Guelph Politicast

GUELPH POLITICAST #444 – The Ongoing Struggle at Community Living (feat. Cindy Kinnon)

Community Living Guelph Wellington has been around since 1955 providing support and services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and their families in the communities in which they live, and for the last few years they’ve faced some serious financial issues. 2024 is no exception, but might the important services of Community Living get lost in the shuffle of all the crushing need out there.
This is from an article in the Wellington Advertiser last week: “Community Living Guelph Wellington is facing a $3 million deficit in 2025 and will be closing two of its residential sites to rein in expenses.” That sounds pretty bad, but it sounds even worse when you realize that this is a dance that’s happened every fall for the last few years, and that doesn’t do a lot for the long-term sustainability of the organization.
Another detail from the Advertiser article is that Community Living’s funding has only increased four per cent in the last 30 years. If you think about issues around Ontario funding for autism programs, or the severe underfunding of payouts for everyone receiving money under the Ontario Disability Support Program, or ODSP, it’s pretty clear that there’s a crisis when it comes to supporting people with special needs in this province.
This week, we’re going to shed some light on what might be the most overlooked demographic in the area of people in need, and how we can all do better on their behalf. So we're joined by Cindy Kinnon, the executive director of Community Living Guelph Wellington, who will talk about how long they’ve been managing with a budget shortfall, and how they’ve managed to get across the fiscal finish line in the last few years, and how every one in Guelph can help them out.
So let's go inside Community Living on this week's Guelph Politicast!
You can learn more about Community Living Guelph Wellington at their website, you can follow them @clguelphwell on Facebook and Instagram, or you can get in touch with them the old fashioned way on the phone at 519-824-2480. If you’re interested in signing the petition to help support Community Living, send an email to Pam Howard at howard.march [at] outlook.com.
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 #494 - November 21, 2024

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're stuck in the middle with you. If you're feeling stuck, you're not alone and it's safe to say that the entire government apparatus at all levels seem stuck these days. This edition of a show will be a recital of being stuck, from gridlock in Ottawa to impasses at the annual international climate change summit. Our provincial government seems stuck on bail reform, while our greatest Christmas parade is just strapped... for cash.
This Thursday, November 21, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Gridlock, Stalk and Barrel. Have you heard the news from Parliament Hill. You probably haven't because the place has been in a procedural gridlock for almost two months now. In the midst of a postal workers strike and a will they/won't they confidence condition in the House, it's the latest example of widespread disfunction at the federal level, and it's not like there are any serious issues that need solutions. This week, we will take a break from American political dysfunction to talk about some of our own.
Much Baku About Nothing. COP29 is being held in Baku, Azerbaijan right now, and as always there's great hope that the world's richest countries, the ones who are the source of so much carbon, might decide to take bold action to avert climate disaster. It's hard to hold out much hope with the world's biggest, loudest climate denier about to return to the White House, but it might not be as homeless as you might think. We'll look at the news coming out of COP and decide if the world might still be saved.
Bail House Rock. The Ontario government has been turning up the pressure on the federal Attorney General to reform bail and make it harder for repeat and dangerous offenders to get release until their trial. Sounds reasonable, right? Hold that phone because legal activists are saying that the issue is a system that has so many people in jail right now, they're over-populated, and a court system not well-staffed enough to process people in a Constitutionally speedy manner. So is the real problem bail after all?
The Santa Clause. This week, the organisers of the Toronto Santa Claus Parade said that without some financial help the parade won't make it to its 120th birthday next year. The Original Santa Claus Parade is the latest Canadian cultural institution to face issues with funding in this post-pandemic period, and that includes Hot Docs, Just For Laughs and the Vancouver Folk Festival, which have all been on the brink of closure in the last year. Are we doing enough to protect Canadian culture?
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #366 - November 20, 2024 (Anora)

This week on End Credits, we learn to love. No, we're not reviewing Netflix's Hot Frosty, though that might be a hoot-and-a-half, we're doing something much more down to Earth by focusing on a candidate for "Best Film of the Year." Yes, we're reviewing Anora, and in that spirit, we're going to talk about movies featuring couples of the less-than-fairy tale variety.
This Wednesday, November 20, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Tim Phillips will discuss:
Bad Romance. There are a lot of Hollywood movies where couples live happily ever after, but not all of them. In fact, we'll put odds that one out of every two romantic movies feature couples who never should have even thought about getting together in the first place. There's a reason why "toxic" has become a watch word in the culture. To kick things off this week, we're going to talk some of movies' baddest bad romances, so cue up the Lady Gaga!
REVIEW: Anora (2024). Sean Baker's films chronicle the ways in which working class people struggle on the margins in modern America, and he usual lands on a very specific industry: sex work. In Anora, Ani meets Vanya as she's the only performer at her strip club that speaks Russian, and thus begins a whirlwind romance that ends with the two married in a typically tacky Vegas wedding. But that's just the beginning of the story. With a star-making lead performance by Mikey Madison, we'll discuss why Anora is a strong candidate for the best film of the year.
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #443 – The Aftermath Downtown

Last week, the reality of the Public Space Use Bylaw came into effect with the formal eviction of everyone in tents from St. George’s Square. The square is clear now of tents, but the people who lived in those tents have not disappeared or found permanent homes. In fact, they’re more vulnerable than ever, and even before the eviction last week, they were hurting. This is a story about the human toll of the Public Space Use Bylaw.
The weekend before the eviction, two young people died in tents in the square, two of the increasing number of people in this community who have died from drug poisoning, or what we’ve typically in the past called an overdose. A vigil was planned for Monday night to offer a space to grieve for the friends and family of Jen, Miles and four others who have passed away in the last few weeks. Over 100 people showed up to remember.
In the midst of this expression of grief was a powerful reminder that the people who lived in a tent in St. George’s Square were not some problem to solve. They were human beings, and they had their struggles, but that doesn’t mean that they weren’t loved and that they won’t be missed. It was extremely powerful and emotional for everyone there and hopefully a reminder that these are people in need of help and support, and now, some of them are gone forever.
So on this week’s pod, you’re going to hear from some of the people who were there on Monday night, like Jacky, who’s struggled with homelessness and has since found a home in the new Shelldale project, and she will talk about her thoughts on the eviction from St. George’s Square. You will also hear from Bear and Marnie who were friends with the young people who died two weeks ago and will talk about what they left behind. And then you will hear sound from the vigil itself.
So let's hear some of the voices from downtown on this week's Guelph Politicast!
Thanks to Your Downtown Guelph Friends for facilitating the arrangement of the vigil, and thanks Jacky, Bear and Marnie. If you’d like to help folks in need Your Downtown Guelph Friends, the Royal City Mission and the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition are good places to start, whether you have extra money or supplies, or simply want to offer you time. The Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy is also fundraising to create a permanent memorial to all those who’ve died from drug poisoning, and you can learn more 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.

Open Sources Guelph #493 - November 14, 2024

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're doing some real analysis. Look at that picture above, are you scared? Sick? Shocked? Disappointed? All of the above? Then this week's show might be of some interest as we try to dissect the most recent American election for something usable going forward. Closer to home, we're talking to a member of city council about this year's unusual budget process.
This Thursday, November 14, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
The Autopsy. Still recovering from last week's surprise election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States, he started this week appointing the MAGA goon squad version of the '27 Yankees to key cabinet posts. So in the midst of our shock, we will take a break from breaking news to learn some key lessons from this U.S. election and how they might be applied to future elections, including ones here in Canada. Get your scalpels out because it's time to talk about how it all went wrong.
Cash Back. It's budget time at city hall and there's a lot to dig into because it was only supposed to be a budget confirmation year. Mayor Cam Guthrie and Strong Mayor Powers changed all that though, and Guelph staff were pushed to get the total levy increase under four per cent for 2025. Ward 2 Councillor Rodrigo Goller will join us this week to talk about his thoughts when it comes to this budget, and budget process, as well as his own disappointment about the fireworks bylaw he was pushing to overhaul.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #365 - November 13, 2024 (Conclave)

This week on End Credits, we're praying, and we think our prayers were answer (?) What we wanted in these difficult times was an election where maybe the good guys win, and perhaps we got that with the movie Conclave, which is about the surprising politics of choosing a new pope. And speaking of popes, we will talk about other men and women of God... in the movies.
This Wednesday, November 6, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Peter Salmon will discuss:
God Bless the Movies. Faith is an interesting topic for the movies, and it can be interpreted through just about any genre. There are deeply serious dramas about people of faith, there's an entire comedy franchises built around the idea that God is a funny old man, and you can't really talk about religious movies without reference the entire exorcism subgenre. So before getting to this week's religiously-themed movie, we will talk about some of the others.
REVIEW: Conclave (2024). This week's movie is about a bunch of men who are each trying to undermine and outmanoeuvre each other as they vie to become one of the most powerful leaders of the world: The new pope. Edward Berger follows up his Oscar-winning All Quiet on the Western Front with a different kind of warfare: Can a good man be the head of the world's one billion Catholics. Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci lead a talented cast through the most important election of their lifetimes. But how do we like going along for the ride?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #442 - The War on Bike Lanes (feat. Mike Darmon & Adrian Salvatore)

If you feel like active transportation options are under siege at the moment, you’re not alone. The Ontario government is coming for municipal bike lanes while cities like Guelph, facing unprecedented financial barriers, are seeing robust active transportation networks as a “nice to have”. We've spent the last few years trying to undo decades of building our cities around the personal automobile, but is the war on bike lanes finally here?
In September, the Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation held an unusual event, a ghost ride in honour of Susan Bard who was struck by a car and died from her injuries while riding her bike on Victoria Road North. Before the ride, Mike Darmon told everyone gathered at city hall that he hoped that this would not be a regular occurrence, but the death of Bard was as a sign that these are not safe times on Guelph roads.
At around the same time, there started to be rumblings about new legislation at Queen’s Park, a law that would stop municipalities from installing new bike lanes on major arterial roads, and then removing some of the ones already there. It seems that in some quarters, the blame for congestion on Ontario roads is all this quote-unquote useless space for bike lanes, so they have to go. Also, here in Guelph were scaling back on some investments in active transportation, at least the off-road variety in trails and parks.
To look at all this, we're joined by the two public faces for GCAT, Mike Darmon and Adrian Salvatore. They will talk about increasing concerns about safety on Guelph’s roads, and the way we think differently depending on our mode of transportation. They will also talk about how to understand bike lane use, why the statistics the Ontario government cites are flawed, and whether bike lane use should be viewed through a road safety lens as well as an infrastructure one. And finally, what's next for GCAT?
Let's dig into this War on Bike Lanes on this week's edition of the Guelph Politicast!
You can stay connected to the Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation at their website, or on the socials @activeguelph. If you’re concerned about active transportation infrastructure, budget delegation night is Tuesday November 19 at 6 pm, and you have until this Friday at 10 am to sign up as a delegate on the City’s website. Bill 212 - Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act is currently before the standing committee at Queen’s Park, and the public comment period closes on Wednesday November 20.
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 #492 - November 7, 2024

This week on Open Sources Guelph we're in a recovery phase. On Tuesday, we saw the end of an epically long election that had more ups and downs than the scariest roller coaster, and hopefully there will be some solid results to discuss. Closer to home, we will look at the latest non-solution to Ontario's homeless crisis and the latest unfounded attack on Canada's trans community from the likeliest source.
This Thursday, October 31, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Is it Over? By the time you're reading this you might know who the 47th President of the United States is going to be. Perhaps you might even know the which party will form the majority in the House of Representatives and/or the Senate. So is there reason for optimism? The ultimate showdown between the current Vice-President and the disgraced former President has been a slugfest and no matter how it turned out, it's only the beginning of the story, not the end. So what happens next?
Clause of Defeat. Cities and towns all over Ontario have to deal with a growing number of encampments, unhoused people who are either weary of the shelter system or cannot find shelter accommodations to suit their needs. It's been tough trying to find accommodation for these people, but some mayors and the Premier of Ontario have a radical idea: Use the notwithstanding clause of the Constitution to stop courts from stopping the forced eviction of encampments. Is this really all we can do for the vulnerable?
Silence of the Trans. Last week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced three new pieces of legislation: one to restrict gender-affirming treatments for youth, one to require parental consent for pronoun or name changes in schools, and one to limit participation in competitive female sports to athletes who were female at birth. This in spite of the fact that voters in New Brunswick just rejected their anti-trans government and the government in Saskatchewan took a hit for their similar stance. So why is Smith going back to the anti-trans well?
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #364 - November 6, 2024 (Venom: The Last Dance)

This week on End Credits even we can't escape election fever. As we recover from what was (likely) a very busy night of returns from the U.S., we will focus on the movies about American presidents, the real ones. And if you need a break from the ordinary, there's always the tale of a man and his space alien as we dig into the latest adventures of Venom in The Last Dance. 
This Wednesday, November 6, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Candice Lepage will discuss:
Ballot Box Office. This week, American voters went to the polls to choose their next president, which, by the time you're reading this, has been revealed to be Vice-President Kamala Harris or the other guy. But there have been 46 men who've previously been President of the United States, and they've all appeared in movies as characters at one point or another. Before the main review, we're going to make some political endorsements of our own.
REVIEW: Venom: The Last Dance (2024). Tom Hardy is back with Tom Hardy, for the third adventure of a washed up journalist named Eddie and his best friend who is a pile of black space goo that eats brains when unleashed. In this adventure, Eddie and Venom are on the run through the backroads of America, but an unseen power from outer space wants something they have and they're ready to burn down the Earth to get it. But who cares? Don't we really just want to see Tom Hardy talk to himself for two hours?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #441 – The AAC Spills the Tea (feat. Lorelei Root)

Watching the Accessibility Advisory Committee meetings over the last several months there’s a particular undercurrent that some members of the committee feel like they’re not being listened to, and that there was a disconnect between their expectations and what City of Guelph staff wanted them to do. And then came the Public Space Use Bylaw and the waters got even choppier.
At their February meeting, the AAC passed a motion asking for some dedicated engagement of their own on the topic of the Public Space Use Bylaw. Part of the AAC’s role is to advise council on policy and how it might impact the disabled community in Guelph, and there are a lot of people among the unhoused population who have some kind of disability.
But as you know, the Public Space Use Bylaw never came back for engagement with anyone, it was dropped on an unplanned meeting of council in late August where it was approved by council and then put into effect at the beginning of last month. The October meeting opened with an uncomfortable rake out over the AAC’s disappointment, and the belief that once again that they were not listened to about a vital matter of accessibility and the protection of the rights of the disabled.
So following up on all of this, we're catching up this week with Lorelei Root, who is the chair of the Accessibility Advisory Committee. She will talk about what happened around the scheduling of October’s meeting, staff’s discomfort talking about process in open session and why she and the vice-chair thought it was important to air all this in the public. She will also talk about the feedback the AAC wanted to give around the Public Space Use Bylaw, and whether the committee has now won its hard fought autonomy.
So let's talk again about fighting for accessibility on this week's Guelph Politicast!
The Accessible Advisory Committee will meet again on Tuesday December 17, and you can catch up on the coverage of all of this year’s meetings so far on Guelph Politico. According to reports, eviction notices have been handed out to people encamped in St. George’s Square and they have until next Wednesday November 13 to move. Stay tuned for updates as they develop.
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.