This Is Why

Just about anyone in Canada who is older than 11 years old who wanted to get vaccinated for COVID-19 has been able to. And that leaves children unvaccinated and unprotected. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at the process the vaccines are going through to be approved for children. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Dr. Karina Top, pediatric infectious disease physician and a vaccine researcher at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology in Halifax See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Governments have tried a variety of incentives to entice people to get their COVID-19 vaccinations. But the more effective approach has been to add sticks to carrots. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at what approaches worked better to get a population vaccinated against COVID-19. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Amy Kaler, professor of sociology, University of Alberta Episode Resources: "Nobody wins when Alberta plays games with COVID vaccines" column See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If Canada is to achieve its Paris climate goals, the country has to address what's driving growth in emissions. And driving is one of the problems. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at the unique challenges transportation in a spread out country like Canada presents to decarbonization. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Josipa Petrunic, president and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil and gas is the largest greenhouse emitter of Canadian industry. But given its place in the economy, politicians and policy makers are weighing how it fits in with the country's emission goals. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at what provincial and federal governments could and have done to address Canada's biggest emitter. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Chris Severson-Baker, Alberta director of the Pembina Institute See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electricity generation is one of the largest contributor to worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. And while Canada is among the leaders in renewable electricity, there's still room for improvement. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at what steps are left for decarbonization of the electricity grid in the country. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Blake Shaffer, assistant professor of economics at the University of Calgary See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Delta variant has become a new foe in the fight against COVID-19. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at how the variant has changed the pandemic. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Dr. Daniel Gregson, infectious diseases physician and a medical microbiologist and associate professor in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Owning a home has been a common goal for Canadians for decades. And that might just be the reason why it's no longer achievable. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at some of the forces -- both market and policy -- that have shaped Canada's real estate sector. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Uytae Lee, creator, About Here See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Napoleon is credited with comparing China with a sleeping dragon. But the country of more than 1 billion is now an economic and political force in the world. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at some of the topics covered by Jeff Semple in the China Rising podcast. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Jeff Semple, senior correspondent, Global National News, and host of "China Rising" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cowessess First Nation became the first of its kind to repatriate its child welfare system, under a federal bill made into law almost two years ago, but it's not likely to be the last. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at the landmark change Bill C-92 brings to Canada's child welfare system, and some of the surprising effects it could have. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Koren Lightning-Earle, lawyer with Wahkotowin Law and Governance Lodge at the University of Alberta See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While it's easy to think that a one degree increase in average temperatures doesn't have a direct impact on our health, wildfire smoke and heat domes have proven how widespread effects of climate change can affect Canadians. On this episode of This Is Why, we go to the frontier of climate change -- Canada's north -- to hear how it is directly affecting the health of Canadians. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Dr. Courtney Howard, Yellowknife emergency physician, past president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, board member of the Global Climate Health Alliance and head of advocacy for the World Health Organization's Civil Society Working Group on Climate Change and Health See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The definition of genocide goes back decades, but the debate rages on whether it applies to what the Canadian government and sponsored actors have done to Indigenous communities. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at the definition of the word, how it has applied to events in other countries and how it applies to Canada's history. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: David Webster, history professor at Bishop's University See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the news that 215 unmarked graves in Kelowna and then 751 unmarked graves on Cowessess First Nation near sites of Indian Residential Schools, more Canadians have had to reckon with the country's history of residential schools, including calls for schools named for architects of the system to be renamed. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at the process the country is going through to reckon with that history. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @dmcivor770 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Sean Carleton, assistant professor in the Department of History and Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On July 1, 2021, Alberta will become the first province to fully reopen following the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination effort.  On this episode of This Is Why, we look back at why some are feeling stress surround what has been termed a "return to normal." Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Keith Dobson, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Calgary Lauren Florko, talent management consultant Episode Resources: "More than half of Canadians anxious about return to ‘normal' after COVID-19: survey" on GlobalNews.ca "The Stress of Returning to Work" by Lauren Florko on Psychology Today See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On June 5, 1981, the US Centers for Disease Control published a report about a rare type of pneumonia affecting gay men in Los Angeles, CA. It would be the first reports of HIV and AIDS in North America. On this episode of This Is Why, we look back at 40 years of science around HIV/AIDS and where treatment and policy has progressed for that pandemic. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Gary Lacasse, executive director of the Canadian AIDS Society Episode Resources: "40 years of HIV/AIDS: a painful anniversary" in The Lancet "Forty years on and new UNAIDS report gives evidence that we can end AIDS" from UNAIDS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With wildfire season underway, perennial concerns about forest fires have returned. And as the effects of climate change worsen, research is underway to understand the relationship between forests, forest fires and carbon in the atmosphere. On this episode of This Is Why, we dig into how a century of forest practices has made the problem worse, and a possible way forward for forests, the atmosphere and humanity. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Dr Carly Phillips, researcher in residence at the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions at University of Victoria Episode Resources: "How wildfires affect climate change — and vice versa" on The Conversation "The Language of Climate Change" from TEDxBearCreekPark See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've all become familiar with the term 'pandemic,' and may know what an 'epidemic' is, but the term 'endemic' is maybe less widely known. But it's certainly widely-experienced. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at the factors at play that could turn COVID-19 from a pandemic into an endemic disease. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Cynthia Carr, epidemiologist and founder of EPI Research Inc. Episode Resources: "Canada to face COVID-19 like yearly endemic flu due to variants, expert says" on GlobalNews.ca "‘When will it end?': New data suggests COVID-19 could become endemic" on GlobalNews.ca "The coronavirus is here to stay — here's what that means" from Nature See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With more jabs going into arms and the potential of some Canadians choosing between the AstraZeneca-manufactured viral vector COVID-19 vaccine and an mRNA-based shot from companies like Pfizer or Moderna, the advice from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) that seems to favour one or the other seems to fly in the face of the overall vaccination effort. On this episode of This Is Why, we explore what happened with the NACI recommendations and why clear communication about vaccines is vital to fighting any disease. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guest: Timothy Caulfield, Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the world begins to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic with shots going in arms, a growing sense of jollity is coming over more and more vaccinated people. There's an interesting parallel between the end of this pandemic and what could follow with the end of the 1918 influenza pandemic and the 1920s. On this episode of This Is Why, we discover the similarities and differences between the two eras, and why the 2020s might not be a repeat of a century earlier. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Agnes Arnold-Forster, health care and medicine historian Episode Resources: "Will the end of the COVID-19 pandemic usher in a second Roaring ’20s?" on The Conversation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's only so much carbon humans can put into the atmosphere before the earth's average temperature will rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius, a point at which major climate change will happen -- that's the opinion of the panel of scientists at the IPCC. Broken out into a worldwide carbon budget, Canada's share of emissions is easy to determine. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out why Canada's oil and gas sector is threatening not just Canada's but the international carbon budget and why policy is falling short. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Truzaar Dordi, a PhD candidate currently studying at the University of Waterloo, and author of "Correcting Canada's 'one eye shut' climate policy" Episode Resources: "Correcting Canada’s “one eye shut” climate policy" - Cascade Institute (PDF) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calgary, like other cities across the country are seeing spikes in mental health calls, with the problem only being exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. But the City of Calgary has formulated a plan, and it's sharing that plan with other Canadian cities. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out how Calgary's mental health and addictions plan came together and why it could make a difference. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi Karen Gosbee Episode Resources: Calgary’s Mental Health and Addiction Strategy Obituary of George Gosbee Mental health supports across Canada See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Canada in the grips of the third wave of the pandemic, seemingly fueled by growth of COVID-19 variants, the calls for more provincial governments to adopt a "Covid Zero"  On this episode of This Is Why, we find out why scientists think the only successful COVID-19 strategy is to have no COVID. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Lauren Vogel, news editor at the Canadian Medical Association Journal Dr. Malgorzata Gasperovich, developmental biologist at the University of Calgary Episode Resources: Zero Covid Canada's letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With climate change continuing almost unabated, more and more places around the world are seeing the effects. But one corner of Canada that has a unique confluence of habitats, wildlife, civilization and tourism has a front seat to the effects of global warming. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out how climate change is affecting Churchill, MB, and what the people of Churchill are doing in response. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Sarah Lawrynuik, Winnipeg Free Press climate change reporter Episode Resources: "Bearing North" series in the Winnipeg Free Press See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than a year has passed since the coronavirus pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization. For some, it's felt like COVID-19 arrived yesterday. For others, it's felt like an eternity. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out why crises play with our sense of time and why a prolonged crisis like a pandemic has different effects. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Dr. Peter Graf, professor of psychology in the Department of Psychology at UBC See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A passport is a way to see the world beyond your country's borders, and a vaccine passport is seen by some as a way to travel freely during the coronavirus pandemic. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out why vaccine passports are an ethical minefield for countries and companies alike. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Francoise Baylis, university research professor at Dalhousie University See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canada faces a real conundrum in its post-pandemic recovery -- our population is set to shrink without outside help. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out why increased immigration will be increasingly important in the years following the coronavirus pandemic. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Adwoa Buahene, CEO of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A symbol connected to white nationalist and white supremacist movements has made its way into two back-to-back anti-lockdown protests in two Canadian cities. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out why mobs carrying torches is a sign of intimidation with racist overtones. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Irfan Chaudry, director of the Office of Human Rights Diversity and Equity at MacEwan University See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With public health orders mandating everyone shelter in place, more and more Canadians have been looking at their shelters in a new light. And that's caused a run in real estate markets across the country. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out what surprising real estate trends emerged during the pandemic and why. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Rachelle Younglai, real estate reporter, The Globe and Mail See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vaccines for the novel coronavirus are being rolled out around the world, addressing the most vulnerable members of society first. But the risk they pose to pregnant and lactating women is currently unknown.  On this episode of This Is Why, we learn about why the study of vaccines on pregnant women has largely been unaddressed and how that is changing. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Carleigh Krubiner, policy fellow at the Center for Global Development and I'm also associate faculty at the Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With vaccines for the novel coronavirus viewed as the gateway for a "return to normal," some countries are putting themselves ahead of others, hoping to get back to normal faster.  On this episode of This Is Why, we learn about the phenomenon known as "vaccine nationalism" and how it is affecting Canada and Canadians. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Dr. Joel Lexchin, professor emeritus from the School of Health Policy and Management at York University See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More and more car manufacturers are pledging to have their fleets turn electric in as little as a decade. And those changes will affect more than just the new car lot. On this episode of This Is Why, we learn about how electrification of automobiles will affect other industries in Canada, and what the country can do to not be left behind. Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guest: Markham Hislop, energy and climate journalist, publisher of Energi Media See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A change to a 45-year-old coal policy in a province known for resource extraction has people from all walks of life up in arms. And the people are saying the government has gone too far. On this episode of This Is Why, we learn about the changes to the 1976 coal policy and the people affected by the change. Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Jill Croteau, senior reporter, Global Calgary Episode resources: Mining For The Truth series by Jill Croteau "Southern Alberta ranchers weigh in on coal mining after Corb Lund, Paul Brandt speak out" on GlobalNews.ca "Alberta’s UCP caucus says it launched campaign to inform people about coal" on GlobalNews.ca "Alberta cancels recently issued coal leases in response to public outcry" on GlobalNews.ca "Calgary’s water likely safe following coal policy changes, High River area a concern" on GlobalNews.ca See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit all of Canada but one group has been hit especially hard -- senior citizens. And through all of the waves of the pandemic, long-term and assisted living homes have been sites of outbreaks, resulting in deaths. On this episode of This Is Why, we learn about the system weaknesses in the long-term care system, how they were exploited by COVID-19, and what can be done to fix the system. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Carol Estabrooks, scientific director of the Translating Research and Elder Care Program and professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been discovered around the world, and present new and different threats to public health. On this episode of This Is Why, we learn about the new variants and what could be done about them. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Dr. Frank Van Der Meer, associate professor of virology at the University of Calgary Dr. Matthew S. Miller, associate professor in the Michael DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research at McMaster University See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a new president entering the Oval Office on Jan. 20, 2021, a new era can begin in relations between the two countries who share the world's longest undefended border: Canada and the United States. On this episode of This Is Why, we learn about why the change from President Trump to President Biden will impact Canada. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Melissa Haussman, professor of political science at Carleton Bruce Heyman, former US Ambassador to Canada See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the coronavirus pandemic rages on, the climate change crisis continues to march on as another threat to the health of people worldwide. On this episode of This Is Why, we learn about why climate change will affect the health of Canadians while also affecting climate. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Dr. Claudel Petrin-Desrosiers and Dr. Finola Hackett, authors of Lancet Countdown Policy Brief: Canada in 2020 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on more than 15,000 families, taking their loved ones from this world. And COVID-19 has brought a topic to the forefront that isn't usually brought up in polite society: death. On this episode of This Is Why, we learn about why talking about death more can change a person's life. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Angela Fama, multidisciplinary artist in Vancouver and founder of the Death Conversation Game If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 911 for immediate help. For a directory of support services in your area, visit the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. Learn more about how to help someone in crisis here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Staying at home has been one of the most powerful tools in preventing the spread of COVID-19 during this pandemic. But it has contributed to a parallel mental health pandemic. On this episode of This Is Why, we look at loneliness during the pandemic and what one can do to make it through tough times alone. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Dr. Heather MacIntosh, clinical psychologist and associate professor and director in the MScA in Couple and Family Therapy programme within the School of Social Work at McGill University See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought up all sorts of emotions and feelings, as we all try to navigate this 'new normal.' But perhaps instead of asking 'Why is this happening?,' there are better questions to ask, like 'What can I control?' On this episode of This Is Why, we learn about an ancient philosophy and some of its modern implementation. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Dr. Ranjini George, University of Toronto instructor & practitioner of Stoicism See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The coronavirus pandemic has had millions of Canadians work from home for months. Offices in office buildings have largely sat dormant and downtowns are closer to ghost towns. But whether that is a temporary or a structural change is up for debate. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out what the future of work looks like post-pandemic. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: David Zweig, professor of organizational behaviour at the University of Toronto See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the differences between the 1918 influenza pandemic and COVID-19 is that a majority of citizens have radios and computers they can fit in their pockets -- smartphones. And apps run on smartphones could be an important tool in the fight against the novel coronavirus. But two governments' approaches in Canada have led to very different results in apps that have been developed and how effective those apps are. On this episode of This Is Why, we look into the pair of contact tracing apps available in Canada. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Ziad Fazel, Calgary-based project manager See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The conversation we had with Calgary-based project manager Ziad Fazel about contact tracing apps went into such detail and went longer than we usually go, so we decided to put the whole conversation into a bonus episode for you. Enjoy! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic raging in Canada, hospitalizations and admissions to intensive care units are at all-time highs, and that has a lot of people worried. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out what the breaking point could be for Canada's public health care system and what the effects could be. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Dr. Barry Pakes, public health physician and assistant professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's not a stretch to say that the coronavirus pandemic is an historic event, but it's not without precedent. Epidemics have been a part of human history for as long as people have gathered together. So it's not uncommon to look back in order to plot a path forward. On this episode of This Is Why, we look back at how pandemic influenza affected a western Canadian city in 1918. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Suzanna Wagner, health historian Episode Resources: The Last Plague: Spanish Influenza and the Politics of Public Health in Canada by Mark Osborne Humphries See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The second wave of the coronavirus pandemic is in Canada, with record numbers of new cases and deaths bearing that out. Except the wave hasn't hit Atlantic Canada in the same manner as the rest of the country, due to a bubble. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out why the Atlantic travel bubble has been so effective at keeping COVID-19 numbers at bay and what it's like living in the bubble. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Michaela Kaiser, student at Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.S. Alexander Quon, digital producer, Global Halifax See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the coronavirus pandemic wears on, inequalities in society are becoming clearer and clearer, like the inequalities facing women and gender-minorities. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out why women are facing challenges by the coronavirus and pandemic that are specific to the group. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Andrea Gunraj, Canadian Women's Foundation Maya Roy, CEO, YWCA Canada Episode resources: Poll from the Canadian Women's Foundation showing concern about the pandemic's impact on women YWCA Canada's Feminist Recovery plan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As global warming continues to melt Arctic ice, the threat to the Inuit of Canada and Greenland is becoming more and more dire. And that melting is leading to one last patch of Arctic ice. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out why the last ice is important for the lives of people beyond the Arctic and what a National Geographic team found. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Scott Ressler, director and producer of National Geographic documentary The Last Ice Episode resources: Trailer for The Last Ice More on the Last Ice area Our previous episode on the collapse of the Milne Ice Shelf See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The need to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic has driven more and more Canadians online, as we found out in an earlier episode of 'This Is Why.' And in October, Canada's privacy commissioner raised the flags around the laws around privacy, saying the laws aren't enough in this new reality. On this episode of This Is Why, we find out why the acceleration towards a fully digital life is putting the privacy of Canadians at risk. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Paula Minnikin, CTO of Spark Engagement See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the science around the novel coronavirus changing so quickly, it's tough to determine what to follow and what to ignore. And the opportunity some charlatans are trying to seize on don't make things any easier. In this episode of This Is Why, we look at why this pandemic has given rise to all sorts of bad information. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Timothy Caulfield, Canada research chair in Health Law and Policy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most common arguments anti-mask advocates use is that mandating the use of face coverings is the government running afoul of rights and liberties. In this episode of This Is Why, we look at how civil liberties could be contravened during a pandemic, and the careful balance legislators have to walk when considering public health orders. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Michael Bryant, executive director, Canadian Civil Liberties Association See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted all areas of life. Early on in the pandemic, economic activity ground to a halt and economists say Canada is in a recession. In this episode of This Is Why, we look at two areas of the country's economy that could lead the post-pandemic recovery. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: Laura Jones, executive V.P., Canadian Federation of Independent Business See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Canadian Emergency Response Benefit was only designed to last for 6 months. As the pandemic reaches into the seventh month, what will millions of Canadians do if they can't find a job? In this episode of This Is Why, we look at how the federal government is planning to support Canadians through unprecedented times. Contact: Adam Toy - @Adam_Toy on Twitter Dave McIvor - @d_mac1519 on Twitter This is Why - @ThisIsWhy on Twitter Email us - thisiswhy@globalnews.ca Guests: David Macdonald, senior economist, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.