The QP Briefing Podcast

NDP MPP Laura Mae Lindo joins the pod to talk about why she decided to leave Queen's Park for academia, how the NDP's Black caucus evolved, and where it and the party as a whole go from here. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod Photo: Chris Young/The Canadian Press From the Free Music Archive

Laura Walton, head of the CUPE unit at the forefront of last month's strikes, joins the pod to take us through her background in union organizing and progressive politics, before talking about the strikes, her relationship with the parties, and if she wants to run for office. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod Photo: Chris Young/The Canadian Press From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Mike Moffatt, everyone's favourite housing guru, joins the podcast to talk through all the recent housing moves in Ontario politics. From the Greenbelt, to Bill 23, to strong mayors, we touch on it all.

CUPE's on strike and thousands of people are picketing MPPs' offices. Some schools are closed and it looks like that'll be the case next week. Labour is furious, the PC government flexed its muscle, and we're here to break down the last week and what's in store in the province. Charles Smith is a political science professor specializing in labour and constitutional studies. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Ontario voted for its mayors and city councillors on Monday and turnout was real low, despite it being a rather momentous election(s). Strong mayors are now a thing in Toronto and Ottawa. Municipal politics expert Brian Kelcey joins us to break down how those powers will change municipal and provincial politics before quickly recapping some of the key races. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

The legislature is almost back in session and we couldn't be more excited. NDP health critic France Gélinas and Liberal interim leader John Fraser join the bod to break down their respective approaches to the upcoming session and how they plan to hold the government's feet to the fire on hot topics like health care and education. Brought to you by Coming of Age: Meeting the needs of our ageing population, a podcast by the Ontario Long Term Care Association Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

NDP MPP Marit Stiles was the first person to jump into the NDP's leadership race, and is still the only official candidate. Even in the early stages of the race she's seen as a frontrunner. She joined the pod to talk some personal history, specifics around the leadership race, the NDP's place in Ontario politics, and more. Oh and her dog. We talked about the pup, too. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Green Leader Mike Schreiner and Liberal MPP Ted Hsu join the pod to break down the latest on the Pickering nuclear plant and what it means for Ontario's climate and energy mix in the coming decades.  Brought to you by Coming of Age: Meeting the needs of our ageing population, a podcast by the Ontario Long Term Care Association Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY Photo by Chris Young of the Canadian Press

Peter Weltman, Ontario's Financial Accountability Officer, joins the pod to run through his latest report on public sector spending and Bill 124, his other report on how climate change will affect Ontario's infrastructure, and what's on the docket for the rest of the year. Brought to you by Coming of Age: Meeting the needs of our ageing population, a podcast by the Ontario Long Term Care Association Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

QP Briefing took to the road for Ontario's marquee political event. The International Plow Match and Rural Expo is being held in Kemptville and just about every MPP was there. Hear about the event, why it matters to Ontario politics, and some other less serious stuff. Brought to you by Coming of Age: Meeting the needs of our ageing population, a podcast by the Ontario Long Term Care Association Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser joins the pod to talk about the Liberals' post election review and where the party goes from here. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Haldimand—Norfolk's Independent MPP Bobbi Ann Brady joins the pod for some frivolity before drilling down on her past, her surprise win, her key policy issues, and her relationship with the PC party. Editor's note: This episode was recorded on Thursday, Sept. 1. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy joins the pod to talk about his approach to managing Ontario's finances, ODSP rates, the budget, threats to the provincial economy, and more. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Long-Term Care Minister Paul Calandra's Bill 7 ignited a bit of a firestorm when he introduced it last week, and the flames continued to rage this week. Dr. Vivian Stamatopoulos joins the pod to break it all down. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Liberal MPP Stephen Blais joins the pod to talk about the recent Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference, the "strong mayors" bill and municipal governance, housing, and more. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

NDP Deputy Leader Doly Begum joins the pod to talk about recent procedural drama, credentialing internationally-trained nurses, and Budget 2.0. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

The 2022 Ontario election is in the books! Doug Ford Got It Done™️ and will head another majority government. The wonderful panel includes former NDP MPP Suze Morrison, McMillan Vantage's Ashley Csanady, and Navigator's Brayden Akers.

The fourth week of the Ontario election is in the books! This week saw the NDP and Liberals go at one another, while Doug Ford's lead holds steady. Be sure to tune in, folks. The wonderful panel includes outgoing NDP MPP Suze Morrison, McMillan Vantage's Ashley Csanady, and Navigator's Brayden Akers.

The third week of the Ontario election is in the books! This week saw the leaders on stage for the second time at the TVO Debate in Toronto. Andrea Horwath and Mike Schreiner both got COVID, and the Liberals had a less-than-scandalous news conference . Be sure to tune in folks. The wonderful panel includes outgoing NDP MPP Suze Morrison, McMillan Vantage's Ashley Csanady, and Navigator's Brayden Akers.

The second week of the Ontario election is in the books! This week saw the leaders on stage for the first time at the Northern Debate in North Bay. They'll square off again on May 16. Be sure to tune in folks. The wonderful panel includes outgoing NDP MPP Suze Morrison, McMillan Vantage's Ashley Csanady, and Navigator's Brayden Akers. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

The first week of the 2022 Ontario election campaign is in the books! QP Briefing editor-in-chief Jessica Smith Cross convened a political panel to break it down, with some astute music critiques at the end. The wonderful panel includes outgoing NDP MPP Suze Morrison, McMillan Vantage's Ashley Csanady, and Navigator's Brayden Akers. Email aidanchamandy@ipolitics.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy dropped the 2022 budget on Thursday, which will serve as the Progressive Conservative's election platform. Mike Moffat, senior director of the Smart Prosperity Institute, and Karl Baldauf, vice president of McMillan Vantage policy group and Bethlenfalvy's former chief of staff, joined the pod to run us through the politics and policy of it all.

Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner joins us to talk about the party's prospects and strategy in the upcoming election. Deputy Leader Dianne Saxe comes on in the second half to detail why she joined partisan politics after being fired as Ontario's environment commissioner and how she's adjusting to the new role.

University of Toronto Prof. Matti Siemiatycki is an expert on all things Ontario transit. He joins the podcast today to run through what Ontario needs to get around and where Doug Ford's new transportation plan is taking the province ahead of the June election. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive

Adil Shamji is the Ontario Liberals' 2022 candidate in Don Valley East. He is an emergency physician at Michael Garron Hospital and the medical director of ten Toronto homeless shelters. John Fraser is the party's health critic and former interim leader. They join reporter Jack Hauen to talk about some of the most pressing health issues facing the province — including staff retention, capacity, long-term care and the overdose crisis — and what how the Liberals would tackle them.

Geordie Dent is the executive director of the Federation of Metro Tenants' Associations (FMTA). He helps renters navigate issues with their landlords, the province and more. He joins the QP Briefing podcast to discuss rental issues during the most intense wave of COVID-19 yet, and what he believes the provincial government should be doing to help. Email jhauen@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Dr. Peter Jüni, scientific director of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, joins the QP Briefing podcast to discuss the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic, including the surge in cases in Ontario and the presence of the Omicron variant. He explains what is known so far about the new variant and why "it's completely changing the game." Email sduggal@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Ontario Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development Monte McNaughton joins the QP Briefing podcast to discuss his government's proposed labour reforms, including a plan to increase the minimum wage to $15. He also addresses criticism related to some of the changes and responds to a question about whether these announcements have anything to do with the upcoming provincial election. Email sduggal@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY Photo: Office of Minister Monte McNaughton

The Narwhal's Emma McIntosh and Fatima Syed join the QP Briefing podcast to discuss their new roles as reporters with the publication's recently announced environmental journalism bureau in Ontario. The team also weighs in on environmental issues in Ontario and beyond, including COP26 — the upcoming United Nations climate change conference. Email sduggal@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY Photo: Christopher Katsarov Luna, The Narwhal

Freelance journalist Luc Rinaldi joins the QP Briefing podcast to talk about his feature published in Toronto Life called "The anti-vax crusaders." The story delves into the southern Ontario town of Aylmer where a pastor has garnered a large following of anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theorists and libertarians. Email sduggal@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Vivian Stamatopoulos, a long-term care advocate and associate teaching professor at Ontario Tech University, joins the QP Briefing podcast to talk about the long-term care sector. She discusses her journey to advocacy in the sector and recent Ontario government announcements on a vaccination mandate for long-term care workers and funding to hire more staff. Email sduggal@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Annie Kidder, executive director of People for Education, joins the QP Briefing podcast to talk about the return to school in Ontario and steps she thinks will make them safer. Email sduggal@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

The new president of the Ontario Medical Association joins the QP Briefing podcast to talk about the COVID-19 pandemic and what comes next. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Is anyone going to investigate reports of dozens of seniors dying of neglect in Ontario long-term care homes? Hear from politicians, health-care experts and some of the advocates who are calling for a police investigation as QP Briefing editor Jessica Smith Cross breaks down the search for accountability for preventable deaths of seniors in long-term care exposed by the Canadian military and the long-term care commission. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Two doctors, Naheed Dosani and Gaibrie Stephen, join the QP Briefing podcast to talk about how the pandemic has brought activism and advocacy from MDs to the forefront of the public debate. Why health equity has always mattered but we're paying attention today. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Karl Baldauf, vice-president of the McMillan Vantage Policy Group, and Mike Moffatt, senior director of policy and innovation at the Smart Prosperity Institute, joined the QP Briefing Podcast to discuss the Ontario government's 2021 budget. They talked about highlights, what they felt was missing and what the budget says about the government's priorities and path forward. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Epidemiologist Colin Furness answers all of our questions about the state of the pandemic in Ontario today — variants of concern, vaccinations, air filtration, vaccine passports and the status of the third wave. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Jane Meadus, a lawyer with the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly, joins the QP Briefing podcast to talk about the effect of the pandemic on Ontario's seniors and the work of the independent commission into long-term care. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Ontario Labour Minister Monte McNaughton joins the QP Briefing podcast to talk about the skilled trades, the skills mismatch, and the controversy over paid sick leave. Plus, he weighs in on a constituent's criticism of his pandemic hair. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Government House Leader Paul Calandra joins the QP Briefing podcast to discuss how he helped keep the Ontario legislature at work during the pandemic and his love of cheesy Christmas movies. Plus, we dive into a controversial vote condemning the "extreme and hateful invective of Charles McVety." This is the fourth and final in a series of year-ender podcasts with guests from all four of Ontario's major political parties. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath joins the QP Briefing Podcast to discuss the year unprecedented became a byword for life, the province's COVID-19 response and pandemic baking. This is the third in a series of year-ender podcasts with guests from all four of Ontario's major political parties. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Steven Del Duca joins the QP Briefing Podcast to discuss taking the helm of the Ontario Liberal Party at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the second in a series of year-ender podcasts with guests from all four of Ontario's major political parties. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner joins the QP Briefing podcast to talk about the moment that kicked off the 2020s. He shares his reflections on the year everything changed. This is the first of a series of year-ender podcasts with guests from all four of Ontario's major political parties. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

QP Briefing welcomes CEO of the Ontario Long-Term Care Association Donna Duncan. She gives a frank assessment of Ontario's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, what still needs to be done, and how the sector needs to change in the future. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

"People say to me, 'You must be really glad you're not in the premier's chair now.' And that's not true, actually, because I have strong opinions about how my team would have done things differently." MPP and former premier Kathleen Wynne joins the QP Briefing podcast to reflect on her political career. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

It's International Right to Know Week! Ontario's new information and privacy commissioner took on the role in the middle of the pandemic and her first task was to evaluate the COVID-19 exposure notification app. Patricia Kosseim tells us about her approach to the information and privacy balancing act in these very unusual times. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

NDP education critic Marit Stiles returns to the QP Briefing podcast. Last time we recorded an episode with her, the education minister announced the shut down of schools the same afternoon. We talk about what has changed since then. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner Brian Beamish joined the show this week to talk about how his commission's work has changed over the past two decades. He weighed in on privacy and health data and the COVID-19 response, why political parties' use of data should be regulated and how the province has changed what it can do with information about you. QP Briefing wishes him all the best in his retirement. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

QP Briefing welcomes one of Canada's foremost experts on ageing to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Samir Sinha talks about how we should change the way we think about caring for older people, and how long-term care could go virtual. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

QP Briefing welcomes rookie MPP Lucille Collard, who talks about partisanship in the time of the pandemic. The new Ottawa-Vanier MPP shares her impression of Question Period and isn't impressed with some of the antics she's seen so far. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Epidemiologist Colin Furness, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto, joins the podcast to talk about Ontario's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and calls out a lack of leadership. Email jscross@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY