Building Democratic Resilience and International Solidarity with Bob Rae

Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with The Honourable Bob Rae, in a special live recording at DemocracyXchange 2026, about the state of global order, Canadian democracy, and the country’s role in a shifting international landscape. Their conversation explores how today’s moment of geopolitical uncertainty has been shaped by overlapping crises, from war and inequality to rising populism, alongside the growing strain on multilateral institutions, while also examining the strengths and vulnerabilities of Canada’s democratic system and the challenges it faces at home. The two reflect on how Canada can navigate an increasingly fragmented world and what these intersecting pressures reveal about the future of democracy today.

Host: Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Guest: The Hon. Bob Rae is a Canadian lawyer, diplomat, and politician who has served both provincial and federal governments. He was Premier of Ontario (NDP) and later served as interim leader of the federal Liberal Party. He has also served as Canada’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. Throughout his career, Mr. Rae has worked as a lawyer, activist and author.