Guest: Christine Dobby, business reporter at the Star, joins us to talk Rogers fallout and the new requirement for telecom companies to help each other during outages.

The Rogers network outage affected Canadians, businesses and services across the country, and now the federal government wants to make sure it never happens again, mandating that the country’s telecommunications companies come up with formal agreements to help each other — and consumers — when one is experiencing a serious network disruption. Of course, how all that will work remains to be seen as does whether it will actually make a difference next time?

This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Sean Pattendon and Raju Mudhar.

Audio sources used in this episode: CBC, Global News

Guest: Edward Keenan, Washington Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star

Last month, as Ketanji Brown Jackson made history as the first Black woman to be sworn in as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, the moment was almost overshadowed by a series of decisions by America’s top court that will change the very shape of the future. One after the other, the Supreme Court struck down abortion rights, rolled back gun restrictions in New York and severely curtailed the powers of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate carbon emissions and counter global warming. Ed Keenan talks about the current shape of a Supreme Court that seems to be moving the United States staunchly to the right.

Audio Sources: NPR, NBC, Bloomberg, CBS News, Washington Post, Fox News

This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn

Guest: Jacques Gallant, politics reporter

As Bill C-5 moves through the legislative process, Canadians who have been convicted of simple possession of drugs could see their records disappear in the next few years. Although it won’t be an amnesty, the government is using a system called sequestration that would effectively hide the records. It’s another sign of the changing way authorities are dealing with illegal drugs and how people are punished for having them.

This episode was produced by Sean Pattendon and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Armine Yalnizyan, Economist & Atkinson Fellow

Throughout the pandemic, nurses worked long hours with fewer resources and made major sacrifices to keep us safe. For some, perks that made the job appealing like stable income and a pension are wearing off as other issues remain unaddressed. This includes Ontario’s Bill 124, wage cap legislation as the cost of living and inflation continues to rise. As burnt out and exhausted nurses are leaving the profession in large numbers, a growing number of nurses have found an alternative where they can set their own hours and choose the jobs they want, all while earning more money. It’s called agency nursing and it’s skyrocketing across the country. Canadian economist Armine Yalnizyan talks about this new trend and what it could mean for the future of health care.

This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn

Guests: Dr. Grace Parraga, Tier 1 Canada research chair in lung imaging at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, and Dr. Michael Nicholson, a respirologist with the post-acute COVID-19 program at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, Ont.

An estimated one in ten COVID survivors suffer from long COVID. The cause of the condition has puzzled doctors and long COVID sufferers are frustrated by the lack of knowledge and support. With an estimated 200 symptoms associated with long COVID, it’s hard to diagnose and treat. Now, an Ontario research team has made a discovery that could be key in helping to diagnose it and potentially find treatments.

This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Rosa Saba, business reporter at the Star

The Bay is spending millions on reinventing itself to appeal to Canadians. With a history that predates Canada, the company has a long tradition that in some ways hampers it, as young people think of it as their grandparents’ store. The company is updating its product offerings in-store and its automation for its online operations, which has plans to offer same-day delivery across much of Canada. Are they making the right moves? Or is it too little, too late?

This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Matthew Hearn and Raju Mudhar.

Guest: Dr. Andrew Boozary, physician and executive director of UHN’s Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine

A pilot project called Food Rx, run in collaboration with the University Health Network (UHN) and the non-profit FoodShare, is aiming to tackle growing food insecurity in Toronto with a “doctor’s prescription” for regular home delivery of fresh fruit and vegetables. Nearly one in five Toronto households have inadequate or insecure access to food due to lack of money, and it has become a serious public health issue. According to the latest Who’s Hungry report by the Daily Bread and North York Harvest Food banks, visits to food banks skyrocketed by 47 per cent last year. Pilot programs like Food Rx are much needed but what does it say about a system where health care workers are providing prescriptions for food and will it work as food inflation continues to rise?

This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn

Guest: Alex Ballingall, politics reporter for The Star

As Ottawa prepares for a larger and less COVID dampened Canada Day, protesters are making their way to the city to protest vaccine mandates, health restrictions and other freedoms they feel have been curtailed. Thinking back to some organizers who were involved with this past winter’s “Freedom Convoy,” which occupied the city for weeks, some of the city’s residents are worried about this being a sequel. The organizers are promising peaceful demonstrations but also more demonstrations over the summer. Will Ottawa’s police ensure a repeat won’t happen?

Guests: Trevor Manson, co-chair ODSP Action Coalition, and Anne Jensen, mental health and disability advocate

Ontario’s Disability Support Program (ODSP), which provides income and employment support to people with disabilities, has been criticized by advocates for being out of touch with economic realities. The most a single person can receive through ODSP is $1,169 per month, or $14,028 annually. That’s about 30 per cent below the province’s poverty line of roughly $20,000. The Ford government has promised a modest ODSP boost of 5 percent, but is it anywhere near to the skyrocketing cost of living in this province? We ask two people on ODSP what it’s like to get by on so little.

This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green and Matthew Hearn

Guest: Jacob Lorinc, Business Reporter at The Star.

The message early in the pandemic was simple from many employers: Get vaccinated. Now, as vaccine mandates are being lifted, some employees who were suspended or laid off for choosing not to get vaccinated are fighting back, often through their unions or civil lawsuits. The other issue is the vast majority of employees are vaccinated, many of whom are in favour of some type of rules in the office, so that they feel safer about heading back. Some employers are experimenting with radical solutions, but what is the fair and equitable way forward for all?

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