Video Archive

00:29:49

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Gilles Duceppe

Nine years after retiring from active politics, former Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe looks back on highlights of his career and offers his thoughts on current issues such as immigration and populism. He also talks optimistically about the future of the party he led for nearly 15 years.

00:29:49

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Michel Leblanc

After 15 years at the helm of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, President and CEO Michel Leblanc takes stock of his tenure. He shares his views on current issues, such as immigration and the vitality of the French language in Quebec businesses, and discusses the possibility of a future move into politics.

00:29:49

Conversations with Esther Bégin

François-Philippe Champagne

Elected in the 2015 election that brought Justin Trudeau to power, François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, talks for one rare occasion about his life before entering politics, his career as a commercial lawyer in Europe and his family. He also shares his vision for Canada's place in the high-tech sector.

00:29:50

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Kim Thúy

Arriving in Quebec in 1979 after fleeing Vietnam, Quebec author Kim Thúy recounts with nostalgia her youth in Granby, her brief career in law and her leap into the world of literature. She also shares her experiences as an immigrant in Quebec in the early 1980s.

00:29:45

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Jean-François Roberge

Jean-François Roberge, minister of the French language, minister responsible for Canadian relations and Francophonie, and minister responsible for Laicity, talks about his vision of Quebec's relations with the federal government on issues relating to the Francophonie and the challenge to Bill 21.

00:29:55

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Guy Cormier

Guy Cormier, president and CEO of Mouvement Desjardins, talks about his desire to make home ownership a social issue to avoid intergenerational inequity.

00:44:55

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Jean Chrétien

Thirty years ago this fall, Jean Chrétien was elected prime minister of Canada. In 2023, he also marks the 60th anniversary of his election as MP for the riding of St-Maurice-Laflèche. As his 90th birthday dawns, Mr. Chretien looks back on the key highlights of his journey as well as the people who inspired him and shares his thoughts on how to do politics in this day and age.

00:28:30

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, the first active NFL player to earn a medical degree, won the Superbowl in 2020. He looks back on his unique career and tells us about his foundation, which aims to promote a balance between sport, the arts and education among young people.

00:29:19

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Geneviève Guilbault

Deputy premier of Quebec since 2018, Geneviève Guilbault shares the journey that made her ready to face this challenge. She talks about her role in and views on politics.

00:28:29

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Bob Rae

With an impressive career in politics, Bob Rae looks back on the highlights of his career. From premier of Ontario to ambassador and permanent representative of Canada to the United Nations, the flame is still very much alive. In this meeting with Esther Bégin, he talks to us about the challenges of the international community, his family life and mental health.

00:29:49

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Mélanie Joly

Foreign affairs minister since 2021, Mélanie Joly is the face of Canada on the international stage. Despite the many hot issues she is dealing with in her portfolio, she has not given up on her dream of becoming a mother.

00:28:10

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Françoise Bertrand

A leading figure in Quebec’s business sector, Françoise Bertrand has been recognized as one of the country’s most influential women as well as a highly skilled senior manager. She looks back on her journey and discusses her vision for workforce management in a post-pandemic world, among other things.

00:28:40

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Eric Girard

Eric Girard has felt the call of politics since his teenage years. From working as a treasurer in a major bank to becoming Quebec's minister of finance, he retraces his steps and looks back at the historic tax cuts in his most recent budget.

00:29:54

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Éric Duhaime

Eric Duhaime started his professional life as a political advisor in Ottawa. He then worked as an international consultant before becoming a star radio host. In 2021, he was elected as the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec. While reflecting on his journey, Duhaime looks back on the ideology that inspired him and the controversies that have marked his career.

00:29:50

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Marwah Rizqy

Since her arrival at the National Assembly in 2018, Marwah Rizqy has been recognized for her unwavering drive and determination. As the Liberal MP for St-Laurent, she reflects on the obstacles that have molded her character and discusses her advocacy for tax equity.

00:29:30

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois

Gabriel Nadeau Dubois, the current parliamentary leader of Québec Solidaire, has been a prominent figure in student activism almost since birth. He rose to prominence in 2012 as a leader during the largest student strike in the country's history. He reflects on this pivotal moment in his commitment to activism and discusses the values that drive him forward.

00:29:55

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Magali Picard

In January of this year, Magali Picard achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first woman and the first person of Aboriginal descent to lead Quebec's largest labour organization, the FTQ. Her journey to this position has been shaped by her deep-rooted activism and the challenges she has faced along the way. In a candid interview, Picard generously shares her experiences and discusses her vision for unionism in today's ever-evolving workplace. Join us as we delve into the inspiring story of a trailblazer who is breaking barriers and paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable future.

00:29:45

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Pierre Paul-Hus

Military man, publisher, businessman, then politician, Pierre Paul-Hus looks back on the values that have guided his varied career and talks about his role as lieutenant of the Conservative Party of Canada in Quebec.

00:27:00

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Michelle O’Bonsawin

On September 1, 2022, she made history in this country by becoming the first Indigenous justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. An Abenaki member of the Odanak First Nation, Michelle O’Bonsawin discusses her journey from a small Ontario town to the highest court in the land.

00:29:29

Conversations with Esther Bégin

Bruno Marchand

Practically unknown to the public just two years ago, Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand has become one of the most influential figures on the Quebec municipal political scene. From his childhood in the Limoilou district to the direction of the Centraide organization, he looks back on the importance of community involvement and shares his thoughts on his first year as mayor of Quebec City.