VIDEO – Open Sources’ Interview with Elizabeth May

You may have heard this interview on last Thursday’s Open Sources Guelph, but even if you’ve heard it already, you may now be interested in watching it. As you may recall, Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May was in Guelph a week ago Monday for the nomination meeting to choose Guelph’s candidate in the upcoming Federal Election. Former Environmental Commissioner of Ontario Gord Miller took the nomination easily running unopposed, so the mood was understandably jubilant. The reason? Greens in Guelph, and across the country, are banking on the idea that May’s 2011 victory in Saanich-Gulf Islands will be the first of many more electoral victories in 2015. After the night’s business was done, Open Sources got a few minutes to talk to May about electoral strategy and Green ambitions for Guelph this October. Continue reading “VIDEO – Open Sources’ Interview with Elizabeth May” →

Uh-Oh. Someone Told John Oliver About the Senate Expense Scandal

johnoliver

Canada may be five hockey rinks surrounded by bears, but we have feelings too. It’s always big news when Canada gets a mention on an American political satire show like The Daily Show, it’s like we made it, but usually it’s when the bus goes completely off the cliff, like with the case of a certain Toronto mayor. And that’s why it was surprising that our little senate scandal got the attention of John Oliver, and he remarked on the Canadianness of our political scandals on his show Last Week Tonight. Continue reading “Uh-Oh. Someone Told John Oliver About the Senate Expense Scandal” →

Bill Blair Now Officially a Liberal Candidate

liberals-blair

Although it was probably a foregone conclusion, former Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate for Scarborough Southwest yesterday afternoon. Despite recent polls indicating that the Liberals are struggling in third place against a surging NDP, picking up Blair as a star candidate is still seen as a coup by the party, who optimistically is now caught in a three-way race with the Conservatives and the New Democrats. Continue reading “Bill Blair Now Officially a Liberal Candidate” →

Rona Ambrose Loses Her $#!% Over SCOC Cannabis Ruling

rona_ambrose

It must have been weird for a Conservative cabinet minister to push for “clinical trials” and “scientific evidence” but I guess when the choice is between the Supreme Court of Canada and government scientists, Health Minister Rona Ambrose chose the lesser of two evils. In another loss to the government in their dealings with the Supreme Court, a unanimous decision by the Justices has opened the door medical marijuana users to be lawfully allowed to ingest their medicine in other forms like edibles. Continue reading “Rona Ambrose Loses Her $#!% Over SCOC Cannabis Ruling” →

Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday June 11, 2015

boycotttims

Unless our ship comes in, and we help our friend sell that expensive piece of art for a generous finders fee, Open Sources Guelph will be back on the air as usual on Thursday. This week, after sticking our hands in the muck of the Senate spending scandal, we will wax on the coming election as it’s shaping up here in the Royal City. Then, in the “Lightning Round,” we’ll discuss coffee and politics, carding and cops, and the return of an old frenemie thought forgotten in Federal politics. Continue reading “Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday June 11, 2015” →

Head of Bell Media Proves that She, Like Her Company, is a Dinosaur

streaming_services

Yesterday, Bell Media held its upfronts for all CTV and associated cable channels. For those of you not in the know, the upfronts is a chance for TV networks to show off for advertisers and the audience what new shows they’re bringing to their stations in the upcoming season. Typically, in the case of CTV, it means revealing what American network shows they’re buying and simulcasting here in Canada so they can make millions without investing significantly in homegrown talent.

If that were the extent of CTV and Bell’s crimes against media this week, then it wouldn’t have made much news beyond the obvious, but what really got under people’s skin was win Bell Media head Mary Ann Turcke used the occasion to slap the wrists of Canadian TV viewers who are accessing American streaming sites like the U.S. version of Netflix, and circumventing Canadian copyright laws. Turcke calls it stealing, but fans of streaming content call it out-dated thinking. What Ms. Turcke doesn’t understand is that she’s the one to blame for consumers looking for accessible services elsewhere rather than investing in her own substandard service. Continue reading “Head of Bell Media Proves that She, Like Her Company, is a Dinosaur” →

Canadian Trivia Fail! Video of the Week from Jeopardy

jeopardy
The answer is Stratford. What is Stratford?

Of course, the most well-known bit of Canadian-related trivia on Jeopardy is that its host, Alex Trebek, is one of us. One wonders then if he was somewhat responsible for the events that transpired on the game show the other night, when Jeopardy decided to test the contestants knowledge of the Great White North. Unsurprisingly, it was an epic fail. After leaving the category “Canadian Cities” to the very end of Double Jeopardy, and with time still left on the clock, the trio of players had to face the inevitable, that they didn’t know Jack about Canada. Of course, I wonder how many of the questions the average Canadian would have gotten (I got three out of five), but still, it was a truly pitiful display for a show aimed towards smart people. Let’s take a look and mock, shall we? Continue reading “Canadian Trivia Fail! Video of the Week from Jeopardy” →