NOW and NEXT

Today on NOW and NEXT:

Porter Airlines has a fleet of shiny new jets and that means it's able to take on longer routes - flying in and out of Pearson International Airport. Is that good news for air travellers in Canada? Can the Canadian market support three national airlines? History suggests not. John Tory Jr. is a pilot and has been a commercial aviation executive. He joins us with his analysis.

But first:

• Is Metrolinx listening? Tansit journo Stephen Wickens says there are alternatives to building a subway station on the grounds of Osgoode Hall that not only preserves the trees on the property, but enhances the Osgoode site AND provides a potentially profitable solution. Move Campbell House!
• Some great backgound reporting from the Toronto Star on what prompted a breakthrough in the national healthcare "deal".
• Joe Biden went toe-to-toe with GOP hecklers during the SOTU this week. Then he headed for Florida - a RED state - home to Trump, DeSantis and Scott. Dems may not win the state but you've got to wonder whether team Biden wants to deliberately provoke the Republican rump right where it lives. Check out the Semafor newsletter. Does the GOP have a Tea Party problem?
• Porter Airlines Has Flights From Vancouver To Toronto For $138 & You Get Free Wine

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Today on NOW and NEXT:

US President Joe Biden put on a master class in political rhetoric during his State of the Union Address. He managed to goad Republicans to heckled him, calling him a liar when he pointed out some GOP members support a proposal to "sunset" medicare and social security David Schultz, professor of politcal science and US constitutional law at Hamline University weighs in on the winners and losers and how SOTU 2023 sets the tone for the 2024 Presidential campaign.

But first:

• While the SOTU speech is seen as Joe Biden's soft launch for his re-election bid, the same can be said of Justin Trudeau's healthcare offering to the provinces. The premier comitted more than $46 billion in new healthcare spending. The premiers were calling for 7 times that amount! Still, Trudeau can claim a major victory. The premiers took the cash without complaint. And CPC leader Pierre Poilevre even agreed he'd honour the deal with the provinces. So, does this mean healthcare's no longer a third rail for Trudeau?
• Toronto City Council, as expected, asks staff to report on new revenue options like a parking tax. No matter what comes back, no matter what council ultimately decides, this is just the "soft launch" of Mayor John Tory's campaign to restructure the financial relationship between municipalities and Queen's Park.
• AND, Council moves forward with the CafeTO but agrees to phase in fees for restaurants and bars over three years.

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Today on NOW and NEXT:

Cultrual anthropologist Ujwal Arkaguld says human intelligence is pushing back against artificial intelligence. He and his team at LUX Research says we humans are increasingly pushing back against the "personalized" AI driven content served up to us on the internet based on algorithms tracking our online behaviour.

But first:

• The First Ministers health care meeting is the soft launch for Justin Trudeau's next federal election campaign.
• AND, the premiers' cry for increased, stable predictable funding from the feds sounds a lot like Toronto Mayor John Tory's call for increased, stable, predictable funding from the province.

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Today on Now and Next:

Challege Factory founder and President Lisa Taylor says we have less than 8 years to figure out "how old is old".
"In 2030, the last of the baby boomers will reach 65 years old. That’s our deadline for avoiding an age-based workforce crisis. The early warning signs are already present. So, what do we need to do?"

But first:

• A Leger poll conducted for the National Post says 67% of those surveyed agree with the statement "It feels like everything is broken in this country right now." Inflation, the state of healthcare, and the cost of living feed the "feelings".
• In the aftermath of the beating death of Tyre Nicols, EMS medics failed to asses Nicols when they arrived on the scene. In fact, Stat News reports "the EMTs did nothing more clinical in the first 19 minutes they were on teh scene than shine a flashlight on Nicols."
• There was a lot of hot air hyperventilation over a hot air balloon in Washington this weekend!

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Today on N+N Xtra!

We feature an episode from the Story Studio Network podcast series - The 2030 Project produced for the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto.

Among the values expressed by Daily Bread is the commitment to pursue, to create, to support evidence based solutions. So, to that end new research from the university of Calgary draws, a solid direct line between food bank visits and specific government policy.

The report found that the number of food bank visits directly rises with increases in rent. They fall with increases in minimum wage or disability benefits available to individuals requiring social assistance. Sounds obvious, but it's the first time we have this evidence based research to put in front of government. The study was co-authored by Professor Ron Kneebone.

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Today on NOW and NEXT:

The knee-jerk, reflexive response to "random acts of violence" is to declare it's an issue of mental illness. Mental health advocate, author and podcaster Mark Henick says there is no evidence that anyone involved in these reported incidents have any mental health problems.

But first:

• Community groups in Toronto are facing a 6.7 per cent budget cut, yet they're expected and counted upon to provide critial services for the vulnerable.
• Hazel McCallion will be remembered at a state funeral on February 14, 2023, (the day she would have turned 102 years old!)

TOMORROW! our N+N Extra feed will feature an episode from The 2030 Project.

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Today on NOW and NEXT:

Will the torturous, fatal beating of Tyre Nicols prompt any significant change in police culture in the US or Canada? Courtney Betty, Senior Partner at Betty's Law in Toronto is doubtful.

But first:

• Canada's national standards for long term care are meaningless. The aren't mandatory. And they amount to little when you consider we don't have enough beds for those in need. In Ontario alone, the Ford government is more than 2 years behind schedule on delivering a 2018 promise to add 15 thousand new beds by 2024. Even if they managed to hit that target AND add the additional 30 thousand new beds in the next ten year - there will still be years long waiting lists.
• The Mississauga Food Bank "exceeded" its goals for the 2022 Holiday Food Drive - collecting more than $1.9 million and more than 640 thousand pounds of food. That's nothing to celebrate.
• An update on the mass shooting in the US: 60 shooting, 106 killed in the shootings, 232 wounded (just in mass shootings) over the course of the first 32 days of 2023
• Do you need to see the body cam video of Trye Nicols' beating at the hands of Memphis police?

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Today on NOW and NEXT:

Ritesh Kotak - Tech and Cybersecurity Strategist talks us through GPT-Chat - the AI app that can write well enough to pass a university MBA exam!!

But first:

The US has recorded 59 mass shootings so far in 2023. 59 shootings in 31 days. 105 people have been killed. 229 have been wounded.

It's OBIT WEEK! Yesterday we remembered for Mississauga Mayor, Hazel McCallion. Today, it's Hockey Legend Bobby Hull and 70's sitcom star Cindy Williams.

And the Ontario Liberals effort to draft Green Party Leader, Mike Schreiner took an awkward turn today. Schreiner telling Newstalk 1010's John Moore he's considering whether to take a shot at the Liberal leadership. That's just bad for all involved. Schreiner should just say "No" and let the Ontario Grits die a natural death.

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Today on Now and Next:

We go indepth on the state of US politics including Donald Trumps prospects of landing the GOP Presidential nomoination AND are we making too much fun of classified/top secret files being mishandled?
David Schultz, professor of Political Science and Constitutional Law at Hamline University joins us.

But first:

• Remembering Hazel McCallion. The former Mayor of Mississauga died on the weekend at the age of 101!
• You can sign the condolence books at various locations in Mississauga.
• The Ontario Liberal Party is in complete chaos. 39 party insiders are calling on Mike Schreiner to give up his gig as leader of the Ontario Greens and make a bid for the Liberal leadership!
• WHO isn't ready to declare the pandemic over. But does say we're reaching an "inflection point" where higher immunity levels can lower COVID related deaths.
• BBC REPORTS: Former UK PM Boris Johnson says Putin him with a missile strike.
• Trump's back on the hustings with two campaign events on the weekend.
• Will Tyre Nicols murder prompt policing changes in the US?

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Welcome to Now and Next EXTRA. From time to time we will offer a BONUS episode in the feed. In this show, we are featuring the first episode of a new Story Studio Network podcast series - Canadian Forestry Can Save the World!

Erin and Dave Trafford host the series and explore the idea that the forestry sector has a critical role to play in helping us cope with the climate crisis.

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