Ontario Today Phone-Ins from CBC Radio

Your stories with Winnie Chen, a content creator who hosted a giant picnic in a Toronto Park, where more than thousand strangers turned out. Also with us, Pete Bombaci, Founder of The GenWell Project dot org, which leads the "Talking to Strangers" campaign and has developed national guidelines for social connection.

Your stories about giving kids more unstructured play this summer and we hear from child and youth psychologist Janine Hubbard.

Your stories with guests Jon Allen, former Canadian ambassador to Israel and Raja Khouri, former commissioner with the Ontario Human Rights Commissioner and founding president of the Canadian-Arab Institute.

Mary Shearman Reid, greenhouse owner and certified landscape horticulturist manager, offers some tips on moving plants around in August and takes your gardening questions.

For a second time, Pierre Poilievre is facing dozens of opponents in a race, this time in Alberta's Battle River-Crowfoot riding where more than 200 names are on the ballot. We hear your reaction and we speak with Jean-Pierre Kingsley, a former Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.

From snake encounters to extreme weather -- we hear about your camping weekends, canoe trips and other excursions that left you in awe of the power of nature. Our guest is wilderness survival expert David Arama.

We hear about your struggles to manage screens this summer and hear from a leading researcher in this area: Caroline Fitzpatrick. She is the Canada Research Chair in Digital Media Use by Children and a professor of education at the Université de Sherbrooke.

Your stories with registered psychotherapist Shikha Seeboruth, clinical director of the Therapeutic Way Counselling and Psychotherapy Services. Also joining us to talk about legal issues: lawyer and mediator Hilary Linton, president of Riverdale Mediation in Toronto.

Your stories on the job hunt and we hear from two guests: 21-year-old Aleksi Toiviainen who is a co-founder of Vote 16 and Wendy Cukier, professor at the department of entrepreneurship and innovation at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Paul Zammit starts the show with a few tips for people who might want to snap up deals at the local garden centre. He's also answers your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Since Ontario made beer available in grocery stores and convenience stores, The Beer Store has been closing dozens of outlets and leaving many people without a way to get a refund on the deposit they paid on their beer can or bottle. Our guest is York University research scientist Cal Lakhan, an expert on Ontario's recycling programs.

From standing ovations to sticky floors, what you love and hate about how people act at the movies. Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail's deputy arts and film editor, weighs in amidst the summer blockbuster season.

Justice Carroccia said Thursday she didn't find complainant E.M.'s evidence "credible or reliable." We hear your reaction to the case involving five former players with Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team. Our guests are Toronto-based criminal lawyer David Butt and Kat Owens, interim legal director at the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund in Toronto.

Vending machines, laundromats and parking lots -- they are examples of so-called boring businesses, we hear your stories about running them. Our guest for the hour is the Globe and Mail's retirement reporter Meera Raman and we also hear from search fund founder Fenton Jagdeo who runs the fund Boring Ventures.

You react to new research on police data on officer use of force. Researcher Kojo Damptey shares his findings that suggest the over representation of Black, Indigenous and Middle Eastern people continues in communities across the province. London Police Deputy Chief Treena MacSween also joins us to talk about efforts to address the issue in that community.

Our guest today is David Rider, a senior politics reporters for the Toronto Star. We hear your thoughts on the growing use of Automated Speed Enforcement in cities like Ottawa and Toronto and the growing backlash by some drivers.

Our resident gardening expert, Paul Zammit, shares tips on tending to your plants during a heat wave, and answers your gardening questions as well. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our guest for the hour is Prince Edward Island's chef Michael Smith. He is a long-time television host and cookbook author. His newest book is called "Wood, Fire and Smoke: Recipes and Techniques for Wood-Fired Cooking."

We hear from the lead author of a study looking at the increase in obesity rates Canada saw during the pandemic, McMaster University's Laura Anderson, and we hear from endocrinologist Dr. Tamara Spaic.

Your stories with financial and economic educator Kyla Scanlon, author of the book In This Economy? How Money & Markets Really Work.

Your stories with Jeffrey Brook, air quality expert at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a scientist with the federal government's Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Education Minister Paul Calandra has appointed supervisors to balance the books at several boards citing deficits and depleted reserves. We hear your reaction. Our guest for the hour is Kris Rushowy, the Toronto Star's education reporter at Queen's Park.

Paul Zammitt is our expert gardener on Ontario Today. He starts off today's gardening call-in about ways to prepare your plants for a little neglect while you go away and enjoy summer holidays.

Your stories about going for a dip in the lakes, ponds, creaks and rivers that run through Ontario's towns and cities. Our guest is Mark Mattson, the Waterkeeper for Lake Ontario and president of Swim Drink Fish Canada, a charity that helps restore the health of local waters

Our guest for the hour is Stephen Laskowski, president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, a group that advocates for trucking companies as well as owner-operators. His group is calling for the federal government to crack down on the use of independent contractors in the industry -- essentially gig work. We also hear from Navi Aujla, service director with the Labour Community Services of Peel who has helped drivers file labour complaints and we hear from CBC reporter Robyn Miller.

We hear your stories of downsizing and we hear from a GTA-based realtor Jacqueline Watson who says the pandemic changed her business to focus on helping older adults move into smaller homes.

We hear about the impact long commutes have -- especially for middle-class Ontarians who cannot afford to live close to work. Our guest is Jeanhy Shim, she co-wrote a CivicAction report calledThe Human Story of Workforce Housing.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, says you might be surprised how much care goes into protecting trees. From not mowing around the base of trees to creating barriers that help to minimize compaction, there's a lot you can do help their longterm survival. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

In light of the tragedy unfolding with the Texas flash flood, we take a look at how Ontario is responding to natural disasters with Rahul Singh, Executive Director of Global Medic.

Ambassador (Ret'd) Louise Blais joins us on American Independence Day for a conversation about Canada's strained relationship with the US. Blais served as a Canadian diplomat in the United States and is currently Diplomat in Residence at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia and Laval University in Quebec City.

American sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term the "third place" in the 1980s to describe where we find community outside of our work and home. We explore what those environments are in your life with our guest Debbie Rudman who's a distinguished professsor at Western University.

It's the time of year when people go on holidays -- and some take their furry friends with them. Veterinarian Dr. Cliff Redford hears your stories about holidaying with your pet, shares when it is a good idea (or bad one) to travel with an animal, and offer some suggestions on how to do make the travel plans go smoothly. Also joining us, Gord Hunter, executive director of the Kingston Humane Society.

We hear from Pride Toronto's executive director Kojo Modeste and board co-chair Nirmalan Vijeyakumar and we hear your thoughts on the meaning of pride this year.

As the school year wraps, 2050 graduates and co-hosts Nanak Sidhu and Bupa Zhang join us to hear student feedback from across Ontario.

Yale researcher and author James Kimmel hears your stories. Kimmel's latest book is called: The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World's Deadliest Addiction--and How to Overcome It.

Your stories with Zane Colt, board chair of the advocacy group Conceivable Dreams. He and his partner have already conceived using IVF and surrogacy, and are now trying for a second child. We also hear from retired Ottawa fertility specialist, Dr. Art Leader.

Your stories about escaping the blistering heat and we hear from Caroline Metz, managing director of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at University of Waterloo.

Our expert gardener, Mary Shearman Reid, fills in for Paul Zammit. She offers some advice for gardeners during this heat wave and takes your questions.

Novelist Waubgeshig Rice and callers share stories of trying to learn lost languages, and what that teaches you about your people and identity.

As Ontario mulls involuntary addictions treatment for people who are involved in the criminal justice system, we hear from a Hamilton-based addictions doctor who works in detention facilities, Dr. Lori Regenstreif.

Writer and educator Jay Dixit hears your stories. Jay just ended his assignment as Writing Community Ambassador with OpenAI, the creators of ChapGPT.

Your stories with former Middle East diplomat, Mike Molloy, as well as Hossein Raeesi, adjunct professor at Carleton University and long-time Iranian human rights lawyer.