Today on #FreeForAllFriday: listeners called in to weigh in on the Ford government's controversial Bill 7-new legislation that would move elderly hospital patients outside of hospital to a facility not of their choice while they await to be moved into their preferred long-term care home. There is concern around consent for this and also that the province plans to bypass public hearings as they work to pass the bill.

CYCLIST DEATHS & ALC PATIENTS IN ONTARIO HOSPITALS

Libby Znaimer is joined by Lauren O'Neil, Senior News Editor of BlogTO, Karen Stintz, CEO of Variety Village and  David Crombie, Former Mayor of Toronto.

Today: we discuss the latest in the lead up to the municipal election on October 24. This week, as part of his re-election campaign, Mayor John Tory made a housing announcement where he pledged to build "more types of housing in more neighbourhoods" and eliminate outdated zoning rules. Tory is among 31 candidates seeking his job in the next term including popular urbanist, Gil Penalosa. Mayor Tory also said that the new strong mayor powers will help him be able to speed up the approval process at City Hall. Meanwhile, the latest data on pedestrian and cyclist deaths in Toronto are alarming. The OPP has said that they have seen a 300% increase in cyclist deaths so far compared to this time in 2021. So far, this year, there have been 8 deaths. Our panel weighs in on the latest. OPP Sergeant Kerry Schmidt says, 259 people have died ...19 in the last week alone".

SURVEY ABOUT ONTARIANS' TIPPING HABITS

Libby Znaimer is joined by Renee Suen, BlogTO's resident Food expert.

Are you tipping more than you did before the pandemic? Most of us are, according to a survey from Restaurants Canada and that goes for takeout as well as dining in. And the theory is pandemic hardships made us want to help out by doing this but at this point we are being guilted by those tipping prompts some with options up to 30%. Frankly I find that annoying. I actually tip more if the prompts make it easy to pass or set your own amount. Some make it cumbersome to complete a transaction with their set amounts.  What do you think of tipflation? The average amount in Ontario has gone from 15% to 18.9%.

FORD GOVERNMENT WANTS HOSPITALS TO BILL ELDERLY PATIENTS REFUSING TO GO TO LTC

Libby Znaimer is now joined by Jane Meadus, Staff lawyer and the Institutional Advocate at the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE).

The information on the new law that would allow hospitals to send ALC patients to a nursing home not of their choosing is coming out in dribs and drabs and there’s a lot of misinformation. WE just learned those patients can be charged co-payments for the equivalent of the amounts they would pay in LTC. And, apparently this happens all the time. Sometimes they can be charged more? When? And how will the new law impact that?

Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

UKRAINE INDEPENDENCE DAY

Libby Znaimer is joined by Professor Janice Stein,  Founding Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, Peter Schturyn, President of the Ukranian Canadian Congress Toronto Branch,  and  Roman Waschuk, Former Canadian ambassador to Ukraine.

Today marks Ukraine Independence Day. It also happens to be half a year since Russia invaded the country and unleashed an all out war. Our panel examines the special significance of this day amid the war. And, it comes a few days after Alexander Dugin's daughter was killed in a car bombing near the Russian capital of Moscow. Will this latest development lead to Russia escalating its attacks?

THE LATEST PHONE SCAM: SPEEDING TICKETS

Libby Znaimer is joined by Detective Constable Mickael Ferreira with the Toronto Police Service's Financial Crimes Unit and Carmi Levy, a  technology analyst and journalist based in London, Ontario.

In the news: the latest phone scam to hit us is a text claiming that a speed camera has caught us speeding over the limit and that we must pay a fine! The text looks legit and could easily trick people into forking up a lot of money. Both Carmi and Detective Constable Ferreira detail the prevalence of these kinds of scams and how you can avoid falling for them.

TTC FINING RIDERS FOR NOT PAYING THEIR FARES

Libby Znaimer is joined by Stuart Green, a senior spokesperson for the TTC.

The TTC is about to launch a campaign targeting riders with fines if they don't pay their fare! You will have to pay up to $425 if caught. And, the TTC will have fare inspectors checking for proof of payment regularly.

Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: MORE REACTION TO DOUG FORD'S HEALTHCARE CRISIS RESPONSE

Libby Znaimer is joined by Charles Sousa, The former minister of finance for Ontario and MPP for Mississauga South, Lisa Raitt, Former Deputy Leader of Conservative Party of Canada, and Cheri DiNovo,  an Order of Canada recipient who passed more private members bills into law than anyone in Ontario’s history and more LGBTQ bills into law than anyone in Canada’s history.

It’s Tuesday and time to talk politics - and I am really hoping to get some insight into the question that has been bugging me since the Ford government unveiled its plan to stabilize the health system last week. The most controversial point is a new law which would allow hospitals to transfer ALC patients - that is frail elderly people like those who bore the brunt of the pandemic - patients who should be in LTC and are waiting for a home of their choice - the bill would allow the government to transfer them to a home not of their choice. Yesterday, Minister Calandra insisted this would not be done without consent - my question is why then do we need that law?

OTTAWA CUTS FUNDING TO ANTI-RACISM INITIATIVE OVER "VILE AND REPREHENISBILE" TWEETS ABOUT JEWS

Libby Znaimer is joined first by Liberal MP Anthony Housefather (Mount Royal, Quebec) followed by Shimon Koffler Fogel, President and CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and Marvin Rotrand, the National Director of B'nai Brith Canada's League for Human Rights.

In the news: Ottawa is cutting funding to an anti-racism project it gave $133,000 to after it was discovered that one of the members involved had a history of tweeting "reprehensible and vile" messages directed at Jews. One tweet read: "you know all those loud mouthed bags of human feces a.k.a the Jewish White Supremacists..." The name of the organization is Community Media Advocacy Centre and the person who tweeted these messages is Laith Marouf. In a statement about the move to cut funding, diversity minister Ahmed Hussen said, "antisemitism has no place in this country". The big question in all of this is: did Ottawa not vet this initiative properly? Or did they know about the history of its members' actions and cut the cheque regardless?

Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

ZOOMER SQUAD: WILL THE FORD GOVERNMENT'S MEASURES TRULY ADDRESS HEALTHCARE CRISIS?

Libby Znaimer is joined by Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine and Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy Officer of CARP and David Cravit, Chief Membership Officer of CARP.

In the news: late last week, the Ford government introduced measures aimed at addressing the ongoing health care crisis in the province. Among them was the controversial plan to introduce legislation that would move elderly patients out of hospitals and into alternative facilities as they await for the move to their preferred long-term care home of choice. Another notable measure is that paramedics will now also be able to take patients to other places other than the ER including a mental health facility or to treat them at home or at the scene. Finally, we do a bit more follow up on the Lisa LaFlamme story and specifically discuss the controversy that a Bell Media executive complained about her going grey. Our squad discusses the latest.

AMBULANCE USE IN ONTARIO AND PARAMEDICS TRANSFERRING PATIENTS 

Libby Znaimer is now joined by Mike Merriman, the paramedic and EMS chair for CUPE Local 416.

As touched on in the previous segment, the Ford government is also going to expand how it allows paramedics to take patients to other places besides the ER like at a mental health facility and to treat them on site (and at home if that's the case) in an effort to alleviate the pressures on hospitals as they face staffing shortages including nurses. Meanwhile, a study out of McMaster University reveals that ambulance usage in Ontario has far exceeded the rate of population growth. Mike weighs in on the latest.

SHOULD AC BE A RIGHT FOR TENANTS?

Libby Znaimer is now joined by Toronto Councillor Paula Fletcher, Ward 14 Toronto—Danforth.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission is calling on the Ford government to make AC a vital service in order to protect vulnerable residents like the elderly and to protect them as well from threats of eviction by landlords for AC usage and/or installation. The Ontario NDP have been very vocal about this issue and the topic has come up time and time again especially after the numerous heat waves that Ontario experienced this Summer.

Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

The Sunday edition of the Best of Fight Back, from the week that was, with Bob Komsic

Interviews with:

- Dr. Michael Warner, Natalie Mehra, and Cathryn Hoy discuss why hospitals are spending millions to hire temp agency nurses

- Donna Duncan, Dr. Doris Grinspun, and Dr. Samir Sinha react to Ontario's response to the healthcare crisis

- Stephen Del Duca and why he's running for mayor of Vaughan

- Blog TO's Renee Suen with the best and worst foods at the CNE

- And the best calls of the week!

The Saturday edition of the Best of Fight Back, from the week that was, with Bob Komsic

Interviews with:

- The Zoomer Squad with John Wright, David Cravit, and Bill VanGorder discuss the surge in retirements

- Ellen Roseman explains why Telus wants to add new charges to their bills

- The Recovering Politicians with Charles Sousa, Lisa Raitt, and Cheri DiNovo react to the firing of Lisa LaFlamme

- Moshe Lander on reports that inflation is slowing down

- And the best calls of the week!

Today on Free For All Friday: listeners weighed in on CTV News veteran anchor Lisa LaFlamme's career being cut short after parent company Bell Media let her go this week to the dismay of viewers and her colleagues. And, we also heard calls about Ontario's ongoing healthcare crisis that has seen numerous hospitals having to close their ER departments temporarily due to severe staffing shortages.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: THE FUTURE OF TORONTO CITY COUNCIL

Libby Znaimer is joined by Lauren O'Neil, Senior News Editor of BlogTO, David Crombie, former Mayor of Toronto, and Councillor Brad Bradford (Ward 19 Beaches East York).

Today: we begin with reaction to the joint health care announcement made by Ontario health minister Sylvia Jones and long-term care minister Paul Calandra which includes the plan to introduce legislation that will permit senior patients in hospitals awaiting long-term care residency to be moved to an alternative facility. And, the pledge to add an additional 6,000 healthcare workers to the province's healthcare system. Meanwhile, the registration deadline for Toronto's municipal election is tomorrow. Where are we at with that? Our panel reacts to the latest headlines.

BLOGTO'S NEW FOOD EXPERT PREVIEWS THIS YEAR'S CNE FOODS

Libby Znaimer is joined by BlogTO's new resident food expert, Renee Suen!

She joins us a day after doing a preview of the CNE's very experimental food options coming out this year including mustard and ketchup ice cream! She tells us what was yucky and what was yummy!

ONTARIO HEALTH AND LTC MINISTERS ADDRESS ONTARIO HEALTH CRISIS

Libby Znaimer is joined by Donna Duncan, CEO, Ontario Long-Term Care Association and then joining in are Dr. Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) and Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Geriatrics at Mount Sinai and the University Health Network hospitals in Toronto.

As mentioned at the top of the show, Ontario health minister Sylvia Jones and Long-term care minister Paul Calandra made a join-statement this morning with a plan to address the ongoing health care challenges that the province is currently facing. But, is this announcement too little too late? Our LTC and healthcare experts weigh in on the latest to come out of Queen's Park.

Libby Znaimer is joined, first, by Dr. Michael Warner, medical director of critical care at Toronto’s Michael Garron Hospital, followed by Natalie Mehra, Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition, Cathryn Hoy, President of the Ontario Nurses' Association and Dr. Kashif Pirzada,  a Toronto-based Emergency Physician.

Ontario hospitals continue to grapple with an ongoing crisis amid staffing shortages. And, according to a Toronto Star investigation, some hospitals are paying tons of money to hire nurses from private agencies to help alleviate the problem. Our healthcare guests weigh in on the latest news.

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SUVS/PICKUPS POSE GREAT THREAT TO VULNERABLE ROAD USERS 

Libby Znaimer is joined byAlbert Koehl, cycling and pedestrian advocate and the founder of the Toronto Community Bikeways Coalition as well as Brian Patterson, President and CEO of the Ontario Safety League.

A study published in the Journal of Safety Research in June, reveals that even though SUVs and pickup trucks made up 26.1 percent of collisions with pedestrians and cyclists, they caused 44.1 percent of fatalities. Our guests weigh in on the latest.

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STEVEN DEL DUCA RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF VAUGHAN

Libby Znaimer is now joined by Steven Del Duca.

Steven Del Duca is on a new mission in the world of politics: he's running for Mayor of Vaughan. His announcement comes months after he lost in the provincial election. And, he joins Andrea Horwath (another opposition leader who also lost the last election of course) in running for municipal politics.  Libby asks him about his next move.

Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!