The Agenda with Steve Paikin (Audio)

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and then the end of the Soviet Union in 1991, many thought the world was going to be a much better place going forward. That has not turned out to be the case. 9/11; the failed promise of the Arab Spring; the Middle East still on fire; Russia-Ukraine; political tribalism. Does it sometimes feel as if the world is no longer capable of making progress? Host Steve Paikin asks Janice Stein (Founding Director, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and Belzberg Professor of Conflict Management, University of Toronto). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2004 Facebook was created. Two years later in 2006 Twitter was founded AND the very first episode of the Agenda aired here on TVO. Fast forward to 2011 and social media was seen as helping sow the seeds of democracy in the Middle East during the Arab Spring. And many were optimistic that these growing connections would help harness the wisdom of the crowd. It would be like "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" when you asked the audience. And the audience was almost always right. So ... what happened? How has social media evolved? How has social media changed us? And has it been a net negative or net positive? Cory Doctorow, Vass Bednar, Jeff Jarvis, and Douglas Rushkoff join to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Preston Manning. Bob Rae. Jean Charest. Paul Martin. Former NDP premier of BC, Michael Harcourt. What do they all have in common? Well, they were all part of the now defunct Ecofiscal Commission, which advocated for a carbon price in Canada. Chris Ragan was the chair of that commission. He is also an associate Professor and the founding director of McGill University's Max Bell School of Public Policy. He joins us from beautiful Gimli, Manitoba to look back on the long and strange journey of carbon pricing in this country and what went wrong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The TVO series "Crossroads: Beyond Boom and Bust" focuses on Ontario communities that have moved away from their own origin stories. Sturgeon Falls is one such town with a rich French-language heritage. We welcome James Hyslop, executive producer, and Michel Gervais, Sturgeon Falls resident and performer to talk about why it's important to stay focused on bilingual roots and how the community has worked to reinvent its purpose to help keep young people there.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Pride month underway, The Agenda looks back at how conversations around 2SLGBTQIA issues have changed since the show first began in 2006. Has Canada become a more tolerant or more accepting place for Queer communities? Callie Metler, Executive Director of Capital Pride Ottawa; Derrick Biso, Director of Education and Operations at Trans Wellness Ontario; Maurice Tomlinson, activist and consultant with HIV Legal Network; Cheri DiNovo, retired minister at Trinity-St. Paul Centre For Faith, Justice and the Arts and former NDP MPP for Parkdale-High Park joins host Jeyan Jeganathan to discuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ontario minister of energy and mines Stephen Lecce oversees portfolios the government says will drive economic growth in the province in the years ahead. And he's got some big jobs ahead of him. His office is laying the groundwork to meet what the Independent Electricity System Operator says will be a 75 percent increase in electricity demand by 2050. But the plan is not without controversy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1957, Richard Nixon ventured to Prince Edward County for a "boys weekend" of fishing and golfing. Steve Paikin catches up with author Thomas Harrison in Picton's Royal Hotel to discuss his book, "Searching for Richard Nixon: Finding Refuge and Making a Home in Prince Edward County ," which documents his movements in the region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

40 years ago, something quite extraordinary happened at Queen's Park. The opposition parties combined forces to defeat the Progressive Conservative government of the day, thus, bringing to an end, 42 straight years of Tory rule. The previous time a government had changed hands on a lost confidence vote? 1871! So this was rare. And even a few months earlier, there was little indication any of that drama would unfold. David Peterson, Ontario's 20th premier; Hershell Ezrin, former chief of staff to the premier; and Helen Burstyn, former deputy secretary of the Premier's Council.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wildfires are increasing in number and intensity around the world. Why is that? And how can Canadians better prepare for wildfire season? We discuss with Anabela Bonada, Managing Director of Climate Science at the University of Waterloo's Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19 years after The Agenda began, the conversation around climate change has shifted dramatically. What has gone well in terms of Canadian efforts to fight climate change, and what are we struggling with? We discuss with Tim Gray, Executive Director of Environmental Defence; Jessica Green, Professor in the department of political science and the school of the environment at the University of Toronto; Tyler Hamilton, Senior Director for Climate at MaRS Discovery District; Tia Kennedy, a member of the Government of Canada's Environment and Climate Change Youth Council; and Anabela Bonada, Managing Director of Climate Science at the University of Waterloo's Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With global trade being the focus of this month's G7 summit, can Canada reach an agreement with the U.S. to resolve their trade dispute? For more about the policy implications of the G7, Paul Samson, president of CIGI, the Centre for International Governance Innovation joins Steve Paikin to discuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Relations between Canada and Indigenous Peoples have certainly evolved since The Agenda first began covering these issues in 2006. There was Stephen Harper's historic apology to former students of Residential Schools in 2008. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission that followed, led by the late Senator Murray Sinclair. The Idle No More movement of the early 2010s. And much more. As we mark National Indigenous History Month, we thought we'd look back at some of these flashpoints in our history, and find out how much progress has been made. From Kanesatake First Nation, council Chief Serge Simon; Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Chair on Truth and Reconciliation at Lakehead University; Karyn Pugliese, journalist and instructor at Carleton University; and Riley Yesno, PhD candidate in political science and Indigenous studies at the University of Toronto, join Steve Paikin to discuss.Chief Serge Simon; Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Chair on Truth and Reconciliation at Lakehead University; Karyn Pugliese, journalist and instructor at Carleton University; and Riley Yesno, PhD candidate in political science and Indigenous studies at the University of Toronto, join Steve Paikin to discuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As part of the Community Safety and Policing Act, Ontario appointed Ryan Teschner as the first Inspector General of Policing. A year into his role, he has released the organization's first spotlight report highlighting the complexities of policing protests and major events across the province. The Agenda invites Teschner to discuss how he will help create a safer Ontario.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Agenda's week in review looks at whether inequality has gotten worse since the Great Recession; and what the future of populism might look like in Canada.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Housing affordability and lagging productivity in Canada. The economic rise of China and the global south. The surge of the tech economy in the U.S. According to our panel, the beginnings of all of these can be traced back to the Great Financial Crisis of 2008. There's an argument to be made that the world is still living in the shadow of that bank-led global financial meltdown. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world may be changing rapidly, but one thing is not – its demand for natural resources, many of which Canada has supplied for generations. Oil, natural gas, metals and timber. And our new Liberal government seems to be embracing this country's past as a provider of raw materials, as well as increasing numbers of Canadians. But how can the government boost development while also balancing important modern considerations such as First Nations consultation and climate change? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The annual deer harvest at Short Hills Provincial Park is a traditional Haudenosaunee practice that manages the overpopulation of deer, protects the ecosystem, and honors Indigenous cultural traditions and Treaty Rights. Since it began in 2023 it has faced both support and controversy. Field producer Jeyan Jeganathan explores how this harvest helps manage the park's deer population and preserves Indigenous customs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has the level of toxicity in Ontario politics today gotten out of hand? Does Premier Doug Ford ever come across the floor and talk to the opposition members? And how big of a problem is it for the Ontario Liberals that their leader, Bonnie Crombie couldn't win a seat in the last election? Parliamentary leader for the Ontario Liberals and the MPP for Ottawa South, John Fraser, joins host Steve Paikin for a wide-ranging discussion on life at Queen's Park. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canada's relationship with the U.S. may go back a long way, but our relationship with the United Kingdom goes back even further. And, with Canada-U.S. relations being as contentious as they now are, can or should Britain fill the role America used to play and become our number one ally once again? Host Steve Paikin asks: Mel Cappe, Canada's Former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Distinguished Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto. Ann Fitz-Gerald, Director of the Balsillie School of International Affairs and Professor of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University; Luke Savage, a journalist whose work has appeared in Jacobin, the New Statesman, and the Toronto Star. He's also the co-author of the late Ed Broadbent's memoir: "Seeking Social Democracy: Seven Decades in the Fight for Equality." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Members of the Canadian chapter of Patriotic Millionaires believe the wealthy should contribute more in taxes - and they're hoping they can help change minds and policies. How would their approach change conditions in this country, and can they actually convince other well-heeled Canadians to follow their lead? To discuss, we're joined by Emma Davis, member of Patriotic Millionaires Canada; Sabina Vohra-Miller, public-health scientist, co-founder of the Vohra Miller Foundation, and a board member of Patriotic Millionaires Canada; and Dylan Dusseault, non-profit and policy-advocacy professional and the inaugural executive director of Patriotic Millionaires Canada.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2022, the Freedom Convoy brought the nation's capital to standstill. In 2025, so-called technocrat Mark Carney and the Liberals triumphed in the federal election. How have populist movements and impulses changed - and in what ways could they shape our politics going forward? To discuss, we're joined by Lawrence?LeDuc, political-science professor at the University of Toronto; Bessma Momani, political-science professor at the University of Waterloo; and Carmen Celestini, full-time lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Waterloo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After more than three years, is there an end in sight to Russia's war on Ukraine? Is Vladimir Putin serious about peace negotiations? And how has Donald Trump's second term changed Russia's place and power in the world? Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital, Head of the Global Magnitsky Justice campaign, and author of "Red Notice" and "Freezing Order," talks with Steve Paikin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first episode of The Agenda aired in September of 2006. Two years later we were in the midst of the Great Financial Crisis. From there, the Occupy movement put the concept of the 1% and the issue of inequality front-and-centre. In the nearly two decades we've been having conversations about the economy and politics here on The Agenda, have we become a more or less equal society? Have we become a more or less fair society? And how has the anger and fallout from the financial crisis fueled the populism and seismic political shifts we are seeing today?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over recent months, unpredictable U.S. tariffs have thrown Canada's food supply chain into disarray, sparking vital debates on diversifying trade partnerships and strengthening domestic production. Jeyan Jeganathan looks at what it takes to secure a resilient future for Canadian food and farming-and whether that vision can evolve without relying on the U.S., Canada's biggest trading partner.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Agenda's week in review looks at how Canada can stay united amidst regional tensions, and why Indigenous leaders oppose the Ontario government's Bill 5.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Viola MacMillan, owner of Windfall Oils and Mines, was a rare woman in the Canadian mining industry. In 1964, after three decades in the business, she became the central figure in a Timmins mining scandal that led to regulatory changes at the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Ontario Securities Commission. Author Tim Falconer tells her compelling story in his new book, "Windfall: Viola MacMillan and Her Notorious Mining Scandal." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most widely debated issues in Toronto in the last two decades has been transit. A plan called Transit City launched 18 years ago. In the intervening years, the City of Toronto and its transit funding partners have had many plans, and stops and starts on infrastructure building to move people around the GTHA. For a look back, and forward, we welcome: David Miller, former mayor of Toronto, and managing director of the C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy. Jennifer Keesmaat, president and CEO of Collecdev Markee, a sustainable housing development group and former chief planner for the City of Toronto. And John Lorinc, urban affairs journalist, and columnist for Spacing Magazine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Canadian Wildlife Service reports that there are approximately seven million Canada geese across North America, making their presence more noticeable than ever. The Canada goose is often hailed as a national symbol for Canada. However, many Canadians and Americans have had frustrating encounters with Canada geese, from their loud calls to their tendency to congregate in urban areas. The Agenda, in partnership with Detroit PBS' Great Lakes Now, explores how we got here and what steps are being taken to manage the goose population. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford launched his most controversial piece of legislation this session, Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act. Sparking much debate from Indigenous communities and the opposition, The Agenda invites, Chief Peter Wesley of Moose Cree First Nation, Chief June Black of Apitipi Anicinapek Nation and Indigenous rights lawyers, Kate Kempton, senior counsel at Woodward and Company Lawyers LLP, and Zachary Davis, partner with Pape Salter Teillet LLP to discuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2006, TVO launched a new nightly current affairs program called "The Agenda." Its first ever guest was none other than Conrad Black, newspaper proprietor, member of the British House of Lords, and prolific author. As The Agenda winds down, we invite Conrad Black back to discuss U.S.-Canada relations and his life almost 20 years later.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why is a nuclear peace deal between the U.S. and Iran key to stability in the Middle East? What would the global consequences of a full-scale trade war between China and America be? Is the world headed towards another arms race? How should Canada respond to Trump's repeated threats of annexation? And why is liberal democracy worth defending? This is Part 2 of Steve Paikin's wide-ranging conversation with CNN's Fareed Zakaria. Fareed is also the author of "Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present," and a columnist for The Washington Post. Watch Part 1 of their conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QXwNq0d26USee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Agenda has welcomed to this studio this country's perhaps best known and most tireless advocate for the rights of the disabled over the years. David Lepofsky has been blind since he was a teenager. And he'd love it if this province were just a bit more mindful of its nearly three million citizens who are dealing with some kind of disability. Here's David Lepofsky, author of "Swimming Up Niagara Falls! The Battle to Get Disability Rights Added to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms." He's also the chair of the AODA Alliance and joins Steve Paikin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-thirds of the RCMP's resources go to contract policing in 11 provinces and territories. Does that leave enough resources for federal policing? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau proposed major structural reform for the force as he was leaving office. Are his ideas the right way forward? We discuss with Catharine Tunney, Kent Roach, and Jason Easton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How have the Glorious, French and Industrial revolutions shaped modern politics? How did the Left versus Right divide come about? Might a potential U.S.-Iran nuclear deal be a gamechanger for peace in the Middle East? And how seriously should Canada take Trump's relentless 51st state threat? CNN's Fareed Zakaria joins host Steve Paikin for a wide-ranging discussion on the tumultuous state of play in the world today. He is the author of "Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present," and a columnist for The Washington Post. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At a time of serious conflict with our neighbours to the south, perhaps a more concerning conflict might be coming from within. As calls for separation in places like Alberta grow louder, it brings up the question of how a nation can operate with respective regional interests? And, can Canada keep itself from coming apart? Joining to discuss these regional tensions are former premier of Alberta, Jason Kenney; Martha Hall Findlay, a former MP and director of the School of Public Policy and Palmer Chair at the University of Calgary; Felix Mathieu, Professor in the Department of Law at the Université du Quebec en Outaouais and co-editor of the Canadian Journal of Political Science; and John Ibbitson, journalist, writer and co-author with Darrell Bricker for their forthcoming book, "Breaking Point: The Big Shifts That Put Canada at Risk." They join Steve Paikin to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Agenda's week in review features an interview with Canada's ambassador to the UN, Bob Rae, on Canada's place in an unpredictable world, a debate on whether the province should be building a spa at Ontario Place, and whether tariffs are causing grocery store prices to go up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TVO original documentary, Dangerous Games: Roblox and the Metaverse Exposed, follows three gamers as they investigate a network of extremists, predators and illicit content in a game designed for children. The Agenda invites Ann Shin, director and producer of the film; Jacques Marcoux, director of research and analytics at the Canadian Centre for Child Protection; and Rachel Kowert, founder of Psychgeist and visiting researcher at the University of Cambridge to discuss the potential consequences of gaming on youth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump's trade threats and tariffs have brought uncertainty to markets worldwide. Canada has responded with its own counter tariffs. Should Ontarians expect to pay more at the grocery store? And is there a risk that companies could exploit the chaos and bump up sticker prices regardless? We discuss with Stuart Trew, director of the Trade and Investment Research Project at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives; Mike von Massow, food economist and professor at the University of Guelph; Karl Littler, senior vice-president of public affairs at the Retail Council of Canada; and Tu Nguyen, economist and director of environmental, social, and governance for RSM Canada.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Toronto has a complicated relationship with its waterfront, which is separated from downtown by the Gardiner Expressway. But groups including Waterfront Toronto, The Beltway and Hoverlink are drawing up plans to attract more people to the shores of Lake Ontario, a stretch of 2.5 km representing billions of prime real estate. A look at current and future projects along the lakefront, and what it will take to keep residents and tourists coming back. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ontario Place was once a go-to summer destination on Toronto's waterfront. It has since fallen into disrepair. The Ontario government has a controversial plan to revitalize the site including a partnership with a private spa company. To debate that plan, we hear from Adam Vaughan representing Therme Canada, and Ann Elisabeth Samson on behalf of Ontario Place for All.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even before tariffs and higher interest rates pressured the economy, housing starts were lagging in Ontario's bigger population centres. A look at the obstacles to construction and affordability – including higher fees, taxes and even NIMBYism – with a panel of pros who know what the holdups are. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is President Donald Trump really reconfiguring American democracy? Should Canada entertain the notion of becoming the 51st state? And has his definition of what it means to be a political conservative changed over the years? Former George W. Bush speechwriter and staff writer for The Atlantic, David Frum, joins host Steve for a wide-ranging discussion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Rae, Canada's ambassador to the UN, talks about the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, Donald Trump's administration, the state of democracy around the world, the recent federal election here at home, and how Canada's geopolitical role is changing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the past decade, there's been much debate around whether Canada's presence on the world stage has diminished. As Canada prepares to host the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta, along with attending next month's NATO Summit in The Hague, is there an opportunity for a Mark Carney led Canada to take on a more prominent role in a shifting global order? Host Steve Paikin asks: Richard Fadden, Former Director of CSIS - the Canadian Security Intelligence Service; Former National Security Adviser to Stephen Harper, and Former Deputy Minister for the Department of National Defence. Adam Chapnick, Professor of defence studies at the Royal Military College of Canada and Co-author of: "Canada First, Not Canada Alone: A History of Canadian Foreign Policy." Kerry Buck, Former Canadian Ambassador to NATO and Senior Fellow at the University of Ottawa. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Agenda's week in review looks at how big tech undermines human rights by collecting our data, the state of Ontario's college system 60 years to the day after its creation, and The Globe and Mail's Andrew Coyne on what he calls Canada's democracy crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canadians think we live in a democracy, but are our institutions becoming increasingly undemocratic? Andrew Coyne joins us to discuss his new book, "The Crisis of Canadian Democracy."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kyo Lee was the youngest ever winner of the CBC Poetry Prize at just 16, and now at 18 she has released a collection of poems, called "i cut my tongue on a broken country." The poems deal with culture, girlhood, immigration and queerness, and she joins us to discuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For millions of Toronto Maple Leaf fans, this season came to yet another ignominious end. However, 100 years ago, there was another NHL team in Ontario which had a worse fate. Myer Siemiatycki, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University joins The Agenda to share the tragic story of the Hamilton Tigers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ontario college system was created 60 years ago. How has it changed since its inception, and how will it face its current challenges? We discuss with Ann Marie Vaughan, Lyn Whitham, Maureen Adamson, and Martin Regg Cohn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In "We, the Data: Human Rights in the Digital Age," author Wendy H. Wong makes the case that the collection and tracking of our data by Big Tech comes at a cost to our humanity. She's a professor of political science and principal's research chair at the University of British Columbia and her book won the 2024 Balsillie Prize for Public Policy. She joins Steve Paikin to discuss the link between data and human rights. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.