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Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Ajay Friese grew up on Vancouver Island, spent five years auditioning before landing Lost in Space, sang Bob Marley on screen, moved Laura Linney to tears with his debut single, and just released his first album - all before turning 30. Debora Gurrad gave up the classroom but never stopped teaching: as a certified Master Gardener she travels Campbell River to Nanaimo helping people understand what their soil is actually trying to tell them. Two guests, two origin stories rooted in Vancouver Island.

This Episode Features:

(33:39) Ajay Friese, actor and singer-songwriter, grew up on Vancouver Island and is best known as a series regular across all three seasons of the Netflix reboot Lost in Space. He has recently joined Kevin Kline and Laura Linney in the MGM+ family comedy American Classic. He has released his debut album Postcards - recorded under the name Blue Jay Friese - a deeply personal collection influenced by John Denver, four of whose songs were captured as live one-takes in studio. Ajay talks about the five years of ferry rides and Vancouver auditions before his career broke open, playing comedy opposite Kevin Kline, and what Laura Linney said when she heard his first single in the green room. He also walks through his multicultural upbringing and how that global perspective finds its way into his writing. Contains the song “The Road”. https://www.instagram.com/bluejay_friese/

(08:22) Debora Gurrad is a certified Master Gardener with the Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association, a retired teacher who has been passionate about growing things since a university botany class lit the spark. She presents workshops on soil preparation, pruning, and food gardening from Campbell River to Nanaimo. Debora explains what the Master Gardener movement actually is, why soil preparation is always step one regardless of what you are planting, and which cool-weather crops you can put in the ground right now. She also offers a practical guide to managing the overwhelm of May - the busiest month in any garden. https://www.vimga.org/

Episode Quotes:

"It took me completely by surprise, and it was like the most exciting thing I could possibly hear and the biggest compliment." — Ajay Friese (on being asked to sing on Lost in Space)

"Everything, no matter what kind of garden you have — do your soil prep first." — Debora Gurrad

We've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond — explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page.

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In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood welcome back BC political reporter Rob Shaw - host of Political Capital and co-author of the bestselling A Matter of Confidence - for the “Criterion Edition” of his rant on first reading at the BC Legislature. They unpack what first reading actually does, why the NDP government’s growing habit of blocking opposition bills chips away at the institution, and how the same procedural dynamics show up around the municipal council table.

From DRIPA to slates to the quiet collapse of caucus power, the conversation is part civics lesson, part warning shot, and very much in the Nonpartisan Hacks spirit of “the process matters as much as the outcome.”

Listen for:

What first reading actually is — and why blocking it is more serious than it sounds

Why the precedents this government sets will eventually be used against them

The municipal parallel: why “second for discussion” is a small but vital democratic norm

How outrage clips and Facebook groups are turning every procedural vote into a wedge

Why slates are the corrosive factor creeping into otherwise healthy local democracies

Rob’s reliable forecast: every premier eventually falls — usually to someone you’ve never heard of

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Visit the NonPartisan Hacks website: https://nonpartisanhacks.com/

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Why You Should Listen to This Episode

What happens when you’ve achieved everything you set out to do - and it still isn’t enough? Rob de Toni, a litigation lawyer, and Heather Emmerzael, a Registered Nurse, both built successful careers and found themselves in full burnout. Their story is a powerful reminder that resilience isn’t about pushing through - sometimes it’s about having the courage to start over.

In this episode:

Rob de Toni and Heather Emmerzael join Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to talk about what it truly means to reinvent yourself at any stage of life. As friends and colleagues who both navigated careers that left them depleted, Rob and Heather unpack what was missing, what they discovered about themselves, and what finally motivated them to make a radical shift toward who they were really meant to be.

Their conversation is honest, grounded, and deeply relatable. Whether you’re questioning your own path or supporting someone who is, this episode is a reminder that recognizing burnout is not failure - it’s the beginning of something truer.

The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.ca

Cindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.ca

Learn more about Rob de Toni & Heather Emmerzael: cynosurecoaching.com

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