The Morning News with Gord Gillies & Sue Deyell

Going outside city hall to get advice on how to prioritize spending. That discussion begins our podcast today as we speak with Ward 5 counselor George Chahal. While he admits it's his job to make the tough funding decisions, he thinks getting an outside perspective might help make the best decisions.

Chief Darcy Dixon from the Bearspaw and Eden Valley First Nation joins us to talk about a new solar project in Kananaskis country. How he hopes there could be many benefits for his people beyond saving money and going green.

Alberta Health has approved funding a new treatment for people living with HIV. Dr. Stephen Shafran says the BIKTARVY pill is one of the most promising treatments for the disease, which remains a concern here in Alberta. 

We also talk to Dr. Artur Luczak who is conducting research on what causes seizures for people with epilepsy. Could a memory actually be one of the triggers?

Finally, legendary singer Ian Tyson will join his former partner Sylvia with a special honour. We'll get his reaction as both will be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame during the Canadian Country Music Awards in Calgary.

What will it take to stop people from driving impaired? That's the question we begin our podcast with in a conversation with Alberta Transport Minister Ric McIver. His support for a MADD inspired roadside memorial is one step, we ask about tougher sentences.

Several topics came up with our regular "week in review" with Global's Jackson Proskow in Washington, DC.  How the US is helping get two Canadians released from China, the latest tariff wars and President Trump's musing about buying Greenland.

Pride week is underway in Calgary and supporters are asked to get involved as a volunteer this year. We'll hear why that's critically important to the LGBTQ+ community.

Director Benjamin Ross Hayden tells us about his latest Indigenous sci-fi movie "The First Encounter" and Brett Megarry joins us from the Couch Potatoes to look at new movies this weekend.

We begin with Global News correspondent Jeff Semple in Hong Kong as democracy rallies continue. Jeff is in the middle of the latest gathering which he says is spear headed by some very polite high school students.

E-scooters have been a runaway hit in Calgary so far and that's ended up creating some problems. Doug Vaessen joins us to talk about whether helmets should be mandatory and the speeds be reduced as thousands of Calgarian's take them for a spin.

An ongoing clinical study in Calgary looks at why some young people recover faster than others when they've suffered a concussion. Dr. Michael Esser explains the technology they're using to get some results and what how he hopes it can improve treatment of concussions.

Can you train your mind when it comes to memories? Maybe. We learn about the difference between first person and third person memories and which one paints a clearer picture. 

Financial guru Dave Popowich joins us to talk about the 10th anniversary of the Tax Free Savings Account. Why you need to have TFSA's as part of your retirement plan.

Millarville is the place to be this weekend to see women compete in Break away roping at the Okotoks Rodeo. Rodeo star Lakota Bird explains what people will see.

Finally, technology writer Erin Lawrence joins us with some ideas on the best back-to-school tech items for the students in your family.

We begin with our monthly conversation with Calgary's chief of police. Mark Neufeld shares his views on drug consumption sites, how to treat addictions, gun violence and the CPS body worn camera's.

A recent opinion piece suggested it might make more sense for Calgary to dump the Green Line LRT and implement bus rapid transit lanes instead. Why Ward 3 Councillor Jyoti Gondek thinks that's a step backwards.

You'll be shaking your head over this story -- a former high ranking official in Saddam Hussein's brutal regime wants to come to Canada to take advantage of expensive medical treatments. Global Online Reporter Brian Hill explains how it might just happen.

Movies directed by women will be a big focus of the 2019 Calgary International Film Festival. We'll hear from artistic director Brian Owens.

Finally, on World Entrepreneur Day we learn the secrets of success of the Arepa Boss Food Truck and how co-founder Xavier Robasso has taken his love of Venezuelan food and found a way to share it with thousands of hungry Calgarians.

We begin with the latest Ipsos election poll. Has the ethics trouble for Prime Minister Trudeau hurt his party? Global's David Akin crunches the numbers.

Many concerns have been raised from our investigative series on safety in the oilpatch. Reporter Elizabeth McSheffry highlights a potentially deadly incident involving CNRL that seems to have been swept under the rug.

In the past three years, 775 Albertans have chosen to end their lives with medical assistance. That's the theme of our Alberta Matters segment this week as we investigate what's worked so far and some of the ongoing problems.

We've got a conversation with Mark Asberg, the new CEO of Calgary Public Library. His thoughts on the future and what the worldwide acclaim means for the city for the new Central Library.

Finally, a couple of interview for your space buffs. Tim Keskic thinks Calgary should try and get an Apollo booster rocket being offered for free by NASA and Dr. Phil Langill says this is the week to check out the Milky way at the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory.

Why is it so hard for politicians to apologize? That's the question we ask Mercedes  Stephenson to start the show today and it's aimed at Prime Minister Trudeau. As many Canadians demand he says he's sorry over ethics violations with SNC Lavalin story, he's not ready to go there.

If you have plans for some home improvement projects over the summer you might want to check in with the city first. Jennifer Crack says it's the best way to save time and money when it comes to permits, but some believe it's just a money grab. We'll ask her.

Online journalist Laura Hensley joins us to wrap up her series on how big drug companies try and influence sales of their products.

Stacey Collyer wants more adults reading to children. She outlines a great program coming up this week with Calgary Reads.

Following the ethics commissioner's finding that Justin Trudeau's handling of the SNC-Lavalin affair was unethical, we wanted to find out if that would affect his image as Canada's self-proclaimed feminist prime minister. We got an interesting perspective from Dr Nicole Wyatt, associate professor and head of the philosophy department at the University of Calgary.

A farm to table event in Calgary gave us the chance to find out more about Canada's role as a world leader in sustainable beef production from CL Ranches' Cherie Copithorne-Barnes, who joined the show along with prominent chef Judy Wood of Meez Cuisine. 

Protests continue in Hong Kong, as the people demand government reform. We talked with former Alberta resident Dennis Wong, who along with thousands of protesters, say they will continue to pressure the government until it restores democracy to their country.

And, with mounting evidence that obesity affects the brain, we check in with food addiction expert Sandra Elia who's touring the country talking about how science is helping to change how obesity is treated.

Following the bombshell announcement from the ethics commissioner, we check in with Global Ottawa bureau chief Mercedes Stephenson, to get her take on the announcement and the reaction and fallout from it.

We talk with Andrea Anderson a financial advisor with GetProof.com about a new poll showing that Albertans are the most likely to want to change careers, but are not financially prepared to do so.

New stats show Alberta saw the biggest increase in insurance premiums across Canada over the past year at 16%. We talk with Justin Thouin of LowestRates.ca to find out the reasons behind the increases, and how Calgarians can get better rates.

And in our daily business discussion with Faisal Karmali, of Popowich Karmali Advisory Group, CIBC Wood Gundy, he talked about the potential for a recession, and what we can do to protect ourselves.

The Clayton is a 30-unit residence in Bowness being hailed as the next step towards ending homelessness in Calgary. We talk with Alpha House Society executive director Kathy Christiansen and Philip Burke, who spent 25 years of his life on the street and is now advocating for this new venture. 

We check in with Union representative for IATSE Local 212, Craig Coolahan, to find out about a new report examining the implications of cannabis in the workplace. 

Bear Street in Banff is getting a facelift. Using the Dutch principle of "Woonerf", or shared street, one of Banff's busiest will now give pedestrians, cyclists and cars equal standing. 

And, it's the holy holiday of Eid for Muslims in Calgary and around the world. Dr Adnan Mansoor, director for The Muslim Council of Calgary, explains how they celebrate and how others can learn more about the Muslim religion.

Today we called on Mount Royal University Political Science Professor Duane Bratt's expertise, after a new Alberta separation group proposed the idea of 'Wexit', saying its time for the province to take control and leave the country.

It's Monday, so we check in with Mercedes Stephenson, Ottawa Bureau Chief for Global News, after her exclusive West Block interview on immigration.

We also talk with Dr. David Barton, professor in the Department of Plants, Food and Environmental Sciences at Dalhousie University. He explains carbon farming, who's doing it, how it works the benefits from it.

And, why are we so fascinated by killers, and why they do what they do? To get the answers, we talk with Ritesh Narayan, criminologist and lecturer at Mount Royal University.