ZOOMER SQUAD:  WILL OTTAWA BE ABLE TO MAKE UNIVERSAL DRUG COVERAGE A REALITY?

Libby Znaimer is joined by Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy Officer of CARP, Anthony Quinn,  Chief Community Officer of CARP and Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine.

Ottawa is expected to table legislation on universal pharmacare as early as this Fall. But doubts have been raised by members of the healthcare community about whether such a plan will be able to become reality even after a bill on it passes. Meanwhile, a cardiology clinic in Saskatchewan has decided to leave the public healthcare system behind. We explore what was behind that decision.

PIERRE POILIEVRE'S APPLE MUNCHING GOES VIRAL

Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Alex Marland, a professor in the department of politics at Acadia University and author of the book Whipped: Party Discipline in Canada.

A video of federal Conservative Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre munching on an apple while answering a journalist's claims about him has since gone viral on social media and gained international attention. In the video, which was taken during the leader's visit to an apple orchard in Okanagan BC earlier this month,  the journalist makes the claim to Mr. Poilievre that he is "taking the populist pathway" and showing similarities to former U.S President Trump. At this point, Mr. Poilievre munches on the apple and proceeds to press the journalist asking him to clarify his comments only to see the journalist stumble on his words. Our guest today weighs in on the boost this viral moment may have given Mr. Poilievre and how this moment serves as a lesson about what not to do if you are a journo.

MPP SARAH JAMA OUSTED FROM NDP CAUCUS OVER ISRAEL REMARKS

Libby Znaimer is joined by Bob Richardson, Senior Council to National PR and Kim Wright, Principal of Wright Strategies.

Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles made the decision today to kick NDP MPP Sarah Jama out of the caucus in the aftermath of her offensive remarks about Israel. A vote in the legislature was also made to censure the Hamilton Centre MPP.

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