August is almost here, which typically means a slower pace of news coverage in Guelph since city council is taking the month off. To look at it another way, it’s the perfect time to stop, and take stock of the year so far before we dive into a very busy fall that has a federal election, and a lengthy budget season. You know what? It’s time for Guelph Stuff. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #179 – Guelph Stuff (Bernier, Library, and Council)”
Freedom of Speech. It seems like a simple idea, but there’s really nothing simple about it, especially when that’s not the term we use it for this concept here in Canada. In the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen a lot of discussion online about who was violating someone else’s Freedom of Speech, but are we really aware of what that term entails. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #178 – Freedom of Expression”
The slate of major party candidates for the riding of Guelph is complete, and of the five, just two of them have never before been a guest on the Guelph Politicast… Until now. Well, one of them gets scratched off the list this week, at least. Prepare to say “Hello” to Aisha Jahangir, who is one of those five people trying to become Guelph’s next Member of Parliament. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #177 – Aisha Jahangir, NDP Candidate”
There are a million stories in the Doug Ford era of provincial governance, and covering them all isn’t easy. One of the stories that has perhaps fallen through the cracks is the cuts to Legal Aid Ontario. In April’s provincial budget, funding to legal aid was cut by 30 per cent, and all $133 million of that took effect immediately. So now what? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #176 – Aid for Legal Aid”
It’s been three-and-a-half years since the Guelph Mercury last published, but for many people in our community, the loss feels as fresh today as it did on January 30, 2016. What a community looks like without a daily paper, and how it gets its news without that baseline has been a frequent topic of discussion, and it was again last week at the Guelph Civic Museum. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #175 – In Conversation at Guelph Civic Museum”
The Government of Ontario has recessed for the summer, but not before they passed the More Homes, More Choices Act, or Bill 108. You’ve probably heard a lot about Bill 108, or at least enough to know that it’s not as benign as the name of it implies. Yes, there will be some serious consequences from its passage, so let’s take a moment to figure out what they are. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #174 – Bill 108”
If you’re lucky, then you will only ever hear from the integrity commissioner once a year when he or she delivers their annual report. But if your city council is dysfunctional, and unable to work together cordially or in good faith, then the integrity commissioner is your best friend. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #173 – Robert Swayze, Integrity Commissioner”
Clair-Maltby is hundreds of acres of mostly untouched greenspace in Guelph’s south end. For some, it represents millions of dollars in potential real estate profit, and for others, it represents a chance to develop in an environmentally responsible way that avoids the natural instinct to sprawl. These ideals clashed before City Council this past Monday. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #172 – The Clash Over Clair-Maltby”
It’s been a while, but every now and then on the podcast, we like to take a minute, or 30, and talk about the issues happening Guelph, and give them some context in the bigger political picture. What are people talking about, how will it affect their lives, and what are the angles they’re not thinking about? In other words, we’re going to talk about “Guelph Stuff”. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #171 – Guelph Stuff (Climate Emergency, #GuelphProud, Polls)”
It’s the end of April, and that means it’s the end of the main school year. If you’re a student that works on campus, that also means its turnover time; you’re either entering a new position, or your leaving a position you invested a whole year in. Kayla Weiler is in the latter category. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #170 – Kayla Weiler, Outgoing VP of the CSA”
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