Closer Look

Frisco and Scott return for Season Two of Inside the Village. After the fatal shooting of an OPP officer last month, politicians and police chiefs decried the sorry state of Canada’s bail system. Why? One of the two people charged with murdering 28-year-old Const. Grzegorz Pierzchala was banned for life from owning firearms and somehow out on bail — free to allegedly commit a horrible crime. Our guest is prominent defence lawyer Alison Craig, who has spent a lot more time in bail court than most of the people screaming for an overhaul. Does the system need some fixing? It sure does, but maybe not for the reasons you think.

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Welcome back to Inside the Village — and Part 2 of our “Year in Review.” This week, we take a look back at the lighter side of the news, from Peter Piper to Sasquatch Guy to the incomparable Brittlestar. And of course, the F-bomb heard round the world! If we learned anything during our inaugural season of the podcast, it was to not take ourselves too seriously.

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Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits. In the latest episode, Scott and Frisco take a stroll down memory lane in Part I of our first-ever “Year in Review.” We covered a lot of ground in 2022, from inflation to the opioid crisis to the high-profile search for a former soldier who mysteriously vanished. Let's remember.

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Coyotes are everywhere these days, or so it seems. Whether it’s a city council debating how to deal with hungry coyotes in their midst — or joggers being followed by them — the wild canines are generating plenty of headlines across Ontario. On Episode 25 of Inside the Village, Frisco and Scott ask the question everyone wants to know: Are coyotes taking over the neighbourhood? Lesley Sampson, co-founder of the not-for-profit organization Coyote Watch Canada, joins us for some much-needed perspective.

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In the latest episode of the podcast, Frisco and Scott take a closer look at the emergency unfolding inside Ontario's emergency rooms. Wait times are up, staffing levels are down, and the demand on health care services is unprecedented — with a nasty winter looming. Is there a solution? We ask Dr. Michael Howlett, president of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians. Spoiler alert: A mask mandate would probably help ease at least some of the pressure.

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On the latest episode of Inside the Village, we explore the looming labour war between the Ford government and 55,000 of the province’s education workers, including librarians, secretaries and custodians. Paul Gray, an associate professor of labour studies at Brock University, helps us make sense of the Ford government’s back-to-work legislation, the rarely used notwithstanding clause, the rhetoric on both sides of the negotiating table — and what it all means for students and their frustrated parents. Also on the program: a big welcome to the latest addition to our Village, BurlingtonToday.com.

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On the latest episode of Inside the Village, Frisco and Scott take a closer look at your skyrocketing grocery bill. Mike von Massow, a food economist at the University of Guelph, explains what’s behind the soaring prices, what you can do about it, and the truth behind the Competition Bureau’s latest study on the grocery industry. Bottom line: keep scouring for coupons because there’s not much relief in sight. Also on the program: All the drama of municipal election day in Ontario.

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On episode 21 of Inside the Village, Frisco and Scott talk about the tragic shooting that claimed the lives of two South Simcoe police officers. Our guest is Peter Leon, a retired OPP officer who now works as the communications coordinator for the police service in Barrie, where the funeral for the two constables will take place on Oct. 20. In a wide-ranging interview, Leon talks about the dangers of policing, why no call is “routine,” and what went through his mind when he first heard about the shooting.

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Has the time come to finally decriminalize prostitution? That question is now in the hands of a Toronto judge after a landmark constitutional challenge. This week on Inside the Village, Scott and Frisco chat with Jenn Clamen from the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform. The guys also dissect the collapse of the Blue Jays in game 2 of the wild card game. Join us for episode 20 of Inside the Village.

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On the latest Inside the Village, Frisco and Scott discuss the long road to reconciliation with Mike Cachagee, a residential school survivor who went on to become a prominent Indigenous rights activist, speaker and community leader. Mike was placed in residential school at the age of 4, attending three different institutions until he turned 17. He talks about the horrors he endured and the childhood he lost. As Canadians mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day) on Sept. 30, this episode is a must-listen.

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