Rachel Maddow to Engage UBC Students Ahead of Vancouver Speaking Event
Renowned American journalist and bestselling author Rachel Maddow is set to participate in the Lind Initiative speaker series at the University of British Columbia's Chan Centre on March 5. The event, presented by UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, will feature Maddow in conversation with professor Heidi Tworek, director of the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions.
Interactive Dialogue with Students
The Emmy Award-winning host of The Rachel Maddow Show on MS NOW will first meet with UBC graduate students for a seminar before the main event. Maddow emphasized her preference for two-way conversations when engaging with younger audiences.
"I've never been a professor or taught anything properly, and I actually don't think I'm great in a classroom environment, but I really like it to be a two-way conversation," Maddow said from New York. "I like to have any conversation with students."
The journalist, who has authored several bestselling books including DRIFT: The Unmooring of American Military Power and Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism, values these interactions as opportunities for real-time feedback.
Canada's Prominence in American Political Discourse
Maddow's Vancouver visit coincides with increased American media attention on Canada, particularly regarding former President Donald Trump's unconventional disputes with the northern neighbor. She highlighted several recent developments that have captured U.S. headlines:
- The Tumbler Ridge school shooting
- Trump's attempts to block the Gordie Howe Bridge between Windsor and Detroit
- Ongoing tariff conflicts
- Claims that Canada-China trade agreements would "eat Canada alive"
- Statements about China terminating ice hockey in Canada and eliminating the Stanley Cup
"Canada is playing a lot more in American political discourse because our president is doing two things," Maddow explained. "No. 1, picking weird, performative, inexplicable fights with Canada that nobody understands, and two, shredding the post-World War 2 global order in which the United States was at the centre of Western alliances."
Journalistic Integrity in Challenging Times
Maddow addressed the importance of truth in journalism during an era of political polarization. "At a time when our government in the United States has really aggressively abandoned any pretence to telling the truth," she noted, "journalists should make it clear 'the truth is a real thing.'"
The public event at Chan Centre begins at 6:30 p.m. on March 5, offering Vancouver residents an opportunity to hear Maddow's perspectives on current affairs, media responsibility, and the evolving relationship between the United States and Canada.
