Humans, On Rights

Bruce McIvor: What You Need to Know to Talk Reconciliation

If your goals for 2026 include actually moving the needle on reconciliation, lawyer Bruce McIvor has news: you need to get uncomfortable.The Manitoba-born author of Indigenous Rights in One Minute joins us to cut through the performative gestures and explain what reconciliation actually demands. Bruce breaks down centuries of Indigenous law and constitutional rights in plain language—then challenges us to move beyond land acknowledgements to action that matters.We're talking:Why Indigenous rights aren't "special" privileges—they're legal obligations Canada made and must keepWhat Section 35 of the Constitution actually protects (and why most Canadians don't understand it)The difference between consultation theatre and genuine partnershipWhy feeling uncomfortable is exactly where real reconciliation work beginsWhat non-Indigenous Canadians can actually do to move reconciliation work forwardBruce reminds us: "If reconciliation is making you feel good, you're doing it wrong."Read Indigenous Rights in One Minute: What You Need to Know to Talk ReconciliationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patty Weins: Transportation, Safety, and the Right to the City

We sit down with Patty Weins—author of That'll Never Work Here, host of the That's Her Problem podcast, and Bicycle Mayor of Winnipeg. Patty's journey from winter cycling newcomer to city-wide advocate reveals how transportation choices connect to mental health, physical wellbeing, climate justice, and the fundamental right to move safely through our cities.We're talking:Why 30% of the population can't drive—and what that means for designing equitable citiesHow winter cycling transformed from a parking cost workaround into a movement for safer streetsThe hidden connection between snow removal priorities and gender equality in urban designWhy "trip chaining" matters: how women navigate cities differently than traditional planning assumesWhat happened when one collision on Wellington Crescent galvanized 54 advocates in four weeksHow Brazil's bike culture shaped Patty's view of car dependency in Winnipeg—and what needs to changePatty challenges us to see transportation not as a convenience issue but as a fundamental right. When we design cities exclusively for cars, we're making choices about who belongs, who stays safe, and who gets left behind. Whether you're a daily driver reconsidering that right turn at Sherbrooke and Broadway or someone curious about the freedom winter cycling can bring, this conversation offers practical insights into building cities where everyone can arrive alive.Connect with Patty:Website: PattyBikes.comBook: That'll Never Work HerePodcast: That's Her Problem Learn more:Bike Winnipeg: bikewinnipeg.caBycs (Bicycle Mayors Network): bycs.orgSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Max Brault: Race to the Starting Line

December 3rd was International Day of Persons with Disabilities—a day meant to recognize the contributions and rights of people with disabilities worldwide. Today, we're sitting down with someone who's spent 40 years making sure that recognition turns into actual change.Max Brault—national leader in accessibility, author, and someone who lives with spinal muscular atrophy—doesn't just talk about accessibility. He's helped build the Accessible Canada Act, transformed hiring practices in the federal government, and now consults with corporations trying to figure out what true inclusion actually looks like. His new book, The Race to the Starting Line, cuts through all the box-checking and virtue signalling to explain why equality has to start long before anyone even gets to compete.We're talking:Why the Accessible Canada Act exists—and why the Charter alone wasn't enoughThe moment Stats Canada discovered 27% of Canadians identify as having a disability (not the 4% everyone kept citing)How organizations confuse accommodation with inclusionWhy "we're working on it" is code for "we haven't actually started"The difference between designing for people with disabilities and designing with themWhether you're building spaces, creating policies, or just trying to understand why accessibility matters beyond compliance, Max brings decades of lived experience and hard-won wisdom about what it actually takes to build a world where everyone gets to show up fully.Learn more: Max Brault's website and bookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shohan Illsley: Harm Reduction and the Fight for Dignity

We sit down with Shohan Illsley, Executive Director of the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network, to explore how harm reduction is saving lives and restoring dignity to people who use substances across Manitoba. Shohan brings powerful insights into why compassion-based approaches are essential to addressing substance use in our communities.The Manitoba Harm Reduction Network operates 11 sites across the province, connecting people who use substances with the support they need to stay alive and thrive.We're talking:The toxic drug supply crisis that has claimed over 3,000 lives in Manitoba since 2014How the war on drugs is actually a war on people, rooted in racism and colonial harmThe role of manufactured poverty and homelessness in substance dependenceWhy evidence-based interventions like consumption sites reduce deaths and improve community safetyShohan reminds us that the majority of people use substances without problem—and those who do struggle deserve dignity, connection, and evidence-based support rather than criminalization and stigma."Can we just be brave and try something new?" she asks. "What we're asking people to try are interventions grounded in evidence that have been proven to have the desired outcomes we want."Learn more: Manitoba Harm Reduction NetworkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Marcia Anderson: Confronting Anti-Indigenous Racism in Healthcare

A recent Winnipeg Free Press article revealed an uncomfortable truth: Indigenous and Black patients in Manitoba wait longer in emergency rooms and are more likely to leave without receiving care. For Dr. Marcia Anderson, these aren't just statistics – they're a reality she's witnessed firsthand, both as a physician and through her father's near-fatal experience with racist healthcare.As a Cree Anishinaabe physician from Peguis First Nation and Norway House Cree Nation, Dr. Anderson has dedicated her career to dismantling the systemic racism that pervades Canada's healthcare system. Now serving as Vice Dean of Indigenous Health, Social Justice and Anti-Racism at the University of Manitoba, she's leading groundbreaking work to collect racial, ethnic, and Indigenous identifiers in healthcare – making Manitoba the first province in Canada to systematically track these critical disparities.We're discussing:How outdated and harmful theories like the "Thrifty Gene" theory were still being taught during her medical education, blaming Indigenous peoples' poor health on inferior genetics rather than addressing systemic factorsManitoba's pioneering work in collecting racial and ethnic data in healthcare, revealing disturbing patterns of longer wait times and worse outcomes for Indigenous and Black patientsThe critical difference between cultural safety training (which focuses on understanding different cultures) and anti-racism training (which addresses power, discrimination, and systemic barriers)Practical strategies for anyone who witnesses anti-Indigenous racism – from asking curious questions like "I don't understand why that joke is funny, can you explain it to me?" to marking inappropriate behaviour with simple statements like "I'm not comfortable with that remark"Dr. Anderson's message is clear: healthcare disparities aren't inevitable, and they're not the result of individual "bad apples." They're systemic issues that require systemic solutions – from better data collection to transforming medical education to holding institutions accountable for equitable care.As she powerfully notes, while her father had a physician in the family who could advocate for him during his medical crisis, the vast majority of Indigenous people facing healthcare racism do not have that privilege. That reality fuels her ongoing work to ensure every patient receives the care they deserve, regardless of race or background. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.