The Rundown

Many factors contributed to the collapse first of the Silicon Valley Bank, and then others up to and including Credit Suisse. But what most people here want to know is: will it affect Canada's banking system? For insight, we ask Laurence Booth, the CIT Chair in Structured Finance at The University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the great debates happening in Ontario these days is whether there's enough available land on which to build new homes to accommodate a growing population. Or do further tracts of the Greenbelt need to open to make that happen? We'll debate the issue with Jane Fogal, local and regional councillor for Halton Region; Rob Horne, former planning commissioner for the Region of Waterloo; and Chris Spoke, founder and CEO of the digital product studio August, and a Toronto-based real estate developer.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The thing about families is that at one point or another, we've all both hated and loved those we're related to. But rarely has it been described as Kelly S. Thompson does in her new memoir, "Still, I Cannot Save You." It's about her relationship with her sister, the expectations we have for our siblings and how our wrongs don't need to define us.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

it's been two decades since Ontario's Consumer Protections Act was updated. The province is doing that work right now, For insight on what should be included, we welcome: lawyer Dennis Crawford, who founded Ontario HVAC Scam.com; and Daniel Tsai, lecturer on technology and business at the University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University, and editor of Consumer Rights.ca

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the better part of 15 years, the Ring of Fire, the biggest mining prize in a generation, or more, has confounded those who would develop it. One of the key issues is how to get to and from the remote area. But the province may have presented a solution with a recently announced agreement on the terms of reference for a First Nations-led plan for a permanent road to the Ring of Fire. To help us understand the significance of this deal, we welcome: geoscientist Kristan Straub, CEO of Ring of Fire Metals, a Canadian mining subsidiary of Australia's Wyloo Metals, and a member of Henvey Inlet First Nation; Virginia Heffernan, principal of GeoPen Communications, and author of, "Ring of Fire: High Stakes Mining in a Lowlands Wilderness;" and Stan Sudol, communications consultant and mining strategist who runs the website, The Republic of Mining.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 227,000 Cubans fled Cuba last year and this number continues to rise. In fact, Cuba is experiencing its largest exodus of people in a 12-month period since Fidel Castro's revolution of the 1950s. What's causing this mass exodus? And can conditions change for this island country of 11 million people? Guests: Sebastian Arcos, associate director, Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University; and Karen Dubinsky, professor, Global Development Studies and History at Queen's University.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pakistan is grappling with an economic and political crisis. Economically, the country is dealing with double-digit inflation and struggling to repay its multi-billion-dollar foreign debt. On the political front, former PM Imran Khan is being charged with corruption, while his supporters protest and clash with police. How did Pakistan get to this point, and how can the country overcome this crisis? Guests: Amber Shamsi, director, the Centre for Excellence in Journalism at the IBA University, Karachi; Mariam Mufti, political scientist, University of Waterloo; and Sadia Malik, economist, York University.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bank of Canada has a large role in keeping the cost of living within affordable ranges for Canadians. But how does it achieve this? Ontario Hubs affordabily journalist Kat Eschner recently travelled to the Ottawa headquarters to find out.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Volkswagen announced it will build its first ever overseas battery "gigafactory" in St. Thomas, Ontario. The German automaker now joins five other major auto manufacturers creating a foothold in this province. This is after federal and provincial ministers crisscrossed the globe, enticing them to make their electric cars in Canada. Deals potentially worth billions of dollars and thousands of jobs are being inked, with Ontario minerals possibly acting as the raw materials. What could this investment mean for the province, and the Ford government's wider plans for electric vehicle production?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Agenda's week in review begins with a look at why labour trafficking is increasing in Canada. Then, what's the plan for York Region's wastewater? Is Ontario as democratic as it could be? How do people engage in personal acts of corruption such as tax evasion? And, how libraries are a vital part of social infrastructure.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.