The first week of the 2022 Ontario election campaign is in the books! QP Briefing editor-in-chief Jessica Smith Cross convened a political panel to break it down, with some astute music critiques at the end.

The wonderful panel includes outgoing NDP MPP Suze Morrison, McMillan Vantage's Ashley Csanady, and Navigator's Brayden Akers.

Email [email protected] with any questions, concerns or praise.

Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

From the Free Music Archive

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Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy dropped the 2022 budget on Thursday, which will serve as the Progressive Conservative's election platform. Mike Moffat, senior director of the Smart Prosperity Institute, and Karl Baldauf, vice president of McMillan Vantage policy group and Bethlenfalvy's former chief of staff, joined the pod to run us through the politics and policy of it all.

Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner joins us to talk about the party's prospects and strategy in the upcoming election. Deputy Leader Dianne Saxe comes on in the second half to detail why she joined partisan politics after being fired as Ontario's environment commissioner and how she's adjusting to the new role.

University of Toronto Prof. Matti Siemiatycki is an expert on all things Ontario transit. He joins the podcast today to run through what Ontario needs to get around and where Doug Ford's new transportation plan is taking the province ahead of the June election.

Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

From the Free Music Archive

Adil Shamji is the Ontario Liberals' 2022 candidate in Don Valley East. He is an emergency physician at Michael Garron Hospital and the medical director of ten Toronto homeless shelters.

John Fraser is the party's health critic and former interim leader.

They join reporter Jack Hauen to talk about some of the most pressing health issues facing the province — including staff retention, capacity, long-term care and the overdose crisis — and what how the Liberals would tackle them.

Geordie Dent is the executive director of the Federation of Metro Tenants' Associations (FMTA). He helps renters navigate issues with their landlords, the province and more.

He joins the QP Briefing podcast to discuss rental issues during the most intense wave of COVID-19 yet, and what he believes the provincial government should be doing to help.

Email [email protected] with any questions, concerns or praise.

Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

From the Free Music Archive

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Dr. Peter Jüni, scientific director of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, joins the QP Briefing podcast to discuss the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic, including the surge in cases in Ontario and the presence of the Omicron variant.

He explains what is known so far about the new variant and why "it's completely changing the game."

Email [email protected] with any questions, concerns or praise.

Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

From the Free Music Archive

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Ontario Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development Monte McNaughton joins the QP Briefing podcast to discuss his government's proposed labour reforms, including a plan to increase the minimum wage to $15.

He also addresses criticism related to some of the changes and responds to a question about whether these announcements have anything to do with the upcoming provincial election.

Email [email protected] with any questions, concerns or praise.

Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

From the Free Music Archive

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Photo: Office of Minister Monte McNaughton

The Narwhal’s Emma McIntosh and Fatima Syed join the QP Briefing podcast to discuss their new roles as reporters with the publication's recently announced environmental journalism bureau in Ontario.

The team also weighs in on environmental issues in Ontario and beyond, including COP26 — the upcoming United Nations climate change conference.

Email [email protected] with any questions, concerns or praise.

Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

From the Free Music Archive

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Photo: Christopher Katsarov Luna, The Narwhal

Freelance journalist Luc Rinaldi joins the QP Briefing podcast to talk about his feature published in Toronto Life called "The anti-vax crusaders." The story delves into the southern Ontario town of Aylmer where a pastor has garnered a large following of anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theorists and libertarians.

Email [email protected] with any questions, concerns or praise.

Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

From the Free Music Archive

CC BY