Guelph Politicast

Open Sources Guelph - December 24, 2015

Merry Christmas! To celebrate the holiday season, and to enjoy a well-earned break, this edition of Open Sources Guelph
will be a special one. Or rather it will be a special. This week, the
show is all about our favourite political movies. From the struggles of
standing between competing parties in the Danish parliament to comedic
efforts to beat the odds and be elected President of the United States,
from the struggles of a Communist fighting the Spanish Civil War to the
reconsideration of an American pariah, these are our selections for
favourite political movies. This Thursday, December 24, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz  and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:1) Scotty's Pick #1. Borgen:
Birgitte Nyborg becomes Prime Minister of Denmark through a political
fluke and has to learn the ways of power, quickly. She's an altruistic
public servant in an old boys club and must master the art of the deal
overnight, manage her image and understand that she has advisors but no
real friends. She also must perform the impossible juggling act of
maintaining a family life while serving as Denmark s first female Prime
Minister. The rigors of public life and the press may attract some of
Denmark s finest, but it also exacts a high price from them all for
participating in an open democracy.2) Adam's Pick #1. Head of State:
A low-level Washington, D.C., public servant, Mays Gilliam (Chris
Rock), is thrust into the national spotlight when he's asked by Martin
Geller (Dylan Baker), the head of the Democratic Party, to run for
president after the party's presidential and vice-presidential nominees
are killed in a plane crash. The odds are against
Gilliam, mostly because he has a penchant for telling the truth about
what is wrong with the country. Remarkably, his straight-talking style
catches on with the public.3) Scotty's Pick #2. Land and Freedom:
David Carr (Ian Hart), a committed member of the Communist Party in his
native Liverpool, England, travels to Spain in 1936 with the intention
of joining the anti-fascist International Brigades in the country's
civil war. Instead, he falls in with the POUM, a Marxist splinter group
opposed to Stalin's oppressive totalitarianism.
Despite falling in love with the politically passionate Blanca (Rosana
Pastor), Carr finds the leftist infighting a distraction from the
greater struggle.4) Adam's Pick #2. W:
Flashbacks to key events in his life reveal the rise of George W. Bush
from ne'er-do-well party boy and son of privilege to president of the
United States. After trading in booze for religion, George mends his
aimless ways and sets his sights first on the Texas governorship, then
on the presidency. But the country's involvement in the Iraq war decreases his approval rating.***Programming note: This episode of Open Sources Guelph is pre-recorded.Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

Open Sources Guelph - December 17, 2015

We're winding down a very busy first year here at Open Sources Guelph
with a visit from an old friend, and discussion about two very
important topics that have been at top of mind for many Canadians over
the last 12 months. This Thursday, December 17, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz  and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:1) Welcome Back, Frank!
For the first half of the show, we will welcome special guest Frank
Valeriote. The former Liberal MP of Guelph will join us for a kind of
exit interview as we reflect back on his career in Ottawa, the things
he's proud of accomplishing while there, and whether or not he's maybe
missing the rush of being a politician. We'll talk about the challenges
and rewards of being a Member of Parliament, and maybe share a few
laughs.2) Duffy Speaks!
After months and months, the man himself finally took the witness stand
at his own trial and Senator Mike Duffy was literally called to account
for all his expenses. Although he promised big revelations, Duffy's
testimony, for the most part, seems to be a public airing over how he
was painted into a corner by Stephen Harper and the PMO on all matters,
from his representing P.E.I. to the response to the expense report. Is
Duffy a patsy, and more importantly, does anyone buy that?3) What's Next for Truth and Reconciliation?
The final report from the Justice Murray Sinclair and the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission was delivered Tuesday with its promise of a
new era in bilateral, nation-to-nation relations between Canada and its
Indigenous peoples. Prime Minister Justice Trudeau and his government
has already called for the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Aboriginal
Women, but what of the other 93 recommendations? Is this truly the start
of a new era, and what will it take for the government to keep their
promises?***Programming note: Open Sources Guelph will be airing two end of the year specials on December 24 and December 31. Stay tuned for more details.Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

Open Sources Guelph - December 10, 2015

One more week till Star Wars, two more weeks till Christmas, but Open Sources Guelph
still has a lot to say before the year's end. Canada got back to
business as the holiday season ramped up, so how does the new government
look as compared to the old? Meanwhile in Guelph, city council had
passing the second budget of the term top of mind, but there was also
that small matter of a one-lane bridge... Then we will catch up with a
major criminal investigation in California, which will segue nicely into
what might by the five most dreaded letters of 2016, T-R-U-M-P.This Thursday, December 10, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz  and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:1) First Questions.
Parliament sat for its first Question Period of the 42nd session this
week, and the Opposition parties were eager to get out the knives even
though a tone of civility was mandated by the new Speaker. But as those
first questions were asked, the Liberals moved forward with their
agenda, which included tax cuts for the middle class, and the
announcement of the initiation of an inquiry into Missing and Murdered
Indigenous Women and Girls. How did the Liberals fair in their first
Question Period in 10 years? And what of the Conservatives' opposition
and their new leader Rona Ambrose?2) Shoots and Bridges.
A contentious meeting unfolded last Thursday at Guelph City Council as a
special meeting was called to determine the fate of the Niska Rd.
Bailey Bridge. Following a long meeting Monday night to hear delegates
about the budget, there's a lot of action right now at City Hall,
including the final deliberations for the city's 2016 tax-supported
fiscal plan. We'll discuss the latest developments from Carden Steet.3) Guns and Blame-o. The fallout from the San Bernadino shooting last week continues with the FBI and Homeland Security agencies confirming that Tashfeen Malik was radicalized, and that she and her husband, Syed Rizwan Farook,
were motivated by terror and not any specific retaliation on Farook's
work place. What can be done in the face of another ISIS-inspired lone
wolf attack? How can a man who seemingly enjoyed the normal life of a
husband and father follow his wife into suicidal jihad? And will Barack
Obama's call for action on gun control and calm in the face of terror
bear any fruit?4) Trump Up the Ham.
Still sitting a top the Republican field months after pundits said he'd
crash and burn, Donald Trump somehow offended more people this week by
first proposing that the United States should stop letting Muslims
immigrate there, stop Muslim Americans from re-entering the U.S. should
they leave, and then he said Bill Gates needs to be drafted to find a
way to "close off" the internet. He's just screwing with us at this
point, right? We'll have the latest from the campaign trail south of the
border.Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

Open Sources Guelph - November 26, 2015

Almost two weeks after the attacks in Paris, things seem to be
unraveling all the more in terms of the world's tenuous geopolitical
situation. This week on Open Sources Guelph, we'll do
our small part to offer insight and analysis on these perilous
circumstances, and the consequences of the ongoing war, like refugees.
Meanwhile in Canada, the domestic picture is not so rosy with money
issues and the return of a name whom in no small way had a huge impact
on the outcome of the election. This Thursday, November 26, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz  and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:1) Another Act of War?
Things in, near and around Syria got even more heated Tuesday when
Turkey shot down a Russian plane that was supposedly invading its air
space. In the wake of the Paris Attacks, a lockdown in Brussels, and
renewed demand from the U.S. and partners to up the ante in the fight
against ISIS, a NATO member shooting down Russian fighter has dangerous
implications, but what will those be? Is Russian going to stand down, or
will this a dangerous provocation turning Syria into a flashpoint for
not just its own going civil strife, but a new proxy war among global
super-powers?2) The Plan Revealed.
Since their election on October 19, Canadians have wondered just how
exactly Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the government intended to
bring 25,000 refugees to Canada before New Year's Day, and they got
their answer: they're not. The amended Liberal plan will see 10,000
arriving her before January 1, with 15,000 more arriving by the end of
February. The outpouring of support for refugees from provincial and
community leaders has been in stark contrast to the rhetoric south of
the border, so is this a win for the Liberals in their first big test of
government? Is the plan doable, and well thought out?3) There's Already a Deficit!
Finance Minister Bill Morneau delivered his first financial statement
this week in his new job, and halfway through the fiscal year it seems
that Canada is already in a deficit. Lagging oil prices and an economic
downturn have resulted in a projected $3 billion deficit, which, if
you're keeping score, now accounts for nearly a third of the Liberals
promised $10 billion cap on annual deficits. How will this affect the
Liberals plan to use deficit spending to fund infrastructure projects?4) Duffy Trial Part III.
Outside the prescience of the election campaign, and in the shadow of
more pressing global concerns, the trial of Senator Mike Duffy resumed.
Gerald Donohue, the man whose "consultation" resulted in $65,000 in
money from Duffy's expense account being paid to companies owned by
members of his family, took the stand Monday, and although his testimony
wasn't as "sexy" as Nigel Wright's, it's still pretty important to the
Crown's case. Is Duffy's fate in his anti-fraud trial any more certain,
and when will we learn his fate?Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

Open Sources Guelph - November 19, 2015

In a strange turn of fate, the year on Open Sources Guelph
began with an attack on Paris, and as the year winds down, Paris has
come under attack again. As the news has buckled under the weight of
changing developments, we will also take a look at two homegrown
developments, whether a serial killer has the right to sell awful
conspiracy/spy fiction, and the struggle for the Royal City to balance
the books once again. This Thursday, November 19, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz  and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:1) Terror in Paris 2.
A co-ordinated attack on a soccer stadium, a concert venue and two
restaurants resulted in the death of over 150 people in the City of
Lights. The perpetrators were seemingly ISIS inspired, which has spurned
a whole new round of calls to war against the terrorist group based in
Iraq and Syria, but is that the right call? Is total war against ISIS
going to do more harm than good in the long run? And isn't this exactly
what ISIS wants? Also, with two attacks in Paris in one year, what will
the public be asked to give up in exchange for security?2) The Refugee Crisis.
A new consequence of the Paris attacks is the fate of millions of
refugees fleeing from fighting in the Middle East. Europe, already
strained under the weight of refugees, is closing ranks further,
meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is being asked to slow the pace
of accepting refugees, governors of half the U.S. states have refused
to accept any migrants, and the House of Representatives is currently
working to stop President Barack Obama from implementing his plans to
bring more people Stateside. Considering that no refugee has been
definitively tied to the attacks, does it make sense to punish the
people already victimized by ISIS?3) What's in a Book? It came as something of a shock last weekend when a new book appeared on Amazon, A MAD World Order.
The shocking part is that this Clancy-esque techno-thriller was written
by the notorious Paul Bernardo, easily the most hated man in Canadian
penal history, sentence to life for a string of rapes in Scarborough and
the brutal murders of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy. Amazon pulled
the book after a public outcry, but that raises more philosophical
concerns of censorship. Should Bernardo's book have been pulled in the
name of public distaste?4) Money Issues.
It's budget time in Guelph again, and despite renewed efforts to make
the process more interactive with the community, a number of contentious
items are on the table. Mayor Cam Guthrie wants a tax hike to be in
line with the rate of inflation, but that looks like it could mean a
whole series of cuts. Already Public Health is taking about laying off
people, and Guelph Transit is suggesting cuts in service and and a far
hike. What will the 2016 books look like when the process is over?Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

Open Sources Guelph - November 12, 2015

The honeymoon's over this week on Open Sources Guelph.
A little more than a week into the Trudeau-rific era, and Canada's
getting hosed by the TPP, approving the dumping of sewage into our
favourite river, and what's this we hear about the budget being in
deficit before Justin Trudeau puts it into deficit? Yeah, it's pretty
rough out there, but not as rough as some people. Suicide rates are
increasing amongst middle-aged white men, while in the United States, a
middle-aged black man is killing his chances to become president with
some creative re-writting of his biography. This Thursday, November 12, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz  and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:1) You Down with TPP?
The full text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was released late
last week, all 6,000 pages of it, and not only was it as bad as the
critics thought it was going to be, it's worse. Labour groups are now
even more concerned about Canadian jobs, freedom of information
advocates are warning of even more stringent controls on the public
domain, and nationalists are worried that we will be selling out even
more of our sovereignty to corporations. Is there any good at all in
Canada ratifying the TPP? Can the new government refuse to sign? Should
they?2) All About the Benjamins.
As the Race for the White House marches on, a new frontrunner has
emerged among the Republican ranks, and his name is Dr. Ben Carson. And
that's about the only thing that Carson and reporters can agree on in
terms of what's true about the former neurosurgeon's background, which
includes stories about sub-psychotic rage, attempted matricide and being
the last honest man at Yale. What's the deal with Dr. Ben's dramatic
retelling of his own story, and is it a bigger issue than his policies?3) Sudden Death.
Now well into the month of Movember, an occasion to raise awareness
about prostate cancer, the news is giving us a new men's health issue to
be concerned about, mental health. A new study shows that suicide rates
in the U.S. and Canada are highest among white men in their 50s, and
experts are trying to understand why. In a relatively new phenomenon,
men, at a point in their lives when they are supposed to be at their
most secure, are having a hard time coping with life. What does this
mean, and what does it say about society in regards to this startling
trend.4) Trudeau Metre.
Now more than a full week on the job, let's check in on Team Trudeau,
particularly in relation to the upcoming climate change conference in
Paris. New Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna is
already laying the ground work, but this week she also signed off on the
dumping of millions of tonnes of raw sewage into the St. Lawrence by
the City of Montreal. So is faith in the new government paying off, or
is it more a case of the new boss same as the old boss?Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday

GUELPH POLITICAST #27 - Jessica Gibson, Guelph Museums

The nation marked Remembrance Day last week, but in a very real
sense, Guelph has been marking Remembrance Day all year long. This
December will mark the 100th anniversary of the publication of "In
Flanders Field," a simple 15 line poem that captured the horror, honour,
camaraderie and hopefulness of World War One. It was written by an army
doctor name John McCrae, and Guelph is his hometown, thus making this
centenary very important to the Royal City. So I sought our someone to
talk about it.The person I found was Jessica Gibson,
who is the "In Flanders Field" Commemoration Co-ordinator at Guelph
Museums. A number of programs have been created through the museums to
mark the 100th anniversary of McCrae's poem including an art show, a new
exhibit at the main Civic Museum, the re-opening of the McCrae House
museum post renovation, and the unveiling of a new statue of McCrae on
the hill between the museum and the Basilica of Our Lady.Gibson
has had her hand in all that. In our conversation last weekend, we
talked about the work that the Civic Museum is doing, the new things
still being discovered about McCrae and his life and times, and why "In
Flanders Field" continues to endure as a symbol of national pride and
remembrance. So let's get into all things McCrae with Jessica Gibson of Guelph Museums on this edition of the Politicast.  The theme music for Guelph Politicast is provided by Crazy Pills and their song "Break It Down" courtesy of Free Music Archive.The host for the Guelph Politicast is Podbean. Find more episodes here.Remember
that the Politicast Podbean channel is also the host for podcast
versions of Open Sources Guelph. The previous Thursday's episode of Open
Sources will be posted on Mondays.Stay tuned for future editions of the Guelph Politicast.

Open Sources Guelph - November 5, 2015

After taking a week off, Open Sources Guelph is now
forced to talk about Justin Trudeau again. The new Prime Minister is
"Designate" no more, and he revealed his first cabinet to an excited
throng of over 3,500 people at Rideau Hall yesterday. Meanwhile, the
countries going to hell in a hand cart. (Thank Justin.) Ontario's got
more than 99 problems and now has two new ones. Meanwhile, buying a
house in certain parts of the country is getting more and more
expensive, and money maybe having too much influence at one of Canada's
universities.This Thursday, November 5, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz  and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:1) Meet the News Bosses... As if the weather itself were choreographed for the occasion, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed his new cabinet
on a sunny walk up the driveway of Rideau Hall. An interesting mix of
veteran MPs and accomplished rookies, as well as equal representation of
regions and gender parity, this group has a lot of hard work ahead, but
are they up to the task? We will parse the list.2) Ontario Problems.
As Federal Liberals celebrate, Ontario Liberals are boxed in by scandal
once again. On one front, there's the growing concern about the plan to
privatize part of Hydro One and warnings that it will hurt rather than
help the bottom line. On the other, there's the labour dispute with
teachers, a protracted showdown not helped by the bizarre new
negotiating structure and accusations that the Government of Ontario was
covering the negotiating costs of the teachers' unions. Is there any
win here for Kathleen Wynne?3) Too Hot to Handle?
Concerns about the overheated housing market in Canada's biggest cities
got louder this week, when an informal survey of recent home buyers in
Vancouver seemed to indicate that most of them were coming from mainland
China. Fueled by rock bottom interest rates, home ownership remains
attractive, but more and more people seem to be being priced out of the
market. Meanwhile speculation that Canada is on the cusp of its own
housing crash continues to grow. What, if anything, can be done?4) A Slick Deal at U of C?
Corporate donations to universities came under the microscope this week
when professors at the University of Calgary raised concerns about a
$2.2 million donation from Enbridge to  the Haskayne School of Business in
2012. The issue is shining a light, not just on the cozy relationship
between public institutions in Alberta and oil industry, but also on
increasing corporate funding to Canada's universities, a worrying trend
as these institutes look for more needed funding. Is academic freedom in
Canada under threat?Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

Open Sources Guelph - October 29, 2015

On this week's episode of Open Sources Guelph, we
leave the Federal Election behind and dig into new issues and some old
ones. In the first half, we'll be checking in with Canada's First
Nations people as they continue to struggle for fair treatment and
equality only to be stymied at every turn. In the United States, they
too are a but hungover from an election, but they still have a little
over a year to go till theirs is over. And finally, we'll consider a new
thought about a favourite fall holiday. This Thursday, October 15, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz  and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:1) Abuse in Val d'Or.
Shortly after the rare achievement of 10 newly elected First Nations'
MPs in last Monday's election came news that Aboriginal women in Quebec
were once again were finding themselves victims, and this time, it was
as victims of the people that are supposed to protect them, the police.
Eight members of the provincial police were suspended after a
Radio-Canada investigation revealed that officers were assaulting
Aboriginal women. How did this issue stay silent for so long, and what
affect with this have on the national discussion in addressing
mistreatment of Canada's First Nations people.2) Fears for Tears Report.
Elizabeth Denham, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British
Columbia released a scathing report and called for an RCMP investigation
when it was discovered that the province had "triple deleted" emails
relating to the topic of the Highway of Tears. With pressure about to
grow on the new federal Liberal government to call an inquiry into
Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women, what was the government thinking
by erasing such potentially provocative communiques?3) Back to the U.S.A.
Canada's election maybe over, but the road to the White House south of
the border marches on as we reach the one year to Election Day
countdown. Vice-President Joe Biden has decided he won't run for a
promotion, while Hillary Clinton enjoyed a good week after the latest
Benghazi hearing. Meanwhile on the right, Donald Trump is hurting after
falling to second place in Iowa, and last night's Republican debate
became all about the moderators as CNBC journalists tried to get the
candidates to give substantive answers. We'll have the latest...4) This is Halloween? In an op-ed in the Guelph Mercury,
Lakeside downtown pastor Rev. Graham Singh wondered if maybe Halloween
was getting too ghoulish. Pass through any Guelph neighbourhood and
you'll see skulls, monsters, corpses, and other trappings of the season,
but have we gone too far? Singh posits that as Canada welcomes people
from Syria and Iraq, witnesses to real life horrors, we've gone from
merely scary to being outright grotesque. Is Singh right? Should we
thinking more The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and less The Walking Dead?Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

GUELPH POLITICAST #26 - Lloyd Longfield, MP-Elect

After nine years in the cold of the Opposition bench, Guelph has a
seat in government again, and it will be filled by former Chamber of
Commerce president Lloyd Longfield. The newly elected Libeal Member of
Parliament for Guelph sat down with the Guelph Politicast this past week
for his first, full-length post-election interview.In
the course of our conversation, Longfield and I talked about his
campaign's strategy, and why he thinks Guelph went red again, and then
we looked forward to the work ahead, his priorities and the priorities
he's hearing about from the electorate. We also discussed how he'll make
electoral reform a priority like he promised, how he'll distinguish
himself from outgoing MP Frank Valeriote, and what his message is to the
the people of Guelph, the ones that voted for him and the ones that
didn't. With nearly half of the 73 per cent of
Guelphites that cast votes on October 19 had cast votes for Longfield,
and there are a lot of people with high expectations for him, Justin
Trudeau and the Liberals. Still, it seems that Longfield is calm, cool,
and ready for the challenges ahead.But don't take my
word for it! Let's listen to Longfield talk about the future (and a bit
about the past) on the latest episode of the Guelph Politicast. The theme music for Guelph Politicast is provided by Crazy Pills and their song "Break It Down" courtesy of Free Music Archive.The host for the Guelph Politicast is Podbean. Find more episodes here.Remember
that the Politicast Podbean channel is also the host for podcast
versions of Open Sources Guelph. The previous Thursday's episode of Open
Sources will be posted on MondaysStay tuned for future editions of the Guelph Politicast.