Chapter 1: The first shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Canada.  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed their arrival last night on Twitter.

GUEST: Gary Kobinger - Professor in infectious diseases at Laval University

Chapter 2: Vaccine Rollout

GUEST:  Dr. Brian Conway - Medical Director & Infectious Diseases Specialist, Vancouver Infectious Disease Centre.

Chapter 3: Former speaker of the BC legislature Darryl Plecas’ has released a report, “Unfinished Business.” It includes allegations of inappropriate behaviour involving a former employee and a woman who no longer works for the government

GUEST: Darryl Plecas - Former speaker of the BC Legislature

Chapter 4:  The general trend is that trucks have been getting bigger, more energy & space consuming, more polluting, and deadlier

GUEST: Peter McCartney - Climate campaigner, Wilderness Committee

Chapter 5: Starting in May 2022, British Columbians will be able to renew their ICBC insurance online.

GUEST:  Aaron Sutherland - Vice-President for Insurance Bureau of Canada's Pacific region.

Chapter 6: COVID-19 vaccine rollout is happening but that doesn’t mean we can get complacent with social distancing-- unless maybe you’re rich

GUEST: Jawn Jang with Mel Woods - Mike Smyth Show Contributor / Associate Editor, Huffington Post Canada

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Show Contributor Jawn Jang speaks with Mel Woods

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Chapter 1: BC’s alcohol consumption has increased during COVID

New research from the University of Victoria says alcohol consumption has increased in BC during the COVID-19 pandemic.

GUEST: Dr. Tim Stockwell, UVIC Professor of Psychology/Former Director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research

Chapter 2: Are people drinking “too much” during the pandemic?

We check in with Jeff Guignard, a liquor industry insider.

GUEST: Jeff Guignard, Executive Director, ABLE BC

Chapter 3: Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum has gotten in two accidents in cars paid for by the city

Now Surrey is paying the bill for the damages?  Is this appropriate?

GUEST: Linda Annis, Surrey City Councillor/Public Safety Advocate/CEO Metro-Van Crime Stoppers

GUEST: Jack Hundial, Surrey City Councillor

Chapter 4: Darryl Plecas has released a new report called “Unfinished Business”

Plecas raises allegations he brought forward with #MeToo types of concerns from a former unnamed BC Legislature employee. The allegations have not been investigated.

GUEST: Richard Zussman, Global BC Reporter based at BC Leg

Chapter 5: What’s going on with the Massey Tunnel?

The BC Liberals are raising concerns about the NDP’s mismanagement of the Massey Tunnel replacement after newly-appointed Transportation Minister Rob Fleming failed to confirm whether a replacement of any kind will be built within the next decade.

GUEST: Ian Paton, MLA Delta South

Chapter 6: 9 new Star Wars shows, and 5 new Marvel ones! 

Yesterday Disney Plus announced with a whole slate of new shows for the platform. 

GUEST: David Friend, Canadian Press Entertainment Reporter

Chapter 7: Ontario’s take on proof of vaccination

Ontario’s health minister said the province is considering a card to prove you’ve been vaccinated. The car could be used for travel and work, but also communal spaces like movie theatres or “any other places where people will likely be in closer contact.” 

GUEST: Brian Lilley, Political Columnist, The Toronto Sun

Chapter 8: Beat the ticket with Paul Doroshenko

GUEST: Paul Doroshenko, Criminal Lawyer w/Acumen Law-specialty in driving law

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Chapter 1: BC’s vaccine plan 

GUEST: Dr. Anna Wolak, Family physician and assistant professor at UBC

Chapter 2: BC’s COVID response seems inconsistent 

Shouldn’t we be following the lead of the countries that have done the best?

From the article: “The point of a lockdown is that you do it well, and you do it once, and you don’t keep repeating it.” 

GUEST: Andrew Longhurst, Research Associate with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and doctoral student in the Department of Geography, SFU

Chapter 3: Income and disability assistance claw back

The $300 a month added to income and disability assistance cheques in British Columbia during the pandemic will be halved for the next three months - the justification is that people on disability will be able to claim the one time COVID benefit offered by the government but is that fair?

GUEST: Karla Verschoor, Executive Director of Inclusion BC

Chapter 4: What level of hockey should be allowed to play right now?

There have been a lot of restrictions and shutdowns for many different B.C. businesses and industries because of COVID-19. One thing that remains in operation, however, is BC minor hockey. Does that make sense to you? Or should hockey be shut down? Our show contributor Jawn Jang joins us for more on that discussion. 

GUEST: Jawn Jang, Mike Smyth Show Contributor

GUEST: Janet Brown, CKNW senior reporter

Chapter 5: The mystery of the Speaker’s mace!

Victoria police are investigating after someone disabled the alarm that protects the Speaker’s ceremonial gold mace at the legislature. Now an insider speaks out.

GUEST: Alan Mullen, Former chief of staff, Office of the Speaker

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Chapter 1: Vancouver approved 2021 budget - reaction from police board

The budget puts aside $316 million for the VPD, which is $2 million more than in the 2020 budget, but approximately $6 million less than requested by the police board.

GUEST: Adam Palmer, Chief Constable, Vancouver Police Department

Chapter 2: Eligibility for the $1000 per household NDP promise 

Yesterday we got some details on the $1000 per household promised by the NDP.  You can start applying for it December 18th, and eligibility will be based on 2019 income… so some of those hardest hit by the pandemic may not qualify.

GUEST: Mike Bernier, BC Liberal finance critic/MLA Peace River South

Chapter 3: COVID at a Fraser Valley mink farm

On December 6th it was announced that eight people had tested positive for COVID at a mink farm in the Fraser Valley.  Following this, animal-rights activist and screen star Pamela Anderson, sent a letter to Premier John Horgan urging the province to end fur farming.

GUEST: Camille Labchuk, Animal Lawyer and Executive Director of Animal Justice

Chapter 4: One industry that’s really been hit hard by COVID

Many small businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic, and one industry that has really suffered is catering.  

GUEST: Debra Lykkemarke, Former owner, Culinary Capers Catering

GUEST: Judy Reeves, Owner, Edge Catering

Chapter 5: New app cataloguing the different odours of Metro Vancouver… for science!

Do you live in a neighbourhood where you’re constantly bothered by strong odours? Or maybe you’ve always wondered what that distinct smell is when you’re driving over the Alex Fraser Bridge? There is now a brand new app designed to help you report those strange smells and to find out just how it could be impacting your health! Our show contributor Jawn Jang joins us with details on this new app. 

GUEST: Jawn Jang, Mike Smyth Show Contributor

GUEST: Naomi Zimmerman, Assistant Professor at UBC, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Chapter 6: Housing supply and affordability in BC

GUEST: Thomas Davidoff, Associate Professor at Sauder School of Business, UBC/Director of the Centre for Urban Economics and Real Estate

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