Epidemiologist Colin Furness, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto, joins the podcast to talk about Ontario's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and calls out a lack of leadership.

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Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

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A cardiac surgeon and the new president of the Ontario Medical Association, Dr. Samantha Hill joins the QP Briefing Podcast this week to talk about issues facing doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic, including clinic finances, burnout, and child care.

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Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

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Steven Del Duca joins the podcast to discuss how he believes Ontario needs to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was officially declared just four days after he become the Ontario Liberal Party leader.

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Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

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MPP Teresa Armstrong, the NDP critic for home and long-term care, joins the QP Briefing Podcast to speak about the tragedy unfolding in Ontario long-term care homes.

(Please note, that shortly after this podcast was recording the provincial government announced a wage top-up plan for some essential workers, including those in long-term care homes. The NDP has called for this to be made retroactive to the beginning of Ontario's state of emergency.)

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Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

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Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner joined the QP Briefing podcast via Zoom this week to talk about how opposition politicians like him are working with the Doug Ford government during the COVID-19, and holding it to account. Plus, he talks about how the pandemic might change the way we see government in the future.

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Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

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MPP and practicing registered nurse Natalia Kusendova joins the QP Briefing podcast this week to discuss her dual role in the COVID-19 pandemic. She talks about what it's like in the emergency room where she works, the toll the crisis is taking on the family lives of frontline health-care workers, and the day Premier Doug Ford personally dropped off a box of masks for her and her nursing colleagues.

NDP MPP Marit Stiles joins the QP Briefing podcast this week to talk about all things education including the government's recent decision to close Ontario schools until April 6 to limit the spread of COVID-19. We also discuss negotiations between teachers' unions and the province, with Stiles weighing in on the tentative deal that was reached on March 12 with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association.

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Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

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This week's QP Briefing podcast was recorded on the floor of the Ontario Liberal Leadership Convention. We heard from three former Liberal cabinet ministers — Brad Duguid, Deb Matthews and John Milloy — on how it all went down and where the party needs to go from here. Plus, listen to new Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca in his own words, including the best jokes from his convention speech.

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Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

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David Lepofsky, chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance, joins the QP Briefing podcast this week to discuss accessibility issues in the province. Lepofsky, who is also a visiting professor at York University's Osgoode Hall Law School, says Ontario is "absolutely not" on track to meet its goal of becoming fully accessible by 2025. He talks about how the accessibility landscape has changed throughout the decades, progress that has been made and barriers that people with disabilities still face.

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Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

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NDP MPP Jennifer French joins the QP Briefing podcast this week to talk about the province's new licence plates — and she doesn't give them a glowing review. Come for the puns, stay for her reflections on this pressing public policy issue.

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Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod

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