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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

21:03

RSV: as hospitals struggle, a mother shares her story

This Matters ·

2022/12/05

Guest: Megan Ogilvie, health reporter, and Weronika Drab, mother While a fraction of babies with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are hospitalized each year in Canada, that’s still about 12,000 infants and this year’s burst of infections have hit an already strained hospital system harder and earlier than usual. Joining “This Matters” to discuss are health reporter Megan Ogilvie to talk about what health care professionals are seeing on the front lines and Weronika Drab, who shares the terrifying

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21:53

Will China’s protests over zero-COVID spark lasting...

This Matters ·

2022/12/02

Guest: Joanna Chiu, staff reporter China saw its largest protests in a generation this week. In more than 20 cities across the country, protesters demanded an end to Beijing’s draconian zero-COVID policy, which expanded to dissent against President Xi Jinping’s repressive regime. As of this recording, at least six cities across China have since eased COVID restrictions. Some say an end to zero-COVID may be in sight. Did the protests spark change? Has this exposed faultlines in Xi Jinping’s

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21:03

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s power move with...

This Matters ·

2022/12/01

Guest: Kieran Leavitt, politics reporter Alberta’s Premier Danielle Smith has fulfilled her campaign promise and launched the Alberta Sovereignty in a United Canada act, which aims to allow the province to ignore and potentially alter federal laws it deems harmful to Alberta or its citizens. While Smith says the plan is legal and constitutional, experts are already warning this could be the beginning of another conflict over federal versus provincial powers and citizen rights. This episode was

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20:47

Migration cessation: a process that could cost...

This Matters ·

2022/11/30

Guest: Nicholas Keung, immigration reporter Will a former refugee’s trip to see his dying father cost him his status in Canada? A growing number of ex-refugees have lost protected status in Canada as few know they can be pursued by Canadian border officials and faced with deportation after using an old passport or returning home. It’s a little-known process called cessation that for some has grave consequences. Immigration reporter Nicholas Keung joins to explain. This episode was produced by Saba

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21:56

How Toronto police made an arrest in two cold cases

This Matters ·

2022/11/29

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 Sutherland have not been proven in court. This episode was

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21:26

The PM, the protestors and the public inquiry

This Matters ·

2022/11/28

Guest: Tonda MacCharles, Ottawa Bureau Live testimony at the inquiry into the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act during the so-called “Freedom Convoy” protests in Ottawa last winter has concluded after six weeks. The final day of hearings saw Prime Minister Justin Trudeau take the stand to defend his decision. Tonda MacCharles was in the room and joins “This Matters” to discuss. Audio source: Pubic Order Emergency Commission This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and

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23:51

Greenbelt development: Looking into who owns what

This Matters ·

2022/11/25

Guests: Star reporters Noor Javed and Brendan Kennedy and Emma McIntosh from The Narwhal The Ontario government has decided to change its position and build on the Greenbelt, a series of protected lands around the GTA. It has identified 15 parcels of lands that could potentially be opened up for development, but who owns these lands and who stands to benefit in their change of status? Star reporters Noor Javed and Brendan Kennedy and Emma McIntosh from The Narwhal did a joint investigation join us

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19:57

What you need to know about Ontario’s new housing...

This Matters ·

2022/11/24

Guest: Tess Kalinowski, real estate reporter The Ontario government’s new housing bill is a massive piece of legislation that changes many of the rules and established practices for development in this province. While there is everything from removing development charges to changing planning and zoning rules to stripping powers from environmental agencies, many are concerned there aren’t enough provisions to create affordable housing. The government says its necessary to solve the housing crisis

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20:38

Show me the money! Toronto’s $2.3 billion dollar...

This Matters ·

2022/11/23

Guest: Matt Elliott, contributing columnist The City of Toronto is facing a $2.3 billion budget shortfall for this and next year’s budget. Mayor John Tory has been sounding the alarm, asking both the provincial and federal governments for a bailout and warning that there will be massive service cut, tax hike or both if one doesn’t come soon. There hasn’t been much response or cash flow yet, but it is clear there are issues about how the city plans its budgets and its use of revenue tools. This

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21:33

Do mayors need even stronger powers?

This Matters ·

2022/11/22

Guest: David Rider, City Hall Bureau Chief With an eye to an ambitious Ford government housing plan, Toronto Mayor John Tory asked for and received even stronger mayoral powers than he already had been given over the summer. It was a move that caused an uproar in municipal politics. While some councillor called it a power grab, others are calling it an unprecedented, undemocratic move that will sideline councillors even further. How will the new powers work and what will this mean for Toronto? This

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20:36

Advocates sound the alarm over youth violence in the GTA

This Matters ·

2022/11/21

Guest: Jennifer Pagliaro, crime reporter There have been several violent incidents, including stabbings and gun-related incidents, around many GTA schools in recent weeks. An 18-year-old was shot and killed outside of Woburn Collegiate on Oct. 31, while last week another shooting in Brampton left an 18-year old seriously injured. With one 17-year old arrested after the Brampton incident, advocates say it feels like those involved in these crimes are getting younger. This episode was produced by

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16:00

To mask or not to mask, that is (still) the question

This Matters ·

2022/11/18

Guest: Todd Coleman, epidemiologist and assistant professor of health sciences at Wilfred Laurier University The president and CEO of SickKids begged people last week to wear a mask as pediatric ICUs across Ontario hit a breaking point. She’s not alone in that wish. Calls have been growing for the province to bring back mask mandates as health experts warn of a difficult viral season with a “triple threat” of the flu, RSV and COVID-19. Despite this, Ontario’s top doctor Dr. Kieran Moore has so far

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19:41

Is the GOP still on Trump’s wavelength?

This Matters ·

2022/11/17

Guest: Allan Woods, global and national affairs reporter While facing federal investigations for trying to overthrow the 2020 U.S. election results and inspiring a riot at Capitol Hill, former president Donald Trump has announced he wants to run for president again. His third attempt for power comes in the wake of an underwhelming midterm display for the Republican party and a moment of reckoning on whether to roll out the red carpet for a candidate whose refusal to accept defeat in 2020 pushed

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23:00

Kicking off the World Cup

This Matters ·

2022/11/16

Guest: Bruce Arthur, sports columnist World Cup fever is hot! So is Qatar. Sweltering temperatures and how the authorities plan to treat exuberant, international football fans are two of the big questions as this tiny nation prepares to welcome soccer fans from all over the world. This World Cup has been controversial since it was awarded in 2010, and only remains so as it gets underway. It is extra special for Canadian fans as it is the first time since 1986 that the Canadian men’s team has

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23:57

The cold truth about the fastest warming place on Earth

This Matters ·

2022/11/15

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 disaster. Svalbard serves as a stark warning to the rest

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26:57

Michael’s choice: The ethics of medical assistance in...

This Matters ·

2022/11/14

Guest: Robert Cribb, investigative reporter A joint investigation between the Toronto Star and the Investigative Journalism Bureau followed the life — and death — of Michael Fraser to offer a glimpse into the complexity and ethics of Canada’s legislation around medically assistance in dying, and those that believe it is their only option. The Star’s Robert Cribb, along with Charlie Buckley, Thea Gribilas and Declan Keogh of the Investigative Journalism Bureau, were behind the investigation. This

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20:36

Developing the Greenbelt: Ontario’s new plan to build...

This Matters ·

2022/11/11

Guest: Noor Javed, staff reporter Building on Ontario’s Greenbelt has long been a hot-button political issue in this province, and one that many politicians have stayed away from. Now, citing the need for new housing, the Ontario government has backtracked on promises not to develop on it and proposed a land swap that could open up 15 areas and thousands of acres to new development. Advocates are concerned these moves could have damaging consequences to the environment and contribute to more urban

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23:02

Climate justice centre stage at COP27

This Matters ·

2022/11/10

Guest: Julia Levin, national climate program manager for Environmental Defence The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change — or COP27 — is underway this week in Egypt with more than a hundred world leaders attending. For the first time, climate justice, climate colonialism and reparations are on the agenda. Frontline countries from the Global South who have dealt with some of the worst impacts are making their case for loss and damage. Julia Levin

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20:18

The kids aren’t alright: flu, RSV, COVID and medicine...

This Matters ·

2022/11/09

Guest: Dr. Dan Flanders, a pediatrician COVID-19, cold and flu season, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) are combining to create a three-headed monster that is making a lot of kids sick and overwhelming children’s hospitals across the province. Beyond that, a shortage of over-the-counter medications for children like acetaminophen (Tylenol), and ibuprofen (Advil), as well as the commonly-prescribed antibiotic amoxicillin, has plenty of kids needlessly suffering and parents stressed. Dr. Dan

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18:15

Do you feel like somebody’s watching you...at work?

This Matters ·

2022/11/08

Guest: Karim Bardeesy, Toronto Metropolitan University As many Canadians moved from the office to work remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in electronic surveillance by employers and an increased demand for related technologies. The intrusive surveillance has been allowed as workers have limited privacy protections, but things might be changing in Ontario. The provincial government passed legislation in April requiring some employers to have an electronic monitoring policy

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1,105 results

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