Closer Look

Donald Trump’s tariffs have triggered a lot of talk on this side of the border about building big — and the race is now on to kick-start major infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening Canada’s autonomy and economy.

How about a massive upgrade to Highways 11 and 17?

That is the pitch being made by the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM), which this week called on the federal and provincial governments to invest in an innovative plan that it says would improve road safety and boost trade efficiency.

If approved, the project would convert stretches of both highways into a 2+1 model — a three-lane highway with a centre passing lane that changes direction approximately every two to five kilometres. Common in parts of Europe, the 2+1 model is considered much more cost-efficient than twinning a highway.

FONOM president Danny Whalen is our guest on tonight’s episode of Closer Look. He explains why this project is long overdue, and why now is the perfect time to finally get it done.​

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, 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.

New episodes of Closer Look drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network, or wherever you find your favourite podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Back in June, police in Barrie issued what has become an all-too-common warning: beware of fraudsters.

But this particular story was especially shocking. A local senior had fallen victim to an elaborate scam that ended when he handed over $725,000 worth of gold bars to a stranger in his driveway.

“The reality is, sadly, this gold will never be seen again and the dollar value it represents can never be recovered,” police said in a news release.

If it feels like fraud cases are on the rise, you’re right. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which collects data on scams and identity theft, says Canadians were scammed out of more than $647 million last year (and that’s only the cases people actually reported).

Jeff Horncastle, a spokesman for the centre, is our guest on tonight’s ‘Closer Look’ podcast. He fills us in on the latest tactics criminals are using to try to rip you off — and how fraudsters are using artificial intelligence to up their game.

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

New episodes of ‘Closer Look’ drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network. You can find every episode HERE or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Bonnie Crombie is set to face a leadership review at the Ontario Liberal Party’s annual general meeting in September — and one former rival has some well-publicized thoughts about what should happen.

In a Substack post last week, Nate Erskine-Smith — a Toronto MP who finished second in the 2023 leadership race — said Crombie should resign if she doesn’t receive at least two-thirds of support from Liberal delegates.

“We need change,” Erskine-Smith wrote, adding “that renewal starts at the top.”

Not surprisingly, his comments triggered some headlines (and some pushback from Ontario MPPs).

A guest on tonight’s ‘Closer Look’ podcast, Erskine-Smith insisted he is speaking out for the good of the party, not himself. He was also adamant that he hasn’t made a decision on whether he would run in another leadership race, should Crombie not survive the September review.

“We saw at the federal level the importance of changing leaders in a particular moment,” he said. “And anyone looking at the last provincial campaign honestly would say we didn’t do as well as we could or should have.”

The Liberals did increase their seat count in the last election (14) and regained official status in the Legislature, but Crombie failed to win the riding of Mississauga East Cooksville.

“We need a new leader who is going to energize people, motivate people, inspire people to get involved in our politics — to articulate a set of ideas and values that is going to inspire people to get involved in our politics — and to really prosecute a case for change,” Erskine-Smith said.

Would he run again?

“Maybe,” he replied. “Of course I have an interest. I hope there are others too.”

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

New episodes of ‘Closer Look’ drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network. You can find every episode HERE or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

As trade negotiations drag on, U.S. President Donald Trump continues to insist that tariffs are justified because Canada isn’t doing enough to stop fentanyl from “pouring” over the border into American communities.

The data doesn’t seem to back up the president’s claim — and neither does the evidence seen by one of Ontario’s top cops. 

During a recent episode of our ‘Closer Look’ podcast, we asked OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique to weigh in on Trump’s claim. He called it "misinformation."

"There is very little evidence of that being a trend or pattern," Carrique said. "A minimal amount of fentanyl has been seized going from Canada to the U.S."

You can watch the full interview HERE.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, this new daily podcast goes beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

New episodes of ‘Closer Look’ drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network, or wherever you find your favourite podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Canada’s premiers are gathered in cottage country this week for a series of meetings that all revolve around the same man: U.S. President Donald Trump.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, chair of the Council of the Federation, is hosting his counterparts at the Deerhurst Resort in Muskoka — with tariffs and trade at the top of the agenda.

Earlier today, the premiers met with First Nations leaders concerned about Bill 5, which gives the province the power to speed up the development of major infrastructure projects. Tomorrow morning, Prime Minister Mark Carney will arrive to brief premiers on the state of negotiations with Trump, who has imposed an Aug. 1 deadline to cut a new trade deal with Canada.

Jack Hauen from our Queen's Park team at The Trillium is covering the premiers’ meeting. He joins us tonight to break down all the details.​

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, '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.

New episodes of ‘Closer Look’ drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network, or wherever you find your favourite podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced new measures this week to help support Canada’s struggling steel industry, which has been battered in recent months by Donald Trump’s trade war.

The changes include restricting and reducing the amount of foreign steel imports — especially from China, which is notorious for illegally flooding the Canadian market with cheap steel — and prioritizing made-in-Canada steel for major domestic projects.

Although welcome news, the industry is still bracing for the next big announcement: whether President Trump will lower the current tariff on steel imported to the United States. As of today, it remains at 50 per cent.

Michael Garcia is the CEO of Algoma Steel, Canada’s only independent primary steel producer. He joins us on tonight’s ‘Closer Look’ podcast to talk about his reaction to the federal government’s plan — and whether it’s enough to keep the domestic steel industry afloat.

New episodes of ‘Closer Look’ drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network. You can find every episode HERE or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

For Erin Sharpe, summer camp turned out to be a defining moment in her life. The weeks she spent as a teenager at YMCA's Camp Wanakita taught her real-life lessons about teamwork, resilience and independence that still resonate today.

"I learned a lot about myself that I didn't realize before, in terms of what I could do," she says. "And the bonding that came with the other people in the group, it definitely has stuck."

Now a professor of recreation and leisure studies at Brock University, Sharpe is well aware that many Ontario parents simply can't afford to send their kids to camp. But she says there are supports available to help lower-income families give their children that once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Sharpe is our guest on tonight's episode of 'Closer Look.'

New episodes of ‘Closer Look’ drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network. You can find every episode HERE or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Darrell Fox was only 17 years old when he accompanied his older brother, Terry, on what would become the most famous run in Canadian history.

Last week — 45 years after Terry Fox was forced to end his Marathon of Hope near Thunder Bay — Darrell Fox completed a monumental journey of his own.

He and a group of fellow cyclists pedalled from coast to coast (a 32-day journey that spanned more than 7,000 km) and raised more than $1 million for cancer research along the way.

Now back home in British Columbia, Darrell took some time to join our ‘Closer Look’ podcast for an emotional conversation about hope, his iconic brother, and the immeasurable legacy he left behind.

Every Canadian knows the story of Terry Fox. But no one had a closer view than his little brother.

New episodes of ‘Closer Look’ drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network. You can find every episode HERE or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].

​Want to see more video features from Village Media? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

In cities and towns across Ontario — and at Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill — our journalists work for you. Their mission is to dig for answers and tell you what they find.

This new daily podcast from Village Media — ‘Closer Look’ — is all about the stories we tell.

Every weeknight, hosts Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith go beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

On tonight’s episode: The death of remote work.

With COVID-19 long behind us, a growing number of employers are demanding that their workers actually come to work.

The financial sector is leading the charge, but those companies aren't alone.

Are remote workers less productive? Or is the push for in-office work driven by something else?

Joining us on the podcast to break down the pros and cons is Alex Gallacher, managing director of Engage HR.

New episodes of ‘Closer Look’ drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network. You can find every episode HERE or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

If you’re a hockey fan, you’ve no doubt seen this viral video by now: Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice rewarding his fourth-line forwards in the waning seconds of this year’s Stanley Cup final.

“I want you three f—ing guys out there for the last shift,” said Maurice, in a behind-the-scenes moment recorded on the bench. “You throw your sh— off when we win this.”

Maurice was acknowledging the fact that his grinders — A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek and Jonah Gadjovich — had played a pivotal role in the team’s championship run, especially their impact against the Toronto Maple Leafs in round two of the playoffs.

How many times has Gadjovich watched the clip?

“Countless times for sure,” he smiled, during an appearance today on our ‘Closer Look’ podcast. “I love that video. It’s so cool. It brings back just such a special memory. I wasn’t expecting that to happen, obviously.”

Last season, Gadjovich was on Florida’s postseason roster but never saw the ice. This year, he emerged as a critical piece of the title team, even playing Game 6 against the Edmonton Oilers with a broken foot.

Now back home in Ontario for the summer, Gadjovich took some time to talk to us about everything — his injury, the post-victory parties, Brad Marchand, and how grateful he is for the love and support of his family.

Oh, he also gave us the scoop about the fate of his epic playoff beard.

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

New episodes of ‘Closer Look’ drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network, or wherever you find your favourite podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].

Reach out to Frisco and Scott