Podcast appearances and mentions of edward keenan

Guest: Toronto Star columnist Dave Feschuck Between the professional hockey leagues, a new professional soccer league and the new franchise in the professional basketball league, women's sports is flourishing in Toronto. Girls sports too — especially hockey, where enrolment of young girls is single-handedly driving growth in the sport. Today's girls, at the elite level, face future prospects their grandmothers could only have dreamed of, but that also means they face a choice: should they continue to play on teams with boys, in leagues dominated by boys? Or should they take advantage of the many girls leagues Ontario has to offer. Dave Feschuk and Kerry Gillespie recently wrote about that issue for the Star, and Feschuk joins host Edward Keenan (coach of a girls hockey team) to discuss the factors involved in making that choice, including where the strongest competition is, the potential value of playing with body contact, the social dimensions of the sport, and the avenues that exist to national or college teams. PLUS: Special guest Irene Keenan, the host's 16-year-old daughter, talks about her own experience playing alongside boys and in all-girls environments as both a hockey and baseball player. This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Ed Keenan and Paulo Marques.

Guest: Toronto Star Ottawa Bureau Chief Tonda MacCharles Canadians have been bracing themselves for a potential trade war for over a month, and on Tuesday U.S. President Donald Trump actually launched it, imposing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports. And that appears just to be the beginning.  The Star's Tonda MaCharles talks us through the immediate aftermath, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's “remarkable” speech, Canada's retaliatory tariffs and the logic behind them, responses from others including Pierre Poilievre and Doug Ford, and Trump's own speech to the U.S. Congress on the day the trade war was launched. We look at the ways this is likely to impact the Canadian and American economies, and why Trump may be testing the pain threshold of his own citizens and the investors whose opinion he typically so values. And given that the stated reason for imposing the tariffs — illegal drug trafficking — is obviously not true, host Edward Keenan and MacCharles consider what Trudeau said is the larger logic of Trump's aggression: a takeover of Canada. PLUS: Who exactly signed this “terrible” North American trade deal Trump is always complaining about? This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Ed Keenan and Paulo Marques.

Guest: Toronto Star City Hall Bureau Chief Ben Spurr The city, we often hear, is a “creature of the province,” and as such almost all city hall business hangs on the indulgence of the premier. So for Toronto, the stakes in the provincial election would seem to be high. It's not hard to think of specific examples of issues that could turn based on the results, from bike lanes to Ontario Place to safe injection sites, to the ongoing negotiations about the “new deal” financial plan. Even more broadly, the current premier has taken an activist, micro-managing approach to Toronto, and central policies like housing and transit depend on provincial funding. City Hall Bureau Chief Ben Spurr and host Edward Keenan discuss a range of things that could change for Toronto based on this election, and about why you don't hear much in the way of specific talk about the Toronto angle from the leaders in debates.   PLUS: Why Mayor Olivia Chow has been quiet about the campaign, and is unlikely to endorse anyone. This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Paolo Marques and Ed Keenan.

In this 1610th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Toronto Star city columnist Ed Keenan about what's happening in the city of Toronto. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, The Yes We Are Open podcast from Moneris and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at mike@torontomike.com

Guest: The Toronto Star's Richard Warnica, reporting from Washington, DC In this episode, This Matters returns from hiatus with a special episode on the U.S. Election. Knowing all that they know about Donald Trump — after the court convictions and the insurrection and the threats and open bigotry, and after a campaign in which he sometimes seemed increasingly undisciplined — Americans sent him back to the Oval Office. And they voted for him by higher margins than in 2016. The day after the election, the Star's Richard Warnica, who has been reporting on Trump since the 2016 campaign and who travelled the U.S. during this campaign, joins Edward Keenan who covered part of Trump's first term as the Star's Washington Bureau Chief. The two discuss the mood at Kamala Harris' election night party, what Warnica observed about Trump voters, and why Americans might expect a more effective form of authoritarianism from a second Trump term. PLUS: How the Democratic party may have been right about public opinion on abortion access and wrong about how it would affect the presidential results.   

In this 1557th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Toronto Star city columnist Ed Keenan about what's happening in the city of Toronto. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, The Advantaged Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada, The Yes We Are Open podcast from Moneris and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at mike@torontomike.com

Author/Journalist Shawn Micallef talks about moving from Windsor to Toronto in 2000, co-founding Spacing Magazine, morphing from writing for Eye Weekly to the Toronto Star, using psychogeography as the backbone of his first book STROLL, the immense ongoing changes in Toronto that led to his recently revising that book, his thoughts on Toronto Star colleague Edward Keenan/urbanist Richard Florida/Mayor Olivia Chow, and why he believes Toronto is like an infinite onion whose layers simply need to be peeled back!   Shawn's newly revised version of Stroll: Psychogeographic Walking Tours of Toronto is published by Coach House Books and available at https://chbooks.com/Books/S/Stroll-updated-edition Shawn will be appearing live as part of the Toronto International Festival of Authors [TIFA] on September 26 at ‘The Heart of the City: Celebrating Toronto'...full details are at https://festivalofauthors.ca/event/the-heart-of-the-city/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest: Toronto PWHL season ticket holder and superfan Connie Hamers At the inaugural game of Toronto's professional women's hockey team, Connie Hamers had front-row seats, and immediately took a liking to the play of rookie Emma Maltais. By game two, she'd labelled her section “Emma Nation” and began bringing team swag she made (or had made) herself — signs, team roster reference lists, mini-sticks, hockey cards — to games to distribute freely to others sitting around her. She travelled with the team to other cities, founded a social media fan group, and quickly became one of the most well-recognized and liked people in attendance at games. As the team prepares for its first-ever playoffs, she sits down with fellow season ticket holder Edward Keenan to discuss a first-place finish for the team, the astonishing MVP-calibre performance of Natalie Spooner, what she loves about Maltais, why she has put so much time and energy into supporting and helping promote the team, and what she's looking forward to in the playoffs. Plus, Hamers shares how she left her “Emma Nation” mark in places around the U.S. and Canada. What would you like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

In this 1466th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with The Toronto Star's Ed Keenan about what's happening in Toronto. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, The Advantaged Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada, The Yes, We Are Open podcast from Moneris, The Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Team and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at mike@torontomike.com

Guest: Noor Javed, staff reporter When Bonnie Crombie was elected leader of the Ontario Liberals, she left the mayor's chair in Mississauga vacant. That means that for the first time since the 1970s, no one is certain who will lead the city next. An election with real choice comes at an interesting time for a municipality that, fifty years after it was created, has grown into a big city and a big economy, one that the Star's Noor Javed explains is wrestling with questions of what it should become and how it should evolve. We discuss the leading candidates in the byelection coming in June and look at recent polling on the race. This episode was produced by Paolo Marques and Edward Keenan. What would you like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guest: Richard Warnica, Toronto Star feature writer Richard Warnica sees it everywhere – business meetings, the subway, even at his own dinner table – the blank-eyed stare of someone mindlessly scrolling their smartphone. These devices, despite their increasingly documented negative effects on our mental health, have us firmly in their grips, and their utility and ubiquity makes it hard to envision how we'll ever kick the habit. But once upon a time, most of us smoked, too, and virtually everywhere (on planes, trains, at work, in restaurants…). Will we one day look back on this the same way? PLUS: How Warnica deals with it at home by thinking inside the (locked) box. This episode was produced by Paulo Marques, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Edward Keenan.

On Valentine's Day, hours before the Toronto women's hockey team continued its rise in the standings, city council met to debate the mayor's budget. Police got the money they were demanding: was that a good move or bad move by the mayor? And who knew plowing out the end of driveways would be the cause that united everyone? Meanwhile, a tax increase that was for years considered the third rail of Toronto politics seems less electric now that it's done. PLUS: Emma's most controversial architecture opinion. Audio Source: Global News This episode was produced by Paulo Marques, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Emma Teitel and Edward Keenan. What would you like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.  

Guest: Jennifer Pagliaro, staff reporter When the proposed city budgets were announced (first by city staff and later by the mayor), the police chief and the association representing officers went on the offensive, threatening that funding levels would leave them unable to answer emergency calls and protect Torontonians. In the end, the cops got what they were asking for with the cooperation of the mayor, but the Star's Jennifer Pagliaro looked into the claims being made and answers our questions about when a cut is not a cut, what 911 response times mean, and how small a percentage of the total budget was actually up for debate. PLUS: A different way to cut emergency response times to calls about crime.  Audio Sources: CP24 This episode was produced by Edward Keenan, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Sean Pattendon and Paulo Marques. What would you like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guest: Richard Warnica, staff reporter The housing crisis in Toronto, and in Canada, has become the dominant issue for politicians at all levels of government and for voters up and down the income spectrum. Star reporter Richard Warnica took a deep dive into the many facets of the issue, from the lack of public housing and the shortage of rentals to zoning and development delays, NIMBY objections to multiplexes, and construction that can't keep up with population growth. Experts told him we need to do a lot of things, all at once, to make things better and that might mean changing our ideas of how we build housing, and where, and what kind. Plus: The one weird trick from Sweden's history we should look at. This episode was produced by Edward Keenan, JP Fozo, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Paulo Marques. What would you like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Mayor Olivia Chow's version of the city budget was released this week, and one of us was there in person at the Scarborough Town Centre to hear about it. The tax rate's a bit lower, the feds came through with some money, the police still didn't get as much as they want. So what do we think? And what's left to fight about? Also, some jerk disrupted a women and trans shinny game in a Toronto park, something Emma says she's experienced as a disturbing trend this year. And one of us explains why we're lamenting the loss of diners and doughnut shops as essential hangout spots he thinks are essential to decent city life. Plus, what has four thumbs and isn't a big fan of raccoons? Our entire panel, that's what. Audio Sources: CP24, Global, Columbia This episode was produced by Paulo Marques, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Emma Teitel and Edward Keenan. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

The city budget moves from committee to mayor's office, though tax rates, federal funding commitments and other big questions are still in flux. Ed and Emma met with Budget Chief Shelley Carroll this week to discuss, and share some of her thoughts, alongside some of their own. And while Ed was recently sounding the alarm on a toboggan ban in Toronto, Emma is not so sure there's all that much to be alarmed about. Maybe a bigger issue is how much time kids spend on phones (including in classrooms), rather than out taking risks and learning about the world? PLUS: Toronto women's hockey tickets are sold right out, but there's a chance for lots of those left out to see a game in person coming up. This episode was produced by Paulo Marques, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Emma Teitel and Edward Keenan. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guest: Robert Benzie, Queen's Park Bureau Chief  Yet another wrinkle emerged in the Greenbelt scandal with the revelation of an email showing the Premier's office might have been engaged with the matter earlier than it has previously said (under oath, even). Is this a big “net new” deal, or a nothingburger? Is it significant that this government can't seem to read a calendar or that personal emails were used here? On another front from Queen's Park, elected officials haven't had a raise since 2008. Some of them are quietly grumbling about it even though there is little prospect it's going to change any time soon. As well, what people call you if your last name sounds like a nickname or if you share a name with a beloved talking barnyard animal, plus a brief but fond farewell to a Hollywood giant who was an east-end Toronto kid. This podcast was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Paulo Marques and Edward Keenan. What would you like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guest: Toronto Star reporter Richard Warnica, reporting from the U.S. Amid criminal trials, civil convictions, and courts ruling him ineligible to serve again, Donald Trump remains the dominant force in American politics, as shown again with a landslide victory in the Iowa caucuses that kick off the presidential nominating contest. The Star's Richard Warnica is on the scene, and talks to host Edward Keenan about the cartoonish former president's enduring appeal to his supporters, the prospects for his opponents and what has remained the same or changes from his earlier political life. This podcast was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Paulo Marques and Edward Keenan. Audio sources: NBC and Global News What would you like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.  

He's still waiting for the Guinness people to certify it, but former advertising executive (and long-ago Toronto punk musician) Ben Pobjoy believes he's set a record for walking the most “freestyle marathons” in one year, with a 2023 globe-strolling pace of almost five per week. That amounts to a distance longer than the circumference of the moon, on a journey that took him to five continents and 70 countries. He talks about what he saw and learned on his grand adventure, the best and worst days of the trip, and what he noticed most about Toronto when he came home. This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Paulo Marques and Edward Keenan. What would you like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Voters seemed to want change when they voted for Olivia Chow to run Toronto, and a property tax increase of as much as 16.5 per cent certainly is a break from the past. Edward Keenan and Emma Teitel discuss how the city got here, whether a double-digit increase is justified, how people are likely to react and what the key for Chow is if it is going to be accepted. They also talk about a wave of antisemitic and Islamophobic crimes in Toronto and how officials here ought to react to them. Plus, a public square by any other name just isn't as popular. This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Paulo Marques, Emma Teitel and Edward Keenan.

Guest: Kevin McGran, hockey reporter The Toronto Maple Leafs signed star forward William Nylander to a record-setting $92-million, eight-year contract, a monster deal amid what has been a monster season for the winger. At a time when every sports fan is expected to be a salary cap expert, can any of us just be happy that we get to watch one of the most talented and entertaining teams to play around here in decades? Nylander's had "just like us" moments, like his riding the subway to work and, like many in Toronto, finding a home here after moving all around the world. "Uncle Kevin" also shares some early notes about Ilya Samsonov returning to the ice with the Leafs and making sense of the goalie situation. This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Paulo Marques and Edward Keenan. What would you like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

The city is hyped for the sold-out inaugural season of Toronto's new professional women's hockey team, and so are hosts Ed Keenan and Emma Teitel. They also turn their attention to city hall, talking over increased photo radar enforcement, the mayor's rush to get things done, the threat of cybercrime and the city budget process kicking into high gear in the coming week. Plus: why shootings have gone down in Toronto and whether Trudeau's government should be taking credit. This episode was produced by Paolo Marques, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Edward Keenan. Audio Sources: CTV, CBC

In this 1404th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with The Toronto Star's Ed Keenan about what's happening in Toronto. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, The Advantaged Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada and Electronic Products Recycling Association.

For years, you may have heard the whispers about Santa Claus. Some say he's a big hoax, an inside job. When you look at the evidence, it may seem these skeptics have a point questioning the flying sleigh and magical reindeer. But then you start to consider just how many people would have to be in on this thing to keep it secret, and wonder why they would do that. Is it possible that behind Santa Claus there's a truth even bigger than the facts? This podcast is adapted from my 2017 column “Unearthing the truth about Santa.” This episode was produced by Paolo Marques, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Edward Keenan. Star readers help the magic of Christmas reach children across the GTA with the Santa Claus Fund. You too can help create joyful Christmas memories that will last a lifetime. So, please, donate what you can.   The Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund GOAL: $1.5 million How to donate Online: To donate by Visa, Mastercard or Amex use our secure form at https://www.thestar.com/scf By cheque: Mail to The Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund, 8 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON M5V 0S8 By phone: Call 647-250-8282 Tax receipts will be issued. Follow us on social Instagram: @torontostarchildrenscharities Facebook: @thetorontostarchildrenscharities X: @TStarCharities LinkedIn:  #StarSantaClausFund　

Guest: Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow At the start of 2023, Olivia Chow was retired from politics and teaching university students but a shock to Toronto's political system brought her back to the front pages and into the mayor's office. She reflects on the year that was, including her campaign, her unexpected partnership with Premier Doug Ford, the city's budget struggles, her response to those who wish she was a bit less of a compromiser than she's been and her plans for 2024, including trying to find ways to create more spaces for community to form, meet and develop. This episode was produced by Paolo Marques, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Edward Keenan. What you would like to hear on Toronto Star podcasts? Let us know in this survey and you can enter to win a $100 gift card.

Guest: Emma Teitel, columnist Columnist Emma Teitel joins again for a Toronto politics chat after an extended absence with lots of fresh news to talk about, including the election of a new councillor to replace Gary Crawford in Scarborough. It was a race that will affect council's ideological composition, with a winner who wants to emphasize transit and child care. Meanwhile, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced a new financial deal for Toronto. We get into the nuts and bolts of it, what it means, what it doesn't and evaluate the trade-offs for the city. Produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Paulo Marques and Edward Keenan

Guests: Matt Elliott and Shawn Micallef, contributing columnists So much has been happening in Toronto this week. As encampments are cleared, the mayor and the federal government are fighting over shelter and housing dollars and the city is cancelling plans for public washrooms even as it opens all of its ice rinks. Joined by Shawn Micallef, Matt Elliott issues his first look at how Mayor Olivia Chow's council support has lined up in her first months (and the dynamic duo of consistent oppositions to her). Plus, a little sliver of good news for GTA transit riders. This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Edward Keenan and Paolo Marques. Audio Sources: CP24

Guest: Toronto Star reporter Kerry Gillespie The interview today is timed to run 17 minutes and 28 seconds, the exact length of Stouffville 12-year-old Sawyer Nicholson's world-record-breaking 5-kilometer run. So listeners are invited to jog along as they listen and see how their own progress stacks up. Star reporter Kerry Gillespie talks about the tiny running phenomenon, and how she took up running as training for another sport, how she developed, and the blowback her family has gotten online as a result. And Sawyer herself checks in with us from checkpoints on her own 5K training run. PLUS: the world-record holder's pump-up playlist. This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Edward Keenan and Sean Pattendon.

Guests: Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow In our series, The Kids Aren't All Right, the Star has been highlighting the many ways in which children are struggling in Toronto. Mayor Olivia Chow talks about why she thinks a lot of these areas stem from housing affordability, and about her plan to try to break the logjam on that file. She also discusses her history of advocating for children at the city, and what inspired it, and gives some concrete steps she plans to take in the next year or two to try to make things easier for families and children. This episode was produced by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Edward Keenan and Sean Pattendon. Edward Keenan is a Toronto-based city columnist for the Star. Reach him via email: ekeenan@thestar.ca

Guest: Jennifer Pagliaro, crime reporter Many parents across Toronto struggle to balance keeping their kids safe and letting them develop a sense of independence. In a city where crime concerns are rising and rising faster for younger people, some weigh on that balance more than others. In one family, their son was shot before he was two years old. For the Star's “The Kids Aren't All Right” series, reporter Jennifer Pagliaro looked at life after a shooting and what could work to prevent others from suffering the same tragedy. This episode was produced by Paolo Marques, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Edward Keenan.

Guest: Amy Dempsey, series editor In many different aspects of life, kids in Toronto are struggling right now. Housing is unaffordable, educational supports are lacking, surgical wait times are long and the social safety net is frayed. Amy Dempsey is editor of the series “The Kids Aren't All Right,” which looks at the varied and interconnected ways we're letting down the next generation and what we might start doing to fix it. This episode was produced by Sean Pattendon, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Edward Keenan.

Guests: David Rider and Ben Spurr Since her election in June, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has begun the work she was elected to do — building relationships with councillors and the premier, trying to kick start affordable housing and working to fix the city's budget hole. David Rider, city hall bureau chief, and Ben Spurr, reporter, have talked to her allies, opponents and city experts to evaluate how far she's come, how much further she has to go and potential political landmines in the coming mayoral schedule. This episode was produced by Sean Pattendon, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Edward Keenan.

Guest: Amy Laski, founder of the Tween Girls Hockey League The city's policy for allocating recreational permits for sports facilities favours tradition. Long-term permit holders get renewed year after year. That's great for building up those leagues, but leaves any newcomers, including those trying to serve girls and others who feel left out of the existing sports culture, scrambling to try to find a way in. Hockey mom and league founder Amy Laski outlines her struggle to get the city to accommodate her league and fix the policies that led to it. This episode was produced by Sean Pattendon, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Edward Keenan.

Guest: Amy Dempsey, feature writer Less than a century ago, a single raccoon raiding a garbage bin was front-page news in Toronto, while today the trash pandas are everywhere. Feature writer Amy Dempsey, who documented how the creatures outsmarted the city's waste-bin engineers, takes a closer look at our love-hate relationships with these animals, the city's frustrated attempts to control them and how and why they've made themselves at home in Toronto (and invited themselves to join Amy's wedding). This episode was produced by Paulo Marques, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Edward Keenan. Audio Sources: CBC, Toronto Star

Hosts: Toronto Star columnists Edward Keenan and Emma Teitel In this episode: The week that was in Toronto and beyond: Including questions about whether the Eglinton Crosstown will be built in any of our lifetimes (and whether they'll let us know if it is), the fallout from the celebration of a Nazi soldier that ruined what should have been a good and meaningful day for the federal government, Olivia Chow's measures of progress in Ottawa and at Queen's Park, and Emma Teitel's theory about why we're destined to always hate Yonge-Dundas Square. This episode was produced by Sean Pattendon, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, Emma Teitel and Ed Keenan.

Guests: Martin Regg Cohn, Queen's Park columnist In this episode, columnist Martin Regg Cohn joins to tackle the avalanche of news coming from Queen's Park including Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow's visit (and common ground with the premier), the debate for Liberal party leadership hopefuls and Premier Doug Ford reversing his earlier reversal on Greenbelt protections. All of that, plus what you can learn in the bleachers at a youth sports game. This episode was produced by Edward Keenan, Sean Pattendon and Julia De Laurentiis Johnston. Audio Sources: YouTube and The Dais at TMU

Guest: Mark Maloney, author Mark Maloney is the author of the book “Toronto Mayors,” which profiles all 65 people who've held the city's top job. He joins “This Matters” to talk about the rogues gallery of scandalous scoundrels in our past, share who he considers the Mount Rushmore of best (and most beloved) mayors and give his thoughts on the city's recurring state of explosive growth and underfunded infrastructure. This episode was produced by Edward Keenan, Paolo Marques and Julia De Laurentiis Johnston.

Guests: Edward Keenan and Emma Teitel, columnists Mayor Olivia Chow spoke with John Baird, the former federal minister of foreign affairs, and they agreed Toronto needs a new deal. So far the federal government hasn't played along, but maybe a scandal plagued Premier Doug Ford could be convinced to play along? Keenan and Teitel also discuss the Conservative party's indulgence of anti-woke pandering, the late arrival of cellular service on the TTC, the late departure of the prime minister from a foreign meeting and other assorted news that caught their attention through the week. This episode was produced by Edward Keenan, Emma Teitel, Sean Pattendon and Brian Bradley. Audio Sources: CHCH News, CTV News, Empire Club of Canada

Guest: Katie Daubs, senior writer At a time when reports of dog bites and complaints about dog behaviour are on the rise, a motion at city council will review rules for dog off-leash areas. Senior writer Katie Daubs has looked at the bitter fights and challenges of enforcing rules about beloved city pets, and she joins “This Matters” to talk about the lack of resources (and the culture of disobedience) around the issue in Toronto. This episode was produced by Edward Keenan, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Paulo Marques.

Guests: Edward Keenan and Emma Teitel, columnists In this episode, hosts Edward Keenan and Emma Teitel discuss the fiasco “inside a clown show wrapped in a dumpster fire” that is the Premier Doug Ford Greenbelt scandal, Toronto city council talks on new taxes and new public housing, how the education minister's lose talk could lead to kids becoming homeless and other assorted news that caught Ed's and Emma's attention through the first week after the summer vacation. This episode was produced by Edward Keenan, Emma Teitel, Crawford Blair and Julia De Laurentiis Johnston.

Guest: Edward Keenan and Emma Teitel, columnists Mayor Olivia Chow's executive committee met this week for the first time to tackle new tax and revenue options and get something started on affordable housing. The only question is whether the provincial and federal governments will join them. Plus: the Ontario Place spa redesign, the final closure of the Scarborough RT and the thrilling siren song of the Polar Express (and the images painted on it). This episode was produced by Edward Keenan, Sean Pattendon and Julia De Laurentiis Johnston. Audio Sources: @kissingbanditt/YouTube

Guests: Todd Irvine, arborist and founder of City Forest When a woman was killed by a falling tree branch in Trinity Bellwoods park recently, it struck many as an unforseeable freak accident. But the danger was foreseen by at least one man, and his warnings went unheeded as the Star reported this week. Arborist Todd Irvine has also been warning the city that its maintenance of trees is often making them more dangerous, and joins host Edward Keenan to explain how and why the city needs to improve how its treats the urban forest. Read the related column here. This episode was produced by Ed Keendan, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Sean Pattendon.

In this 1287th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with The Toronto Star's Edward Keenan about the recent election, the proposed Torstar - Postmedia merger, Facebook and Google removing Canadian news, drinking in parks, and so much more. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, The Moment Lab, Ridley Funeral Home and Electronic Products Recycling Association.

Guests: The Toronto Star All-Star Opinionator Panel, featuring columnists Emma Teitel, Shawn Micallef, Matt Elliott and guest host Edward Keenan Now that the election is done, our panel of columnists gathers one last time to assess what the heck happened and discuss Olivia Chow's mandate, what her winning Scarborough means, what Ontario Premier Doug Ford (and others) lost by going against her and the hard work that lies ahead. This episode was produced by Paolo Marques and Edward Keenan.

Guests: Toronto Star columnists and guest hosts Emma Teitel and Edward Keenan When Olivia Chow won the mayoral election Monday night, she ended 12 years of Conservative rule at city hall, bringing a message of hope, harnessing hunger for change and riding a bicycle festooned with flowers. Ed and Emma recap how she won the election, discuss Ana Bailão's last-minute surge, discuss the performance and prospects of some of the other candidates, and try to assess the difficulty Chow faces now that she's taking office. This episode was produced by Paolo Marques and Edward Keenan

Guests: Denise Balkissoon, Ontario Bureau Chief for The Narwhal, speaks with guest host Edward Keenan In the final weeks of the mayoral election campaign, journalist Denise Balkissoon wrote a piece for The Local looking at the environmental platforms of the major mayoral candidates and mostly found them wanting. She joins Edward Keenan to walk through the promises and approaches of front-runners including Olivia Chow, Mark Saunders, Josh Matlow and Mitzie Hunter, and talks about a sense of resignation not just about the issue but about quality of life in Toronto. This episode was produced by Ed Keenan and Sean Pattendon.

Toronto Star columnists Emma Teitel and Edward Keenan co-host this episode of “This Matters” to discuss how Ana Bailão, Brad Bradford, Olivia Chow, Mitzie Hunter, Josh Matlow and Mark Saunders performed at the Toronto Star-United Way sponsored debate at the Ted Rogers School of Management, a part of Toronto Metropolitan University. It was moderated by Keenan and held May 31. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Edward Keenan, Emma Teitel. Audio source: CP24

Guests: Scott Reid, advisor to former prime minister Paul Martin and political analyst with CTV, speaks with guest host Edward Keenan Exactly 21 years ago, Scott Reid's boss, then Finance Minister Paul Martin, delivered a speech on the need to give cities a new source of revenue. It was regarded as the new deal for cities, and a speech Reid recalls led to Martin's departure from Jean Chrétien's cabinet. Now all these years later, as Reid and guest host Edward Keenan agree, Toronto needs to demand a new deal that acknowledges Toronto is different than any other city in Canada. Reid, a “lifelong political hack,” talks through how mayoral candidates should approach it as a campaign issue to win a mandate and how it might work out in practice to create leverage if anyone won the election on that message. Audio source: CSPAN, Canadian Question Period, June 3, 2002

Guest: Mark Richardson, technical lead for HousingNowTO According to polls and the platforms, housing affordability is THE big issue in this mayoral election campaign, especially as the city's Housing Now program has failed to get shovels in the ground (or people in apartments). Mark Richardson's citizen-led HousingNowTO organization has monitored the problems and progress all along, and has been taking all the major mayoral candidates on walking tours of proposed sites to show what's holding things up and what potential is out there. He joins guest host Edward Keenan to outline what all the major candidates are proposing to build on city land (so far) and how. This episode was produced by Paulo Marques and Edward Keenan.

Guests: The Toronto Star All-Star Opinionator Panel, featuring columnists Emma Teitel, Shawn Micallef, Matt Elliott and host Edward Keenan After a snooze of an election in October, Toronto thought it was in for four more years of John Tory's bland inevitability. One career-ending political scandal later, the city has been thrust back into a wide-open campaign for the top job at city hall, one that's drawn more than 50 contenders with no clear front-runner. With a handful of names that jump to the top of the list and a few key issues that appear likely to dominate people's attention, it is conceivable that the weakest election mandate in Toronto history could give us the most powerful mayor we've ever had. This episode was produced by Edward Keenan, Crawford Blair and JP Fozo.

In this 1233rd episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike crashes the 640 Toronto party at the GLB Brewpub. Guests include Anthony Farnell, Troy Burtch, Fabian Skidmore, Alan Carter, Jason Chapman, Corey Manuel, Dan Speerin, Pina Crispo, Patrick Malkin, Kelly Cutrara, Rob Johnston, Edward Keenan, Rebecca Cuneo Keenan, Vince Tedesco, Dani Stover, Greg Brady, Rachel Brady, Alex Pierson, and David Bradley. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, the Yes We Are Open podcast from Moneris, The Moment Lab, Ridley Funeral Home and Electronic Products Recycling Association.

In this 1232nd episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with The Toronto Star's Ed Keenan about what's making waves in Toronto. So much has happened! Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, the Yes We Are Open podcast from Moneris, The Moment Lab, Ridley Funeral Home and Electronic Products Recycling Association.

Toronto Mayor John Tory resigned on Friday, after news that he had a months-long relationship with a former member of his staff. We talk to Edward Keenan, a city columnist at the Toronto Star.

In this 1148th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike catches up with The Toronto Star's Edward Keenan who talks about his time in the USA and why he returned. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Yes, We Are Open, The Advantaged Investor, Canna Cabana, StickerYou, Ridley Funeral Home and Electronic Products Recycling Association.

The Toronto Star's City Columnist Edward Keenan talks about innocently attempting to walk behind the President's desk in the Oval Office [spoiler: don't do it!], Mayor Tory's debate frequency strategy [down from 50 to 2!], how the upcoming municipal election is his Super Bowl, the Globe's Marcus Gee as a ‘fond acquaintance,' his South Riverdale days & Degrassi connections, morphing from an intern to a staff writer at Eye Weekly/The Grid, following in the footsteps of Daniel Dale in Washington, and contrasting his experiences living in DC/USA with living in his beloved Toronto/Canada! TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum. TORONTO LEGENDS is powered by the Henderson Brewing Company. a locally-owned, award-winning neighbourhood brewery that celebrates Toronto's stories and culture...just like this podcast! You can try this month's limited edition beer “Amelia Red Hefeweizen” [inspired by Amelia Earhart] at their taproom & retail store at 128A Sterling Road along the West Toronto rail path, or order now at HendersonBrewing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest: Edward Keenan, Toronto Star journalist Edward Keenan was the Star's Washington bureau chief from 2019 until just a few weeks ago. Over his brief tenure, he witnessed two impeachment trials, the COVID-19 pandemic, the largest mass street movement in the form of Black Lives Matter, a disputed election, an unprecedented insurrection attempt at the Capitol and the overturning of Roe v Wade. He's back home in Toronto now and talks to “This Matters” about his experience and impression through one of the most surreal and turbulent times in the country's history. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Brian Bradley and Matthew Hearn.

Episode 212 of the Sports Media Podcast features Edward Keenan, the Washington Bureau Chief  of The Toronto Star and former local and political columnist in Toronto. In this podcast, Keenan discusses covering the United States from a foreign perspective; how he landed a job; covering America at one of its most fraught times; how he decides on stories; traveling to Uvalde, Texas and reporting from that tragedy; how he views repeated mass shootings in America; the professional wrestling and political entertainment element on American politics; straddling opinion and reporting; how much longer he wants to cover the beat and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Greg talks with Canadian music icon, Tom Cochrane (12:07), Toronto Star Columnist and Washington Bureau Chief. Edward Keenan about the Buffalo massacre (25:30) and Global News Chief Meteorologist, Anthony Farnell about the long weekend weather (35:12). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greg talks with Canadian music icon, Tom Cochrane (12:07), Toronto Star Columnist and Washington Bureau Chief. Edward Keenan about the Buffalo massacre (25:30) and Global News Chief Meteorologist, Anthony Farnell about the long weekend weather (35:12).

Guest: Edward Keenan, Washington Bureau Chief Protests erupted in Washington D.C. Monday night after a draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito leaked to Politico suggested the country's highest court might be poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, the almost fifty-year-old landmark ruling that gave women the constitutional right to abortion. The document – which was circulated among Supreme Court justices and supported by Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, among others – is creating shock waves and could change the very shape of America's socio-political landscape for decades to come. Edward Keenan, The Star's Washington Bureau Chief, explains. This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Alexis Green, Brian Bradley and Matthew Hearn

Join us for a short bonus episode about an 1861 parricide! Enjoy! 

More and more businesses are supporting only the unvaccinated. Toronto Star reporter Edward Keenan speaks with Alan about what is happening in the US.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest: Edward Keenan, The Star’s Washington Bureau Chief. New York, America’s biggest city, officially reopened this week after a year of devastation, grief and loss as one of the worst hit cities by the COVID pandemic. Edward Keenan, The Star’s Washington Bureau Chief, was in the Big Apple to capture all the post-lockdown joy and he joins “This Matters” to tell us about what their post-pandemic world is like and whether Canadians can hope to see the same happening in their near future.

On his first day in office, Joe Biden signed 17 executive actions relating to protections against deportations of immigrant children, the Paris climate accord and a new leader in COVID response. Edward Keenan, Toronto Star’s Washington bureau chief, talks to “This Matters” host Adrian Cheung about the final days of the Trump presidency, what to expect from Biden and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in their first 100 days and what the Canada-U.S. relationship looks like now. If you would like to support the journalism of the Toronto Star, you can subscribe at thestar.com/subscribingmatters.

In the wake of the insurrection at the Capitol building, Donald Trump’s second impeachment and Joe Biden’s upcoming inauguration, eyes are on the U.S. capital. As the end of Trump’s term comes a close, Toronto Star Washington Bureau Chief Edward Keenan sat down with his predecessor Daniel Dale, now a reporter at CNN, to discuss the current state of U.S. politics and just what it’s been like to cover Trump for the last six years. In a wide-ranging interview, they discuss the storming of the Capitol, the second impeachment, how Dale began his fact checking journey, the parallels of covering Rob Ford in Toronto, the most dangerous lies Trump has told and what’s next for the incoming Biden administration. If you would like to support the journalism of the Toronto Star, you can subscribe at thestar.com/subscribingmatters.

On the day the U.S. Congress voted to certify the ballots confirming Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States, a pro-Trump mob stormed into the U.S. Capitol threatening to upend the results of the election. Edward Keenan, Toronto Star’s Washington bureau chief, joins “This Matters” to talk about what he saw unfold at the insurrection and how it shook American democracy.

Edward Keenan, Toronto Star’s Washington bureau chief, returns to ‘This Matters’ to talk about the election win, the fallout for the US and what a Biden presidency means for the Canada-US relationship, for the next four years.

Joe Biden told his supporters, “it ain’t over until every vote is counted.” But incumbent Donald Trump falsely claimed he won the election and with no evidence, claimed electoral fraud was afoot. In a year like no other, an election like no other, in a haze of disinformation and bogus claims, ‘This Matters’ parses through the facts of the US election. Edward Keenan, Toronto Star’s Washington bureau chief, joins Adrian Cheung to break down what we know after election night, what we’re still waiting to find out, the fallibility of the polls, and what Canadians should make of an election they have no hand in.

For Donald Trump, sewing confusion and chaos is part of the plan. As the election nears, the question is if this will work, and if he wins, what that could mean for Canada's future in the world. Edward Keenan is the Star's Washington Bureau Chief and he joins This Matters to discuss.

The environmental protections (or lack of) that are proposed and acted on by the next U.S. president will have serious consequences for Canada and the rest of the world. Edward Keenan, Toronto Star’s Washington bureau chief, talks to Adrian Cheung about how the two presidential candidates view the threat of climate change, their promises on renewable energy and what it all means for Canada.

Edward Keenan, Toronto Star’s Washington bureau chief, talks to Adrian Cheung about the state of the Canada/U.S. economic relationship. Together they parse through the promises and policies to figure out if Trump or Biden is better for the Canadian economy.

Edward Keenan, The Star’s Washington Bureau Chief, joins This Matters to discuss the upcoming U.S. election — in particular the view from up here and what Canadians are looking and hoping for after the big day in November.

Edward Keenan, the Toronto Star’s Washington bureau chief, talks to Adrian Cheung on the Canada/US border issue, what the timeline of reopening could look like, and how the US — through the policies of its administration — is isolating itself from the rest of the world.

On the streets of Washington, The Star’s Edward Keenan provides analysis on the extremes of the protests as well as the signs of everyday life unfolding around him, as well as seeing democracy in action. To give us a dispatch from Trump’s DC, the Star’s Washington Bureau Chief shares what’s he seen and checks the moods of a divided America. It has been a week of protests and rage in the United States, as civil unrest takes over major cities over the case of George Floyd, a black man whose killing by police officers was captured on video. Since then there have been protests in over 40 U.S. Cities, many peaceful, but instances of violence and looting, with curfews enacted in several jurisdictions. Washington, D.C., has seen its share of both, including at the White House, where President Trump has denounced the violent protests as “domestic terrorism.” Trump’s approval ratings had already taken a hit from his heavily criticized approach to handling the COVID-19 pandemic, but now there are those that feel he has embraced authoritarian tactics, especially after having authorities violently disperse a peaceful protest so he could take a photo op.

Edward Keenan is a columnist for the Toronto Star and writes about Toronto and city politics.

How upset would you be if a budget food store opened in your hood, did Blue Jay Pillar cross the line with the f word, how much is too much for a big shot wedding and more.

Mike chats with Toronto Star journalist Edward Keenan about what's making waves in Toronto this summer.

Mike chats with Toronto Star columnist Edward Keenan about his years writing for Eye Weekly, The Grid and The Toronto Star, Rob Ford, the Stockyards, his Newstalk 1010 radio show, @Norm on Twitter and more.

Edward Keenan is a senior editor at the Grid, a columnist at Spacing, and a lifelong resident of Toronto, Ontario. He has been writing about the city’s political and cultural landscape for over 10 years and has been nominated for prestigious writing awards. His new book is called Some Great Idea – Good Neighbourhoods, Crazy […]

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: Christie Blatchford, Kevin Donovan and Lisa Taylor In Conversation with Edward Keenan On Beyond the Headlines: Have the Media Treated Mayor Ford Fairly A video that allegedly shows the Mayor of Canada's largest city smoking crack cocaine has generated headlines around the world. News of the video, which was not produced by the journalists, has also raised questions, some of them for the first time in Canada, on the way in which journalists gather and report on people and events. A panel will look beyond the headlines of this watershed moment to discuss the media's treatment of Mayor Ford, who has not acknowledged the allegations, and the broader implications for society. Christie Blatchford has written for all four Toronto based newspapers. She has won a National Newspaper Award for column writing and in 2008 won the Governor General's Literary Award in non fiction for her book Fifteen Days: Stories of Bravery, Friendship, Life and Death from Inside the New Canadian Army Christie is currently the National Post and Postmedia columnist. Kevin Donovan is the Investigative Editor at the Toronto Star and a senior reporter. He has won the Michener Award for Public Service Journalism, three National Newspaper Awards and three Canadian Association of Journalists Awards. He is the author of ORNGE: The Star Investigation Broke the Story. Edward Keenan serves as senior editor and lead columnist at The Grid magazine in Toronto. An eight time finalist at the National Magazine Awards, he was the top editor at Eye Weekly, is a contributing editor at Spacing magazine and writes widely on politics, sports and culture. Lisa Taylor, LLM, teaches at the School of Journalism, Ryerson University. Lisa spent a decade with CBC Radio and Television in a wide range of journalistic roles, including a co creator and host of two nationally broadcast series. Among other courses, Lisa, a former lawyer, teaches Law and Ethics in the Practice of Journalism. Moderator: Edward Keenan, Senior Editor and Lead Columnist at The Grid magazine Speakers: Christie Blatchford, Columnist, National Post and Postmedia Network Inc Kevin Donovan, Investigative Editor and Senior Reporter, Toronto Star Lisa Taylor, LLM, Associate Professor, School of Journalism, Ryerson University *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*