The Agenda with Steve Paikin (Audio)
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Are Political Scandals Shaking Our Faith?
Another day, and it seems, another political scandal. From allegations against Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, to the millions lost in the Ontario Liberals' gas plant cancellations, to the spending scandals in the Canadian Senate, how does one keep the faith in our elected leaders?
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Liz Sandals: Early Learning Lessons
As the province rolls out full-day learning and looks next to modernize child care, Ontario Minister of Education Liz Sandals sits down with Steve Paikin to talk about the state of child care in Ontario today and into the future.
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Child Care in a Full-Day Kindergarten World
70% of Ontario women with young children work outside the home. Child care matters to just about every family in the province. Full-day kindergarten promised an entire day of seamless learning for Ontario's youngest students to help with that issue. However, as it pulls 4 and 5 year olds into the schools, new challenges for child care have emerged. The Agenda talks to a panel of experts about the state of child care in a full-day kindergarten world.
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ADHD: A Changing Diagnosis
Its symptoms include impulsivity, hyperactivity, inattention and distractibility. It's ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and recent numbers from the US Centers for Disease Control suggest it is being widely diagnosed, with 11 percent of school-age kids identified with the affliction. The Agenda examines what is behind the surge.
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The Agenda's Week in Review
From public struggles with addiction to sustaining the middle class, The Agenda's Week in Review.
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Bruce Hicks: Senate Shenanigans
Canada's Senate is facing increased scrutiny following an independent auditor's report into the expenses of four senators. Now, the RCMP is examining the issue. In our Story of the Week, The Agenda sits down with Carleton University professor Bruce Hicks to get his sober second thoughts on the red chamber's latest scandal.
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Rafael Gomez: The Jobless Youth
No shades required: University of Toronto industrial relations professor Rafael Gomez on the economic cost and problem of high youth unemployment.
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Young Entrepreneurs, Young Jobs?
"Starting up" employment: Ryerson University president Sheldon Levy and young entrepreneurs tell Steve Paikin about the job growth from startups and Ryerson University's plans to help Toronto become a startup hub.
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Matthew Pearson: Where "Second Career" Falls Short
A program designed to help launch a second career for unemployed Ontarians shut out thousands from getting help. Ottawa Citizen reporter Matthew Pearson tells Steve Paikin how the program failed those that needed help most.
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How to Save the Middle Class
Both the left and the right harken back with nostalgia to days when things were better for the middle class. Were things really better for everyone? If so, what can be done to regain what both the left and the right feel has been lost?
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Mental Health Matters Highlights
Mental Health Matters was a week of programming featuring important issues in the field of mental health. The Agenda brings you highlights of our broadcasts and web-exclusive content.
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Warren "Smokey" Thomas: A Strike at the LCBO?
An LCBO strike looms before the Victoria Day long weekend. OPSEU president Warren "Smokey" Thomas tells Steve Paikin if Ontarians should stock up for Victoria Day.
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Kathleen Wynne: Queen's Park Showdown
Two big items are front and centre at Queen's Park: the continuing fallout from the gas plant cancellations and questions surrounding what will happen with the budget. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne sits down with Steve Paikin.
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Frank Iacobucci: Justice for All?
Retired Supreme Court Justice Frank Iacobucci was asked by the Ontario government to look into the lack of First Nations peoples on jury rolls. His report finds that Ontario's justice system is in crisis for First Nations. He sits down with Steve Paikin to explain why.
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Addiction and Public Life
Should public figures be expected to go public with their addiction struggles? The Agenda explores to what extent there is a responsibility that those in the public eye openly air their dirty addiction laundry.
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Jowita Bydlowska: Drunk Mom
As a new mom, author Jowita Bydlowska struggled with alcoholism. The Toronto-based writer sits down with Steve Paikin to discuss her new memoir, "Drunk Mom," and reflect on that first year of her son's life.
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More Anxious Than Ever?
Are we collectively more stressed and anxious than before? Is it because of the rapid pace of technological change, economic pessimism, stories of ecological doom, or just a feeling of being individually disconnected? The Agenda analyzes our collective angst and discusses what is needed to help people cope. The final installment in our Mental Health Matters series.
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When Anxiety Attacks
Anxiety disorders may be as pervasive a condition as depression, yet they are still not as widely discussed as depression. As part of The Agenda's Mental Health Matters coverage, we'll examine the research around anxiety disorders and the best treatments being used today.
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Aboriginal Mental Health
Last month, the Neskantaga First Nation in northern Ontario declared a state of emergency following two suicides in one week, not counting 20 other attempts. Neskantaga and other remote First Nations in Nishnawbe Aski Nation face a much higher suicide rate than the rest of Canada. This while other First Nations saw a decline in the number of suicides and some, no suicides at all. Why are some communities overwhelmed with suicides and others suicide-free? The Agenda examines aboriginal mental...
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Resilience in Children
Some children seem to constantly worry while others seem to breeze through life. Do those traits follow people into adulthood? As part of our Mental Health Matters series, The Agenda examines why some individuals are more resilient than others and look at the importance of developing resiliency in the efforts to attain good mental health.
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The Risk of Immigration
Mental Health Matters on Immigration: Is immigration good for your mental health? How do immigrants cope with the emotional pressures of leaving home? How resilient does one have to be to be able to create a new life for oneself in a foreign country? How does a country like Canada, which depends on the ongoing inflow of immigrants, deal with immigration-induced mental illness?
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Innovations in Mental Health
Knowledge of the brain is growing exponentially. What are the latest innovations helping people with mental illness lead richer emotional, social and productive lives? As The Agenda prepares to launch the Mental Health Matters series of programming, we bring you our in-public, joint MaRS-CAMH event from the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto.
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Fiscal Planning, Political Calculus
A new premier, a $9.8-billion deficit, and a minority government. Is Ontario headed for an election? Martin Regg Cohn of the Toronto Star and Scott Stinson of the National Post discuss the events of budget day with Steve Paikin.
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Time for an Ontario Election?
The Ontario Liberals need the support of either the PCs or the NDP to pass the 2013 Ontario budget. What do the opposition finance critics think of the budget? Ontario PC MPP Peter Shurman, NDP MPP Michael Prue and Green Party of Ontario finance critic Kevin O'Donnell tell Steve Paikin if this budget is worth supporting.
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Charles Sousa: The 2013 Ontario Budget
Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa tells Steve Paikin why he thinks his first budget is right for the province.
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Duncan Hawthorne: Powering Up Ontario
For the first time in about two decades, all eight units at Bruce Power are sending power to the grid. Bruce Power President and CEO Duncan Hawthorne sits down with Steve Paikin to discuss the energy potential for Ontario that comes with this achievement.
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David McFadden: Electricity's Smart Future
David J. McFadden, co-author of the "Renewing Ontario's Electricity Distribution Sector" report, discusses Ontario's uniquely complex and inefficient electricity system, and what needs to change so that it can support the province's economic future.
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Jim McCarter: The Exit Interview
After ten years as Ontario's Auditor General, Jim McCarter is stepping down. He sits down with Steve Paikin to discuss defining moments of his tenure and the findings of his last report as Auditor General on the Mississauga Power Plant cancellation costs.
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Rise of the New Atheists?
As the documentary "The Unbelievers" premieres at Toronto's Hot Docs Festival, two of the men featured in the film: professor Richard Dawkins and physicist Lawrence Krauss sit down with Steve Paikin to tell us why indeed, they don't believe.
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Jacques Berlinerblau: How to Be Secular
Atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris decry the crimes of religion in books entitled, "The God Delusion" and "The End of Faith," while religious conservatives urge the defense of marriage and religious values in public life. Increasingly, we are becoming stuck in an all-or-nothing landscape for religion in the public square. Jacques Berlinerblau, author of "How to Be Secular: A Call to Arms for Religious Freedom," sits down with Steve Paikin to discuss how the solution lies in a...
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The Agenda's Week in Review
A week that examined future innovation. A week that looked at a different kind of gender politics. And a week that wondered if Porter Airlines expansion plans would take off. The Agenda's Week in Review.
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Combatting Homegrown Terror
After the arrest of two men for their role in an alleged terror plot to attack a Via Rail passenger train, many Canadians are wondering how and why extremism came to grow within our borders. In The Agenda's Story of the Week, Imam Shabir Ally and columnist Sheema Khan discuss the role moderate Muslim voices have in combatting homegrown radicalism.
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Helping Hidden Lives
We rarely talk about them, but we all know who they are. They cycle through the system, from police to mental health services to the street and back again. None of us would trade places with them, but new approaches are trying to bring them closer to a decent quality of life. The Agenda sits down with frontline experts to talk about the challenges faced by this population, options for addressing the problem and what we owe these marginalized people.
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David Schwartz: Casino History
As Toronto's casino debate continues, David Schwartz of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas tells Steve Paikin about what has fueled the expansion of casinos across the US over the past two decades.
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Toronto Island Airport Dilemma
Porter Airlines seems to have been a commercial success and now, it wants to expand. Expansion plans call for the introduction of "whisper" jets and a runway extension into Lake Ontario. Toronto has been here before: witness the 2003 municipal election. While residents have flashbacks to those days, The Agenda examines the pros and cons of an expanded Island airport. Does Toronto need it? Does Toronto want it? And what do the debates about airports and casinos say about how we view communal...
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What's Gender Got to Do With Politics?
We have a female premier. And, we have a female opposition leader whose cooperation is essential to keeping Premier Kathleen Wynne's government alive. Does having two women at the helm change the political landscape in Ontario? What effect has it had on voters? And how has it changed the way parties interact? The Agenda examines if gender influences politics.
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Female Politicians, Female Politics?
Ontario's first female premier is bringing a new style of politics to Queen's Park. How has that changed the government's relationship with opposition parties? Steve Paikin asks PC MPP Christine Elliott and NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo.
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Kathleen Wynne: Female Premier, Female Politics?
Kathleen Wynne is Ontario's first female premier. Premier Wynne sits down with Steve Paikin to talk about how she is approaching the job differently with her collaborative, respectful and conversational style of politics. How much of her political style is influenced by her gender?
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David Herle: Evaluating Attack Ads
The Conservatives launched an attack ad against newly elected Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau, provoking a backlash on social media over the negative tone. David Herle from the Gandalf Group sits down at The Agenda to discuss the efficacy of attack ads in politics.
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The Week in Review
A week that looked to the future of higher learning. A week that looked at getting southern Ontario moving. And a week that connected the dots across the globe. The Agenda's Week in Review.
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Kamran Bokhari: Boston Marathon Bombing
From today's events in Watertown, Massachusetts, to the alleged Chechen connection, our Story of the Week: the latest on the Boston Marathon bombings.
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Mohamed Aboul Ghar: Egypt in Turmoil
Egypt's revolution promised new freedoms and dignity for the country's 90 million people. Yet two years after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, the situation appears to be getting worse. An unstable political system, deteriorating economy, and sectarian violence are tearing Egypt apart. Dr. Mohamed Aboul Ghar, president of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, was one of the leaders in the protests that toppled Mubarak. The Agenda gets his perspective on Egypt's turmoil.
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Spencer Wells: A Global Family Tree
Where did we come from and how did the earth's population patterns come to be? The National Geographic and IBM are trying to find out through the Genographic Project. National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Spencer Wells tells Steve Paikin what the project can reveal about the earth's population history.
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Mario Martinez: How Culture Influences Aging
After studying centenarians all over the world, Mario Martinez has found that cultural and spiritual beliefs are more significant than genetics when it comes to health and longevity. He sits down with Steve Paikin to discuss how his theory can be applied in practice.
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Taxing Congestion
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne appears to have opened the door to new revenue tools for transportation spending. Are taxes, levies and tolls good politics? Martin Regg Cohn and Adam Radwanski join Steve Paikin.
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905 Mayors Get You Moving
Four mayors from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area share their thoughts on raising taxes to ease gridlock.
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Moving the GTA
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has made it clear: The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area needs new transportation infrastructure and the Ontario government doesn't currently have the revenue to pay for it. The Agenda with Steve Paikin examines what transportation infrastructure the GTA needs and how we should pay for it with the Board of Trade's Carol Wilding and Metrolinx's Bruce McCuaig.
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A Continental Energy Strategy?
Canada has an important trade and energy relationship with our neighbour to the south. Weve harmonized our GHG emission reduction targets. Is it time for a formalized continental energy strategy?
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Higher Education at the Crossroads
The world is changing. Education is not immune from this change. How different will higher education be by the year 2030? If it is to survive and thrive, very different. The Agenda examines the future of higher education in the latest installment of our Learning 2030 series.
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The Week in Review
A week that asked if a casino will be built in Canada's largest city. A week that looked at the new cyber-espionage. And a week that examined the role of Parliament. The Agenda's Week in Review.
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Sean Silcoff: RBC Outsourcing Controversy
The Royal Bank of Canada is facing a major backlash for outsourcing jobs to foreign workers, putting the federal government's Temporary Foreign Worker program in the spotlight. In our Story of the Week, The Globe and Mail's business writer Sean Silcoff explains what this program means for Canadian workers.
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Chrystia Freeland: On Inequality
Chrystia Freeland, author of the Gelber Prize-winning book "Plutocrats" talks about the state of income inequality and tensions between rich and poor states in Europe.
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Mark Blyth: Is Austerity a Dangerous Idea?
Governments the world over are looking at austerity measures to help battle the financial crisis. Author and Ivy League professor Mark Blyth tells Steve Paikin why he thinks this is a bad idea.
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Europe's Growing Divide
The latest Eurozone bailout in Cyprus has highlighted a growing bitterness in Europe between the poor southern economies and richer northern economies. What does this mistrust mean for the future of the Eurozone? Professor Costas Douzinas from the University of London and Adam Lerrick from the American Enterprise Institute debate Europe's growing divide.
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Dave Meslin: A Preferable Ballot
Civic organizer Dave Meslin explains the ranked ballot proposal for Toronto municipal elections, and why such a change could improve representation well beyond the borders of the GTA.
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Making Parliament Matter
From a rebellion on the backbenches, to efforts to civilize and modernize representation, The Agenda examines what it would take to make Parliament a place to really debate the peoples' priorities.
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Gordon Chang: China's Cyber Attacks
A report by an American security firm says that a secret Chinese military unit is behind hacking attacks against companies across the world, including some American news organizations like The New York Times. Forbes.com contributor Gordon Chang sits down with The Agenda to discuss whether this cyber-espionage is a prelude to something more dangerous.
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Zbigniew Brzezinski: The New Rules of Cyber-War
It is a new area of conflict: cyberspace. While there is a large body of international law about the rules of armed conflict, there are no international regulations around cyber-warfare. Former security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski raises his concerns with Steve Paikin.
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Simon Jackman: Obama's Unremarkable Re-election
Far from close? Stanford University professor Simon Jackman on Barack Obama's re-election, and how data science is pushing its way into the political realm.
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Casino Toronto?
Toronto has been grappling with the idea of a downtown casino. Proponents say it will garner much-needed revenue and jobs, while opponents warn of the high social costs. Is it time for Toronto to get into the casino business?
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Alan Feldman: MGM's Plans for Toronto
MGM Resorts International's Alan Feldman discusses MGM's plans for a Toronto casino, what the potential benefits would be and what MGM would be willing to do to mitigate public health concerns.
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The Agenda's Week in Review
A week that examined religious rebirth. A week that considered who we are. The Agenda's Week in Review.
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Eric Margolis: Tensions on the Korean Peninsula
The Story of the Week: As the rhetoric between Pyongyang and Seoul escalates, The Agenda looks at whether or not tensions on the Korean peninsula could spill into war. Syndicated columnist Eric Margolis joins Steve Paikin for his perspective.
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Carolyn Abraham: The Genes that Bind Us
Author Carolyn Abraham sits down with Steve Paikin to tell him about her journey to India and Jamaica, and through stacks of archive documents and genetic tests, to solve the mysteries of her family history and find out who and what she is.
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Planning for the Polls
Ready, set, wait? The teams are ready for Ontario's next election, despite the fact that one hasn't been called. The chairs and co-chairs of Ontario's four main political parties tell Steve Paikin what it's like to work towards an election that hasn't yet been called.
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Greg Lyle: Budget First, Election Next?
Politics by the numbers: Innovative Research Group's Greg Lyle sits down with Steve Paikin for the latest polling numbers in Ontario politics.
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Stephen Bede Scharper: Green Christianity
In a time of increasing secularization, could a Christianity that addresses climate change and environmental crisis breathe new relevance into the faith? Author and professor Stephen Bede Scharper tells Steve Paikin about Christianity's green future.
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George Weigel: A New Catholicism
Author and theologian George Weigel says to understand the future of the Roman Catholic Church, one has to look back a century and a half to reforms put in place by Pope Leo XIII. George Weigel tells Steve Paikin what this version of the church looks like and how it will respond to modernity.
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Fair, Fairer, Fairest?
We want things to be "fair". We want all individuals to be deserving of similar treatment. But that runs in the face of the fact that most human beings tend to naturally favour family and kin. Is it healthy for society to promulgate ideas which do not jibe with the evolutionary underpinnings of human psychology?
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What is Legitimate Protest?
Many of the parks and squares in major cities are filled with protesters, activists and preachers - but to what extent are these efforts legitimate? The Agenda explores what constitutes legitimate activism.
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The Role of Yonge-Dundas Square
In the centre of downtown Toronto lies the bustling Yonge-Dundas Square. The Agenda examines the role of the square, and asks if this public space has lived up to its promise.
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Parliament and the Public Purse
Another year, another budget tabled in the House of Commons, another rubber stamp vote on the horizon. Experts across the country lament the state of Parliament's ability to really scrutinize the billions in taxpayer's money. Former PBO Kevin Page joins a panel of budget watchers to ask what happened to Parliament's power of the purse and what can be done to reclaim it.
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Kevin Page: Budget Watchdog Reflects
After five tumultuous years as Canada's first parliamentary budget officer, Kevin Page takes his leave as his term expires. Steve Paikin talks to Page about the controversial accountability office he built, its greatest challenge and what the future holds.
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Canada's Energy Crossroads
Canada currently doesn't have a clear energy strategy. If we want to become a global energy power player, what needs to happen?
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Jim Stanford: Is Austerity Harming Ontario?
A recent Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report finds that austerity measures put in place by the Ontario government in 2012 have harmed the province. Is it time to reverse the trend? CCPA author and CAW economist Jim Stanford sits down with Steve Paikin.
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Rural Ontario Reacts
Viewers responded after The Agenda examined the challenges facing rural Ontario. Producer Mark Brosens tells Steve Paikin about the comments, and looks at what it says about how rural Ontarians view themselves.
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The Week in Review
A week that looked at the role of the teacher. A week that weighed Canada's military role. And a week that asked why the Great Lakes are losing water. The Agenda's Week in Review.
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Theodore Tolias: Economic Crisis in Cyprus
The latest casualty in the Eurozone Crisis: Cyprus. If the island nation collapses, what will that mean to the future of the European Union? The Agenda's Story of the Week.
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Trouble on the Great Lakes
From climate change to suspicions that liquid "blue gold" is being siphoned off and sold, why are water levels in Ontario so low? Part of The Agenda's contribution to Water Week.
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A Teacher's Work is Never Done?
The fight over extra-curriculars drew attention to a teacher's work day and what parents - and school boards - have come to expect. From coaching, to field trips, to maintaining curriculum standards, what should teachers really be doing in their jobs?
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Andrew Leslie: Forcing Change in Canada's Army
Canada emerged from the Afghanistan Mission with a transformed Canadian Forces prepared for much more than the peacekeeping missions it was used to. Retired General Andrew Leslie tells Steve Paikin about the tragedies that forced the army to change and the economic forces that are conspiring to force change again.
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The Military We Can Afford
Canada's military finds itself facing budget cuts of an estimated $1 billion - $2.5 billion. Andrew Leslie thinks this is a golden opportunity for Canada's military to transform into a leaner, more efficient and effective force. The Agenda asks: Is it possible for Canada to fight more, with less?
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Charles Taylor Prize 2013
They are books about war. Books about faith and politics. Books about lives lived. The finalists for the 2013 Charles Taylor Prize sit down with Steve Paikin to talk about their work, their books, and the power of non-fiction.
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The Agenda's Week in Review
A week that asked why there are so few non-white guests in the media. A week that looked at Canada's shifting power base. And a week that visited rural Ontario. The Agenda's Week in Review.
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Alicia Ambrosio: New Pope, New Start?
A pontiff of firsts? Pope Francis is the first South American pontiff and the first Jesuit pontiff. In The Agenda's Story of the Week, what does the election of Pope Francis mean for the direction of the Catholic Church?
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Border Towns, Border Trade-offs
Cross-border brouhaha? Producer Hilary Clark asked Ontarians to share their thoughts on cross-border shopping. Now, The Agenda goes to the source to hear from the frontlines of three Ontario border towns.
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Ontario's Cross-Border Economics
Ontario's economic fortunes long relied on our deep integration with the US Great Lakes border region. But while we depend on open borders, cross-border shopping, the price gap between American and Canadian goods and the strong loonie complicate the picture. The Agenda looks at the complex economic realities of how the border gives and takes, and what the key challenges are today.
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What is Rural Ontario?
We are told that rural Ontario is idyllic landscapes, happy families, and farms. But what is rural Ontario? And does it have a future?
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Bruce Campbell: Norway's Petro-Lessons for Canada
Like Canada, Norway has considerable petro-wealth. Where we diverge? The Norwegian government has a hand in the development, allocation and sharing of the resource. What can Canada learn from the Scandinavian country?
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Eduardo Gonzalez: Canada's Truth and Reconciliation
Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established to uncover what happened in Indian Residential Schools, but many Canadians aren't even aware it exists or what its mandate is. Eduardo Gonzalez, Director of the Truth and Memory Program for the International Centre for Transitional Justice, discusses what the commission is set up to do, and what Canada can learn from other countries' truth and reconciliation commissions.
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John Ibbitson: Farewell "Canada"
Author John Ibbitson paints a picture of a Canada that is not as we knew it. A Canada whose power base has shifted from Ontario and Quebec to the West and the suburban middle class. He tells Steve Paikin what this means for the governance of our country.
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Binders of Non-White Guests Needed?
"Why are there always middle-aged white men on your program?" It's a question The Agenda receives fairly often from viewers. Earlier this season, we aired a program which explored the unique considerations around why women are less visible in punditry. And now, as a follow-up to that program, The Agenda examines how we go about better reflecting the diversity of the province on TV.
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The Agenda's Week in Review
A week that asked why some sports figures self-destruct. A week that examined changing leadership styles. And a week that looked to the teachers of the future. The Agenda's Week in Review.
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After Chavez
After a two-year battle with cancer, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez died this past week at the age of 58. In The Agenda's Story of the Week, we examine his divided legacy.
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Women: Transforming Leadership?
Political and business worlds see more and more women in prominent leadership positions. The Agenda examines if this development is changing our perception of what makes a leader.
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Tom Flanagan Responds
Former Harper advisor, conservative pundit and University of Calgary professor Tom Flanagan recently offered a libertarian view of individuals who look at child pornography. As a result, he's been fired from his job as a CBC political commentator, dis-invited from a talk at a conservative think tank, and is facing condemnation from his former political allies. He explains his position to Steve Paikin.
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Why Mighty Athletes Fall
Tiger Woods. Lance Armstrong. Oscar Pistorius. Elite athletes who have fallen from grace. The Agenda examines why we idolize sports figures, and the role the public plays in contributing to their downfall.
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Teaching Towards the Future
2030 sees a very different classroom and different students. As part of The Agenda's special Learning 2030 series, we ask: Are Ontario teachers ready for the digital future? From Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario.
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Liz Sandals: Making Peace in the Classroom
Liz Sandals has been given a tough job as Ontario's new Minister of Education. She inherits the fallout of Bill 115, angry teachers, angry parents, and a whole lot of uncertainty. She sits down with Steve Paikin to talk about taking on this tough job.
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Andrea Horwath: Working with the Premier
Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath says she'll let the throne speech go, but expects more of the upcoming budget. She sits down with Steve Paikin to discuss her next moves, and what her party wants to see in the budget.
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Tim Hudak: Time for an Election?
Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak says the selection of a new premier hasn't righted the direction of the Liberal government. He sits down with Steve Paikin to discuss the throne speech, Ontario's mounting debt and the ever-present gas plants controversy.
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Janice Stein: March of the Drones
The Obama Administration's drone strikes program has come under heavy criticism following a leaked U.S. Justice Department memo defending the targeted killing of Americans. TVO's foreign affairs analyst Janice Stein explains the legal and diplomatic dilemma posed by drone strikes.
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Naomi Kikoler: Guarding Against Atrocity
Its goal was to prevent crimes like genocide and ethnic cleansing. Eight years since the initiative was launched, how has the Responsibility to Protect doctrine worked around the world? Naomi Kikoler from the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect gives us an update on the doctrine, the challenge in enforcing it, and criticisms of its efficacy.
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Dave Toycen: Syria's Refugees
World Vision Canada president and CEO Dave Toycen visited Lebanon's Bekaa Valley in December. While there, he spoke with Syrian refugee children, who shared their stories of what they saw in war-torn Syria, and how they escaped the violence. The stories of fear and uncertainty are part of a new World Vision report called "Running from War."
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The Anti-Science Left
There has been a long-time anti-science current in right wing ideology, which sees evolutionary theory as a threat to religion and morality and climate change science as a threat to economic prosperity. But flip the coin over and you'll see an equally distressing mistrust of science by the left of anything that is unnatural: in food and food additives, of pharmaceutical drugs or vaccination, and of energy choices from nuclear options to fossil fuels, hydroelectric and wind power. Does your...
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Bill Marra: Windsor Goes Fluoride-Free
Trouble for teeth? After more than 50 years, the City of Windsor has voted to remove fluoride from its water supply. City Councillor Bill Marra tells The Agenda why Windsor has gone fluoride-free.
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A Healthy Alternative?
There is a movement to make complementary alternative medicine a regulated field. While some patients have found results and improvements in their health and well-being, critics like Timothy Caulfield say alternative medicine isn't science-based. Will new regulations legitimize questionable practices or protect patient choice?
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The Agenda's Week in Review
From the latest in our Learning 2030 series to the limits of innovation, The Agenda's Week in Review.
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Kathleen Wynne: Ontario's 25th Premier
In her first visit to The Agenda since officially becoming premier, Kathleen Wynne sits down with Steve Paikin to discuss the challenges ahead at Queen's Park and her history-making position.
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Learning Through Play
Who says learning must be approached seriously? "Gamification" has entered the world of education. Will the combination of education and gaming encourage children to embrace learning? If so, will that path lead to more students developing a lively curiosity and interest in a life-long pursuit of knowledge and skills? As part of The Agenda's Learning 2030 series, it's all fun and games.
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Steve Joordens: Critical Thinking on the Web
Steve Joordens, in partnership with grad student Dwayne Par, believes he has a web-based solution to large university class sizes, one that encourages critical thinking and improves grades. He sits down with Steve Paikin.
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The Week in Review: Aging in Ontario
From planning for retirement to the social costs of aging, The Agenda brings you a review of our Aging in Ontario series.
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Gerda Kaegi: Are Pension Reforms Needed?
As the nature of the workforce changes, so does financial planning for retirement. Former president of the provincial and national divisions of Canadian Pensioners Concerned, Gerda Kaegi, joins Steve Paikin to discuss potential reforms to the Canadian Pension Plan and what countries we should be emulating when it comes to pension planning.
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Living Retirement to the Fullest
People spend a lot of energy planning for their financial needs in retirement, but rarely do they consider what they will actually do once they leave their working lives. The Agenda asks: What makes for a good retirement, and what do individuals and government need to do to prepare?
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Residence Life, Senior Style
For many seniors, when it's time to leave home, the residential future is anything but clear. Nursing homes, long-term care homes and retirement homes all offer different things to different populations. The Agenda examines how Ontario's seniors are being served by the facilities on offer.
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Andre Picard: Legislating Assisted Suicide
A British Columbia court has opened the door for physician-assisted suicide. And now, Quebec has promised a bll which would allow for euthanasia under certain circumstances. The Globe and Mail's medical columnist Andr Picard tells Steve Paikin what the changes mean to the state of the debate in Canada.
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Aging in a Changing World
Smart phones. Tablets. Personal computers. We often hear about how these technologies make it easier for us to connect with one another, but for some senior citizens, these devices present a steep learning curve. As part of The Agenda's Aging in Ontario series, three senior citizens tell Steve Paikin what they see as the positives and negatives of 21st century technologies.
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Ontario's Senior Strategy
After extensive consultations with 5,000 Ontario seniors, 2,500 stakeholders and more than 1,000 caregivers, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care has released its "Living Longer, Living Well" report which looks to redefine care for Ontario's aging population. Expert lead and geriatrician Dr. Samir Sinha and Ontario Minister of Health Deb Matthews join Steve Paikin for an in-depth look at the strategy and which of its 169 recommendations the current provincial government will be acting...
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Common Ground at Queen's Park
Ontario's opposition parties are coming forward with new ideas. The province has a new premier, and a new cabinet. Can Kathleen Wynne and the Liberal Party make this new legislature work?
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Marcel Wieder: New Cabinet, New Ontario?
Its official: Kathleen Wynne is Ontarios 25th premier. The Agenda examines Premier Wynnes new cabinet and what Queens Park life will look like going forward with insider Marcel Wieder.
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The Week in Review
A week that looked at the reality of the modern medical system. A week that revealed our genetic history. And a week that examined economic fundamentals. The Agenda's Week in Review.
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Jesse Hirsh: BlackBerry's Odd Future
Technology analyst Jesse Hirsh discusses the fickle nature of the technology market in the wake of BlackBerry's latest product launch.
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Alan Blinder: Recovering From the Collapse
Former Federal Reserve vice chairman and Princeton professor Alan Blinder explains the causes of the 2008 financial crisis, the aftermath, and the work ahead.
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Phil Angelides: Fighting Financial Fraud
Phil Angelides is the former chairman of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission. He tells Steve Paikin why no one has been prosecuted for involvement in the 2008 financial crisis.
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Benjamin Tal: Labour Market Gap
"People without jobs, and jobs without people." A CIBC World Markets report says Canada's growing labour market gap is threatening the nation's economic prosperity. Report author Benjamin Tal sits down with Steve Paikin.
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Living with Huntington's Disease
Dr. John Roder, a world-renowned molecular biologist, is the subject of a new documentary "Do You Really Want to Know?" about people making the decision to have genetic testing done to see if they carry the Huntington gene. He and his wife Mary Lou Roder tell Steve Paikin about their decision to get tested and living with the results.
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What's in Your Genes?
As the cost of decoding our DNA continues to drop, direct-to-consumer genetic testing becomes common and research projects, like the newly launched Personal Genome Project Canada, crop up. Soon, more of us may be learning the secrets of our genomes and opening the door to a raft of ethical quandaries. The question is: How much do we really want to know? Can we really understand this confusing code or do we need a doctor or genetic counselor to help us decipher it?
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Doug Weir: Personalized Health Reviews
Ontarians aged 18-64 will no longer be receiving an annual physical. Instead, Ontario physicians will take part in "personalized health reviews", involving limited examination and more discussion. Ontario Medical Association President Doug Weir tells Steve Paikin why this is a prudent approach.
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More or Less Medicine?
The Agenda asks: are patients over treated and overprescribed in modern health care? The second of two programs looking at the modern realities of medicine.
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The Agenda's Week in Review
A week that saw a new premier for Ontario. A week that heard first-hand from teachers. And a week that searched for new worlds. The Agenda's Week in Review.
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Patrick Martin: Syria, Rising Regional Tensions?
Syria says Israeli warplanes carried out a strike along its border earlier this week, for the first time raising the risk that the two year old conflict may spread outside the country's borders. The Globe and Mail Middle East correspondent Patrick Martin shares the latest with Steve Paikin.
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The Teachers' Agenda
Bill 115 may have been repealed, but Ontario's education labour dispute is far from over. A group of Ontario teachers join The Agenda to talk about the dispute with the government and where they believe the conflict resides.
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Crowdsourcing: The Sky's the Limit
Astrophysicist Chris Lintott has used crowdsourcing as an instrumental tool for getting the public involved in cutting edge research in the field of astronomy. Physicist Rupinder Brar is taking that technology into the classroom here in Ontario. They join Steve Paikin for more.
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Matthew Fisher: Canada and the World in 2013
Matthew Fisher is Canada's longest-serving foreign affairs correspondent. He sits down with Steve Paikin to discuss what 2013 holds for the world, and Canada.
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Janice Stein: Global Elections to Watch
2013 sees many important global elections. TVO foreign affairs analyst Janice Stein reflects on the importance of three votes: Israel, Iran and Italy, and what the outcomes will mean to international politics.
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Doug Hart: Public Attitudes, Public Education
OISE examines public attitudes toward Ontario's education system every two years. OISE researcher Doug Hart provides a barometer of public sentiment around the province's school system.
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Ontario's Political Future
A new leader for Ontario's Liberal Party. The possibility of an upcoming election. The Agenda examines Ontario's current political landscape.
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Adam Radwanski: Ontario's Liberal Future?
Ontario Liberals are gathering in downtown Toronto to pick the province's new premier. The Globe and Mail columnist Adam Radwanski gives Steve Paikin the latest on the state of the race.
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The Agenda's Week in Review
From amending the Indian Act to improve First Nations' lives, to the vagaries of managing Ontario's largest hospitals, The Agenda brings you the Week in Review.
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Stephen Starr: Eye-Witness to the Syrian Uprising
Author and journalist Stephen Starr was an eye-witness to the Syrian uprising. He tells Steve Paikin how the sectarian divisions in Syrian society have produced the Arab Spring's most violent conflict.
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Robert Fisk: The Arab Spring's Uncertain Future
Middle East correspondent Robert Fisk shares his insights on the Arab Spring, the situation in Syria, and the Islamist tide sweeping through North Africa and the Middle East.
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Digital Promise: No One Left Behind
Can digital technology in schools help each student become as educated as she or he can be? Part of The Agenda's special series of "Learning 2030" programming.
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Moving Beyond the Indian Act
Idle No More is not the first movement to inspire public debate about the Indian Act. The Agenda examines the key concerns coming out of the Idle No More movement and how to go about amending or scrapping the Indian Act altogether in an effort to improve the lives of First Nations in Canada.
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Sandra Pupatello: Ontario's Next Premier?
In less than a week, Ontario Liberals will select the candidate to fill Dalton McGuinty's shoes. Odds are, it will be a woman, and that woman might be Sandra Pupatello. She sits down with Steve Paikin.
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Ontario Hospital Insiders
They are the heads of four of Ontarios largest hospitals: University Health Network, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children and St. Michaels Hospital. They sit down with Steve Paikin to detail how they handle the toughest decisions in healthcare.
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Eric Hoskins: Ontario's Next Premier?
Ontario Liberal leadership candidate Eric Hoskins says "we must ensure, always, that no one is left behind." Even though he represents the riding of St. Paul's in Toronto, Hoskins says he has a plan to bring rural Ontario back to the Liberal Party. He sits down with Steve Paikin to explain his vision for Ontario.
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Fuels of the Future?
All energy sources have benefits and detriments. The Agenda examines the financial and environmental costs behind alternative energies.
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Gerald Butts: Companies and the Environment
Former WWF-Canada president and CEO Gerald Butts on making large corporations environmentally responsible.
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David Lepofsky: Creating a Barrier-Free Ontario
As Ontario Liberals prepare to select a new leader, disability advocate David Lepofsky gives Steve Paikin an update on how Ontario is doing in breaking down barriers for persons with disabilities.
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Bill Laidlaw: Banking on Food
Ontario Association of Food Banks executive director Bill Laidlaw tells Steve Paikin about the dire need for food across Ontario's 1200 food banks.
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Kathleen Wynne: Ontario's Next Premier?
She is the former education minister, largely credited with the nearly ten years of educational labour peace under the McGuinty Liberals. But Ontario no longer enjoys that same labour peace. Will that help or hurt Ontario Liberal leadership hopeful Kathleen Wynne?
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Wealth is in the Eye of the Beholder
Most of us would consider an individual earning $250k wealthy. But what if that person doesn't "feel" rich? Since the beginning of the economic downturn, we've seen an increased use of the words "rich" and "poor," but what do those definitions really mean? Is the precise definition of the words as important as the ideals prescribed to the notion of "rich" and "poor"?
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Backing Off the Booze Business?
Last month, Ontario's Progressive Conservatives suggested it was time again to consider privatizing the LCBO. Then, the Liberal government announced that some LCBOs would open in grocery stores. Choice, convenience, competition, and a possible spring election - what should Ontario's next steps be in the sale of beer, wine and liquor?
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Charles Sousa: Ontario's Next Premier?
"In Ontario, there's room for everyone." Words reiterated by Ontario Liberal leadership candidate Charles Sousa's father. Now, the former banker wants to combine his business background and social values to become Ontario's next premier. Charles Sousa sits down with Steve Paikin.
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Mark Geiger: The Labour Board Rules on Teachers
Elementary teachers are in the classroom today after the Ontario Labour Relations Board ruled a walkout unlawful. The province's secondary teachers' union has also called off next week's day of protest, but is still encouraging its members to withhold extracurriculars. The Agenda examines the legality of these job actions and the next steps for the governments, and the unions.
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The Agenda's Week in Review
From rape protests in India to the future of the Idle No More movement, The Agenda brings you the Week in Review.
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Too Much Stuff?
Hot on the heels of the holiday season: gifts, garbage and for some of us, debt. The Agenda asks: Are we accumulating too much stuff?
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Ed Burlew: The Right to Self-Defense
St. Catharines resident Ian Thomson used a gun to defend his home against arsonists. Then he was charged with weapons offenses. While Thomson was acquitted of the charges, does this case highlight the need for a change to Canada's firearms laws?
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Gerard Kennedy: Ontario's Next Premier?
There are seven candidates vying to fill Dalton McGuinty's shoes. Gerard Kennedy is one of them. He sits down with Steve Paikin to talk about his approach to balancing Ontario's books while staying true to Liberal values.
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Tim Hudak: A New Path for Ontario?
Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak is travelling the province, delivering what he characterizes as "straight talk" about the state of Ontario's economy. He sits down with Steve Paikin to lay out his prescription for change.
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Rosemary McCarney: The Future of the World's Girls
Plan Canada CEO Rosemary McCarney tells Steve Paikin about the "Because I am a Girl" campaign and efforts to improve the lives of girls and young women abroad, and at home.
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Jaclyn Friedman: A Culture of Rape?
The world was shocked over the rape and killing of a student in India. Yet the word "rape" is bandied about casually in the Western world. Does the word no longer have power?
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Ananya Mukherjee-Reed: India, Culture of Misogyny?
As protests continue over the rape, beating and subsequent death of a 23-year old female student in India, The Agenda examines the role of women in Indian culture, and whether the violent crime is a tipping point for change in the country.
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Idle No More: Protest to Change?
Momentum and a movement: Idle No More organizers, supporters and observers discuss the objectives and significance of the movement with Steve Paikin.
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Ray Jayawardhana: Searching for Alien Planets
For centuries, we've looked to the skies and wondered: are we alone in the universe? Could there be alien "Earths" that harbour, or sustain life? University of Toronto astrophysicist Ray Jayawardhana spends his time searching for such planets. He joins Steve Paikin.
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Adrian Owen: Searching for Consciousness
Canada's top court is currently hearing arguments in the Hassan Rasouli case. How it rules could be ground-breaking for the medical system, and end of life care. Canada Research Chair Adrian Owen tells Steve Paikin more about vegetative states and what we know about consciousness.
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Sean Carroll: The Hunt for the Higgs Boson
Does it matter? Physicist Sean Carroll tells Steve Paikin about the decades-long search for the "God particle".
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The Agenda: On Giving
Highlights from The Agenda's programming on giving. From contributions to TVO's "Why Poverty?" initiative, to an examination of the evolution of charitable organizations, The Agenda explores helping those in need from a variety of angles.
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Dorothy Engelman: Volunteering in Canada
Get Involved Founder Dorothy Engelman joins Steve Paikin to explain how volunteering in Canada has evolved and how to navigate through the various volunteer opportunities to find the right one for you.
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Jowi Taylor: Six String Nation
Jowi Taylor wanted to do something original and remarkable to celebrate how great it is to be a Canadian. He chose to create a guitar. He sits down with Steve Paikin to discuss this musical labour of love.
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Sam Broverman: Johnny Mercer, 50 Years Later
The life and legacy of Johnny Mercer are being immortalized, believe it or not, by a University of Toronto actuarial mathematics professor. Sam Broverman sits down and performs for Steve Paikin.
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The Week in Review
From remembering a jazz great to celebrating with family, The Agenda brings you the Week in Review.
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Connecticut Shootings: Tragedy or Evil?
The shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary have been called a tragedy, and a massacre. In The Agenda's Story of the Week, we'll consider one more description: an act of evil.
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Deepa Mehta: Portraying India Through Art
Deepa Mehta, Director of Midnight's Children, sits down with Steve Paikin to discuss her film adaptation of Salman Rushdie's classic novel and how she approached portraying the story of India's independence through film.
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Don Schmitt: The Legacy of Oscar Niemeyer
Architect Don Schmitt reflects on the lessons he learned from the late Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. Schmitt discusses his travels to Braslia and the nuggets of wisdom Niemeyer left behind.
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Brad Barker: Take 15 to Remember Brubeck
JAZZ.FM91 radio host Brad Barker joins Steve Paikin to discuss pianist Dave Brubeck's influence on the world of jazz.
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Steven Greenhouse: US Labour Pain
In 2011, labour took a big hit in the stronghold of Wisconsin. Last week, Michigan shocked many by making union dues optional in the heartland of the US auto industry. The New York Times labour reporter Steven Greenhouse joins Steve Paikin to talk about Michigan's "right to work" legislation and what it says about challenges facing the US labour movement.
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Manufacturing 2013: An Economic Engine Revived?
Once an economic driver of the country, Ontario's manufacturing sector has taken it on the nose this past decade. As the province's economy attempts a rebound, what role can a re-tooled manufacturing sector play, and what do industry shifts like reshoring and advanced manufacturing mean for its long term prospects?
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Tragedy at Newtown
On Friday, December 14, 2012, an unfathomable tragedy befell Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. It could have been any school, in any town. The Agenda examines the tragic events at Newtown.
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The End of Family?
Author Joel Kotkin says that the notion of family, as we know it, is no longer a central tenet of society. People are choosing not to have children, or to delay marriage - if they marry at all. Does this spell the end of family, or is it just a re-imagining of what we've come to know?
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Amitai Etzioni: We Are What We Celebrate
It's the holiday season. A time for celebration. The Agenda examines why family plays such a central role in holiday celebrations.
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The Agenda's Week in Review
From a Canadian business leader's quest for power in Austria to the endgame of Bill 115, The Agenda brings you the Week in Review.
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Laurel Broten: Defending Bill 115
Rotating strikes, extra-curriculars cut: in The Agenda's Story of the Week, Ontario Minister of Education Laurel Broten defends her government's stance on Bill 115.
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Ian Mulgrew: The Economics of Pot
Marijuana is estimated to be a $19-21 billion dollar industry in Canada, but no one knows for sure. It just may be Canada's most valuable agricultural product - bigger than cattle, wheat or timber. Journalist and "Bud Inc." author Ian Mulgrew joins Steve Paikin to discuss the marijuana industry in Canada and its loss of two big markets, Colorado and Washington.
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Marijuana: Good, Bad or Benign?
Both Colorado and Washington states legalized the recreational use of marijuana on November 6th. A recent poll suggests 65% of Canadians support the legalization or decriminalization of pot. While the jury of public opinion seems to be shifting on the issue, a recent study in New Zealand found adolescents who used marijuana at least four days a week lost an average of eight IQ points between the ages of 13 and 38. Just how safe is pot? The Agenda examines the psychological and physical...
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Steve Lurie: Housing the Mentally Ill
Some of Ontario's mentally ill are homeless. As winter approaches, the need for safe shelter becomes more pertinent. Steve Lurie of the Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto tells Steve Paikin about possible solutions to this problem.
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Criminal Justice and the Mentally Ill
The federal government's proposed changes to the criminal code will make it more difficult for mentally ill offenders found not criminally responsible for their actions to be released from custody. The Agenda asks: What is best for these prisoners, and how do you balance their rights and the right to public safety?
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Job Action: Teaching Us a Lesson?
Ontario teachers are poised to up the ante in the ongoing fight against Bill 115. As strike action gets underway, The Agenda examines what happens next in the current political climate.
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Frank Stronach: On Team Stronach
He built one of the world's largest auto parts manufacturers. Now he's trying to build a new political party in Austria. Author and former Magna CEO Frank Stronach on how his business success has made him well-suited to political success.
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Anne Applebaum: From History to Cuisine
Anne Applebaum is perhaps best known as a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist who has written extensively about Russia and Eastern Europe. She joins Steve Paikin to discuss her two new books, "Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1944-1956" and "From a Polish Country House Kitchen: 90 Recipes for the Ultimate Comfort Food".
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The Week in Review
From the poaching of the Bank of Canada governor to the next Liberal Party of Ontario leader, The Agenda brings you the Week in Review.
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The Agenda's Story of the Week: Egypt and Syria on the...
As clashes intensify between Mohamed Morsi's supporters and opponents, The Agenda examines the risk that the North African nation is falling into civil war. And Syria, a country under siege, but possibly reaching its endgame, as the opposition gains ground and NATO leans closer to intervention. The Agenda's Story of the Week.
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Ontario's Next Liberal Leader
Seven candidates, one leader: Steve Paikin asks the seven Ontario Liberal Party leadership candidates how they would balance the province's books and reinvigorate the Liberals' sagging popularity?
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Antoni Wisniowski: Assessing MPAC
Every four years, taxpayers in Ontario get that dreaded envelope from MPAC, often a harbinger of the tax bill to come. MPAC President Antoni Wisniowski tells Steve Paikin about MPAC's mandate and how it assesses the province's property values.
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Corruption, Canadian Style
After more than a decade of scandals and inquiries at the municipal, provincial and federal levels, corruption allegations keep on coming. The Agenda asks: does Canada have a bigger corruption problem than we think?
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David McKeown: Gambling as a Health Hazard
Gambling with public health: A report from Toronto Public Health says that greater access to gaming would be detrimental to Torontonians. Toronto's Medical Officer of Health David McKeown tells Steve Paikin more about his concerns.
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Ontario's Horse Racing Future
The cancelled "Slots at Racetracks" program cost Ontario taxpayers $345 million a year. The three former Ontario cabinet ministers responsible for a report on the future of the province's horse racing industry back the government's decision to cut the program. They sit down with Steve Paikin to tell him their vision for a sustainable horse racing industry.
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Stockwell Day: Canada's Dance with China
Canada and China have negotiated an investment agreement that has some China watchers nervous. Privy Council member Stockwell Day explains why we have nothing to be afraid of.
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Don Coxe: Fiscal Cliff-onomics
Teetering on the edge: BMO Financial Group strategy advisor Don Coxe walks Steve Paikin through the five Ws of the pending fiscal cliff in the United States.
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Chrystia Freeland: The Super-Rich, and the Rest of Us
Author and journalist Chrystia Freeland tells Steve Paikin about her new book "Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else", and what it means to the growing income divide.
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