This Matters

Guest: Sahar Habib Ghazi, South Asia editor for Vice World News As Atlantic Canada deals with the fallout of Hurricane Fiona, Pakistan continues to grapple with one of the most cataclysmic floods in its history. Over 33 million people have been affected in a country that is now one-third underwater. As of Friday, more than 1,600 have been killed and millions more have been displaced. Experts say a country that contributes less than one per cent to global carbon emissions has become a case study for the worst consequences of climate change. Pakistani journalist Sahar Habib Ghazi has been on the ground covering the catastrophe, trying to find out whether Pakistan has cause and a case for climate justice. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Paulo Marques. Audio sources: PBS, CNN, DW

This Matters would like to share another Toronto Star podcast episode, welcoming back 'It's Political with Althia Raj.' Listen here then subscribe or follow in your podcast feeds. This week on "It's Political," Althia focuses on Pierre Poilievre's leadership. First, she'll take a look back at the divisive leadership race and Poilievre's big win. Then she sits down with Yan Plante, the former chief of staff to transport minister Denis Lebel in Stephen Harper's government, and Melanie Paradis, a long-time advisor and deputy campaign manager to Erin O'Toole during his successful leadership bid, to discuss Poilievre's first few days as Official Opposition leader, his messaging and voter coalition and what to watch for as he puts his mark on the party. In this episode: Toronto Star reporter Stephanie Levitz, Hamish Marshall from Pierre Poilievre's leadership campaign, former Conservative staffer Rudy Husny and Philippe J. Fournier of 338Canada.com, as well as TACT vice-president Yan Plante and Texture Communications' president Melanie Paradis, both former senior Conservative advisors. Hosted by Althia Raj. Thanks this week to Toronto Star reporter Kieran Leavitt, as well as CBC, CPAC, CTV, and Pierre Poilievre's Facebook page. "It's Political" is produced by Althia Raj and Michal Stein. Sean Pattendon mixed the program. Theme music is by Isaac Joel.

Guest: Edward Keenan, Toronto Star journalist Edward Keenan was the Star's Washington bureau chief from 2019 until just a few weeks ago. Over his brief tenure, he witnessed two impeachment trials, the COVID-19 pandemic, the largest mass street movement in the form of Black Lives Matter, a disputed election, an unprecedented insurrection attempt at the Capitol and the overturning of Roe v Wade. He's back home in Toronto now and talks to "This Matters" about his experience and impression through one of the most surreal and turbulent times in the country's history. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Brian Bradley and Matthew Hearn.

Guest: Heather Scoffield, economics columnist The latest inflation numbers are in and while it looks to be slowing slightly due to lower gas prices, all other signs show that Canadians are paying higher prices for all kinds of consumer goods. With the Bank of Canada raising interest rates, property values continue to fall and many worry that it will trigger a recession. Heather Scoffield, The Star's economics columnist and Ottawa bureau chief, explains the latest numbers and why more creative solutions are needed. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Maayan Ziv, disability advocate and the founder and CEO of AccessNow When disability advocate Maayan Ziv flew to an accessibility conference in Israel last week, she found herself stranded and traumatized after her wheelchair was severely damaged in transit. Her all too common experience has opened up a conversation on accessibility and mobility obstacles for disabled people at the hands of airlines. Federal law requires people who use wheelchairs to sit in an airplane seat during flights while their wheelchairs are stowed in cargo. This has led to many incidents of wheelchair damage and people getting hurt. Disability advocates say this needs to end. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Paulo Marques.

Guests: Kelly Matheson, a recently retired teacher, and David Macdonald, senior economist at Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. During the pandemic, Americans quit their jobs in such high numbers that the trend was dubbed The Great Resignation. Economists watched for signs of it in Canada, but it just did not happen here. It seems instead more people are retiring, and many at a younger age. The Great Retirement could have serious ramifications as it affects industries like health care and education, and leaves the question if it could become more widespread. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Madison Dyck, youth climate activist Climate activists brought the Ontario government to court last week, alleging the provincial climate plan fails to protect them and future generations. The landmark lawsuit dates back to 2018 when Premier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservative government repealed the Climate Change Act and replaced it with an act that has weaker emission reduction targets. Who is behind the legal action? Seven young climate activists under the age of 30. They have grown, graduated and moved across the country since the case was launched, but they're still fighting the fight that could shape all our futures. Madison Dyck, a student from Thunder Bay, is one of the seven. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Brian Bradley.

On the patio of a pub near Green Park in London, the Star's Rosie DiManno and Canadian journalist Lisa LaFlamme, on special assignment for City News, discuss what they are seeing as the city prepares for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday. This episode was produced by Rosie DiManno, Lisa LaFlamme, Raju Mudhar and Sean Pattendon.

Guests: Angela Mashford-Pringle and Courtney Skye The death of Queen Elizabeth II last week fuelled a wave of global grief, but also reawakened memories and ignited conversation of a brutal colonial legacy and the future of the British monarchy. The monarch's 70 years on the throne have been both celebrated and questioned. Her reign included seven decades of silence for Indigenous peoples of Canada who faced treaty violations, residential schools and countless missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. As King Charles III ascends to the throne, we speak with two Indigenous women about why the monarchy does not represent the same thing to everyone. Joining "This Matters" is Angela Mashford-Pringle, an Algonquin woman from Timiskaming First Nation, who is assistant professor and associate director at the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health, as well as Courtney Skye, a Mohawk woman (Turtle Clan) from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory who is a research fellow at Yellowhead Institute. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Brian Bradley.

Guest: Rosa Saba, business reporter The future of cannabis retail is headed for a reckoning that could see a third of stores across the country close. Once thought to be a product that would be a license to print money, the retail cannabis space is dealing with a number of issues including steep competition, oversaturation in some markets and distribution issues while still having to contend with the illegal market. With more consolidation expected, experts are predicting a wave of closures for the cannabis industry. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Kevin Donovan, Chief Investigative Reporter Reality television is a genre that has taken over the airwaves with all kinds of dating series and extreme competitions. Some find the genre shallow. But in one recent attempt, a producer gathered altruistic entrepreneurs to tackle some of the world's biggest problems, like racism and poverty. However, it turns out the television show had a problem with reality. It didn't really exist as discussed, leaving many contestants feeling confused and swindled. The Star's Kevin Donovan joins to discuss his latest investigation, which looked at "4 Days To Save The World," a reality series aimed at changing the world. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar. Audio Sources: H2HTV

Guest: Stephanie Levitz, politics reporter Pierre Poilievre is the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. The front-runner for much of the leadership campaign, he won a decisive victory over his rivals and is now poised to shape the Conservative party. That has raised concern from critics who say that not only are some of his ideas very classically conservative, some court conspiracy theories. We can only find out more as Poilievre has the top job, the responsibilities that come with it and his eyes set on winning his next federal election campaign. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar. Audio sources: CPAC

Guest: Omar Mosleh, staff reporter The stabbing rampage in the James Smith Cree Nation has left that community reeling. The fatalities, injuries and subsequent manhunt for suspects left a trail of trauma and many questions unanswered. An entire community has to pick up the pieces, heal and move on, and ensure something like this never happens again. Toronto Star staff reporter Omar Mosleh joins "This Matters" from Saskatchewan. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar. Audio sources: APTN

Guest: Lex Harvey, transportation reporter With a number of recent traffic-related collisions resulting in fatalities and kids on the sidewalks with classes back in session, road safety is back under the microscope. While the City of Toronto has Vision Zero, an initiative to reduce traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on city streets, many road safety advocates feel the measures are not strong enough and much more could be done to make the city's streets safer. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar. Audio sources: City News

Guest: Christine Dobby is business reporter at the Star Ontario's bingo halls are looking at lot like casinos with rows of modern gaming machines. The question is, are they slot machines? Because if they are, they may be in violation of provincial law that prohibits slot machines in bingo halls. Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation says the machines follow the law. Business reporter Christine Dobby investigates. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar

Guest: Jason Miller, crime reporter Peel police used force on Black people 3.2 times more often than their share of the population, a report on 2021 police data has shown. With only minimal improvement from 2020, the results are not a surprise to both police and the community. The police service has faced criticism after a series of high-profile killings of racialized men in crisis and questions about over-policing of certain communities, de-escalation strategies and whether the police should be front-line responders to mental health emergencies. If the service has launched anti-racism initiatives to address these concerns, why has the data remained significantly unchanged? The Star's Jason Miller, a crime reporter covering the Peel region, joins "This Matters" to discuss the recent report and what it means for the community. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Brian Bradley.

Guest: Alex Boyd, reporter Health Canada has authorized a new type of COVID shot from Moderna. It is a bivalent vaccine which means it is essentially two vaccines in one, in this case targeting the original virus and the Omicron variant BA.1. The new vaccines are arriving in Canada just ahead of a predicted COVID surge this fall. Toronto Star reporter Alex Boyd tells us more about bivalent vaccines and what this means for the future in a world where the virus isn't going anywhere anytime soon. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Brian Bradley.

Guest: Robert Benzie, Queen's Park Bureau chief for The Star Bill 7, also known as the "More Beds, Better Care" act is now law, and gives the government and medical authorities more power to potentially move patients from hospitals to long term care facilities that may not prefer to go too. The government says it is a necessary move as Flu season and an expected Fall COVID surge. Critics fear that beyond trampling patients rights, it's just the beginning of more privatization of the province's health care system. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar. Audio Sources in this episode: CPAC and CHCH News.

Guest: Syed Hussan, the executive director of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change Crowded bunkhouses. Rat-infested food. Verbal abuse and threats of termination. These are among the allegations made by Jamaican migrant workers on two farms hours from Canada's biggest city. The allegations were made earlier this month in an open letter to Jamaica's Ministry of Labour. They are unproven, but critics say they are not surprising. The Star reached out to the two farms named in the letter, who both dispute the allegations. Our guest, Syed Hussan, Executive Director of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, says the problem is larger than a few employers. He joins "This Matters" to discuss the allegations and the changes he says should be made to Canada's seasonal agricultural worker program. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Saba Eitizaz and Sean Pattendon Audio Sources: CBC and Global News

Guest: David Rider, City Hall Bureau Chief Municipal elections are coming soon across the province with campaigns just about to get underway. While Toronto Mayor John Tory seems to be safely heading toward a third term, there are plenty of interesting and competitive races for councillor seats in many wards. Here's what you need to know at the outset of the campaign. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar Audio Sources: Global News, CityNews

The following episode contains graphic language and references to sexual and racial violence. Listener discretion is advised. Guests: Erica Ifill, The Hill Times columnist, and Rachel Gilmore, Global News reporter The past two weeks have seen a peak in the wave of hate washing over Canada fuelled by political polarization, divisions over masks and vaccines, and a growing far-right movement. It resulted in what appears to be systematic and organized digital hate campaigns against mostly women and journalists who are Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) across Toronto, Ottawa and Edmonton. Journalists have been sent a torrent of racist, homophobic, misogynistic and violent abuse via email, with threats and content so disturbing police have been contacted and conversations with stakeholders in play to assure their safety. Journalists Erica Ifill and Rachel Gilmore join host Saba Eitizaz for a difficult conversation with about where it all started and what it's like to be the target of hate. The shared pain and trauma might be personal, but the implications of what's going on could impact an entire nation. The following episode contains graphic language and references to sexual and racial violence. Listener discretion is advised. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Brian Bradley and Sean Pattendon

Guest: Amanda Watson, senior lecturer and sociologist at Simon Fraser University It's been two weeks since journalist Lisa LaFlamme announced she'd been let go from her job as chief news anchor and senior editor at CTV National News. The decision came two years before LaFlamme's contract was up and despite the fact she presided over one of Canada's most watched newscasts. The network said a "business decision" and "changing viewer habits" inspired the action, but many aren't buying it. We take a look at how LaFlamme's dismissal has sparked a national conversation on sexism and age discrimination in the media and other workplaces. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Paulo Marques Audio Sources: CTV News, Twitter

Guest: Marco Oved, climate change reporter. The air travel industry is betting big on sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) to drastically cut the amount of airplane emissions over the next few decades. It is a solution that will work with existing aircraft, but there are plenty of questions including the supply and the cost. Is the industry latching on to a solution that sounds good in order to avoid some of the really difficult questions? Some believe the only way for the airline industry to really reduce emissions is to radically reduce the number of flights. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Diane Therrien, mayor of Peterborough It was a tweet read across the country that got her city trending on Twitter. Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien called a group of QAnon-linked demonstrators who came to her city imbeciles and with a few uncensored expletives, told them to leave. Response to Therrien's tweet has been varied. Some credit her for taking a strong stance against conspiracy theorists causing a ruckus, others say it was overly crass and offensive. But Therrien's tweet is not a flippant comment. It was a culmination of years of trying to manage a government through a polarizing pandemic, a testament of burn out in municipal government, and a little bit of personal exhaustion in a job she says has not always been enjoyable. Therrien joins "This Matters" to discuss what was ultimately behind her tweet and why she's deciding to leave politics, at least for now. As a warning to listeners, this conversation includes profane language. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Brian Bradley and Paulo Marques

Guest: Alex Boyd, Toronto Star journalist While there are many reasons including equity and access issues that can prevent someone from getting a vaccine, some have chosen not to because of the myth that COVID-19 vaccines have led to hundreds of deaths in Canada and abroad. If billions of vaccine doses have been administered around the world, how did some people end up taking the view a vaccine could kill them and data proved it? How did misinformation that COVID-19 vaccines are killing people take root and end up becoming one of the biggest dividing lines in Canada? This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Brian Bradley and Paulo Marques

Guests: Rob Hickey and Erin Sheldon, parents of Maggie Hickey The government has given the Hickey family an awful choice. Maggie Hickey has Angelman syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes significant physical and intellectual disabilities. While she is non-verbal and developmentally delayed, she is a happy 19-year-old woman with a group behind her supporting her needs. The arrangement is called a Microboard, a group of individuals including her parents, personal support workers and others who all help take part in decisions about her care and help keep her independent. But now some of Maggie's home care funding has been cut because some government agencies don't recognize the arrangement. Her parents join "This Matters" to discuss why they are launching a human rights complaint to fight for their daughter's rights. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar

Guest: Allan Woods, a Montreal-based reporter for The Star Quebec's controversial Bill 21 has been law for three years now, and what's known as the secularism law continues to cause controversies. The most recent one centres on a well known writer and his offence of a picture of an international student on a school's website. As Quebec prepares to enter another provincial election, Bill 21 is sure to come up again as court challenges to the law loom in the future. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar Audio Sources: CSPAN, CBC and Global News

Guest: David Rider, City Hall Bureau Chief Ontario has brought in new legislation to give "strong-mayor" powers to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa. As it turns out, there are some strings attached. "Strong-mayor" powers generally are supposed to help a mayor cut through red tape and push their agenda through, but now it is clear mayoral powers will be tied to provincial priorities and it's unknown how those will be decided. Many experts feel that while this will make the mayor stronger in council, it will make them more beholden to the province. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar Audio sources: CP24 and Global News

Guests: Star reporters Jennifer Yang and Sara Mojtehedzadeh, as well as Anna Seto, a hospital nurse who joined a temp agency during the pandemic A Star investigation has revealed that the use and costs associated with using nurse supplied by temp agencies is skyrocketing. Some hospitals have said the costs have grown over 500 per cent, and some agencies may be taking advantage by increasing their rates. Nurses are also choosing to go to work for them because agencies pay more and offer a better work-life balance. What is the larger toll on the health care system? Is this sustainable? This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Sean Pattendon and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Kristin Rushowy, Queen's Park reporter As children prepare to return to classrooms in the fall, the Ontario government seems to be pushing for some kind of pre-pandemic "normal." Mask mandates have been lifted, there's a push to bring back extracurricular activities and a new "catch-up" plan has been announced to help kids bounce back from COVID related disruptions. The Star's Kris Rushowy joins "This Matters" to explain what the back to school season will look like. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Brian Bradley and Matthew Hearn

Guest: Abi Bond, Executive director of Toronto's Housing Secretariat Rents are rising at record rates across the country. While the pandemic brought rent costs down and created higher vacancies, now the rental market is surging because there is a lack of supply. Landlords are also using tactics like renovictions to get tenants out. The City of Toronto recently tabled a new report that looks at ways to help renters and fight against renovictions. Toronto's top housing official joins "This Matters" to talk about how the city is trying to create more affordable housing. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Noor Javed, staff reporter Controversial politicians in Brampton, Richmond Hill and Mississauga have caused several issues for the municipal governments in those communities recently. While the reasons are very different, there has been all kind of political manoeuvring, lawsuits filed and city council meetings disrupted or cancelled. One issue this exposes is the lack of mechanism to punish or remove an elected official from office, other than voting them out in the next municipal election. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar. Audio sources: CityNews, CTV and CAGRichmondHill.

Guest: Dr. Makini McGuire-Brown, chair of International Physicians of Ontario With emergency rooms closing due to staff shortages and a critical lack of family doctors across the country, many internationally trained doctors who have immigrated to Canada are asking why it's so difficult for them to practice medicine here. From a lack of residency positions to programs that help them transition to our health care systems, these doctors say a valuable human resource is not being tapped as the health care system gets closer to a breaking point. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar Audio Sources: CPAC

Guest: Ben Spurr, City Hall reporter at The Star. There's a bike fight brewing in High Park. After some park users complained too many cyclists are speeding through the park, police kicked off ticketing blitz. Tensions and activity escalated so much that in one incident, a police car hit a cyclist. Cycling advocates feel that riders are being unfairly targeted and this has been a waste of police resources. What it definitely shows is another fight in the city where pedestrians, cyclists and drivers are once again in conflict over how public space should be shared. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar. Audio sources: CTV and CP24

Guest: Kayla Bailey, project manager Ontario Building and Construction Tradeswomen Many women working in the trades sector like construction, say they have faced hostility, sexism and harassment on the job often without recourse. It's happened enough that the provincial trades council has made a new committee that seeks to address the issues women face regularly, and also look for long-term strategies on improving this sector and making it more welcoming for women. That's crucial in a sector facing a severe labour shortage. Kayla Bailey, a journeyperson steamfitter, gas fitter and welder in Toronto, has worked in the sector since 2014 and is now project manager for this new committee. She joins "This Matters" to share her experience. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Brian Bradley and Matthew Hearn

Guest: Matthew Ball, author of "The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionize Everything" Many of the world's biggest companies are investing heavily in, and betting big on, the metaverse. There are different visions of what the metaverse might look like depending on who's speaking, but regardless it will be the next big evolution of the internet as how we interact with it becomes more immersive. It will all take time because there are several challenges and technologies that need to mature before it happens. Matthew Ball, author of "The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionize Everything," joins "This Matters" podcast, to talk about how the metaverse is defined so far and shed light on the road leading to how it may be created. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Joanna Chiu, staff reporter U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi became the highest-ranking American official to visit Taiwan in 25 years earlier this week. The visit lasted only 19 hours but was long enough to infuriate the Chinese government. Hours after Pelosi landed, Beijing announced unprecedented military drills off the coast of Taiwan. The standoff continued on Friday, with China suspending dialogue with the U.S. on a range of issues from climate change to military relations to cross border crime. Star reporter Joanna Chiu, Toronto Star staff reporter and author of author of the book "China Unbound," explains the significance of this week's visit, why there are worries about war and what an ensuing conflict could mean for Canada. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn Clip sources: CNN, The Sun, Yahoo News, Bloomberg, The Print

Guest: Anna Barford, Canadian Shipping Campaigner with Stand.earth While cruise ship lines took a hit during the pandemic, business is back in full swing. Cruise ships are floating cities on the water and generate all kinds of waste. Surprisingly, U.S. rules around dealing with such waste are much more stringent compared to Canada where we have lax regulations. According to a recent report from Stand.earth and B.C.-based West Coast Environmental Law, ships travelling along the Canadian West Coast are incentivized to dump waste in Canadian waters as it is cheaper and easier. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar. Audio sources: CNN and NPR

Guest: Olivia Bowden, staff reporter There has been global momentum to end Pap tests for cervical cancer and replace them with less intrusive and more effective HPV testing. As countries around the world and even some provinces in Canada start this transition in reproductive health care, medical professionals say Ontario is lagging far behind. The stakes go well beyond comfort. Star reporter Olivia Bowden explains why Ontario has delayed making the change and what it says about how we talk about the safety and pain of those with female reproductive organs. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn

Warning: This podcast contains graphic content Guest: Farrah Khan, manager of Consent Comes First at Toronto Metropolitan University The inquiry into Canada's worst mass shooting has put a spotlight on how survivors of intimate partner violence often face anger and backlash. After Lisa Banfield was brutally assaulted and held captive by her common-law husband one night in April 2020, 22 people were killed as he went on a murderous shooting rampage. Countless people were impacted by devastating trauma, pain and anger as a result of the gunman's actions, and Banfield was put under a harsh spotlight. Gender rights advocates say Banfield was unfairly criminalized, criticized and accused of abetting the shooter, and her own trauma as a victim of abuse was never acknowledged. There are now concerns the reception to Banfield will deter other women from reporting abuse. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Brian Bradley and Matthew Hearn

Guest: Jacob Lorinc, business reporter As prices fall and listings get pulled off the market, experts are projecting a historic correction to come for the Canadian housing market. There already was limited supply, but the confounding thing is that with rising inflation rates, housing affordability will remain a challenge for many people despite lower home prices. Now the two big questions are: How long will it last and how far will the market fall? This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar. Audio sources: CBC, Global News, CityNews

Guests: Mohammed, Afghan human rights activist, and Nicholas Keung, immigration reporter Nearly one year after the U.S. and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover, thousands of Afghans are still trapped in the country, waiting for Western visas. Many of them are in danger precisely because they were allies of the West and now face repercussions at the hands of the Taliban. While Canada made a commitment to resettle 40,000 Afghans through a special immigration program, Star sources have revealed that the window is closing and the program could wrap up soon. We take a look at what's going on and what it could mean for Afghans who are still stuck in limbo, fearing for their lives as a price for helping Canada. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn

Guest: Brandi Morin, freelance journalist Pope Francis is in Canada this week on a pilgrimage of penance, meeting the survivors of the residential school system in which the Catholic Church played a major role — a forced assimilation of Indigenous peoples that destroyed families, cultures and created a legacy of trauma. Brandi Morin, an award-winning French, Cree, Iroquois journalist from Treaty 6, has been bearing witness as her own life is intertwined with the brutal history of the schools. We caught up with her to try to understand this moment and discuss what it will take for it to truly mean something. The Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of a residential school experience. Support is available at 1-866-925-4419. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn

Guest: Len Tooley, evaluation director at the Community-Based Research Centre With more than 16,000 recorded cases in 75 countries so far, the World Health Organization has declared the monkeypox outbreak as a global health emergency. Five people have died worldwide since the outbreak began in May. Len Tooley is one of the 681 Canadians who have contracted monkeypox in the last two months. He says the community of gay and bisexual men currently most at risk have been largely left in the dark by public health on what to do if they get sick. He shares his experience on "This Matters." This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn

Guest: Richard Warnica, feature writer Toronto Pearson International Airport has just been named the worst airport for delays in the world. The ranking comes after months of media reports of long lineups, cancelled flights, lost luggage and traveller horror stories of being stuck here. It has gotten so bad that polls show people will not travel until some of the problems are sorted out, but no one is sure when that might be. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Larry Savage, professor of Labour Studies at Brock University With organizing efforts underway at Starbucks, Amazon, Apple and many more employers, unions and the labour movement are having a moment. Unions are fighting for higher wages and benefits for workers as workplaces try to return to normal after COVID-19 and sky high inflation makes for a higher cost of living. With a tight job market, workers should have some leverage but as economic signs point toward things like a recession, the actions of the unions and the labour movement could become even more important for workers. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar. Audio sources in this episode: CHCH News, CNN, Global News, CBC

Guest: Blair Feltmate, University of Waterloo's Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation This week has seen yet another in climate firsts as a scorching heat wave has swept across the globe. As Britain recorded its hottest-ever temperature at 40.2 C on Tuesday, things weren't any better in Europe with sweltering temperatures and wildfires raging across several countries including Portugal and France. Here in Canada, accelerating climate change means that higher temperatures are on the horizon for us too. Last summer, British Columbia's heat dome claimed over 600 lives and science tells us that the worst is yet to come. So the question is: are we ready? Blair Feltmate, professor & head of University of Waterloo's Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, joins us to discuss our shared future. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn Audio source: CBS News

Guest: Robert Benzie, Queen's Park Bureau Chief The Ontario government is going to give enhanced powers to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa. Described as being similar to U.S. style "strong-mayor" systems, it's an idea that has been discussed for years as a way to quickly push the mayor's authority and potentially expedite things like financial matters and appointments. But critics say Premier Doug Ford is once again messing with a municipal election right after it has gotten underway, just like he did in 2018 when he slashed Toronto city council from 47 to 25 seats. The "strong-mayor" plan will change this ongoing race and city governance in the future. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Sean Pattendon and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Alex Ballingall, Toronto Star reporter In recent months, and in the wake of alarming killings like the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, some Canadian politicians say fear of violence has become a regular hazard of the job. We take a look at the tense political climate that's forcing public officials to amp up their security, what this means for the future of politics in this country, and where all this rage is coming from. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn. Audio sources: Global News and CityNews

Guest: Marco Chown Oved, Toronto Star reporter A Star investigation has found that Canada's three largest supermarket chains are actually making money from inflation. Grocery prices have been rising faster than overall inflation because of the disruption of labour, supply chain and manufacturing costs, and a war in Ukraine, but there's another factor driving prices up — profit. A deep dive into the financial statements of Loblaw Companies Ltd., Empire Company Ltd. (which owns Sobeys) and Metro Inc. reveals that these grocers are raising prices more than they have to and making Canadians pay for it. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn