Saskatchewan saw its first fatal bear attack since 1983 last Thursday, when a 44-year-old woman was killed by a black bear at McKie Lake. Conservation officers in Saskatchewan have fielded more than 1,000 reports about bears since spring. Do you know what to do if you find yourself face-to-face with a bear? Conservation Officer Insp. Steve Dobko joins Gormley to share some bear safety tips and what you can do to reduce the chance of an encounter.

Quick Dick McDick, the Tuffnell-area farmer and YouTube star, has just finished a three-part series highlighting one of the most unique features of small-town Saskatchewan: the small-town rumour mill! Dick joins Gormley to discuss what it's like when all of your neighbours know about that mishap you had on the farm last week, who you went on a date with over the weekend, how much you spent on that shiny new piece of machinery. Is life in small-town Saskatchewan really simpler? Give us a call at 1-877-332-8255 and tell us about the parts of rural life that city-slickers might not know about!

"Once a citizen reaches a certain age and stage, they were no longer looking for or expected their government to pay for the things that they wanted or needed. This has really changed." Ted Rechtshaffen, writing in the Financial Post, says Canadians are becoming more demanding of their governments, expecting more and more to be given to them for free, and expecting someone else to pick up the tab. Rechtshaffen says attitudes have changed, especially due to COVID, and he joins John to explain.

The Hour of the Big Stories… Open Session

Then

Newly-minted Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole is set to lay out his vision for Canada in a press conference this morning. Former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall congratulated O'Toole on his win, but singled out Leslyn Lewis as well, saying he was proud of Saskatchewan Conservatives for making Lewis their top choice. Wall joins Gormley to share his thoughts on O'Toole as leader, and what it may mean for Saskatchewan.

Like it or not, more and more places around Saskatchewan are requiring masks. Saskatoon Council received a recommendation to make masks mandatory on public transit yesterday, and masks will be mandatory on Regina's busses at the end of the month. Superstore, No Frills, Walmart, and other businesses are also joining the trend and requiring masks for customers. But while some are all in favour of mandatory masks, many people still simply aren't wearing them. We want to know how many people are actually masking up when they go out, so we're opening the show with one of Gormley's patented Reality Checks!

A Saskatchewan woman's return to her family farm during the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a short one-woman documentary for Canada's National Film Board. Kristin Catherwood moved back to the farm between Ceylon and Radville to stay with her widowed father, and by planting the farm's garden she reconnected with memories of her mother and grandmothers. Catherwood joins Gormley to discuss her film, which debuts today through the NFB.

There were some surprising storylines that emerged from the Conservative leadership race, but the biggest surprise seemed to be the success of Lewslyn Lewis, who was a new face to many Conservatives and made history as the party's first female leadership candidate. Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley crunched the numbers and found Lewis got the most votes of any of the four candidates on the second ballot, though she didn't win due to the points system used in the election. Lilley joins Gormley to discuss the leadership race, Lewis' surprising success, and how he feels O'Toole will do as leader.

Masks are becoming more and more ubiquitous as more and more services and businesses around the province make them mandatory, and students in many school divisions will be required to wear masks when social distancing is not possible. But does the type of mask make a lot of difference? What are the best practices when it comes to donning, doffing, and storing a mask? How often can they be re-used? To help answer these questions, John is joined by microbiologist Dr. Joseph Blondeau. Do you have a question about masks? Give John and Dr. Blondeau a call at 1-877-332-8255!

Then

Erin O'Toole is the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, replacing Andrew Scheer as leader of Canada's Official Opposition. The Durham M.P. is a military veteran who served in Stephen Harper's cabinet, and may present new challenges for Trudeau's Liberal government. Kory Teneycke is a former Conservative strategist and campaign manager, and he joins Gormley to discuss O'Toole's election as leader and what it means for Canada's political landscape.

The Hour of the Big Stories… Open Session

Erin O'Toole is the new conservative party leader. John brings you the details