The Honest Talk

“If you can’t be there for yourself, you are not going to have the ability and energy to take care of the others around you.” Cheryl Tjok-A-Tam is transforming the way major corporations embrace change and foster diversity, equity and communication. Cheryl is Vice President of Strategic Initiative and Change Management – Finance with the Royal Bank of Canada, the largest bank in the country. Chery...

“I try to keep it real as much as possible because that’s what helps people connect to our show.” Ginella Massa is an award-winning journalist and the host of Canada Tonight with Ginella Massa on CBC News Network. She is also Canada’s first hijab-wearing television news reporter, local anchor, and national host. Throughout her career, Ginella has worked hard to make sure that diverse voices and st...

“Challenges and adversities that you face are only the preparation for the next challenge you are going to face.” Mairead Lavery came to Canada as a young professional, and now she is making history. Mairead is the President and CEO of Export Development Canada (EDC) – the first woman ever to hold that position. In this episode of The Honest Talk, Jen and Catherine speak with Mairead about her phe...

She’s smart, wickedly funny and totally down to earth, and she’s the Blue-Collar CEO. Mandy Rennehan, the founder of multimillion-dollar retail renovation company Freshco (not the grocery store!), is well known for her authenticity, sense of humour and for championing women in a male-dominated industry. In this candid conversation, Mandy – who has a show coming out this spring with HGTV and a soon...

Two-time Olympian. World Champion. Communications Professional. There’s no question that Lisa Weagle is working towards, and accomplishing, big goals. In this episode of The Honest Talk, Jen and Catherine speak with Lisa about how she’s preparing for the 2022 Beijing Olympics with Team Jennifer Jones, her advice to young girls in sports, and how to use your voice.

She is committed, brave and bold. Rosemary Barton, Chief Political Correspondent for CBC News, is an award-winning and long-time political journalist. She is also the first woman to hold this position. She is well known for breaking political news, asking tough questions, and being an inspiration to many young women across Canada. In this open and honest conversation, Rosemary talks to Jen and Cat...

Marie Wilson is an award-winning journalist who founded northern Canada’s first daily television news service which operated in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. She was also notably one of three Commissioner’s of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, where she traveled the country to witness and record the testimonies of thousands of residential school survivors. In this ope...

The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson arrived in Canada as a toddler, a refugee from Japanese-occupied Hong Kong who grew up to become not just a noted journalist and bestselling author, but the 26th Governor General of Canada – the first Chinese Canadian and only the second woman to assume the role of Commander in Chief. Adrienne Clarkson never shies away from a good, frank conversation and she...

She came to Canada from Grenada as a teenage domestic worker and went on to become not just the first Black woman elected to the House of Commons and a cabinet minister. Dr. Augustine has worked tirelessly to improve her community – as a teacher, a mother, a board member, a social justice and equality activist and now as the President of the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment, and...

Jennifer Tory spent four decades with the Royal Bank of Canada, a career which saw her scale a dizzying series of heights, retiring as RBC’s Chief Administrative Officer, named to the Order of Canada and selected as one of Canada’s most powerful women. In this episode, Jennifer joins Jen and Catherine to discuss the changes that still need to take place in corporate offices and boardrooms to ensur...

Janis Irwin is the MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, the NDP critic for Women and LGBTQ2S+ Issues, and the only openly gay elected representative in the Alberta Legislature. She’s a passionate community activist and she joins Jen and Catherine to talk about her journey so far - from growing up in rural Alberta, to a career in teaching to her decision to run for elected office – and we even chat...

Martha Piper and Indira Samarasekera were the first and so far, only female Presidents of two of Canada’s largest and most respected research universities in Canada, the University of British Columbia and the University of Alberta. In this episode of The Honest Talk, they discuss their ground-breaking new book Nerve: Lessons on Leadership from Two Women Who Went First and why they felt compelled t...

Cindy Blackstock is a member of the Gitxsan First Nation and serves as the Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, working tirelessly to ensure that First Nations, Métis & Inuit children can grow up safely at home, be healthy, get a good education and be proud of who they are. Cindy, who is also a professor at McGill University’s School of Social Work, has over 30...

Kristy Kirkup is Parliamentary Reporter for the Globe and Mail - an award-winning journalist who has worked for Canada’s largest media companies, covering major news stories and several election campaigns. In this episode of The Honest Talk, Kristy displays her trademark authenticity and sense of humour as she discusses everything from social media to the joys and terrors of balancing motherhood,...

Megan Leslie has spent her life making a difference. She is a climate and equity advocate, and a former two-term Member of Parliament who served as Deputy Leader of Canada’s Official Opposition and was liked and respected across party lines. Megan is now President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund Canada, and she joins Catherine and Jen to chat about leadership, loss, optimism, and how to make the wo...

Farah Nasser is an award-winning journalist and the anchor of Global Toronto’s supper hour newscasts – a woman who has worked at every level of Canadian media, covering major stories here at home and abroad. Farah is also a wife, a mom, and an active community volunteer and she joins Jen and Catherine today to speak about building a career, facing racism, coping with stillbirth, and elevating the...

Amber Mac is a successful entrepreneur, bestselling author, a tv and radio presenter, an award-winning podcast host and a popular keynote speaker. She is also widely recognized as a global technology expert, constantly challenging the status quo when it comes to “what’s next” in the field of innovation. From her childhood in rural PEI to building a thriving media company, Amber Mac talks with Jen...

Celina Caesar Chavannes is best known to many Canadians as a former Member of Parliament and as a bestselling author of the new memoir “Can You Hear Me Now?” which has just been nominated for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing. But Celina is also a mother, a wife, an award-winning entrepreneur, a champion for equity and justice and a woman who is unafraid to use her voice, even when...

The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell is the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, carrying out constitutional and ceremonial duties as the representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Born in Ireland, raised in rural Saskatchewan and trained as a teacher, Elizabeth Dowdeswell has followed an extraordinary career path including roles as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive...

Marnie McBean is a three time Olympic champion, a three-time World Champion and a member of both the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. Now, Marnie has a big new job as Team Canada's Chef de Mission for the Tokyo Summer Olympics, and she joins Jen and Catherine to offer her humorous, candid and inspirational take on her remarkable athletic career, and how she’s feeling...

Susan Aglukark is a multiple JUNO award-winning Inuk artist whose music has earned international acclaim. She has also received the Order of Canada, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement, holds Honorary Doctorate degrees from several institutions and she has performed before Heads of State and Royalty. But Susan has also faced and overcome many personal chall...

Anna Maria Tremonti is one of Canada’s most respected journalists. She has covered major news stories for CBC’s The National, co-hosted The Fifth Estate and worked as a foreign correspondent in global capitals and major conflict zones. She also served for 17 years as host of CBC radio’s popular current affairs show The Current, drawing in more than one million listeners a day. Anna Maria has now e...

Sangita Patel is a staple in Canada’s entertainment sector – she’s an on-air host with Entertainment Tonight Canada, the current host of HGTV's Home to Win and Canada’s Covergirl ambassador. But Sangita wasn’t always set on a career in TV – in fact, she’s an electrical engineer, but also a dedicated mother, wife, philanthropist and fitness enthusiast - a true example that women can achieve multipl...

Serena Ryder is a seven time JUNO award-winning, platinum-selling artist, a powerhouse singer whose potent, heartfelt lyrics have inspired and captivated audiences and fans around the world. Serena has been performing since she was a kid, but her path has not been without ups and downs – including debilitating struggles with mental health. Through it all, she has persevered and grown as an artist...

The Honourable Jane Philpott shot to national prominence as the first medical doctor in Canadian history to be appointed federal Minister of Health, subsequently also serving as Minister of Indigenous Services and President of the Treasury Board. But politics is only one part of a long and remarkable career so far. Dr. Philpott has served in numerous medical capacities and worked abroad providing...