Podcast for Inquiry S04E12: Aaron Devor explains the ABCs of the Trans+ community

I speak with Aaron about many issues related to transgender people, or the Trans+ community. We discuss how the perceived binaries of sex, sexual preference, gender, and gender expression are more complicated and nuanced in reality. Aaron details how many people identify as transgender and nonbinary in Canada, and provides insights into many current controversies including pronouns, sports, puberty blockers, and incarceration. 

Dr. Aaron Devor, PhD, FSSSS, FSTLHE, is an internationally recognized leader in Transgender Studies who has been studying and teaching about transgender topics since the early 1980s. He established and holds the world’s first Chair in Transgender Studies; initiated and hosts the international, interdisciplinary, and intergenerational Moving Trans History Forward conferences; and founded and is the subject matter expert for the world’s largest Transgender Archives. He has published widely on transgender topics and has received numerous awards for his research and advocacy work. His opinions are frequently sought by the media, and he has delivered more than 40 keynote and plenary addresses to audiences around the world. He is a national-award-winning teacher, a former Dean of Graduate Studies, and a professor of Sociology, at the University of Victoria.

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Two secular humanist organizations jointly apply for intervener status at Supreme Court hearing of Bill 21

The following essay first appeared in the June 2025 edition of Critical Links, the newsletter of the Centre for Inquiry Canada.

Two secular humanist organizations jointly apply for intervener status at Supreme Court hearing of Bill 21

The constitutionality of Quebec's Bill 21, which (among other things) bans provincial government employees from wearing of "ostentatious" religious clothing and symbols, is heading to the Supreme Court of Canada.

No issue has split the secular community of Canada like Bill 21. Several organizations, including CFIC, Canadian Secular Alliance, and BC Humanist Association, have come out strongly against the legislation. Humanist Canada has not taken an official position on the bill (though it did host a four part webinar series on the topic). The Mouvement Laïque Québécois - which stood staunchly against prayers to open municipal council meetings - is a major proponent of Bill 21. 

CFIC has covered the progress of this legislation extensively. CFIC came out against the bill back in 2019. In May 2020, Critical Links described the unsuccessful court case to suspend the bill until the full challenge could be heard. In November 2020, CFIC reported on the case as it was heard at the Quebec Superior Court, and again in April 2021 when the Quebec Superior Court rendered its verdict. The third and fourth episodes of Podcast for Inquiry were dedicated to secular arguments in favour (Caroline Russell-King) and against (Catherine Francis) the bill in early 2022. 

From the April 2021 Critical Links article: "The ruling largely upholds the provisions of Bill 21, with two notable exceptions: The bill would be “inoperative” for English school boards in the province, and restrictions would not apply to sitting Members of the National Assembly." Many groups still affected by Bill 21's provisions appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, as did the Quebec government, which was unhappy with the exemption for English school boards.

The Supreme Court of Canada will hear the case later this year or in early 2026. The BC Humanist Association and Canadian Secular Alliance have filed a joint application to be interveners in the case. (The CSA was an intervener in the Saguenay (municipal prayers) and Trinity Western University (see here and here for details) cases.) Both organizations, like CFIC, believe that Bill 21 is an unjustified infringement on religious expression, and will argue that Bill 21 should be struck down.

There was a large number of organizations that applied for intervener status in this case, and typically only a few such requests are granted. A decision is not expected for several months; Critical Links will keep you up to date on this case.

Podcast for Inquiry S03E11: Is nuclear energy low carbon, cost efficient, and sustainable? Jason Donev has the answers.

If uranium in a nuclear power plant emits so much radiation it boils tons of water, how safe is it for workers? Given the huge facilities required and massive mining efforts, is nuclear truly carbon neutral? Is there enough uranium in the earth for nuclear energy to be a long term source of electricity? If we build more nuclear plants, will we retire fossil fuel sources of electricity or simply increase our electricity usage accordingly? 

Jason Donev answers all these questions, and more, in our second conversation on nuclear energy. 

References from our conversation:

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/what-is-the-budget-for-canadas-first-smr-project

https://energyeducation.ca/simulations/radiation_dose_calculator/index.html 

https://xkcd.com/radiation/ 

Prof. Jason Donev is tenured at the University of Calgary. He leads the world’s largest and most used energy resource for adults, EnergyEducation.ca. Prof. Donev works to help people understand nuclear power's role in providing reliable energy without emitting greenhouse gasses.

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Podcast for Inquiry BONUS episode: BAHACON 4 in Sarnia Ontario, August 8-10, 2025

The fourth BAHACON is coming in a little over two month’s time. I speak with Jeff Brooks about the conference’s location, speakers, and other attractions that makes the Bluewater Atheists, Humanists, and Agnostics conference so popular for attendees from across North America. Learn more and register at https://bahacon.com/ 

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Come see me perform stand up comedy!

 On June 10th, I'll be part of a cabaret showcase of comedic talent from across Toronto. Come see my five-minute set next Tuesday at 7:30 PM at the Comedy Bar on Bloor a couple block west of Ossington. Advance tickets are available here. I hope to see you there!

Podcast for Inquiry S04E10: New clear nuclear news, with Jason Donev

 Prof. Jason Donev is tenured at the University of Calgary. He leads the world’s largest and most used energy resource for adults, www.EnergyEducation.ca. As a reviewer for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Prof. Donev works to help people understand nuclear power's role in providing reliable energy without emitting greenhouse gases.

Jason talks about how much energy people around the world use, with a reminder that electricity is only a fraction of our overall energy budget. Jason describes nuclear energy’s advantages and disadvantages compared with the other major sources of electricity. We also discuss some concerns people have about nuclear energy, including its overall safety and storing its waste products.

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Podcast for Inquiry S04E09: A little less livestock, a lot more action - with Mark Lynas

Mark Lynas is the author of several environmental books, including Seeds of Science (2018), Our Final Warning (2020), and the forthcoming Six Minutes to Winter. Until 2024 he was research and climate lead with the Alliance for Science at the Boyce Thompson Institute, an affiliate of Cornell University. Mark is now the policy lead with the pro-science environmental campaign network WePlanet, launched in 2021 and now active in 18 countries. 

Our conversation starts with a recognition of the dire emergency presented by climate change, and that human food production is a significant contributor to humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions. Three changes can greatly reduce the environment impact of feeding ourselves: 

1. Reduce or eliminate human consumption of beef and lamb (See https://ourworldindata.org/global-land-for-agriculture)
2. Remove legal and regulatory barriers to genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
3. Remove legal and regulatory barriers to precision fermentation 

Mark believes a brighter future is possible if we allow our policy decisions to be guided by the best scientific knowledge and insight we have available.

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Podcast for Inquiry S04E08: Nigerian Nightmare: The personal toll of being a Humanist, with Mubarak Bala

Mubarak Bala was born in Nigeria's Kano State, on the southern coasts of the Sahara Desert, in 1984. He was schooled in both the Islamic and modern education system. This makes him an outlier, since most families believe the two school systems are mutually exclusive. Boko, Western Education, is Haram, or unIslamic.

When Mubarak started doubting the existence of demons, he was told that displaying any doubt was denying the word of the prophet. When his beliefs evolved to atheism, he paid an enormous price for saying so publicly. We talk about his experiences and also about Nigerian society, the Humanist Association of Nigeria, and Mubarak’s plans for the future.

Read Mubarak’s essay, Resolve of a Right-Thinking Nation: https://www.thehuman.team/the-almajiri 

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Podcast for Inquiry S04E07: Cell phones, Cinemas, and Comestibles: Canada’s Conundrum with Monopolies, with Vass Bednar

Vass Bednar is the Executive Director of McMaster University’s Master of Public Policy program, and the co-author of The Big Fix: How Companies Capture Markets and Harm Canadians. Our conversation starts with the observation that many sectors in Canada’s economy are dominated by one or only a few firms. Vass and Leslie discuss whether that is good or bad for Canadians, including an analysis of cinemas, grocery stores, and banking. They debate the role of government, the tools it has at its disposal, and what the future might hold. 

Relevant resources:

• NICE, the Network of Independent Cinema Exhibitors: https://www.nicecinema.ca/2024/03/12/report-the-state-of-independent-film-exhibition-in-canada 
  
• Access to Markets https://accesstomarkets.org/about/ 
  
• Statistics Canada and Canadian Competition Bureau paper on markups: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/11F0019M2025001 

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Podcast for Inquiry S04E06: Trials and tribulations trying to bring a refugee to Canada

In 2019, Brian and Brent (members of the Calgary-based Rocky Mountain Atheists) joined a “Group of Five (G5)” sponsorship committee (one of the ways Canada allows private citizens to resettle refugees in Canada) to bring a UN recognized refugee, Omer, to Canada.

When Omer expressed doubts about his faith, he had to flee his native country of Pakistan due to threats on his life.  Omer has been living in hiding in Nepal for several years. 

Though Omer’s should have been a straightforward case, the experience of navigating the bureaucracies of several nations - as well as the COVID-19 pandemic - has been anything but. Brian and Brent describe the challenges they have experienced with bringing Omer to Canada, as well their insights in Canada’s overall refugee system. 

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Secularism in Canada with Rocky Mountain Atheists

After my successful presentation of Stab Everyone You Love to Rocky Mountain Atheists late last year, I was welcomed back earlier this week to talk about the history of secularism in Canada.

It was wonderful to see some now familiar faces via Zoom and there was a lively Q&A session afterwards. The recording is now available. Watch and enjoy!

Podcast for Inquiry S04E05: Distinguishing jargon from gobbledygook - Dr. Jonathan Stea on evidence-based medicine over wellness industry misinformation

Dr. Jonathan Stea (BlueSky, Facebook) is a full-time practicing clinical psychologist and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary. In today’s episode, Jonathan reveals that many mental health practitioners have no scientific grounding for their treatments, which can lead to disaster - yet it can be very difficult for an layperson to distinguish between a new technique they don’t understand that works, and a new technique they don’t understand that is gibberish. “Quantum neurological reset therapy” should get your spidey sense tingling, and Jonathan shares a few other signs of pseudoscientific grift as well. 

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Canadian election and democracy for beginners

Last week I had the pleasure to give a talk to the members of Ensaneyoun, a secular group for Arabic-speaking immigrants to Canada. I do not speak any Arabic, but fortunately everyone there spoke English very well. My talk is about Canadian democracy, its institutions and structures, and what each citizen's vote entails. This was followed by a 90-minute Q&A session (not included in the video below). If you want to learn the basics of how Canadian democracy works, invest a half hour. Let me know what you think!

Podcast for Inquiry S04E04: Burkas, beatings and bicycles - The life of Yasmine Mohammed

Yasmine Mohammed is a human rights activist and author of Unveiled: How the West Empowers Radical Muslims. Yasmine is one of the most prominent and vocal figures supporting persecuted freethinkers across the globe, from elevating the voices of marginalized freethinkers on her podcast, to creating a global network of allies across religious and political divides through the CLARITy Coalition.

Yasmine shares how her childhood was dramatically changed when her mother became an unofficial “second wife” to a devout Muslim man, and how Canada failed to protect her due to the bigotry of low expectations. She describes her journey from non-practicing Muslim to becoming an open atheist, and how the trauma of her childhood continued to haunt her as an adult. We also discuss how countries suffer under Islamic rule, the particular hatred of Jews that is a core element of Islam, and the origin of and problems with the term Islamophobia. 

Learn more about Yasmine and support her efforts: 

Free Hearts Free Minds

Yasmine Mohammed Podcast

Unveiled: How the West Empowers Radical Muslims

Clarity Coalition

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky

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Podcast for Inquiry S04E03: Everything you always wanted to know about the solar system* (*but were afraid to ask), with John E. Moores

John E. Moores (X, Bluesky) is a planetary scientist and associate professor at York University. He is a member of the Royal Society of Canada, formerly served as the Science Advisor to the President of the Canadian Space Agency and has contributed to five NASA and ESA-led space missions. He is the co-author of Daydreaming in the Solar System, which imagines a future when visiting other planets is as common as hiking in a national park. The book is also grounded in the latest scientific knowledge about planetary geophysics. In addition to talking about the book, John answers some of Leslie’s pressing questions about the solar system, including: How do planets and moons become tidally locked? Why are most planets in the solar system aligned in a plane? Why are there gaps in Saturn’s rings? Is there life elsewhere in the solar system, or in the universe?

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House of Commons recommends ending religious privilege

The following essay was originally published in the February 2025 edition of Critical Links.

If the primary purpose of your organization is "advancement of religion", and all your group does is proselytize, it is eligible for charitable status in Canada. Centre for Inquiry Canada documented that this single policy choice costs Canadians over $3.2 billion every year in its Cost of Religion in Canada reports.

Every year, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance publishes a report containing recommendations for the following year's budget. The latest report, published in December 2024, contained Recommendation 430: "Amend the Income Tax Act to provide a definition of a charity which would remove the privileged status of “advancement of religion” as a charitable purpose."

There are many reasons why this would be good public policy:

• Financial: In a time of high deficits, saving Canadians taxpayers over $3,000,000,000 annually is wise financially, and good politics.
• Philosophical: Canada is (or should be!) a secular nation, where the government is neutral in matters of religion, neither supporting nor suppressing religious expression. Giving a multi-billion dollar subsidy to organizations that self-declare their primary purpose to be evangelizing is the government playing favourites.
• Protecting Canadian sovereignty: Canada did not decide the criteria Canada Revenue Agency's uses to determine which organizations are eligible to be recognized as charities. We inherited these rules from Britain, which made a decision over a century ago, based on the introduction to a law over 400 years old. Canada has never amended them. It's well past time for Canadians to decide what constitutes a charity in Canada.
• Accuracy: Trying to convince others to view the world as you do is certainly permissible, but it's hardly a charitable act. Such organizations should be non-profits, not charities.

To minimize disruption, the implementation could proceed in two phases: 

• Announce a deadline (say, the end of 2025) after which organizations may no longer apply to become a charity with the primary purpose of "advancement of religion".
• Give existing charities with a primary purpose of "advancement of religion" a deadline (say, the end of 2028) to either:
• Convert to a non-profit organization; or
• Declare an alternate primary purpose (advancement of education, alleviation of poverty, or other purposes beneficial to the community).

An administratively straightforward process should be created for religious charities to convert to a non-profit or designate an alternate primary purpose. 

Canada has just taken the first step on the path to becoming a more fair, just, and secular country. It's a long road from a Finance Standing Committee recommendation to implemented policy, and CFIC will continue to press for removal of "advancement of religion" as a charitable goal until this becomes a reality.

Podcast for Inquiry's amazing third year

Podcast for Inquiry's third year may be its best yet, with twenty-four regular episodes, one bonus episode, and one of my diatribes.

Episodes covered a wide range of topics. Some of my favourites from 2024 can be grouped into four categories:

Philosophy:

• Podcast for Inquiry kicked off 2024 with a thoughtful and insightful conversation with Australian philosopher Russel Blackford. We discussed the philosophical principle of Liberalism and delved into its implications for free speech and toleration. 
• If you accept that God has created you for a purpose, then what do atheists have to live for? My conversation with Dr. Ralph Lewis addresses this question directly, as we talk about his book Finding Purpose in a Godless World: Why We Care Even if the Universe Doesn’t.  
•  I speak with CFIC's Mark Maharaj about anti-natalism, the philosophical idea that choosing to have children is an unethical act.

Science:

• I have been fascinated with whether free will is real or a compelling illusion for several years. I am delighted Podcast for Inquiry dedicated two episodes to the question last year. Dr. Julien Musolino contends that free will (as commonly understood) is scientifically incoherent, but that it's not a big deal. Kevin Mitchell, on the other hand, argues that evolution gave us - not just humans, but all animals including amoebae - free will, and speculates about the ramifications for society and its institutions. 
• Tangentially related to free will was last year's final episode, about the possibility of plant intelligence with Paco Calvo. His research is ongoing; preliminary results are tantalizing but not (yet) definitive. 
• Climate change is a major, but far from the only, threat to human civilization. Professor Katherine Richardson and her team identified nine planetary boundaries which need to be respected if our planet is to remain conducive to human thriving. It remains an open question whether we will choose to do so. 
• But if we mess up Earth, we can always go elsewhere, right? Dr. Kelly Weinersmith wanted to know, so she started by reading just about everything ever published on the topic. Then she wrote A City on Mars summarizing what she learned, and talked to me about it. 

Religion and Secularism:

• In April 2021, CFIC started publishing its Cost of Religion in Canada report series. Hardly anyone read them. But when Sandra Dunham asked, "Why does Canada give $5.6 billion annually to religious charities?" on Podcast for Inquiry, secularists, atheists, and humanists across Canada took notice.  
• It's not just religious charities that benefit from government largesse. Ontario fully funds a parallel, separate school system at a cost of approximately $10 billion per year. Greg Oliver, president of the Canadian Secular Alliance, debunks many myths and discusses what can be done about public funding for Catholic schools. 
• Podcast for Inquiry had a couple guests return for encore performances in 2024. Dr. Josh Bowen revealed what the Bible has to say about slavery and genocide. And Catherine Nixey's second appearance on PfI was about her book Heresy, the many forms of early Christianity, and what humanity lost with Christianity's rise. 
• Andrew Seidel is the author of The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is un-American. The answer should be obvious, but unfortunately his arguments are more relevant now than ever. 

Critical Thinking:

• CFIC often emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, but what is it exactly? Melanie Trecek-King talks about how people can navigate complex subject areas without developing deep expertise, what constitutes good evidence, and more. 
• Relatedly, Robin Reames is trying to bring back The Ancient Art of Thinking for Yourself (the title of her book). Learn why emotions are more compelling persuaders than facts, the power of "alternative", and the centrality of fear.
• How can we know what is true, when each of us necessarily has an incomplete understanding of reality? Dr. Carolyn Biltoft has thought deeply about this question, and shares her insights. 
• Despite it being nearly impossible for humans to comprehend Absolute Truth (if such a thing even exists), there are some things we know about the universe with a very high degree of confidence. So why is science denial so prevalent in our society? Gale Sinatra explains that we all have biases and are vulnerable to fallacies that can lead to misunderstanding scientific topics. 
• Scientific illiteracy can have catastrophic consequences. Kat Mac trusted her alternative health provider, and taking the recommended herbal supplements nearly killed her. 

Podcast for Inquiry's 2025 season is already underway, with episodes about Canada's ongoing discrimination against its Indigenous population and growing up in Canada within an observant Muslim household already released. There will be many more conversations exemplifying the spirit of genuine open inquiry every two weeks as Podcast for Inquiry continues into its fourth year.

Podcast for Inquiry S04E02: Gaia Vince identifies the four horsemen of the Anthropocene

Gaia Vince (@wanderinggaia) is an award-winning science writer and author. She is particularly interested in the interaction between human systems and Earth’s planetary systems. Her research has taken her around the world. Gaia’s latest book is Nomad Century: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World. We are already at 1.6 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures, with significantly more to come. The four horsemen of the anthropocene - fire, heat, drought, and flood - will lead human migration on an unprecedented scale. Gaia describes what we must do, individually and collectively, to prepare. 

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Podcast for Inquiry S04E01: Canada has not reconciled with its Indigenous peoples, say Maureen Bulbrook and Christina Ninham

Maureen Bulbrook and Christina Ninham are Indigenous lawyers who know from direct experience that Canada has never stopped discriminating against its First Nations people, from the Doctrine of Discovery at the time of contact to current day (with Prime Minister Harper arguing that residential school records should be destroyed even as he apologized for Canada’s treatment of Indigenous peoples and Prime Minister Trudeau failing to deliver on his promise of clean drinking water in all Indigenous communities). Canada passed a law in November 2024 banning forced sterilization because of the ongoing commonplace practice of doing so to primarily Indigenous women. 

For reliable information about First Nations people, visit:

• Canadian government websites
• First Nations community websites 
• APTN  
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations
• Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women final report 

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