that has purchased the old Westdale Theatre and that will be restoring it to its 1935 glory. That makes me, and this edition of the Cityist, less than objective. But this project is so exciting that I feel more than com…

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Graham Crawford Show - Paul Wilson Interview Series, Episode 12 18:20

8+ y ago18:20

18:20

We talk to Paul about a column he called: New mayor can’t sit on this throne that appeared in the Hamilton Spectator on October 21, 2014.It’s a story about the City of Hamilton’s secret warehouse full of Hamilton artifacts the City has been collecting throughout its history that it doesn’t have the space to put on permanent display. While Paul does…

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Graham Crawford Show - The Cityist - Lord of The Rings 6:31

8+ y ago6:31

6:31

Just when you didn’t think it was possible for Councillors to be more tone deaf, they prove us wrong. I’m talking about the recent recommendation by Councillors at a Governance Review Subcommittee to spend $5000 for service rings for themselves. Apparently, rings have been given in the past to Councillors who are either retiring or who have died. N…

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Graham Crawford Show - Paul Wilson Interview Series, Episode 11 19:06

8+ y ago19:06

19:06

This time, we talk to Paul about a column he called: Harmony’s proud, but sad, story to be unveiled that appeared in the Hamilton Spectator on September 2, 2014. It’s about the Harmony Apartments at Bay and Barton. If you haven’t been by the building, it’s worth taking a look if you’re in the area. Located on the west side of Bay Street, one buildi…

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Graham Crawford Show - Celebrating our first year 46:20

8+ y ago46:20

46:20

One year, and tens of thousands of downloads after this adventure began, I sit down with the mastermind of The Graham Crawford Show - Executive Producer Alex Zafer to discuss the original vision for the show, what we’ve accomplished and where we go from here. And we talk about Dave Beatty, the owner of QED Media in Hamilton where we record the how …

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Graham Crawford Show - Interview with cartoonist Graeme MacKay 41:14

8+ y ago41:14

41:14

I’m joined by an artist and satirist I’ve admired for years. I admire his wit. His artistry. His ability to boil oceans of issues to their essence and to present what he sees in ways that leave us smiling or even, dare I say, LOL’ing. His name is Graeme MacKay and he’s the editorial cartoonist for the Hamilton Spectator. I think you’ll really enjoy…

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Graham Crawford Show - Paul Wilson Interview Series, Episode 10 15:02

8+ y ago15:02

15:02

We talk to Paul about a column he called: Storied House Amid Highrises Has a Future Again. It appeared in the Hamilton Spectator on May 17, 2016. It’s a story about tenacity. In this case, the tenacity of a beautiful house and the tenacity of a dedicated owner. The house was built in 1860, just 7 years after Central School was built on Hunter. Toda…

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Graham Crawford Show - The Cityist - Dithering, Blithering & Slithering 13:14

8+ y ago13:14

13:14

This edition of the Cityist is called Dithering, Blithering & Slithering. It’s a three word summary of the last City Council meeting about LRT. We may be relieved and thankful that the LRT Environmental Assessment 2.0 was approved in a 10 to 5 vote by Council. But, there’s more to this than simply getting enough votes to keep LRT moving. That meeti…

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Graham Crawford Show - Civic Panel, Series 10 - Some Counsel for Council 40:52

8+ y ago40:52

40:52

We’re calling this edition of the Civic Panel Some Counsel for Council. If you're a regular watcher of Hamilton City Council, you’ll probably agree that Council’s behaviour is questionable at times. And, at other times, downright appalling. Our panelists each provide some advice to Council based on problems they see happening. And they provide some…

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Graham Crawford Show - The Cityist - Hamilton City Hall, It's Not Pretty 7:49

8+ y ago7:49

7:49

It was telling that Spectator columnist Andrew Dreschel began a recent column by saying, “City Manager Chris Murray’s face may not have been sickly green, but he has rarely looked as crestfallen and crushed.” Chris Murray was down because an internal audit about how consulting dollars were spent had just been shared with Council. It was a damning r…