Pt 1: Debate Over the Order of Canada - Doctor Henry Morgentaler spoke at a news conference this week about being named to the Order of Canada. His appointment has sparked a heated debate about his life-long commitment to providing abortions and whether he deserves the Order of Canada because of it.

Read more here

Pt 2: Information Overload - Trying to organize the information deluge can be a challenge. Fancy new software might help, but it does take some self control. Such is the life of a working professional in the technological age. So much information, so little time to make sense of it. We examined the growing problem of information overload, and how it's affecting our ability to relate to each other.

Read more here

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Today's guest host was Margaret Evans.


Satire

It's Thursday, July 3rd.

Nelson Mandela has been taken off the United States' terrorism watch list, 15 years after he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending apartheid in South Africa.

Currently, It will be up to the next administration to decide when to take Mahatma Gandhi off the list.

This is The Current


Debate Over the Order of Canada

The History of the Order of Canada

Doctor Henry Morgentaler spoke at a news conference this week about being named to the Order of Canada. His appointment has sparked a heated debate about his life-long commitment to providing abortions and whether he deserves the Order of Canada because of it.

We set aside the debate over abortion and took a closer look at the history, past controversies and politics of Canada's highest civilian honour and what it says about Canadian society.

We started with a brief history lesson. Christopher McCreery is the author of The Order of Canada: Its Origins, History and Development and he joined us from Ottawa.

Panel Discussion

Senator Hugh Segal was actually made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2003. He joined us from Ottawa.

As well, Rick Salutin joined us in Toronto. He is a columnist for the Globe and Mail.


Listen to Part One:

 

Information Overload

Trying to organize the information deluge can be a challenge. Fancy new software might help, but it does take some self control. Such is the life of a working professional in the technological age. So much information, so little time to make sense of it. We examined the growing problem of information overload, and how it's affecting our ability to relate to each other.

Taking Responsability

Now some of the companies responsible for the creation of the ever-addictive technologies are joining forces to help us cope with the results. The Information Overload Research Group is made up of academics and researchers from companies including IBM, Intel, Google and Microsoft. It's a non-profit group and its goal is to help people better manage all the information at their fingertips.

Jonathan Spira joined us in conversation. He is one of the group's founding board members. He's also the Chief Analyst with the technology research company Basex.

John Herlocker also joined us. He is the Chief Technology Officer with a company called Smart Desktop.

They are both members of the Information Overload Research Group.

Work Productivity

And you can't forget Facebook. It's yet another way to 'stay in touch'. But according to Maggie Jackson, information overload is doing more than just dragging down workplace productivity. It's affecting how we relate to each other. Maggie Jackson is the author of Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age. She joined us from New York City.


Listen to Part Two: