May 21, 2023 – Peterborough, Ontario. When the Ontario Health Coalition warned last spring leading into the provincial election that the Ford government was planning to privatize surgeries and diagnostic services, Ford repeatedly denied that was his plan. Those claims are now shown to be totally false with Bill 60; the Ford government’s hospital privatization legislation passed […]

Expressions of hate have been exploding over the past year.  Whether it’s on the news, on social media or in real life, now we hear almost daily accounts of antisemitism, anti-Black racism, anti-trans slurs, anti-LGBT+ attacks, poor bashing and anti-immigrant outbursts. Even in Peterborough. What is going on? And why now? And why these target […]

With this episode of the Pints & Politics podcast, we mark another step in our tradition of taking a critical look at what it means to live in this county every July 1st. There are many gaps between the polite and progressive social personas we like to display to the world and the frequently angry […]

This podcast examines two issues: (1) How is Doug Ford’s government in Ontario doing in their management of the pandemic? (2) What level of instability might emerge in the US as a result of the mid-term elections and what might be the impacts of this putative instability on life in Canada? As the pandemic rolls […]

In less than two weeks, Ontario’s school students and staff go back to class. What are the risks? Will the Ministry of Education and the school boards act responsibly if there is an outbreak? Will the government’s plan work or is Doug Ford rolling the dice? Is the government cherry-picking the medical advice that aligns […]

How have governments at all levels handled the pandemic so far? Has the game of politics itself been changed by this virus? And what will our world look like after the pandemic? Will we fix what was broken? Will we create something new? Or will we try to return to the safe world of the […]

Our veteran hockey panel — playwright, math teacher & current hockey player Tim Etherington, writer, podcaster and loyal Habs fan Donald Fraser, hockey broadcaster, sports commentator and host of the “Mercier ‘n Crew” program on 90.5 fm, Jordan Mercier and sports journalist and hockey program host on CHEX TV, Katrina Squazzin— looks at the Petes (and […]

Our expert politics panel, diminished in number but not in spirit, tackles many of the crucial municipal, provincial and federal issues of the day with characteristic aplomb, penetrating perspicacity and devastating humour. What’s on tap? Restricted lake fountains, radioactive fuel pellets, surging property taxes, widening streets, skinny budgets, class-action law-suits over drinking water quality, teacher […]

Three representatives from BWXT make the case for the safety of their nuclear fuel manufacturing operation in Part 1 of this episode. This plant is located in the middle of a residential neighbourhood. An elementary school is across the road from the proposed plant.

In Part 2 Jim Dufresne, a former GE worker with 42-years of experience, including over 20 years working in the nuclear side of the plant, explains his doubts.

Three member of Citizens Against Radioactive Neighbourhoods or CARN explain what citizens can do to help stop BWXT from manufacturing nuclear fuel pellets in a residential neighbourhood in Peterborough. For more details on taking action, go to: https://www.nopellets.ca/interventions

Three volunteers from Citizens Against Radioactive Neighbourhoods (CARN) explain why they are encouraging a community resistance movement against BWXT’s application for 10-year license to manufacture nuclear fuel pellets in a residential neighbourhood in Peterborough.

Three volunteers from Citizens Against Radioactive Neighbourhoods (CARN) explain why they are encouraging a community resistance movement against BWXT’s application for 10-year license to manufacture nuclear fuel pellets in a residential neighbourhood in Peterborough.

Listen to what 3 international students at Fleming College have to say about how they have been received while pursuing their studies in Peterborough. They find that our local citizens are generally very patient and helpful, our winters are intimidating, and our food is bland. They have some hilarious observations about our legendary Canadian politeness, including our penchant for saying ‘sorry’ to inanimate objects.

In Part 1, our politics panel assesses the fallout from Andrew Scheer’s resignation as Conservative party leader. In Part 2 , the panel looks back at the performance of Peterborough’s city council in 2019.

In Part 1, our politics panel assesses the fallout from Andrew Scheer’s resignation as Conservative party leader. In Part 2 , the panel also looks back at the performance of Peterborough’s city council in 2019.

Author and economist Evelyn Forget makes the case for a national Basic Income strategy in order to eliminate poverty in Canada.

5 activists and citizen advocates explore the priorities for action in the Peterborough area for addressing the threat of disruptive climate change.

Our politics panel reviews the October 2019 federal election results and offers their thoughts on what the parties must do to respond to the message they received from the voters.

Listen to our politics panel look at the final week of the election campaign and make their predictions. This election is too close to call.

Our politics panel gives us an update on Peterborough’s homeless campers, followed by an in-depth assessment of the federal election campaign, locally & nationally.

The 5 national-party candidates in Peterborough-Kawartha respond to 3 policy questions: (1) Economic Inequality, (2) Climate Crisis & (3) Immigration.

Our politics panel tries to understand homelessness & the housing crisis in Peterborough, then they delve into racism, leadership, violence and endorsements in the federal election campaign.

Our political panel looks at Peterborough’s homelessness crisis and explores what can be done to deal with the sudden appearance of Tent City and the long-term problem of a lack of affordable housing for vulnerable people.

Our politics panel assesses the impact of the Ethics Commissioners findings concerning Justin Trudeau’s handling of the SNC Lavalin affair. The panel also looks at how the campaign is going for other parties.

4 Peterborough poets explore how to gauge the readiness of an audience to fully hear & understand their work.

4 Peterborough poets explore how to gauge the readiness of an audience to fully hear & understand their work.

Listen to Peterborough’s Deputy Chief of Police, our Medical Officer of Health and a city councilor along with two residents with lived experience of opioids discuss the extent of Peterborough’s opioid crisis and what can be done to help those who wish to get off these potentially lethal drugs.

Listen to Peterborough’s Deputy Chief of Police, our Medical Officer of Health and a city councilor along with two residents with lived experience of opioids discuss the extent of Peterborough’s opioid crisis and what can be done to help those who wish to get off these potentially lethal drugs. Listen to Part 1 before listening to Part 2 in order to get the full context of this discussion.

Sylvia Sutherland, Lauren Hunter, Sean Conway, Donald Fraser & Tim Etherington weigh in on recent events affecting all of us in Peterborough. The panel starts with an examination of potential planning problems in East City, then assesses the first year of the Ford government and ends with troubling conclusions about the level of public discourse in our federal election campaign (so far).

Our guest panel discusses the survival of the CBC and other Canadian media as an issue in the current federal election campaign.

Will the climate crisis & other environmental issues come up as campaign issues in the run-up to Canada’s federal election on October 21st? Or will our politicians continue to ignore these issues or minimize their importance? Our panel of naturalists, activists and political candidates is not optimistic.

Two union presidents from CUPE locals – Laurie Hatton & Amanda Marche — & City Councillor Stephen Wright look at the impact of the Ontario Government’s cutbacks & restructuring of public health services in Peterborough & across Ontario

Three student activists –Zach Hatton, Brett Porter & Brianne Menchion discuss the state of politics on campus and make their predictions about the looming federal election.

Our politics panel looks at urgent issues on the municipal, provincial and federal levels.

Four union representatives from the education sector evaluate the Ford government’s plans for schools & students across Ontario

Seven local poets read their work and discuss their creative processes.

Four student activists from Peterborough describe their responses to the climate change crisis and explain their shared sense of urgency. For them, action has to come before hope.

Ken Victor reads 12 poems from his new book “We Were Like Everyone Else”.

Listen to what our guest panel has to say about find working in the changing local job market here in Peterborough.

Our politics panel (Sylvia Sutherland, Lauren Hunter, Tim Etherington, Sean Conway & Donald Fraser) comments on the mosque shootings in New Zealand, the Liberals’ handling of the SNC Lavalin affair, Doug Ford’s education reforms and Jason Kenney’s election campaign.

Our expert hockey panel — Tim Etherington, Donald Fraser, Sean Quinlan, Meg Thurston & Jordan Mercier — looks at the state of The Game and explores why hockey still matters in Canada in 2019

Journalist and international affairs commentator Gwynne Dyer explains what he found out about climate change from interviewing leading scientists around the world. This is a ominous tale to which we need to respond or face grim consequences.

Listen to what former mayor Silvia Sutherland, NDP activist Sean Conway, campaign manager Lauren Hunter, and playwright Tim Etherington have to say about this year in local, provincial and national politics so far, and what we might expect to see in the near future.

Our guest panel –Paul Bennett, Meagan LaPlante, Jenny Lanciault and Dan Hennessey– looks for solutions to Peterborough’s housing crisis and identifies barriers to building more affordable housing

Listen to our arts panel composed of 2 artists, a poet, a real estate developer, & 2 directors of arts organizations explore the opportunities and threats facing Peterborough’s downtown arts community as gentrification comes to town

Ben Wolfe describes how enhanced public engagement could improve urban planning and community resilience in Peterborough

Economist Gordon Laxer explains why the Alberta tar sands must be closed.

Political activist Brent Patterson explains the necessity of taking urgent action now to prevent climate collapse.

Listen to what our panel of political experts has to say about 2018 in Peterborough politics and what we might expect in 2019. Check out their surprise hint at around the 51-minute mark regarding possible changes to the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada in the forthcoming federal election

Environmental lawyer Ian Attridge, field naturalist executive Dylan Radcliffe and community builder Ben Wolfe explain their goals and values behind the work of preserving Peterborough’s natural heritage sites for future generations.

Listen to what our guest panel of former candidates, current candidates, campaign team members, and one elected candidate have to say about the uses and abuses of social media in local politics.

Three supporters of Peterborough’s vibrant downtown –Terry Guiel, Kemi Akapo & Jeff Macklin– discuss its charms and shortcomings as a place to live, to work and to build community.

A panel of citizen activists looks at our options as a community to quickly transition to a low-carbon way of life as the threat of damaging climate change becomes more apparent.

Our urban planning panel explains the Official Plan Review and the implications of planning decisions for future generations in Peterborough

Our panel assesses the campaigns & voting results coming out of the October 22nd municipal election in Peterborough.

Diane Therrien addresses her cheering supporters moments after learning she will become the next mayor of Peterborough. Recorded at Showplace in downtown Peterborough on October 22, 2018

Therrien has a big lead over Bennett according to a poll commissioned by David Goyette, released October 18.

Interview answers from Daryl Bennett and Diane Therrien are compared and contrasted.

Our panel makes a few predictions in the ward races but does not predict the outcome of the mayoral contest between challenger Diane Therrien and incumbent Daryl Bennett. Online voting opens today! (October 9)

Mayoral candidates Diane Therrien and Daryl Bennett debate core issues affecting Peterborough voters before a packed house at the Venue on October 4

Mayoral candidates Daryl Bennett and Diane Therrien respond to audience questions at the public debate sponsored by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Association of Realtors on September 27 at the Lions Centre

Our panelists (Sean Conway, Tim Etherington &; Donald Fraser) look at Doug Ford, Donald Trump, the Toronto election mayoralty race then they analyze our municipal election campaign here in Peterborough. This podcast is a fusion of the previous two podcasts (#30 & #29).

This is the second segment of a two-part panel discussion that was too large to upload as a single file. This segment focuses on the municipal election here in Peterborough. Panelists: Sean Conway, Tim Etherington & Donald Fraser

This panel discussion has been uploaded in two segments. This is Clip 1, wherein our panelists (Sean Conway, Tim Etherington & Donald Fraser) look at Doug Ford, Donald Trump & the Toronto election race.

Jason Wallwork, born and raised in Peterborough, talks about his campaign for a council seat in Otonabee Ward and his position on the long-standing issues that will come up for the next council

Keith Riel is running for his 3rd term on council. He describes the elements of his background, including his small business experience, that contribute to his effectiveness as a councillor.

Charmaine Magumbe, who is running in Monaghan Ward, talks about her campaign ideas for addressing the lack of housing and reducing poverty in Peterborough

Ian Peddle explains the focus of his campaign in Ashburnham Ward and his position on major issues such as the sale of PDI and the completion of the Parkway

Lesley Parnell explains her positions on the issues that will come before the next city council

Sheila Wood states her position on some of the issues that will come before the next council and the issues she plans to focus on during her campaign.

Jane Davidson explains why she is running for a council seat in Town Ward and her vision for Peterborough’s future

Jenny Lanciault describes her campaign in Town Ward and links her business experience to the job of serving as a city councillor.

Henry Clarke, veteran councilor & Deputy Mayor describes his vision for Peterborough’s future and why he has chosen to run again for a seat on council

1st-time candidate Ryan Waudby talks about his campaign for a council seat in Otonabee Ward and his vision for Peterborough’s future

Stephen Wright ran in Northcrest in 2014. Here he describes his 2018 campaign, he what he has learned and why he is running again.

Kemi Akapo describes her reasons for running for a council seat in Town Ward and her vision for Peterborough’s future

Jim Russell on why he is running in Town Ward and what he sees as the solutions for the issues facing Peterborough’s downtown

Respect and the ability to listen to divergent views on tough issues are core assets that Paul Rellinger brings to his campaign for a seat on Peterborough’s city council.

Mayor Daryl Bennett launches his re-election campaign by summarizing the economic growth the city has experienced during the last 8 years and his hopes for future development..

Has the Ford Government bitten off more than they can chew in terms of trying to deliver on election promises? And do our municipal candidates know what to do when they talk with citizens at the doors?

Diane Therrien could have run for councillor again in Town Ward in October. Instead she chose to run for mayor. She explains why…

July 11, 2018 – Trent grad and entrepreneur Brock Grills talks about his plans and priorities in his campaign for a municipal council seat in Otonabee Ward.

July 7, 2018 – Local radio personality Jordan Mercier from Extra 90.5 FM and a guest of highly dubious credentials assess the current municipal election campaign and predict that Daryl Bennett will run again for mayor

July 4, 2018 – Town Ward Councillor Dean Pappas looks at the campaign ahead and tells us what he has learned from his previous campaigns and his 12 years in office.

June 26, 2018 – Etherington & Fraser take an in-depth look at the June 7th Ontario election results and their implications for the future both in Peterborough and across the province.

June 23, 2018 – Ashburnham Ward Councillor Gary Baldwin discusses what he has learned during his first term in office and what he will bring to his re-election campaign.

June 13, 2018 – Otonabee Ward candidate Kim Zippel discusses the issues she will focus on in her campaign and the changes she hopes to bring to city council, plus a short reaction to the Ontario election

June 6, 2018 – Etherington & Fraser assess the last wild week of the Ontario election campaign and offer their final predictions: A Doug Ford Majority & a Dave Smith victory in our Peterborough – Kawartha riding.

May 30, 2018 – Tim Etherington & Donald Fraser’s analysis the Ontario election campaign so far. The Ford juggernaut, strategic voting, the collapse of the Liberals and the rise of the NDP. How did we get here and what is going to happen on June 7th? Minor technical problems with Tim’s microphone resolved 8 minutes in.

May 22, 2018 – Dave McGowan, first-time candidate running in Monaghan Ward, talks about why he is running and what he hopes to achieve if elected to city council

May 9, 2018 – A complete recording of Diane Therrien’s mayoral campaign launch speech of May 3, 2018, following with an analysis by guest panelists Tim Etherington and Donald Fraser