Fight Back With Libby Znaimer

Today on Free For All Friday: listeners reacted to last night's U.S. Presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden and to the ongoing contentious issue of the renaming of Yonge-Dundas Square. 

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: CITY COUNCIL EXPECTED TO VOTE ON RENAMING OF YONGE-DUNDAS SQUARE TODAY  Libby Znaimer is joined by David Crombie, a former mayor of Toronto, Alex Blumenstein, Co-Founder of The Peak, and Aleem Kanji, Principal at Aleem Kanji and Associates. Today is supposed to be the day City Council votes over the matter of the renaming of Yonge-Dundas Square to Sankofa Square. And we react to the latest regarding the future of the Ontario Science Centre. TORONTO POLICE AND OPP MAKE 124 ARRESTS IN AUTO-THEFT INVESTIGATION  Libby Znaimer is now joined by Dylan Finlay, a Criminal Defence Lawyer with Strategic Criminal Defence, and Detective Inspector Scott Wade from the Ontario Provincial Police. We hear about the carjacking crackdown called Project Titanium in which 124 arrests were made with over 170 stolen vehicles recovered and we discuss how 44 per cent of those individuals arrested were already out on bail. A NEW CAA SURVEY ON DISTRACTED DRIVING IN ONTARIO   Libby Znaimer is now joined b

THE MEDICAL RECORD: THE ROLE THAT REGULAR WALKING HAS ON REDUCING OUR LOWER BACK PAIN   Liz West is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Dr. Alisa Naiman, a family doctor practicing comprehensive primary care in Toronto, and Dr. Fahad Razak, Canada Research Chair in Data Informed Healthcare Improvement at the University of Toronto and a general internist at a Toronto hospital. This week: a discussion about the role that regular walking has in helping to reduce lower back pain and what a new study says about loneliness and risk of stroke. CANADIANS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS TIPPING AT RESTAURANTS Liz West is now joined by Barry Choi, Personal Finance Expert, and David Neinstein, Owner of Barque Smokehouse in Toronto. So, what are Canadians' attitudes regarding tipping lately? We look at a survey that gives us a sense about that and we hear from a restaurant owner about why he got rid of tipping and how it's been working out. A 14 YEAR-OLD-BOY IS CHARGED IN SHOOTING OF ZOOMERS IN ETOBICOKE

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL:  LIBERALS FACE UPSET AS CONSERVATIVES WIN TORONTO-ST. PAUL'S RIDING Libby Znaimer is joined by George Smitherman, Former Ontario Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre and Health minister and Deputy Premier, Lisa Raitt, former Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and Cheri DiNovo, a former NDP MPP. The Conservatives have won the Toronto-St. Paul's riding with their candidate Don Stewart...a riding that was held by the Liberals for over 30 years. So, what does this mean for Prime Minister Trudeau's political future?   GOAT GRAZING PILOT LAUNCHES TO MANAGE INVASIVE SPECIES AT THE BRICKWORKS IN TORONTO Libby Znaimer is joined by Florentine Maathuis, the owner of The Big Crunch, and Cheryl Post, Natural Environment Specialist with the City of Toronto Urban Forestry. Toronto has enlisted a fleet of 40 goats to do some prescribed grazing at Don Valley Brick Works. Our guests explain why. CANADA’S 85+ POPULATION SET TO TRIPLE BY 2073: ACCORDING TO STATISTICS CANADA REPO

THE ZOOMER SQUAD: THE EXTENT TO WHICH CANADIANS FEEL UNPREPARED FOR RETIREMENT Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Anthony Quinn, Chief Community Officer of CARP, Bill VanGorder, Chief Advocacy and Education Officer of CARP, and John Wright, Executive Vice President of Maru Public Opinion. Today: a discussion about Ottawa Seniors who have had to leave their apartments in their retirement residences after facing an unexpected hike in their monthly rent, and we look at a poll by Abacus Data detailing the extent to which Canadians feel unprepared for retirement. THE FUTURE OF ONTARIO'S SCIENCE CENTRE Jane Brown is now joined by Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario, and Liberal MPP Adil Shamji for Don Valley East. The Ford government has closed down the Ontario Science Centre...this after an engineering report said that the roof could collapse soon. What are your thoughts on this unilateral decision-making by the Ford PCs? Do we fix the science centre or move

Today on Free For All Friday: Plenty of listeners phoned in with a reaction to the online petition co-organized by Daniel Tate demanding a reversal to the renaming of Yonge-Dundas Square. Daniel presented his petition, which has now surpassed 30,000 signatures, to the executive committee as well as Mayor Olivia Chow at City Hall this week.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: OUR PANEL REACTS TO THE ONLINE PETITION WITH 30,000 + SIGNATURES CALLING FOR REVERSAL OF YONGE-DUNDAS SQUARE RENAMING  Tasha Kheiriddin is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Alex Blumenstein, Co-Founder of The Peak, Karen Stintz, CEO, Variety Village, and David Crombie, Former Mayor of Toronto. Earlier this week, Daniel Tate, a co-organizer of a petition with 30,000 + signatures demanding that Toronto reverse the renaming of Yonge-Dundas Square, presented his petition to the executive committee including Mayor Olivia Chow at City Hall. He joined Fight Back shortly after his appearance and spoke with our own Jane Brown about it. You can sign the online petition here: STOP the Renaming of Dundas in Toronto Another big issue: the anti-Israel encampment on UofT's campus. UofT is currently in day 2 of being in court as part of its application for an injunction to get rid of the encampment. Our panelists react to the latest. MEMBERS OF TORONTO'S JEWISH COMMUNITY CONCERNE

THE MEDICAL RECORD: HOW SOME MEDICATIONS DON'T MIX WELL WITH HEAT WAVES & WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT A NEW INSULIN SHOT FOR DIABETICS Tasha Kheiriddin is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and a former head of the BC Cancer Agency, Dr. Alisa Naiman, family doctor practicing comprehensive primary care in Toronto, and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital. A first of its kind, one-every-week basal insulin shot will be available to Canadian diabetic patients starting June 30th and what you need to know about certain medications that don't mix very well with heat waves like the one Ontarians are facing this week. AN UPDATE ON HOW UOFT AND MCGILL UNIVERSITY ARE ADDRESSING THE ANTI-ISRAEL ENCAMPMENTS Tasha Kheiriddin is now joined by Eli Mogil, Partner with McCarthy Tétrault LLP who has experience with injunctions but is not involved at all with UofT or McGill University

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: DOES TORONTO-ST. PAUL'S BYELECTION POSE A SERIOUS THREAT TO PM TRUDEAU? Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by George Smitherman, a former Ontario Liberal Deputy Premier and Health Minister, Cheri DiNovo, a former NDP MPP, and Lisa Raitt, a former Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. Today: we get their reactions to the Toronto-St. Paul's byelection race that includes a whooping 84 candidates. If the Liberals were to lose that riding what implications could that have for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau? And just how angry are Canadians with the Prime Minister these days? PETITION WITH 30,000 SIGNATURES OPPOSED TO YONGE-DUNDAS SQUARE NAME CHANGE IS BEING PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL TODAY Jane Brown is now joined by Daniel Tate, a concerned citizen, taxpayer and co-organizer of an online petition to reverse the name change of Yonge-Dundas Square and Councillor Brad Bradford of Ward 19 Beaches-East York. Daniel Tate joins us shortly afte

THE ZOOMER SQUAD: HOW MANY ONTARIANS MOVED TO LTC HOMES NOT OF THEIR CHOOSING? Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Rudy Buttignol, President of CARP,  Anthony Quinn, Chief Community Officer of CARP, and John Wright, Executive Vice President, Maru Public Opinion. This week: a discussion about how heat waves can impact older Canadians, and the extent to which some alternate level of care patients at Ontario hospitals are ending up in a long-term care home not of their choosing.   HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT IN ONTARIO: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Jane Brown is now joined by Dave Phillips, Senior Climatologist at Environment Canada. Here is what you need to know about the heat wave affecting Ontario and which segments of the population are especially vulnerable. UOFT PROFESSOR EXPLAINS THAT ANTI-ISRAEL ENCAMPMENT DEMANDS TO DIVEST FROM ISRAELI COMPANIES IS "IMPOSSIBLE" A major demand by the anti-Israel encampment at UofT is for the university to divest from Israeli companies, but

Today on Free For All Friday: listeners weighed in on the name change to Pioneer Village in Toronto and the government's Capital Gains Tax increase. 

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: OTTAWA JUST HIRED A NIGHTLIFE MAYOR Tasha Kheiriddin is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Alex Blumenstein, co-founder of The Peak, Karen Stintz, CEO of Variety Village, and Toronto Councillor Stephen Holyday, Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre. Ottawa just hired its first ever nightlife commissioner as part of its strategy to wake the city up from its reputation as a sleepy town. And, some Toronto residents are complaining about the Ontario Line construction. When will that all be over? OTTAWA AND THE ONGOING CONCERNS AROUND FOREIGN INTERFERENCE Tasha is now joined by Stephanie Carvin, Assistant Professor of International Affairs at Carleton University and an expert on national security issues. Tensions continue to persist in Ottawa over a report by the The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) alleging some MPs "wittingly assisting" foreign state actors after being elected. We still don't know the names of those MPs involved. BEER S

THE MEDICAL RECORD: FDA ADVISORY PANEL BACKS EXPERIMENTAL ALZHEIMER'S DRUG Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Dr. Fahad Razak, Canada Research Chair in Data Informed Healthcare Improvement at the University of Toronto and a general internist at a Toronto hospital, and Dr. Alisa Naiman, a family doctor practicing comprehensive primary care in Toronto. In the news: Why an FDA advisory panel supports an experimental Alzheimer's drug, and Moderna is working on a two-in-one flu and COVID-19 vaccine. THE LEGAL BATTLE OVER ONTARIO PLACE'S FUTURE Jane Brown is now joined by Norm Di Pasquale, Co-Chair of Ontario Place for All, and Chris Glover, NDP MPP for Spadina – Fort York. Today we hear why judges threw out a legal challenge against the Ford government pertaining to its Ontario Place redevelopment plans and what comes next.  TORONTO MAYOR OLIVIA CHOW'S MISSION REGARDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING  Jane Brow

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: CAROLYN PARRISH IS MISSISSAUGA'S NEXT MAYOR & THE LIBERALS' CAPITAL GAINS TAX PUSH  Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by George Smitherman, a former Ontario Liberal Deputy Premier and Health Minister, Cheri DiNovo, a former NDP MPP, and Lisa Raitt, a former Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. Carolyn Parrish is the next Mayor of Mississauga. And, we revisit the conversation about the capital gains tax. HISTORIC ST. ANNE'S ANGLICAN CHURCH IN TORONTO DESTROYED IN FIRE: WHAT WAS THE CAUSE? Jane Brown is now joined by The Rev. Don Beyers of St. Anne's Anglican Church in Toronto and Sarah Milroy, Executive Director and Chief Curator, McMichael Canadian Art Collection. It's a tragedy...St. Anne's Anglican Church in Toronto's west end was destroyed in a fire on Sunday morning. Artifacts and art work including those made by The Group of Seven were also destroyed. At this point in time, we still do not know the cause of the fire. Our g

THE ZOOMER SQUAD:  ARE YOU AN ACTIVE GRANDPARENT? TURNS OUT YOUR ROLE OFFERS IMPORTANT HEALTH BENEFITS Tasha Kheiriddin is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Anthony Quinn, Chief Community Officer of CARP, Bill VanGorder, Chief Advocacy and Education Officer of CARP, and Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs. The panel reacts to what a new study out of Finland tells us about the important role grandparents have, and then they discuss Ottawa's Disability Benefit program.  PREMIER DOUG FORD'S CABINET SHUFFLE & MISSISSAUGA'S MAYORAL ELECTION Tasha Kheiriddin is now joined by Bob Richardson, Senior Council, National Public Relations, and Jason Lietaer, Conservative Strategist and President at Enterprise. There's plenty of developments in the world of politics across Ontario and the GTA. On Friday, Premier Doug Ford made a major cabinet shuffle which included moving Stephen Lecce out of the role of Minister of Education and replacing him with Todd Smith (Lecce now takes on the

Today on Free For All Friday: our listeners phone in to talk about Mark Holland's recent road trip comment, alcohol coming to corner stores, and much more.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: TORONTO BRACES FOR A POTENTIAL TTC STRIKE Marissa Lennox is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Alex Blumenstein, Co-Founder of The Peak, and John Sewell, a former Mayor of Toronto, and Councillor Stephen Holyday, Etobicoke Centre and a TTC board member. This week: Residents are bracing for a potential TTC strike starting Friday and as we heard from ATU Local 113 President Marvin Alfred, this isn't just about higher pay for TTC workers...And, then on the show we discuss a study by Geotab that shows just how much travel times on the Gardiner Expressway have increased since construction began there. THE INSURANCE COST OF STOLEN VEHICLES IN ONTARIO Marissa Lennox is now joined by Amanda Dean, Insurance Bureau of Canada’s Vice President of Ontario and Atlantic and Detective Greg O'Conner with Peel Regional Police. The Insurance Bureau of Canada released a report this week detailing the eye-popping costs of auto theft claims in major cities across Ontario. We also hear

THE MEDICAL RECORD: HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM TICK BITES Libby Znaimer is now joined by Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Dr. Alisa Naiman, a family doctor practicing comprehensive primary care in Toronto and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, an internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital. As of July 31st, Ontario will end its wastewater surveillance program which played an important role during the height of the pandemic and has proven useful in tracking other infectious diseases out there. Meanwhile, it's tick season and our doctors explain the importance of protecting yourself from potential bites. ATU LOCAL 113 PRESIDENT MARVIN ALFRED ON WHERE THINGS STAND WITH THE TTC AND POTENTIAL STRIKE THIS FRIDAY Libby Znaimer is now joined by Kristine Hubbard, Operations Manager Beck Taxi Limited and Sid Khan with Toronto Pearson Airport Taxi and limousine followed by Marvin Alfred, President of ATU Local 113. This Friday, there's a chance that TTC workers

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: WHO WERE THE MPS WHO "WITTINGLY" ASSISTED FOREIGN ACTORS FOR THEIR OWN GAIN? Libby Znaimer is joined by George Smitherman, a former Ontario Liberal Health minister and Deputy Premier, Cheri DiNovo,  a former NDP MPP and Janet Ecker,  a  former Ontario PC MPP and finance minister. It's Tuesday - time to talk politics and today is jam packed! We begin with the auditor general report on the government's use of consultants -without competitive bids. This even though the federal Liberals added about 100,000 public service workers to their payrolls - workers who are now fighting not to go into work! Meanwhile, yesterday we learned that some federal politicians are knowingly working with foreign governments to advance their own interests while subverting our democracy. The foreign governments involved: China and India, but the politicians themselves are not named. And federal Minister of Health Mark Holland made a head-scratching comment about Canadian families taking road trips. Our

THE ZOOMER SQUAD: CARP CALLS ON BC GOVERNMENT FOR FREE RSV, SHINGLES VACCINES FOR ZOOMERS Libby Znaimer is joined by Anthony Quinn, Chief Community Officer of CARP, Rudy Buttignol, President of CARP and John Wright, Executive Vice President of Maru Public Opinion. It’s Monday - time for our Zoomer Squad and CARP is getting some traction on its campaign demanding government coverage for vaccines crucial to the health of older Canadians - like the RSV vaccine. The need to pay for those and for so much else is driving Zoomers back to work out of necessity rather than desire. And former Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz is looking into how the CPP and other pension funds can invest more here in Canada. Is that a good or bad idea? NEW GUIDELINES FOR BREAST CANCER SCREENING Libby Znaimer is now joined by Dr. Martin Yaffe, Senior Scientist at Sunnybrook Research Institute and Co-Director, Imaging Research Program at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research as well as Siobhan Grennan, who was part of the Wor