Guest: David Rider is the Star's City Hall Bureau chief.

An hour after the Star’s City Hall reporters David Rider, Ben Spurr and Alyshah Hasham reported Toronto Mayor John Tory had a consensual affair with a 31-year-old staffer, the mayor confirmed the inappropriate relationship and announced his resignation. The news came as a shock for a politician who sailed to victory months ago, and comes at a crucial time for the city as it needs to pass a budget and now call a byelection to replace him. We talk with the Star’s bureau chief about how this story came together and what happens next.

This episode was produced by Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar.

Audio sources: CTV News

Guest: Ben Spurr, City Hall reporter

CaféTO is a city program created during the pandemic to help restaurants generate business by allowing them to build patios around their establishments on sidewalks and road lanes. While it energized the city’s street culture, it also caused more traffic and congestion. As city hall created new rules and fees for it to become a permanent fixture, restaurateurs balked at what they considered extravagant costs to keep it going. It came to a head at this past week’s council meeting where the program and its future was debated.

This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar.

Audio Sources: City News

Guest: Tonda MacCharles and Robert Benzie

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed a $46.2 billion, 10-year deal in health funding this week, writing a prescription to help deal with a health care crisis. Calling it a “major federal investment,” the plan includes an immediate injection to tackle the crisis in pediatric hospitals and emergency rooms, ongoing wait times for surgeries and other key health issues. Tonda MacCharles, senior reporter in the Star’s Ottawa bureau, and Robert Benzie, Queen’s Park bureau chief, take us behind the scenes and into what broke Canada’s political stalemate on health-care funding and give insight into when much needed dollars will flow from Ottawa at last.

This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Brian Bradley and Paolo Marques.

Guest: Estair Van Wagner of Osgoode Hall Law School

A recent court ruling in Waterloo concluded the city could not evict people from an encampment if there was not adequate shelter space available in the system because it was a violation of their human rights. This could have ramifications over how other municipalities deal with unhoused people but, like with most legal decisions, it is complicated. Estair Van Wagner, a professor at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School and advocate for the rights of the unhoused, takes us through the ruling and how it might change how the City of Toronto may deal with unhoused people.

This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar.

Guests: Raisa Patel and Asmaa Malik

It was Jan. 26 when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Amira Elghawaby, a visibly Muslim woman, as point-person on Islamophobia and just days later, Elghawaby found herself at the centre of a media storm with government officials calling for her resignation. Why? A 2019 opinion piece Elghawaby co-wrote about Quebec’s controversial Bill 21 resurfaced, in which she quoted from a poll that said support for the bill was linked to anti-Muslim sentiment. New reaction saw a dizzying wave of criticism from Quebec and members of the federal government that gave her the job, raising serious questions about Islamophobia in this country. Toronto Star Raisa Patel and Asmaa Malik, an associate professor of journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University, join “This Matters” to discuss.

This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Paolo Marques.

Audio sources: CPAC and Global News

Today, we're bringing you the first episode of season 2 of It's Political with Althia Raj. She welcomes the Star's Susan Delacourt, in conversation with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

This week on “It’s Political,” we bring you Toronto Star’s columnist Susan Delacourt’s interview with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The two sat down together on Jan. 17 in Windsor, Ont., for a candid conversation on his future and the future of his government. In this episode: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Toronto Star columnist Susan Delacourt. Hosted by Althia Raj.   “It’s Political” is produced by Althia Raj and Michal Stein. Kevin Sexton mixed the program. Our theme music is by Isaac Joel.

Guest: Jessica Mudry, associate professor at Toronto Metropolitan University

When the change in recommended guidelines for alcohol use was served last month, the reaction was spirited. While once the guideline said 10 to 15 drinks per week was the recommended maximum, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) now says no amount of alcohol is good for your health and anything beyond two glasses a week increases your risk for alcohol-related consequences, from injury to cancer. The updated recommendations, funded by Health Canada and based on solid research, have not been well received and met with disbelief, displeasure and denial. Jessica Mudry, an associate professor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Professional Communication, joins “This Matters” to talk about how the guidelines are being received and how they could have been better communicated.

This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Brian Bradley and Paolo Marques.

Audio Sources: CHCH News

Guest: Victoria Gibson, affordable housing reporter

While hospitals are still struggling with staff shortages and overflowing ERs, some have also been pushed to the front lines of Toronto’s homelessness crisis. As almost 5,000 homeless Torontonians came through St. Michael’s downtown trauma centre last year, some were there simply because they had no place to stay. It prompted hospital staff to launch an outreach program that connects patients to crucial supports beyond just immediate medical care. This includes providing a warm bed, clothes and even free legal advice to the city’s vulnerable. We take a look at the scope and span of this program.

This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Saba Eitizaz.

Audio Sources: City of Toronto

Guest: Dr. Sean B. Rourke, neuropsychologist at St. Michael’s Hospital

Smart vending machines have launched on Canada’s East coast. They’re the first of what will be 100 nationwide. But instead of dispensing chocolate or candy, these machines hold life-saving supplies like HIV tests, naloxone kits and unused needles. They’re called Our Healthbox and they’re designed to reach communities underserved by traditional health care. Today, we’re joined by Dr. Sean Rourke, a clinical neuropsychologist and scientist with MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital, who is leading the initiative. You can learn more about OurHealthbox and whether your community is eligible for a Healthbox here: https://www.ourhealthbox.ca/

Sources: CBC

This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Maurqes.

Guest: Katie Daubs, feature writer

Scarborough is the former city and Toronto borough that feels like it never gets any respect. Now as the federal government looks to update electoral districts based on population and density, slices of the Scarborough-Agincourt and Scarborough Centre ridings might be annexed into two North York ridings. These moves have left residents upset with many fighting the decision.

This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar.

Audio sources: @scarboroughspots on Instagram