The Honest Talk – Details, episodes & analysis

Since she was a little girl, Mitzie Hunter has used her voice to make a big difference. Whether around the kitchen table with her three brothers, working with community organizations, or later at Ontario’s provincial cabinet table, Mitzie has always focused on solutions. Recently, Mitzie was appointed president and CEO of the Canadian Women’s Foundation, Canada’s public foundation for gender justice and equality, an organization we’re proud to call a partner here at The Honest Talk. Mitzie spoke with Jen and Catherine about her new professional mission and how she’s helping other women lift their voices to make change.

In this episode, Jen and Catherine chat with Vinita Savani, who has moved her way up the ranks at RBC since starting with Canada’s largest bank in 1997. Not only has Vinita stayed with RBC ever since, but she’s now their Senior Vice President of Personal Lending and Auto Finance. Along the way, she’s learned how to use her voice, mentor others, and be mentored. She’s established boundaries that have allowed her to become a truly successful professional and a dedicated mom and spouse.

Michelle O'Bonsawin made history as Canada's first Indigenous Supreme Court Justice. She joined us at The Honest Talk to share insights from her 20-year legal career, including the adjustments she had to make in her personal life to take this role, security issues, and self-care. Join us as we explore her commitment to education and community service, and her vision for a more equitable and inclusive legal system.

Jyoti Gondek is the first female Mayor of Calgary – a leader who learned the value of compassion and empathy as the daughter of immigrants who came to Canada when she was a child. In this thought-provoking conversation with Jennifer and Catherine, Mayor Gondek discusses the importance of authenticity, the challenges of being a woman in politics, and the need to address polarization in society. She shares her perspective on the role of social media in politics, the power of data-driven decision-making, and her commitment to making life better for the people she serves. Discover how Mayor Gondek’s unique background and unwavering dedication have shaped her approach to leadership and her vision for a more inclusive and compassionate future. Tune in to gain valuable insights and inspiration from Mayor Jyoti Gondek’s remarkable journey in this engaging episode.

Our special guest for this episode is Harriet Thornhill, a former Vice President with RBC and a true champion of mentorship. Harriet has won numerous awards, including being named one of the 100 most influential Black Canadians, and she’s a force to be reckoned with, now holding the prestigious position of Chancellor at Tyndale University. Immerse yourself in this empowering episode of The Honest Talk where Harriet shares her insights, experiences, and invaluable wisdom that will leave you feeling inspired and motivated to conquer your own goals. Share your feedback with us — we would love to have your review. If you love the episode, please rate the show. Follow us on Instagram to find even more advice from Canada’s most inspiring women: https://www.instagram.com/_thehonesttalk/ On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-honest-talk/ And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_TheHonestTalk

Lieutenant-Colonel Melanie Lake is one of the most public-facing women in the Canadian Armed Forces. As Task Force Commander of Operation UNIFIER, she led a team that trained the Ukrainian army months before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Melanie joins Jennifer and Catherine to talk about her experience as a woman in the Canadian Armed Forces and her decision to go to Ukraine when her daughter was five months old. In this episode, Melanie talks about her childhood, her mother’s reaction to a tour of duty in Afghanistan, and why she decided to make a career in the military. Share your feedback with us-we would love to have your review. If you love the episode, please rate the show. Follow us on Instagram to find eve more advice from Candaa’s most inspiring women: https://www.instagram.com/_thehonesttalk/ On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-honest-talk/ And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_TheHonestTalk

Kirsten Hillman is Canada's Ambassador to the U.S. and the first woman ever to hold this role. In the past, she has also played a critical part in negotiating major trade agreements for Canada. Ambassador Hillman joined Jennifer and Catherine to talk about the preparation for President Biden’s historic visit to Ottawa in March and how the team at the Canadian Embassy to the U.S. was involved in the process. She also gave us a behind-the-scenes look at her career and talked about her childhood, mentoring women, and making choices around things that make her happy.

Christina Cleveland is RBCs Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion. At a time when D&I discussions are top of mind for businesses, governments, institutions, and individuals across the country and around the world, she shares various perspectives on the importance of why everyone needs to Speak Up for Inclusion.

Heather Stefanson is the 24th Premier of Manitoba and the first woman ever to hold the role. She was elected to the Manitoba legislative assembly in 2000, and she has won every election since. Premier Stefanson has navigated the ups and downs of politics for over 20 years. She has mentored other women who want to get involved in public service, and she has raised two kids while serving her constituency, her community and her province. The Premier joins Jen and Catherine on this episode of The Honest Talk to discuss her childhood, making choices between family and career and managing stress and pressure.

Canadians from coast to coast jumpstart their mornings with journalist Anne-Marie Mediwake, co-host of Your Morning on CTV. An award-winning national journalist, Anne-Marie has worked at every major television news organization in the country, reporting on some of the biggest news stories of our time. She is a reporter, a mom of triplets and a friend to morning people everywhere, and she joins Jen and Catherine on this episode of The Honest Talk. Listen as she generously shares the behind-the-scenes scoop on her career and family life, her advocacy, and her childhood in Saskatchewan and Alberta after her parents immigrated to Canada when she was a baby.