Guelph Politicast

GUELPH POLITICAST #Repeat – How the Greenbelt Was Won (feat. Kevin Thomason)

It was about this time last year that the so-called Greenbelt scandal blew-up. Although the issue had been simmering since fall 2022, the persistent efforts of journalists and activists to get to the bottom of the decision to separate and sell-off portions of protected land resulted in the land being restored, the minister responsible replaced, and the RCMP looking into whether or not anything criminal happened.
It started with the Ontario government’s plan to remove parcels of the Greenbelt and allow for new housing developments there despite Doug Ford’s promise that his government would not touch the Greenbelt. Here in Guelph, hundreds and hundreds of people came out on a cold Sunday morning to express their outrage, and so did people in other cities across Ontario, an it was an outrage that didn't burn out over the months that followed.
Then things started changing last summer. Ontario’s auditor general released a scathing report into how the Greenbelt land swap came about, and that started a chain of events ending with Ford putting all that land back. This was a few weeks after a massive protest outside Fordfest at Bingemans in Kitchener, which was organized in part by the Grand River Environmental Network. They pushed hard to save the Greenbelt, but they’re still pointing out that there’s a lot of work left to do.
This week we’re joined again by Kevin Thomason, who is the vice-chair of the Grand River Environmental Network. He’s going to talk about how GREN worked hard organizing people, why so many people took the encroachment on the Greenbelt so personally, and why Fordfest in Kitchener was Doug Ford’s Waterloo, so to speak. We will also talk about why climate change isn’t a bigger issue after the wildfire season we just experienced, and whether the provincial government has learned any lessons in the last year.
So let’s take another victory lap for the Greenbelt on this week’s Guelph Politicast!
You can learn more about the Grand River Environmental Network at their website.
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, Google, 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 Digest - August 8, 2024

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we’re taking a break, and it’s the same for next week (or last week depending on when you’re reading this). Yes, the time has come for our usual summer vacation, but we’re not leaving you hanging! As we recharge our senses and collect your thoughts, you will be treated to a long-running tradition in the production of rich media: The rerun. As we cash-in some of our vacation days, you will be entertained by the ghosts of Open Sources’ past.
Taking a Break from Some of Our Worries. So July was a lot. An incumbent president decided that it was best that he not run for re-election, and an Ontario premier did the impossible and caused a strike at the LCBO. At the same time, Doug Ford is also trying to explain why he closed the Science Centre, why so much of this province’s health matters are being handled by Shoppers Drug Mart, and whether or not we’re going to have an early provincial election. No wonder he’s worked up such an apatite. Then again though, so have we. See you in a couple of weeks.
*Programming Note: Open Sources Guelph will return with new episodes on Thursday August 22.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #353 - August 7, 2024 (The Beast/La Bête)

This week on End Credits we're getting weird. Now obviously, this show is always a little weird,  but this week we're making it official by talking about movies that stray away from the normal path, and that includes the movie we're reviewing this week. First, we will look at "What the funk?!" movies, and then we will say "WTF?" about a French movie that's a Beast.
This Wednesday, August 7, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Tim Phillips will discuss:
What the Funk Movies. The best part of watching a movie is when it surprises you, when it makes you say "What the funk?!" Well, when we say "funk" we mean another word that almost has all the same letters in the same order, but the feeling is the same; "What the funk did I just watch?!" To begin this week's show, we will turn out some of our favourite WTF? Movies, from the bizarre to the twisted to twist endings.
REVIEW: The Beast/La Bête (2024). In the future, artificial intelligence controls everything and if you want to be a good human helper then you have to purge yourself of emotions. How do you do that? By examining your past lives. How bizarre. Léa Seydoux and George MacKay play lovers through time, each struggling with feelings of isolation and impending doom in 1910 Paris, 2014 Los Angeles, and the the cold indifferent future. So what are we to make of Bertrand Bonello's acclaimed trip through time, space, love and confusion?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: End Credits is taking the next two weeks off and will return with new episodes on Wednesday August 28.

GUELPH POLITICAST #430 - Caution’s Creek Part 2: The Future

It took a while to get here, but the Grand River Conservation Authority membership last month approved a management plan for the Niska lands, aka: the old Kortright Waterfowl Park, but this is not the end of the journey. For nearly 20 years there’s been a fierce back and forth about what comes next for the property and who’s responsible for its protection, but even with a plan in place now it doesn't mean that the controversy is over.
When we last tackled this topic on the podcast it was October 2023 and the draft land management plan had just been presented to the GRCA board. That plan was adapted by the GRCA board at their June meeting along with its three recommendations: To engage with the City of Guelph and others about future maintenance and use; to manage and monitor the sensitive environmental demands; and dispose the portion called “Agricultural Field B”, which is on the south side of Niska.
Now, what you have to understand is that it’s the plan that’s been approved, not necessarily those directions. Just because it’s been recommended that some land be sold necessarily means that it will be sold, and there’s an entirely separate process that needs to happen before any decisions are made, so let’s talk to some of the decision makers. In this case, Guelph/Eramosa Township Mayor and GRCA Chair Chris White and GRCA Chief Administrative Officer Samantha Lawson.
White and Lawson will talk about the next steps, where responsibility lies for the City of Guelph and the Conservation Authority, and who the other stakeholders might be when it comes to the fate of the lands. We will also talk about protecting the environment, the concerns raised by the public about protecting the area’s ecosystem, the pressures from the provincial government, and how the role of conservation authorities has changed as a result of those pressures.
So let's talk about the Niska Land's future on this week's episode of the Guelph Politicast!
You can rewind to episode #392 to hear the first part of this two-parter with Dr. Hugh Whitely and get his point of view on the issue here. You can see coverage of the issue on Guelph Politico, and you can see the Niska Landholdings Management plan on Grand River Conservation Authority’s website here.
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.
Programming Note: The Guelph Politicast will be taking the next two weeks off and will be back with new episode on Wednesday August 28.

Open Sources Guelph #480 - August 1, 2024

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're doubling the cast. As a summer treat, we have not just one, but two different guests including a federal cabinet minister, and she will be followed by a member of our local city council who will talk to us about the year at city hall so far. And yes, we will also have news, which this week will centre around what is perhaps the most hated corporation in all of Canada!
This Thursday, August 1, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Judge Bread. A class action lawsuit against Loblaw, the parent company of Loblaws and other grocery chains, has been settled for $500 million. The case involves the price-fixing of bread products, which the company plead guilty to after being charged under the Competition Act in June 2023, and if you bought a loaf in the last 10 years you might be getting a cheque in the mail. So has Loblaw learned its lesson, or do we need break up the grocery-opoly?
After the Sudds. Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jenna Sudds was in Guelph on Monday talking to local leaders about the roll out of $10 per day childcare, and the fight against food insecurity, two areas that Guelph and Wellington are well-versed on. Sudds also called in to CFRU to talk about that work, the differences between childcare coverage in rural and urban areas, and trying to co-ordinate with the provincial government to deliver these vital services.
In it For the Phil. Guelph city council is on summer vacation, but Open Sources isn't. (...Yet!) So before he takes off for the August break, we tapped an old friend to come into the studio and lay down some thoughts about 2024 so far. From housing solutions, to public spaces bylaws, to a new governing relationship with Wellington County, to Strong Mayor Powers, we will cram seven months into 20 minutes with Ward 3 City Councillor Phil Allt.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Open Sources Guelph is taking the next two weeks off and will return with new episodes on Thursday August 22.

End Credits #352 - July 31, 2024 (Deadpool & Wolverine)

This week on End Credits, we're appreciating that all it takes to make $200 million in one weekend is a foul mouth and lots of gore. Or maybe it's gratuitous cameos from comic book movies you've all but forgot about. If you haven't guessed already, we're reviewing Deadpool & Wolverine, and sticking with the X-Men, we're ranking that whole series.
This Wednesday, July 31, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Candice Lepagee will discuss:
Lists of Future Past. The X-Men movie franchise played a big role in supporting the idea of serious and ambitious comic book movies can be a box office winner, but it seems like the the movement's gotten away from Marvel's Merry Mutants. Before Deadpool & Wolverine there were 13 movies under the X-Men banner, so to say goodbye (hello?) to the movie X-Men, we will rank all those movies from worst to best.
REVIEW: Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). It's a team-up that people have been looking forward to for years, and it comes at a precarious time for the once mighty Marvel Studios. It started as a joke, but after a massive opening weekend it does really feel like Deadpool is now "Marvel Jesus," as in he brought the franchise back from the dead, and with no small [maximum] effort from Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman. Despite being the perpetual underdog, it looks like Deadpool has won again, but is the movie any good? Let's find out!
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #429 – The Secrets of Stonehenge... The Guelph One (feat. Kristen Kerr)

A couple of weeks ago at city council, a group of leaders representing four frontline agencies appeared to support the idea of a tiny home project in Guelph. The head of the Guelph Community Health Centre appeared on this podcast a few months ago, and so did the head of the Canadian Mental Health Association, plus the CEO of Guelph General Hospital was our special Christmas guest this past December. So if you've been counting, that leaves one more...
The Stonehenge Therapeutic Community has been doing the work for over 50 years when it comes to helping people in Guelph battling addictions and mental health issues. It started as a small, farm-based residential treatment program for men and women in 1971 and has expanded over the decades to include all types of services like compassionate care, peer support, safer supply, and yes, housing. 
Stonehenge’s latest achievement is helping to launch the supportive housing project on Shelldale Crescent, the Kindle Communities, a massive community effort that was more than two years in the making. Unfortunately, that's not the end of the story, but this is an issue that can’t be solved by any one agency, or any one group of agencies, so the work is ongoing as the staff of Stonehenge look for new opportunities to help the growing need. 
Kristen Kerr, who is the executive director of the Stonehenge Therapeutic Community, will give us some insight into that work. We’re going to talk about the origins of Stonehenge, and how it got the same name as that famous landmark in the English countryside. We will also talk about the current pressure on frontline agencies, how Stonehenge is responding to the growing trend of compassion fatigue, and where Stonehenge might take harm reduction next now that the Kindle Community is almost complete. 
So let's uncover the secrets of Stonehenge - the Guelph version - on this week’s Guelph Politicast!
You can learn more about Stonehenge at their website. Drug Poisoning Awareness Day will take place on August 22 in Mount Forest and August 29 here in Guelph, and you have until tomorrow, August 1, to order a “Remembering Lives Lost” t-shirt, which you can do through the Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy website.
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 #479 - July 25, 2024

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we need a drink. Good thing the liquor stores are open again, and to talk about why that is and what the workers in those stores are thinking, we're joined by one of their union leaders on this episode. Why are we drinking? Drama! So much drama in the U.S. Presidential election this week as the odds changed again, and meanwhile, closer to home, we've got some big decisions to make in terms of our own defence.
This Thursday, July 25, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Bye-Bye, Biden. After weeks of consternation, not to mention a bout of COVID-19, President Joe Biden announced on the weekend that he would not seek re-election in this November's presidential election. Instead, Vice-President Kamala Harris will carry the Democratic banner against Donald Trump, and any concern about party strife quickly disappeared as Harris secured enough delegates to get the nomination in less than 30 hours. So what happens now in this historic campaign?
Defence on Defense. Gen. Jennie Carignan, the new chief of the defence staff, says that Canada has five years to get ready for threats posed to the country resulting from the loss of Arctic ice and other challenges. Canada is in last place among NATO countries to reach the two per cent of GDP spending goal, and that has not gone unnoticed by our allies, many of whom are under threat without, and within. Is Canada finally ready to address the gap in defence spending, or are we going to continue to waffle?
Booze Dues. The workers of the LCBO ended their strike on the weekend, but that was not the end of the animus. The stores are open, but the blame game is still being played between the Premier and union leaders, and this week, we will get some insight from one of those parties. Colleen MacLeod, the bargaining team chair for OPSEU, will join us to talk about the negotiations, trading statements with Doug Ford, and what the future of the LCBO looks like along with the future of its workers.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #351 - July 24, 2024 (Twisters)

This week on End Credits, we're thinking about stormy weather! About a week after a major storm washed out so many parts of Ontario, including the Pergola Galaxy Cinemas here in Guelph, we're going to take things up a notch with Twisters. And on the subject of weather and the movies, we will talk about some other movies about the weather.
This Wednesday, July 24, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Peter Salmon will discuss:
Weather Flap. The movie of the week leads to a rather obvious pre-review discussion. There are a lot of movies about the weather, or movies where the weather has a major influence on the plot, and while it my not be obvious, not all of those movies are based in disasters. That brings us to this week's show, where between the snow, and the rain, and the floods we will talk about our favourite movies inspired by the weather.
Twisters (2024). It shouldn't be surprising that someone would want to make a sequel to Twister, the 1996 smash about tornado chasers in Oklahoma. It's kinda surprising that we're getting it almost 30 years later, but if there's ever been a good time for a tornado movie, it's now! Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell replace Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton leading a new generation of chasers through tornado ally on a quest for science and thrills. The formula is solid, but can this team catch... (ahem) lightning in a bottle?!
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #428 – The S#!t Disturber (feat. Mike Sullivan)

What could have been a small one-day story about disagreements around the table at Stratford city council has become emblematic of a bigger issue. Aside from the fine line between criticism of our civic leaders and outright threatening behaviour, there’s also a question about whether their mayor and council are being as open and transparent as it should be, and one man - famously - has his doubts.
Members from Get Concerned Stratford have appeared on this podcast before. The group itself was born out of concerns around Stratford council’s efforts to approve the construction of a controversial glass plant in the city. But the circumstances that led to the Xinyi controversy lingered, even with a new council, and it all seemed to come together at a council meeting on February 26.
At that meeting, there was a report about the use of closed meeting protocols that showed Stratford council was frequently making decisions in-camera, but attention instead went to a matter of zoning where two delegates - Mike Sullivan and Barb Shaughnessy - were accused of making statements that were allegedly threatening and disrespectful. They both got three-month bans from council and that's where the controversy - and this podcast - really begins!
Sullivan joins us this week to tell us about what happened at the February 26 meeting, how he learned that he was temporarily banned from council and what happened the first time he showed up anyway. He will also tell us about his efforts to learn more about what goes on in closed meetings, the repeatedly failed attempts to get the ban lifted, and where the battle goes now that the ban has expired. Also, where's the fine line between legitimate criticism and an ad hominem attack?
So let's look at what's going on in Stratford with this week's Guelph Politicast!
Some late breaking news at Monday council’s meeting it was unanimously decided that the Respectful Workplace Policy would be reviewed by staff, but only two members of council voted to suspend the policy. You can learn more about Get Concerned Stratford at their website here. You can find links to the videos of council meetings at the City of Stratford at their website.
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.
Photo Courtesy of Get Concerned Stratford Facebook.