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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.

news documentary

All Episodes

17:27

What’s the real estate market going to look like in...

This Matters ·

2023/01/04

Guest: Tess Kalinowski, real estate reporter 2022 was a roller coaster year in the GTA’s real estate market and, just as we hit a peak, things are now speeding downhill. Falling prices, a lack of inventory and rising interest rates all contributed to the downturn in the market and will continue to be factors moving forward. Don’t fret. There are experts who feel that as the weather warms up, people on the sidelines might start re-engaging in the market. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley,

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17:05

A spirited take on Dry January (Rebroadcast)

This Matters ·

2023/01/03

This episode originally aired January 4, 2022. Guest: Christine Sismondo, author of “America Walks Into a Bar” and the upcoming “Cocktails: A Still Life” Happy New Year! By now, hopefully your hangover from new year celebrations are long gone and you are focusing on the year ahead. One thing that many people do after holiday season is decide to cut alcohol intake for the month of January as a way to reset and refresh. While some people do Sober October, more mark Dry January to abstain from alcohol

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13:59

A tribute to John Honderich, newspaperman (Rebroadcast)

This Matters ·

2022/12/30

This episode originally aired on February 11, 2022. John Honderich, who has served as both editor and publisher of the Toronto Star, as well as chair of Torstar, died on Saturday, February 5, at 75. “This Matters” spoke to some of John’s former friends and colleagues about his positive impact to journalism and the people around him. Any charitable donations be made to the John Honderich City Builder Fund through United Way Greater Toronto: www.uwgta.org/johnhonderich

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27:09

How do you want to spend the final years of your...

This Matters ·

2022/12/29

This episode originally aired on November 7, 2022. Guest: Moira Welsh, investigative reporter The devastation faced by Ontario’s long-term care residents during the pandemic may have fuelled a reckoning and a collective question: how do you want to spend the final years of your life? That’s the focus of The Third Act, an ongoing series produced by the Star in collaboration with Toronto Metropolitan University and the National Institute on Ageing, which aims to explore real world solutions that could

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24:08

The cold truth about the fastest warming place on...

This Matters ·

2022/12/28

This episode originally aired on November 15, 2022. Guest: Lex Harvey, staff reporter The Arctic town Svalbard is about as remote as you can get. It’s an archipelago located on top of the world. Residents carry guns and live alongside polar bears, they can see the northern lights during the day and they’re not allowed to give birth or die there. It is also the fastest warming place on Earth and experiencing the worst effects of climate change where residents live under constant fear of the next

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22:07

How Toronto police made an arrest in two cold cases...

This Matters ·

2022/12/27

This episode originally aired on November 29, 2022. Guest: Wendy Gillis, crime and policing reporter The Toronto police cold case unit has announced the arrest of Joseph George Sutherland, 60, for allegedly committing the murders of local women Erin Gilmour and Susan Tice in 1983. After 2008 testing of evidence confirmed one man was responsible for both murders, advances in genetic sequencing and forensic genealogy would lead police to arrest Sutherland in Moosonee, Ont. The charges against

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17:21

Holiday romance movies and why Ontario loves (and...

This Matters ·

2022/12/23

Guests: Katie Daubs and Kris Rushowy, staff reporters Holiday romance movies are everywhere. They started as a staple of the Hallmark brand, but now have spread to others like Lifetime, Netflix and more. Many of these new holiday films are filmed right here in Ontario and, beyond spreading the spirit of the season, they also provide a beneficial economic impact to this region. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar.

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18:58

Highway Development: Documents show Bradford Bypass...

This Matters ·

2022/12/22

Guest: Noor Javed covers 905 municipal politics for the Star According to the findings of a Star co-investigation with The Narwhal, documents show that the government is quietly considering expanding the Bradford Bypass from four to eight lanes. This highway is already controversial because the planned route threatens many ecologically sensitive areas and now, could potentially double in size. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar. Audio sources: CityNews and

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18:38

Will COP15 help save the world’s biodiversity?

This Matters ·

2022/12/21

Guest: Kate Allen, climate change reporter Will the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) be a “Montreal moment” in the fight to save the planet’s biodiversity? That’s how Steven Guilbeault, the federal minister of environment and climate change, described the conference while announcing what some are calling a historic and transformational agreement. While it takes Indigenous and global equity issues into account, some critics say there is more work to be done to hold governments

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22:06

What’s behind the staggering increase in car jackings...

This Matters ·

2022/12/20

Guest: Jennifer Pagliaro, crime reporter Car jackings and pharmacy thefts are on the rise, with many of the crimes committed by younger people. With a stolen luxury car fetching up to $10,000, it is believed the high risk, high reward is driving the increase of these types of criminal activities. As more teenagers commit these crimes, the bigger question is how to help and support youth, and prevent them from getting involved and trapped in these cycles of crime and violence. This episode was

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23:13

Ontario Place: Yours to discover spa treatments?

This Matters ·

2022/12/19

Guest: David Rider, City Hall bureau chief Ontario Place is in the news as the plans for a massive spa on the site move through City Hall. While the 155-acre site on Toronto’s waterfront is an urban park now, the new plan includes a five-level subterranean parking lot for more than 2,000 vehicles that taxpayers might be on the hook for. The place where many made memories might look very different in the future. This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Sean Pattendon and Raju Mudhar. Audio

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21:40

Scrooged: The scams of Christmas present (a true...

This Matters ·

2022/12/16

Guests: Nichelle Laus, former police officer, business owner and TikTok creator, and Stephen Lautens, an author, lawyer and podcaster Deck the halls for holiday times, fa la la la la, la la la la. Keep an eye out for these crimes, fa la la la la, la la la la. These are scams for the season, fa la la la la, la la la la. Play this podcast for that reason, fa la la la la, la la la la! This episode was produced by Brian Bradley, Sean Pattendon and Raju Mudhar.

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14:23

Are pension plans funding human-rights abuses in China?

This Matters ·

2022/12/15

Guest: Jeremy Nuttall, investigative reporter Chances are, like most Canadians, you have no idea how the country’s big pension funds are investing your money. A report is revealing that multiple federal and provincial funds are investing in Chinese companies complicit in human rights abuses and pension funds of several other Western countries have done the same. Jeremy Nuttall, an investigative reporter for the Star, joins “This Matters” to share what we know. This episode was produced by Saba

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18:57

The pains of transit projects: Metrolinx and various...

This Matters ·

2022/12/14

Guest: Lex Harvey, transportation reporter Public transit is something that is always difficult to get built in the Toronto area. Case in point: several transit lines are to be built in the next decade, and already skirmishes are happening. There have been complaints about the state of the years-delayed and overbudget Eglinton Crosstown, concern about the fate of mature trees at Osgoode Hall and questions from parents and kids at an east end school where transit work is underway. Metrolinx, the

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20:29

The Barry and Honey Sherman murders: Kevin Donovan...

This Matters ·

2022/12/13

Guest: Kevin Donovan, chief investigative reporter It has been five years since the murders of Barry and Honey Sherman. The police say it is an active investigation, but there are have been no arrests and only one very mysterious suspect. Noting a lack of progress, family members have increased the cash reward up to $35 million for information that leads to the culprit or culprits. What do we know about the day the Shermans were killed and, five years on, where is the police investigation currently

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18:35

Cold weather, full shelters. Where can those facing...

This Matters ·

2022/12/12

Guest: Victoria Gibson, affordable housing reporter Hundreds of people looking for a place to stay are being turned away from Toronto’s shelter system every night. As winter arrives and the weather gets colder, encampments are being cleared, temporary shelters in hotels are closing and the shelter system is operating at or near full capacity. It is a cold, desperate situation for many. Affordable housing reporter Victoria Gibson joins “This Matters” to talk about the many issues those facing

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22:22

Artificial Intelligence went viral with ChatGPT and...

This Matters ·

2022/12/09

Guest: Kelsey Piper, senior writer at Vox.com ChatGPT by OpenAI and Lensa AI are two generative artificial intelligence tools that have been going viral. There are fun uses of artificial intelligence (AI) that show the possibilities of how these might start to influence and change the world as the technologies continue to improve and get better. That said, there’s a good reason that AI and the machines battling with humans is a such a huge theme in science fiction. Even these fun tools are already

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25:33

How Ford’s housing plan may mean property tax hikes

This Matters ·

2022/12/08

Guests: Brian Rosborough and Colin Best, Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) The Ontario government’s new housing bill has many municipal politicians upset about the removal of development charges, as they are typically used to build the necessary infrastructure in communities. There have been huge estimates for that funding shortfall, and while the province told some municipalities they are willing to work through an audit process, many fear the possibility of large property tax hikes to

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22:50

Violence in schools: York Memorial and how the TDSB...

This Matters ·

2022/12/07

Guest: Isabel Teotonio, education reporter After months of neglect and violent incidents, the situation at York Memorial Collegiate Institute has reached its breaking point. Students staged a walkout last week to point to the number of issues at their school that they say has made for an unsafe learning environment. Students, parents, teachers and the Toronto District School Board are focused on fixing the problems, but this dire situation also comes at a time when the board has just tabled a report

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18:07

Why some of Canada’s notorious criminals could get...

This Matters ·

2022/12/06

Guest: Susan Clairmont, Hamilton Spectator justice columnist How long should offenders with more than one murder conviction stay in prison before they are eligible for parole? According to the Supreme Court, the answer is 25 years. Earlier this year, the court found the practice of consecutive life sentences (serving more than 25 years before parole eligibility) to be cruel and unjust. While this is a decision that only affects a few high-profile criminals, it reminds us of some of the worst crimes

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1,105 results

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