The City says it’s heard the complaints - and is out with a new plan to repair roads by allocating more than double-the-funds to tackle potholes. We discuss the ‘pothole problem’ – and new solution with Calgary Mayor – Jyoti Gondek.

Next - step aside “Quiet Quitting”! A new workplace ‘phenomenon’ is hitting employers and employees. We learn about what’s being called “The Great Exhaustion” – and how it’s impacting workers – from Jennifer Dimoff – Professor of Management Studies at the University of Ottawa.

And finally – the rates of ‘Crohn’s & Colitis’ disease rank the highest, per-capita in Canada than anywhere else in the world. We discuss the disturbing ‘stat’ – and hear about the resources available to combat the disease – from Danielle Redekop, from ‘Crohns & Colitis Canada’.

WELCOME TO THE MWSA PODCAST FOR THURSDAY, MAY 30th

It feels like the wait times at clinics and for doctors just keeps getting longer and longer, but is that actually the case? We catch up with Nadeem Esmail, Senior Fellow with the Fraser Institute for details on the latest data on medical wait times in Alberta compared to the remainder of Canada.

Next, a lot has been discussed when it comes to the National Pharmacare proposal for our country, but does the plan put us on the ‘right track’, or are there more issues we need to iron out and discuss? We tackle the topic with John Adams, Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

We’ve heard a lot of concerns from parents and educators about the use of AI in the classroom, but a new tool developed by the University of Calgary is working to turn AI into a ‘positive’ in the education system. We get details on the project from Soroush Sabbaghan, Associate Professor at Werklund School of Education at the U of C.

It’s seeding season and that means there will be a lot more farm equipment on Alberta highways to watch out for. We catch up with Luree Williamson, CEO of “Ag For Life”, for some tips on how to stay safe while making your way around the province during this busy time.

Next, cutting down and addressing carbon dioxide emissions has been a top priority since the Kyoto agreement was signed in 1997. Well, we are now half-way between the Kyoto accord and the net-zero carbon goal of 2050. So just how realistic is the goal and are we on the right path? We get the thoughts of Kenneth Green from The Fraser Institute

Finally, Olympic Plaza played an important role during the 1988 Olympic games and now the city is planning to redevelop and transform the ‘iconic space’ as part of the Art’s Commons redevelopment. We get details on the project from Clare LePan, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation’s Vice President of Communications and Strategic Partnerships. 

To mask or not to mask? That is the question. I know, no one wants to revisit the pandemic years and the requirements to wear masks, but it is important to take steps to protect ourselves and loved ones. So, the question is…do masks work? A new comprehensive study aims to answer just that and joining us to discuss is Dr. Joe Vipond - Clinical assistant professor at the UofC and co-founder of the Canadian COVID society.

Will Canada ever meet its NATO obligations and the 2 percent GDP defense spending target? And, if we keep coming up short, how will that impact our relationship with our allies? We tackle the topic with Mercedes Stephenson, Global News Ottawa Bureau Chief and Host of The West Block

Supply chain issues, the carbon tax, and the war overseas have all been blamed in part for the soaring cost of food in Canada, but is that the complete picture? We discuss the ‘science’ behind food pricing with Philip Loring, Associate Professor at the University of Guelph.

Finally, have you ever heard the ‘verse’ or ‘chorus’ of a really catchy ‘tune’ but don’t know the title, or even the artist behind the song? Well, help is on the way! We catch up with “The Gadget Guy” Mike Yawney for details on a new ‘search feature’ being offered by YouTube that can identify a song while you simply ‘hum’ the tune!

Calgary Transit ridership is up, but the annual operating budget is facing a shortfall that will threaten service levels for Calgarians. How can the city effectively address funding issues for Calgary transit? We tackle the topic with Mayor Jyoti Gondek.

‌Scams are getting increasingly more sophisticated, especially when you factor artificial intelligence or AI into the mix. Online and smartphone scams are getting harder and harder to identify, especially if you’re a Senior. We catch up with Calgary Police Service Acting Sergeant Craig Stothard for details on how the “grandparent scams” work and what you need to know to keep you and your family safe.

If you’ve bought tickets to a concert or sporting event recently, you might have had to skip a couple meals just to afford them. Ticketmaster and Live Nation have had a stranglehold on ticketed events and the US Department of Justice is moving ahead with an anti-trust case against the giant. We discuss with Dean Budnick, co-author of the new book: “Ticket Masters: The Rise of the Concert Industry and How the Public Got Scalped.”

Alberta has been calling and people are answering! Calgary's population grew by nearly 96,000 people last year. according to the latest from Statistics Canada. Do we have enough housing to handle our increasing population? Joining us to discuss the latest report on new housing builds in our city is Brian Hahn - CEO of BILD Calgary Region.

Usually, breaking records is a good thing but when it comes to deaths due to drug-poisoning, 2023 was a record year in Alberta. What needs to be done to make real progress to address this tragic issue? We get the thoughts of Dr. Monty Ghosh, Assistant Professor and Doctor of Internal Medicine & Addiction at the University of Alberta.

If we are going to take any steps towards addressing drug-poisonings and overdoses in our own backyard, the first step has to be addressing some of the underlying issues like mental health. We tackle the topic with Social Worker and Mental Health Advocate, Karen Gallagher-Burt.

Finally, Calgary’s population continues to grow and the latest data from Stats Canada shows our city’s population has grown by almost 100-thousand over the last year! How does this increase impact the city as a whole and what is the economic impact? We discuss with Ruhee Ismail-Teja, Vice President of Policy and External Affairs at the Calgary Chamber.

The autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis can sap away your energy, impact your ability to live a full and active life and even your ability to communicate. Canada has one of the highest incident rates in the world - 1 in 400 Canadians will face a MS diagnosis, but treatment and the ability to manage the disease has come a long way in recent decades. Mornings with Sue and Any Producer, Reece Schafer, discusses the importance of supporting the MS Walk and the state of research/treatment.

We’re only 5 months into the year and according to the federal government, police have already recovered close to 12-hundred stolen vehicles. We are seeing a huge increase in auto theft in Canada and the federal government is now taking aim to address the root cause of the problem. We discuss the ambitious program with Sid Kingma, Director of Western Canada for the Equite Association.

Are you getting ready to lace up your sneakers this spring or summer? The annual Calgary marathon is coming up, and whether you are competing this year or interested in training for any upcoming marathon, we get some ‘tips’ on how to ensure you and your body are marathon ready from Dr. Adam Tenforde, Sports Medicine Physician at the Spaulding National Running Center.

With artificial intelligence threatening to change the way we work, is now the time to take a serious look at creating a ‘Universal Basic Income’ in Canada? We get the thoughts of Karl Widerquist, Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University-Qatar.