Tuning in to Y Station: Episode II

This Tuning in to Y Station roundup spotlights the podcasts, YouTube videos and articles hand-picked by our team to inform, inspire and entertain you. From celebrating Black History Month and the upcoming International Women’s Month to keeping a finger on the political pulse of North America, there’s a little something for everyone.

Chosen by Chris Henderson, Chief Strategist

YouTube Channel: The White House

The Biden Administration has an ambitious agenda—from the pandemic, climate change, social inequality – they are taking on a lot and taking it on fast. To connect with voters on these complex subjects, they’re favouring short, 2–3-minute videos from an authority in the White House, edited to give you the essentials on the issues, why it’s important and the actions they’re planning to take.

It’s a great example of how to distill things down for topics that are pretty easy to drone on about. They’re informative, authoritative, and—most importantly—digestible.

Chosen by Jenny Black, Brand and Content Strategist

Podcast: The Test Kitchen by Reply All

In the summer of 2020, days after the murder of George Floyd, Bon Appétit came under fire when inflammatory social media posts from executives and employees surfaced online and the truth behind its reputation as a racist and toxic workplace came to light.

This four-part podcast series from Reply All explores the power of “keeping up appearances” and the events leading up to a scandal that started brewing over a decade ago. While I wait for new episodes to be released, I reflect on the experiences shared in the first two chapters and how much my own privilege has shaped my reality.

Chosen by Alana Williams, CEO & Partner

Podcast: The Psychology Podcast Episode: How Humor Can Save The World

I love a bit of levity in the workplace and find humour and laughter to be a way to balance the stress and demands of the workday, but humour is also something that can be a bit personal—not everyone likes pranks, for example. And how does power dynamic play into it? Can you joke around the same way with your colleagues as you do with your direct reports as you do with your boss? American spelling aside, this podcast interviews the authors of a new book on humour and explores its place in society and the workplace.

Chosen by Cameron Dykstra, Senior Research Associate

Policy Paper: Towards a Fiscally Sustainable Alberta from the Business Council of Alberta

The Alberta provincial budget will be released soon and is likely to feature a historically large deficit resulting not only from COVID-19 but from structural fiscal problems that long predate the pandemic.

The Business Council of Alberta has released a policy brief that provides a non-partisan and good-faith discussion on some of the challenges of Alberta’s finances, highlighting the unsustainability of our reliance on energy royalties to fund government services in the future. The report is good context for some challenging conversations that Albertans will be faced with over the next few years.

Chosen by Ann Gordon-Tighe, Strategist

Article: “Nikki Haley’s Time for Choosing” by Tim Alberta

This piece in Politico does a deep dive into the background and political career of Nikki Haley, one of the potential heirs to the tarnished throne of the Republican Party. It’s difficult to imagine anyone wanting that position after the disaster of Trump but as this piece makes clear, political opportunism is a hell of a drug.

Chosen by Tracy With, COO

Report: Global Gender Gap Report 2020 by the World Economic Forum

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is #ChooseToChallenge; a call to action to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. Recently, the World Economic Forum released a sobering report on gender parity and found that one of the greatest challenges preventing the gap from closing is women’s under-representation in emerging roles. Working to create inclusive workplaces and encouraging women in leadership is more important than ever.

Chosen by Anthony Fisher, Junior Associate

Podcast: Black History Buff Episode: #28 Benjamin Banneker Time Lord

This 18-minute episodes tells the incredible story of Benjamin Banneker, a largely self-taught astronomer, mathematician, almanac author and civil rights advocate living as a free Black man in a slave state during the eighteenth century. The episode focuses on one unique achievement in particular: building a clock from memory.

It’s an important reminder of how communities, workplaces and society as a whole benefit when everyone has the opportunity to contribute.

Chosen by Jillian Nason, Director of Client Services

Podcast: Alright, Now What? By Canadian Women’s Foundation

Produced by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, this podcast is informative, fact-driven and dedicated to advancing gender equality in Canada. Season two is particularly poignant and centres around the increased risk of gender-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic and how the right mix of funding, supports and policy can help drive real change.