On the heels of the fires that continue in Los Angeles, the Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that 2024 was the first calendar year that was 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels – the limit agreed upon in the Paris Climate Agreement. Yet, support for climate policies here in Canada seem to be on the wane. According to Abacus Data, concern abo…

Why did Trump win? Did the Democrats lean too heavily on identity politics?Are people being driven by economic frustrations? Or cultural and social issues? Have we entered a new political era? Is this the end of an approach to economics that began with Reagan and Thatcher? The questions are endless for trying to understand this political moment and…

What makes democracy different than all the other forms of government is that it actually needs everyone to get involved and have their say. TVO Today Live convenes a town hall conversation hosted by Steve Paikin that offers a civics lesson that doesn't feel like one. Civics educators, engaged citizens and people who've put their names on the ballo…

Civics education is mandatory for Ontario students. But from teacher shortages to our contentious political times, do the in-class offerings make the grade? Steve Paikin talks to civics educators to find out about the gaps, and possible solutions, to improve civics instruction in Ontario schools. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

Almost two years since the Sudanese war f Irwin Cotler: Founder and International Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, and Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and Nisrin Elamin, Assistant Professor of Anthropology and African Studies at the University of Toronto. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor…

Those of a certain vintage might remember Michael Douglas's iconic line from the Oliver Stone film "Wall Street." Douglas who played Gordon Gekko, said "greed is good," and essentially represented the spirit of the 1980s. But it was also a time of resistance, creativity, and hope, according to our next guest. Retiring NDP MP Charlie Angus documents…

How much do we really know about concussions? And what are the long-term effects? We get some fast facts and bust some myths with Dr. Carmela Tartaglia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.TVO | Steve Paikin

With a growing population and rising demand for housing, municipalities take on the task of setting up the infrastructure to service their residents. Roads, community centres, and, of course, pipes for water and sewage. But with aging assets and the need to build more, municipalities, big and small, are feeling the pressure. At the Rural Ontario Mu…

Emergency department closures, long wait times, falling rates of primary care. Now, imagine if the closest hospital is more than a 2-hour drive away. Access to basic and complex health services has been a continual challenge for rural Ontarians. At the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association conference to discuss why that is and what can be done a…

The Cheltenham Badlands are an alien landscape in Caledon, Ontario, once home of the Mississaugas of the Credit. Chief Ajetance was forced to sign Treaty 19 which ceded much of their traditional territory to the Crown and opened it to settlement. Colonists accidentally created this unique wasteland through tree clearing and bad farming practices. T…

Visits to the food bank have risen in Ontario, indicating that the cost of living has affected food security. At the same time, there's a lot of food waste along the food value chain. Food waste is not only an environmental challenge, but one that falls on the shoulders of our provincial municipalities. Find out what community organizations, local …

In Ontario there is, sort of, another level of government for 1.3 million people that is not federal, provincial or municipal. But for those who live in ... condos. They have elections. They, kind of, pay taxes in their maintenance fees. And their boards are like the cabinet, with significant responsibilities, even if not all members have the skill…

The Agenda's week in review looked at why property taxes are going up across municipalities, an exit interview with NDP MP Charlie Angus, a check-in on MAID (medical assistance in dying) and the loss experienced by Canadian trumpet player Jens Lindemann from the Los Angeles wildfires. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

What options are available to people who need fertility assistance in Ontario? And what barriers do queer and trans people face in their journeys to parenthood? Laine Halpern Zisman explains more in her new book "Conceivable: A Guide to Making 2SLGBTQ+ Family." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The fires in Los Angeles have captured the empathy and attention of people all over the world. Canada has sent water bombers to help extinguish the fires. And, of course, many Canadians live in southern California. Jens Lindemann is a world-renowned trumpet player. He was a member of the Canadian Brass, has an honorary degree from Hamilton's McMast…

Health Canada's 5th annual report on medical assistance in dying was released in December, reflecting numbers and demographics from 2023. For the first time, race and Indigenous identity, and disability were measured. For a discussion on who is requesting and receiving MAID, and for what illnesses, we welcome James Downar, Clinical Research Chair i…

After two decades of raging against the machine, The NDP MP for Timmins-James Bay, Charlie Angus, is leaving Canadian politics at the end of this parliament's life. He is also the author of a new book called "Dangerous Memory: Coming of Age in the Decade of Greed." He joins Steve Paikin in studio for a wide-ranging discussion on his political caree…

The cost of housing, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area, is one of our most persistent problems. Governments have employed a lot of strategies to get the prices down, and yet, they remain stubbornly high. The city of Vaughan in York Region recently announced a new approach, and the city's mayor, Steven Del Duca, joins The Agenda to explain. S…

Municipal budget season in Ontario is coming to a close, and if there's one major takeaway from all of these proposals and deliberations, it's that property taxes everywhere are going up in 2025. But the rate of the increase is much more steep in some places than in others. Why is that? And what, exactly, are these billions of dollars collected by …

In recent years, Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister, has become a contentious subject. Statues have been taken down, his name has been removed from schools and his face has been removed from the $10 bill. However, one author is pushing back against the noise. The Agenda invites author Patrice Dutil to speak on his latest book, "Si…

What is going on with the scientific research? How do product labels manipulate us? Can we trust online reviews? Timothy Caulfield dives into all of these issues in his new book: "The Certainty Illusion: What You Don't Know and Why it Matters." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.TVO | Steve Paikin

For decades in Ontario's capital city, the words Regent Park brought up images of drugs, crime, and decay. But over the past decade and a half, Regent Park has been transformed. Mitchell Cohen is president and CEO of the Daniels Corporation, which led much of the regeneration of Regent Park. He chronicles that journey in a new book called: "Rhythms…

The Ford government has been criticized recently for fast-tracking legislation and skipping the committee stage that usually includes public consultation. But is it sometimes necessary to skip steps in order to "Get It Done?" When should the public be consulted? And what does the public hearing process actually look like in this province? See omnys…

Justin Trudeau has acknowledged it was the burgeoning calls from his caucus that ultimately convinced him it was time to step down. What is his legacy as prime minister? And does his departure give the Liberals a chance to refresh the brand before the next election? We ask: Tonda MacCharles, parliamentary bureau reporter for the Toronto Star; Jeffr…

Incoming U.S. president Donald Trump likely has at least some Canadians wondering, what if we did become the 51st state? How would our lives be different? Could we maintain our distinctive and different customs? For insight into this hypothetical, we welcome Laura Dawson, executive director of the Future Borders Coalition, a self-described bi-natio…