The Conversation Piece

Conversations about accessibility are often framed around legislation and accommodations, but the stories we tell about disability can be equally powerful in shaping how accessibility is perceived and lived. Human rights lawyer and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging (DEIAB) consultant Prasanna Ranganathan argues that accessibility requires more than policy change—it demands...

Gender shapes how we move through the world, but the expectations attached to it can be limiting and exclusionary, most especially for trans and gender non-conforming people. Comedian, writer, and singer Tranna Wintour meditates on her experience as a trans woman and argues that it is not trans people who complicate our understanding of gender but the narrow binary that limits who we are allowed t...

Cities are being asked to solve some of society’s biggest crises with limited resources and shrinking political authority. As pressure continues to mount on municipal governments, so do questions about who really shapes the communities we live in. Jeff Gray, Queen’s Park reporter for the Globe and Mail , offers an inside look at the machinery of local democracy, and breaks down what it will take t...

Wildfires expose how responsibility for public safety is shared—and sometimes fragmented—across systems that are not always designed to work together. Chief Ken McMullen, president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, makes the case for stronger coordination as fires increasingly move from remote landscapes into the communities where people live. Chief McMullen spoke at The Walrus Talks Wil...

Discussions around public safety tend to focus on questions of order and enforcement. In practice, however, public safety is also informed by our capacity to hold space for people in crisis instead of pushing them through it. Suzanne Obiorah, chief executive officer of Somerset West Community Health Centre, reflects on a growing fracture in Canada’s response to addiction and underscores the import...

For older adults, belonging is dependent on dignity, choice, and the ability to “age in the right place.” André Picard is a health columnist at the Globe and Mail and the author of the bestselling book Neglected No More: The Urgent Need to Improve the Lives of Canada’s Elders . This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from his presentation at The Walrus Talks at Home: Aging...

First Nations elders play a vital role in their communities. Forcing them to relocate in the pursuit of adequate health care doesn’t just undermine their dignity—it severs key familial and cultural connections. Dr. Nel Wieman is the chief medical officer for the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation...

Rural communities thrive when older adults are invited to remain visible within them. Dr. Olive Bryanton is a researcher, advocate for older people, and lifelong learner who completed her PhD at the age of eighty-two. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks at Home: Aging and Belonging, supported by The Belonging Forum, an initiativ...

How can we reframe aging as a lifelong process grounded in joy, rather than a fixed state of decline? Dr. Rose Joudi is the senior adviser for gender equity, diversity, and inclusion at HelpAge Canada. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks at Home: Aging and Belonging, supported by The Belonging Forum, an initiative of the Samuel...

Social media is built around rewards—a digital feedback loop of likes, shares, and comments. For teenagers, whose brains are still developing, the risks associated with those rewards may not be immediately apparent. Dr. Emma Duerden, Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience and Learning Disorders at Western University, explains how the adolescent brain’s reward system develops earlier than its cognit...

As the 2026 Winter Olympics continue and the Paralympics approach, a familiar narrative emerges, one of triumph through determination. But resilience isn’t forged by determination alone—it is shaped and sustained by the people around us. Three-time Paralympic gold medalist Jeff Adams reflects on a wheelchair racing event where a chorus of support gave him the strength he needed to persevere throug...

We’re often told that improving our digital skills will help keep us safe online. Yet managing the risks we face has less to do with our own know-how than with the way technology is designed. Philosopher and public policy analyst Dr. Daniel Munro stresses the importance of reexamining digital infrastructures and challenging tech makers to create a safer, fairer digital world by confronting harmful...

Food insecurity among Inuit in Canada has been called one of the longest-lasting public health emergencies in Canadian history. It’s a crisis rooted in colonial policy—and one that continues to shape who has access to food, income, and self-determination in Nunavut. Rachel Blais—former executive director of Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre—explains why the right to culturally appropriate and sust...

Canada is racing to build the infrastructure that will shape its economic and political future. But moving faster means little unless the systems guiding that development are strong enough to be trusted. Independent lawyer and consultant Jesse McCormick argues that making any meaningful progress with Canada’s major projects will require building trust with First Nations by prioritizing their conse...

The adoption of DEI, or diversity, equity, and inclusion, is often framed as progress, but for some, it functions as nothing more than corporate strategy. For journalist Pacinthe Mattar, nowhere are the limits—and failures—of DEI more stark than in relation to Palestine. She shares how the “Palestine exception” plays out in newsrooms, schools, and other areas of public life, and underscores the im...

What happens to poetry—and art at large—in a world shaped by algorithms? Poet Bardia Sinaee considers what it means to live in a time dominated by data and celebrates poetry’s ability to offer meaning where machines cannot. Sinaee spoke at The Walrus Talks Cultural Futures on April 30, 2024. To register for upcoming events happening online or in a city near you, and to catch up on our archive of T...

Teachers play a significant role in the lives of youth, shaping not just what they learn, but who they become. Yet, across Canada, schools are facing unprecedented teacher turnover due to demanding workloads, complex student needs, and the lingering effects of COVID-19. Dr. Jan Hare, Dean of Education at the University of British Columbia, highlights the critical work teachers do, the pressures th...

You could be forgiven, listening to the news these days, for thinking the electrification economy is dead. And yet, over the next two years, 95 percent of the world’s electricity growth demand is going to be met by renewables. Rachel Doran, executive director of Clean Energy Canada, examines the shifting energy landscape and identifies four obstacles Canada must confront in order to seize the prom...

Community isn’t just built through service. It’s sustained through shared purpose, trust, and care. Cyndi Gilbert is a board member and logistics coordinator at The Bike Brigade. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks: Reimagining Volunteerism, supported by The Belonging Forum, an initiative of the Samuel Centre for Social Connecte...

Well-being can no longer be an afterthought for volunteers and non-profit workers. Vinod Rajasekaran is the CEO and editor-in-chief of Future of Good. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from his presentation at The Walrus Talks: Reimagining Volunteerism, supported by The Belonging Forum, an initiative of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness. Rajasekaran spoke at...

Embracing creative, reciprocal, and culturally-rooted community-building models can help marginalized communities easily navigate the often complicated system of volunteerism. Kassandra James is the director of programs at Volunteer Toronto. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks: Reimagining Volunteerism, supported by The Belongin...

How can organizations that rely on the labour of volunteers make the experience of volunteering more meaningful? Suman Roy is the founder and CEO of the grassroots organization Feed Scarborough. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from his presentation at The Walrus Talks: Reimagining Volunteerism, supported by The Belonging Forum, an initiative of the Samuel Centre for...

Volunteer work is more than just a resume booster. It’s a source of identity, pride, and purpose. Darrell Pinto is the director of employment at Jumpstart Refugee Talent. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from his presentation at The Walrus Talks: Reimagining Volunteerism, supported by The Belonging Forum, an initiative of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness. P...

The science behind social connection is clear: volunteerism and face-to-face contact with our community members are essential for our well-being. Susan Pinker is a psychologist and author of the book The Village Effect . This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks: Reimagining Volunteerism, supported by The Belonging Forum, an initiativ...

Canada’s volunteer sector is in crisis. How can the culture of volunteerism be restored? Sara Lyons is the chief strategy and advancement officer at Volunteer Canada. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks: Reimagining Volunteerism, supported by The Belonging Forum, an initiative of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness. Lyons...