E41 Senator Dawn Arnold

We had the immense honour of speaking with Senator Dawn Arnold, Senator for New Brunswick. She is a recipient of the Order of New Brunswick, the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, and has been named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government. Our conversation spanned a wide range of issues, beginning with her work on the Senate Committee on Human Rights, examining the growing impact of artificial intelligence on human rights and economic security, including the need for strengthened guardrails and AI’s potential as public infrastructure. We then turned to Canada’s affordability crisis, from measures such as removing GST for first-time homebuyers to overlooked structural barriers like development charges within the housing system. Drawing on her trailblazing experience as Moncton’s first female mayor, she reflected on increasing women’s representation in politics and the importance of supporting women not only in getting elected but also once they are in office. We also explored how Budget 2025’s $503 million investment can boost long-term participation in the arts, alongside the paramount nature of bilingualism to national identity and the risks of not sustaining French across generations. Lastly, we discussed the role of youth in democracy today, including her support for S-222, the Vote16 Act. Stay until the end to hear Senator Arnold’s top three book recommendations (don’t worry, there’s a mix of French and English)!