The Jill Bennett Show

For many years smoking rates have been declining , and some new data suggests vaping is playing a significant role in helping Canadians quit smoking. The Canadian Bar Association’s BC branch is raising serious concerns about the provincial government’s plan to amend the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. A BC woman with terminal cancer says the health-care system needs help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Westham Island Bridge in Delta is still closed after a barge strike. How long before it's repaired? Guest: Dylan Kruger - Delta City Councillor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a high-profile speech warning that the post-war international “rules-based order” is facing a serious rupture, not just a transition. More than half of the commercial vehicles inspected in Burnaby and across the Lower Mainland last year were taken off the road for safety violations. Surrey mayor Brenda Locke is calling for urgent federal action to tackle a growing crisis of extortion and violence in Canadian communities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A growing number of landowners in British Columbia are finding themselves in a legal and financial bind when Indigenous ancestral remains are uncovered during development or construction. Guest: Christine Elliott - Lawyer hired by the property owner to handle the details Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We bring on Claire Newell from Travel Best Bets to talk about the biggest stories coming out of the travel sector! After harsh feedback from travellers and employees, WestJet has cancelled their new seat configuration. It will be a pricey reinstallation process, and will likely result in higher fares. Guest: Claire Newell - Travel Best Bets President and Founder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Business owners in Surrey and across the Lower Mainland have been living under the shadow of an unsettling trend... extortion attempts targeting commercial operations, ranging from threats of violence to demands for cash. In response, the province and RCMP formed the BC Extortion Task Force, which has now been active for four months. Guest: Jay Minhas - Community Activist and Businessman in Surrey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Kamloops landowner says a routine landscaping project on private property turned into a financial and legal nightmare after remains were discovered on the site. In just a few months, the owner has faced more than $100,000 in archaeological, legal and security costs... with no compensation, no appeal process, and no clear timeline for resolution. Guest: Ravi Parmar - B.C. Forests Minister Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump's tariff threats over Greenland have strained relations with America's key NATO allies. European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, criticized Trump's approach on Tuesday, warning of potential retaliation. A worsening lack of accessible public washrooms in Vancouver is fueling growing frustration among residents and businesses, and in some cases, driving people to leave the city altogether. Police give us a four-month update on the BC Extortion Task Force. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Topics discussed today: 1. Surrey Extortion Shooting – Shots Fired Back 2. The Use of Public Cameras By the Police to Address Crime Issues Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A worsening lack of accessible public washrooms in Vancouver is fuelling growing frustration among residents and businesses, and in some cases, driving people to leave the city altogether. Guest: Landon Hoyt - Executive director of the Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The federal government has launched a national compensation program giving gun owners until March 31, 2026 to declare whether they’ll turn in or permanently deactivate their firearms. Small business owners across British Columbia are sounding the alarm over what they describe as a shoplifting crisis that’s hurting their bottom lines and their peace of mind. Earlier this month, a woman wrote a letter to The Chilliwack Progress after her daughter nearly died following the birth of her first child. A sudden complication led to catastrophic bleeding — and the nurses and medical team at Chilliwack General Hospital saved her life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A person (or persons) inside a Surrey home where an extortion-related shooting took place on Saturday is now under investigation for allegedly returning fire. Guest: Elenore Sturko - MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Federal Court of Appeal on Friday ruled that the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act to quell the 2022 “Freedom Convoy” protests was unreasonable. With Vancouver set to host seven FIFA World Cup games in 2026, the hospitality industry says the province is putting unnecessary red tape in the way of businesses trying to make the most of the moment. Finally, we make some predictions for the wine industry in 2026! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reactions continue to pour in over the landmark Canada/China trade deal. How will this affect our immediate and log-term future? Guest: Flavio Volpe - President, Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Liberal government says it has reached a “preliminary but landmark” trade deal with Beijing, easing tariffs on a limited number of Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for China dropping steep duties on Canadian agricultural products like canola seed, peas, lobster and crab. Guest: Margaret McCuaig Johnston - Senior Fellow, School of Public & International Affairs, at University of Ottawa, a Board Director for the China Strategic Risks Institute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The race for the leadership of the BC Conservative Party is underway, and one of the most closely watched entrants is political pundit and commentator Caroline Elliott, who launches her campaign today with a message aimed squarely at a party still debating what it wants to be. Guest: Caroline Elliot - Running for the Leadership of the Conservative Party of BC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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GUEST: Carole Gordon, BCTF President Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The iconic Langley Toys “R” Us store has unexpectedly shut its doors as of Tuesday, January 13. A notice posted on the door by the mall’s property owner says the toy retailer owes more than $98,000 in unpaid rent, operating costs, taxes and fees, and has defaulted on its lease. If you’ve been feeling like airports are busier, flights are fuller, and travel priorities are changing... you’re not imagining it. A four-year-old rescue dog named Bami has been safely reunited with her owners in North Vancouver after being lost in the wilderness for 54 days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re shining a light on a quiet pioneer whose work has transformed how survivors of sexual violence are cared for in British Columbia — and has recently been awarded the Order of Canada! Guest: Sheila Early - Recipient of the Order of Canada Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flu numbers in Canada remain high, but are beginning to trend down after the winter holidays. Guest: Brian Conway - President and Medical Director at Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BC made headlines in 2018 when it became the first province in Canada to commit to a $10-a-Day child care system. The promise was to make high-quality, affordable child care accessible to families across the province while supporting early childhood educators. But progress has been slow, with only about 10 percent of child care spaces now priced at $10 a day, and many parents facing long waitlists. Guest: Lisa Beare - B.C. Minister for Education and Childcare Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Vancouver Park Board is beginning the third and final phase of work to deal with thousands of high-risk trees in Stanley Park affected by the hemlock looper infestation. A Nanaimo cidery owner is disputing a property assessment that reclassified part of his farm as light industrial, a change that could trigger a 300–500% increase in property taxes. Veterinarians in the Okanagan are warning horse owners about an outbreak of strangles, a highly contagious bacterial disease affecting horses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New research out of Simon Fraser University is shedding some light on why some beginner runners are able to stick with it while others quietly give up. Guest: Teri Towner - Coquitlam City Councillor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canadian authorities are facing a growing challenge in the digital age. The AI chatbot Grok has been generating sexualized images of people without their consent, and reports are suggesting it’s even been used to create child sexual abuse material. Guest: Molly Shamess - Senior Associate with Stern Shapray Criminal Lawyers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remember the WE Charity controversy? It’s now back at the Supreme Court of Canada, with a case that could decide whether the federal ethics commissioner’s rulings can actually be challenged in court, or if Parliament can effectively wall them off. Guest: Paul Daly - University of Ottawa Law Professor, representing Democracy Watch in the case Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A major constitutional challenge is getting underway in B.C. Supreme Court that could reshape how end-of-life care is delivered across Canada. A Nanaimo cidery owner says a recent property assessment has put his farm in a costly and confusing legal grey zone — one that could drive his property taxes up by as much as 500 per cent. Why are so many BC restaurants struggling? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute finds that three-in-five Canadians believe crime has risen in their neighbourhoods over the past five years, and over 80 per cent say they’ve been targeted by fraud or identity theft, with nearly a third losing money or personal information. Guest: Dave Korzinski - Research Director, Angus Reid Institute Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new report warns no other country will be profoundly affected by political turmoil in the US than Canada will be this year. Silent dangers can lurk in the most ordinary moments, and for Olympic rowing legend Silken, that danger took the form of a single wasp sting that nearly cost her life. A proposal from a Surrey mayoral candidate to give police easier, round-the-clock access to the city’s traffic cameras is sparking a debate over public safety and privacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beer expert Matthew Poirier joins us to highlight what he's loving to drink right now! Dry January? How about Try January? Non-Alcohol Options/Low Alcohol Options. North Island Craft Beer Festival Tickets. New Beer-Forward restaurant/Bar in Kelowna Airport Guest: Matt Poirier - Beer Writer and Educator, and Certified Cicerone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vancouver councillor Pete Fry says the closure of the London Drugs store at Hastings and Abbott is a blow to the community and highlights bigger issues facing downtown neighbourhoods. Guest: Pete Fry - Vancouver City Councillor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For months, U.S. President Donald Trump has openly talked about taking control of Greenland, and that has intensified in the wake of Washington’s military operation in Venezuela. A Surrey family says their small elderly dog was fatally mauled by a neighbour’s larger dog; and the most painful part is they still don’t know what happened to his body. Canada’s restaurant scene may look healthy on paper, but new analysis from food industry expert Sylvain Charlebois suggests a very different reality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An analysis dubbed the Alien Abduction Odds Index 2026 ranks B.C. as the top hotspot in the country, with an implied chance of one in fifty that an abduction-style encounter will be reported. Guest: Chris Rutkowski - Winnipeg based science writer and director of the long-running Canadian UFO Survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

London Drugs is closing its Woodward’s location, citing persistent safety incidents and significant operating losses. Guest: Peter Meiszner - Vancouver City Councillor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many people, the September 11th attacks were what introduced them to the small Newfoundland town of Gander. The way that local residents responded to the 2001 terrorist attacks served as inspiration for the hit Broadway musical Come From Away. They took people into their homes, fed them, and made them feel at home. So, when a couple of airplanes made an unexpected landing in Gander just recently, residents once again went into full welcoming mode! Guest: Jackie Freake - Assistant Manager, Quality Hotel and Suites in Gander, Newfoundland Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he plans to meet with Danish officials next week as the Trump administration talks more about its intention to acquire Greenland — a self-governing territory of Denmark and a NATO ally. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is confirming reports that the US will control 30 to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, as well as oversee where the money from the sale of those barrels go. The mayor of Surrey is responding after a freedom of information request revealed messages between a Surrey councillor and the chief of police concerning the location of impaired driving checks, some near golf courses including Morgan Creek. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Statistics Canada reports that cellular service prices rose in October and November of 2025 — the first year-over-year increase in about 30 months. Guest: Matt Hatfield - Executive Director, OpenMedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a viral video of passengers jammed into tight seats, WestJet says it’s reducing legroom on some reconfigured planes to squeeze in an extra row and "keep costs low." Guest: Claire Newell - Travel Best Bets President and Founder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he plans to meet with Danish officials next week as the Trump administration talks more about its intention to acquire Greenland — a self-governing territory of Denmark and a NATO ally. Guest: Shane Woodford - Freelance Journalist in Denmark and former CKNW reporter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new report from the Fraser Institute says per-person, inflation-adjusted program spending reached nearly $13,700 in 2025—the highest level on record. A Victoria business owner says he’s lost confidence in dialing 911 after multiple failed attempts to get emergency help at his dry-cleaning business. Plus, we're learning more about the temporary diversion of maternity patients at Peace Arch Hospital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How is Canada responding to the US/Venezuela situation? Guest: Ben Rowswell - Canada’s former ambassador to Venezuela Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new BC law allowing it to demand source of illicit money survives a court challenge. Guest: Michael Shapray - Lawyer with Stern Shapray Criminal Lawyers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Officials say at least 24 Venezuelan security officers were killed in the dead-of-night U-S military operation to capture President Nicolas Maduro and take him to New York to face federal drug charges. Guest: Michael Byers - Teaches international law and global politics at the University of British Columbia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are still questions remaining about the future of Venezuela, and what the US role will ultimately be. Venezuelans say they are pleased with the removal of Nicolas Maduro, but Maduro's regime, including his Vice President, are still claiming that they run the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A groundbreaking new study out of Nature Cardiovascular Research analyzed wearable activity-tracker data from more than 85,000 adults in the UK Biobank and discovered a striking sex difference in how exercise protects the heart. Guest: Scott Lear - Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will BC follow the trend of sending public sector workers back to the office five days a week? Ontario and Alberta are mandating it as of today, but BC is standing firm to appease it's union supporters who don't want to return to the office. Guest: Ben Dooley - CKNW Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

B.C. property assessments are out! What you need to know about tax changes in B.C. New West Council calls for the role of auditor general to include Metro Van. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard Wolak dishes out his recommendations for the best hot pot restaurants in the city! Guest: Richard Wolak - Editor/Publisher vancouverfoodster.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A fake QR-code scam is running rampant in Whistler parking lots. Guest: Claudiu Popa - One of Canada's top Cybersecurity experts, Co-Founder of Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MLA Elenore Sturko joins us to discuss the latest on the Surrey extortion problem. Guest: Elenore Sturko - Independent MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices