NOW with Dave Brown broadcasts on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

On Thursday September 30's show, we commemorate Orange Shirt Day and the very first annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The creation of this statutory holiday is one of the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It is meant to honour Indigenous communities and commemorate the survivors of Canada's former residential school system. 

Today, we reflect on some of the biggest stories regarding diversity and inclusion from this past summer. 

In the first hour, we hear the following interviews: 

• Dr. Kisha Supernant is from the University of Alberta in the department of anthropology. She is also the Chair of the Unmarked Graves Working Group. She discussed the importance of uncovering unmarked Indigenous graves in Canada. This interview originally aired on June 3, 2021 and can be accessed on YouTube here
  • To learn more about her work and research, please visit KishaSupernant.com 

• Ossie Michelin is the director of CBC's “Telling Our Twisted Histories”, a new podcast that reclaims Indigenous history. This interview originally aired on June 16, 2021 and can be accessed on YouTube
  • You can find that podcast on all major podcasting platforms as well as on CBC here

• Waubgeshig Rice is the author of the 2018 novel “Moon of the Crusted Snow.” He discusses his book and his experiences as a writer during the pandemic. And, he describes the presence of colonization in his writing. The interview originally aired on July 28, 2021 and can be accessed on YouTube here 
  • You can find his 2018 novel “Moon of the Crusted Snow” on Audible as an audiobook or on Amazon in Kindle e-book edition and in paperback format
  • You can also find it available in accessible formats at the Centre of Equitable Library Access here

• Dr. Katherine Minich is from the School of Public Policy & Administration at Carleton University in Ottawa. Dr. Minich told us what Canada's new Governor General Mary Simon could mean for Indigenous representation in federal politics. This interview originally aired on July 13, 2021 and can be accessed on YouTube
  • Mary Simon was sworn in as Canada's 30th Governor General, making her the first Indigenous and Inuk person to ever hold the position. To learn more about her extensive career in advocacy and politics, visit here

Throughout the first hour of show, we referenced resources and materials to access and to learn more about Truth and Reconciliation. We have listed them below along with some extra reading material:  

• To learn about the story behind Orange Shirt Day and the significance of the day, please visit here
• To follow the conversation by Residential School survivors and their families, follow the hashtag #EveryChildMatters on any social media network and be sure to support voices from the Indigenous community 
• The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24-hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of their Residential school experience. That number is 1-866-925-4419 
• To learn about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to access records and archives, news, exhibits, research and educational resources, please visit the  University of Manitoba’s National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at NCTR.ca
  • For a direct link to reports on the commission and calls to action, visit here
• To learn about Indian Residential School Survivors Society and to find out how you can make a donation, visit irsss.ca

In the second hour of the show, we revisit interviews about the removal of historical statues, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the departure of American troops in Afghanistan and the presence of the Refugee Paralympic Team at the Tokyo 2020 games. 

On September 29's show: 

• Jumpstart’s Marco Di Buono discusses the importance of outdoor play for young Canadians and shares findings from their “State of Sport” report
• Singer-songwriter Laura Vinson describes The Awakeners, a new AMI-tv show about Indigenous artists with disabilities
• Community reporter Amy Amantea tells us about the second season of programming for VocalEye Almost Live. She also describes some fall opportunities offered by BC Blind Sports. To access her full report, visit here 
• Mike Agerbo of the App Show shares details on Model Eleven, the new smart electric scooter by Unagi. He also tells us why China is banning cryptocurrency transactions
• And, veteran political correspondent Craig Oliver shares his analysis on the latest news in Canadian politics including: Canada-China relations, the 4th wave of COVID-19 & the resignation of Annamie Paul
   

On Tuesday September 28's show: 

• Krista Carr from Inclusion Canada reflects on the federal election results and considers how it will affect the implementation of the proposed disability benefit,  Accessible Canada Act, as well as affordable housing 
• Environmental contributor Lawrence Gunther discusses the ongoing issues of animal welfare at MarineLand in southern Ontario
• Community reporter Elizabeth Mohler shares her experience using an app for vaccine proof on campus. She also tells us about this year's virtual event for #a11yWeekTO which runs October 20 to 23 
• Nelson Rego of Cool Blind Tech describes Microsoft’s new adaptive kit for Surface devices. He also tells us about new gadget called Rango that can turn your white cane into a smart cane 
• And, we have another edition of our weekly news quiz with Mark Phoenix and special guest Sam Robinson 
   

On Monday September 27's show: 

• Michelle McQuigge from The Canadian Press shares her weekend news recap and chats about Meng Wanzhou's plea deal and the release of the two Michaels
• Accessibility Specialist Marso Pasqua discusses issues of employment and inclusion ahead of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. He also tells us about his new partnership with Hire For Talent  
• Film reviewer Amy Amantea gives her commentary on “Cinderella,” the new Camila Cabello movie
• Marc Aflalo of Double Tap TV stops by with a demonstration of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the iPhone 13 mini and the iPad Mini
• And, Ryan Delahanty shares his Atlantic Regional Report with an update on Nova Scotia's stage 5 of re-opening. He also tells us about this year’s winners of the Innovative Designs for Accessibility Student Competition 
   

On today's edition of NOW with Dave Brown:

Our Friday News Panel returned with Dave, Joeita Gupta – host of the Pulse on AMI-audio and Michelle McQuigge from The Canadian Press.  
Our topics today:

We looked back at the results of Monday’s vote with an federal election recap. 

We discussed what our expectations are from the first ever National Day For Truth And Reconciliation.  

And what happens when pop culture meets diplomacy?  You get the K-Pop Performance At the U.N. 

In the second hour of the show:  

Our entertainment critic Michael McNeely shared his review of the documentary film “My Beautiful Stutter”.   

And Karen McKay from the Centre For Equitable Library Access joined us as the CELA Collection Surpasses 1 Million Books.