Guelph Politicast

Open Sources Guelph #525 - June 26, 2025

This week on Open Sources Guelph, our hats are on our heads, not in our hands! Our glorious premier stuck his foot in his mouth again, just in time for National Indigenous Heritage Month, and speaking of foot in mouth we'll talk about the ongoing and confusing state of developments in our newest Mideast quagmire, and in the interview we will talk to an old guest about her new job!
This Thursday, June 26, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
The 12-Day War (Trademark). Last Saturday night, U.S. President Donald Trump moved up his timetable by a week and launched an attack on three Iranian nuclear sites. Now, depending on who you believe, those attacks were either a massive success, or they barely did any damage to the regime's nuclear program, but afterwards Trump was calling for a new era of peace, which, as always with things in the Middle East, is easier said than done. So what comes next?
Five Protests Alive. In the last couple of weeks, both the federal and Ontario governments passed sweeping new omnibus bills that change the rules about massive development projects and circumvents well established laws on the environment, consultations and approval, but the ones who are most disturbed about these changes are Ontario's First Nations people. As we start to shut down this National Indigenous Heritage Month, have we forgotten Truth and Reconciliation?
So Far So Good...? Tying into that second topic, we've got one of the House members who voted in favour of Bill C-5: Guelph MP Dominique O'Rourke. In her first interview with us post-election, O'Rourke will talk about the first six weeks on the job, why you should be less concerned about the potential implications of Bill C-5 and what Prime Minister Mark Carney is going to do next now that the open moves are done. Also, we will answer once and for all: Does Guelph have pick-up trucks?
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #397 - June 25, 2025 (Materialists)

This week on End Credits we're once again celebrating #PedroSummer! (Patent pending.) The movie this time is a supposed romantic story that a lot of people are watching and having big discussions about. We're going to check out Materialists, and we're also going to start counting down to an other milestone episode with our favourite gimmick!
This Wednesday, June 25, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Candice Lepage will discuss:
21st Century Horror (Not a) Draft. This week we start the countdown to the 400th episode, which will be our 21st century movie draft, and to kick things off, we're talking about horror movies. (Why not? Candice is here!) So the first in a series of three drafts/not-drafts - meaning similar rules but no stakes - we will talk about some of the great horror movies of the century so far from new and old franchises to elevated horror.
REVIEW: Materialists (2025). Celine Song's first movie, Past Lives, was universally beloved (including by the people on this show), but her follow-up film, Materialists, has generated somewhat more... mixed feelings. The plot follows a high-end matchmaker (Dakota Johnson) who gets caught between a wealthy hedge fund guy (Pedro Pascal) and her poor cater-waiter/actor ex (Chris Evans). It's a classic rom-com set-up, but this is not a rom-com as Song undermines all expectations, so what do we make the most talked about movie of the year?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #476 – How to City Council (Special Presentation)

There's an interesting process underway in Guelph's south end. One of the two Ward 6 city councillors, Dominique O'Rourke, has moved on to a new job in Ottawa as you might have heard, which leaves her old seat at city council vacant. Nature, and local politics, abhor a vacuum, so next month O'Rourke's former colleagues will choose her successor. At least until next year's municipal election...
Last month council approved the process to appoint a new Ward 6 councillor. It was the best of a lot of different options; a byelection now, one year before a general election and in the same calendar year as two other elections, had a lot of drawbacks, and there was no successor willing to step up among the other candidates from the last election. That left appointment, and that process is presently underway.
For anyone thinking about taking up the role of city councillor, learning what the job entails, and knowing what powers you'll have, a special open house was held last week in the council chambers with staff from the city clerk's office. In the course of 90 minutes, City Clerk Stephen O'Brien taught everyone the ropes, and answered all questions about what it means to be a councillor, what decisions you will face, and what tools you'll have to answer the tough questions.
But if you missed that presentation and are looking at making a run yourself during this unusual appointment process, or perhaps you're just curious about the mechanics of sitting on city council and want to scratch that itch, this still might be worth checking out. You also might want to bookmark this for next year if you're thinking about a council run in your own backyard, or if merely want to impress people at barbeques this summer with your knowledge of municipal processes.  
So let's learn about everything you need to know about being a city councillor in this week;s Guelph Politicast! 
If you're interested in learning more about the process to appoint a new city councillor in Ward 6, to see the updated list of nominees, or perhaps you're even considering a shot at the post yourself, you can visit the City of Guelph's website here. The city council meeting to select the new councillor will be on Wednesday July 23 at 6 pm. Nominations for the 2026 municipal election will open in May. 
The host for the Guelph Politicast is Podbean. Find more episodes of the Politicast here, or download them on your favourite podcast app at Apple, TuneIn and Spotify .
Also, when you subscribe to the Guelph Politicast channel and you will also get an episode of Open Sources Guelph every Monday, and an episode of End Credits every Friday.

Open Sources Guelph #524 - June 19, 2025

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're trying to keep all our paper's straight. Once again, it was a busy news week as the world came to Canada, or at least the heads of the biggest and most powerful countries did. Also, we get to talk about a new war, apparently because we've run out of things to say about the old wars while closer to home, we'll go back to the Quatro and talk to a member of city council from the west end of the city.
This Thursday, June 19, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Nothing But a G7 Thing. This week, the leaders of the Group of 7 nations came to town in Kananaskis, Alberta and there were many different topics on the table, but for Prime Minister Mark Carney this was another big test for him as host. So what happened? Well, Donald Trump came and grumbled and then left early, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni got memed and special guests Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Narendra Modi stopped by. Despite all that though is the G7 even a thing anymore?
Back to Bomb Iran. With Gaza still a war zone, international leaders are worried about a seeming race to regime replacement as Israel launched an attack on Iran last week. Benjamin Netanyahu says the goal is to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons, but cynics in Israel and around the world think its Netanyahu's attempt to avoid political comeuppance at home. In the middle is the United States because Donald Trump doesn't want a war in one breath while threatening Iran in the next. So what now?
Back to the Quatro. Earlier this year Ward 4 City Councillor Linda Busuttil took over as the head of the Joint Social Services and Land Ambulance Committee, putting a Guelph face at the head of a government board that oversees Wellington County services. It's a big move, but it's bringing more attention to City/County relations and their role in developing more housing. Busuttil will talk about that relationship, plus working with new Canadians and why doing your taxes is important in the fight against poverty.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #396 - June 18, 2025 (The Phoenician Scheme)

This week on End Credits, we flirt with danger. We've never had to survive a plane crash - or six - but we have survived nearly that many Wes Anderson movies together, and on this episode we will survive another. Probably. Tune in today as we decode The Phoenician Scheme and as we talk about a slightly older, and slightly more controversial movie from the past. 
This Wednesday, June 18, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Peter Salmon will discuss:
The Passion of Dogma. A lot of great movies came out in 1999, and one of them is Kevin Smith's Dogma! The film has been somewhat lost due to the complex tangle of rights issues, and the fact that Harvey Weinstein is a professional @$$hole, but now Dogma is back in theatres for what's essentially its 25th anniversary engagement. So this week we will revisit the near-blasphemous pleasures of what may be Smith's best film!
REVIEW: The Phoenician Scheme (2025). Wes Anderson is back with another tale about a dysfunctional family with a dangerously eccentric patriarch. Benicio del Toro plays Zsa Zsa Korda, a mid-century tycoon whose latest scheme has upset the business world to the point where they're trying to eliminate him. What does Korda do? Recruit his estranged daughter Liesl, a nun, and a Norwegian entomologist to help put together one last business score, The Phoenician Scheme! So has Anderson done it again with another meticulous tale?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #475 – Know Your Policy: Flags and Information Access

The City of Guelph is a system, a system that's built on rules. Or policies, procedures and protocol to be more precise. Some of those systems dictate how city council functions, some of them lay out how local government should engage with the community, and some of them tell you what flags you can fly and when they should be lowered to half-mast. It's time again to play roulette with the policy wheel and get smarter in the process.
First up, we will talk about the Access and Privacy Policy. You've probably heard about Freedom of Information requests? Well this outlines how and why you're able to make them, but more than that it outlines how and why staff are able to access confidential information, how and why the City can collect that information, and the ways that all information at the City of Guelph is managed, stored, and, if necessary, destroyed. 
Somewhat less well-known is the City Flag Policy. Mayor Cam Guthrie was inundated with hate for a social media post celebrated the raising of the Eritrean Flag at city hall last month to mark their Independence Day. No rules were broken, not that bigots care about rules, but for anyone wondering why city hall has room for the Eritrean flag, perhaps it's time to introduce you to the concept of the "courtesy pole flag." (Real term.)
So let's dive into policy again on this week's Guelph Politicast! 
You can check out the Access and Privacy Policy and the City Flag Policy by following the direct hyperlinks. You can also see all the City of Guelph's "frequently requested policies, procedures and protocols" on the City's website under the City Government tab. 
The host for the Guelph Politicast is Podbean. Find more episodes of the Politicast here, or download them on your favourite podcast app at Apple, TuneIn and Spotify .
Also, when you subscribe to the Guelph Politicast channel and you will also get an episode of Open Sources Guelph every Monday, and an episode of End Credits every Friday.

Open Sources Guelph #523 - June 12, 2025

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we've got fighting words. People are riled up here in Ontario about some more bad bills, and people in the U.S. are riled up about another week of living in Trumpland including his most dangerous moves against civil liberties yet. If you're a Canadian concerned about these things, you might want to listen to this week's guest because he has some ideas on how to fight back!
This Thursday, June 12, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Six Weeks, 17 Fights. The Ontario Legislature rose last week after only sitting for a total of six weeks. And yet, in that small space of time, Doug Ford and his government managed to upset just about everyone from municipal leaders, to environmentalists, to Indigenous communities thank to the passage of the highly controversial Bills 5 and 17. These measures, which are supposed to create more housing, come at a time when housing starts are at their slowest level since 2009, so what is all this for?
Battle Los Angeles. Last Friday, protest erupted in the Los Angeles area after agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) started arresting undocumented people looking for work outside a Home Depot. The raids seem to be the brain child of Stephen Miller, Donald Trump's most trusted advisor, especially on matters of racial animus. The eruption of protests, and the calling of the National Guard, has people concerned, especially now before Trump's birthday army parade. How worried should we be?
Charlie in Charge. He may not be in Parliament anymore, but Charlie Angus is still making waves. Travelling coast-to-coast-to-coast now, Angus is aiming to rallying ordinary Canadians in the fight against fascism and to promote resiliency and resistance in local communities, and he's bring that message to Guelph in an event on Thursday June 19. Before that though he will join us here on Open Sources to talk about why you can't leave it to the politicians and how you can start to get more politically involved.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #395 - June 11, 2025 (Nonnas)

This week on End Credits, we're thinking about our elders. This is a multi-generational show today as we mark the special occasion this weekend and then get an early jump on an October holiday with a new movie. What holiday? Why Grandmother's Day, of course! We're reviewing Nonnas on Netflix and talking about movies focused on fatherhood!!
This Wednesday, June 11, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Tim Phillips will discuss:
Father's Day Movies. This weekend is the annual celebration of fathers everywhere, and much fishing equipment, car accessories and neck ties will be spread in their name. But what about the movies? Yes, there have been many movies that celebrate fathers and fatherhood, and so we will use the occasion of Father's Day to celebrate those movies whether that's an adoptive father to a demon or the World's Greatest Dad!
REVIEW: Nonnas (2025). We've talked about fathers, now let's talk about grandmothers! Or rather, Nonnas. It's based on the true story of a Staten Island restaurateur who used his inheritance to create an eatery dedicated to the fine, home Italian cooking of his mother, his grandmother and nonnas everywhere using real nonnas as the kitchen staff. Vince Vaughn leads an all-star cast of nonnas including Lorraine Bracco, Susan Sarandon and Talia Shire, but can they cook up something delightful and delicious movie-wise speaking?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #474 – Running on Empties (feat. Karen Wirsig)

When Doug Ford and the Ontario government announced that they were expanding alcohol sales to grocery and convenience stores it was seen as a positive move to break up a government monopoly, but The Beer Store still has one important piece of that monopoly: returns. It was an effective example of what we now call the circular economy, but in making alcohol more available, has it cost us the most successful recycling program we’ve ever had?
Next time you buy beer or wine at the grocery store or the quick stop, look at your receipt: You’re still paying the 10 or 20 cent deposit on every can and bottle. If you take your empties back to The Beer Store, you can get that money back, but it’s becoming more convenient to get rid of your empties by dumping them out in the recycling. That undermines what’s been an incredibly successful recycling program through The Beer Store, which, at its peak saw an 80 per cent return rate. 
Large grocery stores that sell alcohol and are more than five kilometres from a Beer Store are supposed to be accepting returns but the words “supposed to” are doing a lot of work because, as you’ll hear, this is being treated as more of a suggestion than a rule. In their own investigation, Environmental Defence only found one grocery store in Ontario meeting this criteria that is actively accepting empties, and this is only going to get worse as more Beer Store locations close. 
One the people raising the alarm on this is Karen Wirsig, who is the plastics program manager of Environmental Defence. She joins us this week to talk about why The Beer Store’s recycling program has been so successful, and why maintaining it has been such an afterthought for the government. We will also talk about why grocery retailers are fighting the effort to expand the return program to their stores, the coming danger in 2026 with Beer Store closures, and what you can do to keep getting your deposit back. 
So let's talk about your empties on this week's Guelph Politicast!
You can learn more about Environmental Defense at their website, or follow them on Instagram. You can follow Karen Wirsig on Twitter @ Karen_Wirsig where she posts about her advocacy efforts on reducing waste and plastic pollution. And if you want to support The Beer Store’s recycling program, take your empties back no matter where you bought them. You’re paying the deposit anyway.
The host for the Guelph Politicast is Podbean. Find more episodes of the Politicast here, or download them on your favourite podcast app at Apple, TuneIn and Spotify .
Also, when you subscribe to the Guelph Politicast channel and you will also get an episode of Open Sources Guelph every Monday, and an episode of End Credits every Friday.

Open Sources Guelph. #522 - June 5, 2025

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're going dull. You can't make friends with salad? We disagree! And to help prove that we're going to get out the scorecards for the first two weeks of business with the new Canadian government and the first year of business for the U.K.'s government. In other news, we'll go super local looking at one neighbourhood with that area's council representative!
This Thursday, June 5, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Carney's Version. It's week two for the new Canadian government under Prime Minister Mark Carney and while he's definitely made the case to the electorate that he's not Trump, he still seems kind of concerned as Bill C-2 enters the picture. The second major piece of legislation from Carney seems to accept some of Trump's bonafides that Canada is an epicentre for fentanyl and our border security needs reform, and civil liberty groups have notes. Has Carney already gone too far just over a month since Election Day?
Going Kier. It's been almost a year since Kier Starmer and the Labour Party were elected to lead the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, and now there's some considerable regret in the electorate. Not exactly a surprise, but nipping at Starmer's heals are Nigel Farage and his alt-right Reform Party who are waiting to seize on any doubt in the electorate that the government just doesn't work. Should we be concerned about a populist revolt in the U.K., and is there a lesson for Carney and Canada's Liberals?
The Goller. There is a lot going on in downtown Guelph. Some serious construction projects are getting going and it's just a taste of what's to come, poverty support groups are getting traffic tickets from bylaw, and there was more than a little controversy about where exactly a daytime shelter should go. Here to help us out with all of that thinking is one of the people who represents Ward 2, which includes downtown. Rodrigo Goller will join us to talk about balancing all the needs facing downtown Guelph and what his own political future looks like.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.