Mornings with Simi

Greece’s Aegean islands, including Santorini, Amorgos, and Anafi, are experiencing an intense and unusual earthquake swarm, with tremors reaching magnitude 5.3. Over two-thirds of Santorini’s residents have voluntarily left, and authorities have declared a state of emergency, closing schools and discouraging large gatherings. Scientists are baffled by the erratic seismic activity, which lacks a clear mainshock and appears tectonic rather than volcanic in origin. Guest: Dr. David Pyle - Volcanologist and Professor of Earth Sciences at Oxford University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vaughn is BACK! SO MUCH has been happening on the Trump/Tariff front, and it's providing BC Premier Eby with some much-needed focus. A bombshell report confirms the massive diversion of safe supply drugs. 22 million doses for 5,000 legitimate recipients? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What you can do to support local businesses! Is sports betting and online gambling hurting our health?! A new study shows that peeing is contagious in chimpanzees! Breaking down the least week in US politics with Reggie Cecchini! Why is DeepSeek making such a splash in the AI industry? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Superbowl Sunday is approaching and online gambling is booming; when it comes to public health though, are the odds stacked against us? Guest: Dr. Steve Joordens - Professor of Psychology at University of Toronto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former BC United MLA Karin Kirkpatrick is calling on Kevin Falcon to resign as leader, so the party can be resurrected. This begs the question: Who knew Falcon was still leader? Guest: Rob Shaw - Political Correspondent for CHEK News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A group of independent ­businesses in Greater Victoria is urging consumers to take a “30-day challenge” to support local companies, as a potential trade war looms with the United States. They say they reinvest their earnings in hiring employees, paying local taxes and supporting community events. President Mary Lou Newbold said the 30-day target is based on the fact that it takes about a month for consumers to “form a new habit.” The Think Local First initiative isn’t about boycotting specific products, she said, but about supporting local businesses as they sell inventory they’ve already invested in, “wherever it may be from.” Guest: Mary Lou Newbold - President of Think Local First Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

British Columbia has announced that government officials will not be allowed to use the new AI platform Deepseek due to security concerns. But why Deepseek? What sets it apart from other AI models? Our producer, Bianca Rego, spoke with Zeyi Yang, Senior Writer on Chinese technology for WIRED, to find out: what exactly is Deepseek? Guest: Zeyi Yang - Senior Writer on Chinese Technology for WIRED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a CRAZY budy week in US politics, and we have Washington correspondent Reggie Cecchini to help make sense of it all. Guest: Reggie Cecchini - Washington Correspondent for Global News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new study shows that peeing is contagious in chimpanzees, making it “the first study to investigate contagious urination in animals, including humans,” While observing a group of captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), something caught the attention of Ena Onishi, who also studies animal behavior at Kyoto University. “I noticed a tendency for individuals to urinate at the same time,” she says. Guest: Dr. Zanna Clay - Developmental psychologist with expertise in primatology - University of Durnham England Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seg 1: Why is California relying on Canadian lumber to rebuild? Seg 2: Can SFU help solve Canada’s doctor shortage? Seg 3: How to grow your own produce! Seg 4: Will Canada’s wrongful conviction board deliver real justice? Seg 5: How is Vancouver supporting its aging population? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to grow your own produce! Guest: Carissa Kasper - Gardening Expert for West Coast Seeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. David Price, dean of Simon Fraser University’s medical school, is playing a key role in addressing Canada’s doctor shortage by focusing the new program on primary care. The British Columbia government tasked his team with creating a school dedicated to primary care, and SFU’s program is uniquely designed to train students for specialties like family medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry. Guest: Dr. David Price - Founding Dean of SFU’s School of Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California homebuilders say they have little choice but to keep buying Canadian lumber, even with 25% tariffs, as they rebuild thousands of homes lost in Los Angeles wildfires. Dan Dunmoyer, president of the California Building Industry Association, notes that 80% of the state’s land is federally or state-owned and can’t be logged, while local mills and environmental policies make a quick switch to domestic lumber impractical. Guest: Dan Dunmoyer - President & CEO of the California Building Industry Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The City of Vancouver has formally adopted the WHO’s Age-Friendly Cities Framework, reinforcing its commitment to making the city more inclusive for seniors. Guest: Mike Klassen - ABC Vancouver City Councillor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new independent commission in Canada, established to review wrongful convictions, may find more cases than expected. Similar commissions in other countries revealed higher-than-anticipated rates of miscarriages of justice. Guest: Tony Paisana - Partner at Peck and Company Barristers and Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of British Columbia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Conservative government got their hands on a Power Point presentation which "reveals" the diversion of safe supply drugs to the streets, information that the police have known for months. The BC government is banning the Chinese AI company DeepSeek. What's going on with it? Guest: Rob Shaw - Political Correspondent for CHEK News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Trudeau’s border measures reduce fentanyl smuggling? Why one ABC councillor is opposing Mayor Sim’s DTES housing plan! Can BC improve the rate of killer whale births? What’s behind Trump’s plan to “take over” Gaza? Making Cent$ of the Market with Lori Pinkowski! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We’re making cents of the Markets with Lori Pinkowski, A Senior Portfolio Manager at Canaccord Genuity. - you can contact her team at 604-695-LORI or visit their website at PINKOWSKI.CA” Call Lori and her team today at 604-695-L-O-R-I with any questions you have about investing or retirement! Or visit their website at PINKOWSKI.CA Guest: Lori Pinkowski - A Senior Portfolio Manager at Canaccord Genuity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Trudeau’s border measures reduce fentanyl smuggling? Guest: Dr. Christian Leuprecht - Professor at the Royal Military College and Queen’s University, Senior Fellow at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, and Author of “Security. Cooperation. Governance.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why one ABC councillor is opposing Mayor Sim’s DTES housing plan! Guest: Rebecca Bligh - ABC Vancouver City Councillor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new study introduces a non-invasive method to detect early-stage pregnancy in killer whales using drone images. This breakthrough helps researchers better understand miscarriage rates and overall population health while enabling conservationists to take action—such as increasing food sources or reducing vessel disturbances—to improve calf survival rates. Guest: Brittany Visona-Kelly - Senior Manager of the Ocean Wise Whale Health and Monitoring Program Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump proposed that the U.S. should “own” the Gaza Strip, “level the site,” and develop it into a resort destination, calling it “the Riviera of the Middle East.” His plan, outlined in a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, involved displacing over two million Palestinians, a move Netanyahu said was worth considering. Guest: Reggie Cecchini - Washington Correspondent for Global News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BC's privacy commissioner put out a new report saying FOI rules are inconsistent in municipalities. Plus, Rob breaks down some of the government's big projects being fast-tracked. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Trudeau’s border plan actually enhance security? How are retailers responding to the Buy Local movement? Will an asteroid really hit Earth in 2032? Why/How are criminals using online betting sites to launder money? How will the tariffs impact BC’s softwood lumber industry? Is Canada equipped for a trade war? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How are retailers responding to the Buy Local movement? Guest: Diane Brisebois - President & CEO of the Retail Council of Canada Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ian Lee says Canada is ‘going to lose’ the tariff war, and that President Donald Trump is using tariffs as a tool to negotiate a new trade agreement. Guest: Ian Lee - Associate Professor of Management at Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The BC Lumber Trade Council is condemning the U.S. government’s 25% tariff on softwood lumber, calling it an unjustified protectionist measure that harms both Canadian and American economies. Guest: Kurt Niquidet - President of the BC Lumber Trade Council Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Astronomers are closely monitoring asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 1.3% chance of impacting Earth on December 22, 2032. The European Space Agency (ESA) estimates a 99% likelihood that it will pass safely, but a collision cannot yet be ruled out. Measuring between 40m and 90m in size, YR4 could cause significant damage if it were to hit a populated area, though an ocean or remote landfall is more probable. Guest: Aaron Boley - Associate Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of British Columbia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled a $1.3-billion border security plan to address U.S. concerns and prevent impending tariffs from President Donald Trump. Guest: Vincent Rigby - Former National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between Trump's tariff deadline and the cold weather, it was a CRAZY 24 hours yesterday. Guest: Rob Shaw - Political Correspondent for CHEK News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The gambling industry is highly vulnerable to money laundering due to its large-scale, rapid cash transactions across casinos, online betting platforms, and gaming machines. Guest: Andrew Dornbierer - Head of Policy and Research at the International Centre for Asset Recovery at the Basel Institute on Governance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does Premier Eby plan to tackle Trump’s tariffs? How is BC’s Ministry of Finance preparing for Trump’s tariffs? Can you actually die of a broken heart? How will Trump’s tariffs impact BC’s service industry? What happened on the snowiest day in BC? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happened on the snowiest day in BC? Guest: Craig Baird - Host of the Podcast “Canada History Ehx” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How is BC’s Ministry of Finance preparing for Trump’s tariffs? Guest: Brenda Bailey - BC’s Minister of Finance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Premier David Eby condemned the U.S. government’s new 25% tariffs on Canadian goods as a “betrayal” and an “economic war” against a close ally. In response, he ordered the BC Liquor Distribution Branch to stop purchasing American liquor from “red states,” directed crown corporations to prioritize Canadian goods and services, and fast-tracked $20 billion in private-sector projects to create 6,000 jobs. Guest: David Eby - Premier of British Columbia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How is BC and Canada responding to Trump's looming tariffs? Plus, multiple school districts are closed due to the cold snap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Takotsubo syndrome, or “broken heart syndrome,” is a temporary heart condition triggered by extreme emotional or physical stress. It has been romanticized in fiction, with characters like Padmé Amidala and King Lear seemingly dying of heartbreak. First documented in the 1960s, takotsubo syndrome primarily affects postmenopausal women and is characterized by the ballooning of the left ventricle. Guest: Bethany Brookshire - Science Writer and Host on the Podcast “Science for the People” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BC is bracing for Trump's tariff announcement. What exactly is the President's end game? A shark in a Louisiana aquarium gave birth to a baby shark… but there were no males in the tank! Is this a miracle or just the miracle of nature? Last night at a press conference, President Donald Trump blamed DEI for the plane/helicopter crash that took the lives of 64 people. Is it time to say good riddance to Supply Management in the dairy industry? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How is BC going to handle Trump's alleged incoming tariffs? Guest: Ravi Kahlon - B.C’s Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BC is bracing for Trump's tariff announcement. What exactly is the President's end game? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it time to say good riddance to Supply Management in the dairy industry? Guest: Ryan Cardwell - Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Manitoba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Housing minister Ravi Kahlon appoints housing advisor in West Van and Oak Bay. What's going on with the Victoria School Board? Trump seems committed to implementing tariffs on Canada, but it's still up in the air about what sectors these tariffs would impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last night at a press conference, President Donald Trump blamed DEI for the plane/helicopter crash that took the lives of 64 people. Guest: Reggie Cecchini - Washington Correspondent for Global News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A shark in a Louisiana aquarium gave birth to a baby shark… but there were no males in the tank! Is this a miracle or just the miracle of nature? Guest: Dr Robert Hueter - Senior Scientist Emeritus, Mote Marine Laboratory Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seg 1: The BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) alongside three individual plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the City of Vancouver to challenge the city’s daytime ban on outdoor sheltering. This ban is cruel, dehumanizing, and deadly. It violates sections 7, 12, and 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Seg 2: Why does London Drugs want to move out of the DTES? The answer is quite simple: Crime is hurting business. Seg 3: The release of DeepSeek-R1 has raised alarms in the U.S., triggering concerns and a stock market sell-off in tech stocks. Seg 4: Metro-Vancouver politicians are supplementing their base salaries to an extreme extent! The worst part? It's on the TAXPAYERS' dime! Seg 5: According to Mike Hurley, Metro Vancouver is facing rising costs while planning its 2026 budget, with a focus on reducing costs for ratepayers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to Mike Hurley, Metro Vancouver is facing rising costs while planning its 2026 budget, with a focus on reducing costs for ratepayers. He says the region’s infrastructure, including water treatment plants and wastewater facilities, is expensive and complex. He points out that the new wastewater treatment plant is being built on the North Shore to meet federal regulations and accommodate growth, despite delays and cost escalations caused by a previous contractor. Guest: Mike Hurley - Chair of Metro Vancouver Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does London Drugs want to move out of the DTES? The answer is quite simple: crime is hurting business. Guest: Clint Mahlman - CEO of London Drugs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Metro-Vancouver politicians are supplementing their base salaries to an extreme extent. Guest: Jordan Armstrong - Global News Reporter and Anchor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BC's new war room on trump tariffs is not super impressive. However, Ravi Kahlon dropped an f-bomb in describing Trump at a media conference. And the BC Conservatives put out a WILD old timey ad pretending the tariffs are an atomic bomb and Eby wants everyone to duck and cover. Guest: Rob Shaw - Political Correspondent for CHEK News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) alongside three individual plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the City of Vancouver to challenge the city’s daytime ban on outdoor sheltering. This ban is cruel, dehumanizing, and deadly. It violates sections 7, 12, and 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Guest: Vibert Jack - Litigation director at BCCLA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices