Newstalk Today

Today...we take your texts and calls on various topics, starting with: How should Prime Minster Justin Trudeau respond to what's going on in the States? Then we move to: Do you think we should defund the police? We also take your texts and calls about the provinces' COVID-19 reopening plans.

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Dr. Kamini Doobay works in an emergency department at a hospital in NYC. She's also the founder of the NYC Coalition to Dismantle Racism in the Health System. She talks about the anti-racism protest she helped organize with hospitals in NYC. Then...Jean-Claude Rukundo, an Edmonton man, revisits his arrest, where a cop pinned him down in the exact same way as George Floyd. Vanessa Leslie, talks about how her husband's death was partly caused by the COVID-19 lockdown. Later...Todd Battis, CTV Atlantic Bureau Chief, breaks down the latest details surrounding the NS mass killing.

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We discuss public health officials' reactions to the massive protests taking place in Canada and the US. Then...we talk to Gabor Lukacs, founder and coordinator of Air Passenger Rights, about his open letter to the government demanding refunds for cancelled flights. We also talk to Peter St. Onge, senior fellow at the Montreal Economist Institute, about his analysis of the COVID-19 outdoor transmission numbers. Later...Dawn Desjardins, Deputy Chief Economist for RBC, discusses the latest StatsCan unemployment numbers for May.

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Souheil Bensilmane, lead coordinator of the Jail and Accountability and Information Line, talks about the hunger strike taking place at a jail in Ottawa, ON. Then...Charles Officer, film director and director of 'The Skin We're In,' talks about racism issues in Canada. Dr. Isaac Bogoch, infectious disease physician at the Toronto General Hospital, joins the show to discuss the latest news surrounding COVID-19, and how to safely date and have sex during a pandemic.

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We discuss how to talk about race issues and how political leaders are responding to the anti-racism protests. Then...we check-in with Tray Pollard, founder/CEO of We Push for Peace, in Minnesota ahead of George Floyd's funeral. Ryan Hicks, McGill law student and former journalist who's now working in a long-term care home in Quebec, drops by for his weekly segment about what's going on inside the home. Later...Jason Lietaer, president of Enterprise Canada, talks about Conservative MP Derek Sloan's comments about the conversion therapy bill.

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Jim Stanford, economist and director of the Centre for Future at Work, outlines his new study showing ten ways our society can improve after coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. We ask you: what changes would you like to see? Then...Geoffrey Corn, a former Army lawyer and professor at the South Texas College of Law, explains the laws surrounding the Insurrection Act and using the US military domestically. Then... we play Overhyped vs. Underplayed with Scott Reid...CTV News Political commentator and former communications director for PM Paul Martin.

We discuss the latest updates on the anti-racism protests happening around the world. We listen to David Frum, editor of The Atlantic, talk about his new book 'Trumpocalypse: Restoring American Democracy' on Power Play. Then...we host a debate on the idea of of defunding the police with Sandy Hudson, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Toronto, and Chris Lewis, CTV News Public Safety Analyst and former OPP Commissioner.

Marie-Lavie Beagué is a Montreal criminal justice lawyer and helped organize the anti-racism protest in Montreal. She discusses her reaction to Premier Legault's statement that systemic racism does not exist in Quebec. We ask you your thoughts about his statement. Then...we listen to Bishop Harding Smith, president of Minnesota Acts Now, talk to Evan on Power Play about how his community is reacting to George Floyd's death. Later...Dr. Isaac Bogoch, infectious disease physician at the Toronto General Hospital, discusses how COVID-19 spreads during protests.

We discuss politicians' reactions to the anti-racism protests happening around the world. Then...we hear from reporters about what it's like on-the-ground at some of these protests. Richard Madan, CTV News Washington Correspondent, and Steve Burns, reporter with WCBS Newsradio 880 in NYC, talk about what things are like in those cities. We listen to Families, Children and Social Services Minister Ahmed Hussen's interview on Power Play about the racism he's experienced in Canada. Then...we take your texts and calls on race issues in this country.

A Toronto police officer calls-in to the program and discusses her experience with racism and sexism in the police force and how this translates to police violence. Then...Ontario Premier Doug Ford provides his daily update on COVID-19 in the province.