Fight Back With Libby Znaimer

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: WHERE MUNICIPALITIES STAND ON HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS Libby Znaimer is joined by Karen Stintz, a Conservative Party of Canada Candidate for Eglinton-Lawrence, a former Toronto City Councillor and the CEO of Variety Village, as well as Toronto City Councillors Jon Burnside for Ward 16 (Don Valley West) and Paula Fletcher of Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth. Today: thirteen Ontario mayors have accepted Ford's call to use the notwithstanding clause to clear homeless encampments, and a proposal at City Hall to increase the hotel tax as it faces a hefty price tag to co-host the 2026 FIFA games. REACTION TO THE FORD GOVERNMENT'S FALL ECONOMIC STATEMENT  Libby Znaimer is joined by Marit Stiles, Leader of the Ontario NDP followed by Will Stewart, a Conservative Strategist and Senior Vice President with Enterprise Canada, and Bob Richardson, a Public Affairs Consultant. This week: the Ford government officially delivered the fall economic statement. We unpacked what it includes and also got reaction t

THE MEDICAL RECORD: FLU SHOTS AND COVID-19 SHOTS AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE IN ONTARIO  Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Alisa Naiman, a family doctor practicing comprehensive primary care in Toronto, Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, an internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital. It’s time to get vaccinated - against both COVID-19 and the flu. They are now available for everyone - not just older people and those who are immunocompromised, and the recommendation is to get them both together. Another topic today is the Canadian Medical Association is calling for an end to the requirement for doctor's notes for employees grappling with brief illnesses. QUEBEC'S PLANS FOR ADVANCED REQUESTS FOR MAiD  Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Wayne Sumner, University Professor Emeritus in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Toronto, and Ron Posno, a patient with dementia and an advocate for advance requests for MAiD. We

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: DOUG FORD'S TAXPAYER REBATE Libby Znaimer is joined by George Smitherman, former Ontario Liberal Health minister and Deputy Premier, Cheri DiNovo, former NDP MPP and Lisa Raitt, former Deputy Leader of Conservative Party of Canada. It’s Tuesday: time to talk politics. What are you going to do with the $200 Premier Doug Ford just promised every taxpayer in the province? And if that is not enough of an indication that the PC’s are planning an early election, there is also yesterday’s call for tougher bail restrictions. FORD GOVERNMENT CALLS ON OTTAWA TO GET TOUGH ON BAIL AND PRESENTS KEY DEMANDS  Libby Znaimer is first joined by Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, followed by Joseph Neuberger, Criminal Defence Lawyer with Neuberger and Partners LLP. The Ontario government has key demands for Ottawa when it comes to bail reform. Our experts weigh in. EV CAR CRASHES: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT SAFETY DURING A CRASH AND PUTTING OUT FIRES Libby Znaimer is joined by Jingwen Hu

THE ZOOMER SQUAD: ARE DRIVING LICENCE RENEWAL RULES FAIR FOR OLDER ZOOMERS?  Tasha Kheiriddin is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Anthony Quinn, Chief Operating Officer of CARP, Bill VanGorder, Chief Advocacy and Education Officer of CARP, and veteran pollster John Wright. Tomorrow is the deadline that the Bloc Québécois has set for the Liberals with regards to OAS. And, are the current requirements for older Zoomers fair when it comes to renewing our driver's licences? WHAT A NEW REPORT TELLS US ABOUT FOOD BANK DEPENDENCY  Tasha Kheiriddin is now joined by Gail Gould, Executive Director of Bernard Betel Centre and Neil Hetherington, CEO, Daily Bread Food Bank. A new report by Food Banks Canada shows the extent to which Canadians are dependent on food banks and the numbers are staggering. Our guests weigh in on the latest and we explore how food insecurity is impacting older Zoomers especially. THE DEBATE OVER DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME & WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE UPCOMING

Today on Free For All Friday: Listeners called in to continue the conversation around bike lanes and traffic congestion, Ottawa's changing policy regarding immigration and a whole lot more.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: FORD IDENTIFIES THREE MAJOR ROUTES FOR BIKE LANE REMOVAL Host Libby Znaimer is joined by Karen Stintz, a Conservative Party of Canada Candidate for Eglinton-Lawrence, a former Toronto City Councilor and the CEO of Variety Village, Toronto City Councilor Jon Burnside for Ward 16 Don Valley West and Stephen Holyday for Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre. This week, the province announced municipalities need QP approval for new bike lanes if they remove car lanes. Meanwhile, the Premier is considering cutting existing bike lanes on Bloor, University, and Yonge. City Hall is also making a crucial move to combat renovictions, but we must remember landlords deserve fair treatment too. Additionally, Kathleen Wynne's recent labeling of Anthony Furey as a bigot raises concerns, especially without evidence. 911 CALL WAIT TIME DELAYS AND GUN CONTROL  Clayton Campbell, President of Toronto Police Association challenged the Trudeau government’s claims of progress on the handgun problem. The TPA highlights

THE MEDICAL RECORD: AT-HOME PATIENTS IN ONTARIO ARE REPORTING DELAYS IN MEDICAL SUPPLIES Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Fahad Razak, General Internist at Unity Health Toronto and Canada Research Chair in Healthcare Data and Analytics at the University of Toronto, Dr. Alisa Naiman, a family doctor practicing comprehensive primary care in Toronto, and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, an Internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital. Why are at-home patients in Ontario reporting delays in medical supplies and drugs for their care? We also discuss the issue of the primary care shortage across the province. A STAGGERING NEW REPORT SHOWS HOW MUCH FOOD IS BEING WASTED (AND THE COST) BY CANADIANS Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and Dr. Mustafa Koç, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Toronto Metropolitan University specializing in food security and food policy. A new report by Second Harvest shows the extent of ou

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: WHAT KIND OF CAUCUS MEETING CAN PM TRUDEAU EXPECT?  Tasha Kheiriddin is joined by George Smitherman, a former Ontario Liberal Deputy Premier and Health Minister, Cheri DiNovo, a former Member of Provincial Parliament of Ontario and Lisa Raitt, a former deputy leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. There is a federal Liberal caucus meeting taking place this week and it comes at a time when there’s talk among some MPs of their dissatisfaction with PM Trudeau as the leader of their party. Meanwhile, the province of New Brunswick has made history this week by electing their first ever woman Premier. The Liberal’s Susan Holt won a majority. TORONTO’S STRATEGY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS DURING WINTER Tasha is now joined by Gord Tanner, the General Manager of Toronto Shelter and Support Services. Today: the City detailed its strategy to address homelessness in the winter. But, will it go far enough to meet the demand? We also get a recap on City workers dismantling the encampme

THE FORD GOVERNMENT TURNS TO A FAMILIAR EXPERT AS PART OF PRIMARY CARE STRATEGY Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Anthony Quinn, Chief Operating Officer of CARP, Rudy Buttignol, President of CARP and John Wright, Executive Vice President of Maru Public Opinion. Former Federal Liberal Health Minister Jane Philpott has signed on with Ontario’s Doug Ford PCs to try and fix primary care. Listeners share their stories of the challenges they face in accessing primary care in Ontario. WHAT SENIORS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ACCESSING HIGH-DOSE FLU SHOTS & UPDATED COVID-19 VACCINES Jane Brown is joined by John Papastergiou, a professor at the University of Toronto and pharmacist and owner at Shoppers Drug Mart, as well as Dr. Alon Vaisman, Infectious Diseases Physician at the University Health Network (UHN). Are you 65-plus and have questions about getting the high-dose flu shot? Or maybe you want to learn more about this year’s updated COVID-19 shots. Our guests fill us in on what y

Today on Free For All Friday: listeners called in to discuss whether more bike lanes are a good idea and how to enhance safety on our roads including Parkside Drive. 

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE CITY  Tasha Kheiriddin is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Karen Stintz, a Conservative Party of Canada Candidate for Eglinton-Lawrence, a former Toronto City Councillor and the CEO of Variety Village, Toronto City Councillor Paula Fletcher for Ward 14 Toronto Danforth and Barbara Hall, a former Toronto Mayor. Our panel reacts to the damning Toronto auditor general findings regarding City workers responsible for maintaining parks, an online payment system the City uses, and Metrolinx making changes to its senior leadership. Will that lead to projects like the Eglinton Crosstown LRT being sped up towards completion after years of delay?    PM TRUDEAU TESTIFIES OVER FOREIGN INTERFERENCE Tasha Kheiriddin is joined by Will Stewart, a Conservative Strategist and Senior Vice President with Enterprise Canada, Robin Sears,  a Crisis Communications Consultant and former NDP Strategist and George Smitherman, a former Ontario Dep

THE MEDICAL RECORD: REPORT ON DISEASE SURVEILLANCE Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Dr. Fahad Razak, General Internist at Unity Health Toronto who served as a Scientific Advisor of Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, Dr. Aaron Schimmer, the Director of Research at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre as well as a staff physician and a senior scientist and Dr. Nadia Alam, a Georgetown, Ontario family doctor and anesthetist.  Even though it hasn’t been long since we’ve been out of the COVID pandemic, according to a new report it’s time to start preparing for the next global health crisis. COURT CHALLENGE AGAINST FORD GOV’T OVER ORCHARD VILLA LEASE Jane Brown is joined by Natalie Mehra, Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition and Cathy Parkes, whose father passed away at Orchard Villa during the pandemic. Both Cathy and the Ontario Health Coalition are presenting a court challenge this week over the Ford government's decision to greenlight a new 30-year

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: THE LATEST IN SPAT BETWEEN OTTAWA AND INDIA  Libby Znaimer is joined by Lisa Raitt, a former Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Cheri DiNovo, a former NDP MPP,  and John Milloy,  a former Ontario Liberal MPP who served as a cabinet minister under the Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne governments. This week: we take a look at the tense relations between Canada and India, and we also discuss the latest effort from within the Liberal party to oust PM Justin Trudeau as leader. ONTARIO PLANS TO GET TOUGHER ON BIKE LANES AS PART OF CONGESTION-EASING EFFORTS Libby Znaimer is joined by Trevor Townsend, Founder of Keep Toronto Moving and Albert Koehl, Cycling and pedestrian advocate. The Ford government has tabled legislation around bike lanes as part of its strategy to ease traffic gridlock. We discuss that plan in greater detail and whether or not it is a good idea. A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LATEST CAMPAIGN BY SOME LIBERAL MPS TO OUST TRUDEAU Libby Znaimer is jo

ZOOMER SQUAD: CARP ADVOCATES FOR SENIORS AS BILL C-319 STALLS, OAS REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY Jane Brown is joined by Anthony Quinn, Chief Operating Officer at CARP, Bill VanGorder, CARP’s Chief Advocacy and Education officer, and John Wright, Executive Vice President of Maru Public Opinion. The panel addressed the pressing issue of the Bloc Quebecois' Bill C-319, which seeks a 10% Old Age Security (OAS) increase for seniors aged 65-74. CARP’s recent survey reveals that 73.2% of respondents believe current OAS payments are too low, with 77.1% supporting the proposed increase. Meanwhile, discussions around the sustainability of OAS and GIS are crucial as Canada's aging population grows, highlighting the need for ongoing advocacy and support. FOOD BANK USAGE IN THE GTA & THANKSGIVING DRIVE Jane Brown is joined by Neil Hetherington, CEO of Daily Bread Food Bank, who reveals a staggering 35% rise in food bank visits compared to last year. Daily Bread has seen close to 2 million client visits in the past si

Today on Free For All Friday: our listeners phoned in to discuss Mayor Olivia Chow's absence at the October 7th commemoration in Toronto, vehicle access to High Park, the TDSB field trip to the Grassy Narrows protest, and more.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN:  TORONTO MAYOR OLIVIA CHOW ABSENT FROM TORONTO OCTOBER 7TH VIGIL  Libby Znaimer is joined by Karen Stintz, a Conservative Party of Canada Candidate for Eglinton-Lawrence, a former Toronto City Councillor and the CEO of Variety Village, and Toronto City Councillors James Pasternak for Ward 6 York Centre and Brad Bradford for Ward 19 Beaches-East York. This week: Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is facing backlash for her absence at the October 7th Commemoration in the city. And, we get the latest update on where city council is at with regards to Billy Bishop Airport. HURRICANE MILTON: WHAT CANADIAN SNOWBIRDS NEED TO KNOW   Libby Znaimer is joined by Martin Firestone, President of Travel Secure, and Stephen Fine, President & Managing Editor of SnowbirdAdvisor.ca Hurricane Milton has left a trail of destruction damaging homes, flooding roads and knocking out power for millions. However, it “was not the worst-case scenario” that many had been bracing for. Still, where does that leave ten

THE MEDICAL RECORD: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SCURVY   Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and former head of BC Cancer, Dr. Alisa Naiman, a family doctor in Toronto and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital. Scurvy - a disease we thought was consigned to the history books - has reappeared and food insecurity seems to be the culprit here according to a study published in in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. And, what a study out of the University of Waterloo tells us about breakfast. CRTC WANTS CANADA'S BIG CELL PROVIDERS TO LOWER THEIR INTERNATIONAL ROAMING FEES Libby Znaimer is now joined by Jean-François Mezei, a telecommunications consultant based in Montreal and Carmi Levy,  a technology analyst and journalist based in London, Ontario The CRTC wants Canada's three big cell companies--Bell, Rogers and Telus--to reduce their international roaming charges. We take a deep dive into wh

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: HOW HARD ARE OUR CITY WORKERS ACTUALLY WORKING?  Libby Znaimer is joined by Cheri DiNovo, a former NDP MPP, John Milloy, a former Ontario Liberal MPP who served as a cabinet minister under the Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne governments, and John Mykytyshyn,  a Conservative Political Consultant and President of Bradgate Research Group. Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the October 7th massacre and we got to hear speeches from both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre at a commemoration in Ottawa. And a report from Toronto's Auditor General shows that city workers responsible for the upkeep of our parks are working less hours than they are reporting in their logs. What will Mayor Olivia Chow do about this? THE SPENDING HABITS OF OLDER VS YOUNGER CANADIANS THIS UPCOMING HOLIDAY SEASON  Libby Znaimer is joined by Ellen Roseman, a consumer advocate and journalist and Bruce Winder, a retail analyst. We get a picture of what we ca

Today marks the one year anniversary of the October 7th massacre perpetrated by Hamas terrorists. It was the deadliest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust. Ceremonies in Israel and around the world are marking the moment. Here, on Fight Back, we heard from Israelis on the ground and family members of hostages who shared their stories. We also discussed the rise of antisemitism both in Canada and abroad with local politicians. Today's episode featured: Vivian Bercovici, a former ambassador of Canada to Israel; Harel Lapidot, whose niece was murdered on October 7th; Liberal MP Anthony Housefather, named Special Advisor on Jewish Community Relations and Antisemitism; Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman; Maureen Leshem, who is a cousin of Israeli hostage Romi Gonen; and Maayan Shavit, whose cousin Carmel Gat was murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before her body was found by the IDF in Gaza.    

Today on Free For All Friday: listeners reacted to the confounding conundrum of cars in High Park, Ontario's lease deal with European spa company Therme, the U.S. presidential election, and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.