Ideas CBC Massey Lecturers reveal how the talks changed them
Dec 3, 2025
Tanya Talaga, an award-winning journalist and advocate for Indigenous issues, shares her experiences delivering thought-provoking Massey Lectures. She recounts how her powerful message resonated in Thunder Bay, with surprising audience reactions reshaping perceptions. Sally Armstrong, a dedicated journalist and human rights activist, discusses the impact of her talks on women’s rights groups in conflict zones like Afghanistan and China. Both guests reflect on the profound connection their lectures made with diverse audiences and how those interactions changed them.
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Rushed Book Deadline
- Tanya Talaga was told she had five months to write the Massey Lectures and the required book.
- She described writing a book in five months as "not for the weak of heart."
Home Crowd In Thunder Bay
- Tanya Talaga insisted the tour start in Thunder Bay, her mother's hometown, and the crowd filled a 1,700-seat venue.
- She recalled elders, bannock, and a standing-room-only audience for the first lecture there.
Unexpected Audience Support
- After a Thunder Bay lecture, an older white man rose and told Tanya Talaga he had changed his perceptions and urged Indigenous people to "go forth and conquer."
- She described the moment as surprising and powerful.
