This Matters

In honour of the Blue Jays playoff run starting tomorrow, we're sharing an episode from our sister podcast Deep Left Field. Guest: RUSH frontman and Blue Jays fanatic Geddy Lee The Blue Jays are on the eve of their American League division series against the New York Yankees, which begins Saturday afternoon. We talk to the Jays' most famous fan, the lead singer, bassist and keyboardist from the legendary Canadian rock band Rush, who also happens to be a massive baseball geek. Geddy Lee shares his thoughts on the Blue Jays' worst-to-first season, how much fun he's had watching the team and how large a part of their success all the unsung heroes have been. We also look at the ALDS match-up with the Yankees and open up the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca!

Guest: Steve Teekens, Executive Director, Na-Me-Res, a Toronto-based Indigenous-run non-profit that provides temporary, transitional and permanent housing Indigenous people make up less than one per cent of Toronto's population, but about 15 percent of the city's homeless. Nationally, they are around 5 percent of the population yet account for more than a third of those without homes. These numbers reflect the ongoing legacy of residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and systems that continue to fail Indigenous communities. For Indigenous men especially, homelessness is closely tied to untreated mental illness and addiction. Advocates say ending Indigenous homelessness isn't just policy; it's a part of reconciliation. Na-Me-Res, an Indigenous-led organization in Toronto, has been working on shelters, transitional programs, and affordable housing. On this National day for Truth and Reconciliation, we speak to the organization's Executive Director Steve Teekens —to talk about the crisis — and to share his own family's story as the grandson of residential school survivors and the son of a Sixties Scoop survivor. The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24-hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of a residential school experience. Support is available at 1-866-925-4419. This episode was mixed by Paulo Marques

Guest: Ava Smithing, advocacy director at the Young People's Alliance Young people today have been raised with the most powerful tools in human history at their fingertips. Entire childhoods have played out online, with algorithms acting as babysitter, therapist, and mirror through which they see themselves. And now, we're seeing what happens when the first generation raised on smart phones comes of age; shaped by platforms designed to manipulate attention and monetize minds. Ava Smithing was just 12 when she spiraled into a social media rabbit hole that nearly took her life. Years later, she walked the halls of Congress to warn lawmakers about the harms of Big Tech. Now, she's the host of the Toronto Star's new podcast series Left to Their Own Devices that takes a hard look at what happens when kids are left to figure it out alone. She joins This Matters to talk about what led her here. Produced by Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon

Guests: Star journalists Ben Spurr and Mahdis Habibinia The Star's City Hall bureau has been digging deep into the garbage with its Waste Not, Want Not series, examining how Toronto handles its trash and how the choices we make shape our city. In this episode, City Hall Bureau Chief Ben Spurr explains where most of our garbage actually ends up and what options the city has next, with its main landfill nearing capacity in just over a decade. Then, reporter Mahdis Habibinia shares what she learned from Torontonians trying to live a zero-waste lifestyle, and offers some practical advice on how the rest of us can start cutting down on trash at home. Produced by Paulo Marques

Lately, speed cameras in this city and neighbouring cities have become a symbol and target of people's rage. The Parkside Drive speed camera was erected when this spot saw a horrific and fatal crash in 2021, due to speeding. It is now Toronto's most prolific speed cam and was recently cut down by vandals for the seventh time in eleven months. And earlier this month 16 cameras across the city were taken out in a single night. This week, three more have come down. The City of Vaughan has decided to remove speed cameras all together after rolling out its program just earlier this year. Premier Ford has voiced his disdain for speed cameras and some individuals vocally echo him. Community safety organizations and reports, however, say they're effective. We're joined today by Toronto Star's resident Speed Cam man, Raju Mudhar, to give us the facts while we zoom out and chat about what all of this may really be about. Audio Sources: Deputy Inspector Peter Wallace, Toronto Police Service, CP24

Guest: Nicholas Keung, Toronto Star Immigration Reporter Canada is quietly but significantly changing course on immigration. As the federal government moves to reduce the number of non-permanent residents, critics warn this may signal a harder shift in policy, with growing efforts to tighten border controls and slow down immigration processing. Questions are mounting about how these changes will affect the labour market, the economy, and the people caught in the middle. In this episode, immigration reporter Nicholas Keung explains what's shifting, why it's happening now, and what it could mean for Canada's future as a destination for newcomers. Produced by Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon 

Guest: Jason Miller, Toronto Star crime reporter On Aug.16, eight-year-old JahVai Roy was shot and killed in his North York apartment when a bullet pierced his bedroom window. A teenager has since been charged, and Toronto police are looking for two more teen suspects. But for JahVai's family, the trauma didn't end that night. They're now displaced, grieving, and navigating a system with few real supports. In this episode, we look at how gun violence continues to disproportionately impact Toronto's most marginalized communities—even as crime stats go down—and what we're still missing in how we respond to the aftermath. Produced by Sean Pattendon

Guests: Star reporters Amy Dempsey Raven and Megan Ogilvie A new Ontario law was meant to protect vulnerable children in care, but it may be deepening the very crisis it set out to solve. The province has expanded police background checks for people working or volunteering in the child welfare system. But under the new rules, it is not just criminal records that show up. Any documented interaction with police, including traffic stops, noise complaints or mental health calls, could be flagged.Experts warn this opens the door to discrimination and bias, especially for racialized and marginalized communities who face disproportionate police contact. Meanwhile, child welfare agencies say the rollout has been chaotic, delaying adoptions and disrupting foster placements at a time when the system is already under strain. This episode was produced by Sean Pattendon and Paulo Marques. 

This year marks TIFF's 50th anniversary. The festival has done many things over the years - it's been a bellwether for industry talent along with changing how movies are made and marketed. It's also really helped shape the identity of this city. Today we speak with two veterans who have been covering TIFF for decades. Peter Howell, long-time Toronto Star film critic remembers his first time covering TIFF in the 70's all the way up until present day; what's changed, what's stayed the same (for better or worse) and an elevator encounter with a beloved movie star who's *almost* as tall as Peter 6'6" frame. Then we speak with Richard Lautens, a long-time photojournalist with The Star, about memorable red carpet moments, shooting divas & nice guys alike and a tiny object - still in his possession - that got him into those *special*, special TIFF parties. Clips from: Miramax, BritBox, Rotten Tomatoes

Guest: Manuela Vega, Toronto Star housing reporter A new study has found that financial landlords are filing eviction applications at much higher rates than other types of landlords in Toronto, especially after acquiring new buildings. In one case, more than half the tenants in a building received an eviction notice in a single year. Experts say this reflects a wider business strategy and it's reshaping the rental market, raising concerns about affordability, and who gets access to housing in this city. On today's episode, we unpack the numbers, what the study reveals and its implications. This episode was produced by Paulo Marques

Guests: Star reporters Raisa Patel and Josh Rubin Prime Minister Mark Carney is pulling back on Canada's trade fight with the U.S., dropping retaliatory tariffs on goods covered under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) even as Donald Trump escalates with new penalties on Canadian steel, aluminum, and hundreds of manufactured products. It's a sharp turn from Carney's “elbows up” campaign promise, and it's raising questions in business and political circles alike. We unpack the political strategy behind Carney's pivot, which Canadian industries are hardest hit by the trade wars, and whether another U-turn will win any ground with Trump. Audio sources: CBC News, Toronto Star  This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest: Kris Rushowy, Toronto Star reporter It's back-to-school season and Ontario universities are packed like never before. A record number of more than 84,000 first-year students are starting this fall. But even with record enrolment, schools are facing an $80 million shortfall. For years, international students have been the financial safety net, paying up to six times the tuition of Ontario students. Now, with Ottawa tightening immigration rules and visas harder to get, those numbers are dropping. Universities say the system is already in distress. Programs are being cut, staff laid off, and almost half are running deficits. And now, with higher demand from local students, there is even less money to teach them. Produced by Saba Eitizaz, Sean Pattenden and Paulo Marques

Listen here or subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts. If you would like to support the journalism of the Toronto Star, you can at thestar.com/subscribe. Guest: Nathan Bawaan, Toronto Star reporter Youth unemployment in Toronto is at its highest level in decades outside of the pandemic and it's not just a tough job market. A new report reveals that discrimination based on race, age, gender, language, and even postal code is one of the biggest barriers keeping young people from getting hired. Some recent grads are giving up on job hunting altogether and turning to grad school, not out of ambition, but because they feel stuck. We break down what's behind the crisis. Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest: Kevin Jiang, Toronto Star reporter  Nearly one in five Canadians who had COVID—more than more than 3 million people—went on to develop long COVID, also called post COVID 19 Condition (PCC). Symptoms can include fatigue, brain fog, breathing problems and heart damage, sometimes lasting for years. In Ontario there is still no coordinated plan for care. Funding for specialized clinics has disappeared, rehab services often have to be paid for out of pocket and most patients report getting little to no treatment. Toronto Star's Kevin Jiang takes a look at what it is like to live with the long tail of a pandemic that is far from over for those still living with it.  Produced by Sean Pattendon, Paulo Marques and Saba Eitizaz 

Guest: Andy Takagi, Toronto Star transportation reporter  Premier Ford says he's pitching an unprecedented plan to tackle one of the GTA's biggest headaches; gridlock on Highway 401, the busiest road in North America. His vision is a single three-level tunnel running under the highway, which could stretch from Brampton to Scarborough. He outlined the concept at an unrelated press conference this week, but he's been talking about it for nearly a year. Ford says this will serve people for decades to come, but a two-year feasibility study has just begun, and experts are raising questions about the costs, the timelines and whether this would actually ease traffic congestion.  We take a look at what Ford is proposing, why experts say it might not work and what it could mean for commuters and communities along the  401.  Audio sources: CP24 Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Sean Pattenden 

Guest: Dr. David Barber, Chair OMA's General and Family Practice Two million people in Ontario do not have access to a family physician, and that number is expected to more than double by 2026. At the same time, many doctors are stepping away from comprehensive care, citing burnout, bureaucracy, and financial strain. In this episode, Dr. David Barber shares what is happening inside the system through his own lived experience. He is a family physician in Kingston and chair of the Ontario Medical Association's Section on General and Family Practice. He explains what it looks like to stay in the profession as the pressures mount, why so many of his colleagues are walking away, and what it means for patients who are being left behind. Produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon

Guest: Star Queen's Park Bureau Chief, Robert Benzie Last week, Canada's premiers wrapped up their annual Council of the Federation meeting in Ontario's cottage country, against the backdrop of serious political and economic pressure. With Trump's threat of tariffs on August 1 looming large, and Prime Minister Mark Carney facing his first major leadership test, the summit was framed as a show of strength and unity. But was that solidarity real behind the scenes? And how prepared are the provinces for an unpredictable trade fight with Trump? Toronto Star Queen's Park Bureau Chief Robert Benzie joins This Matters to break it all down. 

Guest: Toronto Star court reporter Jacques Gallant All five former members of Canada's 2018 World Junior hockey team accused of sexual assault have been found not guilty, ending one of the most closely watched trials in Canadian sports. The case centred on a woman known publicly only as “E.M.” due to a publication ban. Her allegations against the players shook the sport, triggered years of scrutiny, reopened a police investigation, and fueled a national reckoning over Hockey Canada's handling of sexual misconduct. After eight weeks of testimony, Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia ruled the Crown failed to meet the burden of proof, raising doubts about the reliability of key evidence. But while the players were acquitted, key questions remain. How do we define consent? Can the justice system support those who come forward while also meeting such a high legal threshold? And what does this outcome say about how society grapples with power and accountability? Star reporter Jacques Gallant covered this trial from the beginning, and he joins This Matters to explain what we learned inside the courtroom and what might happen next.  Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest: Toronto Star reporter Abby O'Brien A bike ride to the local pool. A perfect dive off the board. A backyard trampoline showdown with the kids next door. Childhood can be full of fun but also dangers. Parents often think about the obvious dangers, like unsupervised swimming or biking without a helmet. But some of the biggest hazards may surprise you. We spoke with Toronto's top pediatric emergency doctors about the activities they would never let their own kids do and why. From bouncy castles to shopping carts, they've seen it all in the ER. So if you to keep your kids safe this summer, start here.

Guest: Morgan Sevareid-Bocknek, investigative reporter Imagine you want a biological kid and you need the help of a fertility clinic. But then imagine they implant the wrong embryo inside of you. Or half the wrong embryo - right egg but wrong sperm. Or the child is a race you weren't expecting. These scenarios and more have happened at Ontario fertility clinics, which remain under regulated. That means it's a challenge to hold them to account when things like that happen and hard data for those trying to figure out which clinic to choose is hard to come by.  How could something so important, so medically invasive and psychologically delicate remain under regulated in Ontario? And though the government got close to closing gaps in regulation, it was never completed. Tune in to find out why. PLUS: We speak with a lawyer who specializes in fertility negligence law who details some of the worst cases she's seen - and how the province might be able to forge a path forward. Produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon

Guests: Toronto Star reporters Isabel Teotonio and Kristin Rushowy With the summer break, Ontario is wrapping up the first full school year under new cellphone restrictions. Last September, the Ford government introduced restrictions on personal mobile devices in schools, with boards required to update their own policies and ban social media sites, such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, from networks and devices. Other provinces have followed suit. But the results have been mixed, and students can still access those sites using personal data. Some teachers did see students more focused and present. Others are still in a constant battle for their attention. So, did the cellphone ban really change anything?  This Matters speaks to Toronto Star reporters Isabel Teotonio and Kristin Rushowy. One's been hearing from teachers and students in classrooms. The other's been tracking the political story behind the policy. Audio sources: CBC News, Isabel Teotonio  Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

GUEST: Star climate change reporter Kate Allen Toronto just sweltered its way through one of the most intense heatwaves on record. Many Torontonians seeking relief from the heat were met with disappointment and locked doors at more than a dozen public pools as they ended up being closed because of heat safety protocols for the lifeguards. What followed was a political showdown between Mayor Olivia Chow and Premier Doug Ford, with both sides pointing fingers over who was responsible.  And amid the public backlash, Mayor Chow has introduced a new motion calling for more resources and look to bringing back 24/7 cooling centred that were cancelled in 2019.  As extreme heat becomes our new normal, is the city prepared to provide equitable access to cooling for all its residents?  Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest: Star climate change reporter Marco Chown Oved Wildfire season started early this year, with states of emergency declared in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and intense fire activity across Alberta. But while much of the national attention has focused on the west, Ontario is quietly facing a growing crisis of its own. One of the largest fires in the province's north—recently described by officials as a “sleeping giant”—has now scorched more than 175,000 hectares, triggering the evacuation of hundreds from Deer Lake First Nation and over 2,000 people from Sandy Lake First Nation. Wildfires in Ontario are no longer limited to remote northern forests. Fueled by climate change, they're burning hotter, spreading faster, and pushing deeper into regions once thought safe. And experts warn that the systems in place to fight them are falling dangerously behind. Marco Chown Oved joins host Saba Eitizaz to break down why Ontario is more vulnerable than ever and what it was like to become certified as a wildland firefighter to understand the stakes firsthand. Produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon

Guests: Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada Sharon Kozicki and Star Business Reporter Ana Pereira Recently, the Bank of Canada announced their latest interest rate decision, holding it at 2.75% - its second pause after seven consecutive cuts. In attempting to explain this decision, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said, ‘The Canadian economy is softer but not sharply weaker.' And what does that mean exactly, right? Star Business reporter Ana Pereira sat down with Bank of Canada Deputy Governor Sharon Kozicki to ask about how the bank came to this decision, how the central bank is handling Trump's volatile tariffs announcements and, generally, how the Bank plans to take care of Canadians as we teeter on the brink of another recession. Host Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Ana analyze Governor Kozicki's answers and talk about what the Bank of Canada is concentrating on right now and the way it affects Canadians, especially Torontonians, in this economic moment. PLUS: Is the Bank of Canada in the middle of something of a build back trust outreach tour with young Torontonians in particular, based on how they kind of bungled communication during the last recession? Produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Paulo Marques, Sean Pattendon and Serena Austin.

Guests: Star Reporters Nicholas Keung and Mark Ramzy  Introduced last week by the federal government—the Strong Borders Act seeks to overhaul how refugee claims are processed, expand powers for border and intelligence officials, and tighten enforcement—all framed as a response to sprawling asylum backlogs and escalating pressure from the U.S. and Donald Trump, including concerns about fentanyl trafficking. The bill is still in its early stages, but it's already facing strong political opposition and legal criticism over what many are calling sweeping, unchecked powers and potential human rights concerns. Two Star reporters covering federal politics and immigration unpack the politics, the policy and the politics behind the policy. Audio source: CPAC

This Matters is pleased to share a new podcast from the Toronto Star, TVO Podcasts, the Investigative Journalism Bureau and Piz Gloria Productions, Arachnid: Hunting the Web's Darkest Secrets.  What if the worst thing that ever happened to you plays out countless times on anonymous computer screens all over the world? Every day, tens of millions of images of child sexual abuse circulate on global online platforms. The proliferation of these images is getting worse as AI technology and deep fakes create an ever-expanding epidemic of online child sex exploitation. The children depicted in those criminal images are real. Many are now adults held hostage by these disturbing images despite available technology like Canada's Project Arachnid, which detects these images and sends out removal notices. Platforms often resist action, citing privacy laws. But in response, survivors and a group of motivated supporters are banding together across the globe to protect kids. Confronting their own trauma, they are speaking out, advocating for change internationally, and demanding stronger laws that hold tech giants to account. This six-part podcast series follows survivors' long-shot fight against the most powerful companies in the world to end a massive, global trade in child sex abuse imagery. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Guest: Karon Liu, Toronto Star food reporter When one Toronto restaurant introduced a $25 cauliflower dish more than 10 years ago, it caused a bit of a stir at its eye-popping price. When Star reporter Karon Liu recently noticed the price of the same dish was now $41, it sent him to look at the steeply rising cost of meals out. It's a trend driven by food inflation, wage inflation, rent inflation and a host of other factors. And for many diners, it means eating out is becoming less and less of an attractive option. Which doesn't mean the restauranteurs are suddenly flush—the drop-off in diners means it's even harder for them to make up in volume what they might lose by cutting prices. PLUS: Our food writer's instructions on what to do if $41 is too steep a price for you

Guest: Queen's Park Bureau Chief Robert Benzie Ontario just dropped its biggest budget ever — $232.5 billion — and looming over every dollar of it is the shadow of Donald Trump, his tariffs, and an uncertain economic future. This year's budget also includes a new $5 billion “Protect Ontario” fund to shield businesses and jobs from the escalating trade war with the U.S. But behind the big numbers lie bigger questions like a $14.6 billion deficit, no major new housing initiatives despite a worsening crisis, and a controversial plan to rip out downtown bike lanes in favour of cars. The Star's Queen's Park Bureau Chief Robert Benzie breaks it all down and what this budget means for Ontarians.  Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest: Star National Columnist Susan Delacourt  Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled his first cabinet. On Tuesday, ministers were sworn in at Rideau Hall to a trimmed down and reorganized cabinet, with 28 full members and 10 second-tier members, known as secretaries of state. Carney's campaign promise was bold change and a post-Trudeau pivot.  Now that the lineup is out, the question is how much of it signals real transformation? Is this a true reset or does it look like a strategic rebrand? The Star's veteran political columnist Susan Delacourt provides insights. Audio source: CTV News Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques  

Guest: Ottawa Bureau Chief Tonda MacCharles  Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to Washington this week was his first face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump since being elected to office. A lot hangs in the balance, at a time when Canada's relationship with its largest trading partner is being put to the test. While Carney made headlines with some bold statements and viral moments with Trump, the real story was the critical test of the Liberals political mandate and Canada's position on trade, tariffs and sovereignty in a rapidly changing global landscape. Toronto Star Ottawa bureau chief Tonda MacCharles was in the room where the diplomatic tight-rope was being walked and, she gives an inside look at what really happened.   Produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Lance McMillan 

Guests: Star reporters Nicholas Keung and Ghada Alsharif During the pandemic, they were called essential. Migrant workers who packed our meat, picked our produce, and kept grocery shelves stocked. In return, many were offered a pathway to permanent residency through a federal pilot program. Now, that door has quietly closed. The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot is being phased out by the federal government. And with it, thousands of low-wage food workers are once again left in Canada's continuing cycle of “permanently temporary” immigration. Why was the program shut down? What does this mean for the people who grow and deliver our food and for Canada's food supply chain with a trade war with the U.S. looming over it all? Two Star immigration and labour reporters break it down.  Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest: Star city hall reporter Mahdis Habibinia After the recent devastating vehicle attack at Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Day festival, Toronto organizers are raising fresh concerns about soaring security costs and the mounting pressure to keep people safe, especially with the city's peak festival season around the corner. Toronto has been grappling with these fears for years, particularly after the 2018 van attack on Yonge Street. Since then, efforts to improve safety and crowd control have been underway but serious challenges remain.We look at whether things have actually improved, what risks still exist, and how rising safety demands are testing the limits of festival organizers and the city itself. Produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon

Guest: Shawn Pegg, Director at Community Living Ontario  A new report by Community Living Ontario exposes a disturbing reality faced by children with disabilities in Ontario schools. Based on interviews with over 500 parents and caregivers, it details how students, some of whom are as young as five, have been locked in rooms, physically restrained, or sent home because schools couldn't meet their needs. Despite nearly $4 billion in annual special education funding, families and advocates say the system is failing the children. The result is a pattern of trauma, fear, and exclusion playing out in classrooms across the province. We talk to Shawn Pegg, the author of the report about the findings and what needs to be done.  Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest:  Ottawa bureau chief Tonda MacCharles  We're heading into the final stretch of a charged federal election campaign that's shaped not just by a critical point in affordability, housing and healthcare but also by global events and Trump's looming shadow. With election results just around the corner, on Monday; the political mood seems restless.The Star's Ottawa bureau chief Tonda MacCharles unpacks the political climate, key turning points shaping this campaign and what might come next as the results roll in.  Produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon

Guest: Toronto Star reporter Alex Boyd   As Canada heads toward a federal election, the online information landscape is getting messier, more manipulated, and harder to recognize in real time. From repurposed Facebook groups to shady digital operations selling conspiracy-laced content and merch, these tactics are designed to grab attention and slowly shift public opinion. We talk about the strange case of the local buy and sell group in Hamilton, that morphed, almost overnight, into a far-right pro-Trump hub.  Produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon

Guest: Toronto Star crime reporter Peter Edwards  It's like a Netflix show in real life. A truck driving off with $24 million in gold and cash, stolen from a hangar outside Pearson International Airport in a crime so smooth it left everyone stunned. Now, two years later the investigation trail spreads across four countries from Canada to the U.S. to Dubai and India. Some of the suspects have fled and it doesn't like they're coming back. Neither is the gold. On its two-year anniversary we unpack what's happened with the infamous Toronto gold heist, the key players and whether there's any hope left for the case.  Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guests: Jack Blum and Sharon Corder, co-founders of National Canadian Film Day Over the past few months, the president of the United States has done more to solidify a sense of Canadian identity than anyone in the past few decades.Suddenly Canadians are examining grocery labels to see what's made here, looking at their investment portfolios to see if their dollars are working here, and an entire election has turned into a celebration of Canadian patriotism. But perhaps nowhere has U.S. domination been bigger than in the entertainment industry — our TV screens and (especially) our movie screens are dominated by Hollywood. National Canadian Film Day this week is a chance to break out of that American mindset, offering 1,800 free screenings of Canadian movies in cinemas, concert theaters, libraries, malls, legion halls and anywhere else people can fit a screen. Founders Jack Blum and Sharon Corder of Reel Canada talk about why they started on a mission to show people great Canadian movies, and why that mission seems especially appropriate at this moment. Plus some highlights of movies being shown Wednesday in and around Toronto, where “I guarantee there's a screening within a few blocks of you, wherever you are.” PLUS: Some picks for the best onscreen moments of Canadian patriotism. This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Ed Keenan & Paulo Marques

Guest: Kate Allen, Toronto Star climate change reporter When the movie Jurassic Park was made in 1993, the technology at the heart of its plot — bringing ancient giant animals back from extinction — was in the same category as time travel and warp drives: science fiction. This week it seems it may be closer to being just plain science. After a company named Colossal Biosciences stunned the world by announcing it had overseen the birth of three dire wolves, a species of oversized white wolf known to fans of Game of Thrones, but one that has been extinct in reality for over 10,000 years. They have plans to bring the woolly mammoth back to the northern tundra, and revive the dodo bird, too. Even before this week's surprise news, executives at the Toronto Zoo have been wrestling with the ethics of “de-extinction” and the mammoth question, and Toronto Star reporter Kate Allen has been reporting on the issues that they and other zookeepers around the world, and conservation experts, see with the sudden application of this technology. Allen joins This Matters to explain just what Colossal is doing and why it chooses pop-culture celebrity “charismatic” species to revive. And she outlines the ethical, technical and practical questions, and the massive amounts of money and scientific expertise, that this startup company has suddenly brought to the field of animal conservation. PLUS: Did they really bring back dire wolves, or are these animals something else entirely?    This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Ed Keenan & Paulo Marques

Guest: Toronto Star senior immigration reporter Nicholas Keung For years, Canada's immigration system was held up as a glowing model on the global stage. But what was once seen as a solution— to labour shortages, economic slowdown and an aging population—is now being blamed for everything from the housing crisis to collapsing healthcare. In today's episode, we try to wade through the numbers, the policies and the politics behind a dramatic shift in how Canadians view immigration and how it went from celebrated to scrutinized.  Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest: Brendan Kennedy, investigative reporter at The Star On Dec. 20, 2023 a guard was assaulted by an inmate at Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton, Ontario. The inmate was then immediately removed from the facility. Two days later, jail guards in full riot gear carried out a violent, mass strip search of 192 inmates – none of whom were involved in the initial incident -- in a coordinated, collective punishment that spanned 48 hours.  A judge has called it a gross display of power, something that should never happen in this country. However, the Ministry of the Solicitor General, who oversees jails across the province, has remained relatively silent on the matter.  The incident has gone on to impact dozens of criminal cases across the province, as inmates seek to have their charges stayed or sentences reduced – and in some cases have received just that, as a recourse for having their Charter Rights violated. Brendan Kennedy, investigative reporter with The Star, originally broke this story last year and has been doggedly trying to obtain security footage of exactly what went down at Maplehurst over the course of those 48 hours and what that tell us about the state of our jails. PLUS: Hear from Rene Pearle, a former Maplehurst inmate who was there on that fateful day This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Sean Pattendon and Paulo Marques.

Guest: Toronto Star reporter Raisa Patel  Liberal candidate Paul Chiang's remarks suggesting a political opponent could be handed over to Chinese authorities for a bounty has fuelled outrage, an RCMP probe and a political firestorm for the Liberals ahead of an election. Initially Liberal leader Mark Carney was seen as supporting him held back from dropping Chiang as a candidate Markham-Unionville. As backlash grew, and pressure mounted, it was Chiang who ultimately stepped down himself. This episode takes a look at how things unfolded and what it reveals about the Liberal leader's decision-making and judgement, just around the corner from a federal election. Audio sources: Global News Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques

Guest: Toronto Star reporter Allan Woods  Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney just had their first call since Carney took office, and by all accounts, it was productive. But also, the fact that this call is making headlines is just another sign of how much Trump and the U.S. will loom over Canada's upcoming election. From Trump's political influence and the spread of disinformation to the idea (his own)  that his presidency actually helped keep the Liberals in power; this election is shaping up to be as much about the U.S. as it is about Canada. Canada has always had to live in America's shadow—but this time, the biggest foreign threat to our democracy isn't Russia or China—it might be our closest ally. Produced by Saba Eitizaz and Paulo Marques