The Toronto Raptors advance to the NBA Finals; U.K. parents are criminally charged for funding terrorism; Theresa May steps down as U.K. Prime Minister; Two Chronic pain patients share their struggle; What is The Ballantyne Project

The Roy Green Show Podcast

The Toronto Raptors won their fourth straight against the Milwaukee Bucks and advance to the NFL Championship Series. Now what to expect beginning Thursday when defending NBA Champions the Golden State Warriors tip off Game 1 of the finals in Toronto?             

John and Sally Letts, parents of Jack (dubbed 'Jihadi Jack') are criminally charged in the U.K. for funding terrorism.  This after the Letts sent hundreds of pounds to their son after he left the UK for Syria and lived among ISIS in their self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa. John Letts (Canadian) told us in two interviews from England that does not believe his son joined ISIS and that Canada's Global Affairs Department had communicated with him about how his son Jack might be allowed to enter Canada (Jack is a dual UK/Canadian citizen).

The Brexit chaos claims Theresa May as UK PM and today will see the final results of elections for the European parliament which Nigel Farage's Brexit Party will likely dominate as far as UK seats won to the parliament are concerned.

Chronic pain (agony) patients are the collateral damage of the opioid crisis. Affecting 10% of the population, chronic pain for those who suffer most and whose prescription opioid medications are arbitrarily slashed or completely refused, creates social isolation, depression and can and does lead to suicide.  This week Julia from California tweeted that as a retired surgical nurse with terrible chronic pain and refused continuation of a multi-year opioid prescription she considered purchasing heroin from the streets, or opting for suicide.

and: Graham is a 31 year old Canadian living in chronic agony. His medications are being withheld because his doctor retired.  Graham emails this may by his final spring.  Human Rights Watch is challenging what is being done to pain patients and medical regulators insist doctors should not decide to withhold opioid pain medication from long established patients. Doctors reply they fear regulators will remove their licences to practice medicine if the continue to prescribe opioids for chronic agony patients.

The Ballantyne Project. The story of Dwight Ballantyne, now 24 year old member of the Cree Nation reserve at Montreal Lake in remote northern Saskatchewan.  Dwight lived in the community until 3 years ago when he moved to BC and the Bird's Nest, a non-profit support for Frist Nations young adults who wanted to love to Maple Ridge and attend a College Preparation Program.
Dwight Ballantyne's personal drive to excel at hockey and life have seen this young man accomplish tremendously, including last November being awared the Premier's Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport Award for his organization of the Hockey Skills and Leadership Program and the leadership he displayed. 

In March of this year Dwight represented Team Canada at an international hockey tournament in Europe.  Team Canada won the tournament for the first time in 22 years.

Now Dwight has launched the Ballantyne Project to inspire individuals living on remote reserves to pursue an off-reserve life if they so desire.          

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Guests:

Ron Foxcroft (returns).  At last night's game.  Ranked on the list of the world's Top 50 sports officials by Referee magazine, Foxcroft is the only Canadian to have refereed NCAA Division 1 basketball, including greats like Michael Jordan. - Refereed the Montreal Olympics Gold Medal game - inventor of the Fox40 whistle, used by all referees in the NBA, NFL, NHL, CFL, NCAA and World Cup of Soccer.  

Playback parts of interviews with John Letts on our program.

Scott Newark. Former AB prosecutor and post 9/11 terrorism advisor to the federal and Ontario governments.  Also former senior policy advisor to a federal Minister for Public Safety. Newark will respond to statements made by Letts on air.

Alan Sked. Professor Emeritus. London School of Economics. Founder of UKIP, political party which gave rise to Brexit. Author of ten books on British and European history.

Julia in California, Chronic pain patient

Graham in Canada, Chronic pain patient

Dwight Ballantyne

Denise Trottier of the Bird's Nest project, (Dwight's greatest supporter)

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