Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday May 14, 2015

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We’re chock full of surprises this week on Open Sources Guelph. We go from one surprise in the U.K., where the election went well for the incumbent but somewhat less well for everyone else, to surprise in Ontario where the guy least likely to succeed, succeeded, to surprise moves in Ottawa which may have a big impact on this October’s election. Somewhat less surprising is trouble with Ontario’s teachers, but what is suprising is that on a show co-hosted by the long-running host of CFRU’s The Working Week it took us this long to talk about it. Continue reading “Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday May 14, 2015”

6 Months to Election Day

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Exactly six months from now, Canadians will go to the polls to elect a new federal government. Already, each of the major parties is telling us that this will be the most important election in Canadian history, and although the more meta-aware candidates recognize that this line is said almost every election year, could they be actually right this time? There are 30 new seats up for grabs thanks to the re-configuration of district lines, making a majority sweep just a little bit harder to achieve. On the issues, there’s the Stephen Harper legacy, whether or not a balanced budget is enough to make people forget the myriad of scandals his government’s incurred over the last decade. And the Opposition, is Thomas Mulcair’s prosecutorial method of holding the government in line going to keep the Orange Crush crushing, or is the face of youth and vitality in Justin Trudeau going to be more appealing? Continue reading “6 Months to Election Day”

10 Reasons Why Sun News Network Failed

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The untimely demise of Sun News Network Friday left about 200 media professionals out of work, which is sad considering the current sorry state of the media business. Still, if Sun News is looking for someone to blame for their fortunes, then they need only to look in a mirror. True, the lack on any desire on the part of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Commission (CRTC) to make Sun News mandatory for national cable boxes might have had something to do with it too, but for the most part, here are the 10 reasons why Sun News bombed. Continue reading “10 Reasons Why Sun News Network Failed”

Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday February 12, 2015

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In another very busy news week, the issues run the gambit from the superfluous to the super serious. The Supreme Court opened up the rights of Canadians further in what might be its most contentious decision since it upheld the rights of same sex couple to marry. From there the discussion turns to political betrayal, media betrayal and the latest from a forgotten war zone. Just another week on Open Sources Guelph. Continue reading “Open Sources Show Notes for Thursday February 12, 2015”

Harper Shuffles Cabinet; Adams Shuffles to Liberals

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It’s another busy start to the week in Ottawa as the fallout of John Baird’s sudden resignation as Foreign Affairs Minister continues to affect business as usual on Parliament Hill. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, forced to fill such an important vacancy in his cabinet, shuffled some of his key advisers into different positions. But that all important news was drowned out by party politics as a controversial member of Harper’s caucus crossed the floor to Justin Trudeau and the Liberals. Continue reading “Harper Shuffles Cabinet; Adams Shuffles to Liberals”

SCOC Unanimously Endorses Doctor Assisted Death

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In an unusual 9-0 decision, especially considering the contentious social issue at stake, the Supreme Court of Canada opened the doors to doctor assisted death today. Canadians, according to the court, have the right to seek out a doctor’s help to let them die when facing clearly defined criteria, and they’ve given a year to the federal and provincial governments to sort out the legal implications. Continue reading “SCOC Unanimously Endorses Doctor Assisted Death”