On Point With Alex Pierson

The announcement on breast screening goes against all of our beliefs. The Health Minister says decision not to lower Canadian breast cancer screening age prompts review. Host Alex Pierson speaks with Dr. Jean Seely, Professor of Medicine in the Department of Radiology at the University of Ottawa, Head of the Breast Imaging Section at the Ottawa Hospital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is Toronto the worst housing bubble in Canada? We have the fewest homes per capita. There's a major disconnect. Host Alex Pierson is joined by Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party to discuss home building, decriminalization, drug activists, and comments Doug Ford made earlier this week. All that and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Korski, Managing Editor of Blacklocks Reporter joined Alex Pierson to discuss a federal judge dismissing two Arrive Can executives to quash an investigator's report that alleged criminal wrongdoing, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland yesterday denied spending is out of control, and Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, a Liberal appointee, yesterday said cabinet must apologize for what she called Canada's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. All this and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The city of Toronto is planning on building more bike lanes, but this time along Avenue Road! And as expected, the outrage is only growing. But is this actually a bad idea? To get a handle on it, Host Alex Pierson speaks with an avid biker, Trevor Townsend, who is also the founder of the "Keep Toronto Moving" on why he believes this bike lane will cause much more pain than pleasure for all involved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's already been a big year for changes in the TDSB, but after the resignation of their current director of education, even more of a shakeup is coming. Host Alex Pierson is joined by TDSB Trustee for Ward 12 Dr. Weidong Pei to help explain this transition, and what major motions are being introduced by the board to hopefully help make schools more about education and less about politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yet another line drawn in the sand has been clearly crossed. After the University of Toronto warned faculty to not get involved, over 60 faculty members directly aligned themselves with the pro-Palestine encampment. Will this encampment be cleared out before convocation ceremonies begin? What will it take to get the campus clear of these protesters? To answer these questions and more, host Alex Pierson is joined by Warren Kinsella, the president of the Daisy Group and a former political strategist for Jean Chretien. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an early morning announcement, the federal and provincial governments of Ontario announced they reached an agreement which will see $375 million in federal funding sent right to the province. And in another major first, Queen's Park has just officially allowed a new language to be spoken in the legislature! Host Alex Pierson is joined by the man involved in both of these stories,  Provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs, Housing, Minister of Legislative Affairs & Government House Leader Paul Calandra. Minister Calandra tells Alex why this deal with the feds means a big win for the province, how it can help get houses built, and why he helped MPP Sol Mamakwa gain the right to speak his mother tongue in Queen's Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Mark Miller announced that Canada will be increasing its cap on refugees from Gaza. But there are concerns that many of these people may be loyal to Hamas, so could this be a risk our intelligence agencies or authorities are worried about? Host Alex Pierson is joined by Phil Gurski, CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk, former CSIS Sr. Strategic Analyst on Terrorism. Phil tells Alex that this is something many are concerned about, and why the Liberal gov't may want to rethink its immigration policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Korski, Managing Editor of Blacklocks Reporter joined Alex Pierson to discuss Immigration Minister Marc Miller yesterday said he wants no votes from friends of Israel who equate criticism with anti-Semitism, ''I don't want their vote,'' Miller told the Commons immigration committee, Cabinet Ministers have been ''drinking wine and schnapps'' with Jewish diplomats in Ottawa instead of condemning Israeli war crimes. All this and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The protestors at U of T aren't moving. Today, lawyers are going into court to file an injunction. Next week is graduation week and the encampments need to be removed. Host Alex Pierson speaks with Ryan O'Connor, Partner at Toronto-based Zayouna Law Firm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Jewish girl school in North York was the target of a shooting. We have seen nothing from Olivia Chow and Myron Demkiw and this is fueling hate even more in Jewish communities. Actions speak more than words. Host Alex Pierson speaks with Rabbi Yaacov Vidal, Principal of the Bais Chaya Mushka Girls Elementary School. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A video was recently released showing 5 hostages being held by Hamas who were initially taken after a terror attack in October. One father saw that his daughter was still alive in the tape and is praying for her return, but questions if she's even still safe. Host Alex Pierson is joined by this father, Shlomi Berger, the father of Agam Berger, as he shares what is the most painful experience in his life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Traffic and congestion have built to insane levels in the past few years in Toronto...but could forcing drivers to pay a congestion charge not only address congestion, but also put some much-needed money in the city coffers? Host Alex Pierson is joined by Jennifer Keesmaat, the Founder of the Keesmaat group and the former chief city planner for Toronto. Jennifer is in favour of introducing this charge and its benefits, while Alex remains unconvinced. Take a listen to see who you would agree with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Korski, Managing Editor of Blacklocks Reporter joined Alex Pierson to discuss Federal aid worth more than a half billion annually reduced the ''point-in-time count of homeless persons by about 6,000 people.'' Canada's chief bank inspector yesterday said the interest rate shocks on mortgage renewals remain a top risk, Housing Minister Sean Fraser yesterday said critics must ''not interfere''' in his plan to build 3.9 million homes. All this and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Ontario, there are regulations in place to ensure a workplace cannot be too cold, but what about when its too hot? Well, guest host Anthony Furey had the same question and asked someone leading the charge to change the books in Ontario, the official opposition critic for Climate Change, NDP MPP Peter Tabuns, who explains why his party believes now more than ever this needs to be laid out in law. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The city of Toronto is moving forward with its renaming and rebranding of Yonge-Dundas Square to Sankofa Square, and its going to at least cost a few hundred thousand dollars if everything goes right...and much more if there are any delays. Is this really a good use of city funds, especially since we know just how broke Toronto really is? Guest host Anthony Furey is joined by a member of the "Downtown Concerned Citizens Organization" Dana McKiel, who breaks down just how dissatisfied Torontonians are with the rebrand, and why these funds could easily be used for something much more substantial and needed. Then, Anthony and Dana open up the phone lines and answer some questions from listeners on the issue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After weeks of uncertainty, Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has announced that her party will be tabling the Capital Gains Tax motion before the house rises for summer break. She also has said that regardless if it is passed into law, the 2024 budget has said it will come into effect on June 25th. Is that right, and is it really the hill the Liberals want to die on? To get answers to this and more, guest host Anthony Furey turns to the CEO of BetaKit, Siri Agrell who has a firm understanding of this motion, and who it will be effecting. SIRI AGRELL: Siri Agrell LinkedIn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Occasionally a crime is committed in Toronto that has all the makings of a Hollywood movie, and this is no exception. Guest Host Anthony Furey speaks with The Toronto Star City Hall Bureau Chief David Rider about a story he just broke, in which a former long-time bureaucrat for the City of Toronto was arrested and charged for his alleged connection to an illegal gambling ring operated by a Hell's Angel's hitman! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a weird move, the federal government announced a new framework to tackle rising auto theft across the country...but only did so on a Monday when much of the country was not working or watching the news. What could've been the reason for this, and what is new that we haven't heard before? Guest host Anthony Furey will not only help you understand but is also joined by Hank Idsigna who is a former Toronto Police Investigator as well as the 640 CFIQ crime specialist. Anthony asks Hank just why it's so hard to keep people's vehicles safe, why certain brands are being targeted over others and when Canadians can expect to wake up and not find their cars and trucks stolen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi and other Iranian officials were killed after their helicopter crashed over the weekend, leaving many to wonder just what kind of ramifications could come from this. Guest host Anthony Furey had these same questions and is joined by Kaveh Shahrooz, a Lawyer and Toronto-based Human Rights Activist who is extremely versed in the Iranian regime. Kaveh and Anthony discuss what the atmosphere in Iran is right now, why Kaveh believes that this will not bring any serious changes to Iranian politics and who the former Iranian foreign minister blames for this crash. Kaveh Shahrooz Social Media: Kaveh Shahrooz - X Account Kaveh Shahrooz - LinkedIn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices