Guelph Politicast

End Credits #194 - April 14, 2021 (Nomadland)

This week on End Credits, we're all on lockdown here in Ontario, but we're going to hit the road in spirit. Unable to travel ourselves, we will live vicariously this week through the titular characters of Nomadland, and since this is an Oscar-nominee, we will consider all the movies that were also looking good in awards season, but never got their just desserts.
This Wednesday, April 14, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Candice Lepage will discuss:
The Snub Club. It's Oscar time in just a few weeks, but as we all know, the movie or person that wins the Oscar is not always necessarily "the best." Before the main review this week, we're going to do a little back-tracking into Oscar history to talk about some of those times that the wrong people walked away with a trophy, and all the people that went home empty handed when they really shouldn't have.
REVIEW: Nomadland (2021). This is the movie that's most likely to win Best Picture and Best Director at this year's Oscars, but does it deserve it? Director Chloe Zhao spins an inspired-by-real-life tale about the people who, out of desire or circumstance, set out in vans or RVs on the roads across America, discovering something about their country and themselves in the process. It's a story that's as hopeful as it is difficult, with great performances by experienced and first-time actors, but is it good enough to win gold?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #269 - Pandemics Make Strange Bedfellows

The most dramatic cultural shift of the pandemic has not been “care-mongering”, or an appreciation of essential workers, it’s been the growing number of people who believe that the things we all see and hear are fake, and reality is something entirely different. With the province locked down again, these groups have found a curious new ally: small business owners. So now what happens?
This past Saturday, some 60 people marched through downtown Guelph to support small businesses forced to close again in the lockdown. It’s a laudable goal, and important, but among the people looking to raise voices for shoppes and restaurants were anti-vaxxers. The government has made it known that the road back to normalcy is paved with vaccines, so if stores are ever going to re-open, people need to get shots. So how did these two groups team-up for one protest?
Last year, as conspiracies started to move from the dark web to mainstream, Dan Collen started to take note. Then, when the proprietor of a Toronto-based barbeque joint openly defied public health orders last fall, turning his restaurant into a Mecca for the “Hugs Over Masks” crowd and other conspiracists in the process, Collen was among the people to cast a light on the intersection of business and disinformation. With recent events, it seems like a good time to cast some light on that again.
On this episode of the podcast, Collen will lend us his flashlight to look at his efforts to expose conspiracy theorists, and consider just how many of them are true believers and how many are just opportunists. He also talk about the process by which people get radicalized, and how legitimate causes are getting hijacked by misinformation peddlers. And finally, he will discuss how anti-masking leads to more dangerous right-wing ideologies, and what might happen to these groups once the pandemic is over.
Let's talk (again) about fighting conspiracies is the topic on this week’s Guelph Politicast.
You can read Dan Collen's work at Vice News, and on his Medium page. You can also follow him on social media on Instagram and on Twitter.
The host for the Guelph Politicast is Podbean. Find more episodes of the Politicast here, or download them on your favourite podcast app at iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, 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 #321 - April 8, 2021

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we come down off the post-Easter chocolate high with a very busy news week. We've got some mixed messages here in Ontario about the latest COVID restrictions, and there's controversy in Ottawa with allegations of gross (and gross) misconduct. From the U.S., we've got a pretty big trial happening across the lakes right now, and there's this guy from Florida...
This Thursday, April 8, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
The Hurt Lockdown. Last Thursday, Premier Doug Ford announced that Ontario will be locking down again... sort of. The move was greeted with near universal derision with some medical professionals saying that the lockdown was too soft, and others noting that there needs to be a concentration of vaccine distribution at workplaces and schools. We'll talk about the latest from the third wave of the pandemic.
Trial By Fury. The trial of Derek Chauvin, the police officer charged with killed George Floyd last summer, has been unfolding for the last two weeks, and the prosecution has been making a convincing case of Chauvin's guilt complete with members of the Minneapolis force testifying against their former colleague. Will justice be served this time, or will the Blue Wall hold and keep Chauvin out of prison, and then what?
Army of Stun. There's been a controversy under the radar with the Canadian Forces, accusations that the highest levels of the military and the Ministry of Defence ignored repeated reports of sexual misconduct and abuse. This is not great, and it's not great for either this moment of social reckoning, or a prime minister that claims to be a "feminist", so is this the moment everything changes, or will we end up back at the status quo?
Gaetz-gate. You may have heard of Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, a man who's tied his sail to Donald Trump by being a bloviating partisan hack without a single legislative accomplishment to his name. It turns out that Gaetz and Trump have more in common that it originally appeared with the former now under Federal investigation for a variety of sex crimes. We'll close out the show with a very special schadenfreude segment.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #193 - April 7, 2021 (The United States Vs. Billie Holiday)

This week on End Credits, we're going to get out our singing voices. We're tuning up another bio-pic, Oscar-nominated drama with a great central performance, and it's called The United States Vs. Billie Holiday. Before that, we will dig into the latest in the collection of movie news from giant monsters, giant sequels, and giant disappointments(?).
This Wednesday, April 7, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Tim Phillips will discuss:
Monster Cache. This week, Godzilla Vs. Kong was released online and in theatres where they're open (which is not Ontario), and it turns out that they weren't just saving the world, they were saving the box office! The effect of that monster mash on the box office is among the news items this week, plus the success of the Snyder Cut, a brand new Space Jam trailer, and the end of the OG Space Jam website.
REVIEW: The United States Vs. Billie Holiday (2021). You had probably never heard about Andra Day before she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress for this movie, but there's no doubt that she owns as the legendary Miss Day in The United States Vs. Billie Holiday. The movie sits at the intersection of social justice issues, the history of the War on Drugs, and the usual needs of a musical bio-pic around the life of Billie Holiday, so can director Lee Daniels possibly carry that weight and deliver a movie that's as promising as its lead?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #268 - The State of Pandemic in the City

The State of the City is hosted annually by the Chamber of Commerce, a chance for businesses to network with each other, talk about what they're doing, and then hear from the mayor about the latest selling points of the city from 1 Carden Street. This year, there was the usual positive spin, but the long shadow of COVID was everywhere, so what is the State of the City according to the mayor?
Usually, the State of the City event is held in the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre, and it comes with breakfast. You can catch up with old friends, make some new friends and then here the mayor talk about the success and challenges at City Hall. Along the way, the mayor will also lay out his or her vision for the coming year, inspirational and aspirational ideas meant to sell Guelph's appeal to the people that sell Guelph.
But how do you sell Guelph in the era of COVID? That was going to be one of the many challenges of this year's State of the City for Mayor Cam Guthrie. The speech was made in early February at the tail end of the last lockdown, and there was already a sense of ennui and struggle because of the pandemic's persistence. So perhaps now is a good time to revisit the speech, which speaks to our resolve, but also speaks to kindness and hopefulness.
So this week on the podcast, we will replay Mayor Guthrie's 2021 State of the City, which, unlike previous speeches, was off the cuff from a long list of issue headings instead of the immaculately prepared talking points plus props and a theme. Guthrie touches on the local pandemic response, struggling to get help from upper level's government, working to solve homelessness and the opioid crisis, and the City's efforts to address last summer’s reckoning around social justice and racism.
So let's recap the State of the City on this week's Guelph Politicast!
You can revisit the coverage from this year's State of the City back in February here and here, and you can also revisit Mayor Guthrie’s most recent appearance on this podcast back in December by clicking 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 iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, 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 #320 - April 1, 2021

The original April Fools are back this week with another episode of Open Sources Guelph. We would love to spend the hour making jokes and pulling pranks, but there's some serious stuff to talk about. We will look at the ever changing pandemic response provincially, and the growing trend of Anti-Asian hate that's even affected our community. After the break, it's back to the patio with another Guelph city councillor.
This Thursday, April 1, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
It's Still a Pandemic. A confluence of COVID-related crises afflict us heading into the Easter long weekend. New cases are increasing and about half of those new cases are variants, vaccines are slowly rolling out and there's some confusion about who's to blame, AstroZeneca's got issues again or this may just be more extreme cautiousness, and March April Break might be cancelled all together! We'll try and sort it out.
Racism Stripes. From the streets of Guelph and one woman out walking her dog, to the streets of New York City were a senior was shoved down and repeatedly kicked in the head while people stood by and watched, Anti-Asian racism is real, and it's getting nastier. Is this really about frustration with the pandemic, or is that just a convenient excuse? Can we stop this new racist violence before someone is killed under boot?
Party Downer. This week, Guelph City Council made the decision to allow for street closures for downtown patios on weekends only this summer. It's a decision that will likely please no one, which means it's probably the right kind of compromise, but it was not a compromise that was easily reached. Ward 5 Councillor Cathy Downer will join us to talk about her vote, her concerns, and her definition of success for this year's patio program.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #192 - March 31, 2021 (Zack Snyder's Justice League)

This week on End Credits, we're going to #ReleasetheCutasUsual. It's not exactly the sexiest hashtag, but it's apropos because we are releasing the show like usual, but this show is about the so-called #SnyderCut of Justice League. If you like that, you might also like our list of other movies with their own #ReleaseInsertNameCut.
This Wednesday, March 31, at 4 pm*, Adam A. Donaldson and Peter Salmon will discuss:
Cuts Above the Rest. In honour of this week's review, we're going to talk about Director's and Extended Edits of movies. It's not a new idea. From time to time, studios and directors have had different ideas about the direction of movies, or a director's just powerful enough to say, "Why not more?" and make it happen. This week, we will look at some of the most feel known extended editions.
REVIEW: Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021). In 2017, a titanic battle unfurled on the big screen, but it was not between the Justice League and the legions of an alien army, it was between the contrasting visions of Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon. Free of Whedon and studio interference, Snyder restored the superhero film to his original vision thanks to a successful fan campaign. There's been a lot of positive buzz about the so-called "Snyder Cut", but is this movie really a superhero vision people want to see?
*End Credits airs at a special time this week due to International Trans Day of Visibility programming.
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #267 - The Science of Trauma

Over 15 per cent of our region has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which means that we are slowly but surely putting the pandemic behind us. But once everyone’s gotten a shot, there’s going to be an even longer term recovery project to consider, which is how we will mentally recover from the pandemic. The last great COVID-19 health crisis will be fought inside each of us. Are we prepared?
Earlier this month, the Homewood Research Institute announced a new fellowship designed to train people to assist first responders and healthcare workers with trauma-related illnesses. The new program will support research into the diagnosis, treatment and recovery of post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI), and as you can imagine, there is probably going to be a lot of that in the years and decades to come as we begin the mental recovery from the pandemic.
If the job is to research trauma and PTSI, then Dr. McKinnon is exactly the right person for the task. She’s the Associate Co-Chair of Research and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University. She’s also a Clinical Neuropsychologist with the Mood Disorders Program and Academic Head of Research for Mood and Anxiety Disorders Division at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton, plus she's the Homewood Chair in Mental Health and Trauma. She knows a lot about trauma, and she's going to share that with us.
So in this edition of the podcast, Dr. McKinnon talk about the various ways trauma can manifest itself, and the trauma being inflicted on first responders and doctors as they continue to fight COVID-19 ever day. She will also discuss how we need to start planning for the mental health recovery from the pandemic, how to be aware if you or someone in your life might be having a hard time processing trauma, and how her personal experience with trauma made her a better researcher.
Let's tackle the health and science of treating trauma on this week’s Guelph Politicast.
You can learn more about Dr. McKinnon's research at the McMaster University faculty page, you can learn about the research being done through St. Joseph’s Healthcare here, and you can learn more about the research being done at Homewood Health Centre here. You can also follow Dr. McKinnon on Twitter.
The host for the Guelph Politicast is Podbean. Find more episodes of the Politicast here, or download them on your favourite podcast app at iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, 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 #319 - March 25, 2021

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're having Canada Day three months early. Sort of. Our topics this week are all Canada-centric, from the provincial where we just got a new Ontario Budget just six months after the last one, to the national where the Official Opposition might have failed to make a case that anything has changed. After that, we've got the update on the Two Michaels and some museum chat(?).
This Thursday, March 25, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
'21 For the Money. For the second time in about six months, Ontario will deliver a budget. The 2021-2022 Ontario budget outlined some new spending to combat COVID-19 and assist in pandemic recovery, but if the last two Doug Ford government budgets have been any indication, the Devil is going to be in the details. We will break down those budget details, and talk about what they mean for Ontarians everywhere.
O'Toole Time. Last weekend, Conservative leader Erin O'Toole re-launched his leadership and the Conservative bid to become the next Government of Canada by looking to the future, but then the party voted against a line that would acknowledge that climate change is real. Not a great sign for a party that says it knows it has to change to appeal to more Canadians, so can the Conservatives stop tripping over themselves?
Drop the Michaels. This past week in China, both Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were put on trail in Beijing for espionage charges, and in typical Chinese fashion, these were secret trials. The verdicts have not yet been revealed, but the outcomes are inevitable, and so is the ever intensifying situation between Canada, China, and other international powers. Are the Michaels ever coming home?
Days and Nights at the Museum. This week, CFRU launched an exhibit at the Guelph Civic Museum to mark 40 years of broadcasting out of the University of Guelph. For four decades CFRU has been delivering new, diverse, eccentric, and eclectic programming meant to appeal to wide and niche audiences in the Royal City. To finish up this week's show, we will talk about why community radio and independent media still matters.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits #191 - March 24, 2021 (Promising Young Woman)

This week on End Credits, things are going to get especially disturbing. Our review this week is an Oscar-nominee, and a timely one at that. We're going to talk about Promising Young Woman, and there's so much to talk about with this movie. For a bit of fun though, we're going to kick off the first part of the show on a theme with a list of revenge movies.
This Wednesday, March 24, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Candice Lepage will discuss:
Scorecard with a Vengeance. Are you aware of the old Klingon proverb that says revenge is a dish best served cold. Over the years, Hollywood has served up many, many cold dishes indeed. From an architect at his wit's end with 70s crime in New York, to a genetically enhanced despot on the edge of known space, we will count off 10 of the greatest, and sometimes funnest, revenge movies.
REVIEW: Promising Young Woman (2020). There's nothing new about the revenge thriller (see above), but there's something very different about Promising Young Woman. The Oscar-nominated film by Emerald Fennell is about one woman's attempt to get justice for her friend, a victim of sexual assault, but the course by which she gets there is thought-provoking, disturbing, and leaves you with a lot of assumptions questioned. Carey Mulligan leads a great cast in what may be one of the most difficult and satisfying movies this awards season.
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.