PodcastsEducationGroup Chat: Making Sense of Canada’s Democracy With a Few Friends

Group Chat: Making Sense of Canada’s Democracy With a Few Friends

Samara Centre For Democracy
Group Chat: Making Sense of Canada’s Democracy With a Few Friends
Latest episode

8 episodes

  • Re-imagining Academic Freedom and Advocacy

    2026-05-07 | 50 mins.
    In this period of global democratic backsliding we’re seeing political pressures in the United States reverberate in Canada. Top American scholars are moving here while Canadian researchers are facing growing scrutiny over what they study. What does this all mean for the health of our democracy?

    In this episode we partnered with the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences on Re-imagining Academic Freedom and Advocacy, to explore these issues in depth with Debra Thompson (McGill University), Eve Haque (York University), and our own Beatrice Wayne (Samara Centre for Democracy).

    Group Chat is produced by the Samara Centre for Democracy, Canada’s leading non-partisan charity dedicated to strengthening and protecting our democracy. Visit samaracentre.ca to explore more of our shows and support this work with a donation. Special thanks to the Flanagan Foundation and the Rideau Hall Foundation for their support.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • Behind the Mic

    2026-04-21 | 21 mins.
    Go behind the scenes of the Group Chat podcast with a BONUS episode featuring host Sabreena Delhon in conversation with Executive Producer Debbie Pacheco. This episode launches our Group Chat Listening Party guide - think book club but a podcast.
    Special thanks to the McConnell Foundation.

    Host a Group Chat Listening Party

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • The Politics of (Back) Home

    2025-07-09 | 26 mins.
    With technology bridging communities across borders, global and local politics are connected more than ever. We explore how diasporic politics shape local democracy, the threat of foreign interference, and the power of belonging in civic life with Anita Li, The Green Line, and Jaskaran Sandhu, Baaz News.

    Group Chat is funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation and the Flanagan Foundation.

    If you like this podcast, help us keep it going. Your donation supports the show along with the Samara Centre for Democracy’s mission to realize a vibrant culture of civic engagement across Canada. Learn more at samaracentre.ca.
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • Is Technology Democracy’s Saviour or Downfall?

    2025-07-02 | 36 mins.
    Taiwan’s former Digital Minister Audrey Tang and economist Glen Weyl share an infectious techno optimism. In a surprisingly spiritual conversation, they tell us why they want to invite more, not less, technology into the democratic process. We also talk to Bianca Wylie from Digital Public about the limitations of tech as a tool of salvation.

    Group Chat is funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation and the Flanagan Foundation.

    If you like this podcast, help us keep it going. Your donation supports the show along with the Samara Centre for Democracy’s mission to realize a vibrant culture of civic engagement across Canada. Learn more at samaracentre.ca.
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • The Notwithstanding Clause: Hero or Villain?

    2025-06-24 | 26 mins.
    Does the notwithstanding clause safeguard our rights or override them? We dive into one of the most controversial parts of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to figure out whether it’s a hero like Wolverine or a wildcard like The Joker. Lawyers Warda Shazadi Meighen, Karin Galldin and Peter Biro weigh in.

    Group Chat is funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation and the Flanagan Foundation.

    If you like this podcast, help us keep it going. Your donation supports the show along with the Samara Centre for Democracy’s mission to realize a vibrant culture of civic engagement across Canada. Learn more at samaracentre.ca.
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About Group Chat: Making Sense of Canada’s Democracy With a Few Friends
Canada’s democracy is under threat, and the stakes are high. But when we focus on how we are connected, we find the power to act - to strengthen what’s working and fix what’s not.This is what is behind the Samara Centre for Democracy’s latest podcast, hosted by Sabreena Delhon. It’s called Group Chat and this five-part series is where we bring people together to make sense of what’s happening in our democracy.Group Chat is funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation and the Flanagan Foundation.If you like this podcast, help us keep it going. Your donation supports the show along with the Samara Centre for Democracy’s mission to realize a vibrant culture of civic engagement across Canada. Learn more at samaracentre.ca. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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