Fight Back With Libby Znaimer

TUNE INTO THE TOWN It’s that last gathering of the Tune Into the Town panel before Christmas, and there’s a lot to unpack. Toronto just got a big Christmas gift from Ottawa - $471 million in new housing cash - and we are also getting a new 250-bed respite centre just down the street from Zoomer Radio. As well, the Chair of Yonge-Dundas Square said he's resigning over last week's city council vote to rename the downtown landmark to Sankofa Square; and Olivia Chow has made some big moves in her short time as Toronto’s new Mayor. Libby Znaimer is joined by Karen Stintz, CEO of Variety Village; Alex Blumenstein, Co-Founder of The Peak; and David Crombie, a former mayor of Toronto, to discuss these issues, and more. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER The word has been getting a lot of use lately, but there is no better way to describe it. Our weather this year has truly been unprecedented. Libby Znaimer is joined by Dave Phillips, Senior Climatologist at Environment Canada for a look at the Top Ten weather events

THE MEDICAL RECORD: HEALTH AND THE HOLIDAYS It’s time to talk about your health, and there are some holiday related issues we should be aware of. The latest numbers show that less than 15% of us have the updated Covid vaccine - this as we are gathering with friends and family in the midst of the viral soup of Covid, RSV and influenza - which is already clogging hospital emergency rooms. Also, there is an annual spike in heart attacks around the holidays. Why is that and what can you do to protect yourself? And what time are you having your Christmas feast? There’s new work that tries to answer the question: is it bad to eat late at night? Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Alisa Naiman, Family Physician and Founder and Medical Director of The Medical Station in Toronto; Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre; and  Dr. Fahad Razak, General Internist at Unity Health Toronto to discuss. MIDDLE-EAST PROTESTS TARGETING MALLS AND A SPIKE IN ANTI-SEMITISM There was a very distu

RECOVERING POLITICIANS It's our last Recovering Politicians panel before Christmas. On the international stage, Canada broke with its tradition of supporting Israel at the U.N. and voted for an unconditional ceasefire with no mention of Hamas violence. It also called on Israel to stop settler violence in the West Bank again without mentioning violence on the other side. Also, very ambitious targets for electric vehicles. And at Queen’s Park, the latest poll shows the Ford PC’s bouncing back. Libby Znaimer is joined by Lisa Raitt, Former Deputy Leader of Conservative Party of Canada; Cheri DiNovo, former Ontario NDP MPP and a recipient of the Order of Canada; and John Gerretsen, former Ontario Liberal Cabinet Minister, and former Attorney General to discuss. STATISTICS CANADA POPULATION SURVEY Canada's population grew by more than 430,000 during the third quarter, marking the fastest pace of population growth in any quarter since 1957. Libby Znaimer is joined by Doug Norris, Senior Vice President and Chie

THE ZOOMER SQUAD Concerns are rising over the number of Canadian seniors going lost or missing due to dementia; unprecedented growth among Canada's senior population will mean shift in housing needs; and what to expect from Canada's labour market as the workforce ages. Liz West is joined by Anthony Quinn, Chief Community Officer of CARP; Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy Officer of CARP; and Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine to discuss the news that matter most to Zoomers. TRAVELLING FOR THE HOLIDAYS We are down to the wire, as many are gearing up for holiday travel during Christmas. Liz West is joined by Martin Firestone, president of Travel Secure Inc. for a conversation about what you need to know ahead of time. POPE  FRANCIS SAYS PRIESTS CAN BLESS SAME-SEX UNIONS There was very big news from the Vatican today. A new document gives formal permission for priests to bless same-sex couples, explaining the radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people s

Today on Free For All Friday: Our listeners had lots to say about the City of Toronto changing the name of Yonge-Dundas Square.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: FORD GOVERNMENT WILL NOT DISSOLVE PEEL REGION It’s our Thursday tune into the town panel and we’ve got lots to discuss, so let’s get started with the province's announcement to not dissolve Peel Region. Joining Liz West is Karen Stintz, CEO of Variety Village, Alex Blumenstein, Co-founder of The Peak and David Crombie, former Mayor of Toronto. THE POWER OF LEONARD COHEN'S MUSIC DURING DIFFICULT TIMES We are inching closer to the shortest day of the year which means the most darkness - many of us struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder - and the news of war and strife only makes matters worse. Can music illuminate these dark times? And in particular, can the songs of Leonard Cohen? Joining Liz now is Dr. Matthew Robert Anderson, Adjunct professor of Theological Studies at Concordia University and author of "Prophets of Love: The Unlikely Kinship of Leonard Cohen and the Apostle Paul". OTTAWA SAYS GROCERY CODE OF CONDUCT WILL DEFINATELY BE IMPLEMENTED When we start a new job or join

THE MEDICAL RECORD: OTTAWA'S $13 BILLION DOLLAR DENTAL COVERAGE PLAN Liz West is joined by Dr. Alisa Naiman, Family Physician and Founder and Medical Director of The Medical Station in Toronto, Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, an Internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital. Our panel reacts to Ottawa's $13 billion national dental coverage program and what that means for Seniors specifically. RABBI WOLPE RESIGNED FROM HARVARD'S ANTISEMITISM ADVISORY GROUP Liz West is now joined by Rabbi David Wolpe, a visiting scholar at Harvard’s Divinity School who resigned from the university’s Antisemitism Advisory Group followed by federal Conservative Deputy leader Melissa Lantsman. Last Thursday, Rabbi Wolpe publicly announced his decision to resign from Harvard University's Antisemitism Advisory Group. The reason for his decision in his own words from a post he made on X (formerly Twitter): "the system at Harvard along

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL:  "SORRY" SAYS MINISTER CALANDRA TO DEVELOPERS IN AFTERMATH OF GREENBELT SCANDAL Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Lisa Raitt, former deputy leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Cheri Di Novo, former Ontario NDP MPP an a recipient of the Order of Canada, and George Smitherman, former Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre. who served both as a deputy premier and minister of health. In the news: prominent Canadian women leaders including former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and our own panelists Lisa and Cheri have called upon the RCMP to help in the investigation of sexual violence against Israeli women perpetrated by Hamas terrorists during the atrocities of Oct. 7. Meanwhile, House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus apologized for recording a tribute video to outgoing Ontario Liberal leader John Fraser. Fergus faces the possibility of resigning from the position which he took on a mere two months ago. If he does resign, he would become the speaker

THE ZOOMER SQUAD:  THE ROLLOUT OF THE DENTAL CARE PLAN Libby Znaimer is joined by Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine, Anthony Quinn, Chief Community Officer of CARP and Bob Richardson, Bob Richardson, Senior Council, National Public Relations. It’s Monday: time for our Zoomer Squad. And we now have details on the rollout of the dental care plan that is a cornerstone of the Liberals supply and confidence agreement with the NDP. It will be rolled out gradually next year with registration starting next week with older Zoomers over 87. Even that group won’t see any actual benefits until May. So is this the right way to structure the program? AN UPDATE ON ISRAEL'S WAR WITH HAMAS: IDF SPOKESPERSON Libby Znaimer is now joined by IDF Spokesperson Lt. Col. (res) Peter Lerner. The Israel-Hamas war has entered a new intensive phase with heavy fighting in the city of Khan Younis which the IDF says is a terrorist stronghold. Meanwhile, Hamas has threatened not to allow any more hostages to leave alive

Today on Free For All Friday we ask the big question: What's your take on self checkout stations at the grocery store or major retailers? And listeners also call in to wish the Jewish community a happy Hanukah!

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: THE CITY IS PREPARING FOR A LEGAL BATTLE WITH UBER Marissa Lennox is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Karen Stintz, CEO, Variety Village, Alex Blumenstein, Co-Founder of The Peak, and Councillor Paula Fletcher, Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth. Yesterday, the Ontario auditor general's office published its annual report—a mixed bag with healthcare nuggets, some stuff about the Ontario Science Centre, and even driver exams and three-point turns. We'll chat about the big stuff with our panel, what stood out in the report.And then, onto the rumble between Uber and the City of Toronto. Uber's throwing punches, taking the city to court over a sudden council move to freeze ride sharing licenses. Toronto City Hall's saying it's all about slashing downtown pollution and traffic jams, part of a plan for zero-emission vehicles by 2030. So, here's my question: Is this cap just the government meddling where it shouldn't? Or could the city be onto something big here? IS IT TIME TO GET RID

THE MEDICAL RECORD:  THE EXTENT OF HOSPITAL CLOSURES IN ONTARIO + ROSTERING IN PRIMARY CARE Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Alisa Naiman, Family Physician and Founder and Medical Director of The Medical Station in Toronto, Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, an  Internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital. According to a new report from the Ontario Health Coalition, a healthcare advocacy group, found that there were 1,199 closures at Ontario Hospitals between Jan 1st and Nov 24 of this year and that it was primarily urgent care centres that were affected. To be specific:  "868 temporary or permanent emergency department closures (one is permanent)". Meanwhile, we take a deep dive into the patient roster system in the context of primary care. Dr. Naiman explains how rostering typically works and what you need to know. BRAMPTON MAYOR PATRICK BROWN CALLS INTO FIGHT BACK Libby is joined by Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: BONNIE CROMBIE IS THE NEW LEADER OF THE ONTARIO LIBERALS Libby Znaimer is joined by Janet Ecker Former Ontario PC minister of finance, George Smitherman, former Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre, minister of health and Deputy Premier and Cheri Di Novo, a former NDP MPP and a recipient of the Order of Canada. We kick things off with a discussion about Bonnie Crombie's victory as the new leader of the Ontario Liberals. Could she pave the way to a revival of the party? And, the next election is years away but what does she have to do in order to pose a serious threat to the Ford government? Also this week: a large gathering of members of Canada's Jewish community and their allies rallied at Parliament Hill in Ottawa in a show of strength against antisemitism. RETAIL CHAINS ABANDONING SELF CHECKOUTS DUE TO RISE IN THEFT Libby Znaimer is now joined by Ellen Roseman, Consumer Advocate and journalist and Bruce Winder, a Retail Analyst & Author. They’ve been around for about 30 yea

THE ZOOMER SQUAD: BONNIE IS THE NEW ONTARIO LIBERAL LEADER Jane Brown is joined by Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine, Rudy Buttignol, President of CARP and John Wright, Executive Vice President, Maru Public Opinion. It's official: Bonnie Crombie is the new leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. The mayor of Mississauga beat rivals Nate Erskine-Smith and Yasir Naqvi among other contenders. So, what does this mean for the party's future and does she pose a serious threat for Doug Ford?  And, on another note, Moncton's Jewish community wants to know why their city quietly decided to end the display of religious symbols on their property including the lighting of the menorah especially with Hannukah being around the corner. After public outcry, that decision is expected to be revisited by Moncton City Hall today. THE OTTAWA RALLY AGAINST ANTISEMITISM Jane Brown is now joined by Liberal MP Anthony Housefather (Mount Royal) followed by Deputy leader of the Conservative Party Melissa Lantsman (Tho

Today on Free For All Friday: our listeners reflect on the potential for Bonnie Crombie to become leader of the Ontario Liberals and what that would mean for the Party and whether that would pose a serious threat to the Ford government, and also we get calls about residents complaining that municipal taxes have gone up way too high.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: THE FUTURE OF TASTE ON THE DANFORTH Libby Znaimer is joined by Karen Stintz, CEO of Variety Village, Alex Blumenstein, Co-Founder of The Peak, and David Crombie, a former Mayor of Toronto. It’s Thursday time to talk about local politics! Up first, what is happening or not happening with the taste of the Danforth - one of our largest and most successful street fairs. Yesterday local businesses voted to cancel it rather than accept a 20% increase in their levies which their BIA said would be necessary to mount the event again. I Think this is a strategy to get either a sponsor or some level of govt to come in and provide the cash. And this is the first time we are talking since that historic funding deal between the city and the province at the beginning of the week. MOST ADULTS PREPARING FOR RETIREMENT WILL NEED TO MAKE LIFESTYLE CHANGES Libby Znaimer is joined by Hwan Kim, A partner at Deloitte Canada. If you are close to retirement, are your finances in order? A new report from Deloi

THE MEDICAL RECORD: ALBERTA'S NURSING STRATEGY Libby Znaimer is now joined by Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, Internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital and Dr. Iris Gorfinkel, Family Physician as well as Founder of PrimeHealth Clinical Research. Today: we kick things off with a discussion of both the province's wastewater signal and COVID-19 hospitalizations reaching a one-year high. It's a clear sign that the pandemic still poses a very significant public health threat. Meanwhile, we examine the use of virtual care in the context of urgent care. And, Alberta's plan to give nurses the ability to open up their own publicly funded independent practices as part of a strategy to address the primary care shortage. CONSERVATIVES WANT FURTHER CARBON TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR FARMERS Marissa Lennox is now joined by a cattle, grain and soy bean farmer based in Elgin County in Ontario and Glenn Wright, who has been the National Farm

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: THE PROVINCE WILL NOW OVERSEE THE GARDINER EXPRESSWAY AND DVP Libby Znaimer is joined by George Smitherman, Former Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre who served as a health minister and Deputy Premier, Cheri DiNovo, Former Ontario NDP MPP and a recipient of the Order of Canada and John Capobianco,  Senior Vice President & Senior Partner, FleishmanHillard HighRoad. It’s Tuesday: Time to talk politics and yesterday’s new deal between the City of Toronto and the province is being called historic. Actually my favourite commentary was in a tweet from Councillor Mike Colle - it said that Mayor Olivia Chow and Premier Doug Ford should get the Nobel Peace Prize! The deal earmarks up to 9 B from the province and much of that money will come from Queens Parks’ agreement to take over both the Gardiner Expressway and the DVP. There’s also cash for housing, for shelters and the TTC. In exchange, the city has agreed to let Ford have his way on that controversial Spa development at Ontario Pl

THE ZOOMER SQUAD: WASTEWATER SIGNAL AND COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS REACH ONE-YEAR HIGHS Jane Brown is joined by Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine, Rudy Buttignol, President of CARP and John Wright, Executive Vice President, Maru Public Opinion. According to the latest data, both Ontario's wastewater signal and hospitalization rates for COVID-19 have reached one-year highs respectively. It's a confirmation that the virus still poses a significant public health threat. Meanwhile, Jane and the panel weigh in on older adults (we're talking about adults 80 years of age and older) and their relationship with technology especially in the context of the busy holiday shopping where you can find such great deals online and also staying connected to their loved ones and family virtually. MORE ISRAELI HOSTAGES RETURN BACK HOME Jane Brown is now joined by David Matlow, a Toronto-based lawyer. Over the weekend, additional groups of Israeli hostages were released as part of ongoing negotiation deals bet

Today on Free For All Friday, listeners called in to weigh in on Justin Trudeau's performance as our Prime Minister, whether or not its time for him to go and who they are voting for in the next election.