This is our 26th and final Perspectives of 2024!
In the last 12 months, we’ve explored topics such as net-zero homes, the carbon tax, the energy transformation and more. Through our editorial content, we’ve connected with engaged women, businesspeople, government representatives and thought leaders across Canada to share our national research and have bold conversations.
We look forward to continuing this work in 2025, but for the last Perspectives of the year, we’ve done something a little different.
As 2024 comes to an end, the Canada Powered by Women team looked back at some of our favourite stories, documentaries and memoirs from the last year. If you’re looking for last-minute Christmas gifts or putting together your to-be-read or watched list for 2025, here are some recommendations from CPW staff team and board members.
Jenn Lomas, national marketing director, recommends Without Leaving Anyone Behind: Humanity at an Energy Crossroads.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Sylvester Ndumbi and produced by Dr. Harrie Vredenburg, one of the world’s leading energy experts, Without Leaving Anyone Behind brings the global community together through thoughtful conversation on energy transition.
It explores the complex and polarizing nature of the climate conversation, and the importance of balancing climate change mitigation with energy security, economic development of the Global South and standard of living through innovative technologies and policies.
The documentary’s world premiere took place in Trinidad and Tobago in September 2023 and was screened as an official United Nations side event at COP28 in Dubai. It was released for worldwide online streaming on Dec. 2, 2024.
Jenn also enjoyed At a Loss for Words: Conversation in an Age of Rage by award-winning author and broadcast journalist, Carol Off. This book examines words that have become increasingly polarized in recent years, including “democracy”, “freedom” and “truth”, and explores how we can reclaim their value.
Patricia van de Sande, board member, recommends Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present by Fareed Zakaria.
“This book looks at the history of several successful and unsuccessful revolutions and discusses four present-day revolutions: globalization, technology, identity and geopolitics,” says Patricia.
“I am also starting Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell. He states that he ‘want(s) to look at the underside of the possibilities I explored so long ago. If the world can be moved by just the slightest push, then the person who knows where and when to push has real power.’ Both are interesting, thought-provoking reads I recommend. Enjoy!”
Tracey Bodnarchuk, founder and CEO, recommends Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.
“I loved this book because it was such a great story about resilience, being true to yourself and reaching your potential,” says Tracey. “The main character reinvents herself as a cooking show host after being fired from the lab she worked at as a chemist. It’s a compelling and entertaining story about love, family and career against the backdrop of the 1960s.
“On my list is The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict (Heather Terrell) and Victoria Christopher Murray. This is a historical fiction novel about a woman who was J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian. She became a powerful woman in New York but kept a secret about her ethnicity over four decades for the protection of her family and her legacy. I can’t wait to start it!”
Natalia Villett, director of corporate and strategic events, recommends The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, the story of a Mi’kmaq family who travels from Nova Scotia to Maine in July 1962 to pick blueberries for the summer, where their youngest daughter goes missing. This novel is a “riveting story about the search for truth, the shadow of trauma and the persistence of love across time.”
Natalia also loved The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, a historical mystery based on the real-life diary entries of Martha Ballard, an 18th century midwife who found herself at the centre of a murder trial.
Shelley Powell, board member, recommends Atomic Habits by James Clear, a comprehensive guide on how to change your habits using proven ideas from biology, psychology and neuroscience.
Shelley also recommends Reconciling History: A Story of Canada by Jody Wilson-Raybould, former Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and Dr. Roshan Danesh.
This book takes a different approach to the telling of Canadian history, particularly the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, by sharing the perspectives of “voices that have seldom been heard.”
Finally, Shelley enjoyed An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Colonel Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian Commander of the International Space Station. In his memoir, Hadfield shares stories from his years of training and space exploration, and secrets to success and survival.
Kate Fischer, board member, recommends How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil — a Bill Gates favourite author and professor at the University of Manitoba.
“The book is a fascinating and readable examination of the world’s energy, agricultural and materials systems, and how globalization and technology have impacted risk, the environment and prosperity,” says Kate.
“Smil’s aim is to equip readers with scientific facts and data, rather than taking an editorial position on the challenges we face. I learned a ton reading this book and am keeping it handy for ongoing reference. A great read!”