Closer Look

Will this be the night?

The Toronto Blue Jays are one win away from their first World Series title in more than three decades, and they’re hosting Game 6 Friday night at Rogers Centre.

Win, and they’re the champs. Lose, and it will all come down to Game 7 Saturday night.

Whatever happens, this has already been a World Series for the ages — a politically charged match-up that featured two international superstars, an 18-inning marathon, and some heartwarming side stories.

Joining us on tonight’s episode of Closer Look are two people who’ve been glued to every at-bat: TorontoToday reporter Daniel Ramos, and Matt Betts, a CambridgeToday reporter who also hosts the Canadian Baseball Network podcast.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

“Canadians have changed the way they use the postal service, and we must change with them.”

That was the message this week from Canada Post CEO Doug Ettinger, after dozens of managers were laid off as part of an ongoing overhaul at the Crown corporation — which has racked up massive annual losses since 2018 and needed a $1-billion federal loan earlier this year just to stay afloat.

“We need to ensure our costs better align to our financial realities, which means our organization will be leaner at all levels going forward,” Ettinger wrote in his note to staff.

News of the layoffs come as Canada Post continues to work toward a new contract with its 50,000-plus unionized employees. Both sides said they planned to meet this week with a mediator to try to advance negotiations, which have dragged on for nearly two years.

Key sticking points include wages, job security, and the federal government’s recent announcement that allows Canada Post to usher in controversial cost-cutting measures — including ending home-to-home delivery and shuttering some rural post offices. 

“The most important thing right now is to get a collective agreement that's ratifiable by the membership, which means there needs to be raises, there needs to be job protection, there needs to be health and safety concerns dealt with,” said Jim Gallant, a negotiator with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), during a recent interview on our Closer Look podcast.

As for ending home-to-home delivery, Gallant said it’s just another example of Canada Post leadership “screwing this corporation into the ground.”  

“If we were to look at every other delivery outfit in Canada, who else delivers down the street?” he said. “Does that make any sense? It’s supposed to be a service. We’re supposed to take care of the elderly and people that can’t make it out of their house.”

Asked about Canada Post's promise to be "leaner," Gallant did not mince words.

"I can tell you, they can't be any meaner," he told the podcast. "That's the first thing that I tell you, because these people are a--holes from sunup to sundown. They go out of their way to screw with workers — every day. There's thousands of grievances in the system."

You can watch the full interview HERE.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X,

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Doug Ford’s anti-tariff commercial has stopped airing on U.S. networks, but the controversial ad is still getting plenty of attention.

According to multiple reports published today, Donald Trump’s Ambassador to Canada was so furious over the ad that he angrily confronted Ontario’s representative to Washington at a Monday event.

Pete Hoekstra reportedly dropped some f-bombs while scolding David Paterson. The Globe and Mail reported that the ambassador was overheard saying Canada was close to a tariff deal on steel, aluminum and energy — but that Ford derailed all the progress made.

Last weekend, President Trump abruptly called off trade talks with Canada and threatened to introduce an additional 10 per cent tariff after seeing the Ontario government’s commercial during the World Series broadcast.

Speaking to reporters today, Premier Ford called on Hoekstra to apologize to Paterson, describing his profane tirade as “absolutely unacceptable” and “unbecoming of an ambassador.” 

“Pete, you gotta call Dave up and apologize,” Ford said. “It’s simple. The cheese slipped off the cracker. I get it. But call the guy up because you’re a good guy, and Dave’s my champion.”

Who is Pete Hoekstra, Trump’s man in Canada?

The longtime former Congressman from Michigan was a guest last month on Village Media’s Closer Look podcast. He spoke at length about why the Trump Administration has embraced tariffs, his stern belief that Canada enjoys “the best trade deal” of any country in the world, and what he thinks of Canadians who have decided to boycott the U.S.

Hoekstra was also asked about his relationship with Ford.

“Doug's a great guy,” he told the podcast. “He gave me one of your slightly odd-shaped Canadian footballs.”

Hoekstra called Ford’s team “a very media-savvy bunch,” and said he and the Trump Administration are very aware of his stances on certain subjects.

“Obviously, Doug is on a different page than where the U.S. Administration is,” he said. “I haven't moved Doug to a point where I can get him to be a strong advocate for the Canadian-American relationship.”

You can watch the full interview with Hoekstra HERE.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Have you tried returning any empties lately? It’s not as easy as it used to be.

Nearly 100 Beer Stores have permanently shut down since the Ford government expanded alcohol sales to corner stores and grocery stores, and more are expected to close in the coming months.

But here’s the problem: although all grocery stores with a license to sell liquor will be required to accept empty bottles and cans as of Jan. 1, only a small percentage have actually started collecting.

And as the deadline looms, some independent grocers are adamant they’d rather hand back their licenses than deal with such a health and safety hazard.

“Where do you suggest in the store that customers bring these dirty bottles and cans?” said Gary Sands of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, during a recent interview on our Closer Look podcast. “The stuff that comes crawling out of those cans and bottles should not be anywhere in a food environment. So where should it go? By the bakery section? The fruit and vegetables? By the meat section?”

You can watch the full episode HERE.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Last week, we told you about a new rule impacting Canadian snowbirds: if you plan to stay in the U.S. for more than 30 days, prepare to be photographed and fingerprinted at the border.

This week, another new rule that impacts all U.S.-bound travellers — not just snowbirds: the American government has announced plans to photograph every foreign visitor when they enter and exit the country by all modes of transport.

The regulation is set to take effect on Dec. 26, and will likely take years to fully implement. But the message is clear: if Canadians want to cross the border, they will eventually have to comply with America’s facial biometrics program.

"In select cases, fingerprints may also need to be collected, but only as required to better establish links to previously collected traveller biometric records," the department said.

Oh, and your photo could be held by the U.S. for up to 75 years.

Joining us on tonight’s Closer Look to help explain the new rules is Len Saunders, a dual citizen and prominent immigration lawyer based in Washington State.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Doug Ford never did secure a one-on-one meeting with Donald Trump — but the U.S. president definitely knows who he is.

In a fiery social media post late Thursday night, Trump abruptly cancelled all trade talks with Canada because of the Ontario government’s anti-tariff commercial featuring the voice of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

Trump said the ad “fraudulently” claimed that Reagan opposed tariffs “when actually he LOVED TARIFFS FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND ITS NATIONAL SECURITY.”

Ford announced Friday afternoon that the province will run the ads as planned this weekend — including during the World Series — but then hit the pause button.

“Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses,” Ford said in a statement. “We've achieved our goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels.”

VIDEO: Why Doug Ford is spending $75M on U.S. ads starring Ronald Reagan

Joining us on tonight's episode of Closer Look is Julian Karaguesian, an economics professor at McGill University and former special advisor at the federal Finance Ministry. 

The episode was recorded Friday afternoon, right before Ford announced the ads would be paused.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

The Carney government is promising to create Canada’s first-ever national anti-fraud strategy, including a new financial crime agency aimed at cracking down on sophisticated scammers.

Fraud has taken a massive toll on Canadians in recent years — not only on their wallets, but on their emotional well-being.

According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, more than 23,000 people this year have already reported losses totalling $544 million. And that’s only the fraction of people who actually come forward to report they’ve been scammed.

Our guest on tonight’s episode of Closer Look is Vanessa Iafolla, a financial crimes expert who operates Anti-Fraud Intelligence Consulting.

She weighs in on the government’s new plan, how people can better protect themselves against the endless stream of online scammers — and why a victim should never feel ashamed for getting duped.

Spoiler alert: artificial intelligence is only making it easier for the bad guys to rip you off.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Big bats equal big bucks.

The Blue Jays’ thrilling comeback victory in Game 7 of the ALCS didn’t just propel the team into the World Series. It set up the city of Toronto for a huge economic score.

Hotels, restaurants, transit services and local tourist hot spots will rake in millions of dollars in extra revenue when fans flock to Toronto for Games 1 and 2 of the Fall Classic, which starts Friday night at Rogers Centre.

Will it compare to the massive economic spinoffs from Taylor Swift’s Toronto concerts last November? We’ll soon find out.

Joining us on tonight’s Closer Look podcast is Kelly Jackson, vice-president of Destination Development with Destination Toronto. She also happens to be a massive Jays fan.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Canadian snowbirds are starting to flock south for the winter — but many are getting quite the surprise when they reach the American border. 

U.S. officials have confirmed that anyone entering the country for more than 30 days, via land, must agree to be photographed and fingerprinted. 

The new regulations stem from U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent executive order that requires many foreign visitors staying a month or longer to register with the government.

How are snowbirds reacting to the new rules? Are any refusing to be fingerprinted, choosing instead to turn around at the border and head home? Do they really have any other option?

Joining us on tonight’s episode of Closer Look is a person who knows the rules as well as anyone: Stephen Fine, president of the company Snowbird Advisor. As you can imagine, he’s been inundated with questions in recent days.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Not so fast.

That’s the message from a growing number of Ontarians trying hard to convince Premier Doug Ford to ditch his plan to outlaw speed cameras.

Protesters in cities across the province rallied against Ford’s proposed speed camera ban on Monday morning, just as MPPs returned to Queen’s Park for a new legislative session. 

Ford has called the devices nothing but a “cash grab,” and his government is promising to introduce legislation that prevents cities and towns from operating automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras.

But research shows the cameras are not only effective at reducing speeds, they are actually widely supported by the general public. Many municipalities also point out that the bulk of revenue from the devices gets reinvested in road safety measures.

Last week, more than a dozen former law enforcement leaders — including retired police chiefs from Peel, Halton, Niagara and Ottawa — joined the chorus of critics calling on Ford to change his mind.

“The results are clear: when drivers know that automated speed enforcement cameras are in place, they slow down,” reads a letter from the group. “This means fewer tickets, lower costs, and safer roads for everyone.”

On tonight’s Closer Look, we revisit a recent episode that featured a panel of expert guests: Pamela Fuselli, president and CEO of the injury prevention charity Parachute; Michael Stewart of the Canadian Automobile Association; and Jack Hauen, a reporter at Village Media’s The Trillium.

You can watch the full episode HERE.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, and produced by Derek Turner, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

Fresh episodes drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. right in your local news feed — and on the show’s dedicated website: closerlookpodcast.ca. Of course, you can also find us wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

Want to be the first to know when a new episode lands? Sign up for our free nightly newsletter, which delivers the latest Closer Look straight to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? Please reach out. Our email address is [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott