Guelph Politicast

GUELPH POLITICAST #209 - Inside the Mind of Cam Guthrie

What goes on inside the head of Guelph's mayor? When did he start to becoming interested in politics? What influenced him along the way? What considerations does he take into account as he makes decisions? If you've ever wondered about these, or similar questions, then this is going to be a podcast you're going to want to press play on!
This week on the podcast, we're joined by Mayor Cam Guthrie, but not for not a discussion about specific issues, or things that are presently in front of city council awaiting a decision. This is a talk about how the mayor thinks, and how his thinking might have changed in the last five years since he became mayor.
It's an auspicious time to get a glimpse at the mayor's thinking. Last Friday, Guthrie announced in the State of the City speech that he wanted to forward two initiatives; one for free transit for Guelph’s youth, and another for a car-free downtown. Is this same Cam Guthrie that was first elected in 2014? Thinking back to that contentious election, the announcement of a car-free downtown might have seemed a little "hippie-dippy" for Guthrie, so has politics changed, or has Guthrie?
That’s one of the many questions we’ll try to get to the bottom of on this week’s podcast, as Guthrie sits down for a wide-ranging discussion about how he got political, how he would describe his own politics, and whether or not he thinks those politics might have changed in the years he’s been mayor. He will talk about his engagement on social media, and how he handles criticism, legitimate or otherwise. And finally, he discusses why he always strives for council consensus, what he thinks the future may hold in terms of his own ambitions, and how he thinks he will be remembered as Guelph’s mayor. 
So let's get into the mind of Mayor Cam Guthrie on this week's edition of the Guelph Politicast!
Mayor Guthrie will be delivering his State of the City address for the Breakfast Club at Breezy Corners this Thursday at 8 am. For full coverage of the State of the City as it was delivered to the Chamber of Commerce last week, you can find that 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 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 - February 6, 2020

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're sick.... of talking about certain things. It may be closer to Valentine's Day than it is to Festivus, but we have some grievances to air on this week's show! From the disappointing end to you-know-who's impeachment to the pendulum doom out of China that the media's got us riding, we've got lots of thoughts on this week's news, as well as some discussion about how the news might get made in the future, and why it hopefully won't be "soft."
This Thursday, February 6, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Acquittal Place. Unless something went radically wrong (or right) on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump was acquitted in his Senate Impeachment Trial. At the same time, Democrats are trying to make the case that a dangerous corrupt President now unshackled from check and balances as the reason to vote Trump out of office at the same time that they can't figure out who won their first caucus. How much crazier is this about to get?
Virus Marketing. The outbreak of a coronavirus in China has set the world on edge as we've started throwing around the word "pandemic" with reckless abandon, and then we rent movies like Outbreak and Contagion to try and scare us straight. But have we been done right by the media coverage of the coronavirus? And what about the resulting racism against Canadians of Chinese and Asian decent who are now both a source of fear and the butt of jokes?
In Media Biz. A list of 97 recommendations from the Broadcasting & Telecommunications Legislation Review Panel has been released, and it contains some obvious stuff like taxing Netflix and giving the CBC more funding, but then Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault stepped in it on CTV's Question Period when he suggested that media outlets might be made to register and get approval from the government. So what changes could be coming to Canada's media world?
Killing Us Softly. From the Royal family drama, to the Prime Minister's beard and his purchase of elitist non-Tim Hortons donuts, we've got some serious issues here in 2020, and these are not among them. An op-ed on CBC News is warning us that we're too fixated on "soft" news, and we're not focused enough on the issues that really matter. Is there a point that can be made here, and why can't we do better and discuss the serious issues?
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits - February 5, 2020 (Uncut Gems)

This week on End Credits, you won't need your whole seat You'll just need the edge! We're reviewing the high-wire act, impeccable thrill ride that is Uncut Gems, and before that we'll talk about Oscar snubs, Oscar predictions, and why Hollywood is still so film happy in our digital times.
This Wednesday, February 5, at 2 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Tim Phillips will discuss:
Film Score. It was announced last week that the five major Hollywood studios have reached a new deal to buy film from Kodak for the next several years. Yes, physical film. And yes, Kodak is still in business. It seems surprising, but so many of Hollywood's biggest players, and more than a couple of Oscar nominees, are still big on film. Is film the new vinyl?
We Have Standards. Terry Moore, who is a member of the Academy after being nominated for Best Supporting Actress in the 1950s, says the reason why frontrunners like Adam Sandler, Jennifer Lopez and Eddie Murphy weren't nominated is because they don't meet the high standards of what an "Oscar nominee" is according to members like her. Out of touch much?
The Prediction Business. The Oscars are awarded this Sunday, so in advanced of the physical awards being handed out, we're going to talk about who should win, and who will win in the four major categories, as well as the one category of our choice. Who do we think will go home with trophies, and are they the same people who should be going home with trophies?
REVIEW: Uncut Gems (2019). In Uncut Gems, the Safdie Brothers deliver a white knuckle ride that involves no car chases, no shoot outs and no stand offs. Adam Sandler plays a New York jeweler in the city's "Diamond District" who's precipitously staying one step ahead of what seems like every loan shark in the tri-state area, but is time catching up to him? The bigger question though: How the hell did a movie this good get *zero* Oscar nominations?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 2 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #208 - The Real 1917

One of the likely contenders to win Best Picture at this year's Oscars is 1917, Sam Mendes' film about two soldiers racing through enemy territory on a mission to save hundreds of their fellow soldiers. It's good, but but how does the movie, and it’s exceptional attention to detail, stand up to the scrutiny of experts who know all the ins and outs of the Great War?
If you're a fan of 1917, and if you've been wondering about its historical accuracy, this week's edition of the podcast is for you. Fortunately in Guelph, we have some local expertise on the history of World War One in the form of of Ken Irvine, the Education Co-ordinator of Guelph Museums. If you’ve been to McCrae House, then you might have heard Ken Irvine bring the War, and the experiences of Col. John McCrae, to life for hundreds of area school children and other visitors.
Co-written and directed by Mendes, who is the Academy Award-winning director of American Beauty, 1917 has an interesting creative concept: it has shot and staged as if the two-hour movie unfolds as one continuous shot. It’s a logistical feat that’s been attempted before by the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Alejandro G. Iñárritu, but never has anyone tried to use this storytelling device for a war movie. When we reviewed 1917 a few weeks back on End Credits, the question was there in the back of the mind, “What would the staff of McCrae House think of this movie?”
That brings us to this week's episode of the podcast, as Irvine walks with us though the plot of the movie and talk about whether Mendes’ attention to detail pays off for someone who lives the real history on a daily basis. We talk about the plausibility of the movie’s central mission, the thoughts and feelings of the soldiers fighting in the real 1917, and how well the two main characters represent the real soldiers in the British regiment on the Western Front. We will also discuss where historical accuracy goes wrong, and what Irvine would like to see in war movies that he’s never seen before. 
So let's talk about the real 1917 versus the reel 1917 on this week's edition of the Guelph Politicast!
McCrae House is open Wednesdays from 1 to 5 pm or by appointment at 519-836-1221. To learn more about their programs and the collections, go to the Guelph Museums website. 1917 is currently in theatres everywhere, and the Oscars air this Sunday night. The eBar will be holding its annual watch party hosted by Athena McQueen starting at 6:30 pm.
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 - January 30, 2020

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we will bear witness to the struggle for witnesses. It's another week, but it's the same old news south of the border as impeachment nears its end, or not. Up here in Canada, we've got drama of our own in the form of a leadership race that now has actual candidates. That's big news to cover, and we'll also make time to talk to a member of city council for whom CFRU is a constituent.
This Thursday, January 30, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Party of Ward 5. Guelph City Councillor Leanne Piper had a pretty good week at city hall by getting her fellow councillors to support the intervener status of six B.C. municipalities at the Supreme Court hearing on the carbon tax. We'll talk to Piper about why that mattered, and we'll talk about how she's pushing developers on net zero, the last swim at Centennial Pool, the changes to development charges forced on the City by Bill 108, and all the other stuff that might be spinning around the horseshoe at this time.
Bolton Thrower. The lawyers for U.S. President Donald Trump laid out his defense this week in the senate impeachment trial, which basically came down to, "he didn't do anything, and even if he did do it, it's not illegal." But before you can say "acquittal", former National Security Advisor John Bolton became part of the story again as early excerpts from his book are making it harder for so-called moderate Republican senators to politely decline witnesses with a clear conscious. We'll talk about the latest impeachment developments.
Peter Ran. The Conservative Leadership race finally become a race this week with two candidates making their nomination official. Peter MacKay has predictably thrown his hat in the ring, and set an immediate fresh tone by signing up to march in Toronto Pride. Erin O'Toole apparently had so much fun running in 2017 that he's going to do it again in 2020, but this time he's running against "cancel culture" and for Free Speech on university campuses. That sounds.... great, but why are so many high-profile potentials sitting this round out?
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

CFRU 40th Anniversary Broadcast

On January 28, 1980, CFRU went live on your FM dial. MacDee remembers...

End Credits - January 29, 2020 (The Gentlemen)

This week, End Credits is going to get cheeky. If you read that with a British accent, good, because this week we're reviewing The Gentlemen, which involves the seedy and hilarious British underworld. For the news this week, we're talking about Sundance, honouring Andy Serkis, new trailers, and we'll remember the very influential Terry Jones.
This Wednesday, January 29, at 2 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Peter Salmon will discuss:
Festival Secrets. The Sundance Film Festival is drawing to a close in Park City, Utah, and while it still bills itself as a bastion for indie cinema, it's becoming more and more a market for streamers like Netflix. We'll talk about the streaming effect of Sundance, and what looks good coming out of this year's festival.
Serkis' Peanuts. Although the BAFTAs have been rightly criticized for a lack of diversity in their nominations, they have gotten one thing right: honouring Andy Serkis for his pioneering role in motion capture performance. The question now is whether an honorific for mo-cap in this special instance might get more support to have it properly awarded as part of the actor's art.
Swift, Scary, and Suburbia. This week in new trailers, we've got quite the triad of samples. On the lighter side, we have a new documentary about Taylor Swift called Miss Americana, on the dark side we have have Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots buying their first home in a maze in Vivarium, and even darker we have the stepmom scaring the kids in The Lodge.
 
Mr. Jones. It's the end of an era as Terry Jones, one of the founders of Monty Python, passed away last week at 77. Jones, who co-directed Monty Python and the Holy Grail and directed other Python films Life of Brian and The Meaning of Life, left a last legacy for comedy nerds around the world, and our resident comedy nerd Peter will talk about Jones' influence.
REVIEW: The Gentlemen (2020). In the future, The Gentlemen may be remembered as the most Guy Ritchie film of any Guy Ritchie film. Matthew McConaughey plays the established pot king of Britain, and Henry Golding plays his young upstart rival, and in between are all the "heroes and zeroes" of the U.K. underworld that are trying to scratch out their own piece of this ultimate showdown. But who will make it to the end credits?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 2 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #207 - What Can the Chamber Do For This Podcast?

Shakiba Shayani became the new President and CEO of the Guelph Chamber of Commerce on September 9, 2019, which was two days before the Federal election, during which the Chamber exerts tremendous influence as the organizers of the main local debate, and it was two months before the start of the annual municipal budget process, during which the Chamber President always presents. Talking about being thrown into the deep end.
This week on the podcast, Shayani takes on another responsibility as President of the Chamber: answering annoying questions from the press! This podcast comes in advance of the annual State of the City address, which is a chance for the Mayor of Guelph to talk to the business community about all the great things that are happening in the City that should, theoretically, enhance their business prospects.
It’s an example of the tight relationship that exists between the City as a political entity and the Chamber, which represents the business interests of its members to create favourable conditions to generate prosperity. Like in many communities, the Chamber of Commerce is a pretty big deal in Guelph, and if you need any more proof about the overlap between Chamber culture and political culture, keep in mind that the former head of the Guelph Chamber is Guelph’s current Member of Parliament.
Now it's Shakiba Shayani's turn to lead the Chamber, and would you be surprised to learn that she doesn’t actually come from a business background. Before taking over as the head of the Chamber, Shayani spent six years as the Director of Community Investment at United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin. It’s an interesting message that the Chamber might be trying to send in hiring Shayani, the idea that the business of business, at least in Guelph, is not all about making a profit.
This week on podcast Shayani will talk about why she wanted the job as the new Chamber President, and what she brings to it that’s different from her predecessors. We also talk about what makes the Guelph economy, how that’s changing, and where it might be going in the next couple of years. Then, on the political side of things, we discuss the role of the Chamber in the discourse, their relationship with City Hall, and what role the Chamber plays in tackling issues like transportation and poverty.
So let's talk to the new face of the Chamber of Commerce on this edition of the Guelph Politicast!
The next Chamber of Commerce event, as discussed, is the annual Mayor's State of the City address on Friday February 7 at the Guelph Delta Hotel and Conference Centre.  For ticket information go to the Guelph Chamber’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 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 - January 23, 2020

This week on Open Sources Guelph, it's the topic you've been wanting to hear us about since the start of the year: Guelph's new tap-and-go transit pass card! Just kidding, we're going to talk about impeachment, and then we're going to talk about the labour strife with Ontario's teachers. For the back half of the show, we're going to have a sit down conversation with returning OSG champion, Mike Schreiner.
This Thursday, January 23, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Impeachment Pits. This week the impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump got underway in the Senate, and it's still not 100 per cent certain about how this will turn out.  Are their enough Republican doubters willing to vote to have the complete trial Democrats are demanding? And what about Trump's cast of TV-ready lawyers, are they up to the task? Alan Dershowitz couldn't even make it the weekend without walking back the party line. We'll bring you up to date.
Strike Back. Over one million students in Ontario had to miss at least one day of school this week because of labour disruption. This week is the roughest so far in the province's schools as the Ministry of Education is fighting a labour war on five fronts with ever teachers unions in Ontario having entered into some kind of strike action or work-to-rule campaign. What will it take to break the log jam between the province and the teachers, and might public support wane as the strife continues?
Open Mike. Once again we'll be joined by Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner, and there's so much to talk about that we can't possibly cram into about 23 minutes of show time, but we'll see what we can do. Among the list of possible topics: the teachers strikes (plural), bear hunts, the provincial economy, transit, electric vehicles, the Supreme Court challenge to pollution pricing, and accidental non-emergencies at nuclear power plants. And who knows what might come up before showtime...
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits - January 22, 2020 (1917)

This week on End Credits, we're racing the clock. We only have one hour a week to break down the latest movie news and review a movie, and no one knows more about a deadline than the two soldiers at the heart of 1917. We'll review that one, and talk about the Oscar noms, Bond's producers, Parasite going to TV, and three of the latest trailers. 
This Wednesday, January 22, at 2 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Peter Salmon will discuss:
Oscar Wild! The nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards were announced last week, and the one to beat is Joker. With 11 nominations, Todd Phillips' remix of the origin of Batman's arch-nemesis got the most nods of any film, but 1917, The Irishman, and Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood are tied for a close second with 10 apiece. So what do we think of the Oscar race, and which snub hurt us the most?
Bond Control. Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have been guiding the James Bond series since Goldeneye in 1995, but they don't often grant interviews. In a Variety piece though, the pair opened up about the creative challenges in making Bond post-#MeToo, and what the future of the super spy looks like (still male, but more diverse). So what did we learn about 007's next steps?
Bong Shot. As Parasite looks good to be a strong contender for Best Picture at this year's Oscars, the film's director, Bong Joon-ho, is looking to the future of the story, and has decided its on television. Bong is teaming up with Succession creator Adam McKay and HBO to turn the movie into a series, but is there anything we can get from Parasite the series that we couldn't get from the movie?
Lovebirds, Bats, and Guns. This week's new trailer has all sorts of things. First, there's a fugitive love story starring Kumail Nanjiani from the director of The Big Sick. Next, we'll revisit vintage 90s superhero filmmaking (by all appearances) with the latest Spider-Man spin-off, Morbius. And, to wrap up, we'll look at the trailer for a gonzo action flick starring Harry Potter, and the two guns bolted to his hands!
 
REVIEW: 1917 (2019). It's World War One, and two corporals are sent across enemy lines to deliver a message to a division of British troops to call off an attack the next day lest they walk into a trap set by the Germans. It's a straightforward war narrative about two green soldiers set against all odds, but Sam Mendes decided to tell it in what looks like one, long continuous take. 1917 is a technical marvel, but does it have the heart and soul of a timeless war movie classic?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 2 pm.