It was a big year for abortion after a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June ended the universal right to a legal abortion in the United States. But why do we care up here in Canada? Protests in the U.S. this summer were echoed by ones here in Canada, including a gathering here in Guelph, and the reason why is pretty obvious: We have our own issues with abortion access. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #352 – The Long Arms of the Roe Decision”
It was about one year ago that Guelph City Council approved a slate of motions to accelerate the City’s shift to net zero and 100 per cent renewable. The meeting was especially notable for the number of young people who came out to delegate about their panic around the climate’s future, and their concern that governments are not moving fast enough to act. So where do we sit on this Race to Zero? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #351 – The 97 Per Cent Solution”
Tuesday marks the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, and it’s the 33rd anniversary of what’s typically referred to as the Montreal Massacre. In terms of public displays of gender-based violence, it’s yet to be matched, but at least one woman is still killed every six days by an intimate partner. So how far have we come since December 6, 1989? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #350 – December 6 Thoughts”
While the 13 members of the new city council will have the next four years to refine their ideas about the issues facing Guelph, it feels like we just forget the people who also ran for office just as soon as the results are called. In 2022, nearly 40 people felt like they had the right stuff to be one of Guelph’s civic leaders, so we’re dedicating this episode to the people that didn’t win. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #349 – What’s Next? Part 3: The Candidates”
Last week, we covered the transition from the previous council to the new, and this week, we look far-ish into the future to the next election, the one in October 2026. You will hear in this podcast that planning for the next election begins almost immediately after the one that’s just completed, because there are a lot of complicated questions that need to be answered before the time comes to vote again. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #348 – What’s Next? Part 2: The Next Election”
On November 15, five new city councillors are going to formally take their seat around the horseshoe, and they’re five people bringing a variety of skills and experiences to the table. Joining them are eight experienced councillors, so how do all these ingredients gel to immediately form a cohesive unit that will tackle some of the biggest challenges our local government has faced. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #347 – What’s Next? Part 1: The Transition”
Science, technology, engineering and math make up the four letters in “STEM”, which is the subject of a new exhibit at the Guelph Civic Museum. In “Iron Willed: Women in STEM”, you can travel through the history of science and engage with all the great women that have achieved big wins in science while overcoming tremendous social and societal barriers thrown in front of them, even in the 21st century. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #346 – STEM Women’s Work…”
You probably know who all the new members of city council and the school board are, but do you know how it all unfolded on Election Night? Preserved for posterity, and for the edification of those who might have otherwise been busy on Monday night, we’re going to replay nearly two hours of non-stop political nerdiness as we counted all the votes as they rolled. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #345 – Election Night 2022”
You may have heard that there may be a teachers’ strike coming. Another disruption to the learning of Ontario’s students is the last thing anyone – from parents to government to the teachers themselves – wants. Having said that though, it does feel like we’re on a path to inevitable job action as teachers’ demand more resources and Queen’s Park demands moderation. Is there a middle ground? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #344 – Here We Go Again…?”
School board elections don’t normally get a lot of attention, and that’s exactly how some people like it, but what happens when parents organize and start advocating for the kind of school board they want? Will that have a visible impact on the chronically, and criminally, underlooked school board elections? One group of Halton Region parents certainly hope so. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #343 – The Race We Don’t Talk About (Much)”
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