Moving the Needle - Senator Ratna Omidvar's Podcast: Recent Episodes
Moving the Needle - Senator Ratna Omidvar's Podcast
Welcome to Moving the Needle on Wicked Problems, Senator Ratna Omidvar's podcast co-hosted with Paul Faucette, her Director of Parliamentary Affairs. The podcast explores some of the most pressing socio-economic questions facing Canada and the world and it features a variety of renowned experts’ providing analysis and insights on how to tackle society’s most wicked problems.
Ratna Omidvar is an internationally recognized voice on migration, diversity and inclusion. In April 2016, Ms. Omidvar was appointed to the Senate of Canada as an independent Senator representing Ontario. As a member of the Senate’s Independent Senators Group she holds a leadership position as Liaison and was previously the Deputy Chair of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector. Senator Omidvar is a Councillor on the World Refugee Council, a Director at the Samara Centre for Democracy and Chair Emerita of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council. Previously at Ryerson University, Senator Omidvar was a Distinguished Visiting Professor and founded the Global Diversity Exchange. Senator Omidvar was appointed to the Order of Ontario in 2005 and became a Member of the Order of Canada in 2011, with both honours recognizing her advocacy work on behalf of immigrants and devotion to reducing inequality in Canada.
Episode 4 features Evgenia Kara-Murza, a Russian human rights activist. Evgenia advocates for human rights accountability and democratic change in Russia. She is also the wife of political prisoner Vladimir Kara-Murza, the twice-poisoned Russian opposition leader who has been imprisoned since 2022 for protesting the war on Ukraine.
Episode 3 features Allan Rock, a lawyer, former politician, diplomat, and university administrator. He was Canada's ambassador to the United Nations and served in the Cabinet of Jean Chrétien, most notably as Justice Minister and Health Minister. Amongst other roles, Allan is currently the chief legal advisor to the World Refugee and Migration Council. We discussed his career in the public service, the role of the United Nations, and using frozen Russian state assets to support Ukraine.
Episode 2 features David McKinnon, a former Canadian diplomat who has been posted to New Delhi, Canberra, Bangkok and, most recently, Colombo, where he served as Canada's high commissioner to Sri Lanka. We discussed his career in the foreign service, the current state of politics in India, and the allegations that the Indian government is linked to the murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil.
Episode 1 features Senator Tony Loffreda, an independent senator from Montreal, Quebec. We asked him about his family’s immigration story, his trip to Sicily to do the Walk for Remembrance & Peace, and what it felt like to follow the footsteps of Canadian soldiers of the past.
Episode 5 features Kira Rudik, a Member of Ukrainian Parliament, the Leader of the Golos political party, and the Vice President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. We talked about what Ukrainians have endured since the Russian invasion, the situation on the front lines, and what Ukraine needs to push back the invasion. We also discussed the innovative law Canada passed to allow the confiscation and repurposing of assets belonging to sanctioned foreign individuals, including many Russians, and what the money should be used for.
Episode 4 features Toronto Mayor John Tory. We talked about how immigrants have made Toronto great, why the proportion of immigrants coming to the city is declining, and issues with housing availability. We also discussed what needs to be done at the municipal level to support refugees, and how Toronto is using the municipal nominee program.
Episode 3 features Senator Paula Simons, an independent senator from Alberta. During her distinguished career, Senator Simons has been a radio documentary-maker, a playwright, and a reporter with the Edmonton Journal. We talked about why she became a journalist, the state of journalism around the world, and the future of Twitter. We also discussed criticisms of Bill C-11, the use of the notwithstanding clause by premiers, and the phenomenon of western alienation.
This episode features Nazanin Afshin-Jam MacKay, an award-winning international human rights activist, and the co-founder of the organization Stop Child Executions. We discussed why her family immigrated to Canada, what it is like to be a woman in Iran right now, and how she feels when she hears the protest song “Baraye” by Shervin Hajipour. We also talked about what the Canadian government can do to support change in Iran, including the possibility of seizing and repurposing the frozen assets of sanctioned Iranians.
This episode features the German Ambassador to Canada, Sabine Sparwasser. We talked about Canada and Germany’s relationship, the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on geopolitics, and Germany’s energy needs. We also discussed the new law in Canada that allows the government to freeze, seize and redistribute the assets of corrupt Russian leaders, and if she sees Germany following Canada’s lead. Finally, we discussed how Canada and Germany can work together on migration approaches and programs.
This episode features Senator Salma Ataullahjan, Senator Yvonne Boyer and Senator Rosemary Moodie. We talked about their first experiences of discrimination and their reactions to the hateful flags being waved during the convoy occupation in Ottawa. We also discussed how racism affected their lives before and after they became Senators, the barriers that people of colour face when trying to get into politics, and how to combat systemic racism and Islamophobia.
This episode features Rosey Edeh and Dr. Sheema Khan. Rosey is a three-time Olympian, Commonwealth Games medallist, and a member of the Quebec Sport Hall of Fame. She has spent the last decade as TV personality. We were also joined by Dr. Sheema Khan, who is a columnist for The Globe and Mail and the author of the book Of Hockey and Hijab: Reflections of a Canadian Muslim Woman.
We talked about how racism in sports manifests itself, the racism they experienced as athletes of colour, and recent racist incidents targeting Black hockey players. We also discussed how sporting leagues can deal with racism and the importance of offering diversity and inclusion training in youth leagues for both parents and players.
Episode 4 features Iain Reeve and Yilmaz Dinc. Iain Reeve is the Associate Director for the Immigration Knowledge Area at the Conference Board of Canada. He runs the Board’s immigration research agenda and manages the National Immigration Centre. Yilmaz E. Dinc is a Senior Research Associate for the Immigration Knowledge Area at the Conference Board of Canada.
We talked about immigration in the wake of the pandemic, the difficulties immigrants face in having their skills and education recognized, and public opinion on immigration. We also discussed providing pathways to permanency for migrant workers, the challenge of attracting immigrants to settle in small and rural communities across Canada, and the need to prioritize immigrants with essential skills.
Episode 3 of the special miniseries on racism and diversity features Ravi Jain, the founding artistic director of Why Not Theatre in Toronto. Ravi was twice shortlisted for the 2016 and 2019 Siminovitch Prize and won the 2012 Pauline McGibbon Award for Emerging Director and the 2016 Canada Council John Hirsch Prize for direction. He co-directed Sea Sick, which is currently on at the National Theatre in London, his adaptation of the Indian epic Mahabarata will premiere at the Shaw Festival, and What You Won’t Do For Love, starring David Suzuki, will premiere in Vancouver.
We talked about fighting stereotypes in the theater industry, systemic racism in the arts, and why meaningful change has not yet happened in the sector. We also discussed the importance of redefining what the arts can be in society, why cancel culture is complicated, the impact of artist brain drain, and why some Torontonians never set foot in a theater.
This episode features Supriya Dwivedi and Nicholas Keung. Supriya is senior counsel at Enterprise Canada, a visiting researcher at the Ryerson Journalism Research Centre, a political commentator, and a former radio host. Nicholas writes about immigration, refugee, and diversity issues for the Toronto Star.
We talked about why it’s important to have journalists of colour, how to encourage more diversity in the sector, and what organizations can do to protect journalists who receive threats of violence. We also discussed why issues of immigration, diversity, and racism rarely came up during the last election, and the importance of making mentorship opportunities available to BIPOC journalists.
This episode features Dr. Kwame McKenzie. Dr. McKenzie is CEO of the Wellesley Institute, Director of Health Equity at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and a full Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto.
We talked about the definition of systemic racism, and why diversity and inclusion did not come up as major election issues. We also discussed racism in healthcare, including the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on racialized people, the importance of racially disaggregated data, and how the pandemic has changed our perspective on essential workers.
This episode features Goldy Hyder, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, and Lisa Lalande, CEO of Century Initiative. Prior to joining the Business Council, Goldy Hyder served as the President and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies and as Director of Policy and Chief of Staff to The Right Honourable Joe Clark. Lisa Lalande previously held the position of Executive Director of the Mowat Centre’s Not-for-Profit Research Hub and served on the executive management team at Lift Philanthropy Partners.
We discussed Canada’s aging population, barriers to employment faced by new immigrants, and how our country can grow its population to 100 million people by the year 2100. We talked about the need to plan now to ensure that we have the infrastructure in place to accommodate this growing population, as well as the need to spread immigrants more evenly across the country.
This episode features the Mayor of Calgary, Naheed Nenshi. In 2010, Mayor Nenshi become the first Muslim mayor of a Canadian city and of a large North American city. Mayor Nenshi was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and received the President’s Award from the Canadian Institute of Planners, the Humanitarian Award from the Canadian Psychological Association, and the 2014 World Mayor Prize from the City Mayor’s Foundation.
We discussed why he got into politics, the importance of civic engagement, the barriers that prevent women from running for office, and why hyper partisanship is detrimental to us all. We also talked about climate change, the oil and gas industry, the Black Lives Matter movement, the lack of diversity on boards, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
This episode features Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Member of Parliament for Beaches-East York. We explored the issue of digital disruption and how it is affecting Canada and other countries. We discussed why he got into politics, the role of social media in propagating misinformation, foreign election interference, and the need to treat drug use as a health issue.
This episode features Dr. Miles Corak and Armine Yalnizyan. Dr. Corak is a full professor of economics with the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and senior scholar at the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality. Armine Yalnizyan has served as a senior economic policy advisor to the Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development and was a senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ Inequality Project. We discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on income inequality, the upcoming release of the federal budget, and their opinions on UBI.
This episode features the Honourable Lloyd Axworthy, who is the chair of the World Refugee and Migration Council and one of Canada’s leading voices on global migration and human security. After a 27-year political career, where he served as Canada’s minister of Foreign Affairs and minister of Employment and Immigration, Dr. Axworthy has continued to work extensively on refugee protection and human rights. We discussed what drove him to get into public service, the value of allowing Canadians to privately sponsor refugees, the need for an International Anti-Corruption Court, and his work on banning the use of anti-personnel landmines around the world.
This episode features Senator Chantal Petitclerc, an internationally renowned athlete who has won gold medals in the Paralympic Games, Olympic Games, and Commonwealth Games. A tireless advocate for the contributions people with disabilities have made to our society, she has played an important role in building a more inclusive Canada. We discussed styles of leadership, her role as the Senate sponsor of a bill that expands access to medical assistance in dying, what she learned from high-performance sport, and the importance of staying physically active during the pandemic.
This episode features Rosemary McCarney, formerly the Canadian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva and currently Senior Fellow in Foreign and Defence Policy, Massey College, University of Toronto, and David Miller, formerly the Mayor of Toronto and currently the Director of International Diplomacy for C40 Cities. We discussed the impacts of climate change on refugees, extreme weather events and the spread of disease, and the responses of municipal and federal governments to this crisis at the local, national and international level.
This episode features Dr. Manjula Luthria, Senior Economist at the World Bank, and Dr. Irene Bloemraad, Thomas Garden Barnes Chair of Canadian Studies and Director of the Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative. We discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global migration, rethinking immigration strategies to include essential "low-skilled" workers, and the situation faced by refugees around the world.
This episode features Dr. Margaret MacMillan, best-selling author and Professor of History at the University of Toronto and emeritus Professor of International History at the University of Oxford. We discussed when war is justified, the impacts of WW1 and WW2 on women’s empowerment, the recent storming of the U.S. Capitol, and why she finds war fascinating.
This episode features Pedro Barata, Executive Director of the Future Skills Centre. We discussed the future of work, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s careers, the growth of the gig economy and calls for a basic income.
This episode features Oscar-nominated filmmaker Deepa Mehta. During our conversation we spoke about telling stories of oppression, the challenges of making foreign language films in Canada, diversity in the film industry and her newest film, Funny Boy.
This episode features Dr. Bessma Momani, a political scientist and well-known expert on international affairs. During our discussion, we spoke about how the results of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election will affect Canada’s relationship with the United States, the personalization of politics, and the global scramble for COVID-19 vaccines.
Matt Friedman is a world-renowned expert on human trafficking who has been fighting the modern slave trade for decades. Today, Mr. Friedman is CEO of The Mekong Club, an organization that is mobilizing the private sector in the fight against modern slavery. During our discussion, we spoke about the scale of slavery around the world, the role of global corporations and individual consumers, and Bill S-211: The Modern Slavery Act.
Learn more about the Mekong Club: https://themekongclub.org/
The Rt Hon. Joe Clark, who was elected eight times to the House of Commons, served as Secretary of State for External Affairs, Minister of Constitutional Affairs, and Prime Minister of Canada. Today he sits on numerous Boards and Foundations and continues to promote democracy and respect for human diversity. We spoke about the importance of pluralism in the current global context, his strong stand against apartheid in South Africa, past recipients of the Global Pluralism Award, and the importance of inclusion.
Hilary Pearson has had a distinguished career in the Canadian charitable sector. She has worked with many of the largest private foundations in the country and serves as co-chair of the Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector, advising the federal government on policy and regulatory issues. We discussed her career in philanthropy, the impact of the WE scandal on the charitable sector, and what is necessary for the sector to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hamlin Grange is a diversity and inclusion strategist who helps companies better navigate cultural differences. Diya Khanna is a diversity, equity and inclusion specialist. Both have great ideas on how to combat systemic racism and how organizations can ensure that they are truly diverse. We discussed systemic racism, white privilege, essential workers, how to go about creating a more diverse workforce, and the importance of immigration post-pandemic.
Bill Browder is a businessman, bestselling author, and anti-corruption activist who is well known for his efforts to have visa sanctions and asset freezes imposed on those involved in human rights abuses. We had an engaging discussion about his book, Red Notice, as well as the impact of Magnitsky legislation on corrupt officials, the purpose of the Frozen Assets Repurposing Act, and the proposal to create an International Anti-Corruption Court.
Following Senator Omidvar's speech as sponsor of Bill C-344 in the Senate, several Senators had questions about how community benefits could be utilized at the federal level. Listen as Senator Omidvar answers these questions and gives context to the important impacts community benefits have made in jurisdictions, both in Canada and around the world.
Read the Senator's speech on her official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/speech-bill-c-344-community-benefits/
On December 6 2018, Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber as the sponsor of Bill C-344 to champion community benefits principles at the federal level.
The full text of her speech can be read on her official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/speech-bill-c-344-community-benefits/
On December 5, 2018 Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber to celebrate the work being done by GlobalMedic to respond to disasters around the world.
A full copy of the Senator's speech can be read on her official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/senators-statements-celebrating-globalmedics-work-around-world/
On November 29, 2018 Canada's Senators agreed to extend the work of its Special Committee on the Charitable Sector into 2019. Senator Ratna Omidvar gave the final pitch in support of this motion.
To read a full copy of her speech, please visit the Senator's official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/speech-continuing-work-senates-charities-committee-2019/
On November 26, 2018 Senator Ratna Omidvar spoke in favour of Bill C-89, Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act.
A full copy of this speech can be read on her official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/speech-bill-c-89-postal-services-resumption-continuation-act/
On November 26, 2018 Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber to address General Motors' announcement it would close its car assembly plant in Oshawa.
A full copy of her speech can be found on her official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/speech-closure-general-motors-oshawa-car-assembly/
On November 24, Senator Omidvar asked questions to Ministers about the federal government's back-to-work legislation for Canada Post workers.
Read more about the government's response to concerned unionized workers, as well as Canada's international labour treaty commitments, on the Senator's official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/questions-ministers-qualtrough-hajdu-back-work-legislation-canada-post-workers/
On November 20, 2018 Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber to speak to Bill C-59, An Act Respecting National Security Matters. The focus of her remarks were proposed changes to Canada's No Fly List, including how new legislation will benefit young children and other travelers impacted by the previous system.
A full copy of the Senator's speech can be read on her official website:
On November 6, the Senate welcomed Election's Canada Stephane Perrault, the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, and Commissioner of Canada Elections Yves Cote to a Committee of the Whole session to discuss new electoral reform legislation. Senator Omidvar was one of many participants who focused on the ability of Canadians living abroad to vote.
A full transcript of her exchange with these officials can be found on her official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/questions-chief-electoral-officer-perrault-extending-expats-special-voting-rules/
On November 7, 2018 Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber to ask the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime, about how his government will act to ensure permanent residents are not disproportionately punished by new impaired driving laws.
A full transcript of the exchange can be found on Senator Omidvar's official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/question-minister-blair-unintended-consequences-bills-c-45-46-permanent-residents/
On November 6, 2018 Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber to mark Diwali celebrations across Canada and around the world.
The full version of her speech can be viewed on her official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/senators-statements-celebrating-diwali/
On November 1, 2018 Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber to speak to a recent inquiry on anti-black racism.
To read the speech in full please visit her official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/speech-inquiry-anti-black-racism/
On October 23, 2018 Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber to ask the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister for Democratic Institutions, about the need to amend the Parliament of Canada Act to better reflect the Independence of the Senate and the Independent Senators Group's composition.
A full copy of her question along with the Minister's response can be found on Senator Omidvar's official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/question-minister-gould-amending-parliament-canada-act/
On Tuesday, October 16 Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber to celebrate Canadian physicist Dr. Donna Strickland's recipient of a Nobel Prize.
To read the Senator's speech in full, please visit her official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/senators-statements-congratulating-canadian-physicist-dr-donna-strickland-nobel-prize/
On October 2 2018 Senator Ratna Omidvar introduced a motion in the Senate that resulted in the revocation of Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi's honourary Canadian citizenship.
To read a full version of her speech and review some of the media coverage that followed successful adoption of this motion, please visit her official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/speech-motion-revoke-honourary-citizenship-bestowed-aung-san-suu-kyi/
On June 19 2018 Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber to offer comments on the Canadian Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen's commitment to addressing concerns with Bills C-45 and C-46.
You can read a full version of her speech on her official website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/speech-minister-hussens-commitment-address-unintended-consequences-bill-c-45-immigrants/
On June 19 2018, Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber to reflect on World Refugee Day for the second time in her parliamentary career.
You can read a full version of her speech on her website: http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/senators-statements-world-refugee-day-2018/
On June 18 2018, Senator Ratna Omidvar rose in the Senate Chamber to commemorate the victims of the bombing of Air India Flight 182 in 1985. It remains the worst terrorist attack in Canadian history.
To read her remarks in full please visit the Senator's website:http://www.ratnaomidvar.ca/senators-statements-remembering-air-india-flight-182/