Fight Back With Libby Znaimer

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: BRAMPTON MAYORAL RACE HEATS UP Libby Znaimer is joined by our own Lauren O'Neil, Senior News Editor of BlogTO, Councillor Joe Mihevc for Spadina Fort-York and San Grewal, Founder of the Pointer in Brampton. It's our last Tune into the Town panel before the election! San Grewal gives us the scoop into what's going on in the Brampton municipal election as things heat up between Patrick Brown and his major rival Nikki Kaur. VULNERABLE PERSON'S REGISTRY Libby Znaimer is now joined by Mississauga Fire and Emergencies Services Deputy Chief Samuel Williams. The City of Mississauga has set up a Vulnerable Person's Registry. How it works is if you or a loved one may require extra assistance in the event of an emergency, you can sign up to this registry that will then be referred to by fire fighters so that they can more effectively help residents in times of need. It's a confidential program and cost-free. It also does not have any restrictions on age and will serve residents who have mobility

CANADA'S INFLATION AT 6.9%, BUT FOOD PRICES CONTINUE RISING Libby Znaimer is joined by Benjamin Tal, Chief Economist for CIBC as well as Pau Pujolas, Associate Professor of Economics at McMaster University and Julia Wendling, economist with Rosenberg Research. According to Statistics Canada, the rate of inflation declined to 6.9 per cent during the month of September. It was 7 per cent in August. At the same time, our food prices went up 11.4 per cent compared to one year ago. Our economists weigh in on the latest and what this means for you. JAGMEET SINGH ON NDP MOTION ADDRESSING "GREEDFLATION" Libby Znaimer is joined by Jagmeet Singh, leader of the NDP. Since Monday Loblaw Companies’ move to freeze prices on some lower end no name products has been front and centre. The announcement by the company’s billionaire chairman Galen Weston just reignited the debate about whether the large grocers are using inflation as  a cover for price gouging. The concept is called greedflation and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh

Libby Znaimer is joined by Charles Sousa, The former minister of finance for Ontario and MPP for Mississauga South, Lisa Raitt, Former Deputy Leader of Conservative Party of Canada, and Glenn De Baeremaeker,  a former Scarborough City Councillor, and Deputy Mayor for Scarborough. This week: Loblaw announced a price freeze on over 1,500 no name products. And, the NDP pushed a motion calling on Ottawa to confront "greedflation" and look into grocery store chain profits. The motion received unanimous support from MPs yesterday. Also in Ottawa: the public inquiry into the government's use of the Emergencies Act during the trucker convoy continues. The departing Ottawa mayor, Jim Watson, will be speaking today. ---- WORLD MENOPAUSE DAY Libby Znaimer is now joined by Dr. Jennifer Blake, a professor at the University of Toronto and  CEO of Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, and Vandana Juneja, Vice President, Advisory Services, at Catalyst. Today: it's World Menopause Day and we have on a lead

Libby Znaimer today is joined by David Cravit, Chief Membership Officer of CARP, Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy Officer at CARP,  and Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine. Today: our Zoomer Squad does a recap of last week's Toronto mayoral debate hosted by CARP. Topics included: "aging in place", affordability, transit, and the reality that city services don't appear to be functioning well (or at all). And, our squad reacts to the news that Loblaw is putting a price freeze on no name products. --- LIZ WEST SHARES HER EXPERIENCE OF RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL IN THE PAST Libby Znaimer is now joined by Liz West, co-host of the Afternoon Express on Zoomer Radio, who ran for Toronto city council twice in the past and lost both times to the incumbent Paula Fletcher for the Toronto-Danforth ward. She explains what that experience was like and she weighs in on the current municipal election cycle and whether Torontonians are really engaging with it. ---- LOBLAW PUTS A PRICE FRE

Today on Free For All Friday: listeners called in to react to this week's first of two Toronto Mayoral debates that was hosted by CARP. The key issues discussed included: aging in place, affordability, transit and how well City services are functioning. Another hot topic today: bike lanes and not everyone is happy about them. Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

CARP hosted the first of only two Toronto mayoral debates ahead of the election on October 24. The key topics included: affordability, "aging in place", transit, and long-term care. And, at the end Libby discussed the reality that City services just aren't functioning well enough (or at all). The event was broadcast on Fight Back with Libby Znaimer and live streamed on zoomerradio.ca Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

Libby Znaimer is joined by Karen Stintz, CEO of Variety Village, Lauren O'Neil, Senior News Editor of BlogTO and Councillor Joe Mihevc of Spadina Fort-York. Today: one of the central themes we are focused on is the reality that basic city services are not functioning properly (or at all). We're heading into the winter season soon and we're hearing stories about wards where it took months for some neighbourhood streets to get plowed, we've got overflowing litter bins, and it's not hard to look elsewhere where things are just not getting done. Also, this Thursday, CARP is hosting one of only two Toronto Mayoral debates at the Zoomer Hall which will also be broadcasted live on Fight Back at noon. We ask each of our panelists what they think the top question should be for the candidates. ---- ONTARIO HEALTH REPORT: THE CRISIS IN ONTARIO HOSPITAL ERs Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Stephen Flindall, an emergency doctor in the GTA. A new report by Ontario Health reveals the severity of the crisis in ERs at hospit

Libby Znaimer is joined by Charles Sousa, The former minister of finance for Ontario and MPP for Mississauga South, Lisa Raitt, Former Deputy Leader of Conservative Party of Canada, and Howard Hampton, former leader of the Ontario NDP. It’s Tuesday - time to talk politics: And we begin in Alberta where Danielle Smith will be sworn in as the province’s 19th Premier. She of course is the former head of the right wing Wild Rose party and she has promised to challenge the federal carbon tax and to introduce an Alberta sovereignty act that would reject federal laws deemed against the province’s interests. This has some people wondering if Alberta is the new Quebec. --- THE LATEST ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE AND IS CANADA DOING ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE WAR EFFORT? Libby Znaimer is now joined by Dr. Maria Popova, Jean Monnet Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at McGill University as well as Dr. Eric Ouellet, Professor in the Department of Defence Studies at the Royal Military College of Canada. Russia’s lates

Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

TUNE INTO THE TOWN Ontario’s municipal election day is October 24th, but eight days of advance voting for Toronto's municipal election begins tomorrow. And with Premier Doug Ford poised to introduce further measures to expedite housing construction…and boost density…immediately after the October 24th municipal elections...what might this mean for municipalities? Libby Znaimer is joined by Karen Stintz, CEO of Variety Village; Lauren O'Neil, Senior News Editor of BlogTO; and David Crombie, Former Mayor of Toronto, to unpack these issues. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF GATHERINGS & GRATITUDE The Thanksgiving weekend is almost upon us. And with COVID-19 restrictions seemingly a thing of the past, many people are entertaining the idea of, well, entertaining. But with the mental toll that the pandemic, and subsequently the economy, has taken over the last few years…is it challenging for people to feel grateful? Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Brent Mulrooney, Clinical Psychologist and Director of the Centre For Interpe

Ontario is confronting the reality of being short of electricity in the coming years. A recent report by RBC calls the situation “urgent,” saying that Canada’s most populous province could face energy shortages as early as 2026. And as contracts for non-hydro renewables and gas plants expire, the shortages could be “significant” by 2030, according to the bank report. Jane Brown is joined by Paul Acchione, a senior management consultant in the nuclear and fossil power generation industry; Jatin Nathwani, a professor at the University of Waterloo and the Founding Executive Director of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy; and Mike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party of Ontario, to discuss this troubling matter. A QUARTER OF CANADIANS LOOKING TO CASH OUT THEIR INVESTMENTS Amid recent market volatility, a new survey indicates that about one quarter of Canadians are losing confidence in the stock market and are now looking to cash out their investments. Jane Brown is joined by Romana King, Canada Se

RECOVERING POLITICIANS PANEL: NEW HOCKEY CANADA ALLEGATIONS & THE QUEBEC ELECTION Libby Znaimer is joined by Charles Sousa, The former minister of finance for Ontario and MPP for Mississauga South, Lisa Raitt, Former Deputy Leader of Conservative Party of Canada, and Howard Hampton, Former Ontario NDP leader. In the news this week: Francois Legault has been re-elected as Premier of Quebec. Closer to home, prominent Toronto Deputy Mayor and City Councillor Michael Thompson is facing allegations of sexual assault. And, in Ottawa, Canada's Minister of Sport Pascale St-Onge is calling for leadership change within Hockey Canada as new allegations surface that the organization put player fees into a second fund "for matters including but not limited to sexual abuse." Our panel reacts to the latest headlines. CANADA'S NEW COVID-19 WAVE Libby Znaimer is now joined by Dr. Susy Hota, Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control and Infectious Diseases Specialist at the University Health Network (UHN) Can

Libby Znaimer is joined by John Wright, Executive Vice President of Maru Public Opinion, David Cravit, Chief Membership Officer of CARP and Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy of CARP. Today: our Zoomer Squad discusses the latest on the municipal elections. And, we look ahead to the Mayoral debate being hosted by CARP on October 13. What can we expect from that? And, John Wright talks about his latest poll---this time on Thanksgiving and the foods Canadians prefer to serve up this year! ---- JOHN TORY JOINS FIGHT BACK Libby Znaimer is joined by Toronto Mayor John Tory. Today: The Mayor gets asked about city-wide construction that seems to never end (the Eglinton LRT construction, for example, just got delayed again), the City's response time to 311 calls for things like pot holes and speed bumps, why roads continue to be dangerous especially for Seniors even though we are a few years into the implementation of Vision Zero, the recent spate in gun violence and also what the future of Ci

Today on Free For All Friday: many of our listeners weighed in on the Canadian Trucker convoy from last January as well as Canadians' views of how Ottawa is managing the country. Today is also National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: PRESERVING HERITAGE SITES Libby Znaimer is joined by Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão, Ward 9 Davenport, Councillor Brad Bradford, Ward 19 Beaches East York and Councillor James Pasternak, Ward 6 York Centre. It’s Thursday - the day we focus on all things municipal and with less than a month before our municipal elections some members of the South Asian community are upset about the date. Diwali falls on October 24 - it is a key religious and cultural holiday celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains. The argument is that it is usually celebrated with family after work and if people have to choose between that and voting well they will choose family celebrations and that could lead to lower turnout and representation for these communities. On the other hand, the government says those who can't make it to the polls on election day can vote by mail, at advance voting stations or by proxy — Also, municipal election dates are fixed under a provincial act. Then there is the saga of of the heritage design

Libby  is joined by Mike Merriman, the paramedic and EMS Chair of CUPE Local 416 and Dr. Jamie Spiegelman, Internal medicine and critical care physician at Humber River Hospital. Yet another warning about the crisis in our healthcare system: once again, it is about staffing. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is calling for 15,000 new hires this year alone just to keep emergency rooms and other units from closing. In total, CUPE said 46,000 more hospital staff must be hired to deal with a turnover rate that is almost double pre-pandemic levels.  Toronto Paramedic Services said they needed 500 new hires yesterday. When it comes to ambulance services, on top of staffing and offloading issues, some of the ubiquitous construction is yet another obstacle. -----    OTTAWA PAYS OUT $191M IN BONUSES TO PUBLIC SERVANTS Libby Znaimer is now joined by Kris Sims, Alberta director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and Conservative MP Kelly McCauley, Member of Parliament for Edmonton West. Have you tried t

Libby Znaimer is joined by Lisa Raitt, Former Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Charles Sousa, the former Minister of Finance for Ontario  and MPP Mississauga South, and Cheri DiNovo, Former Ontario NDP MPP and recipient of the Order of Canada. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre a vile message he received by a known far-right activist, Jeremy MacKenzie, who threatened to assault his wife. He has since released a statement saying that the messages in question were brought to the RCMP to investigate. Meanwhile, our panel weighs in on Ottawa's national dental coverage plan for low income families. Finally, PM Justin Trudeau left it up to his cabinet ministers to announce the end of COVID-19 restrictions at the border and the termination of  the ArriveCAN app by October 1st. ---- FAMILY DOCTORS ARE LEAVING THE PROFESSION AMID THE PANDEMIC: STUDY Jane Brown is joined, first, by Dr. Tara Kiran, a family doctor and researcher at St. Michael’s Hospital, followed by Dr. Nadia Alam, a family doctor

Today on Free For All Friday: The rising cost of food prices due to inflation has our listeners worried. Also, we got calls complaining about the lack of good customer service at the grocery store as automated self-checkout stations become more prevalent. And, we talk about the ongoing threat of Coyotes across Ontario communities like Burlington where up to three were recently killed for attacking humans.   Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

Libby Znaimer is joined by Lauren O'Neil, Senior News Editor of BlogTO, David Crombie, Former Mayor of Toronto, and Councillor James Pasternak of Ward 6 York Centre. In the news: Statistics Canada released a report showing that home ownership dropped 66.5 percent last year. The higher cost of homes has led more people to pivot towards renting. Meanwhile, here in Toronto, the TTC announced that it will be closing 8 subway stations over the weekend, which will no doubt be inconvenient to commuters. And, Pearson International Airport has been given a terrible rating for its overall customer satisfaction (are we surprised?) Finally, cyclists in the city are mad after a popular member of their community was sent to hospital after crashing over a speed bump. Our panel weighs in on the latest. ---- THE LATEST ON THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR AND PUTIN'S SETBACKS Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Paul Goode, McMillan Chair in Russian Studies at Carleton University and Phil Wasielewski, a 2022 Templeton Fellow at the Foreign