Zoomer Week In Review

After two pandemic seasons, summer festivals are set to resume. One organization - the Shaw Festival - is emerging in much better shape than its peers and it’s because of one very smart decision. Libby Znaimer talked with Executive Director Tim Jennings. AND She started her career in the maternity ward and pivoted to the end of life. Dr. Stephanie Green was one of the first doctors to deliver MAID in Canada and she tells the powerful story in her new book "This is Assisted Dying".

Can the lessons of history help us make sense of the war on Ukraine? What is the impact of a single unexpected figure like Ukrainian President Volodimir Zylenskyy? Libby Znaimer turned to eminent historian Margaret MacMillan, former warden and professor at St. Anthony’s College, University of Oxford. AND It’s well known that Leonard Cohen’s classic “Who By Fire” is based on a Hebrew prayer recited on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Matti Friedman’s book by that name tells the little-known story of Leonard Cohen’s concert tour to the front lines of the Yom Kippur War, In October 1973, when he was—thirty-nine , famous, unhappy, and at a creative dead end. I talked with the author about the iconic poet and singer’s wartime tour of the Sinai desert.

Liana Markunina and Leonid Markunin are among the first Ukranians to arrive in Canada since Russia invaded a month ago. They already had visitors’ visas because they have two sons who live in Toronto. They had been hoping to eventually immigrate here under the family reunification program. Instead they fled their home in Odesa to escape Russian bombing. Libby Znaimer talked with them, through a translator, about their harrowing journey. AND This week, Vladimir Putin’s press secretary reiterated the Russian dictator’s most potent threat - that he may resort to nuclear weapons. Dmitri Peskov’s comment had western defense experts worrying about the true level of threat. We reached Michael Krepon, Co-founder of the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank and author of "Winning and Losing the Nuclear Peace".

Today marks the International Day of Happiness and it’s hard to remember a time when we needed it more. This year’s World Happiness Report says Canada is 15th out of 146 countries in the ranking of places with the happiest people - and there’s a surprising finding on the wellbeing of Zoomers amid the pandemic. Libby Znaimer talked with economist John Helliwell, the editor of the report and an ideaCity alum. AND Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations says Russia’s war on Ukraine is an attack on the world order. Can the U.N. do anything about it? We reached ambassador Bob Rae in between meetings in New York.

This past Friday marked a grim milestone. It’s been two years since the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic. While there’s been no official end to the virus and its variants, the world tries to turn the page on this once in a lifetime pandemic that upended the world. In the same week of the two year anniversary, the global COVID-19 death toll surpassed 6 million. For some perspective on where we’ve been, and what’s ahead, we reached Dr. Susy Hota, Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control at University Health Network. AND It’s National Nutrition Month, an annual campaign to promote healthy food choices and physical activity habits. At the start of the pandemic, worries about food shortages inspired people to get creative in the kitchen, buying flour in bulk to make their own bread. Some went old school and started pickling, leading to a shortage of mason jars. Now two years in, how have our food choices changed? We reached Registered Dietician and Food Advocate Irena

As Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine goes on, many of Ukrainian heritage living around the world are returning to their homeland to defend it. Mark Preston-Horin of Victoria B.C. is one of them. Bob Komsic talked to him as he was finalizing his travel plans. If you’re 50 and older, or have a loved one who is, hopefully you or they have received vaccine shots to prevent Shingles. The number who have is low - only about one-in-four Zoomers. Here to help raise awareness is Dr. Samir Sinha, director of research with the National Institute on Aging at Ryerson University and head of geriatrics at Sinai Health System and University Health Network.

We live in a world of misinformation which is described as any information that turns out to be false. It infiltrates current events ranging from elections, the pandemic, the recent blockades and protests in Canada and now, the war in Ukraine. While it’s not a new phenomenon, gone are the days of getting all of our information from the newspaper. And experts who study this influence of people’s reasoning even after it’s been corrected call it the ‘continued influence effect’. Here to explain is Dr. Maddy Jalbert with The Centre for an Informed Public at the University of Washington AND A trip to the maple sugar bush is a rite of spring for many. And producers are hoping for a sweeter season this year after last spring’s less than ideal weather and the ongoing pandemic created the worst season in half a century. But if weather and daylight conditions are ideal, Purple Woods Conservation Area in Durham Region hopes to produce up to 1,200 litres of the liquid gold. We reached Dan Hope who’s with the Central La

This long weekend, we mark Family Day. It comes as the two-year pandemic has changed our demographics and the structure of our families: more people live alone or in couples and there are fewer households with children. Doug Norris, chief demographer at Environics Analytics says it all flows from the aging of the population. AND There’s always lots of public discussion about immigration. This week the government announced it is increasing the target for the year - looking to welcome 432,000 new immigrants. But what about movement in the opposite direction, when immigrants return to their countries of origin? Kamal Al-Sleyli is the author of Return: Why We Go Back to Where We Come From. Libby Znaimer reached him in Vancouver.

The blockading protests calling themselves the Freedom Convoy have raised millions of dollars in a very short period of time. When GoFundMe froze their funds, sites like GiveSendGo took over. Reports suggest much of that cash is coming from the US and much has been donated anonymously. Who’s behind the money? Christian Leuprecht is a Professor of Political Science at the Royal Military College of Canada and Senior Fellow at the Macdonald Laurier Institute. AND Along with most everything else, the pandemic has curtailed volunteering. Still, philanthropist Salah Bachir found ways to continue raising the funds for St. Joseph’s Health Centre and its new dialysis centre. He is well known in the entertainment industry and and is a long standing supporter of the arts and gay rights activist. He has just been honoured with a June Callwood Outstanding Volunteer Award.

Over half of Canada’s 30,000 deaths from COVID-19 were in long term care homes. Two years in, as hundreds of homes report new outbreaks of the Omicron variant, new draft national standards for the sector have been released that the authors claim would have saved many lives. Advocates say the changes are long overdue. Critics say they don’t go far enough. Dr. Samir Sinha is director of geriatrics at Sinai Health and also on the committee that wrote these proposed new standards. To offer your input, visit longtermcarestandards.ca AND Black Americans have been fighting for reparations tied to slavery for generations. But how close are legislators to making it happen in 2022? Opponents say maybe the time to redress slavery and the discrimination that followed has passed. The issue of reparations are back in the spotlight this month during Black History Month. We reached Dr. Earl Lewis, Founding Director of the Center for Social Solutions and professor of history at the University of Michigan.

When the pandemic began, it seemed that Covid would convince many Canadians to retire early. The science made it clear that the risks increased with age and the demands of moving everything online required a massive shift. But the opposite has happened. The pandemic is making Canadians delay retirement. Fidelity Canada explored the reasons in its most recent report. I talked with Michelle Munro, Director of retirement research. AND This week marked Holocaust remembrance Day and the 77th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. With the numbers of survivors dwindling, and anti-Semitism rising around the world, 92-year-old Max Eisen says telling his story is more important than ever.

A new book details how a cold case team brought modern investigative techniques to a decades-old Holocaust mystery: who betrayed Anne Frank and her family? The project took nearly five years, and used AI in addition to more than 20 people and dozens of consultants. Libby Znaimer talked with Canadian author Rosemary Sullivan about The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation. AND It’s a hypothesis that’s been investigated for years but now for the first time there is compelling evidence that Multiple Sclerosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. It’s a difficult connection because while 95% of us have been infected by Epstein-Barr, MS is a relatively rare inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Libby Znaimer reached Dr. Kassandra Munger, co- author of the paper and director of the Multiple Sclerosis studies at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

Do you still carry a lot of cash and how often do you use it? There’s no question the pandemic has accelerated the move to contactless payment. Our next guest argues that the end of cash is almost here and it will affect us in many ways. Libby Znaimer reached Eswar Prasad, a Cornell professor, an author, and a fellow at the Brookings Institution. AND According to research from the CMHA and the University of British Columbia, the pandemic is taking a big toll on our mental health. The dead of winter is always a difficult time. Margaret Eaton of the CMHA has some coping tips as we approach Blue Monday - on the third week in January - which some say is the saddest day of the year.

On January 6th 2021, the world watched in horror as the United States capitol building was attacked. Since then, over 700 rioters have been charged, many remain in jail, and a commission is tasked with finding the roots of the insurrection and plans to release its final report this summer. Christine Ross spoke with political science professor Dr. Christopher Gelpi to reflect on the one year anniversary of the attempted coup. And Abstaining from alcohol for 31 days this month may not seem like a big sacrifice but health experts say it not only offers immediate benefits, but can be a good test for whether you have a problem. And with more Canadians drinking as the pandemic continues its relentless grip, giving up booze may be harder than ever. Christine Ross spoke with Dr. Peter Selby, who specializes in addictions at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health about Dry January.

Feeling too overwhelmed to make New Year's resolutions as we head into yet another uncertain future amid a pandemic? According to science, making small positive changes in your life may matter more in these times. Exercise ranks among the top resolutions this year as more people vow to lose the pandemic pounds but the best advice is self care and no need to go big. Christine Ross spoke with Dr. Anne Wilson, psychology professor at Wilfrid Laurier University. AND Holiday meal prep and cooking left you burnt out? How about a gourmet tasting meal without all the fuss? You should check out "A Pot, A Pan and A Bowl", the latest cookbook offering from beloved celebrity chef and Emmy award winning TV personality Lidia Bastianich. It contains 100 homey recipes, that require fewer steps and fewer ingredients. But she’s quick to remind us this minimal approach still requires finesse. Lidia joins Christine to ‘dish’ on her new no-fuss recipes.

It’s traditional at this season to forecast trends in business, technology, fashion, design, and even food. One major consulting company says this year there are changes that are more profound that will alter our relationships and how we see ourselves. I talked with Accenture’s Ryan McCRacken. AND How did hostages Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor become innocent pawns in the geopolitical conflict between China and the U.S.? And how did Canada finally manage to secure their release after 1019 days in captivity? Fen Osler Hampson and Mike Blachfield take us behind the scenes in their book “The Two Michaels.” I talked with Mike Blanchfield.

One in four Canadians over 15 lives with this condition and it is notoriously hard to treat. Alan Gordon developed the method called “Pain Reprocessing Therapy” which relies solely on talk therapy. Libby Znaimer reached him in Los Angeles. AND Thousands of people are rethinking holiday plans because of the rampant Omicron variant. Hosts are cutting back, guests are cancelling, and it’s all up in the air. How to decide what to cook? Libby consulted cookbook author and food columnist Lucy Waverman.

She’s probably the most prominent lawyer in Canada and also the most vilified. Defending notorious clients—especially former CBC star Jian Ghomeshi—made Marie Henein a lightning rod and a target for “Cancel Culture.” It also inspired her to write her memoir “Nothing But the truth.” AND The Toronto Board of Health is asking the federal government to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of illegal drugs in the city. It’s just one of the bids to override the law to help tackle the opioid overdose crisis which  has reached record levels.  Libby Znaimer talked with Dr. Leslie Buckley, Chief of the Addictions Division at CAMH, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer death and now there’s a new program that will save lives. Ontario is the first province to start screening people who are at high risk for the disease. Dr. Paul Wheatly Price is an Oncologist, specializing in lung cancer at The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre. Libby Znaimer talked with him about how the program works and who is eligible. AND These days we talk a lot about trauma - but rarely mention its antidote - consolation. Music, painting, literature and religion are all places we have turned to through the ages to find comfort in dark times. That’s the subject of former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff’s latest book: On Consolation.

Mark Schatzker Interview It’s a fascinating new theory on what’s behind the huge increase in  obesity. It turns on the idea that the solution to a different epidemic - 100 years ago - became one of the causes of the obesity epidemic. And it also explains why many Europeans  who eat calorie-rich diets manage to stay thin. I talked with author Mark Schatzker about “The End of Craving - Recovering the Lost Wisdom of Eating Well.”