At Issue: a conversation about vaccine priority for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

We speak with five people connected to Camphill Communities Ontario Barrie, a place where people with developmental disabilities live, work and hang out -- they also used to host day programs.

It's a conversation about ways the pandemic has changed how Camphill operates, and how the provincial government could better support people in this community which is vulnerable to COVID-19.

In this episode, Sam speaks with Shelly Skinner, a prominent speaker, educator, and activist in Barrie and Simcoe County. It’s a discussion on Black History month, and UPlift Black’s past, present and future.

Featuring three interviews with members of Barrie’s performing arts community; discussing the past, present and future of the Georgian Theatre

If you don’t know how the issue unfolds in your community how can you effectively craft news content about it? That’s why this week, Sam speaks with Jennifer Van Gennip. She’s a housing rights advocate. They discuss policy issues, stigma and more that all contributes to the state of housing in Barrie. For more: https://www.redwoodparkcommunities.com/

Note: some audio glitches due to Zoom issues. This week: the audio version of Sam’s conversation with Supervised Consumption Saves Lives - Barrie. They’re a group advocating for a SCS in Barrie’s downtown, and combatting misinformation about harm reduction and the toxic opioid supply crisis.

After a year which saw the highest rates of toxic Opioid deaths in Barrie on record, they‘re holding a vigil to remember those who have passed.

Sam speaks to Claire Malcolmson from the Rescue Lake Simcoe coalition: they discuss watershed and shoreline conservation in light of the 10-year review of the lake’s protection plan.

Sam chats about the Barrie Police budget with two Barrie residents who have addressed council on the issue. Note: both conversations were held before General Committee approved of the Police Budget, and before it was presented to City Council.

Barrie is in the midst of a health crisis. While the COVID-19 Pandemic rages, a toxic drug supply is claiming the lives of people in our city at a rate never seen before. In this week’s episode, Sam talks to a mother who lost her son to the toxic drug supply, a harm-reduction expert and a city councilor fighting for a supervised consumption site in the city’s downtown.

On the podcast this week: a discussion about Barrie city hall's recent workplace incident investigation.

 Sam speaks with three people who have unique perspectives on the case. 

Alyssa Wright is part of Engage Barrie, a civic action group. Shannon Murree is a local realtor with extensive HR and activism experience. Victoria Butler is Barrie's poet laureate, the editor of The Northern Appeal and a former city hall employee.  

 You can read the full press release here: https://www.barrie.ca/City%20Hall/MediaRoom/Pages/Detail.aspx?MediaRelease=918

Join the conversation. Each week, we’ll be porting our video content into podcast form; sharing the conversations happening in your community. We want to hear your voice too — volunteer through our website or stay tuned for ways to share your perspectives.