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Ep - 608 - Quiet Food Insecurity Guest: Dr Sylvain Charlebois By Stuart McNish   “Quiet food insecurity” says, The Food Professor, Sylain Charlebois, “ is a noticeable decline in the quality and variety of food in shopping baskets and that poses long-term nutritional and health risks.” The nature of the make up of the shopping cart contents is a direct reflection on the cost of food. “Prices are up by about $1,000 over last year for a family of four” says Charlebois.   The pressure on food prices accelerated with the imposition of tariffs on US food in March of 2025. Despite the tariffs being removed, food prices did not drop, “in September food inflation actually rose”, says Charlebois. Today, food prices are still rising at about 4 to 6 percent a year. Meat and produce have been identified as the major contributors to increases in grocery prices.   The driving factors include, but are not limited to, a weaker Canadian dollar, international trade friction, on-going supply chain challenges and a dramatic increase in fuel costs. Charlebois describes the situation as, “bad, bad for family budgets and bad for health and it’s due to consumers changing shopping patterns to put food on the table.   I invited, the Food Professor Sylvain Charlebois to join me for a Conversation That Matters about the impacts of rising food prices on all of us.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 607 - British Columbia’s Golden Moment in Mining Guest: Michael Goehring By Stuart McNish   “We’re seeing some progress in mine permitting,” says Michael Goehring of the Mining Association of British Columbia. “However,” he continues, “we need to build on this momentum to realize our once-in-a-lifetime mining opportunity.” To do that will require further action from the provincial government – action that Goehring says “includes a coordination of policies across a variety of ministries such as finance.”   In February of 2026, the provincial government introduced taxes on professional services, restrictions on mining exploration tax credits, and increased administrative burdens. Goehring says, “Expanding the 7% Provincial Sales Tax to engineering, geoscience, legal, consulting, and accounting services imposes costs on junior mining companies that have no revenue.”   “We’re at a critical point: the public, for the first time in decades, appreciates the value mining brings to the economy, to our green energy aspirations, and to our national security,” says Goehring. He acknowledges the recently-approved expansion at the Hudbay, New Ingerbelle mine is a good step forward. It alone will account for more than 800 jobs in the Princeton area and extend the life of the existing Copper Mountain Mine to 2040.   We invited Michael Goehring of the Mining Association of BC to join us for a Conversation That Matters on how BC can find its way to capitalizing on a golden moment.    You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 606 - DRIPA and its legal consequences Guest: Robin Junger By Stuart McNish   The news in British Columbia is all about DRIPA – the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. The premier of the province David Eby, in response to the December 2025 BC Court of Appeal Ruling of a case known as Gitxaala, raced to amend the act. His attempts to do so have become a headspinning spectacle.   The original case began in 2023 with a challenge to the Mineral Tenure Act, which allowed mineral explorers to strike a mineral claim without acquiring agreement and consent by the historical First Nation to the area.   The case upheld the miners’ position that consent was not required during exploration. It was the first challenge to DRIPA. It was immediately appealed and in December of 2025, the Court of Appeal of BC overturned the lower court ruling by stating, “The Declaration Act gives a statutory mandate and duty to take all measures necessary to bring British Columbia’s law into alignment with UNDRIP.”   “In other words,” says Indigenous legal authority,  Robin Junger, “the BC government must, as stated in its own words, follow the law it wrote and the court has no option.”   I invited Robin Junger of McMillan LLP to join us for a Conversation That Matters to outline exactly what DRIPA is and the legal ramifications of amending the legislation.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 605 - Track and Trace Guest: Louis Dron, Redwood A.I. By Stuart McNish   The British Columbia government launched a pilot called Track and Trace, a two-year initiative led by Aidos Innovations, a nonprofit translational science institute developed at the University of British Columbia with support from law enforcement. “This new initiative will analyze the unique chemical fingerprints of illicit drugs,” says Victoria Police chief Fiona Wilson.    Key to the success of the pilot program is Vancouver-based Redwood AI, whose technology turns raw chemical testing into usable intelligence for police, border officials, and health agencies trying to keep pace with a drug supply that changes from week to week.    “Drug dealers do not publish the composition of the products they produce but we at Redwood AI can back calculate the method of production,” says Louis Dron, one of the founders of the Vancouver-based artificial intelligence company.   “Using our proprietary software and analytic solutions synthesis tests, we analyze more than one billion molecules and reactions and identify manufacturing pathways in seconds,” says Dron. The platform that the company created predicts and optimizes synthesis pathways across drug discovery and development, which enables law enforcement agencies to zero in on drug precursors, their source, and supply chain.   We invited Louis Dron, the CEO of Redwood AI, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the convergence of advanced chemistry, AI, and addressing a missing link in the drug crisis in Canada.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 604 - Artificial Intelligence: Optimistic or Fear? Guest: Marc Low, Ignition at KPMG By Stuart McNish   “When it comes to AI, ‘you can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs’ and the same is true when it comes to the development, application, and use of AI,” says Marc Low, the Ignition Vancouver Lead at KPMG. Low goes on to say, “AI is either exhilarating and inspiring or it’s fuel for nightmares; so much depends on your point of view.”   Low is a techno optimist, saying, “I have my eyes wide open to the opportunities and the risks, and when I look at the future of AI in our lives and jobs, I believe it is a force for good.” This despite Matt Shumer’s “Something Big Is Happening” blog of Feb 9, 2026, where he states that AI is replacing him, an AI founder, coder, and designer. Shumer says, “I am no longer needed for the actual technical work of my job.”   This begs the question: “Is AI a disruptive job killer or is an expansive force within every sector of the workplace?” asks Marc Low. A Citrini Research Macro Memo hypothesis details the progression and fallout of the global intelligence crisis. Titled, “The Consequences of Abundant Intelligence,” the memo looks at unemployment numbers in June 2028 at 10.2% and rising to 38% in October.   We invited Marc Low, Ignition Vancouver Lead at KPMG, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the current and future opportunities and impacts of artificial intelligence.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 603 - More Permits, Less Talk Guest: Todd Stone, Association for Mineral Exploration BC By Stuart McNish It’s taken two years of fast-talking about fast-tracking mining permits in British Columbia to get started. On April 1, 2026, the BC government promised to approve exploration permits within 40 to 140 days, depending on project complexity. If the permit isn’t processed on time, it will be escalated to the chief permitting officer, who must make a decision within 14 days.   It’s a part of Premier Eby’s response to economic uncertainty caused by US President Donald Trump. Eby stated, “It is time to build again and we don’t have a moment to waste.” He continued, “We cannot allow slow permitting processes and bureaucratic processes to delay what we know has to happen.”    It’s a good start, says Todd Stone, the President of the Association for Mineral Exploration BC. However, Stone says, “Only 14.8% of mining exploration claims were processed within 120 days over the past year.” According to the AME, “BC’s new Mineral Claim Staking System has created a growing backlog.” As of March 25, 2026, the AME says only 1,400 applications had been approved, while another four thousand and four hundred applications are pending.   We invited Todd Stone, the President and CEO of the Association of Mineral Exploration BC, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about our ability to seize the moment in mining.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 602 - British Columbia Conservative Leadership Candidate Guest: Kerry-Lynne Findlay By Stuart McNish   Former Surrey MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay has put her name forward as a candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of British Columbia. Her campaign makes it clear: Findlay is a Conservative. Her website says, “BC Liberal insiders are trying to take over the Conservative Party of BC. The liberals want to steal the Conservative name… and push the same hidden liberal agenda.”    Findlay lays out the differences between liberals and conservatives saying, “BC Liberals voted for DRIPA. BC Liberals created SOGI in schools. BC Liberals created the carbon tax. And the BC Liberals voted to condemn and smear the Freedom Convoy. Let me be clear: Liberals are not taking over our Conservative Party. Not on my watch.”   Findlay served in cabinet in Stephen Harper's government and was the chief opposition Whip under the leadership of Pierre Poilievre. She says as leader she will unite the party and put forward an election platform in keeping with Conservative views.   We invited Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative Party of BC leadership candidate, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about her vision for the party and the province of BC.    You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 601 - ICBC: A Unique Insurance Provider Guest: Jason McDaniel, CEO of ICBC By Stuart McNish “The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia [ICBC] is a unique auto insurance provider,” says Jason McDaniel, the President and CEO of ICBC. “We are the only organization that supplies mandatory basic coverage to all vehicles.” That blanket coverage positions ICBC to act as much more than just an insurance provider. “Our mandate includes improving motoring safety in the province through the CounterAttack roadblocks, intersection improvements, the introduction of seatbelt, and baby seats law,” continues McDaniel.   Created in 1973 under the government of Dave Barrett, the Crown Corporation was a political hot-button issue. In the 1980s, Social Credit Party leader Bill Bennett campaigned on abolishing the insurance company. Gordon Campbell also campaigned to abolish ICBC. Neither shut down the corporation; however, Campbell’s government changed the rules to allow competition on optional insurance.   In May of 2021, ICBC announced its “Enhanced Care” no-fault insurance system. The program was presented as a way of removing litigation from insurance claims, speeding up payment of compensation, and it changed the settlement equation.   We invited Jason McDaniel, the President and CEO of ICBC, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about delivering appropriate auto insurance, improving road safety, and financial stability to the Crown Corporation.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/   Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 600 - Conservative Party of BC Leadership Guest: Caroline Elliott By Stuart McNish   “We have an urgent need for change in British Columbia, and we need more people with the courage to make that change happen. That’s why I’ve decided to seek the leadership of the B.C. Conservative Party,” says Caroline Elliott, one of the contenders for the leadership of the party. Her campaign is taking aim at the government of David Eby.   Elliott says, “Our province has been driven in the wrong direction for some time now. Not just slightly off-course, but drastically so. It is being pushed aggressively downward by a government on an ideological crusade that has constantly put its activist beliefs before the well-being of British Columbians.” That’s a message she believes will resonate with party members and the general public.   At the core of her campaign is a message that being a conservative is something to be proud about. Elliott says, “This is a defining moment for the party. If you’re going to lead the party, you have to be proud – not ashamed – to be a conservative.” Elliott goes on to emphasize that creating unity within the party is objective number one.   We invited Caroline Elliott to join us for a Conversation That Matters about her vision for the party and the province.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep - 599 - A.I. Solutions in Chemical Testing Guest: Louis Dron, Redwood AI By Stuart McNish   “Chemical synthesis testing is one of the pharmaceutical industry’s biggest challenges,” says Louis Dron, one of the founders of Vancouver-based Redwood AI. The company has turned its attention to solving that bottleneck and, at the same time, propelling Vancouver to the centre of chemical synthesis testing aimed at global pharma.   Redwood AI’s proprietary software and analytic solutions synthesis test is trained on more than one billion molecules and reactions. “Our system evaluates manufacturing pathways in seconds,” says Dron. The platform the company created predicts and optimizes synthesis pathways across drug discovery and development, which enables chemists to design, refine, and scale compounds with greater precision and efficiency.   “Key to the success of our platform is its ability to integrate across the drug development lifecycle by embedding predictive intelligence into chemical decision making processes,” says Dron. “It’s a game-changer for the pharmaceutical industry and for Vancouver.”   We invited Louis Dron the CEO of Redwood AI to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the convergence of advanced chemistry and AI.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 598 - Conservative Party of BC Leadership Guest: Iain Black By Stuart McNish   In an interview with Vancouver is Awesome in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election, Iain Black stated, “I thought my days as an MLA and Minister were behind me. But witnessing the decline of our community – due to rising affordability issues, increasing crime, and a relentless wave of overdose-related deaths – I could no longer stand idly by.” Despite coming up short in the April federal election for  Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam, Black has retained his passion to answer the call for public service.   Black’s resume includes cabinet posts in the BC Liberal government of Gordon Campbell, serving as Minister of Labour, Minister of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development, and Minister of Labour and Citizen Services between 2005 and 2011. He left politics to take on the role of President and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.   During the early days of the internet explosion in the 1990s, Black spent his professional career in the tech sector. He founded internet companies. Following his eight years at the helm of the Board of Trade, Black returned to the tech sector as President and CEO of Maximizer, a Concord Group company.   We invited Iain Black to join us for a Conversation That Matters about his bid to win the leadership of the Conservative Party of BC.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 597 - Believing in Possibility Joe Roberts, Executive Director of the Push For Change Foundation By Stuart McNish   “There’s more to you than you can see,” said Gus, the man who started the turnaround in Joe Roberts' life. At the time, Joe was living on the streets of Vancouver. He was a drug user, he was struggling with mental health, and he was in and out of the criminal justice system. “I had lost the belief in possibility; I only saw failure ahead of me, until Gus.” From there, the journey to recovery began.   Over the course of the next five years, Joe entered rehab. He returned to school and studied business and marketing, where he graduated on the Dean’s list and won the Laurie H. Cameron Memorial Award for academic excellence with a combined GPA of 3.94. It seems improbable, but it wasn’t, because of his faith in God and his renewed belief in a better future.   Joe Roberts entered the business world and co-founded Mindware Design Communications in 1997. Then in 2016, Joe walked across Canada pushing a shopping cart, a symbol of homelessness that eventually became an icon for his Push For Change Foundation. His goal: to raise money and awareness about youth homelessness. He walked 24 kilometres a day through all four seasons and more.   We invited Joe Roberts to join us for a Conversation That Matters about belief in the possible and the power it has to change your life.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 596 - Conservative Party of BC Leadership Candidate Peter Milobar By Stuart McNish   He is one of four sitting MLAs running for the leadership of the Conservative Party of BC: Peter Milobar was first elected to the legislature in 2017 as a BC Liberal in the Kamloops-North Thompson riding and is the current Finance Critic for the BC Conservatives. Prior to running provincially, Milobar was a councillor for two terms in Kamloops before winning and sitting as mayor for nine years, from 2008 to 2017.   In an interview with Rob Shaw, Milobar said, “I have a demonstrated skill set to deal with diverse views around a large board of elected officials. And then I know how to interstitch all of that with a government bureaucracy. So I think that very much sets me up well for the challenges facing British Columbia.”   As he enters the race, 10 people have indicated they want the job. Milobar says, “I bring a level of seriousness to the big issues facing BC. The biggest being the economy and its direct impact on affordability, crime, education and real estate.” As well, Milobar says, “I am uniquely qualified to address reconciliation in BC, and the manner in which Premier Eby and his party are addressing it, is counterproductive.”   We invited Conservative Party of BC leadership candidate Peter Milobar to join us for a Conversation That Matters about his vision for the party and the province.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 595 - Drunk: How we Sipped, Danced and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization Guest: Dr. Edward Slingland By Stuart McNish   “It is humanity’s oldest indulgence,” says Edward Slingerland, the author of the book “Drunk.” Slingerland posits that drinking intoxicating beverages has shaped human history and played a crucial role in the rise of the first large-scale societies. Drawing on evidence from archaeology, history, cognitive neuroscience, psychopharmacology, literature, and genetics, Slingerland uncovers the role alcohol played in enhancing creativity, reducing stress, and building trust.   “Why we like to drink is still a bit unclear; was it an evolutionary hijack or did we adapt to consuming fermented beverages? The subtitle of his book is, ‘How we Sipped, Danced and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization,’” Slingerland says. “Humanity’s 10,000-year desire for alcohol is not an evolutionary mistake – it was a crucial element in building civilization.”   Slingerland says that alcohol disarms our prefrontal cortex. He says, “It dulls that part of our brain that is always trying to control things, that’s looking for threats, that trying to remain logical. And when the prefrontal cortex is disarmed, we relax with each other, we let go enough to trust and share.” In other words, alcohol has and continues to play an important role in people getting together socially, diplomatically, in business, and romantically.   We invited Dr. Edward Slingerland, the author of “Drunk,” to join us for a Conversation That Matters about how responsible consumption of fermented beverages has multiple benefits.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca

Ep 594 - Why do some children get sick? Guest: Dr. Stuart Turvey, British Columbia Children’s Hospital By Stuart McNish   “Why do some healthy children succumb to overwhelming bacterial infection while others survive or not become infected at all?” asks Dr. Stuart Turvey of British Columbia Children’s Hospital and the University of BC’s Faculty of Medicine. “Why do some children suffer crippling juvenile arthritis or life-threatening asthma?”   For the past 16 years, Turvey and a team of researchers have been asking and answering these questions through the national CHILD Birth Cohort study, starting with a population of children with a defined infectious or inflammatory disease phenotype.    Turvey says, “The knowledge generated by this approach will aid in diagnosis and highlight mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and ultimately identify novel treatments.”   We invited Dr Stuart Turvey of BC Children’s Hospital to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the benefits that his research is delivering to children’s health.   You can see the interview here https://www.conversationsthatmatter.ca/ Learn More about our guests career at careersthatmatter.ca