Jen & Catherine – From hockey night to election night, and celebrating women athletes

Jen: Hey Catherine! This is a pretty special week because we got to be in Toronto together – in person and on a podcast!

Catherine: Yes, we got to attend a conference together, spend election day together, and do two very different things. You were a responsible professional and went to a dinner, whereas I holed up in my hotel room and watched the election results.

Jen: I was actually the first person to leave the dinner, and I felt like I had a legitimate excuse – which was to crawl into the hotel bed and watch the results. And boy, what a night.

Catherine: It really was. By the time our listeners hear this, the election may seem like a distant memory, but it was such an interesting night to watch things unfold. I’m actually in Pierre Poilievre’s riding, and our daughter voted for the first time this election. We went to the advance polls, and we must have lucked out on timing – there was no lineup. We waited maybe 10 minutes max.

But the ballot! We had the long version, and I swear it was as long as my arm span – 91 candidates, I think? The look on my daughter’s face when she got this multi-folded ballot was priceless – like, what is this? Even putting it into the ballot box, we had to shake the box to make room for the next one. I would not have wanted to be part of the counting process. It wouldn’t have been fun. Our riding had the largest voter turnout in the country.

Jen: That’s pretty crazy – what was it, 79% voter turnout?

Catherine: I’m not 100% sure what the final national number was, but they were saying it was as high as 2015.

Jen: I meant in your riding. That’s a big turnout! And having worked on campaigns – regardless of your political stripes – it’s fascinating to see the organization it takes to pull off a successful GOTV (get-out-the-vote) effort to hit those numbers. It’s a huge operation.

Catherine: It really is. What’s also interesting about our riding is it’s a mix of rural and suburban, and people just seemed really motivated to vote. We’re not affiliated with any party – no one came to our door offering help getting to the polls – we just went. Same with our neighbours. It felt like everyone was voting over Easter weekend.

Jen: Yeah, exactly. Whether you’re happy or not with the outcome, the fact that voter turnout was so strong in such an important election – with so many pressing issues, and our lovely friends south of the border changing their minds on trade and tariffs daily – it’s great to see people exercise their right to vote.

Speaking of “unfriendly,” we love our listeners in Toronto – but when we were there, the four of us from Ottawa went to the Leafs-Sens game, and… I say “Blazers” because we made the very strategic decision not to wear jerseys. That was quite the experience.

Catherine: Well, you were sweet enough to buy the tickets, which was so fun. We were way up in the stands, and I swear I still have partial hearing loss. The Sens are out now, so the Leafs are moving on. But yes, it was an experience. And you got the brunt of it – you had a particularly loud fan behind you.

Jen: He was screaming a lot of profanities. And look, I’m from the Valley – I’ve heard my share – but it was the sheer effort of screaming that loud for that long. Like, sometimes I’m emotional and think, “I don’t even have the energy to cry, I’m going to be puffy tomorrow.” Screaming is the same for me – it takes effort. And this guy just kept going for two-plus hours. Eventually, the F-word lost all impact.

What surprised me most, though, was how supportive the Leafs fans were – until the team started losing. Then, wow… it got ugly in the third period.

Catherine: Yeah. And I hope Leafs fans don’t take this the wrong way, but it was really something to witness. They were screaming for their team, then against the Sens, and then suddenly… against their own team. It felt mean. I know it’s just a game, but maybe it’s the mom in me – I didn’t like it.

Jen: I felt the same way. I told my kids, “Hey, if it’s your team, it’s your team – it’s like school pride.” And the next morning, at our conference, we had Doug Gilmore! I got home from the game and FaceTimed my husband. I’ve started to really enjoy hockey again this year. I told him about the breakfast lineup, and when I mentioned Doug Gilmore, Kevin – who’s usually so even-keeled – totally lit up. He had posters of Gilmore above his bed as a kid! We FaceTimed Doug and Kevin the next morning, and I swear, Kevin giggled. He was so embarrassed, but I’m not going to lie – he totally did.

Catherine: That’s so sweet! So Jen, who did you have posters of over your bed?

Jen: Oh, Prince William. When he had hair – and a more substantial jawline! I remember when he, Harry, and Prince Charles were in Vancouver. I tried to convince my mom to take us to Whistler because I just knew that if Prince William saw me, one day I’d be queen. Alas, not meant to be.

Catherine: He did pick a good queen, though – I like Kate Middleton a lot. But Jen, you would’ve been a great royal too!

Speaking of sports, we had Christina Litz from the Northern Super League on the show recently, and we got such great feedback. I think it’s because people are feeling this incredible momentum around women’s sports right now. The Northern Super League – women’s pro soccer in Canada – is launched and going strong. It’s really exciting.

Jen: Absolutely. Between that and the PWHL, there’s so much momentum. I don’t think people realize just how thrilled women are to see women on these fields and rinks. It’s game-changing for our country – and for little girls everywhere. It gives them a trajectory beyond high school sports. They don’t have to pivot to cheering for the boys’ team anymore.

Catherine: Yes! And it redefines how we think about women’s bodies too. For so long, there was only one way women were “supposed” to look. We’ve published articles on The Honest Talk about how there’s still discomfort with strong, athletic women. I hope this shifts that dialogue. Like – “Hey girlfriend, those are some wicked quads!” Or “I love your arms!” Let’s celebrate these different body types.

Jen: I hear it more and more – “fit is the new skinny.” I love that. We grew up in the Kate Moss era, where no fat and no muscle was the standard. We both have daughters and sons, and I’m with you – it’s such a relief to see that change. It’s not about diet culture anymore – it’s about the work that goes into strength and discipline. That’s something I want my kids to admire.

Catherine: Yes, yes. We recently published a piece about What Not to Wear. Remember that show?

Jen: Of course! Stacy and Clinton on TLC – I used to watch it all the time. But looking back, it was mean. They would secretly film people and then shame them for how they dressed. It was a product of its time, but yeah, super judgmental.

Catherine: That approach would never fly today. Apparently, the show’s coming back, but this time it’s more about celebrating people as they are, and working with them to find what makes them feel good. Smart business move – it reflects the times we’re in.

When I grew up, I had limited fashion choices. My mom would say, “You can wear this… or this,” but both outfits were basically the same! I vowed not to do that with my kids. I remember dropping them at the bus and apologizing in advance: “They dressed themselves, and yes, it may look like Halloween.” But now we’re the generation saying, “You look great. Are you comfortable? Do you feel good? Great.”

Jen: Same here. I still guide my kids if it’s a big event, but day to day? My daughter’s almost 12 and not very “girly” by traditional standards – but what does that even mean? She wears what she wants and owns it. There’s still a small part of me that thinks, “Maybe you should wear this,” but mostly, I’m just proud she’s confident enough not to follow the crowd.

Catherine: It’s such a shift. Even with all the challenges of raising kids today – social media, peer pressure – there are a lot of positive changes too.

We should also let our listeners know – we’re trying to do more of these chats! We love talking to each other, but we’d also love to hear from you. If there’s anything you want us to discuss, send your ideas through the website. We’d love to hear from you.

Jen: Yes, absolutely. And on a final note: there are birds chirping outside my office. There’s a GoFundMe for this bird watcher who has a smart feeder – it has a camera and AI that notifies you when, say, a finch arrives. Then it gives you facts about the bird, like its habitat and seasonal habits. I can’t even say this with a straight face.

Catherine: Jen, are you announcing your retirement?

Jen: Just mentally. A portion of my brain is retiring while I stare at birds through my new, very high-tech bird feeder.

Catherine: Sounds like a rip-roaring good time.

Jen: For those who haven’t met me and are just listening – I’m not 60. Just emotionally, sometimes.

Catherine: Well, I look forward to you helping me identify birds in the near future!