Guest: Eris Nyx, cofounder of the Drug User Liberation Front

Death from drugs has become an epidemic in Vancouver, so the Drug User Liberation Front is a group that has decided to buy, test, package and then sell drugs to people who are at high risk of fatal overdoses. While it’s currently being run under the auspices of a health research project, it is illegal, but something that they feel is necessary to try and help at-risk people in the community.

This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Sean Pattendon and Raju Mudhar.

Guests: Dreddz, a community worker and an advocate for homeless issues who is currently in the shelter system; A.J. Withers, who is the Ruth Wynn Woodward Junior Chair in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies at Simon Fraser University

Toronto’s homeless shelter system is at capacity, and hundreds of people seeking shelter every night cannot be accommodated. It’s a desperate situation as the number of people seeking help is growing every month and it’s likely only going to worse as the weathers turns, but also because the city is closing a number of temporary shelters it opened during the pandemic, some in hotels, which advocates say is going to cause even more upheaval for unhoused people.

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

Guest: Robert Benzie, Queen's Park bureau chief

The Ontario government unveiled its massive new housing plan this week, with sweeping changes and housing targets for municipalities across the province, all to get to the goal of building 1.5 million homes in the next decade. Critics are already concerned about density, availability of tradespeople to build the homes, impacts on affordability and the environmental considerations, but also, without penalties for not hitting targets, how is the government going to actually make this happen?

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

Audio source: CPAC

Guest: Patricia Jaggernauth, former CP24 broadcaster

Former CP24 broadcaster and Toronto television personality Patricia Jaggernauth has spoken out about an allegedly systemic pattern of racism, sexism and discrimination and filed a human rights complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC). Her announcement comes as the CP24 parent company, Bell Media, has been in the news over the treatment of employees at sister network CTV News. “This Matters” reached out to Bell Media for a response regarding Jaggernauth’s human rights claim and a Bell Media spokesperson emailed us the following statement:

“We do not comment on matters involving current or former staff members, but can confirm that Bell Media takes allegations of any potential discrimination or workplace misconduct very seriously, and are committed to a safe, inclusive, and respectful work environment where employees can thrive. If a matter is brought to our attention where an employee did not feel adequately supported, a process is triggered to review and address when required.”

Patricia Jaggernauth is on today’s “This Matters” episode to share her story.

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

Guest: Jim Stanford, director at the Centre for Future Work

The Competition Bureau is investigating if the Canadian grocery industry is contributing to skyrocketing food prices. Coming on the heels of the news that Loblaws and Metro are freezing prices on their in-house brands as part of a goodwill gesture to consumers, there are reports pointing to corporate profiteering leading to higher prices. This is colloquially referred to as “greedflation,” and if it’s happening, the bigger question is what, if anything, can be done about it? Jim Stanford, director at the Centre for Future Work and contributing columnist at the Star, joins “This Matters.”

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

Audio sources: CPAC and CBC

Guest: David Rider, City Hall Bureau Chief

After a long election campaign, it comes as no surprise to many that John Tory won a third term as mayor of Toronto. What is surprising is the new makeup of council, with many progressive, diverse candidates winning seats. Some won in surprising wards, while a number of other familiar faces easily took their seats as voter turnout was around 29 per cent. The new look at city hall is something that everyone is going to have to get used to, as there are looming problems ahead for the city including a billion-dollar budget hole.

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

Audio source: CP24

Guest: Alex Boutilier, Global News national reporter

The inquiry into the federal government’s unprecedented use of the Emergencies Act during the so-called “Freedom Convoy” protests has almost reached its third week. Testimony from civilians, government and security stakeholders have shed new light and heightened tensions after revelations about the response of Ottawa police in handling the crisis. Alex Boutilier, national reporter at Global News, joins “This Matters” to share what we know so far.

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

Guest: Alyshah Hasham, crime and court reporter

Jacob Hoggard, the former lead singer of the band Hedley, has been sentenced to five years in prison for sexual assault. The Canadian rock star was sentenced by a Superior Court justice on Thursday, after a jury found him guilty following a trial that began last May. The case has opened up an important conversation around consent and how it is perceived by the justice system and our society. The sentencing of Hoggard may have larger implications in a country where only one in 15 reported cases of sexual assault end with a conviction.

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

Guest: DT Cochrane, economist with Canadians for Tax Fairness

Canada’s largest corporations avoided paying $30 billion in taxes last year, according to a new report from the non-profit organization Canadians for Tax Fairness. Compared to previous years this was due to record profits and a very low tax rate, and lower than the one stipulated in the tax code. How did this happen? While it all appears to be legal, is it fair? We talk and explain the tax gap and how more information about these practices could benefit all Canadians.

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

Guest: Jonathan Franks, crisis management consultant and president of Lucid Strategies

Hostage diplomacy is on the rise and some experts believe that more civilians are in the crosshairs of governments using this tactic for their own purposes. Canadians are familiar with the case of “The Two Michaels,” who were imprisoned in China and only freed after Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was released from Canadian custody. Many are now watching the case of WNBA star Brittney Griner and Canadian-born Paul Whelan as they are being held in Russia. While there are rumours of a deal that may be able to free them, there are no easy paths or outcomes when human lives are being used as pawns in international diplomacy.

This episode was produced by Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar