- How COVAX is getting vaccines to nations that need it the most
Tuesday, August 17th 2021
Guest: Dr. Margaret Harris, infectious diseases expert and spokesperson for World Health Organization
As the pandemic continues, low-income and developing nations remain left behind in vaccination efforts. The reason is simple. Many countries cannot afford vaccines because the contracts tied to them are tied to the most powerful nations in the world. Can a pandemic truly end if billions around the world don’t have access to vaccines? COVAX, a program developed by the World Health Organization, is designed to solve that problem by bridging the gap between have and have-not countries. We’ll talk about the challenge and cost of delivering doses, the responsibility of rich countries to share, and why failures affect all of us.
- Canada’s federal election is on. Here’s what you need to know
Monday, August 16th 2021
Guests: Susan Delacourt and Alex Boutilier of the Star’s Ottawa bureau
After months of speculation, it’s happening: the Canadian federal election is set for September 20. The stakes are historic and could not be higher. Who should lead Canada out of the pandemic? How does this country begin to recover economically? What do Canadians care about most right now? We gather a political roundtable to discuss the 36-day campaign ahead, the state of the Liberals, Conservatives, the NDP and the Greens, and the expected talking points for the weeks ahead.
- Canadians want vaccine passports. Why is Ontario’s government saying no?
Friday, August 13th 2021
Guest: Robert Benzie, Toronto Star Queen’s Park bureau chief
A majority of Canadians say they are in favour of vaccine passports, the documentation proving people who enter a public space, like restaurants, gyms or arenas have a full set of vaccinations. They are the latest tool in the great balancing act of COVID safety measures with reopenings and the fourth wave as The Delta variant continues to spread. The pressure is now on the Ontario government to mandate a passport system of its own, just as jurisdictions such as Quebec, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and other international destinations have already created similar systems. And yet, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has steadfastly said no to any vaccine passports in the province. Why is the province going against the calls of Canadians, businesses and health care professionals? Could there be changes soon?
This episode was edited to remove a statement about whether a business refusing an unvaccinated customer does or does not violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
- Running the numbers: The fourth wave is moving faster than expected
Thursday, August 12th 2021
Guest: Ed Tubb, Toronto Star assignment editor focused on COVID-19 data
With rising case counts and other indicators, the fourth wave of COVID-19 is here and just getting started. The Delta variant is more infectious than other forms of the virus and could have a serious impact on our health care systems. Unvaccinated people will bear the brunt of the latest wave, but there are others who are also at risk.
- Pink robots are delivering your food. What does this mean for local gig workers?
Wednesday, August 11th 2021
Guest: Sara Mojtehedzadeh, work and wealth reporter for the Toronto Star
Robots have arrived in Toronto and they’re delivering your food. You may have come across Geoffrey, an adorable pink robot with hearts for eyes, who offers contactless, affordable delivery at the tap of a smartphone. The company behind Geoffrey is claiming it to be a safe alternative for delivery services that emphasizes buying local just as our reliance on gig workers for delivering our orders has increased. But as Star reporter Sara Mojtehedzadeh found out, sometimes the way Geoffrey is run isn’t local at all and the concept of delivery-by-robot raises some serious questions about implications for gig workers who have already been heavily impacted by this pandemic.
