What do artists see that others miss? Canadian writer Margaret Atwood's decades of literary exploration have shown her to be an incisive observer of people and politics. She sits down with Steve Paikin in a live event on the campus of the University of Toronto to talk democracy, authoritarianism and how fact can indeed be stranger than fiction. As a strong voice on several of the pillars of democratic life, the conversation touches on core values such as freedom of speech, citizenship, where democracy can backslide, and how to work for a better democratic future.

00:00 Opening Remarks: A Decade Ago in Sudbury
00:24 Margaret Atwood's Proposal: A Humorous Anecdote
01:13 Acknowledging Red Wilson's Generosity
01:52 Introducing Margaret Atwood
02:13 Opening Banter: Commonalities and Humour
04:50 The Role of Class in Elections
07:00 Gender Dynamics in Politics
10:16 MAGA Movement: A Revolutionary Perspective
12:02 Comparing Gilead and Reality
16:24 Religion, Abortion, and Law
20:28 Social Media's Role in Democracy
25:11 Historical Comparisons of Democracy
28:59 Tribalism in Modern Society
32:51 Democracy's Structural Challenges
38:19 Reflections on Margaret Atwood's Literary Career
44:03 Humour, Longevity, and Life Reflections
49:15 Q&A: Reflections on Democracy and Feminism
1:01:30 Closing Reflections: Trump's Impact and Reality Checks
1:04:38 Final Thanks and Acknowledgements

TVO Today Live is an Ontariobased event series that convenes important discussions on the future of democracy. Guests include politicians, journalists and prominent public figures. This initiative is made possible through the support of The Wilson Foundation, whose mission is to strengthen and enrich Canada in education leadership, community, history and heritage, and public service. Learn more about TVO Today Live at https://tvo.me/TVOTodayLive/ and sign up for email updates to get the latest information.

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The Agenda with Steve Paikin is TVO Today's flagship current affairs program, devoted to exploring the social, political, cultural and economic issues that are changing our world. We consistently offer a diversity of viewpoints and indepth analysis of what lies behind the headlines. See more about The Agenda with Steve Paikin at https://www.tvo.org/theagenda

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