The Safe Space

End of Life Care

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 14:06:24 GMT

Today David is joined by Nathan Holwell to discuss end of life care. Nathan lost his mother to cancer, and David lost 3 of his grandparents to cancer, and they discuss the complicated topic of how long should you extend someone's life. Is it indefinitely? What quality of life does someone at the end of life deserve?

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Is Privilege Real?

Tue, 25 May 2021 14:02:47 GMT

Today David is joined by Gabriel Shipley to discuss the idea of Privilege. David has a hard time dismissing the concept outright, but disagrees with most things he reads about it. Gabe helps him tease it apart, whether it is valid and where it manifests.

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EQUALITY | Equal is Unfair

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 16:00:04 GMT

Today David is joined by Don Watkins, author of Equal is Unfair. They discuss what equality actually is and how Don believes that there is something inherently unjust with the notion of equality. We also discuss why Don cares as much as he does about this topic.

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POLITICAL CORRECTNESS | Saying the N Word

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 15:59:10 GMT

Today we are joined in The Safe Space by Rucka Rucka Ali, a top charting comedy rapper. We discuss the use of the N word, which we think is important more broadly with respect to how we treat language and concepts. Why does Rucka use this word, why do some people get offended by it but others don't? Let us know your thoughts!

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Being Really Loaft

Fri, 25 Dec 2020 17:25:42 GMT

Today I am joined by Brian Anderson, who I met while traveling in Panama. He and I discuss whether or not he is lazy, and what his values are. Is a common association of laziness with stupidity valid, and would people like me benefit from being a bit "more lazy"? We also discuss how he feels about having his intelligence and drive questioned.

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Navigating A Work Friendship

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 17:57:34 GMT

Welcome to The Safe Space. Today I am joined by Jennifer Minjarez. She and I work together, and are also friends, which leads there to being two different dynamics to consider. I had a hard time balancing them, and her and I have a really honest and deep exploration of that dynamic and in particular one specific incident that occurred.

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Being "The Brown Guy"

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 17:53:19 GMT

Today I am joined in The Safe Space by Winston Devendrarajah. He and I talk about what it is like to "be the token brown guy". Winston and I discuss the nature of race, what it was like being the brown kid in a majority white neighborhood, and also dive into my experiences with Judaism. It is a really interesting and honest conversation about race.

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Growth and Self Esteem

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 17:48:30 GMT

Self esteem is something David had very little of, and really struggled with. Tom still has issues viewing himself in a positive light. The two of them discuss where the issues stem from, and how they can continue the process of creating and growing their self esteem.

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What is Being a New Mother Really Like?

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 17:47:05 GMT

Welcome to The Safe Space.

Today I am joined by my sister Shera Stemer. She and I discuss what it is like being a new mother. She has a 6 month old boy named Max, and we dive into real talk about both the joys and the difficulties of it. What it was like being 9 months pregnant, and what it's like having this little entity that you are now responsible for. We also talk about the difficulties and how many people just try to pretend motherhood is all sunshine and rainbows, and we touch on whether or not her baby is REALLY that cute.

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How Do You Find Your Values

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 18:00:05 GMT

Today I am joined in The Safe Space by Mike Piaseczny.

He and I have a really honest conversation about values. When I originally asked him what we should talk about based on his values, he wasn't sure so instead we went to the meta-level. We discuss what does it mean to value, why does he have a difficult time thinking about his values. We then also discuss how to integrate your hierarchy of values.

If you want to better understand what values are and how you discover your own, this is a great watch.

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Compassion for the Mean

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 18:05:42 GMT

Today I am joined by Casey Palermo. This conversation is a throwback to our time together in university. By my own standards, I was not a very nice person and we discuss the inability for people to seemingly have shown me any compassion. There seems to be an emphasis on compassion, yet it does not seem to extend to people who are "mean" but also who are highly capable. No one ever asked me why I was behaving the way I was, and meeting a single person who actually challenged me and asked my why I was behaving the way I was. Who didn't start by blaming me or telling me I was wrong, but inquired: I was an intelligent person choosing to behave a certain way, why did I think that way the proper conduct?

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Why Do You Love Strength Training?

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 18:00:18 GMT

Today we are joined by Casey Palermo. This is a great conversation with someone who inspires me and I think will inspire you as well. Casey is an engineer by profession, but she is also a world champion power lifter. We also talk about how a petite, 5'3'' blonde ends up as someone dedicated and in love with power lifting. It also takes us on Casey's journey and what important role power lifting plays in her life as a whole.

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The Truth About Silicon Valley

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 18:00:26 GMT

Today we are joined by Kevin Lau. Kevin is a friend from the University of Waterloo who is the most "plugged in" to Silicon Valley out of anyone I know. He has worked at large and startup companies and seems to really understand the ecosystem. We discuss the "bro" culture, and why we seem to have a negative view of Silicon Valley in many places, but it seems like this should be a beacon to learn from.

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How Do You Become the Best?

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 18:00:58 GMT

Today we are joined in The Safe Space by Jillian Adams.

Jill is one of the only people I know who consistently and actively pursued her goals and passions. She now lives in Finland helping to design icebreaker ships. She is only about 26 years old and already working for one of, if not the, world leading company in the profession she's wanted as long as I've known her.

We talk about how she managed to do this, when seemingly none of my other peers had a purpose, let alone pursued it so actively. We discuss how she originally got interested in boat building, when she knew it would be her career, and what it was like to single-mindedly pursue this goal. We also talk about what it is like to actually have achieved this goal and be working as one of the world's leading ship builders.

Her life and dedication is inspirational to me, and I think it will be to you as well.

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Does Family Have to Come First?

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 18:10:01 GMT

Today I am joined by Kevin Horak to discuss family. As people get into their mid to late twenties, we are now becoming "full adults". Deciding what is my life and how do I want to create it. We primarily focus on the shifting dynamics with our "childhood" families (parents & siblings). Kevin shares his experiences with his blended family, and we also talk about whether the changes are more difficult for the parents or the children. And we also explore how these thoughts and decisions impact our plans for future families where we are the parent.

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What is It Like to Ask for New Friends?

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 18:00:50 GMT

This week in The Safe Space I am joined by Tom Nowak. He and I discuss what it is like to admit to yourself that you want more, and potentially better, friends. We explore how it feels to put ourselves our there and actually search for new friendships.

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Are Men Unemotional?

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 22:51:59 GMT

Welcome to The Safe Space.

Today I am joined by Winston Devendrarajah. We talk about emotions and particularly my assessment of Winston as "unemotional." It has happened many times, especially because I did not used to know how to deal with my emotions and thought I was unemotional. Winston talks about how he is not unemotional, but simply has a certain kind of relationship with his emotions. We cover a great amount of ground about what it means to have a relationship with your emotions, and is a great starting point if you are looking to explore yourself.

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Differences in Anxiety

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 17:00:07 GMT

Today I am joined by Jennifer Minjarez. She and I discuss each of our experiences with anxiety, and the interesting differences we notice between the two of us. We talk about her need to plan more, and my need to plan much less. A very fascinating conversation that illuminates the different ways people experience anxiety.

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What is The Value of Martial Arts?

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 15:45:03 GMT

Today I am joined by Qianshu Wang to talk about martial arts.

We talk about martial arts and their philosophies and why it brings value to his life.

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How Can You Be Yourself and Famous?

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 20:40:44 GMT

Chak is a friend from high school and a top contributor to BTI Media. Today we talk about rap, and also how to be authentic while trying to become famous or popular. We discuss why music is meaningful to him, as I did not understand it for a long time.

We talk about how he manages to stay himself and grounded while trying to pursue fame, and what we think of someone who creates an alternative identity to try and get more attention.

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What is it Like to Be a Political Personality?

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 17:15:39 GMT

In this #Episode of #TheSafeSpace, guest Bennett Hunter reveals what it is like to be an internet personality, in his case one thats politically focused, and the set of circumstances that led him to decide to become one.

Him and David also exchange thoughts on empathy and compassion, including where they lack in everyday life, sharing general insights on how people can enhance their capacity for these emotional ranges, and lastly providing advice for anyone aiming to enter the public sphere .

If you enjoy this content, #SUBSCRIBE and consider supporting the show at http://thesafespace.ca

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Can Women Really Have it All?

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 17:15:59 GMT

Can Women Really Have it All ?

Do you ever have difficulty balancing your work and family oriented goals? If so, which do you prioritize and why?

This #Episode of #TheSafeSpace focuses on identifying the difficulties involved in these aforementioned goals, particularly from a woman's perspective as guest Alicia Veillieux details the contributing factors starting a family has on the decision making.

Alicia has just recently began the arduous process of embarking towards attaining her PhD. She details her journey leading up to this point and forecasts what she can predict in her future to David, which should prove insightful to anyone with unclear visions of their future.

Subscribe to the channel and consider supporting the show at http://thesafespace.ca

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How Do You Navigate an Existential Crisis?

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 19:22:16 GMT

How would you start with solving a problem that has no apparent answer?

This #Episode of #TheSafeSpace features guest Andrew Cook, as David and him discuss the causes and effects an existential crisis like coming out of post-secondary education with no clear path can have on your life.

They identify commonalities they have both individually experienced, like seeking spiritual guidance, and introspectively questioning values, all in part of seeking fulfillment and discovering their own path to life.

Subscribe to the channel and consider supporting the show at http://thesafespace.ca

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What are We Allowed to Say About Race?

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 19:30:21 GMT

The world has never been more culturally diverse, yet speaking about race still tends to make a lot of people uncomfortable.

This #Episode of The Safe Space focuses on this topic, featuring David’s friend Ben, and their experiences discussing race.

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How Do You Mourn the Loss of a Loved One

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 17:20:39 GMT

This touching #Episode of #TheSafeSpace focuses on losing a loved one, and the process thereafter.

As time passes, we do the best we can to prepare ourselves with the tools to face momentous loss like losing loved ones. Special guest Nathan Holwell is familiarized with this process losing multiple people throughout his life, most prominently his mother and shares his insights with how to cope in hopes that we can utilize them to improve the way we deal with loss.

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I Hate Your Politics, How Are We Friends?

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 17:30:56 GMT

David and Adam are good friends, but they feel their strong political disagreement might have an effect on it. Hence, they come together in The Safe Space to talk about the extent to which politics affects their view of people opposing their vision.

Subscriber to the channel and consider supporting the show at http://thesafespace.ca

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Where should the line be drawn with Guns in Canada?

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 20:26:08 GMT

In today’s #Episode, David and Special Guest Brandon Cole, a Canadian Gun owner, engage in a calm, collected conversation about guns, and their place in Canada.

Topics discussed include personal views, rules, regulation, and overall purpose of guns.

If you are looking for a place where the topic of guns can be discussed thoroughly, without shouting or an extremely polarized approach from either side, this is the video for you.

What are your views on this topic?

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What Is It Like To Be Extremely Attractive?

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 17:30:18 GMT

David is joined by Special Guest Remy in this week's Episode of TheSafeSpace, where the focus is on the effects that being really, really attractive can have on life and friendships.

Remy is a friend that David considers exceptionally good looking, so this is a great conversation that should remind us all, even if we cant relate to the differences others experience, it's important to still be empathetic towards people in your close circle as they still feel too!

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Does a Dictatorship Kill All Its Citizens?

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:01:44 GMT

What is it like to grow in a dictatorship? Why people want to immigrate to the west? Where is the source of the drive to better one's own life?

Pouya joins The Safe Space to discuss his experience on how art gave him the drive to pull himself from slums of Iran, to the west.

Subscribe to the channel and consider supporting the show at http://thesafespace.ca

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Can a Christian and an Atheist be Good Friends?

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 17:00:29 GMT

Welcome to The Safe Space.

Today my guest is Prarthana Chandran, a good friend of mine from university. We have an open and honest conversation about our friendship on this episode. She is a Christian, and in my words a "devout" one, and we discuss if that limits our ability to be friends. It was actually a conversation I am worried about, thinking there are limitations on our friendship and how much I can rely on her because of our deep differences in value and perspective. She helped me understand why that is not the case for her, and get over the anxieties I had about that. It is a relevant conversation for anyone with friends with fundamental disagreements. If you have ever had a friend you are struggling to connect deeper with and want to know why, this will be a valuable conversation.

Subscribe to the channel and consider supporting the show at http://thesafespace.ca

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Is There Any Value in Getting Blackout Drunk?

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:00:05 GMT

Welcome to The Safe Space

Today I am joined by Pete LeStracco. Pete is a "drinking buddy" from university, who is also a professional engineer. I had been really struggling to understand the proper context of why I used to drink as much as I did, which was a LOT. Pete is very open about this and our drinking habits, and the value he thinks we got from those experiences. It changed and expanded my perspective around drinking culture as such.

Whether or not you partied in university, if you want to understand why people do it, why people like that stereotypical university experience, I think Pete provides a lot of insight at least into his view of it. I still don't know if I fully agree, but it definitely helped me have more information to start forming my opinion. It is also great that as a 30 year old professional, Pete is willing to talk openly about his experience in his youth, and we talk about his approach to alcohol and partying now.

Remember to subscribe and consider supporting the show at http://thesafespace.ca

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What is Being a Model Really Like?

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 17:00:52 GMT

Welcome to The Safe Space.

We are creating real safe spaces, where you can come together with people you care about to talk openly and honestly about the ideas that matter to you. If we can't have safe space to explore our thoughts, our emotions and our values, there is no way to grow as people. I hope you will join me in the safe space, to talk about what you care about and what matters to us. Have an active mind: have your views questioned and question your own. Thank you for joining me.

Today's episode is with Jenny Dong, a friend of mine from Waterloo Engineering who was also a model. We talk very rationally and objectively about what it is like to be a model in the modeling industry. We also talk about what it is like to not be a stereotypical looking model and how you can be in that industry and maintain your self esteem. Jenny is extremely insightful, and I am grateful she came to talk about this topic, and a profession that people have a hard time talking about openly and honestly.

Link to Jenny's article: https://medium.com/@this.is.jenny.dong/modelling-as-an-engineer-890b8c46c615

Subscribe to the podcast and like us on Facebook at http://fb.com/btimedia and consider supporting the show at http://thesafespace.ca

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Being Female, Indian and Christian

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 17:30:34 GMT

This week we are joined by Prarthana Chandran, diving into her experience as a woman of colour, and perhaps more importantly her experience as a Christian.

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Healthcare, Listening and Being Seen

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 15:00:53 GMT

This week we are joined by registered physiotherapist Ariel Zohar to talk about his work in healthcare, and how that experience has shaped his approach to life overall.

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Being a Minority, Groups and Racism

Tue, 22 Jan 2019 17:30:16 GMT

This week we are joined by Mina Labib. He discusses his experience moving from a religious minority in Kuwait to a racial minority in Canada. We dive into those experiences, as well as others he has had with groups and race.

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Cis, Straight White Male and Problems

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 15:00:34 GMT

This week David and Tyler discuss their experiences as straight white males, and the pressures and problems that still exist, even with privilege.

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Homelessness, Maturity and Helping People

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 17:30:28 GMT

This week we are honoured to be joined by Leah Denbok (http://www.leahdenbok.com/). A truly inspirational teenager shares with us about her work with people experiencing homelessness, and the impact it has had on her life and future.

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Sexuality, Family and Finding Your Way

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 17:30:07 GMT

This week we are joined by Alex Meinzinger to discuss her path finding her sexuality, the impacts on it by her father's path, and how she is now in that comfort.

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The State of Media, Fixing It and Keeping Hope

Tue, 18 Dec 2018 19:00:56 GMT

This week we are joined by Yaz Sinan of Sourced Fact to discuss the most important piece of his identity, being a part of the future of journalism. We talk about the current state of the media, how to fix it and why to stay hopeful.

https://sourcedfact.com/

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Founder David Birnbaum on Identity, Mental Health and Gender

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 19:00:37 GMT

This week we flip the script, and David is interviewed by Jean-Louis Shi. David talks about founding the company, his identity, mental health, gender and more.

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Chinese Assimilation, Appropriation and Stereotypes

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 19:00:22 GMT

This week we are joined by film producer Peter Huang to discuss his Chinese background, as well as assimilation, appropriation and stereotypes.

Check out Peter's amazing work at https://vimeo.com/peterhuang

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Objectivism, Individualism and Being Labeled

Tue, 27 Nov 2018 19:00:59 GMT

This week we are joined by Objectivist Tom Nowak. He shares his experiences with the philosophy, the importance of individualism, and what the label of Objectivist has meant to him and to his relationships.

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Women and Marriage, The Workforce, Feminism

Tue, 20 Nov 2018 19:00:05 GMT

This week we are joined by Shera Stemer. With Shera we discuss expectations of marriage and children, women in the workforce and how to balance it all, as well as her views on feminism.

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The Safe Space: French vs English Canada, Immigration and Bisexuality

Tue, 13 Nov 2018 19:00:45 GMT

Today we are joined by Jean-Louis Shi to talk about his experiences as a immigrant in French Canada, the differences with English Canada, being bisexual and the current state of politics.

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The Safe Space: Sensitivity, Racist Jokes and Being Black

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 19:00:50 GMT

This week David is joined by Chak Prescott Tenn. They talk about his experience being black in Canada and growing up in a largely white neighborhood. They discuss racist jokes, sensitivity, politics and many other important topics.

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Millennials on Millennials

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 14:38:50 GMT

In Season 1's final episode, the panel discusses Millennials. Responsibility, maturity, university and the workforce are just some of the important conversations that we need to start having.

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Legal Weed

Thu, 24 May 2018 22:43:02 GMT

In the penultimate episode of Season 1, the panel discusses legal weed coming to Canada, and what that might mean.

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Tuition

Mon, 21 May 2018 16:09:02 GMT

Today the panel discusses tuition, and higher education overall.

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Gender

Thu, 10 May 2018 22:53:08 GMT

This week the panel discusses many issues and topics around gender.

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Abortion

Sun, 06 May 2018 19:44:54 GMT

This week the panel discusses abortion

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Sexual Assault and #metoo

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 18:02:00 GMT

Today the panel starts the discussion that needs to happen on sexual assault and the metoo movement, and tries to determine where we go from here.

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Net Neutrality

Thu, 19 Apr 2018 18:20:00 GMT

This week the panel discusses Net Neutrality, and what is the internet.

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Millennial Conservatism

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 18:20:00 GMT

This week the panel discusses the Conservative Party of Canada, how millennials might feel about the party, and political engagement overall.

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Mental Health

Fri, 06 Apr 2018 14:43:52 GMT

This week David Birnbaum is joined by Prarthana Chandran. They discuss their experiences with mental health, counselling and therapy. Be sure to follow CAMH's One Brave Night on Friday April 6, 2018.

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Tipping

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 18:29:00 GMT

This week the panel discusses tipping in the service industry, and how it might change in the future.

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Social Media Addiction

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 18:17:00 GMT

We discuss social media and smartphone addiction, how it impacts us and those around us. Key issues of "Are you ever alone" and "Are you present."

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The Mail

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 18:30:00 GMT

We discuss the current, and potential future, state of the mail in Canada

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Millennials & Politics

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 19:30:00 GMT

A panel of young citizens talks about millennial political engagement.

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Gender

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 22:05:20 GMT

In our first ever episode, David Birnbaum is joined by Jacob MacInnis to discuss their experiences with gender.

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