A Love Affair with the Unknown with Gill Deacon

Since her breakout novel A Complicated Kindness, internationally acclaimed author Miriam Toews has captured our hearts with unforgettable characters and heartbreaking stories. Most of her 10 books have been works of fiction, shot through with threads of her real life experience. In her latest book, A Truce That Is Not Peace, Miriam lays it all bare in memoir form: not just the deaths by suicide of both her father and her sister, but the all-but-unbearable struggle it has been for her to make sense of it. As warm and hilarious in person as she is on the page, Miriam Toews is a courageous reminder that uncertainty is literally all we have, and the idea that we’d ever be able to have all the answers is sheer folly. Subscribe to Gill’s newsletter for more A Love Affair with the Unknown

Having mega-hit songs and international fame in your early 20s is a tough act to follow, but Steven Page has done the work to figure it out. He has navigated the ups and downs and wild uncertainties of fame for decades— as the former frontman of Barenaked Ladies, and now as a successful solo artist. A much-scrutinized breakup with longtime best friends and bandmates, a headline-grabbing drug arrest, and a candid struggle with mental health, Steven Page is a very public example of courageously navigating hard things and finding joy and purpose along the way. You’ll be moved by his generous, warm-hearted vulnerability in this wonderful conversation that feels like a great hangout with the nice guy who lives next door.

The host of the wildly successful TED podcast How To Be A Better Human, comedian Chris Duffy infuses every conversation with thoughtful curiosity, wit and enthusiasm—including this one! Chris and Gill talk about his determination to help us all bring more laughter into our lives; why humour is such a potent stabilizer in the midst of uncertainty and change; the wisdom he learned from his students when he taught fifth grade; and why we should all take ourselves less seriously, especially now. Plus an early peek at some of the strategies Chris shares in his book Humor Me -released January 6, 2026- on how to get better at being funny and finding the comfort and joy of humour wherever you look. Subscribe to our newsletter for more A Love Affair with the Unknown

After an unreasonable number of cancer diagnoses and a nearly two-year battle with long Covid, Gill has learned a lot about navigating uncertainty, yes. She’s also become a model of resilience, something the team at the terrific Psyched Up podcast wanted to celebrate. This week’s episode finds Gill on the other side of the interview microphone. Psyched Up host Dr Diane McIntosh is a psychiatrist and a trusted expert in the field of mental health. She’s a best-selling author, researcher, and practicing clinician. Each episode deals with a different aspect of mental health, with a focus on real-world stories. For the resilience episode, the story is Gill. Subscribe to our newsletter for more A Love Affair with the Unknown

Imagine taking over the absolute top job in your field, at a time of unprecedented national and international scrutiny on your team. Oh, and you’re the first woman EVER to hold the position. That is the challenge General Jennie Carignan wakes up to each morning, as Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff, the highest ranking military command in the land. At a time of unprecedented uncertainty about Canada’s sovereignty, and on the heels of historic defence spending in the most recent federal budget announcement, General Carignan sits down with Gill for a frank conversation about how prepared Canada is to weather storms, both political and climate-driven. She talks candidly about how she handles fear, how to mitigate uncertainty with preparedness, and says Canadians can expect significant change in how its Armed Forces operate—a change that might include everyday civilians playing a role in national defence. Subscribe to our newsletter for more A Love Affair with the Unknown

Serena Ryder is incredibly comfortable belting her glorious voice into a microphone. A multiple Juno award winner, she sells out concert halls wherever she goes. Songs like “What I Wouldn’t Do”, “Stompa” and more have scored TV soundtracks, and become iconic rallying cries for celebration. But Serena is incredibly courageous about sharing her vulnerable side as well, using her voice to speak up for those who struggle with mental health issues. Serena’s own history with depression and anxiety has taught her a lot about how to face uncomfortable feelings and move through them to heal and grow stronger. In the middle of her “Merry Myths" holiday concert tour, Serena took time to be her most open-hearted self in this conversation with Gill. It’s a beautiful and hope-filled chat—a powerful reminder that even the most successful among us wrestle with uncertainty and challenge. For Serena Ryder it’s all fuel for wonder and learning how to be alive.Subscribe to our newsletter for more A Love Affair with the Unknown