Beyond The Headlines Ciut 89.5 Fm

  More than 80% of people living in urban areas are exposed to poor air quality levels that exceed the safe World Health Organization (WHO) Standards.  A declining air quality is associated with a host of health problems, including risk of stroke, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, allergies and asthma. It is also linked to approximately […]

On Thursday, December 14th 2017 the United States Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal Net Neutrality regulations originally implemented by the Obama administration. What is the importance of Net Neutrality in the Canadian context? What is the broader issue at play here? And how do we uphold the affordability and openness of the internet, while […]

The Ford+SPPG Conference is a collaborative student-led case competition held between the University of Toronto’s School of Public Policy and Governance, and the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Both schools meet for a full-day case competition to pitch a policy proposal about a looming issue affecting both Canada and the […]

This is the fourth episode of the BTH Insight Series, where we examine various policy topics within the hour. Topics discussed include the Rohingya crisis with Jonah Kotzer interviewing former Ontario premier Bob Rae, and Tony Yin on immigration policy with University of Toronto Associate Professor Phil Triadafilopoulos. The Rohingya Crisis in Myanmar Bob Rae was theContinue reading "BTH Insight Series Ep. 4: The Rohingya Crisis and Immigration Policy in Western Liberal Democracies"

The creation of public policy is more than fleshing out content within a policy but also about how it is distributed and understood by the public. Communication can emphasize or inform how the public perceives policy initiatives as well as informing the overall identity of an organization or government. Beyond informing the public about policies, […]

Beyond the Headlines is produced through the School of Public Policy and Governance (SPPG)  which allows us to engage deeply with policy professionals through panels, case competitions, and special guest talks. This episode goes in depth to explore the SPPG events and the insights from our distinguished guests. Today we will hear from George Smitherman, […]

In June of 2016, nearly 47 million UK citizens voted in a nationwide referendum to leave the European Union. With a 52% majority vote, the UK opted to be the first Member to leave the world’s largest and only political and economic union, and subsequently restore sovereignty. Prime Minister David Cameron, resigned shortly thereafter. TheContinue reading "The Economic Impact of Brexit"

On this episode of BTH we will be comparing social welfare policy between a few select Latin American countries to that of the North American model, specifically Canada. We will look at how their alternative welfare distribution methods relate to the broader discussion of reducing poverty, domestic politics, reducing regional disparity within indigenous communities, and […]

A central role of government revolves around the allocation of resources. This includes  raising or lowering taxes, deciding which programs to allocate funding to and determining how much of the fiscal pie to give to each program. The nuances of fiscal policy often get lost in the fray.  How can governments ensure that programs Canadians […]

Since entering office in 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has successfully followed through on many of his campaign promises. He made gender identity a prohibited ground of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act, he rolled out a universal child care benefit to better support the needs of Canadian families, he put a price on […]

The assumption within the standard or mainstream economics, that individuals act to maximize their long-term best interest, have stable preferences, and are consistent rational actors has served as a useful benchmark for predicting behavior. This model of human behavior has influenced the design of public policy.  Yet, these traditional economic incentives sometimes prove ineffective. The […]

  This is the third episode of the BTH Insight Series, where we examine various policy topics within the hour. Topics discussed include energy governance, elections and not-for-profits and their role in their social procurement. United Way Social Procurement As the largest non-governmental supporter of social services in the region, United Way Toronto & York Region has […]

  The holiday season can be a period of warmth for friends and family: the images of chestnuts roasting around the fireplace; the gift-giving rituals to loved ones in our lives; the celebratory end to another year as we set new goals for us to reach in the upcoming one. However, for others in Canada, […]

  The Government of Canada’s recent announcement of an Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee has reaffirmed the unique political predicament the Inuit peoples of Canada face. It is paramount that the reconciliatory endeavors of the Canadian government recognize and are sensitive to that uniqueness. As well as contending with a host of issues felt broadly by theContinue reading "Inuit Reconciliation and Self-Governance"

    This show is part 2 to the previous show on Affordable Housing and Homelessness about the landscape of affordable housing and homelessness in Canada and some of the policy responses taking place from all levels of government and community organizations. It comes as no surprise that the nation has a housing crisis in […]

  This is the second episode of the BTH Insight Series, where we examine various policy topics within the hour. On today’s show, we discuss the barriers Canadian women face in accessing the abortion pill Myfegimiso, the public security, safety, and privacy implications of cryptography, and the labour market barriers faced by people living with […]

  This is part 2 of a 2 part series. On our last show about abortion access barriers in Canada, we provided listeners with an on the ground look by talking to non-profit organizations and activists to see how accessing abortion is still an issue in Canada. This week, we take a bit of a […]

  The election of Donald Trump has brought renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement to the forefront of Canada’s trade priorities. Discussions have ranged from our agricultural supply regimes to tariffs, but one potentially transformative aspect relates to digital rights. NAFTA, which came into force in January of 1994, was the first international […]

  The significant growth in LGBTQ rights organizations around the world has led to advances in LGBTQ rights and calls for further changes. However, there has also been increase in systemic discrimination and violence against LGBTQ populations in certain regions around the world. It is illegal to be gay in over 75 countries around the […]

How do we decide when the occult and the paranormal are real or fake? Is that the place of the criminal justice system? When do we deem someone’s religious practises “authentic”? Today, to discuss witchcraft legislation, social stigma and bill-C51, we will be joined by criminal defence attorney Jordan Palmer and tarot card reader Vanessa Robak. We will […]