Oh man, we’ve got some issues this week on Open Sources Guelph, and men is the biggest one. In the first half of the show, we’ll talk about the ongoing issues of sexual harassment and assault allegations, which have now found their way to being exposed in Canadian politics and media. And yes, we’ll talk about how one of Toronto’s favourite* sons has now ingratiated himself in the drama. In the back half, we’ll discuss the latest about the pending Russian election, and we’ll look back at two tragedies from a year ago that have become largely forgotten.
This Thursday, February 1, at 5 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and gust co-host Brad Evoy will discuss:
1) PC Thug. The fallout from Patrick Brown’s sudden resignation after sexual assault allegations continued over the last week with the resignation of the party’s president, a reported hack of the party database, and the worst kind of drama possible with former Toronto city councillor and human wedge issue Doug Ford throwing his hat in the ring to replace Brown. Ford, who’s evidently putting his ambitions to be Toronto’s next mayor on pause, has got a steep uphill climb because there are a lot of people in the PC Party that do not want to replace one circus for another, but is there anyone capable of stepping in and being a better alternative to Ford? On top of that, is there anyone, Ford included, that can unite the party against the Liberals with almost 5 months till E-Day?
2) #MeToo Canada: The Further Allegations. While the world churns at Queen’s Park, we’ve seen the full extent of the #MeToo tidal wave hit Canada’s shores. Kent Hehr had to quit the Federal Liberal cabinet within hours of a new avalanche of allegations against him. Elizabeth May was hit with allegations of bullying, which, while being described as the smears of an ex-staffer, are nonetheless being investigated. Paul Bliss, a political reporter for CTV Toronto, was himself suddenly suspended from the Brown beat after allegations came out against him. And Warren Kinsella is promising that a big name is about to added to the list of accused that “will shock you.” Where is the issue going next, and what of the campaign to dig up dirt on Justin Trudeau?
3) Russian Stressing. Russians go to the polls on March 18 for what’s likely going to be a foregone conclusion: the re-election of Vladimir Putin as the President of Russia. Alexei Navalny, Putin’s would-be successor, continues to be stymied because he can’t run in the election, and he was arrested again on Sunday for organizing an “unauthorized” demonstration against his exclusion. Putin seems like he’s about making Navalny’s life miserable, and, by consequence, the lives of supporters miserable, but Russian experts are watching and they’re noting that the longer Putin stays in power, the harder it’s going to be on Russia once he’s out of power. So is there a way out of this for Russia, and what would it take for Putin to see reason?
4) How Soon We Forget. One year ago, a gunman walked into a mosque in Quebec City and killed or wounded several people who worshiped there. The incident offended Canadians, and rallied support for a Muslim community that’s seeing an ever increasing number of hate crimes being directed at them, especially in Quebec itself. Meanwhile, in northern Ontario, it’s been one-year since Barbara Kentner was hit with a trailer hitch thrown from a moving vehicle and condemning her to a long, slow, painful death. Kentner was the target of a seemingly race-driven rumour that she had physically assaulted a boy and intimidated a witness, allegations that turned out to be untrue. What do these incidents teach us about the racial undercurrent of the country?
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.
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