The Shurman Report

Lisa MacLeod, MPP for Nepean and former Cabinet Minister in several portfolios provincially. She’s seen a lot politically, been through a lot both personally and professionally. And she’s a friend. Lisa talks about her involvement in the issue of Jew Hatred owing to her close connections with the many Jewish people in her constituency. She arrived a few minutes late and, as a result, wound up in a great 3-way conversation with Andy Stinton, the small businessman. We got into media and where people of various ages and backgrounds get their news.

Andy was our first “return guest”…he’s a crusty commentator with radio roots in the UK. We usually kick around a variety of topics. But Andy, who comes from Oakville to the west of Toronto, joined in to explore what the fallout has been for Jews more centrally located in the wake of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Andy will join us again and we'll make light of a few things as usual...but given how our 3-way went, we just may do some of that too.

View and enjoy!

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Today's program is a series of Peter's view, no guests. First, a question: is Kamala Harris a Manchurian Candidate. In other words, a person with little of her own to offer...so, a puppet of some shadowy group of Democrats who circumvented normal nominating procedure to put her up for President.

Next, what's really wrong with the Middle East? It sands ready to be a 'get-along' neighborhood if not for Iran, a country with lovely people; former trong alliances including with Israel. But today, the shots are called by the religious zealots known as Mullahs;

A word about alcohol in Ontario's convenience stores and why it had to take so long.

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A varied show as we end a week in which radio was celebrated. Peter welcomes Montreal radio legend Dean Hagopian to talk about the good old days of playing the hits on AM radio and getting a huge audience. For everyone but especially for Montrealers.

Then Peter switches to commentary mode. We avoided a railway strike. Should the Federal Labour Minister nip the Air Canada pilots’ strike in the bud too? Fred Hahn of CUPE says he won’t resign…what happened to honor? And finally, the Democratic National Convention ended yesterday with 75 days until the election and a certified ticket of Kamala Harris for President and her VP running mate, Tim Walz.

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Lee Abrams was the top shelf consultant to companies in the radio business during the rise of album rock FM stations. He expanded his consultancy to all kinds of broadcasting endeavors and has been both the responder to and creator of change in the media landscape. Media can be defined by a timeline that looks at what was consumed by the masses before and since the internet. Things have changed radically and will continue to…Peter talks with Lee Abrams about having to cross barriers that were not of his own creation.

Peter also editorializes on the plight of CUPE’s Fred Hahn, a highly placed executive of that organization in Ontario. Peter and Fred crossed paths often back in Peter’s political period. Now, CUPE wants Fred’s resignation for behavior that his union considers anti-semitic. 

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Peter’s guest on this show is an infectious disease expert, Dr. Neil Rau. We spoke to him a lot during the COVID-19 period and now he’ll enlighten us on the truth and fiction an MPOX. The World Health Organization declared MPOX a World Health Emergency a few days ago. Does that mean we here in North America need to take precautions. We’ll leave that to Dr. Rau.

And what’s inflation? Well, succinctly, it’s what you do when you increase or inflate the money supply. That makes money worth less so everyone needs more because the lower value means merchants must raise prices. When the inflation rate falls, it doesn’t mean things cost less or that inflation is gone so no credit to government. But Trudeau’s trying to take some. But he caused it. Peter tells you why.

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Two guests with particular objectives today. One has Toronto political aspirations and the other has been involved with Montreal, broader Quebec, and the large number of Anglophones or English speakers that live there. Both are interesting stories, both stories that are unique to Canada. Anthony Furey, a centre-right journalist jumped into last year’s mayoralty race. He moved quickly up the ranks but not enough to catch Olivia Chow who won the race to serve out the 3 years remaining in John Tory’s term. Now Anthony Furey is contesting a vacant Council seat and (I’d bet) the next mayoralty race in 2 years. 

Stephen Thompson is a Quebecer who spent 15 years as Director of Policy & Research for the Quebec Community Groups Network, an organization that advocates on behalf of the English-speaking Community of Quebec. Despite all efforts by Stephen and those who came before him, English speakers remain a target of the Quebec Government despite Canadian Charter rights.

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Rick Ekstein is a Director of CIJA (Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs) and has been leading delegations of politicians and non-Jewish leaders to Israel regularly since the Gaza War back in 2014. Since October 7th, Rick has visited Israel three times, meeting regularly with political leaders, including the President of Israel, senior military leaders, and senior members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with whom Rick works closely. He often writes about what he’s learned and expresses his thoughts on the future

The Canada Border Security Agency is preparing to roll out “Report In”, a facial recognition and GPS based smartphone app meant to monitor people awaiting deportation from Canada – will it work? And some opinions on Kamala Harris and the American election.

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Peter is joined by two experts in widely divergent fields today...first, former Canadian Finance Minister Joe Oliver who recently wrote about four endgames in progress right now, all of which can and will change the world. The American electon is one; the impending doom of the Trudeau Liberals is another. Add climate change and the Middle East and, wow, we don't need an ancient saying of Confucius to live in interesting times. Right here in Canada, we are watching the slow and steady collapse of radio broadcasting. A heritage station, CHML, shut down yesterday after 97 years on the air and that's far from the first. Well known lifelong radio host John Donabie joins Peter to discuss.

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Catherine Swift visits today to discuss manufacturing in Canada. She is the President of Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses Canada and formerly headed up the CFIB…Canadian Federation for Independent Business. If anyone knows how we’re doing collectively out there in 2024 Canada, it’s Catherine Swift.

Peter presents a rant on what he believes is a ridiculous situation in Quebec where the ever-changing language laws scare English people away, always have. He wants to know if French Quebec understands that it’s an island in an ocean. He also asks why English people there feel mistreated as second class systems…perhaps because they are? When is MAID okay…the story of a 44 year-old man who wants MAID because he can’t live with Long COVID. And finally, does your smallpox vaccination protect you from Monkey Pox or MPOX?

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Toronto-based lawyer and political observer Stephen Ledrew joins Peter to talk about the never-ending political change as Canada edges closer to a general election. In one day we saw poll results showing Marc Carney as a more acceptable leader by Liberals than Justin Trudeau AND a new federal party forming up called the Canadian Future Party. The interim leader says it’s neither left nor right! Peter also discusses the Canadian economy with Carleton Business Professor Ian Lee…what caused the inflation that’s hurting us and what will cure it. 

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