- Are Ontario’s new election laws being used to muzzle dissent?
Wednesday, October 20th 2021
Guests: Star reporters Noor Javed, who covers 905 municipal politics, and Kris Rushowy, Queen’s Park reporter
Earlier this year, the Ontario government controversially used the notwithstanding clause to push through a new election advertising law which, despite being found to be unconstitutional, added new restrictions on third-party advertising to curb large scale, American-style special interest political fundraising in the election process. Now, exclusive Star reporting has found that a sitting minister contacted Elections Ontario and asked it to look into at least three small community groups to see if they were in violation of the new laws. Critics say it could lead a muzzling of political dissent in the province and change the rules for political advocacy.
- Can you get fired for refusing to get vaccinated?
Tuesday, October 19th 2021
Guest: Rosa Saba, Business Reporter at The Star
With vaccine mandates now being enforced in many establishments, workplace mandates are now proliferating across many businesses as they try to return to normal. This raises questions about employer and workers rights if an employee chooses to remain unvaccinated. It’s something we are seeing play out on large stages, like the NBA, where star player Kyrie Irving has been told to stay away from his team until he decides to get vaccinated. But we are seeing it all across North America, as health care workers and police officers and others choose to remain unvaccinated. In Canada, the question is, can people be fired with cause? Do accommodations need to made? Is the employee eligible for Employment Insurance? These are all questions that need to be worked through and dealt with by all kinds of organizations and their personnel.
- What you need to know about the Canada-U.S. land border reopening
Monday, October 18th 2021
Guest: Edward Keenan, Toronto Star’s Washington Bureau Chief
More than 18 months it closed due to the pandemic, the world’s largest undefended border will reopen in November. The closure has resulted in long delays and frustration, and fraught with clear-as-mud guidance around the air travel and policies around mixed doses and vaccination. As Canadians get ready to cross the land border once again, we sort through the many questions that still remain on how the reopening will work amidst the politics of the pandemic.
- Why won't City Hall move forward on rooming houses and renters' rights?
Friday, October 15th 2021
Guest: Shawn Micallef, contributing columnist for the Star
This summer, the city of Toronto spent almost $2 million on private security guards and police to forcefully clear encampments in public parks. Despite the obvious need for housing, council has once again delayed a decision on legalizing rooming houses citywide, a debate that's been ongoing for ten years at City Hall. Rooming houses, also called multi-tenant homes, are currently illegal in most of Toronto, yet they are said to be an accessible and affordable living option for students, newcomers, and individuals with low income in a city where the cost of living is among the highest in Canada. Columnist Shawn Micallef joins "This Matters" to explain the significance of rooming houses, renters' rights and why encampment clearing should not have taken place the way it did in the middle of a pandemic and an escalating housing crisis.
- Supply chain reaction: Product delays, stock shortages and higher prices
Thursday, October 14th 2021
Guest: David Johnston of the Schulich School of Business at York University
With the holiday season fast approaching, many retailers have been ramping up their efforts to make sure there is enough stock on the shelves for consumers to buy, but experts warn that disruptions in the global supply chain are already resulting in product shortages, delays in delivery and higher prices. There are container ships lined up outside of U.S. ports waiting to off-load their freight, and there aren’t enough docks or truck drivers to move the goods through. While COVID-19 has exposed some of the weak links in our global supply chain infrastructure, many issues were already there and experts are warning it might be some time before things return to normal.
