Closer Look

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.

On tonight’s episode: One-on-one with Ontario’s top cop.

Earlier this month, the Ontario Provincial Police announced the largest fentanyl seizure in the force’s history: 38 kg, or more than 380,000 street doses of the lethal drug. The massive bust was the result of Project Golden, a multi-jurisdictional investigation that spanned 11 months and multiple communities.

OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique is our guest on tonight’s podcast, along with Andy Bradford, the Acting Detective Superintendent of the force’s Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau.

Along with details of the investigation, we ask the commissioner to address U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that fentanyl is pouring over the border from Canada. (Spoiler alert: Carrique describes that claim as “misinformation.”)

We also ask him to weigh in on the state of Canada’s bail system for accused criminals — and Premier Doug Ford’s belief that we need more “tough-on-crime” judges and justices of the peace.

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

Bill Barilko is a familiar name to hockey fans — a talented Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman who famously scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 1951.

But for most Canadians, Barilko is even more famous for his appearance in The Tragically Hip's hit song Fifty Mission Cap.

Bill Barilko disappeared that summer
He was on a fishing trip
The last goal he ever scored, in overtime
Won the Leafs the cup
They didn't win another till 1962
The year he was discovered

This week, Barilko's name was back in the headlines after one of his old hockey sticks sold at auction for $60,000, more than ten times the initial appraisal. 

If nothing else, the hefty sale price shows just how much Barilko's name continues to resonate in this country — 74 years after he died.

The stick was sold by Miller & Miller Auctions Ltd. in New Hamburg, Ont. Ben Pernfuss, the company's consignment director for sports cards and memorabilia, joins us on tonight's episode of 'Closer Look' to talk about where the stick came from, who bought it, and where it's going next.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, this new daily podcast from Village Media 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 to your favourite podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

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

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

No, that’s not a Zamboni on the shoreline. It’s a BeBot — Canada’s first remote-controlled beach cleaning robot.

The unique device was unveiled this week by the not-for-profit group Pollution Probe, which plans to dispatch the contraption this summer to various beaches across Ontario.

The vacuum-like robot — which covers 3,000 square meters per hour — targets food wrappers, bottles, cigarette butts and plastic fragments. 

Melissa De Young, the CEO of Pollution Probe, joins us on tonight’s episode of ‘Closer Look’ to explain how the robot works, why it’s important — and what beach-goers say when they spot it.

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 to your favourite podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

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

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 debut episode: Charlie Angus’ war.

After serving more than two decades as an MP in Northern Ontario, New Democrat Charlie Angus chose not to run for re-election on April 28. But the 62-year-old is hardly retiring.

Instead, Angus has emerged as one of the leading Canadian critics of U.S. President Donald Trump — so much so that he is leading a self-professed “Resistance Tour.” 

Angus joins us tonight from Cobalt, Ont. to talk about his new mission, what he hopes to accomplish — and what he would say to Trump if he had five minutes in the Oval Office.

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

Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.

On this week's episode: Free at last.

A nightmare vacation for a Burlington, Ont. man has finally come to an end — 71 days after he was arrested in the Dominican Republic and wrongfully accused of drug trafficking.

David Bennett was innocent all along, but even after local authorities withdrew the charges, he spent weeks waiting for permission to finally fly home.

Bennett's wife, Jane Wilcox — who worked furiously behind the scenes to advocate for his release — joined our podcast back in March to talk about the case. She joins us again tonight — this time with her husband, who is safely back in Burlington but still struggling to process all that has happened.

Bennett walks us through the details of his arrest, life inside a Dominican jail cell, and what advice he has for fellow Canadian travellers.

WATCH: ‘It's a nightmare,’ says wife of Ontario man facing drug charges in Dominican

Inside the Village — hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media — is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode can be found HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.

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

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.

On this week's episode: the urgent push to break down interprovincial trade barriers.

Yes, you read that right: this week's show is a detailed discussion about interprovincial trade barriers.

Why? Because a lot of people are trumpeting them as a key front in the battle against Donald Trump's punishing tariffs. 

WATCH: Mark Carney joins our podcast to talk Trump, tariffs

Simply put, interprovincial trade barriers are things that make it difficult to move goods, services and labour across provincial lines. These barriers can include food production regulations, how truck drivers are licensed, and protectionist measures regarding alcohol sales.

In recent weeks, multiple politicians have claimed that breaking down those trade barriers could add $200 billion to Canada's GDP. Ontario Premier Doug Ford threw out that figure this week when he announced a new agreement with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has also said that bulldozing interprovincial trade barriers could more than offset the damage done by Trump's tariffs.

Is that true? Or just a nice soundbite? We ask Moshe Lander, an economics professor at Concordia University in Montreal.

We ask him a lot of other questions, too. 

Inside the Village — hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media — is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode can be found HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.

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

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: Eradicated nearly three decades ago, measles cases are soaring — fuelled by COVID fatigue and misinformation that spreads faster than the virus itself.

Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.

On this week's episode: The spread of measles misinformation.

Eradicated nearly 30 years ago, measles is back with a vengeance. The highly contagious virus is making a global resurgence, and Ontario is no exception.

Since last October, the province has reported 1,440 cases of the disease, triggering questions about whether the Ford government is doing enough to keep residents informed — and promote vaccination.

After 1998, Canada considered the disease eliminated because the vast majority of people received the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine. But in recent years, Ontario has recorded a steep decline in vaccination rates among children under 7, with only 70 per cent immunized against measles in 2023-24.

Why are so many parents refusing to have their children vaccinated against a potentially deadly virus? That is one of the many questions we asked Dr. Zahid Butt, an infectious diseases expert and professor in the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo.

If you're looking for factual information about the ongoing outbreak, this interview is a must-watch.

​Inside the Village — hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media — is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode can be found HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.

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

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

On Monday, Canadians will cast their ballots in what many are calling the most important election in generations.

If you believe the polls, this is a tight two-horse race between Mark Carney’s Liberals and Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives.

This morning, Carney visited Sault Ste. Marie for a campaign stop at Algoma Steel, the city’s largest employer. After the press conference, the Liberal Leader sat down for a wide-ranging interview with Village Media’s Inside the Village podcast.

You can watch the full interview above, or listen to the audio version wherever you find your favourite podcasts.

For the record, we reached out to Poilievre’s team multiple times during the campaign to invite him on the show. No one responded.

Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode can be found HERE.

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

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: The moderator for next week's English-language leaders' debate tells us how he gets ready, what can go wrong — and his strategy for keeping things fair.

Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.

On this week's episode: Prepping for the big showdown.

Next week will be a crucial one in the ongoing federal election race, as party leaders take the stage for back-to-back debates on Wednesday and Thursday in Montreal.

First up will be the French debate, moderated by Radio-Canada's Patrice Roy, at 8 p.m. on April 16. The English-language debate will air the following night at 7 p.m., moderated by TVOntario's Steve Paikin.

How will the format work? What kind of preparation is going on behind the scenes? Paikin joins us on this week's podcast to answer those questions — and a lot more.

Thursday's debate will be Paikin's ninth as moderator (four federal, five provincial). And yes, he still gets butterflies.

Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode can be found HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.

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

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Reach out to Frisco and Scott

This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: As Donald Trump hits us with tariffs and muses about Canada becoming the 51st state, shoppers on this side of the border are punching back.

Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.

On this week's episode: How to "Buy Canadian" — and why this boycott might actually stick.

Although Donald Trump struck a much more respectful tone on Friday after a phone call with Prime Minister Mark Carney, the U.S. President has spent the past two months threatening Canada with tariffs and incessantly musing about how our country should become the 51st state.

On this side of the border, many of us have vowed to fight back by shopping Canadian. 

Will it make difference? And how do patriotic shoppers ensure they're actually buying Canadian-made products?

François Neville, an associate professor of strategic management at McMaster University's DeGroote School of Business, joins us on the podcast to answer those questions and a whole lot more.

His best advice for shoppers? Be wary of "maplewashing." (Tune in and you'll understand.)

Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode can be found HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.

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

Want to see more video features from Village Media? Please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Reach out to Frisco and Scott