Women Talking Democracy

Recent episodes

1. Aline Nizigama from Women Talking Democracy

   Jul 30, 2026

   Aline Nizigama, CEO of YWCA Canada, reflects on democracy through the lens of lived experience, community leadership, and social justice. Drawing on her upbringing in the state of Burundi in Africa, her family’s involvement in the country’s first democratic elections, and her experiences as a refugee and advocate, she explores how democracy is sustained through participation, inclusion and strong public institutions.

2. Fae Johnstone from Women Talking Democracy

   Jul 30, 2026

   Fae Johnstone, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Queer Momentum, explores the relationship between democracy, human rights, and social movements through the lens of 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy. Reflecting on her own experiences as a trans woman and activist, she argues that democracy is strongest when it expands dignity, inclusion, and participation to those historically excluded from public life. She also discusses the rise of anti-trans politics in Canada and abroad as part of a broader challenge to democratic norms and institutions.

3. Ewa Krejewska from Women Talking Democracy

   Jul 7, 2026

   Ewa Krejewska, constitutional lawyer and partner at Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP, reflects on the institutions that sustain democratic societies and the growing pressures they face. Drawing on her family’s experience fleeing communist Poland and her work on major constitutional cases, she argues that democracy is more than majority rule – it depends on constitutional protections, and an independent judiciary, a free press, independent universities, and a legal profession capable of challenging government power.

4. Pamela Wallin from Women Talking Democracy

   Jul 7, 2026

   Former journalist, diplomat, and Independent Canadian Senator Pamela Wallin reflects on democracy through the lens of a career that has spanned media, public service, and politics. Wallin argues that one of the greatest challenges facing democracies today is the erosion of trust in institutions, governments, and shared sources of information. She explores how technological change, social media, and increasing political polarization have transformed public life and weakened common civic experiences.