Category: Guelph Politicast

GUELPH POLITICAST #251 – The Other Pandemic of 2020

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We’ve heard a lot about one health crisis this year, the one tied to a global pandemic that broke the economy, brought healthcare to the brink, and pretty much shutdown society for four months earlier this year. But while COVID-19 has been our preoccupation in 2020, there has been another public health issue in our community at the same time, and it’s one that started before the pandemic and has stayed with us through the darkest days of the last 10 months. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #251 – The Other Pandemic of 2020” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #250 – Empty Campus

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See that picture of an empty University Centre? That was taken on Friday around early afternoon last week. Even now, in the middle of exams, that space would be full of people getting lunch, grabbing a coffee, studying, meeting people, or buying a bus ticket home for the holidays. But it’s empty. How do you lead a student body when the vast majority of the body can’t be there? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #250 – Empty Campus” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #249 – Why We Need a Science Centre

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When he’s not setting some of the most bizarre world records, Professor Jason Thomas, or as he’s more commonly known, The Great Orbax, can be found teaching physics at the University of Guelph, or out in the community instilling a love of science in people young and old. His latest project: taking that love, and turning into support for a new Guelph destination: a bricks-and-mortar science centre. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #249 – Why We Need a Science Centre” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #248 – Red Kettle Days

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If the weather last weekend didn’t tip you off, Christmas is coming, and one of the most recognizable signs of the season is the legion of volunteers who stand by the red kettles of the Salvation Army collecting physical money for Christmas programs. This was hard enough in a time of “going cashless” but in the year of COVID, collecting physical money from someone in-person seems doubly unlikely. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #248 – Red Kettle Days” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #247 – In the Land of Truthers

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If you’ve been following the current state of affairs south of the border, you know that there are a lot of people living in false reality bubbles built on a mound of conspiracy theories. Social media companies are finally taking at least tacit steps to stop the flood of misinformation, but it’s becoming clear that the real fight against clashing realities is in our hands, and we all need to know how to fight back.  Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #247 – In the Land of Truthers” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #246 – Explaining the Multi-Year Budget

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Putting together the City of Guelph budget was a process that more or less started right after the last budget was passed, and involved every City department basically rebuilding their budget from scratch every year. It wasn’t easy, it was short-sighted, and it created a lot of extra work for staff. There had to be a better way, and that better way might be the move to multi-year budgeting. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #246 – Explaining the Multi-Year Budget” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #245 – Still COVID [Fall Edition] with Dr. Mercer

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The last time that Dr. Nicola Mercer appeared on this podcast it was July, and things seemed to be going pretty good. Much of the province had been under a Stage 2 re-opening for weeks, and we were on the cusp of Stage 3. The virus wasn’t gone, but the number of new and active cases was on the right trajectory, but there were at the time rumblings about what would happen in the fall. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #245 – Still COVID [Fall Edition] with Dr. Mercer” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #244 – Guelph: Home of ‘The Incubus’

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In 1982, John Cassavetes appeared in a schlocky Canadian-made horror movie called The Incubus, and a not so small portion of The Incubus was shot in Guelph. Just in time for Halloween, we’re going to talk about that time in the 80s where an Academy Award nominated actor and director came to the Royal City to hunt monsters in an unforgettably forgettable horror movie. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #244 – Guelph: Home of ‘The Incubus’” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #243 – The Library Victory Lap

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The Guelph Public Library Board of Directors met Tuesday night, and among their agenda items was the next steps for the new main library plan. For many people in Guelph, these are great signs of progress for a project that’s been gestating since the mid-90s, but there might be even more pressure for the board to now turn those plans into reality. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #243 – The Library Victory Lap” →

GUELPH POLITICAST #242 – This is Halloween

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We know that small businesses everywhere are struggling, but every business is struggling in its own way. Halloween is Christmas for those businesses that sell costumes, make-up, and party supplies, but there’s definitely not going to be any parties this year, and even the possibility of Trick or Treating is in doubt. So what will Halloween look like, and where does that leave the people for whom Halloween is big business? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #242 – This is Halloween” →