Guelph Politicast

End Credits #441 - May 13, 2026 (53 Sundays)

This week on End Credits, we get international. The review today comes from Spain, with a universal take of family dynamics that just so happens to be in Spanish in 53 Sundays, which you can now stream on Netflix. Along similar lines, this entire show will be about a language other than English, at least so far as the movies are concerned! 
This Wednesday, May 13, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Tim Phillips will discuss:
Películas en un idioma distinto al inglés. This roughly translates into "films in a non-English language", which might also be called "international movies" or "foreign language films" depending on who you're talking to. Since this week's selection is in Spanish, we will take the opportunity to talk about other non-English films we enjoy, from serious dramas to silly genre fare, we will travel the world cinema in around 30 minutes before the main review...
REVIEW: 53 Sundays (2026). The new Spanish film 53 domingos plays out a conversation that probably happens in many families: What do we do about an aging parent that can't fully be trusted to live on their own any more? Writer and director Cesc Gay stages a chamber dramedy about three siblings trying to answer that question, but really they're more interested in twisting the knife and sticking one of them with the exclusive responsibility for their father. Was 53 Sundays the darkly cynical balm we needed for this past Mother's Day weekend?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #523 – What's Next 2026? Politics and Policing (feat. Chief Gord Cobey and Peter McSherry)

Is there a bigger political lightning rod when it comes to the City of Guelph budget than the police budget? For some people, we spend too much on the police and at the expense of expanded funding for social services, and for others we don’t spend nearly enough on the police. As we look to the next term at city hall, what challenges around policing will be presented to the new council?
In their 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, the Guelph Police Service outlined six priority areas: community policing, investigative excellence, community wellness, organizational health and service effectiveness, road safety, and policing downtown. To help achieve those ends, GPS committed to a Staffing & Service Delivery study performed by KPMG, which said the service needed more investment to bring it up to par with similarly sized cities. 
It was hardly the best time for such big budget increases based on the fallout of Black Lives Matter and the affordability crisis, but the budget increases over the last few years have produced results. The challenges though keep multiplying, and so do the funds needed, and while the police are not political, the funding of police is. As we start debating the issues in this election, what are the police leaders thinking about before the next term of council in terms of their priorities? 
To that end, we have on this edition both Guelph Police Services Chief Gord Cobey and chair of the Guelph Police Services Board Peter McSherry. Together, they will will discuss the inner workings of the Police Board, balancing affordability and growth over the last couple of budgets and whether the Guelph Police has achieved or exceeded their expectations. We will also talk about the police’s role in educating the public about the budget and whether there’s an education role for the police in this election. 
So let's talk about the future of police and this election on this week's Guelph Politicast! 
You can learn more about the Guelph Police Service, and find all its published reports on their website. The next meeting of the Guelph Police Services Board is on Thursday May 21, and you will be able to watch it on the Guelph Police YouTube channel. The agenda for that meeting will be available on Friday on the GPS website. Stay tuned for more reporting and insight about the election on Guelph Politico and the Guelph Politico Tip Sheet newsletter. 
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 #568 - May 7, 2026

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're straining to do some explaining. How can you make sense of the news when the news barely makes sense? This is going to be really put to the test this week as we get into the ups and downs of the War in Iran, and then we will turn our attention to this race to referendum in Alberta. Maybe things closer to home will be easier to understand and we have a guest that will help us do that.
This Thursday, May 7, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
The Skirmish to End all Mini Wars. It's now been over two months since the U.S. and Israel started a war with Iran, but don't call it a war! If you've been confused about President Donald Trump's justifications and goals for this "skirmish" before, that's nothing compared to the roller coaster in the last week alone. Up first, we will try to make sense of the blockade that's either working or not happening and the war that's either over or just beginning.
Separation of Glowers. Take Back Alberta believes that it has more than enough signatures to finally put the question of separation before the voters in the Wild Rose province, but it's not that easy. David Parker, one of the leaders of the movement, is being accused of having inappropriate access to Elections Alberta's list of electors, and there's also reports of interference being stoked from the U.S. and Russia, so can we have a good, decent debate on this without the skullduggery?
Summer in the City Hall. The 2026 municipal election is now underway, but that doesn't mean that our current city council isn't putting out any new hits. This week, we will be joined by Ward 3 City Councillor Michele Richardson, who has already announced her retirement, to talk about some the latest business at city hall including construction complaints, fiscal pressures, traffic calming questions, and the upcoming receipt of the renoviction bylaw and vacant home tax.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #440 - May 6, 2026 (Undertone)

This week on End Credits we're listening. For the movie review today, we will get into a movie you don't just have to watch because it's also a listening experience. Yes, we are going to talk about the new horror movie Undertone, and speaking of not-so-easy listening, we will continue on with our "6 For '76" series with a story about love and music!
This Wednesday, May 6, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Candice Lepage will discuss:
6 For '76: A Star Is Born. Not for the first time, and definitely not for the last time, director Frank Pierson remade the 1937 movie A Star Is Born in 1976. This one shook up the formula, moving the action from the movie industry to the music industry and telling the story of the ill-fated romance between a falling star played by Kris Kristofferson and a rising star played by Barbara Streisand. Our "6 For '76" series rolls on with the second biggest movie of that year!
REVIEW: Undertone (2026). Called "The scariest movie you will ever hear," Undertone has a lot to live up to. Director Ian Tuason, inspired by his own experiences caring for his dying parents, crafted a sonic experience of a movie about a podcaster caring for her comatose mother while slowly coming to the realization that her childhood home might be haunted. Or maybe it's in her mind. This low-budget horror is the latest in a line of successful Canadian movies that have come out so far in 2026 and this week we take our chance to talk about it.
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #522 – The Year at Council... So Far (January to April)

Sure, it's an election year, but that doesn't mean that the current city council is coasting in their last year in office. The council calendar has been pretty busy these first four months of 2026, and some of the things that have kept them busy might surprise you. This week, if you don't follow the news, or subscribe to this website, or have heard about it somewhere else, you will get your chance to catch-up on all the latest council business here.
In January, the council year got started early with an emergency meeting to respond to the sudden cancellation of a daytime shelter program. No one saw it coming, but that was the case with a lot of the most difficult issues at the council table. From the plan to speed up development downtown, to the crunch over ice time at rec facilities, to the options for traffic calming around town, council had some tough debates and made some tougher decisions. 
So let's recap the events at council so far this year on this edition of the Guelph Politicast!
Stay on top of council coverage every week by following @adamadonaldson on Blue Sky and by subscribing to the Guelph Politico Tip Sheet newsletter. The Thursday edition is the recap of that week's council meeting. 
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 #567 - April 30, 2026

This week on Open Sources Guelph, it's a lot. There was another disaster involving guns in America, but this time the target was some of the most powerful people in the country. Here in Canada, the Premier of B.C. seems to have stepped in a deep puddle with Indigenous people, but perhaps we can find some salvation with a good economy news story? Out special guest this week will help us make sense of that last one.
This Thursday, April 30, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
My Dinner With Decay. Saturday's White House Correspondence Dinner was broken up by sadly familiar American tradition of its own, an attempted mass shooting. The WHCD, or "nerd prom" is a big deal for a certain upper echelon of Washington, and it was super special this year with Donald Trump himself making an appearance. From the conspiracies about false flags to commentary about the self-importance of the event, we need to ask the question: Will we ever learn?
DRIPA-Lash. In the span of a month, British Columbia Premier David Eby went from on the attack to full retreat. After a court found that the government's mineral claim was inconsistent with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Eby proposed amending the act to allow the project to proceed, but First Nations leaders in the province called it an "absolute betrayal". Eby eventually backed off, but what does this do for the cause of reconciliation?
Spring Bling! On Tuesday, the Government of Canada unveiled the spring economic update and it was a good news story! The deficit for this year, and the unemployment rate, are slightly less than what we thought they were going to be. Cool. There were announcements too: more money for skills development in the trades, more investment in national sport, and something called a sovereign wealth fund(?!). David-Alexandre Brassard, chief economist of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada returns to lend his insights.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #439 - April 29, 2026 (Michael)

This week on End Credits, things get real, which is to say that we're going to put the best face on reality. The prime example this week is the new music bio-pic MIchael, which is about the life of Michael Jackson and getting darts and laurels depending on what side you're on. There's no doubt that Michael is going to be a big hit, but good news, we are entering a season of big hits!
This Wednesday, April 22, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Peter Salmon will discuss:
Summer Movie Preview. It's finally here! Summer Movie Season!! The next few months are reserved for some of the biggest, boldest, blow-up-iest movies of the year from superheros to super troopers, and from ancient Greece to the Met Gala. As usual, we will talk about the summer movies worth waiting for, but we will frame it through a new game. What movies are worth investing in, from the sure-to-be blockbusters to the dark horses with potential.
REVIEW: Michael (2026). After years of trying, a bio-pic about Michael Jackson is now in theatres with all the requisite controversy that conjures up. Antoine Fuqua's film looks at the early years of Jackson's life, from growing up under his authoritarian father Joseph in the Jackson 5, to his his breakout solo albums, but then stops the story right before certain allegations emerge. Produced by the Jackson family themselves, and starring Michael Jackson's own nephew, there's reason to wonder if Michael is just all about the music (revenue)?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #521 – One and Done (feat. Erin Caton & Michele Richardson)

Near the end of every council term, we invite the rookies who were elected in the previous election onto this podcast to talk about their experience. This time it’s different because one, there were so many new councillors in 2022, and two, in this case, we have two people who’ve decided that one term is enough. How can just four years on Guelph city council possibly be enough?
The day after Municipal Election Day in 2022, the Ontario government announced Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, and its sweeping changes. It was an early, practical lesson that cities are creatures of the province, and the province was going to reshape them as they saw fit. Over the last four years, Queen’s Park has been freely changing the rules and it seems without a lot of consultation with the local political leaders.
This was the atmosphere that both Erin Caton and Michele Richardson walked into when they took office in November 2022. Both these councillors have a lot in common: Being a Guelph city councillor was their first gig in politics, they both became wardmates to long serving councillors and succeeded other long serving councillors, and they’ve both decided that they do not want to run for re-election. Why have they decided to walk away now, and what lessons will they take with them?
Ward 1 City Councillor Erin Caton and Ward 3 City Councillor Michele Richardson will share their thinking on this edition of the pod. They will talk about what factors went into their decision to retire, what they wish they had known about the job in advance, and the ways it was tough to adapt to all those changes as a first-timer. They will also talk about advice for their successors, the things they want to finish before October, what they plan on doing next, and whether they might ever run for office again.
So let's talk about the city council experience on this week's Guelph Politicast! 
The nominations for mayor, city councillor, and school trustee opens this Friday, May 1 and will continue to be open until late August. You can learn more about how to run, who’s running and other important information here. Council business continues for the next few months, and the next meeting is on Tuesday May 5 at 2 pm, which is the Committee of the Whole meeting. Get all the council agendas here, and you can get all coverage here on Guelph Politico!
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 #566 - April 23, 2026

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're going to have our dessert first. Predictably, we have some thoughts about the Premier of Ontario going plane shopping, but more seriously then that there are some serious issues in the province's jails that we need to talk about. Speaking of talks, there's one being hosted at the Kitchener Public Library on kids and tech, and we will have two of the panelists for a little pre-show chat.
This Thursday, April 23, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Takes on a Plane. Utterly unproductive to Ontario's litany of problems, but still the topic of the week, was the news that the Ontario government bought a private plane for the premier's use. The so-called "gravy plane" was the story of the week, and the reaction was so overwhelmingly negative that it secured a rare Doug Ford reversal. Mischief managed, right? Not so fast because pundits and politicians are now wondering if Ford's plane dreams have cut a fatal wound.
Rock House Jail. In more serious news, comes word that over 100 people in Ontario jails may have been "improperly" released in a serious of administrative snafus over a five year period. We've talked before about the dangerous overcrowding in Ontario's jails, and how most of the people there are just awaiting trial, but have the issues with the province's prisons now extend to mismanagement in the Solicitor General's office?
Little Minds and Big Tech. What is the effect of our digital culture on young people? How should we teach kids to manage life with artificial intelligence? What can parents do to help kids make good tech decisions? These are big questions with no easy answer, but the Early Language Learning & Literacy Alliance of Waterloo Region (ELLA) will be hosting an event on Monday that will try to answer them. Before that, we will be joined by two of the participants - Media Stamped host Nicole Stamp and executive director of Project READ Literacy Network Waterloo-Wellington Robin Crank - to start thinking about the future.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits Conversations: What Does a Film Critic Do? (feat. Barry Hertz)

What does it mean to review movies today? How do professional critics stand apart from the pack between Rotten Tomatoes and Letterboxd? Does a film critic even matter when measured against social media publicity and influencers? In this new monthly side series, we will talk to critics, vloggers or podcasters about the state of modern film criticism, why they do it, and why it still matters indeed!
To kick off this series, we talk to an old fashioned newspaper film critic. Barry Hertz is the deputy arts editor and film editor of The Globe & Mail, which is just a fancy way of saying his that paper's senior film writer. He's also the author of the definitive book about the Fast & Furious franchise, Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World. Today he joins us fresh off spending the week at CinemaCon in Las Vegas to talk about the fine art of reviewing, what he looks for in movies, and why he's not ashamed of his unequivocal support for Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie!
End Credits Conversations returns next month on the fourth Saturday. End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.