People First Radio

Ashley Clarke, coordinator of “Older Adults Eating Well Together” discusses the program put on by Nanaimo Foodshare. First Broadcast March 10 2022. More information on the program can be found here: https://nanaimofoodshare.ca/campaign/older-adults-eating-well-together/  

Brandon Gray, technical officer with the mental health unit of the World Health Organization discusses the findings of the WHO’s recently released scientific brief: “Mental Health and COVID-19: Early evidence of the pandemic’s impact”. First Broadcast March 10 2022.

Mental Health First Aid training and delivery specialist Denise Waligora speaks about MHFA training, as well as some best practices for being a mental health first responder to the people in your life. First Broadcast March 10 2022.

Dr. Alexandra Dimmer and Dr. Susan Law speak about the results of a study they conducted at McGill University into the experiences of well siblings of young adults with mood and or anxiety disorders. First broadcast March 3 2022.

Dr. Jill Cameron, Professor of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto, speaks about the results of a study into caregiving to older adults with depression. First broadcast March 3 2022.

Youth coach and fourth year Vancouver Island University student Mallory Woods speaks about how their own experiences growing up have led to a passion for and career in supporting youth mental health. First Broadcast March 3 2022.  

Margaret Pfoh, CEO of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association, speaks about the organization’s recently released urban, rural, and northern Indigenous housing strategy, a first of its kind for BC. First Broadcast February 24th 2022.  

Dr. Shannon Dames, chair of a new psychedelic assisted therapy program set to debut this fall at Vancouver Island University, speaks about the new program, psychedelic therapy in general, as well as results from the ketamine assisted therapy program “Roots To Thrive”.  First broadcast February 24 2022.

Jeff Smith speaks about his experience with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a new non profit called The Detachment Technique. Smith says the treatment helped him and he’s looking to share it with other first responders and military personnel experiencing PTSD. First Broadcast February 24th 2022.

Author, journalist, and pain patient Carlyn Zwarenstein speaks about the issues covered in her latest book, “On Opium: Pain, Pleasure, and Other Matters of Substance”. First broadcast February 17 2022

Dr. Neil Boyd, professor of criminology at Simon Fraser University, discusses decriminalization of illicit drug use in a Canadian context. Boyd was one of the authors of a paper in the January 2022 edition of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry called “Proposals for Decriminalization of Illicit Drug Use: Considering a Combination of déjà-vu, Diversion and […]

Lisa Lapointe, British Columbia’s Chief Coroner, discusses new statistics on illicit drug toxicity related deaths in the province. First broadcast February 17, 2022

Dr Trevor Hancock, retired professor of public health at the University of Victoria, discusses the idea of a well being economy, and calls for GDP to be replaced with indicators that take people’s well being into consideration.  First broadcast February 10, 2022.

Dr. Laurie-Ann Corbin-Berrigan, professor in the department of physical activity sciences at the University of Quebec at Trios-Rivieres, speaks about her 2021 exploratory study into head impacts in Canadian Varsity Football. First Broadcast February 10 2022.

Nanaimo city councillor Erin Hemmens speaks about the city’s role in and efforts toward addressing homelessness. First Broadcast February 3rd 2022.  

Outgoing producer and presenter of People First Radio Kevin Midbo speaks about the beginnings of the show, how the issues he covered evolved, and the effect producing such an immense body of work had on him. First Broadcast January 27th 2022.  

Ryerson Masters of Professional Communication graduate Harleen Dhami discusses her thesis: “Bell Let’s Talk: A Catalyst for Support and Self-Disclosure, or Corporate Greed?”  First Broadcast January 27 2022.  

Jonny Morris, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s BC office speaks about navigating the public system for mental health support in BC.  First Broadcast January 27, 2022.

Nanaimo author and former shelter director Lois Peterson spoke with People First Radio about her book Shelter, and her goal ‘that people look at issues like homelessness, poverty, other social issues, with curiosity rather than judgment.’  First Broadcast February 03, 2022.