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PODCAST

This Matters

The world is changing every day. Now, more than ever, these questions matter. What"s happening? And why should you care? This Matters, a daily news podcast from the Toronto Star, aims to answer those questions, on important stories and ideas, every day, Monday to Friday. Hosts Saba Eitizaz and Ed Keenan talk to their fellow journalists, experts and newsmakers about the social, cultural, political and economic stories that shape your life.

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All Episodes

14:54

Body cams on soccer referees to deter abuse from...

This Matters ·

2023/05/29

Guest: Kerry Gillespie, sports reporter Ontario Soccer is launching a pilot project this summer that will see some referees wearing body cams to record and deter abuse. What is surprising is that this isn’t happening at the professional or adult levels, but starting with the under 9 and 11 age groups. Many sports are facing a shortage of people wanting to officiate matches and one of the biggest reasons cited is the taunting and abuse referees take from parents, spectators and coaches. Is this a

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18:18

The historical context behind renaming Dundas Street

This Matters ·

2023/05/26

Guest: Francine Kopun, senior writer Toronto is in the process of renaming Dundas Street, but some critics think it’s not worth the cost and trouble. Three years after City Hall acted on a petition to change the name due to the actions of its namesake, Henry Dundas, some mayoral candidates are pledging to reopen the debate. Much of it hinges on the role Dundas may have played in delaying the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and

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24:49

Debating Toronto’s future: The race for mayor

This Matters ·

2023/05/25

Guest: David Rider, City Hall bureau chief We are learning a lot more about the candidates running to be mayor of Toronto, particularly the six leading contenders who have floated to the top while 96 others are in the mix somewhere else. Amid a busy week of campaigning that included a handful of debates, here’s what we are learning about their policy positions and what we know our city wants in a mayor post-John Tory. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar. Audio

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42:44

Is Olivia Chow’s ‘untouchable’ lead for real?

This Matters ·

2023/05/24

Guests: The Toronto Star All-Star Opinionator Panel, featuring columnists Emma Teitel, Shawn Micallef, Matt Elliott and guest host Edward Keenan Our political panel talks about the election race as Toronto enters the feverish debate season, and asks what to make of the polls, how a big lead can disappear, whether voters want hope or anger and which candidates are bringing real talk on taxes. This episode was produced by Ed Keenan and Paulo Marques.

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25:28

How will Ontario peel Mississauga, Brampton and...

This Matters ·

2023/05/23

Guests: Robert Benzie, Queen’s Park bureau chief, and Noor Javed, staff reporter covering the 905 The Ontario government is breaking up Peel Region to make Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon stand-alone municipalities in 2025. The move has had mixed responses but two things are clear: there will be plenty of haggling over resources like shared infrastructure and the “divorce” will change the political landscape in the province. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Paulo Marques and Raju

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16:22

Sodium nitrite, self harm and the case people around...

This Matters ·

2023/05/19

Guest: Jason Miller, crime and justice reporter An Ontario man is facing two charges of counselling or aiding suicide and, as details emerge, we have learned authorities in other parts of the world are looking into other specific deaths never before questioned. The case centres around sodium nitrite, a substance widely available that can be used to cure meats but can also be lethal. Here’s what we know so far about the local case that could have international ramifications. If you are thinking of

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19:43

Supply teachers and demand: How staffing shortages...

This Matters ·

2023/05/18

Guest: Isabel Teotonio, education reporter The Toronto District School Board has been experiencing a staffing shortage that is leaving administrations scrambling for teachers and some parents and students worried about time missed learning. To help, the board has redeployed nearly 100 of its learning coaches and hired more than 200 additional occasional teachers but there is a domino affect to all of the shuffling and other areas are impacted. Unions are calling it a crisis and there’s no quick

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17:40

How the Eglinton Crosstown LRT has been derailed again

This Matters ·

2023/05/17

Guest: Lex Harvey, transportation reporter The Eglinton Crosstown LRT continues to be a nightmare for the residents of that area and the end is nowhere in sight. With reports of “no credible plan” toward completion of the $12.8-billion light-rail transit line, the consortium of companies building it has filed legal papers to stop work until a number of issues are resolved. With another court decision needed to decide the way forward, trains will not be running this year and many are left wondering

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42:02

How soon is ‘now’ on affordable housing? A big...

This Matters ·

2023/05/16

Guest: Mark Richardson, technical lead for HousingNowTO According to polls and the platforms, housing affordability is THE big issue in this mayoral election campaign, especially as the city’s Housing Now program has failed to get shovels in the ground (or people in apartments). Mark Richardson’s citizen-led HousingNowTO organization has monitored the problems and progress all along, and has been taking all the major mayoral candidates on walking tours of proposed sites to show what’s holding

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22:50

Business not as usual: The return to office and...

This Matters ·

2023/05/15

Guests: Katie Daubs, senior writer, and Christine Dobby, business reporter As cities around the world return to the office, Toronto lags behind other global centres as many workers are choosing to continue working from home. That’s having a spillover effect on the downtown core, and in particular, on the PATH, the underground network of shops and stores that support a downtown economy. Are these changes temporary or long lasting? What do they mean for the future of Toronto? This episode was

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30:24

After George Floyd: One city’s vow to ‘end’ police

This Matters ·

2023/05/12

Guest: Wendy Gillis, crime reporter When George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, protests erupted around the world. Calls to defund the police rang out and, for a moment, it seemed like change was imminent. But three years on, efforts to revolutionize public safety have varied. Star reporter Wendy Gillis recently visited Minneapolis as part of the ongoing “Beyond the Badge” series (made possible with the financial assistance of the R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding

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21:06

Ontario’s housing plan and how it could lead to sprawl

This Matters ·

2023/05/11

Guest: Noor Javed, staff reporter The Ontario government has made building more housing fast a priority and, to get that done, it wants to throw out planning rules that set guidelines for how municipalities should grow. The proposed changes could upend how Ontario has planned its cities since 2005 and some critics fear that it is a perfect recipe for sprawl. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar.

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22:37

Canada set to name foreign labs, universities that...

This Matters ·

2023/05/10

Guest: Joanna Chiu, staff reporter The Canadian government is creating a list of foreign universities and labs that it says pose a national security risk. The news comes at the same time several Canadian universities are reviewing their research partnerships. Last week, the University of Waterloo announced it is ending its relationship with Chinese telecom giant Huawei amid security concerns. The government list will further impact research funding and possibly, academic freedom. This episode was

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37:45

Can you have too many candidates for mayor of Toronto?

This Matters ·

2023/05/09

Guests: The Toronto Star All-Star Opinionator Panel, featuring columnists Emma Teitel, Shawn Micallef, Matt Elliott and guest host Edward Keenan More than 70 candidates have registered to run for mayor. As the opening phase of the campaign finishes, our panel talks about housing policy, why many candidates might misunderstand the task they’ve taken on, why attacks aren’t landing and whether one candidate should brag about his current lack of pay cheques. This episode was produced by Ed Keenan

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22:24

WHO says COVID as global health emergency is over....

This Matters ·

2023/05/08

Guest: Dr. Fahad Razak, internist at St. Michael’s Hospital After more than three years, the World Health Organization has declared that COVID-19 is over as a global health emergency. However, the organization also said the virus remains a threat and can still get people very sick. For many people, the pandemic has been “over” for a while but there are also plenty of people for whom the effects linger and that’s something to remember as we navigate this next phase. This episode was produced by

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20:02

Alberta’s neck and neck election: Notley vs. Smith

This Matters ·

2023/05/05

Guest: Alex Boyd, Calgary-based reporter The writ has dropped in Alberta and the campaign for premier is on. The NDP’s Rachel Notley would like to win back power, while UCP incumbent Danielle Smith must now see if voters agree with her vision for the province. It’s an election that will have ramifications for the rest of the country, as issues like energy and the environment are sure to be big factors. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar. Audio Sources: CBC

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22:28

How Toronto police’s drug evidence locker thefts...

This Matters ·

2023/05/04

Guest: Wendy Gillis, crime reporter After two Toronto police officers stole drugs for their personal use from evidence lockers, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) investigated and found a lax and dated system that all but opened the door for abuse. The report calls for greater restrictions on access to evidence by officers, just as it is becoming clear that such thefts are affecting cases before the court. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar. Audio Sources:

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22:56

‘You need to stand up to the bully’: David Miller’s...

This Matters ·

2023/05/03

Guest: David Miller, former mayor of Toronto and managing director of the C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy While other issues have grabbed more headlines, Toronto faces no more fundamental challenges over the next few years than its billion-dollar budget gap and a provincial premier eager to force his will on the city. David Miller draws on his experience as Toronto mayor (and on lessons learned in the schoolyard for how to confront bullies) to offer his perspective on the way ahead,

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18:52

How will Bill C-11 affect Cancon, streaming platforms...

This Matters ·

2023/05/02

Guest: Raisa Patel, federal politics reporter Bill C-11, Canada’s new Online Streaming Act, is now law. Considered a refresh to the outdated Broadcasting Act, there are still several questions about how this law will affect streaming platforms and what discoverability of Canadian-made content will look like. And what about cat videos? While the government insists the act doesn’t cover user-generated content, critics are not so sure. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Paulo Marques and

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24:33

Violence in Sudan: A Canadian family shares their story

This Matters ·

2023/05/01

Guests: Nagwa El Mamoun, Safiya Abbadi and Omar Mosleh It’s been just over two weeks since violence erupted between two rival military factions in Khartoum, the Capital city of Sudan. The Canadian government has airlifted citizens out, but says that it may not be able to do so in the future. Nagwa El Mamoun, a Canadian who was in Sudan when the fighting broke out, her daughter Safiya Abbadi and Toronto Star journalist Omar Mosleh join to share the Canadian family’s story and discuss what led to this

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1,105 results

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