Welcome to TED@DestinationCanada
TED is collaborating with Destination Canada to produce TED@DestinationCanada—a landmark TED event featuring 14 talks from some of the biggest changemakers in Canada. After being filmed live at the TED Theater in New York City on February 23, the talks are published across TED channels and beyond.
The nonprofit TED has earned a global following for spreading ideas in the form of short, powerful talks. It has engaged in many partnerships over its 39-year history, but it has never partnered with a destination—until now.
Through TED@DestinationCanada, a diverse roster of leaders and thinkers will inspire a new era of travel—one guided by an openness to growth, change and a better future for all. It is Canada’s diversity and openness to new visitors and residents that touches travellers’ hearts deeply.
Who is TED?
TED began in the mid-1980s as a conference about the convergence of technology, entertainment, and design (hence TED). Today’s talks go far beyond those three fields. A diverse roster of global experts present “Ideas Worth Spreading.” Many talks are filmed at the flagship TED Conference—which has been held in Vancouver, British Columbia since 2014—as well as at independent TEDx venues and TED Institute partner events all over the world. Since 2006, TED Talks have been published online—offering free global education and inspiration. Each talk is approximately 10 minutes, so even the busiest people have time to watch.
Innovative partnership
By partnering with TED—renowned for convening the biggest thinkers on the planet—Destination Canada elevates the country’s innovative thinkers and leaders and showcases Canada as an ideal place to travel, study, work, invest and live. Each talk tells a story about the people, places, and diverse ways of thinking in Canada, with the goal of inspiring positive change. Brought to a global stage, these narratives will impact how people around the world view Canada and drive the next wave of changemakers to create a better future.
IMAGE: Grouse Mountain, North Vancouver, British Columbia
Wide open
The theme for TED@DestinationCanada is OPEN—a concept inspired by Canada’s wide-open spaces, welcoming communities and endless opportunities to travel, study, live and invest. When we open our hearts and minds, we see unexpected connections, welcome fresh experiences and perspectives, and take steps toward crucial growth and change. Through their ideas, TED@DestinationCanada speakers endeavour to open the hearts and minds of audiences around the world. The 14 speakers represent the many regions of the country, spanning generations, a wealth of backgrounds and diverse viewpoints. Their talks explore whether artificial intelligence can outsmart us, the effects of climate change on polar bears, and wisdom from Indigenous cultures, among other ideas that promise to shift boundaries and upend perspectives.
IMAGE: Middle Cove Beach, Newfoundland and Labrador
Tourism as a force for good
In Canada, tourism is a leading economic driver and provider of jobs. It can be a force for positive change and a powerful conduit to a brighter and better future. “When you want the world to rethink what they know about Canada, you need to create conversations about your destination that help us stand apart,” says Marsha Walden, CEO of Destination Canada. “So we are creating a global conversation about openness through our partnership with TED. Not only will this platform help differentiate us but also reposition Canada as a destination for innovative thinking, change making, and ultimately, travel being a force for good.”
IMAGE: Dempster Highway, Eagle Plains, Yukon
14 concepts to change the world
An open, diverse country with expansive natural landscapes and thriving, human-scaled urban centres, Canada has nurtured innovators, leaders, thinkers and changemakers who are trying to address the world’s problems and ensure a bright future for coming generations. Immerse yourself in their ideas and visit the places that inspired them.
Alysa McCall, polar bear protector
Hometown: Whitehorse, Yukon
Coexisting with polar bears can be challenging—and it will become more so as the lives of humans and polar bears increasingly overlap in the coming years. Through her organization, Polar Bears International, Alysa McCall helps polar bears thrive in the wild while supporting the safety of people who share their coastlines.
There are currently around 25,000 polar bears around the Arctic, split into 19 populations. However, as the world warms—and the Arctic is warming faster than anywhere—we could lose two-thirds of the world’s polar bears by the end of this century.
“Polar bears are fat white hairy canaries in the coal mine warning us to act now. The faster we switch to cleaner energies, the better we can protect future generations of polar bears, and people.”
Kevin Smith, coastal explorer
Hometown: Victoria, BC
When the global pandemic halted tourism, Kevin Smith—president of outdoor tour operator Maple Leaf Adventures—joined forces with his competitors in the Small Ship Tour Operators Association (SSTOA) to organize one of the biggest marine debris cleanups in history. Achieved with the support of the area's Indigenous governments, the initiative saved hundreds of tourism jobs and removed 1,000 tonnes of garbage from the British Columbia coastline.
Ocean debris has devastating impacts on marine life, food sources and coastal communities. Each year, a shocking amount of waste—including single-use plastics, polystyrene foam and fishing debris—is removed from ecologically sensitive areas such as the Great Bear Rainforest. By casting aside competition and embracing collaboration, SSTOA made a sizable dent in coastal waste while forging deep relationships with each other, the provincial government and the Coastal First Nations—all while moving through the tourism industry’s darkest hour.
“That was the emotional truth of each day on the expedition: total triumph at what we’d done to save the place; total helplessness at the enormity of the problem.”
Cohen Bradley, master of ceremonies
Hometown: Haida Gwaii, BC
In Western regions, “legacy” refers to the mark a person leaves in history. However, in many First Nations cultures, legacy carries a different meaning—stories passed down through generations. Haida Gwaii carries a legacy of monumental Haida art that depicts these stories. The Europeans who landed on Haida shores 250 years ago left a legacy as well—one of residential schools, potlatch bans and the burning of totem poles as firewood. Despite all, the Haida people fiercely held on to their culture, demonstrating their own legacy every time they say, “We are the Haida Nation.”
Without the Haida ancestors who persevered when all hope seemed lost, when disease and abuse were introduced to their land, Cohen Bradley and his community would not have been able to share their own stories and make their own mark. While some equate “legacy” with a place in history—an inlet named after you, or statues erected in your name—others place worth in stories of the past, of unnamed people whose actions supported every generation that came next.
“True legacy for me are the warps that make up my basket, of identity, stories, art, language, traditions, and a positive and healthy relationship with the lands and waters. That is the foundational legacy we should look to leave.”
Matricia Bauer, mountain mover
Hometown: Jasper, Alberta
Adopted into a loving white family when her mother (a residential school survivor) committed suicide, Matricia Bauer spent decades searching for the truth about her heritage. When she had her own daughter, she began to wonder how she could share her history and culture when she herself felt disconnected from it. Then Bauer began beading, drumming and singing.
She joined an Indigenous organization and connected with Elders. She reconnected with members of her birth family and relearned Cree. Today, Bauer, whose Cree name is Isko-achitaw waciy / ᐃᐢᑯ ᐃᐦᒋᑕ ᐘᒋᕀ (“She Who Moves Mountains”), proudly embraces and shares her heritage with people around the world.
“The most powerful realization is that instead of looking externally to find myself, I started to look internally.”
Lori McCarthy, food laureate
Hometown: Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador
Place is more than just geography. Lori McCarthy grew up in Newfoundland, a place where people live differently—where the human connection with land and sea is deeply rooted. When she was young, Lori’s pop told her to get an education and leave to find a better life—but she wasn’t convinced. Since then, McCarthy has asked her family, friends and neighbours how they thrived, and are still thriving. Central to these stories is food, and along the way, Lori learned to forage, hunt, butcher and preserve. Today, McCarthy shares these generations-old skills with visitors; she wants them to leave with a little piece of Newfoundland and an understanding of the people and their unique traditions.
Geography doesn’t define place—people do. Exploring a new destination becomes so much richer when travellers seek out the people of that place, hear their stories, experience their culture and take the time to learn who they are.
“I believe the soul of a place never leaves, because it lives in the people, in the traditions they share, the food they share and in the human spirit of togetherness.”
Jiaying Zhao, behavioural scientist
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
The current narrative on climate action largely centres on personal sacrifice—drive less, avoid meat, reduce shopping—which can lead to feelings of shame, guilt and resentment. These negative emotions make us retreat and disengage, and aren’t conducive to long-term behaviour change. Jiaying Zhao (along with colleague Elizabeth Dunn, a happiness scientist) is attempting to shift perspectives by directly connecting happiness with climate action. The duo came up with a list of actions that can reduce carbon emissions while providing maximum happiness benefits; they call it the Happy Climate Approach.
While it might seem that individual actions are trivial without large-scale system change, these behaviours are important: They model our care for the planet to other people, and can spread like a ripple effect to instigate collective action; they can also trigger broader institutional structural change. But we will only keep doing them if they make us happy.
“That’s how we came up with what we call the Happy Climate Approach - it’s actions that live in this sweet spot that reduce emissions and increase individual happiness at the same time.”
Michael Green, architect
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
We talk about “sustainable” buildings, but is that really a thing? Michael Green, an architect who designs structures that are 100 percent wood, thinks not. While wood is considered “the best of imperfect options” for big buildings, harm is still being done to the environment. That’s where FIVE comes in—a new organic structural material that uses waste fibre and fast-growth fibre, and is strong and safe. FIVE prioritizes fully natural material that sequesters carbon and uses crops that can be grown across the planet.
The built environment accounts for nearly 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions made by man (as a comparison, all modes of transportation—cars, planes, ships—collectively represent only 27 percent). Currently, engineered wood is the only major way to build carbon-neutral large buildings—but only if the materials come from sustainable forestry.
“If we … considered the amount of building the world needs over the next 40 years, the wasted material would fill all the Great Lakes.”
Kris Alexander, video game wizard
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Kris Alexander, a professor of video game design, is an advocate for the power of video games to enhance online instruction, cater to different types of learning, and provide clear objectives. And he argues that there isn’t a single job, trade or discipline that doesn’t connect in some way to the video game industry.
Humans acquire information in three ways: audio, text and visual. Video games combine all three channels, while adding a necessary fourth component—enjoyment, which translates to motivation. So if we haven’t already, maybe it’s time we take video games seriously, and explore the ways they can influence or inspire education.
“Video games contain the blueprint for creating engaging educational content because they cater to human learning.”
Alona Fyshe, neural networker
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Does AI understand us? Many people are convinced it does (start a discourse with ChatGPT and you’ll understand why). However, current AI language models are ultimately following a set of instructions programmed by humans. According to Alona Fyshe, one way to figure out if AI thinks about language the way we humans do is to “find out what the AI is doing, and compare that to what the brain is doing.”
Humans make sense of the world by looking for meaning; we want to see intelligence in the beings and things around us. It’s very easy for us to be fooled if we only look at the input and output of AI, rather than delving into what’s happening inside the “brain” of an AI machine.
“People are funny. We look for meaning everywhere… We also attribute more intelligence than might actually be there.”
Normand Voyer, molecular prospector
Hometown: Neville, Québec
The Great White North is large and unexplored, especially at a molecular level—but recent discoveries in the region are providing medicinal chemists with inspiration to create new drugs and treatments. So what happens when global warming changes these ecosystems forever?
The North is warming up faster than anywhere else on the planet, a phenomenon that’s leading to the greening of northern ecosystems. The resulting loss of biodiversity leads directly to a drop in chemodiversity, which means future wonder drugs might never be discovered.
“Who knows if the next generation of much needed anti-inflammatory agents, or cancer-fighting drugs, or the cure for Alzheimer’s will be inspired by the natural products from Nunavik’s lichen.”
Rebecca Darwent, philanthropic advisor
Hometown: Montréal, Québec
Through her own experience, Rebecca Darwent has found that lessons from Black philanthropy can help us improve traditional philanthropy. To start, change the power structure from top-down (with donors at the top) to a model in which philanthropists and nonprofits work together as true equals—on a level playing field—with the beneficiary community at the centre.
The most effective partnerships happen when philanthropists and nonprofits work together as equals. Donors need to ask questions, listen to answers, and trust the lived experience of people they might not know, rather than ascribing their own beliefs or perspectives.
“I know that donors have good intentions. But good intentions aren’t good enough. Communities are being left behind and we’re running out of time.”
Paul Bloom, psychology provocateur
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Perversity might make us uncomfortable, but it’s important to understand it if we want to better understand human nature—and ourselves. That’s why Paul Bloom started the Perversity Project, asking people to send in stories of their perverse impulses.
Some people engage in perverse actions to demonstrate autonomy; others do so as an act of dominance. Exploring what motivates perversity is complex and fascinating, whether we’re trying to comprehend inexplicable behaviour or understand why we are so influenced by advertising.
“…it's worthwhile appreciating the role that perversity plays in the real world. It’s worth knowing that some people really do want to watch the world burn.”
Azim Shariff, morality mapper
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Why do we attach moral worth to hard work? Azim Shariff, a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia, argues that effort is sometimes overrated—and even harmful—and explains why we should instead focus on creating a world of meaning.
What makes sense at an individual level can become problematic when scaled up to the societal level. One important example is in the workplace: Many people put in overtime hours to prove their “worth” rather than prioritizing endeavours and relationships that might have more meaning to them.
“When we attach moral value to activity, rather than to productivity, we become more concerned with how hard someone is working, rather than what is actually being achieved by the work.”
Cameron Davis, youth advocate
Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario
Gen Z’er Cameron Davis is encouraging his generation to use their voice politically, socially and culturally—especially when other people won’t listen.
Thanks to social media and other technologies, young people are being exposed to more diverse viewpoints than ever before, from the comfort of home. They have inspiring models from around the world—youth such as Hannah Flores, Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg—and collaborate to make a better world.
“By understanding and respecting each other, not just in our neighbourhoods, provinces, or countries, but globally, it's easier to have tough conversations and create solutions that work for multiple parties.”
What to know
TED@DestinationCanada will be filmed on February 23 at the TED Theatre in New York City, in front of a live audience of 100 partners, influencers and changemakers. Once recorded, the talks will be published on TED.com and other channels, starting the week of March 6, with others following regularly. Subtitles will be available in French, German, and Japanese, as well as other languages.
About Destination Canada
At Destination Canada we believe in the power of tourism. Our aspiration is to enhance the quality of life of Canadians and enrich the lives of visitors.
Our mission is to influence supply and build demand for the benefit of locals, communities and visitors through leading research, building alignment with public and private sectors, and marketing Canada nationally and abroad. In collaboration with our partners, we promote Canada as a premier four-season leisure and business tourism destination around the country and world.
Destination Canada (DC) is a Crown corporation wholly owned by the Government of Canada and formed under the Canadian Tourism Commission Act.
IMAGE: Polar Bear Migration Fly-In Photo Safari, Hudson Bay, Manitoba
