Pearson Podcast

Catalyst for Change Honouree James Scongack was honoured with the the award for his tremendous contributions to cancer care, particularly for children, medical isotopes and energy security. Special thank you to Big Red Oak for the James Scongack tribute video and to Vito Amati for the event photos.

Fireside chat led by Minister of Health, Marjorie Michel with the Honourable Jean Augustine, the first Black woman to be elected into the House of Commons of Canada.

With separatist sentiment reaching 30% in Alberta and a potential referendum set for October 2026, the future of Canadian unity is at a crossroads. The Pearson Centre recently met with Stéphane Dion, former federal Liberal leader and architect of the Clarity Act, and Corey Hogan, Member of Parliament for Calgary Confederation. Together, they examine the legal, political, and constitutional risks o...

The Pearson Centre’s Pam Damoff was pleased to speak with Jeff Copenace, Chief of the Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation in northwestern Ontario. Copenace brings a deeply personal and politically seasoned perspective to the challenges facing First Nations communities in Canada today. Copenace’s path to leadership was not linear. At just 13 years old, he served as one of the first First Nations Leg...

Recently The Pearson Centre was honoured to host a conversation with Rita Ruduša, Regional Director for Eastern Europe of the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM). Ruduša and The Pearson Centre’s CEO Pam Damoff explored the importance of independent media as a tool to protect democracy, especially in the face of intense Russian disinformation campaigns. IFPIM is a unique multilater...

The Pearson Centre hosted an inspiring and sobering discussion on the ways survivors of sexual violence are treated in Canada’s criminal justice system. Our brilliant panelists – Ben Roebuck, Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime; Alexa Barkley and Tanya Couch, Co-Founders of Survivor Safety Matters; and Silvia Samsa, Executive Director of Sexual Assault and Violence Interventions Services (SA...

We were delighted that Mark Critch, the wonderful Canadian actor, comedian, and author, joined us for a conversation about his new book, Sorry, Not Sorry: An Unapologetic Look at What Makes Canada Worth Fighting For. Kevin Bosch, our Chair, and Pam Damoff, our CEO interviewed Mark to hear his insights on Canadian identity, culture, and unity.

The Pearson Centre recently had the honour of hosting former Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty for a conversation about his new book, Be a Good One . A compact collection of 357 quotes which have stood the test of time, McGuinty’s book offers advice on leadership and growing a career while, most importantly, remaining a “good one.” 

The Pearson Centre was pleased to welcome the Hon Sergio Marchi for a conversation on his new book, Pursuing a Public Life: How to Succeed in the Political Arena. Sergio is a former community activist, city councillor, a Member of Parliament, and Minister for International Trade, Environment, and Citizenship and Immigration. After voluntarily leaving the political arena, he was appointed Canadian...

When David Peterson became Premier in June 1985 he ended 42 years of Ontario Progressive Conservative dominance. His government ushered in bold reforms—freedom‑of‑information laws, environmental protection, rent controls, and fully funded Catholic schools—and transformed Ontario’s political landscape into a competitive, multi‑party arena.

The Pearson Centre recently had the great privilege of hosting a discussion about the all-too-common failure of the criminal justice system to secure justice for  women, especially survivors of sexual violence. Our three expert panelists, Karen Vecchio, former MP and Chair of the Status of Women Committee, Megan Walker, VP of the National Council of Women of Canada and Alexa Barkley, co-founder of...

A chat with the amazing Julie Savard-Shaw , Executive Director of The Prosperity Project (TPP) . Born out of concern for the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on women, TPP is tackling barriers for women of all backgrounds in the Canadian workplace.

The Pearson Centre's Inaugural Laureate Dinner celebrating a lifetime of service by the Honourable Irwin Cotler

The Pearson Centre's Between the Lines webinar featuring former MPs Peter Julian, Hon. Ya'ara Saks and Karen Vecchio.   The discussion delved in to issues from the Throne Speech not being discussed in the media – women, people with disabilities, social programs like pharmacare and dental care, fiscal responsibility and more.