For the 50th anniversary of the IRPP, we are exploring the biggest public policy challenges facing Canada through a series of panel discussions held at some of Canada’s major policy schools.

This episode is a recording of our discussion on political polarization held March 30, 2022, in collaboration with the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. We ask if polarization even exists in Canada. And if it is, what forms does it take, and does it pose a threat to our democracy?

The conversation is moderated by IRPP President Jennifer Ditchburn and features Anita Li, the editor-in-chief of The Green Line; Eric Merkley, an Assistant Professor at the Munk School; Sean Speer, a Senior Fellow at the Munk School; and Darrell Bricker, the CEO of Ipsos and a Senior Fellow at the Munk School.

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Jennifer Ditchburn
Jennifer Ditchburn is the President and CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy. From 2016 to 2021, she was the Editor-in-Chief of the IRPP’s influential digital magazine, Policy Options. Prior to joining the IRPP, Jennifer spent two decades covering national and parliamentary affairs for The Canadian Press and for CBC Television. She is the co-editor with Graham Fox of The Harper Factor: Assessing a Prime Minister’s Policy Legacy (McGill-Queen’s).
Anita Li
Anita Li is a media consultant and journalism professor based in Toronto. She’s also editor-in-chief of The Other Wave, a website covering media from a multicultural perspective.
Sean Speer
Sean Speer is the co-director of the Ontario 360 project and an assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.
Darrell Bricker
Darrell Bricker is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Ipsos-Reid (Public Affairs).