Ontario Loud

Ontario Loud's book club continues with Political Scientist and author David Moscrop joins the pod to talk about his book "Too Dumb for Democracy? Why we make bad political decisions, and how we can make better ones" - which goes over some of the most important problems facing contemporary democracy, and gives us some helpful tools to avoid the fates of all the other democracies that fell before us.

Chris, Garima, Sam and Alvin talk through the week's news - from Conservative leader Andrew Scheer worrying that Canadians may choose the CERB over going back to dangerous low-wage jobs, to Doug Ford lambasting public health officials for slow rates of testing that might be his fault, to a eulogy to Ontario's former license plates, this is a packed one.

London Deputy Mayor Jesse Helmer joins the pod to talk about politics in the City of London and Ontario's South-West. What is working? What isn't? And how can progressives win and govern successfully in a region that is as diverse as they come.

Doug Ford announced a road map to re-open Ontario, and continuing that Ontario spirit we've all come to be so familiar with these last few weeks... the opposition trashed it. Alexi, Alvin and Chris walk you through the plan and the NDP and Liberal responses.

Former Wynne policy chief Karim Bardeesy and economist and Atkinson Foundation Fellow Armine Yalnizyan join Alexi and Garima to talk about how the Trudeau and Ford governments are doing in propping up the economy now that we're more than a month into COVID-19.

OECTA President Liz Stuart joins Ontario Loud to talk about the deal that the teachers unions have struck with Minister Stephen Lecce - the highlights, lowlights, and what the dynamic at the table was like. We also talk online learning, and how teachers are adjusting.

Alvin and Chris sit down with Mike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party of Ontario and MPP for Guelph, to talk about what working in the legislature has been like during the pandemic. How are the opposition parties working (and not working) together to push the Ford government on important issues? Find out.

Ontario Loud is starting a book club and YOU. ARE. INVITED. Alexi White sits down with Professor Donald J Savoie from the University of Moncton to talk about his 2019 book "Democracy in Canada: The Disintegration of our Institutions." Dr. Savoie is a Canada Research Chair in Public Administration, so if he thinks there's trouble, we should probably pay attention.

While it may seem like a distant memory, teachers were on strike in early 2020, and have now reached tentative deals with the province on provisions of their central contracts. We also talk with Dr. Casey Park about how Toronto's healthcare system is dealing with COVID.

Legendary political strategist and former Senator Hugh Segal joins Alvin and Chris to talk about how he, as a young conservative, came to support and champion the idea of a basic income for all Ontario - eventually helping the Ontario Liberals design their pilot, and endorsing Alvin for leadership of the party.