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Air pollution- a silent pandemic

Milan's Duomo Cathedral in Italy is barely visible through smog that hovers over the city on Dec. 29. 2015. The lack of rain and wind has brought pollution in Italy's business capital to exceed levels considered healthy for more than 30 straight days. (Antonio Calanni/Associated Press)

With the world pre-occupied by COVID-19, the deadly virus spreading around the world to become a declared pandemic, scientists say there's a silent pandemic that's already been occurring for years.

A new study shows the effects of air pollution are causing millions of premature deaths yearly Marc speaks with Dr. Courtney Howard, president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment

The NHL, MLB and MLS among latest to suspend seasons due to coronavirus

The gates are closed inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Thursday March 12, 2020. The NHL has suspended the 2019-20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (The Canadian Press/Jason Franson)

Vincenzo discusses the many major national and international sporting events that have been cancelled, suspended, or postponed all due to the novel corona virus known as  COVID-19.

Of course in addition to other events like Formula 1, to the World Figure Skating championships, an increasing number of entertainment events have been cancelled, and many schools and other institutions have temporarily closed. Many planned parades and other gatherings have also been cancelled or postponed. Now even the Canadian Parliament has been suspended until April 20.

Canada set to become fourth country to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’

Pride flags are seen at a demonstration on Parliament Hill in 2018. The Liberal government on Monday introduced legislation that would make Canada the fourth country in the world to ban so-called 'conversion therapy.' (Adran Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Terry discusses new proposed Canadian legislation which would ban so-called "conversion therapy".  This is a type of counselling intended to convert LGBT people, usually youth, towards becoming heterosexual.

The LINK- Facebook and Youtube Radio Canada International channel

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Canadian Space Agency invests in moon exploration

The control center at the Canadian Space Agency in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, February 28, 2019. (Reuters/Christinne Muschi)

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is seeking to get more involved in exploration of the moon. To that end they've given out more than $4 million in contracts to several companies and a university. This is to help them develop technologies to be able to detect water on the Moon, measure mineral composition, and tools to navigate rovers on the lunar surface.

Vincenzo spoke with Erick Dupuis, the director of Space Exploration Development at the CSA.

International survey indicates trust in key institutions declining

The Trust Barometer survey was taken before the current Indigenous crisis and rail blockades, but even at that trust in institutions and government shows a decline (CBC news)

A new international survey shows people around the world are slowly losing trust in society's key institutions. The Edelman trust barometer, or trust index, is now in its 20th year. The marketing and PR firm has been using the 'guage' as a tool to advise their clients, but over the years its expanded to become an insight into how people feel about their politicians, business, the media, and NGO's.

Canada occupies a middle ground between trust and distrust of those institutions, but this year it shows a drop of several places showing Canadians, like many others, are losing faith in these institutions to deal both quickly, and ethically with ongoing crises.

Marc spoke with Lisa Kimmel, CEO and Chair of Edelman Canada.

David Ayres: the legend grows

The man himself following his Saturday Night Special. (CBC)

An amateur goalie, and sometime zamboni driver, Canadian David Ayres, was in the stands at an NHL game. When the Carolina Hurricane's goalies were injured, the team had to call in a spectating Ayres as an emergency back-up.

The Hurricanes went on to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3.  It's a story that has made headlines, and the late night talk shows, across N. America.

Terry talks about this exciting and rare event

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Trudeau asks for patience as rail blockades continue but offers no clear plan

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stands during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

As the rail blockades by Indigenous groups and supporters continue, business groups warn that the economy of the entire country is slowly grinding to a standstill. Farmers and the agriculture sector are extremely worried about perishable product standing idle in parked rail cars and about vital export contracts.

Ports on both coasts, Vancouver and Halifax, are operating at only a fraction of capacity and a major container shipper has already diverted ships to U.S. ports. Manufacturers are also warning that they are running out of supplies, and their shipping contracts are compromised.

Meanwhile, more protests and rail blockades in solidarity with the small group of Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs, who oppose a natural gas pipeline through their claimed territory in northern British Columbia, have sprang up. The crisis also underlines internal divisions between Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs and the majority of the band who are in favour of the contentious natural gas pipeline.

The crisis was debated this week in the House of Commons in Ottawa with two very different views on how it should be handled. Levon has comments from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and reaction from Official Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer.

full story here  *note also RCI has several stories on this ongoing issue

Game studio in Ontario making audio-based video game

The Vale is a medieval fantasy role-playing game, where players will take the role of as the second born and blind, daughter of the king. On her way to a castle, a horde of barbarians attack her caravan, and she’s left alone to fend for herself.  (Courtesy Falling Squirrel Games)

A medieval fantasy role-playing video game is being developed with a new twist. Players are guided by sound and controller feedback. This means it's not only accessible to players with sight, but also those who are visually impaired.

Vincenzo spoke with the creative director of Falling Squirrel Games in Ontario.

full story here

Survey: New office work space trends are actually counter-productive

The ideas of "open office" work spaces were touted as a way to boost communication, transfer of ideas, and increase productivity. As it turns out, that idea isn't working so well at all. A new study says it leads to distractions and the loss of about two hours worth of productive time every day. Kane Wilmott is CEO and founder of iQ Offices co-working space who commissioned the study.

full story here

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Canada plans to support ban on heavy fuel oil in Arctic shipping

The community of Arctic Bay, Nvt., is seen on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019. The federal government plans to support a proposed ban on the use of heavy fuel oil by ships plying Arctic waters. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Environmentalists have long been concerned about shipping in the Arctic using heavy fuel oil (HFO) also known as "bunker oil" to power the large vessels. HFO is a thick low quality fuel, used primarily because it is relatively inexpensive. However, environmental groups also say HFO use emits substantial amounts of black carbon soot along with the risk of extremely difficult if not impossible clean up should there be an accident or spill.

Levon heard that Canada may announce a ban on HFO use in the Arctic next week, but he also gets reaction from a shipper who feels such a decision is wrong.

Read the original story here

Climate change, human activities, and increasing disease exposure

The current fears and spread of a deadly strain of a coronavirus has many asking how do these new diseases appear? (via CBC)

As the Covid-19 virus continues its deadly spread, the question arises as to where these viral and bacterial diseases come from, or how some known disease becomes even more virulent.

The answer comes from a few situations but certainly climate change and other human activities are involved.

Dr Courtney Howard spoke to Marc. She is president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, and an emergency room doctor in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

original story here

Tinder as a marketing tool: Exploring off brand uses of the dating app

File Photo (Reuters/Mike Blake/Illustration)

Tinder is a social media site designed originally only as a dating app. At least it was. Now it seems people are beginning to use it for other things as well.

Vincenzo spoke to Stefanie Duguay, an assistant professor of communications studies at Concordia. She saw that some users on Tinder were using the app in “off-label” uses, different from its intended use as a dating app.

original story here

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Ottawa set to dispatch second plane to Wuhan ‘to bring every Canadian home’

Megan Millward, her husband Lie Zhang and their two children on board an evacuation flight from Wuhan, China.

Two planes carrying Canadians out of the centre of the coronavirus region of China  have arrived in Canada. Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois-Philippe Champagne said a third plane is being arranged for the remaining Canadians in China who want to leave. There are about 100 Canadians still in Wuhan.

Levon has an update on the situation as of Friday with comments from Health Minister Patty Hajdu

full story here

5G-In the rush to the internet of things, is human health at risk?

More and more on the outskirts of towns or open spaces, and on almost all tall city buildings, cell towers are going up to ensure strong signals everywhere, almost inescapable signals.(Elise Amendola-The Associated Press))

Around the world, governments and technophiles are talking about the development of 5G networks. This will connect billions more devices from mobile phones to household appliances, autonomous vehicles and much more.

But also around the world, groups of medical researchers and scientists are already concerned about the existing amount of radio frequency radiation from existing networks, and even more so about the vast increase in such signals with 5G. The say RF radiation should be classed as a human carcinogen in the same category as X-rays

Marc spoke with Dr. Anthony Miller (MD, FRCP, FRCP (C), FFPH, FACE), a specialist in internal medicine and Professor Emeritus of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto.

full story here

Research may link exercise to improved video game performance

(iStock/EvgeniyShkolenko)

It may at first seem like opposites, but exercise and video game may prove to go hand in hand.

A study shows that a physical workout before playing a video game seems to improve the player's results. A neuroscientist at Montreal's McGill university tested the theory with some his students.

Vincenzo spoke to Dr. Marc Roig.

full story here

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Canada chartered passenger plane to repatriate Canadians from Wuhan

Emily Tjandra, left, and her son Wyatt Duplessis, 15, pose for a photo in their home in Wuhan, China in this handout photo. (Wayne Duplessis /THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO)

Canada has arranged for a special charter plane to fly some 196 Canadians out of the Wuhan, China, a city at the epicentre of an epidemic of this new and deadly strain of a coronavirus.

Canadian officials are now working with Chinese authorities to secure the necessary authorizations for the plane to land in Wuhan, as well as working out the logistical details of how the repatriation will proceed given the fact the city of nearly 11 million inhabitants has been under lockdown. Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne  and federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu spoke of the situation at a press conference on Thursday.

Champagne and Hajdu said they are also still working out the details of what would happen to those Canadians and their family members who are repatriated to Canada.

Levon has the story.

full story here

The issue of Huawei, national security and 5G

The concern over national security issues is back to the fore with Britain's decision to allow Huawei partial access in developing the UK 5G network. Of the Five-Eyes international security group, The US, Australia, and New Zealand have banned Huawei, Britain has made its decision, Canada has yet to decide.(Andy Wong-AP)

Huawei has long been accused of being an agent of the Chinese government. Many security agencies fear that Huawei could use its equipment to steal government and industry secrets, or be able to simply shut down key infrastructure in the event of a conflict, all through potential "back doors". So far none of these allegations have been proven publicly. Nevertheless, the U.S., Australia and New Zealand have banned Huawei from participating in creating a 5G network in those countries.

Stephanie Carvin (PhD) is an assistant professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa. In a conversation with Marc, she says China doesn't need access to Huawei equipment for nefarious activities, and geo-economic actions of China related to Huawei may be of greater concern than theoretical security concerns.

Full story here

Survey: Top concern for Canadian employees is their mental well being

According to a survey by Morneau Shepell, 77 per cent of Canadians would take a lower salary in favour of better mental health support. (Photo iStock/SDI Productions)

It seems in the current workplace environment, people are being tasked with more and more work. This has led to an increase in stress levels. Canadians are feeling this as well.

A recent survey by a major technology oriented human resource service found that a clear majority, three out of four workers,would prioritize their mental well being over their salary

Vincenzo spoke to Paula Allen. She is the senior vice president of research, analytics and innovation at Morneau Shepell

full story here

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According to Stephen Cornish who leads one of Canada's most recognized environmental and conservation NGO's, the root cause of many of the world's conflicts and migrations can be traced in some form back to a changing climate.

In this episode he spoke to Levon about how climate concerns should factor in to Canada's foreign policy calling it a 'greening' of foreign and development policy.

full story here     series link here

Some millionaires ask World Economic Forum to tax them more

It's estimated Canada's wealthiest and wealthy corporations avoid billions of taxes in Canada annually. A group of milionaires/billionaires in the U.S is calling on governments to tax them more as the class wage gap widens. (Chirs Watters-Reuters)

Statistics show that a small number of the uber-rich control more money than the combined wealth of the vast majority of the entire rest of the world population.

A small group of millionaires/billionaires mostly in the U.S. is now saying they should have to pay more tax. Calling themselves the 'patriotic millionaires', they've sent a letter to the World Economic former to that end.

It's not altogether altruistic though as their campaign 'taxes or pitchforks' is in an indication of their concern for their own well-being. They know that historically when the gap between rich and poor becomes too great, social and political upheaval has followed.

Author and economist Jeff Rubin spoke to Marc about the situation.

full story here

At long last love: Larry Walker’s going to the Baseball Hall of Fame

Montreal Expos right fielder Larry Walker is seen in 1994. Less than a year later, he was off to Colorado. On Tuesday, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, just the second Canadian--after Ferguson Jenkins--to be elected. (The Canadian Press/AP)

Larry Walker of Maple Ridge British Columbia has been voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

He is only the second Canadian--after Ferguson Jenkins of Chatham, Ontario to get there.... Jenkins was a pitcher and Walker was an outfielder. It was a close call though as to whether Walker would make it.

Terry spoke to  Richard Griffin, who is the director of baseball media for the Toronto Blue Jays, and the former Montreal Expos media relations director, a job that saw him spend a lot of hours with Walker.

full story here

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Diplomatic Dispatch series

Canadian flags and the Parliament building's Victory and Peace Tower (iSTock)

A new podcast series is being created with several episodes already online. Through one-on-one interviews with current and former politicians and diplomats, academics, and leaders of NGO's Levon brings insight into Canada's foreign policy, defence policy and international aid and development policies.

In this excerpt Levon presents a comment from former Liberal cabinet minister and former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations, Allan Rock.

PS752: How could Iran have made such a terrible, tragic mistake?

This photo from Ukrainian investigators looking into the Flight PS752 crash shows part of the plane's cockpit. Initial thoughts are that at lease one missile blew up near the front of the plane sending shrapnel tearing through the cockpit and killing the crew immediately. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)

After initial denials, Iran admitted it had shot down the passenger jet, but claimed it was a mistake. This was a big passenger jet on a known flight path, leaving Tehran, climbing and travelling relatively speaking, slowly. How could it be mistaken for a small fast incoming hostile fighter jet or missile?

Marc spoke with James McKay, political science professor at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston Ontario.

Canada and Canadian's reaction to the downing of Ukrainian Airlines flight PS 752

A worker is seen last week searching the scene where Flight PS752 crashed just outside of Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. (Ebrahim Noroozi/Associated Press)

Terry this week has covered several aspects of the official and unofficial reaction in Canada to the tragedy of the missile attack on the Ukrainian passenger jet leaving Tehran. Some 176 people were killed, the largest number were Canadian citizens, while others were Iranian students studying in Canada, and residents not yet citizens.

Terry talks about some of his stories

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Intelligence suggests Ukrainian airliner shot down by Iran, says Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The tragic crash of the Ukrainian jetliner this week in Iran was not caused by some technical problem but was most likely the result of a missile attack, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed Thursday. It apparently was the first official mention of an Iranian missile. If it was a missile, was it deliberate or a tragic mistake?

Levon looked into the Prime Minister's revelation and this larger question of a missile attack.

The situation in Iran

Iranian mourners gather during the final stage of the funeral procession for slain top Gen. Qassem Soleimani in his hometown of Kerman, Iran. (Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images)

The American drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soliemani, has led to retaliation missile strikes against military bases in Iraq where NATO forces are based. It is possible that the tragic downing of a civilian jetliner with the loss of everyone on board including 63 Canadians, is related to the tensions.

But what about the domestic social and political situation in Iran itself. Was Soleilmani allowed to be killed because he was becoming too powerful? Marc spoke with Ali Dizboni (Ph.D.), Director of Military and Strategic Studies-MSS and professor in the Department of Political Science and Economics at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario.

Animal rights activists looking for more victories in 2020

Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice, is looking forward to more victories in 2020. (Animal Justice)

This past year marked some significant legal gains in terms of animal rights in Canada.  There were now laws including the ones making the most news–-a new law to ban keeping whales, dolphins and porpoises in captivity, new federal legislation cracking down on animal cruelty that will list those convicted of bestiality on Canada’s national sex offenders registry. and new legislation in Ontario strengthening that province’s animal cruelty laws.

Terry spoke to the executive director of Animal Justice, Camille Labchuk

Full story here

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Refugee advocacy group sounds the alarm on crisis in Mali

Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) soldiers drive along women and children during the Operation Barkhane in Ndaki, Mali, July 29, 2019. (Benoit Tessier/REUTERS)

A Canadian humanitarian aid worker says the situation in Mali is deteriorating even further.

Alexandra Lamarche authored a report called Mali’s Humanitarian Crisis: Overmilitarized and Overshadowed.

She says international efforts have been focussed on the military and stabilisation effort while the growing humanitarian aid need has bee woefully underfunded.

Levon had a chance to speak with Lamarche for a podcast episode discussing her report and its recommendations for improving the humanitarian situation in Mali, addressing root causes of the conflict, which has now spilled to neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso, and implementing the terms of the country’s peace agreement.

(full story/interview here)

Think tank backs PM on massive tree planting possibilities

A new study by a leading Canadian think tank says a government promise to plant over two billion trees before 2030 to combat climate change is very feasible. (Fred Tanneau/Getty Images)

A new study by the Smart Prosperity Institute at the University of Ottawa says planting the trees could reduce emissions between two and four million tonnes a year by 2030, and up to eight million tons a year by 2050 as the trees mature and absorb more carbon dioxide.

In the recent election campaign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to spend $3 billion on land and water conservation projects--including planting two billion additional trees–before 2030.

Terry spoke with Dave Sawyer–an environmental economist at the institute who  co-wrote the study.

(full story/interview here)

Smart speakers and privacy: helpful devices, but gathering data on you as well

Smart speakers with their voice assistants are hugely popular, but they also gather vast information about you for corporate and other interests (Shannon Stapleton-Reuters)

They is yet another high-tech device claiming to make your life easier. But as with most such devices, there are privacy issues.

So -called 'smart speakers' are also microphones and while helping you find information you've requested, are also recording that data about your private habits, likes, wants, destinations etc.  Also they have the potential to accidentally record conversations you had thought were confidential.

Jordan Pearson talks about the concerns. He is a Senior Editor at Motherboard, a tech news site from VICE Media.

(full story/interview here)

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