Newstalk Today

Free For All Friday, hosted by Amanda Galbraith, features top talent across the iHeart radio talk network. Hosts from all over the country join the roundtable to discuss the five biggest stories of the week. 

This week's show features panelists Al Ferraby, morning show host on CFAX 1070 in Victoria, and Robert Benzie, Queen's Park Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star.

Topics:

1. How might the abortion debate in the United States affect politics in Canada? 
2. There are currently long lineups and wait times at airports and passport offices. Why wasn't the government prepared for this? 
3. Should the voting age be lowered in Canada from 18 to 16?
4. The Conservatives are accusing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of dropping an F-bomb during question period. Is this really a big deal?
5. Who is your all-time favourite sports hero?

Evan Solomon breaks down what we can expect in the first debate of the Conservative leadership race as five out of the six candidates vie for Tory leadership.

On today's show: 

• Melanie Paradis, Conservative strategist and former senior staffer to Erin O’Toole, on the first Conservative leadership debate. 
• Mike Lanzillotta, a Toronto Blue Jays fan who went viral after handing a young Yankees fan an Aaron Judge home run ball.
• Riskin It All with Dan Riskin, CTV science and technology specialist. 
• Overhyped v. Underplayed with Scott Reid, CTV political commentator. 
• Bruce Cockburn, the Canadian folk-rock legend, who was recently inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame. 

Evan Solomon is joined by Ontario Leader Steven Del Duca as the province’s election campaign officially gets underway. 

On today's show: 

• We play Evan’s full interview with Karina Gould, Canada’s Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, on abortion in Canada. 
• Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca joins the show. 
• ‘The War Room’ political panel with Zain Velji, Tim Powers and Tom Mulcair. 
• Ricky Sandhu, founder and executive chair of Urban-Air Port, on the world’s first airport for flying taxis and drones.

Evan Solomon discusses a leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion in the U.S. 

On today's show: 

• Robert Benzie, Queen's Park Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star, discusses the Ontario election campaign.
• Melanie Paradis, Conservative strategist and former senior staffer to Erin O’Toole, talks about how the leaked Roe v. Wade draft could impact the Conservative leadership race. 
• Gloria Allred, former attorney for “Jane Roe”, discusses the leaked draft opinion on Roe v. Wade. 

Evan Solomon speaks with Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca about his party’s plan to make all public transit fares $1 until 2024, if elected.

On today's show: 

• We play Evan’s conversation with Marco Mendicino, Canada’s Public Safety Minister, on the Emergencies Act inquiry. 
• Jordan Armstrong, general manager of The Golden Teacher, on his store selling magic mushrooms to protest 'unjust' laws.
• Declan Hill, an investigative academic and journalist, on the risks of single-game sports gambling for Canadians. 
• Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca on his party promising to cut all transit fares to $1 until 2024 if elected.
• Jacky Hunt-Broersma, an amputee runner who has just completed 104 marathons in 104 days, setting a new world record.

Free For All Friday, hosted by Amanda Galbraith, features top talent across the iHeart radio talk network. Hosts from all over the country join the roundtable to discuss the five biggest stories of the week. 

This week's show features panelists Natasha Hall, host of Montreal Now on CJAD 800 AM, and Jennifer Pagliaro, City Hall reporter with Toronto Star.

Topics:

1. The Rolling Thunder biker rally rolls into the capital. Are we giving this group of people too much attention/ coverage?
2. Should we kick out the Russian ambassador?  Other countries have.  Why don’t we?  
3. Is it offensive to pay someone in a different country their livable wage when the company they are working for has a rate much higher?  Or is this a better alternative to automated cash-out terminals that are also on the rise in use.
4. Is it important to include her sexual orientation because the headline is celebratory?  Or is it unnecessary, and insulting to identify her by her sexual orientation because you wouldn’t point it out of a straight person?
5. Is Elon Musk buying twitter really that big of a deal?

Graham Richardson, filling in for Evan Solomon, speaks with Ottawa’s interim police chief Steve Bell about the ‘Rolling Thunder’ convoy coming to the nation’s capital and how the city is preparing.

On today's show: 

• Ottawa’s Interim Police Chief Steve Bell on the Rolling Thunder convoy.
• Nicolina Bozzo, from Toronto, who is in the Top 10 on American Idol. If she wins, she will be the first Canadian American Idol.
• Nik Nanos, Chief Data Scientist at Nanos Research, on a new poll which found the Conservatives are in a statistically significant lead over Liberals. 
• ‘Overhyped v. Underplayed’ with Scott Reid, CTV political commentator.
• Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald with the National Institute on Ageing on how the fast-growing number of seniors in Canada could lead to a crisis in care for the country's elders.
• Dr. Jennifer Kagan and her husband, Phil Viater, who are advocating for an amendment to the federal Judges Act that would require training on domestic violence.
• Canadian icon Rick Mercer on his ‘Just For Laughs Comedy Night in Canada Tour’.

Evan Solomon chats with Mattea Roach, who won her 16th consecutive game of Jeopardy! Tuesday night. The two reminisce about the time Mattea competed in a televised spelling bee competition which Evan hosted. 

On today's show: 

• We play Evan's conversation with Environment Commissioner Jerry DeMarco, who warns the Liberals' 2030 emissions target may not be achievable.
• Nova Scotian Mattea Roach, who won her 16th consecutive game on Jeopardy! Tuesday night. 

   

• The War Room with political strategists Tim Powers and Zain Velji, and former NDP leader Tom Mulcair. 

• Peggy Ife, a farmer in B.C., who has lost most of her chickens because of the avian flu. 

Evan Solomon speaks with Neil Sheard, organizer of the 'Rolling Thunder' motorcycle rally headed to Ottawa. Neil says the event is purely about veterans, despite known racist and Holocaust denier Chris Sky being listed as an official speaker. 

On today's show:

• We play Evan's full interview with Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair on the national inquiry into the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act to bring an end to the Freedom Convoy.
• Matthew Kezhaya, the general counsel for The Satanic Temple, on the temple suing an elementary school because an after-school club was rejected.
• Neil Sheard, organizer of the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally headed to Ottawa. 

Evan Solomon takes your texts and calls—is Elon Musk a force of good or evil on Twitter? 

On today's show: 

• We play an extended version of Evan's heated conversation with Oleg Stepanov, Russia's Ambassador to Canada, on his country's invasion of Ukraine. 
• Clive Thompson, technology writer for The New York Times and WIRED, on Elon Musk buying Twitter. 
• We play Evan's conversation with Leslyn Lewis, Conservative leadership candidate.