The Munk Debates Podcast

One might assume, based on the film depictions of famous drug lords like Pablo Escobar and El Chapo, that the heyday of cocaine and its production in Latin America was during the 1980’s and 1990’s. According to journalist and author Toby Muse, those assumptions are dead wrong. South America, he argues, is producing more cocaine than ever before, reaching corners of the earth previously untouched by the deadly drug. Toby joins us for a fascinating discussion about how this dangerous and illegal industry transforms entire towns and surrenders them to criminal organizations on a scale that is unprecedented. 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/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On this week’s edition of the Friday Focus podcast, Janice and Rudyard start the program with a discussion of Japan’s recent lobbying of the G8 for deeper trade, military and technology cooperation. What is Japan up to? Why is China being seen as a regional threat by Asian powers like Japan? The second half of the program for Munk donors explores Brazil’s copycat riots of the January 6 insurrection in the U.S. and whether Canadian real estate is headed for a hard landing thanks to new lending regulations. To access the full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast, consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt. 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

Mark Cuban, one of America’s most famous and successful entrepreneurs, recently launched a new drug company - Cost Plus Drugs - that is disrupting the healthcare industry and significantly reducing the cost of prescription drugs for millions of Americans. In this episode, he extols the virtues of a capitalist system that is able to identify and provide real world solutions to problems that are often ignored by government agencies. Mark also shares his thoughts on the risk of a recession in 2023, how AI and ChatGPT could displace millions of knowledge workers, Elon Musk’s takeover of twitter, and why billionaires like himself are often demonized by politicians like Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 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/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On this week’s edition of the Friday Focus podcast, Janice and Rudyard answer listener questions submitted over the holidays. From the fate and future of healthcare to whether Putin is a “madman” or not, the Friday Focus’ first-ever Ask Me Anything explores a host of fascinating topics. To access the full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast, consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt. 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

Israel - a country founded on secular, European principles - just voted into power the most right wing, religious government in its history. How does Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest serving Prime Minister, keep getting elected? Will this new right-wing religious coalition affect Israeli pluralism and uphold its commitment to democratic principles? And how might this incoming government change the nature of the Israeli-Palestianian conflict? Canadian-Israeli journalist, author, and op-ed contributor for the New York Times Matti Friedman joins us for an in-depth discussion about the Middle East’s only democracy - and why western assumptions about Israel are nearly always wrong. 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/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On this week’s edition of the Friday Focus podcast, Janice and Rudyard look at the trends from 2022 to make predictions about the year ahead. From geopolitics to Canadian national affairs to the economy and technology, Janice and Rudyard chart out the big events and issues that could combine to make 2023 one for the history books. To access the full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast, consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt. 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 no secret that relations between China and the US are at an all time low. And at the centre of this fraught relationship is the question of Taiwan: China is moving closer to asserting its territorial rights over the island, while US President Joe Biden has pledged to defend Taiwan, even going so far as sending defensive weapons to protect the country against a Chinese invasion. How should a superpower like the US respond to a rising power like China? Foreign policy expert Graham Allison joins us for a wide reaching conversation about this important moment in history, and how shared interests in the climate, technology, finance, and health could force these powerful rivals to become unwilling partners. 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/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On this week’s edition of the Friday Focus, Janice and Rudyard look at the year that was. Who is the person who made the biggest difference in global affairs in the last twelve months? Which event will go down in history as a turning point in 2023? What surprised Janice and Rudyard this year? And what did they get right and wrong in their predictions and analysis as the year unfolded? To access the full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast, consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt. 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 bankruptcy of FTX upended the entire crypto industry and cast doubts over the stability and future of digital currencies. David Z. Morris, CoinDesk's Chief Insights Columnist, joins us for a wide reaching conversation about Sam Bankman Fried, the venture capitalists who supported him, and why regulatory bodies were unable to protect investors and prevent this type of large scale alleged fraud from taking place. 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/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On this week’s edition of the Friday Focus podcast, Janice and Rudyard start off the program with a look at the latest developments in the Ukraine War. Will American Patriot missile systems make a difference? What is the rationale behind a new Russian offensive in early 2023? In the second half of the show, available to donors to the Munk Debates, Janice and Rudyard unpack the philosophy of effective altruism as espoused by its now notorious proponent, Sam Bankman Fried, the now criminally indicted founder of the crypto exchange FTX. What do we owe the future morally? And how do we balance the value of humanity’s future potential versus its immediate needs? To access the full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast, consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt. 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 holiday season is just around the corner, which brings with it cheer, merriment, and a sense of good will towards all men and women. But for many families, it also brings a good deal of financial strain. And perhaps this year more than any in the last decade, that stress is more acute. The volatility of the global economy over the last three years has reached a fever pitch, with many expecting an even more dire 2023. For the majority of economists and market prognosticators, a recession in 2023 is a foregone conclusion. As inflation has remained stubbornly high, central banks around the globe have rushed to contain the fallout by raising interest rates aggressively. As money becomes more expensive to borrow, the economy will inevitably contract. Combine that with COVID restrictions in China and the war in Ukraine, and we are in for some choppy seas. For them, the question is not if, but when and how deep. But other economic experts believe that in spite of the turbulence, market fundamentals remain strong. Inflation is abating, central banks are slowly taking their foot off the gas, and 2023 will be a blockbuster year for the global economy. The risk of recession is overblown, and the sky will not in fact fall. Christopher Thornberg BIO Christopher Thornberg is Director of the UC Riverside School of Business Center for Economic Forecasting and Development and an Adjunct Professor at the School. He founded Beacon Economics LLC in 2006. Under his leadership the firm has become one of the most respected research organizations in California serving public and private sector clients across the United States. An expert in economic and revenue forecasting, regional economics, economic policy, and labor and real estate markets, Dr. Thornberg has consulted for private industry, cities, counties, and public agencies in Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Bay Area, San Diego, the Inland Empire, New York, Seattle, Orange County, Sacramento, Arizona, Nevada, and other geographies across the nation. He has also worked on Wall Street, advising hedge fund manager Paulson & Co. about macroeconomic issues. A well-known media commentator, Dr. Thornberg has appeared on all the major networks, CNN, NPR, and is regularly quoted in major national dailies including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Los Angeles Times. Steve Hanke BIO Steve H. Hanke is a professor of applied economics and founder and codirector of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He served on President Reagan's Council of Economic Advisers. Hanke is also a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C., a senior fellow at the Independent Institute in Oakland, California, a senior adviser at the Renmin University of China’s International Monetary Research Institute in Beijing, and a special counselor to the Center for Financial Stability in New York. Hanke is also a contributing editor at Central Banking in London and a contributor at National Review. In addition, Hanke is a member of the Charter Council of the Society for Economic Measurement and of the Euromoney Country Risk’s Experts Panel. Speaker Quotes CHRIS THORNBERG: “If you're looking at Wall Street, I think 2023 is going to look like a recession. If you're looking at Main Street, I don't think it will ”. STEVE HANKE: “We'll have I think about a 90% chance of a recession next year. You take the fuel out of the engine and it crashes on you”. 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/ Senior Producer: Jacob Lewis Editor: Adam Karch

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On this week’s edition of the Friday Focus podcast, Janice and Rudyard go deep into the debut of the new machine learning tool ChatGPT, which is taking the internet by storm. How much of a game changer is ChatGPT when it comes to how we access the Internet’s treasure troves of information and use what we learn from querying ChatGPT when we communicate with one another? Janice and Rudyard explain why ChatGPT is indeed a very big deal in the annals of machine learning and why it may herald a new competitive advantage for open societies in their competition with authoritarian regimes. Listeners interested in using ChatGPT should click on the link https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt and look for the button “TRY CHATGPT” midway down the middle of the page. To access the full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast, consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt. 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.

This is a special edition of the Munk Debates Podcast. On this episode, we feature the best moments from the Munk Debate on media bias, which took place in front of a crowd of 3,000 people at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall. The debate resolution was: Be it resolved, don’t trust mainstream media. EPISODE SUMMARY: Public trust in mainstream media is at an all-time low. Critics point to coverage of COVID-19, the 2020 election, and the Ottawa trucker protest as proof that legacy outlets like the New York Times, The Globe and Mail and CNN can no longer be relied upon to provide unbiased reporting. Activist journalists are using pen and paper to push political agendas while their bosses lean into the profitability of polarization. Mainstream media’s defenders argue that their institutions offer an invaluable public service that alternative outlets are either incapable or uninterested in providing: careful fact-based reporting on important issues and holding the powerful to account. In a brave new world of “fake news” and “drive by” journalism, traditional news organizations are essential to democracy and a bulwark against corruption, misinformation and the private interests of the powerful. THE DEBATERS: Arguing for motion was the associate editor of The Spectator Magazine, Fox News contributor, and bestselling author of The Madness of Crowds, Douglas Murray. He was joined on stage by Substack publishing sensation, former Rolling Stone columnist, and investigative journalist, Matt Taibbi. Arguing against the resolution was the internationally acclaimed author, podcaster and veteran New Yorker staff writer Malcolm Gladwell. His debate partner was Michelle Goldberg, New York Times columnist, MSNBC contributor, former American Prospect senior correspondent and senior writer for The Nation. 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/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. In this week’s edition, Janice and Rudyard take on two stories in the news this week that made headlines. First up, China experiences protests in multiple cities over continued lockdowns and COVID controls that seem to have gotten the regime’s attention. What is really happening here? Are we seeing the signs of genuine, large-scale public opposition to Xi? The donors-only second half of the program explores the two challenges this week to Canadian federalism by the governments of Alberta and Quebec. Is Canadian national unity at a turning point, or is this just another predictable bout of provincial muscle flexing? To access the full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast, consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt. 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.

Few people engender public debate like Elon Musk. When the world’s richest man purchased Twitter for a whopping $44 Billion, much of the media, the political establishment, and countless users, heralded that this marked the beginning of the end for one of the much beloved social media platforms. Musk’s detractors claim that handing over the platform akin to a mercurial sole proprietor has been a catastrophe from day one. Musk’s misguided maximal commitment to free speech is turning Twitter into a cesspool of hate, violent threats, and outright disinformation. In short, Musk’s twitter is not just a nuisance, it is fast becoming a threat to our democracy. But others see Musk’s twitter takeover as a godsend. Musk has proven himself an adept businessman and visionary, whose Midas touch can only make Twitter better. They argue freedom of expression is a hallmark of democracy, and opening what people can express on Twitter is only going to make our democracy more vibrant and real. For Musk’s supporters, democracy thrives when each individual is able to determine for themselves what and whom to believe, and a free exchange of ideas only encourages us to seek, to learn, to discuss, and to engage. Arguing for the motion is Kyle Spencer, an award-winning journalist and author. Her most recent book is Raising them Right, the untold story of America's ultraconservative youth movement and its plot for power. Arguing against the motion is Michael Tracey, an independent journalist with over a quarter million followers on twitter. Tracey’s writings in recent years have appeared in the New York Daily News, the Wall Street Journal, the Daily Beast, and the Nation. Speaker Quotes KYLE SPENCER: “When Elon Musk announced that the bird is free upon taking control of Twitter, what he really meant was tyranny is alive and well”. MICHAEL TRACY: “Twitter was no less monopolistic in that sense before October of 2022, just now the ownership has changed hands to someone who people feel is a bit of a bomb thrower, a bit of troll in his own right, or offends their political sensibilities”. 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/ Senior Producer: Jacob Lewis Editor: Adam Karch

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On this week’s edition of the Friday Focus podcast, Janice and Rudyard take on two stories in the news this week that made headlines. First up, Ukraine suffers brutal Russian missile attacks knocking out power, water and heating to millions as civilian deaths mount. Is it time for NATO to step up its involvement in the conflict in the face of Russia’s blatant war crimes and complete disregard for the safety and welfare of the Ukrainian population? The donors-only second half of the program explores what Canadians have learned from a week of testimony by cabinet ministers into the government’s decision to implement the Emergencies Act to clear protesting “truckers” from Ottawa earlier this year. Was there an imminent national security risk? How are these decisions made in moments of crisis? 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 Xi Jinping enters an unprecedented third term as general secretary of China's Communist Party, many geopolitical experts believe his desire to strengthen China’s influence and power in the region will soon lead to a military invasion of Taiwan. The US, however, has made clear its intention to prevent that from happening. How could a conflict between the two superpowers play out, and how will it impact the global economy and foreign investment? What could happen to assets invested in China should the dispute intensify? American investor and founder of Conservation Equity Management Kyle Bass joins us for a candid discussion about the global financial consequences of a war between China and Taiwan and what investors should be thinking about in terms of the risks its poses to the North American economy. 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/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On this week’s edition of the Friday Focus podcast, Janice and Rudyard take on four stories that got them thinking this week. First up, a Ukraine anti-aircraft rocket crashes in Poland, killing two. How do we manage the risk of the conflict escalating as the fog of war deepens? Next, Xi snubs Trudeau on camera. Business as usual for summitry or something more ominous? The donors-only second half of the program tackles the topic of whether the U.S. is another side of peak populism with positive mid-term results for Biden. Will this trend hold out until 2024? And finally, Janice and Rudyard discuss more education strikes in Ontario. How much is inflation to blame for labour unrest in Canada? 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.

When Putin invaded Ukraine in the Spring of 2022, the western world reacted in understandable horror. The first major ground mobilization in Europe since The Second World War arrived in shocking, gruesome fashion. Almost immediately, global security experts were predicting Kyiv would fall within days, and the overmatched, under trained Ukrainian Army could not possibly compete with the Russian juggernaut. But these early predictions severely underestimated the Ukrainian will to protect their homeland, and overestimated Russia’s military acuity. Now, almost a year into the conflagration, Russia is on its heels, and by all accounts Putin’s gamble has been one calamity after another for his sclerotic regime. But the question that still remains is, how does it end? For some foreign policy experts, military brass, and Russia watchers, the only way to prevent similar incursions in the future Putin must be beaten outright, and beaten badly. But others argue that the risks of cornering a madman vastly outweigh the benefits, and offering Putin an off ramp is the best possible scenario to restore order, peace, and stability. Arguing for the motion is James Goldgeier, visiting fellow at the Center on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution and a professor of international relations at the School of International Service at American University, where he served as dean from 2011 to 2017. Arguing against the motion is Emma Ashford, Resident senior fellow with the New American Engagement Initiative in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security,and her opinion writing has been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Foreign Policy, and Vox. Speaker Quotes JAMES GOLDGEIER: “Putin has had plenty of possible off ramps before and during this war. And he's shown no interest in taking them”. EMMA ASHFORD: “Putin may deserve a dead end, but it's not clear to me that that's better for everybody else”. 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/ Senior Producer: Jacob Lewis Editor: Adam Karch

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On this week’s edition of the Friday Focus podcast, Janice and Rudyard dig into the two big tech stories in the news over the last seven days. First up, what is happening to Twitter as Elon Musk moves forward with mass layoffs? Will his warnings of the potential bankruptcy of the company come true? The donors only second half of the program explores the lessons learned from the collapse of one of the world’s two big cryptocurrency exchanges, FTX. Is it time to pull the plug on deregulated cryptocurrencies and move toward state backed digital assets? What are the risks and rewards involved in creating a central bank issued “stable” coin? To access the full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt. 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.

In 2002, Winston Churchill was voted the greatest Briton who ever lived, beating Darwin, Shakespeare and Elizabeth I to take the top spot. Just 18 years later, a statue of the former British Prime Minister was defaced in London, spray painted with the words “Churchill was a racist”. As the west reckons with the misdeeds of history’s heroes, Winston Churchill’s long-time critics are eager to shine a spotlight on his dark past. To them, he was a racist, imperialist warmonger whose bombastic speeches during World War II have overshadowed the atrocities he oversaw during his decades in government: from using excessive force to crush dissent at home, to carpet bombing German cities during the war, to his role in the 1943 Bengal famine that killed 3 million Indians, his disregard for the suffering of others and penchant for violence has left a dangerous legacy. An advocate for British colonial rule, a well-known racist, and an admirer of Mussolini did not deserve praise when he was alive, and he certainly does not now. Churchill’s supporters, meanwhile, regard him as a wartime hero whose bravery and leadership during Britain’s darkest hour saved the country and western civilization. Churchill’s powerful rhetoric inspired his countrymen to fight the Nazis when the rest of Europe had surrendered to Hitler’s army. Domestically, he reformed Britain’s prison system, introduced a minimum wage and improved social welfare systems. Like every hero in history, they argue, Churchill made mistakes. But his extraordinary leadership helped save western democracy, proving himself to be worthy of every accolade, every statue, and every memorial dedicated in his memory. Arguing for the motion is Geoffrey Wheatcroft, author Churchill's Shadow: An Astonishing Life and a Dangerous Legacy Arguing against the motion is Michael F. Bisho, writer, historian, and the former executive director of the International Churchill Society. Sources: Dr. Shashi Tharoor Official, Politics and Prose, The international churchill society, Channel 4 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/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Reza Dahya

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On this week’s edition of the Friday Focus podcast, Janice and Rudyard start the show with a discussion of the confluence of factors bearing down on Canada this autumn, from labour unrest to overflowing emergency rooms to persistent inflation. What force is driving up Canadians’ collective misery index? Janice and Rudyard share their thoughts and come to a surprising conclusion. The donors only second half of the program explores what is happening in North Korea and the reason for the latest round of missile launches threatening regional security. Is Kim Jong-un a rational actor? And what, if anything, can be done to reign in his belligerent behaviour? 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.

We’ve come a long way since DNA was first discovered in the mid 19th century. Today’s scientists are using powerful engineering techniques to edit genes in human eggs and sperm, curing diseases and repairing defective genes before a child is even born. Some scientists are excited about these therapies, championing them as an exciting opportunity to create immunity to viruses, eliminate serious illnesses like AIDS, Alzheimer’s, and cancer, and possibly reverse aging. Like prior innovations in medicine and technology, why wouldn’t we embrace a science that allows people to live longer, healthier, and happier lives? Others are alarmed. They are worried that these new techniques raise a host of profound ethical issues. While eliminating genetic diseases is a worthwhile endeavor, many parents might be inclined to use this science to create designer babies: children who are smarter, taller, or have other supposedly desirable traits. And these tools aren’t cheap. They will surely be available to the rich first, creating a terrifying new dimension to the growing economic inequality crisis. Scientists also point out that ‘playing god’ and editing genes will alter our DNA code forever, and one mistake could inadvertently introduce new diseases into the human gene pool. While the desire to cure genetic diseases is a noble one, the manipulation of our DNA is more likely than not to push humanity towards a dangerous and dystopian future no one wants. Arguing for the motion is George Church, Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at Harvard and MIT Arguing against the motion is Joyce Harper, Professor of Reproductive Science at the Institute for Women's Health, University College London. GEORGE CHURCH “If we bring the cost down, help with education, and make sure there's a dialogue that goes on in both directions, then everybody will have access.” JOYCE HARPER “I worry that these technologies will not be accessible to all and I also worry that people will use them for non-medical reasons. We will have a rich-poor divide that will become bigger and bigger as technology advances.” Sources: ABC News, France24, Today Show, NBC News, VICE, PBS, Gattaca, Critical Past 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/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Reza Dahya

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. On this edition of the Friday Focus podcast, Janice and Rudyard start the show with a discussion of three international stories that captured public attention week. First, how should the world interpret the unceremonial departure of former Chinese leader Hu Jintao from the Peoples Congress midway through the final day of proceedings? Second, what does the West owe the women and girls bravely protesting the Iranian regime? Is it finally time to abandon the stalled nuclear deal with Tehran? And, finally, what should Canadians make of the Bank of Canada’s smaller than expected rate hike this week? Was it the right move or a forced error in the fight against continuing high inflation? 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 war between Russia and Ukraine has killed thousands of people and displaced 13 million Ukrainians. Yet despite heavy losses on both sides, the conflict shows no signs of abating anytime in the near future. What will it take for both countries to agree to a ceasefire? How does Russia view America’s role in this conflict? And should Russia continue to suffer heavy military losses, will Putin make good on his threat to use nuclear weapons? Dmitri Trenin was a colonel in the Russian army for 21 years before becoming Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center. He offers a perspective from Russia on the continued conflict and how it might change in the coming months. 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 Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. The free portion of the program sees Janice and Rudyard discuss what Canada and the world’s advanced economies should take from the financial upheavals in the UK that led to the ousting of Liz Truss as PM. Are the bond vigilantes back? Is Canada at risk of a run on its bonds and dollar? The donors-only second half of the show features Janice sharing the insights she garnered this week from spending some time with Henry Kissinger, one of the great geopolitical analysts of our time. What are Dr. K’s thoughts on AI, China-US competition, and how does this master stateman think the war between Russia and Ukraine end? To access the full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast, consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt. 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.

Health Canada, the FDA, and the CDC have approved COVID bivalent vaccines to anyone over the age of 12. This booster is different from previous COVID shots, targeting multiple strains of the novel coronavirus, including Omicron sub variants. And while the vaccine is being widely distributed, some epidemiologists are sounding the alarm. Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center and attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, is one of two members on the FDA committee who voted against advising all adults over the age of 12 to get the jab. He joins us to talk about why this booster might not be necessary, and whether its benefits really outweigh the risks. 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/ Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. The free portion of the program sees Janice and Rudyard discuss this week’s financial news, from hot inflation in the US to the Truss government’s humiliating walk back of its economic agenda in the face of crisis in the UK bond market. Now that Britain has demonstrated that borrowing a lot of money at a time of inflation and rising rates is not an option, what does this mean for Canada and our free-spending governments? The donors-only second half of the show features a discussion of China-US competition and Beijing’s big leadership confab next week that will see Xi appointed to an unprecedented third term as the country’s leader. To access the full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast, consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt. 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.

Pandemic government spending, labour shortages, rising gas prices, and supply chain bottlenecks have led to a surge in inflation and some of the fastest price gains for a broad range of goods and services in the last 40 years. In response, some financial experts expect central banks to raise rates multiple times this year and start selling off some of the hundreds of billions in bonds they purchased during the pandemic. The threat of entrenched inflation supposedly requires central banks to respond aggressively and raise interest rates repeatedly over the course of 2022 despite tightening financial conditions and seemingly slowing economic growth. Other economists disagree, insisting that central banks have responded appropriately by not taking drastic and unnecessary actions that could cause a recession. Long-term inflation pricing in the bond market suggests that the inflation threat is a short-term problem, and small rate increases now can more than offset the risk of runaway, long-term inflation. The bigger risk is an economic slowdown or outright recession brought on by central banks raising rates too fast while selling off hundreds of billions in bonds into a global debt market that will struggle to absorb record government deficits. Arguing for the motion is Mohamed El-Erian, President of Queens' College at Cambridge University and Chief Economic Advisor to Allianz SE Arguing against the motion is David Rosenberg, President and Chief Economist and Strategist of Rosenberg Research & Associates Inc. QUOTES: MOHAMED EL-ERIAN “The Fed has to act and act boldly. Already it has lost some credibility, and if it delays more, it will lose even more credibility and have very few policy options that are attractive.” DAVID ROSENBERG “My view is that inflation is going to ultimately decline of its own accord and the historical record proves that.” Sources: CNN, CNBC, PBS, 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/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Reza Dahya

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus. The free portion of the program sees Janice and Rudyard discuss the machinations behind OPEC’s snub of the Biden Administration as the oil-producing cartel cuts its global output. What does this surprise move say about Saudi Arabia and its relationship with Russia and China? How is the U.S. likely to respond? The donors-only second half of the show features a discussion of China-U.S. competition and Beijing’s big leadership confab next week that will see Xi appointed to an unprecedented third term as the country’s leader. 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

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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 Friday Focus begins with a look at the forces and factors driving the current global sell of in financial assets. Currencies, bonds and equities were all pressured by the Bank of England’s surprise move to stabilize the UK’s long-duration government debt market and bail out pension funds that were at the risk of liquidation. Are we starting to see real stresses emerging in international markets as geopolitical risks grow and central banks continue the relentless hike of interest rates? What could this lead to in the weeks to come? The program concludes with Janice’s thoughts on a recent talk given in Toronto by big geopolitical thinker Robert Kaplan. Friday Focus subscribers can access an audio version of Kaplan’s Q&A with Rudyard on the Munk Debates website here. 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.

Most societies commemorate and revere distant ancestors, with portraits, statues, streets, buildings, and holidays. We are fascinated with the pyramids in Egypt, Stonehenge in England and the earliest origins of our species in the savannas of Africa. Our interest in humankind’s deep past has created a collective blind spot about the prospects of our distant descendants thousand years into the future. For most of us, the deep future is a fantasy world, something you read about in science fiction novels. But a growing number of thinkers are pushing back against the attitude that the future is a hypothetical we can discount in the favour of the here and now. Instead, they argue it's high time we start thinking seriously about the idea that humanity may only be in its infancy. That as a species we could potentially be around for thousands of years, with trillions of fellow humans to be born, each with vast potential to shape our future evolution, possibly even beyond Earth. In sum, humankind urgently needs a thousand year plan or it risks losing millennia of human progress to the existential risks that stalk our all too dangerous present. William MacAskill is a leading global thinker on how humanity could and should think about a common future for itself and the planet. He is an associate professor in philosophy at the University of Oxford and co-founder of Giving What We Can, the Centre for Effective Altruism, and 80,000 Hours, all philosophically inspired projects which together have raised hundreds of millions of dollars and hundreds of thousand of life years to support charities working to preserve human kind's potential for the millenia to come. He is the author of the international bestseller, Doing Good Better and What We Owe The Future. QUOTE: "The future could be very big, indeed, at least if we don't cause humanity's untimely demise in the next few centuries. We could have a very large future ahead of us. And that means that if there is anything that would impact the well-being of, not just the present generation, but all generations to come, that would be of enormous moral importance." 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/ Producer: Marissa Ramnanan Editor: Adam Karch

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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 Friday Focus does a deep dive into the latest news out of the Ukraine War. What are we to make of Russia’s mobilization of 300,000 or more former military personnel? How is this escalation of the war likely to play out in the months to come? And possibly more worrying, what are the implications of Putin’s stark language this week with regards to the use of nuclear weapons to defend Russian territory and his assertation that he is “not bluffing”? Are we at heightened risk of violating the seventy-five-year-plus international taboo on the use of nuclear weapons? And, just how important is this taboo to international peace and security in the 21st century? 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 United States has long been admired as the world’s most stable and enduring democracy. However, many experts now believe there is a growing and real risk the country could plunge into civil war. Deep political divisions, weakened institutions, racial unrest, allegations of voter fraud, and partisan news coverage are eviscerating social cohesion and political compromise. Red and Blue America are separated by more than ideology; their disagreements are about basic fundamental values that are in irresolvable conflict. The key pillars of a functioning democracy have been destroyed, and the country is courting a period of sustained violent unrest. Others argue that predictions of widespread civil conflict are overblown. Civil Wars require cohesive and large geographical fighting blocs. So called “red” and “blue” states like Texas and California are not nearly as homogenous as pundits claims (46.5% of Texans voted for Joe Biden). Protests, battles, and blockades are a much more likely scenario than a descent into full scale civil war. And finally, the widespread belief that an overwhelming number of Americans support political violence is factually incorrect, and promoting this narrative is dangerous. Those who prophesize the demise of US democracy must remember that conflict can escalate from misperceptions of the intentions of rival groups and stoking fear can lead to actual violence. Arguing for the motion is David Blight, award-winning civil war historian and the Sterling Professor of History and American Studies at Yale University. Arguing against the motion is Akhil Reed Amar, American constitutional and legal scholar and the Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University QUOTES: DAVID BLIGHT “Until we find a way out of the straight jacket that the undemocratic Senate and the electoral college holds over us, we are on a collision course with more and more elections like 2020.” AKHIL REED AMAR “While we are deeply divided, in every state there are shades of purple. And that means there is less likely to be the sharp geographic divide of the sort that characterized the 1850s” Sources: CNN, Fox News, CBC, HBO, 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/ Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz Editor: Reza Dahya

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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 Friday Focus analyses the sweeping victory of the new leader of Canada’s conservative party in its recent leadership race. What does Pierre Poilievre’s big win say about the future of Canadian politics, especially on the center-right? Has populism now firmly supplanted the older strains of conservatism that made up the conservative party in Canada? Given this trend seems to be happening in almost all western democracies, what does this mean for the future of democracy? Janice and Rudyard dig into it all and share their analysis and insights. 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.

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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. Thank you Munk Members for the hundreds of suggestions for a new name for our weekly podcast exploring current events with Janice Stein and Rudyard Griffiths. And, we have a winner! Friday Focus is our new show title. Kudos to Mary M. who was the first to come up with this punchy new name. On this week’s installment of Friday Focus, Janice and Rudyard explore how the War in Ukraine escalated this week, but not how many people expected. With Putin’s decision to stop all natural gas shipments to Europe, what was up to now a kinetic conflict in Eastern Europe has become a continent-wide energy and financial war between Russia and the EU. How is this conflict likely to play out? What are its likely impacts on inflation, the global economy and Canada’s national security? 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.

Episode summary Technology has quietly taken over our everyday lives and the idea of living with less, not more, technology is almost unimaginable. As a result, its growth and impacts are being felt well beyond the realms of work and play and it reshapes our politics, culture and ethics. The rapid and pervasive influence of technology over human society today raises important questions: are we still in control of technology, or are we letting it control us? How has Big Tech’s focus on the “optimization of everything” impacted our own sense of ourselves as agents of our future? Is there any merit in the fear of robots replacing workers, the erosion of privacy and disinformation? Just how worried should we be? And maybe most important of all, what could, or should, be done to reform technology in society today? QUOTES: Technology in my view, in its worst aspects, flattens the radical diversity and pluralism of humans to our great detriment. Inefficient solutions to problems sometimes are better because they reflect the grand diversity of ends that human beings have long had. 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/ Senior Producer: Marissa Ramnanan Editor: Adam Karch

Munk Members Podcast provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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 starts with a discussion of Canada’s stalled out effort to “return to work” two years into the pandemic as the risks of severe illness and death from COVID-19 plummet. What are the costs to companies, community and social equity if broad swaths of Canada’s professional class permanently turn their backs on the office? Second, Janice and Rudyard introduce a new feature for the show in the form of occasional deep dives into an idea or expression we use to explain geopolitics, society or the economy, but don’t necessarily agree with or understand what it actually means. This week’s phrase: the liberal international order. 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.

China is one of the oldest states in the world, with a complicated history and rich culture. Now, as the political relationship between China and the United States, and arguably the rest of the Western world, is at its most tumultuous yet, we need a deeper understanding of this ancient country, to see where we could possibly go from here. To give us a glimpse into its history and its dealings with other societies, we speak with Professor Timothy Brook, a historian of China, whose studies span back to the 13th century. Timothy Brook is a Professor Emeritus of the Department of History of the University of British Columbia. He writes on a broad range of political, social, and cultural topics, with a focus on China’s engagements with the world. Brook has published thirteen books, which have been translated into several Asian and European languages. A graduate of Harvard University, he has taught at Toronto, Stanford, and Oxford, and has held the Republic of China Chair at the University of British Columbia since 2004, until this year. QUOTES: President Xi Jinping is in this awkward position. He has inherited the Great State modality, but he doesn't think like a Mongol. He thinks like a Chinese who wants to go back to the way the world might have been before the Mongols ever invaded China. This has produced China's greatest foreign policy problems, Xinjiang, Tibet, Taiwan, all of these areas. China has perhaps the most unstable set of borders of any country in the world, and it's precisely because of this historical heritage that they can't think their way out of. 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/ Producer: Marissa Ramnanan Editor: Adam Karch

Munk Members Podcast provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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 two stories in the news this week. First, President Emmanuel Macron gave a fascinating speech this week warning of the end of an era of ecological, technological and economic abundance. What would this actually mean? Is it a plausible description of future-facing France and other post-industrial nations? Second, the last few weeks have seen a slew of media reporting on antisemitic and white supremacy in Canadian politics, from the campaign trail of the Conservative Party leadership to the department of Canadian Heritage in Ottawa. Are Canadian norms changing? Why are we seeing more hate in our culture? Rudyard’s Hub article on World Economic Forum and antisemitic conspiracies https://thehub.ca/2022-08-25/rudyard-griffiths-wef-conspiracies-are-antisemitic-and-a-moral-stain-on-conservative-politics/ Macron speech on the end of abundance (French) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AyYQRneG_I&feature=emb_imp_woyt Joseph Tainter, The Collapse of Complex Civilizations https://www.amazon.ca/Collapse-Complex-Societies-Joseph-Tainter/dp/052138673X 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.

Some are worried that far right parties are poised to make big political gains in advanced democracies as inflation, economic stagnation and elite distrust surge. Of all western countries Italy is fast emerging as a petri dish for populist politics and potential herald of the political dynamics that could grip the larger eurozone and North America. The technocratic government of Mario Draghi has collapsed, and with an early election happening this fall, the potential exists for the Brothers of Italy to lead a coalition of far-right parties taking charge of a major European economy. Other countries are already looking toward the Brothers of Italy as an inspiration: the Vox party in Spain, another far-right party, has steadily risen in the polls to 20 per cent. What started all this? Is there any way to stop this rise of far right populism? And does this signal a new and dangerous challenge to pluralist democracies? QUOTES: There's been a collapse in left wing working class electoral turnout. We no longer have the mass parties of the past. So instead you just get this polarization between right wing populist forces or even ones with the fascist past. And then the only alternative is the sort of technocratic pro-European liberal center. 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/ Producer: Marissa Ramnanan Editor: Adam Karch

Tensions between China and America are at a new, dangerous high following Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan in her capacity as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. The trip was seen in Beijing as an affront to the longstanding “One China” policy which asserts that Taiwan is part of China operating under its own system of governance. In retaliation, China immediately launched large-scale military drills around Taiwan and halted cooperation with the U.S. on military matters and the global fight against climate change. The American response has been to renew its support for Taiwan’s right of self-defence and signal that more U.S. navy ships will be transiting the Taiwan strait in the months to come. What is the world to make of this crisis? Is it the opening act of a larger conflict between Beijing and Washington that could lead to war? Are there ways to defuse China-US tensions and re-establish relations between the world’s two superpowers to address common issues and concerns from climate change to the global economy to security in South Asia? For a Chinese perspective on the state and future of Taiwan, China-US relations and the prospects for armed conflict the Munk Dialogues welcomed Professor Victor Gao, Vice President of the Center for China and Globalisation. He is a prominent Chinese lawyer, former investment banker and served as English language translator to the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China, Deng Xiaoping. He is the Chair Professor of Soochow University. QUOTES: Taiwan is part of China and the People's Republic of China is the sole legal representative of China. So as far as China is concerned, this is a frontal attack on the one thing that matters the most to China. That is China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The host of the Munk Dialogues 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/ Producer: Marissa Ramnanan Editor: Adam Karch

Munk Members Podcast provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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 two stories in the news. First, the raid by FBI agents of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate to allegedly confiscate highly sensitive government documents, including possible information related to America’s nuclear weapons. Where is this investigation likely to go next? Could Trump be criminally charged? What would this mean for American politics, political culture and citizens’ perceptions of the impartiality of the exercise of the rule of law? Second, as Canada wraps up its “summer of discontent,” how are the major political parties positioning themselves to respond to a souring national mood? What role will inflation and higher interest rates play in exacerbating political divisions and competing visions of how to guide the country through a period of heightened economic uncertainty? Finally, Janice and Rudyard are challenging listeners to help them come up with a new name for this podcast. Send your suggestions to [email protected]. Thank you in advance for your suggestions! 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 future course of the pandemic seems anything but resolved. The emergence of new variants have caused a major reassessment of the trajectory of COVID in 2022 and beyond. What is the likely course of pandemic this autumn and winter? What role could the new highly infectious variants play in transmission, illness and death? Are the current public health measures, radically scaled back in much of the developing world over the course of 2022, appropriate to the risks and challenges COVID currently presents? And what is the next phase of this pathogen likely to be? Are we up collectively to the task of living with endemic COVID? To answer these questions we discuss with Dr. Eric Topol, a renowned physician, scientist, and author. QUOTES: Dr Topol: We haven't put in the effort, the priority, the resources to develop a pan variant vaccine, which would be anticipatory. One thing that's striking in this entire two and a half years-plus of the pandemic is we're always chasing, never getting ahead of the virus. We're smarter than that sucker. [...] It's almost like we're ignoring the potential there to squash this virus once and for all. 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/ Senior Producer: Kelly Linehan

Munk Members Podcast provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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 geopolitics of China, America and Taiwan. Why did Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, choose this moment to travel to Taiwan during a period of heightened tension between China and the U.S. over the future of island democracy? What should we make of the Chinese reaction that now involves firing ballistic missiles over Taiwan, large-scale naval operations and jet plane incursions over the “median line” of the Taiwan Strait? If the Chinese are simulating a naval blockade of Taiwan, how could this be countered and at what potential military and economic cost? And finally, what is the West’s grand strategy when it comes to Taiwan and China? Janice and Rudyard unpack the week’s events in Asia and explore how the current war of words over Taiwan could evolve in the months and years to come. 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.

At the beginning of the year, a group of Canadian truckers took their frustrations of government mandated vaccines to Ottawa, which quickly grew into what became known as the Freedom Convoy. For about a month, the convoy shut down the nation’s capital as thousands of people pushed for an end to covid restrictions and vaccine mandates for cross-border essential workers. This was just another example of a populist swell in Canada that has pushed Conservative party candidate Pierre Poilievre to the role of front-runner. Andrew Lawton extensively covered the truck convoy and reports in his new book The Freedom Convoy on a group of people who held dance parties and pig roasts. However, as Tasha Kheiriddin reports in her new book, The Right Path, many more moderate Tories and centre-right voters fear the Conservative Party is pandering to anti-immigration, anti-vaccine and anti-urban sentiments to gain these far-right votes. Is populism the future of Conservatism? QUOTES: Andrew Lawton: “The fact that [the vaccine mandate protests] have reshaped the conservative leadership race months after an election in which the leader would not even talk about that, is a very real example of how conservative politicians in this country realized this populist issue is a necessity for them to be relevant to the voters and to their own base.” Tasha Kheiriddin: “The future of conservatism lies in providing solutions to populist concerns without the rhetoric upheaval and yes, sometimes violence that accompanies populism. It is not simply about removing elites or institutions, but enabling people to rise to the full level of their abilities.” 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/ Senior Producer: Kelly Linehan Editor: Adam Karch

Munk Members Podcast provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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 two stories in the news this week. First, Italy is gearing up for a national election in September. Not only populist but outright far-right parties seem on the cusp of forming a coalition government if opinion polls hold over the summer. What would this mean for the Eurozone? Italy is struggling under sclerotic economic growth, massive public debts and restive politics, thanks in no small part due to a backlash against the “technocratic” government of outgoing Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Is this a turning point for Italy? How are Europe’s technocrats in Brussels likely to respond to Italy moving hard right? Second, this week saw former Prime Minster Stephen Harper endorse the populist front-runner candidate in the Canadian conservative leadership race. Why is a former PM who was avowedly anti-populist during his tenure in government lending political support to a candidate and party flirting with bans on vaccine mandates, World Economic Forum conspiracies and attacks on the independence of central banks and bankers? 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 January 6 commission is a reminder that a peaceful transfer of power is not guaranteed and that democracy is in trouble. But do many understand what democracy really is? In his book Democracy Rules, German historian and political scientist argues three things are crucial for its survival: political parties over populism, a free media and a healthy level of uncertainty. QUOTES: “I think what's paradoxical about the situation in the U.S., but to some degree it's also true of other democracies, is that high degrees of polarization actually coexist with very weak and hollowed out political parties.” “Democracy allows us to deal with conflict, ideally also in a productive way. And uncertainty is important because if uncertainty disappears from a public system, you can be pretty sure that you are well on the way to an autocratic system.” 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/ Senior Producer: Kelly Linehan Editor: Adam Karch

Munk Members Podcast provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the 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 on Europe’s looming energy crisis and how the debate over Canada’s return of a critical piece of machinery for Russia’s gas pipelines into Europe has exposed new and fast-evolving risks related to the Ukraine War. What should the West’s strategy be to counter the Kremlin’s increasing weaponization of energy resources? In the second half of the program, Janice and Rudyard discuss the news sources they are turning towards to try and understand current events. Both recommend their top picks for news sources outside the mainstream which can help broaden our perspectives and enrich our conversations about fast-changing international and domestic politics. 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. Janice's Picks: The New York Times The Globe And Mail The Financial Times The Hub Canada Persuasion Rudyard's Picks: Bloomberg TASS The Global Times The Hub Canada The Logic Medium