Ontario Today Phone-Ins

This week, Speaker Greg Fergus kicked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre out of question period after a nasty exchange with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Ontario Today is joined by two guests: Alex Marland is a professor of politics at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia and Angus Reid Institute president Shachi Kurl.

Ontario Today invites Dr. Michael Mak onto the show to weigh in. Dr. Mak is a sleep medicine specialist and a staff psychiatrist with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Ontario Today invites former police officer, Kelly Donovan to the program. Donovan is an outspoken critics of how police services handle internal investigations. She's also a surivor of domestic abuse. We also hear from research, Kim French, an assistant professor of psychology at Colorado State University, who has been studying domestic violence among officers.

Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (ICBC) says inadequate training is making Canada's roads less safe. Ontario Today invites former long hauler and recent driving instructor Jacques Picotte onto the program to weigh in.

Canada is currently hosting the second-to-last negotiation on the road to a binding agreement on plastic pollution. To talk more about it plastic, Ontario Today invites Cal Lakhan onto the show. He's a York University research scientist who has been sudying waste diversion and recycling.

Ontario Today is joined by Mary Gellner of Ottawa whose aunt received medical assistance dying last year; and Dr. Viren Naik, a MAID assessor and provicer.

This month, a Toronto Superior Court judge blasted the federal government for taking too long to fill judicial vacancies. She blamed the judicial shortage for a human trafficking trial being dragged out so long that the case had to be thrown out of court. We ask listeners if they've experienced delays to the justice system themselves. Ontario Today invites Ottawa lawyer Nicholas Pope and Osgoode Hall Law School associate professor Palma Paciocco to join the conversation.

Ltn General Andrew Leslie is former Commander and Chief of Staff of the Canadian Army. He served as deputy commander of NATO troops in Afghanistan early in the mission.

Paul Zammit is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College. On this Earth Day, he shares what he thinks gardeners can be doing for the planet, and also takes your questions about plants both indoors and out in the yard.

Patrick De Haan is the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.com. He explains why gasoline prices have gone up dramatically at the pump -- and the reasons are not so cut and dry.

Ontario Today invites journalist Nickie Shobeiry onto the show to talk about her new documentary, 'Good Nose. It's a love letter to the Perisan nose.

The federal government plans to increase the capital gains tax for people, but only on those whose capital gains exceed $250,000. For their thoughts, Ontario Today invites Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives senior economist David Macdonald and Sahir Khan, executive vice president of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy.

The More Beds Better Care Act was designed to move patients into long term care more quickly, but is it causing families stress?

Ontario Today is joined by Jane Meadus, staff lawyer at the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly.

On the heels of a federal government housing announcement, you share your stories and perspectives on renting in Ontario. With Carolyn Whitzman, adjunct professor and housing researcher at the University of Ottawa, and Dania Majid, lawyer with the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario.

Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Ontario Today hears from listeners and checks in with Jason St. Pierre, the CEO of the Eastern Ontario Regional Network. The group has been closing cell phone gaps across the region.

Wrinkle Radio podcast host, Sally Chivers joins the conversation on Ontario Today. Chivers is a professor at Trent University's Centre for Aging and Society.

The Women's College Hospital says more than a third of older Canadians report to feeling lonely. Scientist Rachel Savage, with the hospital's Women's Age Lab, says Canada needs a national loneliness strategy. Ontario Today also checks in with Jen Recknagel, director of the NORC Innovation Centre at University Health Network.

Ontario Today checks in with London mom, Sarah Farrants and Ontario Autism Coalition president Alina Cameron.

The Toronto District School Board is one of four Ontario boards to sue the social media giants behind Meta, Snapchat and TikTok. Ontario Today checks in with board chair Rachel Chernos Lin and Western University researcher Emma Duerden, who has been studying the effects of social media on kids for years.

Ontario Today invites astrophycisist Parshati Patel and planetary scientist Bhairavi Shankar onto the program to talk about the science behind the eclipse.

Ontario Today sits down with Jeremie Saunders, the host of the podcast Sickboy, to talk about his life with cycstic fibrosis and how a new medication is changing his life.

According to new research, trusting your children encourages them to tell the truth. Ontario Today breaks down the study with researcher Kang Lee. Lee is a professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto

Federal conservative leader, Pierre Polievre if elected, he'll cut the carbon tax. But how are voters interpreting that message? Ontario Today talks to pollster David Coletto, founder, chair and CEO of Abacus Data; and conservative strategist Shakir Chambers.

Mary owns the Green Thumb Garden Centre in Ottawa.

Ontario Today invites Workers Action Centre executive director Deena Ladd to weigh in on the latest hike.

The World Happiness Report came out earlier this month and Canada is slipping in the rankings. How connected is our happiness to our wealth?  Ontario Today checks in with happiness researcher Chris Barrington-Leigh. He's an associate professor at McGill University.

In this week's budget, the Ontario government pledged to spend mllions more on primary care. For reaction, Ontario Today speaks to family physician and research scientist Dr. Tara Kiran, Kingston family doctor, Dr. David Barber is the chair of the Section on General and Family Practice of the Ontario Medical Association

Repeated studies indicate that many workers, particuarly young Canadians, are not thriving at work. Ontario Today speaks with Ilona Dougherty, the managing director of the Youth and Innovation Project at the University of Waterloo; and Genevieve Bonin, managing director and partner at the Boston Consulting Group.

Advocates are hopeful the province will boost the rates for both Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program in this week's provincial budget. Chief Executive Officer at United Way Elgin Middlesex, Kelly Ziegner, has been lobbying to have the rates doubled.

Paul takes on your queries about irises, orchids and hydrageas, and offers advice on pesky garden pests as well.

At a time when Canada's fertility rate has dropped to its lowest point in more than a century, new research shows it's actually men who want children the most. Ontario Today talks to University of British Columbia assistant professor Marina Adshade, who specializes in economics and gender.

Ontario Today checks in with Jake deMarsh who describes his experience after being released. Brock University critical criminology assistant professor Samantha Mcaleese also joins the conversation.

Ontario Today talks to two guests: she's the Canada Research Chair in Economic Inclusion of Canada's Immigrants at Toronto Metropolitan University; and Wendell Nii Laryea Adjetey is an assistant professor in the department of History and Classical Studies at McGill University. He's also the author of the book, Cross-Border Cosmopolitans.

Ontario Today invites author Dr. Jen Gunter to take your calls. Gunter's new book, 'Blood: the science, medicine and mythology of mentruation,' goes beyond function to tackle the questions, science, misinformation and societal shame that surrounds women's monthly cycles.

Gardening expert Paul Zammit is back taking all your calls. Zammit is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College. 

It was the warmest winter on record for parts of Ontario this year. With spring around the corner, you tell us what you missed out on this season. With Anabela Bonada, the director of climate science at the University of Waterloo's Intact Centre on Climate Adaption.

Brian Klass is a social scientist and author of a new book, Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters. He argues small, chance events are always diverting our lives and playing a role into why things happen the way they do.

We hear from one school district in California that instituted an all-out ban, to positive effect.

Our guests are; Emily Arrowsmith is the director of research and program at the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum and Rok Gueye is a carpenter in Toronto.

As the six month anniversary of Hamas attacking Israel approaches, we're asking listeners: Who do you know who's living in this region -- and how are they doing today?

Weatherwise, it's been a roller coaster of a ride into spring. So what is an eager gardener to do? Expert gardener Paul Zammit talks about when is the right time to start cleaning up the garden, and to take your questions.

Equifax Canada says the mortgage delinquency rate in Ontario was up 135 per cent in the fourth quarter compared with a year earlier. Kitchener-based licensed insolvency trustee, Doug Hoyes joins Ontario Today with more.

Hear from the woman who started the petition and a psychologist who makes the case for ditching the switch.

To start, the plan will only cover drugs related to diabetes and contraception. Ontario Today is joined by Dr. Eric Hoskins, a former Ontario health minister and chair the advisory council on the implementation of national pharmacare

Ontario Today is joined by grown siblings, Mehnaz Tabassum and Adib Rahman who moved in together ten years ago; and family expert Nora Spinks with Work-Life Harmony Enterprises

On this Super Tuesday, two Republicans joined us to take your calls. Georganne Burke is with Republicans Overseas Canada, and a long-time Trump supporter. Chip Felkel is a Republican strategist based in South Carolina, and critical of Donald Trump as the Republican presidential candidate.

Dr. Caroline Quach-Thanh is a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Montreal's Sainte-Justine Hospital and walks listeners through the facts about measles and the vaccine.

Expert gardener Paul Zammit is back to take your questions. From when to trim cedars... to how to handle an asparagus patch... to what someone starting out with gardening should know before the growing season begins.

Ontario Today brings together two guests: David McLaughlin, chief of staff to Brian Mulroney in 1993, and McMaster University political science professor, Don Abelson, who recently worked with Mulroney for five year at the Brian Mulroney Insitute of Government at St. Francis Xavier University.

Dr. Angela Cheung heads up a network of scientists and health practitioners studying long covid. She's also a senior physician-scientist at University Health Network in Toronto

Dr. Ishrat Husain, psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health or CAM-H in Toronto and lawyer Paul Lewin specializes in matters related to cannabis and psychadlics.

Ontario Today invites Matthew Johson, Director of Education at MediaSmarts and Senator Julie Miville-Dechen whose private member's bill would require porn websites to verify users' ages before they can enter.

As we barrel towards this year's RRSP deadline, you ask for advice -- and give some too -- on RRSPs. With Ottawa financial advisor Kimberley Tran.

Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College. Today, he takes your questions on everything from pruning peach trees to rosemary plants, and gives advice on best practices when outside temperatures are fluctuating.

You give us your take on weight-loss medication Ozempic and its effect on the body positivity movement.  

With social media influencer and podcaster, Kenzie Smith and obesity specialist Dr. Sean Wharton with the Wharton Medical Clinic.

You share your experiences about how you made the decision to reveal a diagnosis, with psychiatrist Gary Rodin. Dr. Rodin is with the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto and has worked with patients at many different stages of their illnesses.

You tell us about the ups and downs of remote and hybrid work, with Farzam Sepanta, PhD candidate in the faculty of engineering and Design at Carleton University, who's been researching something called 'home fever.'

You share your experiences as drivers for rideshare apps, with JJ Fueser with The Ride Fair Coalition. And James Parrott, the director of economic and fiscal policies at the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School, who co-authored the analysis that led to New York City’s minimum pay standard for app-dispatched drivers.

A new biopic about Bob Marley is putting the reggae star back in the spotlight. Why is Bob Marley still important to you today? We're joined by two guests -- his grand daughter and the founder of Bob Marley Day in Toronto -- to talk about the messages behind Bob Marley's music.

Ontario Today talks to breast cancer survivor, Donna Sheehan, who is the founder of the Canadian Breast Cancer Support Fund; and Stephen Piazza, director of advocacy at the Canadian Cancer Society.