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Frisco and Scott are back for another week of Inside the Village — and in the thick of the Stanley Cup finals, it’s only fitting that they talk some hockey. More specifically, why are fewer Canadian kids choosing to lace em up? Stats show participation in youth hockey has dropped by nearly a quarter over the past 15 years, with more and more families choosing other sports instead. Why the dip? Is it the cost? The time commitment? The game’s lingering toxic culture? We ask Simon Darnell, a professor at the University of Toronto and an expert in sports culture and sociology. If you love hockey, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Also on the show this week: How squatters dashed the dreams of a first-time homebuyer in Guelph.

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The federal government recently introduced its new Canadian Dental Care Plan, with the goal of providing oral health care to all. But so far, not everyone is smiling. Thousands of dentists across the country have not opted into the plan because they still have a mouthful of unanswered questions. And patients are even more confused, with many assuming — incorrectly — that the plan means free dental appointments. Dr. Maneesh Jain, president of the Ontario Dental Association, joins us to break down all the uncertainty. For the record, he hasn’t joined the program either. Also on this week’s show: What happens when two dozen Village Media editors gather in the same town?

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From grandparent scams to romance frauds, phishing has become a daily part of life — forcing all of us to be constantly looking over our “digital shoulder.” Last year alone, Canadians lost more than $500 million to fraud (and that’s just the small percentage of people who actually report being scammed). Jeff Horncastle has seen it all. A spokesman for the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, he joins us on the podcast to talk about why this crime is skyrocketing, how fraudsters are using generative AI to their advantage, and what you can do to protect yourself. Here’s one helpful tip: If someone calls to say your grandson needs bail money, he doesn’t. It’s a scam! Also on the podcast: There is affordable housing out there — if you’re willing to live in a nudist resort.

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Education Minister Stephen Lecce has announced a “comprehensive” crackdown on cellphones in schools that will take effect in September. According to the new rules, kids in kindergarten to Grade 6 will be required to keep phones on silent and out of sight for the entire day, while those in grades seven and up won’t be allowed to use phones during class time. Will the ban work? Is it actually any different than what’s already in place at schools across the province? We ask an expert: Sachin Maharaj, a University of Ottawa education professor who has spent a lot of time researching the impact of cellphones in schools. Bottom line: we have to do something, because it’s absolutely clear that these devices are damaging kids’ mental health and social wellbeing. Also on the podcast this week: a powerful story about a Collingwood cancer patient who chose to die on her own terms.

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From Mr. D to Family Feud Canada, Gerry Dee has made audiences laugh from coast to coast. This week, the teacher-turned-comedian really hits the big time: a guest spot on Inside the Village. He drops by the show to promote a new book — Funny You Should Say That — and an upcoming comedy tour of the same name. Dee reminisces with Frisco and Scott about his time in the classroom, his jump to stand-up comedy, and what it’s really like to be a Canadian celebrity. Spoiler alert: plenty of people don’t recognize him on the street. Also on the podcast: the world’s most prolific loser of elections — 108 and counting — is running yet again, this time in Milton, Ont.

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A rare chance to draw back the curtain this week on Inside the Village as Frisco and Scott go one-on-one with retired Ontario judge Norm Douglas. After years as a respected prosecutor who then served on the bench, Douglas has penned his first book: You Be The Judge. Inspired by the visits he used to make to high school classes, the book recounts the details of 24 cases from his career — and asks the reader to decide. In a wide-ranging interview, Douglas shares his thoughts on numerous hot-button topics, from the state of the country’s bail system to Premier Doug’s pursuit of “tough” and “like-minded” judges. On a less serious note, we also discuss what “Stormin’ Norman” does for fun: impersonate Elvis. Also on the podcast: a love story 75 years in the making.

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On this episode of Inside the Village, we really take you Inside the Village — to talk about a massive project that Village Media has been toiling away at behind the scenes. It’s called SPACES, a new kind of social media network designed to be safe and civil and 100 per cent community-powered. Simply put, SPACES is our attempt to bring back genuine local engagement, helping residents connect even deeper with the people, places, events and traditions that make their hometown so special. Joining us to talk all about it is Village Media CEO Jeff Elgie. Full disclosure: we’ve been asking the boss to come on our podcast for more than a year, and he finally said yes. Along with SPACES, our wide-ranging conversation touches on the state of the media industry, why the Village model works, and who he likes better: Frisco or Scott? Also on this episode: a big welcome to our latest addition to the Village family, MiltonToday.

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Remember when measles were pretty much eradicated? So much for that. The number of confirmed cases in Canada has now reached 40 — more than three times the number in 2023. Why the resurgence? A growing number of kids simply aren’t getting vaccinated like they used to. The spike in cases comes just as public health agencies across the province are cracking down on elementary and high school students whose immunizations are not up to date, including shots for mumps, measles and rubella. In recent weeks, thousands of kids have received letters in the mail, warning they’ll be suspended for 20 days if they don’t roll up their sleeves (or if their parents don’t fill out the necessary exemption forms). Joining Scott and Frisco to break it all down is Dr. Dawn Bowdish, an associate professor of medicine at McMaster University. Also on the podcast: Should Highway 400 be renamed in honour of the late Gordon Lightfoot? “Carefree Highway, let me slip away on you…”

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Nearly four years ago, provincial regulators started asking for public feedback on an interesting question: Should Ontario allow human composting? Although it’s legal in a handful of U.S. states, no Canadian jurisdiction has given the green light to this greener alternative to burial and cremation. Could Ontario be the first? To better understand how human composting works — and why it’s slowly gaining popularity — Frisco and Scott spend some time talking to Morgan Yarborough of Seattle-based Recompose, the first funeral parlour in America to allow it. Spoiler alert: a typical composted body from her facility fills the back of a pickup truck. Also on this week’s episode: A huge congratulations to The Trillium, and a big welcome to Oakville News!

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More and more companies are adopting a four-day work week to help reduce employee burnout and increase productivity — and the idea appears to be working. A new report from the non-profit think tank Infinite Potential found that only nine per cent of employees report feeling burned out at organizations that have implemented a reduced schedule at the same pay, compared to 41 per cent at workplaces with a standard 40-hour week. Joining Frisco and Scott to talk work-life balance is Joe O’Connor, CEO of the Toronto-based Work Time Reduction Center of Excellence. Also on the podcast: Is it time to allow composting of dead bodies?