The Munk Debates Podcast

This past year has seen an onslaught of disruptions that call into question our ability to coexist with our environment. The devastating effects of climate change have arrived, and show no signs of abating. Flash flooding has swept across China and Northern Europe. The Eastern United States has been inundated by hurricanes of historic size. Record breaking heat waves and wildfires have decimated large swaths of Western North America. And a global pandemic continues to rage on. All of this begs the question, must we look elsewhere in our universe to ensure the survival of humanity? A growing movement of astrophysicists, biologists, and billionaire space enthusiasts believes our salvation does indeed lie offplanet. Supporters of this movement argue that we are on the cusp of technology that puts this possibility within reach, and that exploration and settlement to deal with issues of environmental instability and scarcity is nothing new. Settling the reachable regions of our universe is merely an extension of this age-old trend. But detractors of the plans to settle space dismiss it as an immeasurably expensive fever dream. In their minds, it would be far more prudent to invest our time and resources into fixing the problems here on Earth, the only known planet to host life. Beyond the massive technological advancements required, there are simply far too many unknowns about how and where life originated to assume it can be simply transported through the cosmos. Arguing for the motion is Milan Cirkovic, Research Professor at the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade and author of Global Catastrophic Risks. Arguing against the motion is Lord Martin Rees, Lord Martin Rees Astronomer Royal, former President of The Royal Society. He is the author of On the Future whose updated paperback edition is due out in October, and The End of Astronauts due out in March of 2022. Milan Cirkovic: “There are many human achievements which, almost by definition, could never be realized if humanity remains bound to Earth.” Lord Martin Rees: “It is a dangerous delusion to think that we could escape the Earth's problems by going to Mars." Sources: Engadget, Blue Origin, SpaceX, European Space Agency, World Government Summit and 60 Minutes Australia The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Jacob Lewis Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast focus on two important stories in the news. First up, the return of the “two Michael’s” and what this says about the past, present and future of Canada’s relationship with China and the brewing energy crisis in China and Europe. Janice and Rudyard discuss the three important takeaways from China’s return of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. Does the end resolution of this diplomatic crisis herald a reset in Canada-China relations or a return to closer ties? And second, as coal, gas and oil prices surge globally, are we collectively at risk of a 1970s style energy crisis? What will the effect be on inflation and the climate change fight as renewables struggle to keep up global power demand? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

It has become one of the more divisive topics in today’s culture wars: what to do with the statues of historical figures with controversial pasts. And while many can agree that the monuments of Robert E Lee and Edward Colston should not stand in city centres, the debate becomes murkier when the likes of Winston Churchill, John A MacDonald, Queen Victoria, and Abraham Lincoln enter the fray. Those calling for statues to come down and streets to be renamed argue that this is not a case of ‘cancel culture’. Rather, it is an overdue re-examination of past heroes and their subjugation of marginalized groups. Those who promoted racist and imperialist policies in their time should not be given the privilege of public glorification in ours. Others argue that social justice “mobs” are ignoring the context in which these transgressions took place, viewing history through a distorted lens comprised of their own values and assumptions and purposely rewriting the past to serve their ideological purposes today. If progressives succeed in their purity purge we will be left with no heroes, no history, and no nuanced understanding of our own past. Arguing for the motion is Cornell William Brooks, Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership and Social Justice at the Harvard Kennedy School and a former President of the NAACP. Arguing against the motion is George F Will, Pulitzer-prize winning columnist for the Washington Post and author of American Happiness and Discontents: The Unruly Torrent. QUOTES: CORNELL WILLIAM BROOKS “When you have commemoration, as opposed to education, it leads to misinformation. And it literally debilitates our ability to grapple with the past in order to come to grips with the present.” GEORGE WILL “My worry is about the question of control. I don't want to control the past. I want the past to be faced as what it was, and not controlled for any political agenda, good, bad or indifferent." Sources: City News, CTV, Washington Post, ABC, WPRI,  The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected]. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast focuses on three stories in the news: Europe is in the news with historic elections taking place in Germany which portend a new and different future for the world’s largest political union and France’s Macron melts down over the new UK, US and Australia security pact. What do these two interconnected stories say about Europe’s domestic politics and future as a unit of global power and influence?; China’s central bank moves against cryptocurrencies suggesting a possible ban could be in the offing. Why is Beijing cracking down on the likes of Bitcoin? Will Western government’s follow suit as domestic currencies come under more pressure as public debts reach new all time highs? And, how should we be interpreting the Canadian election? Does this week’s inconclusive result set the country up for a period of instability or is it simply the reflection of Canada’s new normal. To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Philanthropy, the act of giving, the sharing of one's resources is an inscrutable facet of our social compact. But as global economic trends widen the disparity between the haves and have-nots, the act of philanthropic giving has come under increased scrutiny. In just the last 18 months, billionaires have increased their wealth by $1.2 trillion dollars as markets boom while the rest of the global economy crumbles. And in the spirit of altruism, billionaires have committed portions of this windfall to serve the people most in need. But is it really making a difference? A growing movement of scholars, thinkers, and politicians believe the time has come to call these philanthropic efforts what they are: expensive PR campaigns that valorize extreme wealth and perpetuate a status quo of crushing inequality. If billionaires wanted to help the world, they would push for higher taxes, a greater role for government, and a fairer division of society’s scarce resources. Supporters of large-scale philanthropy argue the critics' arguments are simplistic and ill informed. Citizens should be angry at governments for letting the urgent problems we face as species fester for generations. It’s billionaire donors, not governments, who are stepping up with creative solutions to some of the biggest global challenges. In our time, billionaire philanthropy is creating tangible benefits for millions of people around the world by addressing urgent public health crises, environmental degradation and pushing for accountability on behalf of all donors. The world is a better place thanks to billionaire philanthropy and we are all benefiting from their charity. Arguing for the motion is Rob Reich, the Director of Stanford's McCoy Center for Ethics in Society, co-director of Stanford's Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, and author of Just Giving: Why Philanthropy is Failing Democracy and How it Can Do Better. Arguing against the motion is Beth Breeze, the Director of the Centre for Philanthropy at University of Kent and author of upcoming book In Defense of Philanthropy due out this November. Rob Reich: “We should direct our scrutiny at the rich people for how they make their money, as well as how they give it away”. Beth Breeze: “Philanthropy simply means love of humankind. I'm in favor of more, not less human kindness in our society”. Sources: CNN, CNBC, ABC, and ABC News Australia The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected]. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Jacob Lewis Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s episode features a live taping of podcast held in Toronto, Canada on September 16. Janice and Rudyard discuss the upcoming Canadian federal election, the changing of the guard in Europe with Merkel’s exit from politics and why western government are increasingly struggling with one of the their most basic tasks: the competent delivery of public programs and services. A note to our non-Canadian listeners: this episodes is heavy on Canadian politics due to our upcoming election. The podcast will return to its usual format next week. To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

What began as early summer optimism about the end of the pandemic has turned into frustration, anger, and worry over a steep rise in COVID cases and hospitalizations. Many are pointing the finger at the unvaccinated, accusing them of selfish and risky behaviour that puts everyone else’s lives, and livelihoods, at risk. Hospital ICUs are filling up again, health care workers are being forced back to the frontline, and taxpayers are expected to foot the bill for those who refused the shot. Some schools are being required to go online again, and many businesses will not be able to recover. With only 61% of US adults fully vaccinated, the virus will be able to circulate, and we run the risk of developing a new breed of vaccine-resistant strains. Some medical practitioners are calling on the government to step in: if individuals refuse to do their part and get the shot, mandates must be introduced to force them to do so. Others argue that draconian edicts such as vaccine mandates harm public health. Not only will they erode trust and increase vaccine hesitancy, but they could also court unnecessary risks for youth and children. Young people are far less likely to develop serious health complications from COVID and therefore should not be required to take vaccines whose potential effects have not been studied over the longer term. And finally, mandating shots in wealthy countries indirectly denies protection for older, more vulnerable populations in the developing world. Everyone should be given the ability to choose what they put in their body, else we become a nation where our basic freedoms play second fiddle to public health. Arguing for the motion is Paul Offit, Professor of Vaccinology and Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Arguing against the motion is Martin Kulldorff, biostatistician, epidemiologist and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. QUOTES: PAUL OFFIT “This is a contagious disease, and it is not your right to spread this disease to others and cause harm... we have to compel people to do the right thing because they seem not to want to do the right thing on their own.”  MARTIN KULLDORFF “If we want to have long-term trust in public health, we cannot use coercion and mandates. We have to use education and mutual trust.” Sources:  ABC, NBC, CBC, FOX The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members only podcast, featuring Janice Gross Stein and Rudyard Griffiths, focuses on three stories in the news this week: why was last night’s federal election debate in Canada such a disaster? What can we do to actually organise debates that work for voters? How are we to read the smoke signals the Taliban are sending to the international community with the announcement of a hardline governing cabinet? And, what does Angela Merkel’s political exit from stage left mean for the future of Europe? We discuss it all. To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

It’s back to school for millions of students this week after a school year of unprecedented disruption and with the traditional grading systems and report card one of the main casualties. But some educators say this past year’s abandonment of letter grades and grade point averages has been a good thing and is key to reforming the education system. They say that for decades research has shown that traditional grading systems decrease student learning by shifting their attention from deep learning to how to play and win at the game of school. Giving out grades reduces student interest in knowledge for its own sake as well as the desire to take on challenges. Rather than providing a fair and helpful snapshot of a student’s progress, grades only succeed in capturing the inequity and bias that afflicts our education systems. Supporters of traditional grading approaches respond that grades, especially when paired with individualized comments, provide a valuable feedback tool that is fundamental to a successful education system. Grades that are based on clearly defined learning goals address the problem of teacher bias and provide an honest answer to the key question on every student’s mind: how am I doing? Grades also communicate this important information to parents and to higher learning establishments with limited enrolment. Most importantly grades reward effort, a key pillar for a fair and just education system and the broader society it feeds. Arguing for the motion is Alfie Kohn, an education lecturer and author of many books on parenting and education including Punished by Rewards and The Schools Our Children Deserve. Arguing against the motion is Tom Guskey, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Kentucky’s College of Education, and an international expert on student assessment. He has also published many books, most recently Get Set, Go! Creating Successful Grading and Reporting Systems and What We Know About Grading: What Works, What Doesn't, and What's Next.  Sources: City News, King 5, First Coast News, ABC 10 News, ASCD, CBC, CESA 2 The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Christina Campbell Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja Researcher: Eden Pollock

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members only podcast focuses three stories in the news: now that the Afghan withdrawal is complete will the West forget the people of Afghanistan? What do we owe our Afghan allies who remain trapped in the country? Why is there no discussion of foreign policy in the Canadian election. Are we really this provincial as a country? And, the Chinese government cracks down on online tutors and video gaming. What is behind Beijing’s new found animosity towards Big Tech? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Meritocracy has long been championed as a way of attaining success through hard work and skill; society’s best and brightest are rewarded based on their performance, not their background. But some people have started to poke holes in this theory, arguing that meritocracy, as it exists today, is an illusion. Critics argue this foundational principle has been co-opted by society’s elite, allowing them to transfer social status and wealth to their children by limiting the competition they face whether it's attaining higher education or gaining lucrative employment. The faux meritocracy of the 21st century is exacerbating inequality and diminishing opportunities for middle and lower class families and youth. While not perfect, others argue that meritocracy is the best system we have for conferring society’s resources on individuals thereby rewarding human talent. Meritocracy has transformed over a century or more Western societies mostly for the better, giving the poor and middle class a chance at upward mobility and including women and other historically disadvantaged groups in the collective pursuit of individual success. Social mobility is stalling not because of meritocracy, but due to institutions’ failure to complete the meritocratic revolution and fully embrace its core principles and ideas. Arguing for the motion is Daniel Markovits, Professor of Law at Yale Law School and author of The Meritocracy Trap. Arguing against the motion is Adrian Wooldridge, political editor of the Economist and author The Aristocracy of Talent. QUOTES: DANIEL MARKOVITS “Meritocracy has restructured education in such a way that having rich parents is almost a necessary condition for getting the kind of education that you need to get ahead.” ADRIAN WOODLRIDGE “Inequality between the upper and middle class is widening due to a lack of meritocracy. And the best solution to the problem is more meritocracy, not less meritocracy.” Sources: CNN, HBO, The Institute of Art and Ideas, Fox News, CNN The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected]. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast focuses exclusively on the crisis unfolding in Afghanistan. What will be the immediate repercussions of the botched evacuation by Western powers of their citizens and only a limited number of Afghan allies? How big is the security threat of a Taliban governed Afghanistan for the region and the West? What does the handling of this crisis say about the state of elites in the world’s major powers? Are they still capable of competently managing international affairs and protecting their national interests? And finally, what are the knock on effects of the Afghanistan evacuation on the federal election currently underway in Canada? Will this crisis impact how Canadians’ vote in September? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

A Facebook algorithm that tracks posts for suicidal thoughts; an app that monitors the speed of keyboard strokes for signs of depression; a computer program that analyzes our facial expressions and tone of voice when we FaceTime. These are a few of the thousands of algorithms tracking our mental health that some experts say could revolutionize how we diagnose and treat mental illness. They say that our 24/7 use of digital devices is generating a goldmine of information about our mental state that must be accessible to mental health practitioners if psychiatric medicine is to operate like a scientific discipline in the 21st century. Instagram posts, text logs, Google searches, and GPS data, and not psychiatrists’ observations and intuitions based on conversation, offer the detail and time stamped precision we need to generate tailored and effective treatments to the millions of individuals who desperately need help in the post pandemic world. Critics say the problems with this big data approach go far beyond the obvious privacy issues that come with outsourcing mental health monitoring to digital monopolies like Google and Apple. The push for mental health algorithms reflects a reductive view of human emotions that undermines the strengths of the traditionally human centred field of psychiatric medicine. Diagnoses based on dialogue between two individuals and grounded in intuition and empathy will always be better than machine intelligence at drawing out the personal histories that explain trauma and generate helpful treatment. Engaging machines to address the mental health crisis is nothing but a quick fix solution that only helps the deeply underresourced health systems of our world today. Arguing for the motion is Daniel Barron, Medical Director of the Interventional Pain Psychiatry Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is on the faculty at Harvard Medical School and the author of the recently published book Reading Our Minds: The Rise of Big-Data Psychiatry. Arguing against the motion is Gerhard Gründer, Professor of Psychiatry and Head of the Department for Molecular Neuroimaging at the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany. He is the author of How Do We Want to Live? Sources: CBSDFW, CBS Boston, The Doctors Company The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Christina Campbell Editor: Kieran Lynch Producer: Nicole Edwards Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast focuses on the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan. What should Western powers do next to have a chance to get their citizens and Afghan allies out of Kabul? Is there a possible deal that could be reached with the Taliban to avert bloodshed? And what does this crisis say about the state and future of America’s engagement with the world? Specifically, what lessons should we be drawing from a failed twenty year war and botched evacuation? We wrap the show with details on our live show taping in September. To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

While partisan fighting and gridlock has come to characterize most Western governments, one issue has united liberals and conservatives against a common foe: the rise of Big Tech. Anti-trust experts warn that Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft have become too powerful, too fast. They control our data, our discourse, and our politics. Their unmatched power is a threat to innovation and market competition. For the sake of democracy and dynamism, their days of unlimited expansion, privacy violations, and corporate acquisitions must come to an end. It is past time to regulate these internet giants. The CEOs of these tech companies, however, are fighting back. Zuckerberg, Bezos, Pichai, et al argue that they have become an easy scapegoat for the pitfalls of a digital revolution no one could have expected. Far from achieving a monopoly over the industry, these companies face stiff competition from big players in the space and emerging disruptors. Furthermore, the negative associations with these companies has overshadowed the very real benefits they have brought to the public; Google, Facebook, Youtube and Amazon have provided revolutionary and life-changing opportunities around the globe. These digital giants have transformed the world into a more inter-connected, transparent, and democratic space for all of its users, uplifting entire communities with just the push of a few buttons. We must embrace, not fear, the rise of big tech and its dominance in society. Arguing for the motion is Robby Soave, senior editor at Reason and the author of Tech Panic: Why We Shouldn't Fear Facebook and the Future Arguing against the motion is Taylor Owen, Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Democracy at McGill University and the host of The Big Tech podcast QUOTES: ROBBY SOAVE “I don't fear the dominance of Big Tech in society. However, I do fear the dominance of government in society, particularly any effort it might undertake to fix some of big tech’s reported problems” TAYLOR OWEN “We have a set of social harms and economic harms that aren't being self-regulated because of market concentration. We have a failed market that's leading to social and economic harms.” Sources: Yahoo Finance, NBC, CNBC, FOX Business The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast focuses on three topics in the news this week. The Taliban shock the world with their rapid military takeover of Afghanistan – What explains the Taliban’s ability to overthrow the Afghan government in multiple regional capitals? How is this crisis likely the play out in the coming weeks. Vaccine mandates become an increasing part of America’s COVID response while Canada lags on making vaccinations mandatory – Why is Canada a laggard on vaccine mandates? With kids unvaccinated is it time for to make vaccination mandatory for all teachers? And, a Canadian federal election looks likely to called this Sunday – What are the issues that will dominate the campaign? How can the opposition parties challenge the incumbent Liberal government with so much of the election taking place before Labour Day? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

First the banning of headscarves in France’s public schools. Then prohibitions against full face coverings and religious worship in public spaces, and most recently legislation that targets Islamic fundamentalism. And in Quebec, a former colony of France, the outlawing of religious symbols in government workplaces, including schools. These are some of the strong measures that France and Quebec have taken to enforce the separation of church and state that is characteristic of Western democracies. Proponents of secularism, or laïcité as it is called in France, say that secularism promotes healthy democracies by ensuring that competing religious loyalties do not undermine the full equality and free speech necessary to be good citizens. Furthermore, secularism protects religions by providing a framework where believers and non-believers alike can privately and peacefully co-habitate. What secularism cannot tolerate is politicized religion, which secularists say we are witnessing with the rise of Islamism. They argue that this politicized form of Islam threatens democratic ideals in exactly the same way that the Catholic church undermined the French Republic at the beginning of the last century, and must be opposed just as aggressively. The lengths to which France and Quebec are willing to go to promote their vision of a secular society has provoked an international outcry. Critics argue that modern day secularism is not a neutral policy, but a form of disguised colonialism that targets religious and racialized communities, in particular followers of Islam. They argue that the activist secularist policies we are witnessing right now are based on simplistic ideas about the Muslim faith, such as the assumption that oppression of women is an essential feature of Islam, and that Muslim communities do not adapt or integrate when they join new communities. Prohibiting religious expression is undemocratic and illiberal, a denial of fundamental rights that enrich societies. Rather than supporting peaceful and productive democracies, secularism is another form of fundamentalism that sows the seeds for extremism and terrorism. Arguing for the motion is Caroline Fourest, a journalist, film maker, and expert on French secularism. She is the author of many best-selling books in France, including The Genius of Secularism. Arguing against the motion is John Bowen, who is Professor of Sociocultural Anthropology, at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the author of numerous books about Islam including Why the French Don’t Like Headscarves: Islam, the State, and Public Space. Sources: AFP News Agency, France 24, CBC, Al Jazeera, TVO, Euronews, Wall Street Journal The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Christina Campbell Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja Research: Charlotte Fay

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast focuses on three stories in the news: China introduces sweeping new virus controls as delta variant outbreaks happen in multiple cities; are we seeing the limits of China’s lockdown heavy COVID control strategy? What could be the effects on global economic recovery if China can’t fight off the delta threat? And, how worried should we be about the possibility of an “omega” strain that evade vaccines completely? – Two of Afghanistan’s major cities are battling large scale Taliban military incursions with possibly thousands of civilian deaths occurring already; is a complete Taliban takeover of Afghanistan a possibility? Or, is a collapse back into outright civil war the more likely outcome? And, what is the West’s responsibility after spending two decades and trillion dollars to supposedly “rebuild” Afghanistan? – Iran swears in a new hardline President; what does the elevation of Ebrahim Raisi to president of Iran foretell for the region, Israel’s policy towards Iran, and the Biden administration’s efforts to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Who can forget these memorable moments in sports when reigning world champions lost their titles, medals, and invitations to compete as punishment for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. But while most sports experts agree these high-profile scandals represent just the tip of the iceberg, some say the time has come to accept that doping is part and parcel of the spectacle of elite sport. They argue that the days where athletes won medals based on natural genetic advantage and dedicated training are long gone and that the World Anti Doping Administration’s push for clean athletes is wishful fantasy. The future of sport is one where athletes will push their physiological boundaries with the help of steroids, hormones, and yes even gene editing, embracing the high-tech innovation that is revolutionizing every other aspect of our lives. Anti-doping crusaders respond that a sporting world that allows unrestricted access to performance enhancement drugs is one that threatens athletes’ lives and also spells the end of sport as we have played and watched it for thousands of years. They argue that the most powerful reason to ban doping is that it undermines the skill development and overcoming of physical and mental obstacles that lies at the heart of fair play. Substances that provide immediate athletic advantages without any work or struggle represents the beginning of a joyless and pointless brave new world in sports. Arguing for the motion is Julian Savulescu, Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford, where he directs the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities. Arguing against the motion is Angela Schneider, Director of the International Centre for Olympic Studies, an Associate Professor in Kinisiology at the University of Western Ontario, and an Olympic silver medallist in rowing. Sources: BBC Sport, ABC News, Huff Post, CNBC, TNW, Calgary Herald, NBC, Channel 4, City News The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected]. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Christina Campbell Editor: Kieran Lynch Producer: Nicole Edwards Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Member’s podcast explores three important stories in the news this week: Somber Olympics kicks off in Japan as the nation battle delta variant outbreak; why is the mood of this Olympics different from past summer games? Is it the lack of crowds? The strain of the pandemic on athletes? Or, a host nation that has bigger problems on its plate in the form of a the delta variant? – The Chinese government wipes out a trillion dollars of stock value off its high flying domestic tech companies with threats of new regulations; what is behind this move on the part of the Communist Party? Are we seeing the beginnings of the “splinternet” as China takes control of its tech titans to mold a made in Beijing global world wide web? – And, millions in Australia have strict lockdowns continued to suppress delta variant spread. Is this sign of the failure of Australia’s COVID zero policies? Or, can the spread of delta be stopped by punitive lockdown measures including calling out the military to enforce public health controls? We discuss it all. To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

It’s been 125 years since the modern Olympics were founded in Athens, and this year will see a monumental first for the world’s biggest sporting competition: the inclusion of Laurel Hubbard, a transgender female athlete, in the women’s weightlifting competition. In 2015, the IOC issued guidelines that allow transgender athletes to compete as a woman if their testosterone levels are suppressed to predetermined level prior to competing. Scientific advisers to the IOC argue that hormone therapy is sufficient in creating a level playing field between transgender athletes and biological females. Trans women, they maintain, who have undergone estrogen therapy, do not possess a material athletic advantage over cisgender women. Critics of the current IOC policy argue that the suppression of testosterone does not mitigate many of the physical advantages gained by those who have gone through puberty as males - such as developing a bigger heart, more lung capacity, longer skeletal structures, etc. Separate sports categories for women and men were created to give female athletes the chance to compete against each other and win on approximately equal terms. Including transgender women in sports competitions like the Olympics is profoundly unfair to cisgender females and denigrates their hard work and sacrifice as elite athletes. Arguing for the motion is Joanna Harper, trans athlete, medical physicist, and adviser to the IOC on matters of gender and sport. Arguing against the motion is Gregory Brown, Professor of Exercise Science at University of Nebraska at Kearney. QUOTES: JOANNA HARPER “We need to be very careful when we make arguments that trans women athletes are displacing other women, because in a sociological sense they are indeed female." GREGORY BROWN “If you're going to compete, you should have a chance to win. Including a trans woman who runs 12% faster than a cisgender woman makes it very difficult for it to be a meaningful competition.” Sources: BBC, RNZ, Good Morning Britain, Fox News, France24 The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected]. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast digs into two big stories in the news this week: The Chinese ride hailing app DiDi finds itself in hot water with China’s communist government after it lists on U.S. stock exchange – Why is the Chinese government cracking down on domestic tech companies bent on attracting foreign capital? What does DiDi’s fate say about the future of big data in an era of growing great power competition been China and America?; On the heels of Biden-Putin summit which promised joint cooperation on ransomware attacks the US is hit twice in one week by cyber intrusions coming from Russia – How will the Biden administration respond? Are we on the verge of dangerous escalation of state originated cyber attacks?; and we conclude the program with a discussion of what these two stories say about the future of the Internet – Are we living through the disintegration of the World Wide Web as we know it? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Twenty years and counting. 800 billion dollars spent. Over 2,000 US service members killed. America, Canada and NATO’s longest war is finally coming to a close as troops begin to withdraw from their bases in Afghanistan this summer. While fully three quarters of Americans applaud President Biden’s decision to pull out ground troops completely, many security experts are sounding the alarm. Leaving Afghanistan without a secure national government and strong army in place, they warn, will almost certainly lead to a Taliban takeover, ethnic cleansing, mass slaughter, and the destabilization of a country that has long been a regional powder keg. It’s a risky move that would destroy the West's credibility as an ally at the very moment China is on the rise as a global player. Also, without a foreign military presence, the very real risk exists that Al-Qaeda will use the country again as a base to expand their recruitment and plan terror attacks against the US and its allies. Others see 20 years of fighting and little to show for it. The Taliban remains a major force in the country and controls more territory now than it did in 2001. Efforts to build up Afghan forces, install a stable government, and curb corruption ended in failure at great expense of blood and treasure. America, NATO and the West can no longer afford to be Afghanistan's policeman. It’s time to end a conflict that is no longer in the national interest. Arguing for the motion is Elliot Ackerman, former US Marine and intelligence officer and best-selling author of 2034: a novel of the next world order Arguing against the motion is Andrew Bacevich, President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and author of After the Apocalypse, America’s Role in a World Transformed QUOTES: ELLIOT ACKERMAN “The current policy in which the US forfeits the entire enterprise is strategically ill-advised and nearsighted, particularly given current costs, which are relatively minor.” ANDREW BACEVICH “Afghans don't want to be occupied by foreign armies. Afghans want to be the masters of their own fate. I think we should allow them to exercise that privilege.” Sources: NBC, ABC, BBC, MSNBC, Democracy Now! The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected]. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Member’s podcast explore three big issues in the news week: After two decades all foreign troops are being withdrawn from Afghanistan as Taliban forces surge toward Kabul – What did we learn from this war? What do we owe the people of Afghanistan including its women and girls? And, what is likely fate now of this perpetually war torn country?; Mass civil unrests grips Cuba and South Africa – Why are the protestors on the street? How is food inflation playing into increasing social instability in the developing world?; and the delta variant surges across Asia, Europe and the United States – How concerned should we be about this variant? To what extent could it imperil the reopening of our economies and return to something approaching “normal” this autumn? We discuss it all. To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

It is the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War. Over 300,000 dead in Syria. One and a half million injured or disabled. Four and a half million people fleeing the country as refugees. And Syria is just one of a growing number of failed or failing states in the Middle East and North Africa. How should developed nations respond to human suffering on this mass scale? Do the prosperous societies of the West, including Canada and the U.S., have a moral imperative to assist as many refugees as they reasonably and responsibly can? Or, is this a time for vigilance and restraint in the face a wave of mass migration that risks upending Western nations’ openness, tolerance and ultimately their very way of life? Arguing for the motion are Louise Arbour and Simon Schama Arguing against the motion are Mark Steyn and Nigel Farage The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected]. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz and Christina Stewart Campbell Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast digs into two big stories in the news this week: The Chinese ride hailing app DiDi finds itself in hot water with China’s communist government after it lists on U.S. stock exchange – Why is the Chinese government cracking down on domestic tech companies bent on attracting foreign capital? What does DiDi’s fate say about the future of big data in an era of growing great power competition been China and America?; On the heels of Biden-Putin summit which promised joint cooperation on ransomware attacks the US is hit twice in one week by cyber intrusions coming from Russia – How will the Biden administration respond? Are we on the verge of dangerous escalation of state originated cyber attacks?; and we conclude the program with a discussion of what these two stories say about the future of the Internet – Are we living through the disintegration of the World Wide Web as we know it? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Seemingly out of nowhere Critical Race Theory has become a highly contentious front in a culture war raging in schools across North America, pitting parents against teachers and progressives against conservatives. Proponents describe it as an important theoretical concept that explains how racism is perpetuated within the power structures of historically white societies. Students, they argue, must be taught that racism is not an individual bias, nor is it a thing of the past; rather, racism is embedded into the country’s institutions and supports the perpetuation of white supremacy in society. In sum, race consciousness, on the part of all groups, is essential to our ability to achieve equality for all. Critics of CRT see it as non-empirical, highly specious academic doctrine that promotes discrimination and division in contemporary society. They maintain that analyzing everything through a racial lens impedes racial progress for all groups including the most disadvantaged. For its opponents, CRT is an illiberal and anti-enlightenment ideology that runs counter to ideals of progress, self-determination and equality built on people’s shared humanity. Arguing for the motion is John McWhorter, Linguist and Associate Professor of English at Columbia University. Arguing against the motion is Gloria Ladson-Billings, critical race theory scholar and Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. QUOTES: JOHN MCWHORTER “What worries me is that it's not race that is being taught in schools, but an idea that racism is everything and that battling power differentials must be the focus of all of our moral, intellectual and artistic endeavors.” GLORIA LADSON-BILLINGS “The fight about critical race theory is not an academic one, it's a political one. And when politicians cannot win points on policy, they resort to inciting a culture war.” Sources: Fox News, MSNBC, ABC, The Hill The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected]. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

COVID-19 has fast-forwarded us into a confusing and uncertain future. Nowhere are the accelerating forces of the pandemic more evident than in our democracy. We are being challenged by rising authoritarian regimes, a reckoning on race, and intense debates on cancel culture, identity politics and free speech. The Spring 2021 Munk Dialogues host some of the world’s brightest thinkers for in-depth, one hour conversions on the fate and future of democracy in a world remade by COVID-19. This episode features Irshad Manji in conversation with Munk Debates Chair, Rudyard Griffiths. The conversation explores finding common ground in our polarized society, and what attitudes that can help us open up to different points of view. Irshad Manji is a bestselling author, commentator and founder of the award winning Moral Courage Project. She has taught at New York University, the University of Southern California and, since 2018, in Oxford University’s Initiative for Global Ethics and Human Rights. Irshad’s latest bestseller is Don't Label Me. For more information on the Munk Dialogues visit www.munkdebates.com/dialogues. The Munk Dialogues are a project of the Munk Debates and the Peter and Melanie Munk Foundation. They are sponsored by Gluskin Sheff, Onex, Bond Brand Loyalty and Torys, LLP. If you like what the Munk Dialogues are all about consider becoming a Supporting Member of the Munk Debates at www.munkdebates.com/membership. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates, podcasts and dialogues, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents).

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This edition of the Munk Member’s only podcast explores three topics from the week that was: Canada celebrates its national birthday at moment when many Canadians are feeling decidedly unpatriotic – How was the tone of Canada Day different this year? What did we learn as a country from last twelve months of extraordinary events fueled by the pandemic?; Britain engages in gunboat diplomacy by sending a naval ship into contested waters in the Black Sea – Why are great power contesting control of the Black Sea? What are the risks of these types of events leading to an unintentional hostilities?; And Janice and Rudyard discuss this week’s Munk Dialogue with Irshad Manji on how we can have productive conversations about difficult issues. To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Is God Great? This week we are airing a special edition of the Munk Debates Podcast—a rebroadcast of a classic debate that launched our series on the world stage. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair and the late Christopher Hitchens - an avowed atheist - debating the motion Be it resolved, religion is a force for good in the world.

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Debate members-only podcast focuses on three topics in the news: Canada’s fight over the powers of its legislature to compel the Justin Trudeau’s government to hand over sensitive documents is headed to the courts - What is at stake in this tug of war over the constitution and powers of Parliament? And, could it trigger a summer federal election?; Cases of highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 are continuing to surge globally – How big a threat is the variant to global reopening plans? Is Africa at risk of experiencing an Indian style third wave?; And Hong Kong authorities push Apple Daily, one of the territories iconic newspapers to shutter its doors – Is this the official death knell of democracy in Hong Kong? What does it mean for the world to lose Hong Kong as a non-Western democracy committed to individual freedom and self expression? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

The murder of four Muslim Canadians in London, Ontario; the discovery of a mass grave containing the remains of 215 children at a former residential school in BC; a rise in hate crimes against Muslims, Asians, and Jews across the country. As Canadians are confronted by racially-motivated attacks, both past and present, many have come to believe that these are not unique events. Racism in Canada, they argue, is embedded into our culture, our institutions, our media, and indeed the very fabric of our day-to-day lives. Sweeping reform in government, laws, and education must be undertaken to address the country’s systemic racism and make Canada a safe place for all of its citizens. Others disagree with this assessment. While Canada’s history has indeed featured institutionalized racism towards different groups, most notably towards its indigenous communities, the country has made remarkable progress in acknowledging its diversity and celebrating its differences. One-off hate crimes do not represent the majority of Canadians and their attitudes towards marginalized and racialized communities. As Canada’s high rates of immigration attest, the country has won a global reputation as a welcoming home for all – regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexuality. To claim Canada is systemically racist is a gross mischaracterization that ignores the country’s success as pluralistic democracy and undermines social cohesion. Arguing for the motion is Shree Paradkar, columnist and internal ombud, Toronto Star, Atkinson Fellow in Public Policy 2018-2019. Arguing against the motion is Rupa Subramanya, National Post colmnist and distinguished fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation. QUOTES: SHREE PARADKAR “History is not something that's a story that happened in the past, and that was magically resolved into some sort of equality today” RUPA SUBRAMANYA “We as Canadians continuously are working towards becoming more tolerant, inclusive, and welcoming to all people. This is a sign of a society moving in the right direction” Sources: CTV, Toronto Star, CITY News, CBC The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

COVID-19 has fast-forwarded us into a confusing and uncertain future. Nowhere are the accelerating forces of the pandemic more evident than in our democracy. We are being challenged by rising authoritarian regimes, a reckoning on race, and intense debates on cancel culture, identity politics and free speech. The Spring 2021 Munk Dialogues host some of the world’s brightest thinkers for in-depth, one hour conversions on the fate and future of democracy in a world remade by COVID-19. This episode features Timothy Snyder in conversation with Munk Debates Chair, Rudyard Griffiths and explores the unique dangers 21st century authoritarianism presents to the liberal world. Timothy Snyder is one of the most compelling historians writing today. He is the author of a string of bestselling books on the roots of contemporary authoritarianism and its threat to liberal democracy, including On Tyranny and The Road to Unfreedom. He is the Richard C. Levin Professor of History at Yale University and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. For more information on the Munk Dialogues visit www.munkdebates.com/dialogues. The Munk Dialogues are a project of the Munk Debates and the Peter and Melanie Munk Foundation. They are sponsored by Gluskin Sheff, Onex, Bond Brand Loyalty and Torys, LLP. If you like what the Munk Dialogues are all about consider becoming a Supporting Member of the Munk Debates at www.munkdebates.com/membership. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates, podcasts and dialogues, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents).

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members podcast explores three topics of interest this week: Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin have their first one-on-one summit – What did we learn from the meeting? How is American policy changing towards Russia? Will we see a shift in Putin’s behavior?; Canada’s Liberal government found in contempt of Parliament over failure to release documents about a virology lab – What is really going on in this tug of war between Parliament and the PM? And, could it trigger an election?; And finally we unpack the key insights of Timothy Snyder’s Munk Dialogue on authoritarianism’s threat to liberal democracy. To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

As if pulling off the world’s signature sporting event in Tokyo this summer during a global pandemic wasn’t challenge enough, the International Olympic Committee is now facing a chorus of voices calling for a boycott of next February’s Beijing Winter Olympics. Politicians from across the political spectrum as well as hundreds of human rights groups say that China’s crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong and the genocide of the Uyghur community violate the fundamental principles of the Olympic charter and that the IOC must preserve the integrity of its mission by calling off the event. They argue that a failure to do so sends the message that the world condones China’s actions, gives the country the international prestige it craves but has not earned, and misses a key opportunity to push for important human rights improvements in the country. Olympics boosters counter that more than ever the games need to go on: in our fractured world an international gathering of amateur athletes competing at the highest level sets just the kind of example of global cooperation the world needs right now and the Olympics are intended for. They argue that using athletes and the century-old Olympics to pursue geopolitical goals is what flies in the face of the movement’s values, not hosting an event in an undemocratic country. Boycotts punish athletes and destroy their careers with no impact on a host country’s conduct. The Moscow Olympic boycott in 1980 accomplished nothing and a Beijing boycott would be no different. Arguing for the motion is Jules Boykoff, Professor of Politics and Government at Pacific University, in Oregon, a former professional soccer player who played on the US Olympic Soccer team, and the author of numerous books about the Olympics, most recently NOlympians: Inside the Fight Against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Beyond. Arguing against the motion is Richard Pound, a former Olympic swimmer who is a Canadian member and former Vice President of the International Olympic Committee. He was also the first president of the World Anti-Doping Agency.  Sources: Sky News Australia, Fox News, CNBC, NTD UK News CBC, CBS News, NBC News, Senator Mitt Romney, IOC Media The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Christina Campbell Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk members only podcast explores three topics: as the G7 prepares to meet, questions are being asked about its relevance in a world reshaped by the pandemic – should the G7 become a forum to push back against the rise of China? How do smaller countries like Canada navigate the multilateralism of the post-COVID era?; the U.S. logs another month of surging inflation up 5% year over year – are we on the cusp of a 1970s style surge in inflation? Have policy makers become too complacent about the inflation threat?; and we end the podcast with a frank discussion about “mansplaining” – is the tone of the Munk Members podcast respectful of gender? How can women and men talk to each other effectively? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

As COVID-19 spread throughout the world in the spring of 2020, most scientists accepted the pandemic origin story as told by China and supported by the WHO: the virus jumped from an animal to a human in a Wuhan wet market. Yet after examining how COVID-19 spread among humans and infected its hosts, a few scientists began to question the role of nature in its creation. They found evidence which pointed to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a research lab where pathogenic viruses were being studied, and enhanced, in their capacity to infect people. In the fall of 2019, they argue, one of these research subject viruses infected a lab worker and escaped, spreading to the nearby population and beyond. After many months of being dismissed as a conspiracy theory, a growing number of scientists and government agencies have begun to warm to this hypothesis, calling for further investigations into the Wuhan lab and more transparency from the Chinese government. Some scientists, however, are not persuaded. A number of virologists who studied the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus genome sequence are steadfast in their belief that the virus is nature borne. Not only do its genetic sequences and protein structures mimic a bat virus, the way it infects humans does not suggest any biological engineering. The suggestion that COVID-19 leaked from a lab is a dangerous conspiracy theory not supported by the facts which could affect the study of other coronaviruses and harm our preparedness for future pandemics. Arguing for the motion is Dr. Steven Quay, an anatomic pathology specialist and the author of “Stay Safe: A Physician’s Guide to Survive Coronavirus.” Arguing against the motion is Dr. Daniel Griffin, an infectious disease expert and clinical instructor of medicine at Columbia University. QUOTES: STEVEN QUAY “The three key components of a zoonosis point to a non-traditional community acquired infection, which leaves me with the conclusion that COVID-19 came from the laboratory.” DANIEL GRIFFIN “We've seen many different infectious diseases go from animals into humans and become devastating. You don't need a mad scientist, unfortunately. In this case, the villain is nature.” Sources: CNN, BBC, Reuters, Tulane University The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected]. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

COVID-19 has fast-forwarded us into a confusing and uncertain future. Nowhere are the accelerating forces of the pandemic more evident than in our democracy. We are being challenged by rising authoritarian regimes, a reckoning on race, and intense debates on cancel culture, identity politics and free speech. The Spring 2021 Munk Dialogues host some of the world’s brightest thinkers for in-depth, one hour conversions on the fate and future of democracy in a world remade by COVID-19. This episode features Nesrine Malik in conversation with Munk Debates Chair, Rudyard Griffiths. Nesrine Malik is an award-winning British Sudanese columnist and features writer for The Guardian, and the author of We Need New Stories: The Myths that Subvert Freedom. She was born in Sudan and grew up in Kenya, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. She received her undergraduate education at the American University in Cairo and University of Khartoum, and her post graduate education at the University of London. For more information on the Munk Dialogues visit www.munkdebates.com/dialogues. The Munk Dialogues are a project of the Munk Debates and the Peter and Melanie Munk Foundation. They are sponsored by Gluskin Sheff, Onex, Bond Brand Loyalty and Torys, LLP. If you like what the Munk Dialogues are all about consider becoming a Supporting Member of the Munk Debates at www.munkdebates.com/membership. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates, podcasts and dialogues, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents).

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members Podcast tackles three stories from the past week: Xi Jinping announces a new cooperative tone for Chinese diplomacy – Is this a meaningful change in China’s geopolitical world view? What does it mean for countries like Canada who have seen relations with the Middle Kingdom hit all-time lows?; America’s largest meatpacking business is the victim of the latest ransom attack on key U.S. infrastructure – Why are these attacks accelerating? And is Russia the real culprit here using third party hackers to destabilize its major military and economic competitor?; And finally we revisit last night’s Munk Dialogue with Nesrine Malik. What did we learn from this fascinating conversation on identity politics? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

It is perhaps the most disputed land on earth, with claims over property rights going back thousands of years. For decades, foreign governments have attempted to broker peace between Israelis and Palestinians through a two-state solution. Yet the 1991 Madrid Conference, the 1993 Oslo Accords, the 2000 Camp David Summit and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative have all failed in their ultimate goal: to create mutually agreed upon boundaries whereby both peoples can live side by side, peacefully, within secure and recognized borders. With every failed attempt at a two-state solution tensions between the two sides increase and hope for peace becomes ever more elusive; Palestinians, disillusioned with occupation and settler annexation, see their dreams of liberation and statehood slowly evaporating. Israelis, weary of corrupt Palestinian leadership and a continuous wave of terror attacks, do not see a legitimate partner for peace. Now, many Palestinians believe it is time to give up on this pipe dream. The two-state solution, they argue, is dead. The only chance at delivering peace to the region is to end the occupation and create one democratic state with equal rights for both Israelis and Palestinians. Most Jews oppose this plan. Israel was created as a safe haven for a people that have faced generations of prejudice, discrimination, and persecution. They argue that absorbing Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza into Israel will lead to large scale violence and the end of the Jewish state as we know it. Arguing for the motion is George Bisharat, Law Professor at UC Hastings and a fellow at the Institute for Palestine Studies. Arguing against the motion is Gil Troy, History Professor at McGill University and a columnist for The Jerusalem Post. QUOTES: GEORGE BISHARAT: “Only the one state solution, a state governed by principles of equal rights and true democracy, promises to resolve all of the injustices and bring durable peace to the region”  GIL TROY: “A one-state solution is actually a no Jewish state solution. It's a way of trying to wrap up in lovely language about justice and democracy an attempt to eliminate the Jewish state” Sources: PBS, AP, CNN, RT The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members Podcast digs into three topics in the news: The growing discussion in mainstream media that COVID-19 may have originated from a virology lab in China – Why is what was once considered a fringe theory on COVID’s origins suddenly getting prime time attention? And, what are the ramification for China if COVID was engineered by its scientists?; Belarus forces a Ryan Air passenger plane to ground to seize a dissent – How should the world respond to what was effectively a plane hijacking organized by a nation state?; and Canada’s vaccination rates soar as we line up for “the jab” – Is it time to reassess Canada’s performance when it comes to wrestling the pandemic to the ground? We discuss it all. To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Vladimir Putin, Russia’s paramount leader for almost two decades, is facing mounting pressure at home and abroad. His ally in Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko, is facing wide spread opposition since claiming re-election last year in a widely condemned election. Russian diplomats have been expelled from the US, Czech Republic, and Poland, along with new a round of economic sanctions by Western powers. At home, mass protests are springing up across the country in support of jailed Putin critic and anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny. Putin’s response has been a show of force; the President moved 100,000 Russian troops to disputed areas of Ukraine, deployed warships to the Red Sea, cracked down on protesters, and warned the West it would cross Russia’s “red lines” at its peril. Some experts believe that the only way to de-escalate tensions with Russia is through open dialogue on issues of mutual interest. Negotiations will reduce the risk of conflict and advance common goals that benefit both parties, such as arms control, Middle East stability and the Arctic. Others see isolation and increased sanctions as the only answer to Putin’s regime. The Russian President is a dangerous actor whose efforts to destabilize the West are a clear and present danger. Appeasement of any kind will only encourage more bad behaviour and increase the risk of an open conflict. Arguing for the motion is Bill Browder, political activist and author of the best-selling book Red Notice, which chronicles Browder’s mission to expose the Kremlin's corruption while running the largest hedge fund in Russia. Arguing against the motion is Matthew Rojansky, Director of the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute, and one of the country’s leading analysts of US relations with Russia, Ukraine, and the region. QUOTES: BILL BROWDER: “We have to think of dealing with Putin like we're dealing with a criminal enterprise....we have to contain him and not give him any latitude for bad actions.” MATTHEW ROJANSKY “Strategic stability between the United States and Russia is absolutely critical. Arms control doesn't happen without dialogue.” Sources: BBC, US Department of Defense, AFP, MSNBC, PBS The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

COVID-19 has fast-forwarded us into a confusing and uncertain future. Nowhere are the accelerating forces of the pandemic more evident than in our democracy. We are being challenged by rising authoritarian regimes, a reckoning on race, and intense debates on cancel culture, identity politics and free speech. The Spring 2021 Munk Dialogues host some of the world’s brightest thinkers for in-depth, one hour conversions on the fate and future of democracy in a world remade by COVID-19. This episode features Douglas Murray in conversation with Munk Debates Chair, Rudyard Griffiths. Douglas is a bestselling author and journalist based in Britain. His books include The Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity and Islam and his most recent global bestseller, The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity. He is also an Associate Editor at The Spectator magazine. For more information on the Munk Dialogues visit www.munkdebates.com/dialogues. The Munk Dialogues are a project of the Munk Debates and the Peter and Melanie Munk Foundation. They are sponsored by Gluskin Sheff, Onex, Bond Brand Loyalty and Torys, LLP. If you like what the Munk Dialogues are all about consider becoming a Supporting Member of the Munk Debates at www.munkdebates.com/membership. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates, podcasts and dialogues, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents).

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members Podcast explore three topics: Israel and Hamas agree to a ceasefire in Gaza – Is this the basis for a lasting truce? Who has come out on top after two weeks of bloody conflict?; Colonial Pipeline’s ransomware attack and its implications for Bitcoin – Was the twin moves by the US and Chinese government threatening Bitcoin regulation the start of new phase of government scrutiny of crypto currencies? To what extent are ransomware attacks like the online experienced by Colonial pushing government towards controlling crypto currencies?; and our last topic this week was Douglas Murray’s recent Munk Dialogue – How do we best explain the rapid growth of identity politics in our time? To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

B1617, which has plunged India into a catastrophic third wave of COVID-19 and is spreading globally, is the latest “variant of concern” that has emerged since the pandemic began over a year ago. Many leading infectious disease experts are warning that our failure to contain the spread of the virus, with dozens of high population countries nowhere close to acquiring vaccines, has created the ideal conditions for dangerous new variants to emerge threatening the efficacy of vaccines. They say that only a strategy of maximum global suppression using all the public health tools at our disposal in combination with a massive ramp up of vaccination rates in every country will prevent COVID-19 from becoming a serious, endemic illness capable of killing millions annually. Critics of this view say that once again we are over-estimating the severity of COVID as well as our ability to control the virus’s spread. They say that the mutations it generates are a normal part of the evolution of all viruses and COVID-19 is no exception: there have already been thousands of new variants over the past year and the majority are not associated with a change in infectiousness or deadliness. Mutations also tend to repeat across variants making it possible for vaccine makers to target the changes that are associated with increased risk of infection and death with booster shots. Herd immunity achieved by vaccination and naturally occurring infections among healthy individuals, will steadily bring COVID-19 to heel making it a manageable disease for humanity. Arguing for the motion is Salim Abdool Karim, Director of the Center for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and CAPRISA Professor for Global Health at Columbia University. He is a member of the WHO Science Council, the Africa Task Force for Coronavirus, and the Lancet Commission on COVID-19.  Arguing against the motion is Richard Schabas, a former Chief Medical Officer of Health for the province of Ontario, Canada and Chief of Staff of York Central Hospital during the SARS outbreak. Sources: CNA, CNBC, BBC, Tom Woods TV, AFP News Agency, ABC News Australia, Global News The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected]. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Christina Campbell Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week’s Munk Members Podcast digs into the big issues in the news this week: Israel and Palestine ramp up conflict with rocket attacks, shelling and airstrikes – Is this the beginning of an expanding cycle of violence between Hamas and Israel? Is a ground invasion of Gaza by the Israeli army likely? And what are we to make of intercommunal violence happening withing Israel?; Canadian provinces halt the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine citing 1:57,000 clotting risk – Are we assessing risk versus rewards of the AZ vaccine correctly? How do we return to “normal” when our tolerance of any risks related to COVID-19 are so low?; and no third topic this week as we ran out the show clock discussing our first two topics!   To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

The Fifth Symphony, Ode to Joy, Don Giovanni, the Requiem. These top hits on the 18th century billboard charts are still beloved by millions of people around the world. They were composed by two musical giants of the 18th century, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig Van Beethoven, prolific artists whose vast repertoire continues to anchor orchestral performances and has become the fodder for everything from ringtones to baby brain development videos. Though contemporaries - Mozart was only 14 years older than Beethoven and lived just hundreds of kilometres away - the two composers couldn’t have been more different in their personalities and their approaches to music making. Two centuries later can we finally say which composer made the greatest contribution to the western musical canon? Mozart aficionados say that the lively wunderkind from Salzburg took classical music to soaring new heights starting with his very first symphony at the age of eight. He imprinted his musical signature on every genre and almost every musical instrument, composing more than 650 masterworks before he died tragically young at the age of 35. Perhaps there is no more ringing endorsement of Mozart than the one given him by Beethoven, Wagner, and Tchaikovsky, who considered him unparalleled. Beethoven lovers acknowledge his extraordinary debt to Mozart, whom he idolized. But they argue that the intense and emotionally volatile composer from Bonn, Germany took the keys that Mozart handed him and used them to open musical doors that ended up revolutionizing music. His innovations with the symphonic form and string quartets demonstrated music’s capacity to express the difficult and ugly - and proved that challenging the ear and not just pleasing it can lead to a cathartic experience for performers and their audience. Even when he was deaf Beethoven’s innovations in musical form didn’t stop flowing, laying the groundwork for the romantic movement and the music of the 20th century.  Arguing for the motion is Andrew Burashko, a concert pianist who made his debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at the age of 17. He is the founder of the Art of Time Ensemble, a chamber music collective that juxtaposes high art and popular culture. Arguing against the motion is Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, a contributing classical music critic for the New York Times and founder and artistic director of Beginner’s Ear, a series of deep listening experiences that combine meditation and music. Sources: APM Music The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected]. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Christina Campbell Editor: Kieran Lynch Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

COVID-19 has fast-forwarded us into a confusing and uncertain future. Nowhere are the accelerating forces of the pandemic more evident than in our democracy. We are being challenged by rising authoritarian regimes, a reckoning on race, and intense debates on cancel culture, identity politics and free speech. The Spring 2021 Munk Dialogues host some of the world’s brightest thinkers for in-depth, one hour conversions on the fate and future of democracy in a world remade by COVID-19. This episode features Scott Galloway in conversation with Munk Debates Chair, Rudyard Griffiths. Scott is a tech entrepreneur, social critic, and acclaimed author. He is Professor of Marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business, and a serial entrepreneur. His  bestselling books include The Four, The Algebra of Happiness, and most recently, Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity. For more information on the Munk Dialogues visit www.munkdebates.com/dialogues. The Munk Dialogues are a project of the Munk Debates and the Peter and Melanie Munk Foundation. They are sponsored by Gluskin Sheff, Onex, Bond Brand Loyalty and Torys, LLP. If you like what the Munk Dialogues are all about consider becoming a Supporting Member of the Munk Debates at www.munkdebates.com/membership. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates, podcasts and dialogues, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents).

This is a sample of the Munk Members-Only Podcast. The program provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates. This week's edition of the Munk Members Podcast digs into three topics: Canada's red hot housing market is projected to surge another 15% in coming year -- Just how big is the bubble Canada's central bank has blown when it comes to home prices and what if anything can be done to prevent a painful repricing of the country's housing stock? -- One of Canada's major pipelines is on the verge of being shutdown by the Governor of Michigan with big consequences for Canada-US relations -- Is there an 11th hour deal to be made? What would be the consequences for Canada to lose access to the pipeline? -- Big thinker Scott Galloway was on the Munk Dialogues this week -- Janice and Rudyard debate his hot take that elite post secondary institutions are bad for society, the economy and flourishing middle class.  To access the full length episode consider becoming a Munk Member. Membership is free. Simply log on to www.munkdebates.com/membership to register. Under your membership profile page you will find a link to listen to the full length editions of Munk Members Podcast. If you like what the Munk Debates is all about consider becoming a Supporting Member. For as little as $9.99 monthly you receive unlimited access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, monthly newsletter, ticketing privileges at our live and online events and a charitable tax receipt (for Canadian residents). To explore you Munk Membership options visit www.munkdebates.com/membership. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue. More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Oxygen therapy to lengthen our telomeres and prolong the life of our chromosomes. Boosting the functioning of our mitochondria with NAD. Stem cell rejuvenation. These are just some of the exciting therapies that scientists are exploring in their quest to prevent the decline and suffering we experience as we age. But some scientists argue that these are just partial fixes and that the answer to the eternal quest for the fountain of youth lies in pinpointing the upstream driver of these hallmarks of ageing. They claim that thanks to breakthroughs in the science of genetics they have finally discovered the control system that generates the strength and health we associate with youth. It’s the “epigenome”, which is the packaging that coils around our DNA and switches on and off the genes that shape the identity of our cells. They say that as we age this packaging unravels, which deregulates the DNA and cell information they have been safeguarding. Fix the packaging and we can completely reset our DNA and cells and regenerate our bodies so they are once again like brand new. Skeptics say that we need to look no farther than evolution to recognize that while ageing can be slowed down it can’t be abolished. Despite the formidable powers of natural selection, a species that doesn’t age and die has not emerged. This is because ageing is marked not just by cells that are slowing down but also by cells that are rapidly multiplying and becoming cancerous. It is impossible to fix one without the other benefiting, a form of intercell competition where human beings and our hopes of eradicating old age are the losers. Arguing for the motion is David Sinclair, Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and one of TIME Magazine’s “Top 50 people in health care”. He is the author of over 200 scientific papers as well as the New York Times bestseller Lifespan: Why We Age—and Why We Don’t Have To. Arguing against the motion is Joanna Masel, Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona. She is a mathematical modeller who has published over 50 papers in a variety of scientific fields and is the author of Bypass Wall Street: A Biologist's Guide to the Rat Race. Sources: ZNews, Fox News, WKTV Newschannel2, Science Time The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.   Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].   To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events. This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/   Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions Senior Producer: Christina Campbell Editor: Kieran Lynch Producer: Nicole Edwards Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja