Fight Back With Libby Znaimer

ZOOMER SQUAD:  WILL OTTAWA BE ABLE TO MAKE UNIVERSAL DRUG COVERAGE A REALITY? Libby Znaimer is joined by Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy Officer of CARP, Anthony Quinn,  Chief Community Officer of CARP and Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine. Ottawa is expected to table legislation on universal pharmacare as early as this Fall. But doubts have been raised by members of the healthcare community about whether such a plan will be able to become reality even after a bill on it passes. Meanwhile, a cardiology clinic in Saskatchewan has decided to leave the public healthcare system behind. We explore what was behind that decision. PIERRE POILIEVRE'S APPLE MUNCHING GOES VIRAL Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Alex Marland, a professor in the department of politics at Acadia University and author of the book Whipped: Party Discipline in Canada. A video of federal Conservative Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre munching on an apple while answering a journalist's claims about h

Today on Free For All Friday... Listeners called in to weigh in on the latest developments of the war between Israel and Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: ONTARIO NDP WANT FORD GREENBELT SCANDAL TO BE VERY MUCH ALIVE 12:00PM-12:30 PM Libby Znaimer is joined by David Crombie, Former Mayor of Toronto, Alex Blumenstein, Co-Founder of The Peak, and Councillor Paula Fletcher, Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth. The Ontario NDP want very much to keep the Ford government Greenbelt landswap deal alive with leader Marit Stiles asking the integrity commissioner to investigate the Las Vegas trip involving Kaleed Rasheed, Former Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery of Ontario. Meanwhile, Premier Doug Ford and his government are continuing their efforts to censure NDP MPP Sarah Jama after she made offensive and irresponsible remarks about Israel. Also, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has promised local restaurant businesses that she will work to improve the CafeTO program after it rolled out with a lot of problems this year. And, what will Toronto's snow clearing plan look like ahead of the Winter season? Our panel reacts to the latest. THE HVAC/NOSI SCAM

THE MEDICAL RECORD: NEW DATA ON HOSPITAL STAFFING SHORTAGES DURING PANDEMIC 12-12:30 PM Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Alisa Naiman, Family Physician and Founder and Medical Director of The Medical Station in Toronto,  Dr. Amol Verma, A staff physician in General Internal Medicine at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, and  Dr. Aaron Schimmer, the Director of Research at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre as well as a staff physician and a senior scientist. In the news:  a new report published by CIHI (the Canadian Institute for Health Information) shows that nurses and other front line healthcare workers in hospital in patient units across Canada had logged a lot more sick time hours and overtime during 2021–2022 compared to the year before. Meanwhile, Ottawa has allocated $500,000 for a federal task force to weigh in on the screening age for breast cancer mammograms. Advocates have been calling for it to be brought down from 50 to 40 years of age. BIDEN VISITS ISRAEL & WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE GAZA HOS

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: PM TRUDEAU SAYS CANADIANS COULD BE AMONG HAMAS HOSTAGES 12:00-12:30 Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Andrew Cash, Former NDP MP, Toronto-Davenport district, John Milloy, Former Ontario Liberal MPP who served as a cabinet minister under the Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne governments, and Lisa Raitt, Former Deputy Leader of Conservative Party of Canada. According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, there may be three Canadians taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. Meanwhile, Ottawa is calling for a humanitarian corridor to be set up in Gaza to help aid innocent civilians trapped in the enclave. Closer to home, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling for NDP Sarah Jama to not be permitted into the legislature following her apology for making offensive remarks about Israel. The motion by the Ford government said that Jama made "antisemitic and discriminatory statements" and defended "Hamas terrorists in her statements on social media platform X (former

ZOOMER SQUAD:  ZOOMER HEROES DURING THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR 12:00-12:30 Libby Znaimer is joined by Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy Officer of CARP, Anthony Quinn,  Chief Community Officer of CARP and Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine. One of many heroic stories emerging out of Israel as it's war continues to ramp up with Hamas, is that of retired major general in the IDF Noam Tibon, 62, and his wife who grabbed a pistol and made their way all the way from Tel Aviv to the communities near the Gaza border to save their son and his family during the attack on Oct. 7 and that's exactly what he did. And, he's not the only Zoomer to have taken heroic actions to save Israeli civilians! Meanwhile, what about the elderly who were taken hostage by Hamas and brought into Gaza. One of them was reportedly an elderly Holocaust woman who is wheelchair bound. Will Hamas allow the hostages to gain access to medical aid? And, closer to home, the panel reacts to the federal NDP conventio

Today on Free For All Friday: listeners called in to respond to the war in Israel after the horrific attack by Hamas terrorists last weekend

Today is World Sight Day and this year’s theme is the importance of eye care in the workplace and, of course, the health of your eyes in general. For our Zoomer audience, the risks of eye disease increase with age. Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve. Glaucoma can occur at any age but is more common in older adults. It is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60. Now I am joined by Dr. Nupura Bakshi who is a retina and uveitis specialist, on staff at St. Joseph's Health Centre, Kensington Eye Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, and Mount Sinai Hospital. She is also an assistant professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: TORONTO POLICE RAMPS UP SECURITY MEASURES IN JEWISH COMMUNITY 12-12:30 PM Libby Znaimer is joined by Karen Stintz, CEO, Variety Village, Alex Blumenstein,Co-Founder of The Peak, and Councillor Paula Fletcher, Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth. We are catching up with local news: The RCMP is investigating the Greenbelt land swap scandal. What implications will this have for the Ford government? Meanwhile, Toronto City Council has voted to increase the vacant home tax to 3 per cent. And, Toronto Police say they are ramping up security measures in and around the Jewish community amid Hamas calling for a day of Jihad (in other words, a call to violence) across the Muslim world against Israel which has been a concern for Jewish communities everywhere. Our panel discusses the latest. WORLD SIGHT DAY-THE IMPORTANCE OF EYE CARE IN THE WORKPLACE 12:30-1:00 Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Nupura Bakshi is a retina and uveitis specialist, on staff at St. Joseph's Health Centre, Kensington Eye Institute, St

THE MEDICAL RECORD: TORONTO PUBLIC HEALTH LAUNCHES FLU/COVID-19 VACCINE CAMPAIGN 12-12:30 PM 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, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, Internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital. Toronto Public Health has launched a flu/COVID-19 vaccine campaign and has a phased approach to the administration of vaccines with first priority in the rollout going to adults 65 and older, immunocompromised individuals among others. The campaign comes amid flu season. Meanwhile, the war in Israel has led to mounting casualties and deaths among innocent civilians. Our panel discusses trauma medicine and how it works during times of emergencies and also weighs in on Israel's robust medical services programs that are specialized in dealing with situations like this. So far, the death toll in Israel has reportedly reached

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: TRUDEAU AND FORD TAKE A STAND WITH ISRAEL AS WAR RAGES ON 12:00-12:30 Libby Znaimer is joined by Janet Ecker, Former Ontario PC MPP, George Smitherman,  former Ontario Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre who also served as a health minister and deputy Premier, and Cheri DiNovo, Former Ontario NDP MPP. Over the weekend, in a surprise attack, Hamas terrorists launched a vicious attack on Israeli civilians inside Israel by land, sea and air. So far, over 900 Israelis have been killed including women and children and dozens of Israelis of all ages have been kidnapped and taken hostage to Gaza. Israel was caught off guard by the attack as it took hours before they responded with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring that Israel is officially at War with Hamas. Meanwhile, here in Canada rallies in support of Hamas have been taking place. Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have called these protests out and made their position clear that Canada stands wi

THE ZOOMER SQUAD Marissa Lennox is joined by Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy Officer of CARP; Anthony Quinn, Chief Community Officer of CARP; and Gabe De Roche, founder of Pluriel Research. Last month, Premier Danielle Smith’s government said it would launch consultations around the proposal to pull Alberta out of the CPP so the province could have its own retirement fund, and polling numbers are starting to come in to take the public’s temperature on that idea. COVID, influenza, pneumococcal, and, for the first time, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines will all be available this fall for older adults. But while older Canadians might have more options to protect themselves than ever before, physicians are warning that staggered rollouts, patchwork approaches among the provinces, and high costs for certain shots could hinder uptake. Together, Marissa and the Zoomer Squad unpack these issues, and more. THANKSGIVING SURVEY A new survey finds this weekend may well signal a re

Today on Free For All Friday: listeners called in to discuss their Thanksgiving plans this weekend and to talk about the future of Ontario Place.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: FORD GOVERNMENT FACING MORE HEAT OVER MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES Libby Znaimer is joined by Karen Stintz, CEO, Variety Village, Alex Blumenstein,Co-Founder of The Peak, and Councillor Paula Fletcher, Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth. A new report by the City's integrity commissioner found that former Mayor John Tory violated his code of conduct over his affair with a staffer. Our panel reacts to the latest. CALLS TO OPEN RECORDS OF NAZI WAR VETS LIVING IN CANADA 12:30-12:45 Libby Znaimer is now joined by Michael Mostyn, CEO B'nai Brith Canada Governor General Mary Simon has apologized over the Order of Canada appointment of a former Waffen-SS Peter Savaryn in 1987. He served in the same unit as Yaroslav Hunka. Meanwhile, Jewish organizations like B'nai Brith are calling on Ottawa to release records on Nazi war veterans who moved to Canada post World War 2. ROSE REISMAN ON THANKSGIVING WEEKEND 12:45 TO 1PM Libby Znaimer is joined by Rose Reisman, nutritionist and cookbook author. Rose joins Libby

THE MEDICAL RECORD: THE WIDESPREAD ISSUE OF CHRONIC PAIN 12-12:30 PM Liz West is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and Dr. Fahad Razak, General Internist at Unity Health Toronto. We begin the discussion with a closer look into the widespread issue of chronic pain. One in five Canadians suffer from it. So, how does Canada's healthcare system help patients find answers and treatments? Meanwhile, is adult ADHD being overdiagnosed in this country? And, what is even involved in the process of diagnosing a patient with ADHD? Finally, it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Our medical experts explain what adult women should consider on this aspect of health and the importance of regular screening. THE LATEST ON CANADA-INDIA RELATIONS: INDIA WANTS CANADIAN DIPLOMATS OUT 12:30-12:45 PM Liz West is now joined by Robin Sears, a Crisis Communications Consultant and former NDP Strategist. The relationship between Ottawa and New De

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL:  MPs TO ELECT NEW HOUSE SPEAKER TODAY 12:00-12:30 Liz West is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Lisa Raitt, former deputy leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Andrew Cash, a former NDP MP for Toronto Davenport district and John Milloy,  a former Ontario Liberal MPP who served as a cabinet minister under the Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne governments. Today: members of Parliament are expected to vote in a new speaker of the house today. It comes in the aftermath of house speaker Anthony Rota 's resignation over inviting a Nazi war veteran to Parliament during Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's visit. And, Bonnie Crombie says she's raised over $1 million for her campaign to become leader of the Ontario Liberals. Crombie, who is taking a leave of absence from her post as Mississauga mayor, is firing back against her political opponents including candidate Nate Erskine-Smith who are criticizing her for getting donations from developers. FINANCIAL STRESS

ZOOMER SQUAD: FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER TURNS 99! 12:00-12:30 Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy Officer of CARP, Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine, and Anthony Quinn, Chief Community Officer of CARP. We kick the discussion off by reflecting  on the life and times of former U.S. President and iconic Zoomer Jimmy Carter who turned 99 years old this week as he lives in hospice care. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement marking National Seniors Day yesterday and called them "pillars of our community". Finally, we discuss finances and how many Seniors are going back into the workforce amid the pressures of inflation and other economic factors. OTTAWA PLANS TO REDUCE MILITARY SPENDING BY $1 BILLION 12:30-12:50 PM Jane Brown is joined by Dr. Adam Chapnick, A professor of defence studies at the Royal Military College of Canada and deputy director of education at the Canadian F

Today on Free For All Friday: our listeners weighed in on a former Nazi war veteran being invited to the House of Commons during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's address to Parliament. Since that happened, house speaker Anthony Rota resigned and, after some time, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized for the incident.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN:  GREENBELT BOUNDARIES & CROSSTOWN LRT 12-12:30 PM Libby Znaimer is joined by Matt Buckman Former Senior Advisor to former Mayor John Tory, Councillor Paula Fletcher, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth, and Councillor James Pasternak, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 6 York Centre. The Ford government is planning to introduce a bill that will protect the boundaries of the Greenbelt and enshrine them into law. This comes after Premier Ford backed down from the Greenbelt scandal and apologized to Ontarians over it. Meanwhile, it's a never ending story from Metrolinx as they continue not to give answers about when the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open up. Our panel reacts to the latest. MINIMUM WAGE TO INCREASE IN OCTOBER: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 12:30-1 PM Libby Znaimer is joined by Jim Stanford Economist and Director, Centre for Future Work and Robert Chee, Owner / operator of AVIV immigrant kitchen restaurant located at 779 St Clair west and Neil Hetherington, CEO of

THE MEDICAL RECORD:  FOOD BANK REPORT GIVES FAILING GRADE TO PROVINCES OVER POVERTY MEASURES 12-12:30 PM 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, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, Internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital. This week: a new report from Food Banks Canada has been released. Meanwhile, The European Commission has approved marketing for ritlecitinib to treat adults and youth 12 years of age and older who suffer from severe alopecia areata. And, demonstrations took place at Queen's Park this week against the privatization of healthcare in the province. THERE'S A LOOPHOLE WITH CITY PARKING LOTS BUT THAT COULD CHANGE SOON 12:30-12:45 PM Libby Znaimer is joined by Councillor Stephen Holyday, Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre and Coun. Paul Ainslie (Ward 24, Scarborough Guildwood), who chairs the general government committee. S