The Alex Pierson Show

On Tuesday, provincial leaders held a meeting with federal leaders to discuss funding for the health sector. But both sides walked away without a deal being reached. With how poorly run our health system is right now, how hard is it now without a deal to get better healthcare? Dr. Alika LaFontaine is the President of the Canadian Medical Association, and spoke to Alex about the details and how it can affect those in the healthcare industry, and their patients. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tech giant, Meta, announced major layoffs on Wednesday with over 11,000 job cuts. And naturally, Toronto’s tech sector is concerned. We’re a tech city. Sunil Sharma, Managing Director of Techstars Toronto, joined us and explained why we’re seeing these job cuts and whether or not this is a long term solution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The kids still aren't alright and their education is constantly being slammed by either pandemic shutdowns or labour strikes that disrupt learning further. With the Ford government offering up to $200 per kid for private lessons, is that actually enough? Can that money be better utilized elsewhere? Kat Eschner is TVO's Affordability Reporter and joined Alex to talk about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some stores across Canada owned by Empire Company Ltd. continue to experience disruptions due to an information technology systems issue. Empire, which owns Sobeys, Lawtons, IGA, Safeway, Farm Boy, Foodland and FreshCo, among other brands, said on Monday that an IT problem is preventing some of its pharmacies from filling prescriptions. Alex was joined by Dr. Sylvian Charlebois, Professor of Food Policy and Distribution and Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, to discuss the impact this will have on Canadians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The winter months are upon us and that means it's going to be harder for those who are without a home to stay warm. The City of Toronto says that we could expect to see expansions on the amounts of beds and hotel rooms available to homeless individuals. We spoke with Lorraine Lam, an outreach worker and organizer with Shelter and Housing Justice Network, who says that the city is great at throwing money at the issue, but not investing in long-term solutions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal departments are concealing records on contracting, says the Procurement Ombudsman who cited unnamed departments for hiding documents that he knew for a fact existed. So this has to do with numerous complaints of sweetheart contracting in the name of pandemic relief-- $237.3 million purchase order for ventilators from Baylis Medical Co., a firm that had never made ventilators but was operated by ex-Liberal MP Frank Bayliss. A $149 million contract to Spartan Bioscience Inc., a now-bankrupt test kit supplier hired after “a couple of good meetings” in the Prime Minister’s Office; a $150 million contract for SNC-Lavalin Group field hospitals that no health authority requested. Here’s Tom Korski, Managing Editor of Blacklock's Reporter, with the scoop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The housing market might be starting to show signs of cooling, but that doesn't stop the cost of building homes rising. Alex was joined by Christopher Alexander, President of Re/Max, and asked if developers are feeling the pinch and having to pull out of the projects they've already started. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ford government has turned back on its promise not to touch the protected Greenbelt lands, announcing that it would open up 7,400 acres for new housing so developers can build 50,000 homes on that land. In exchange, it would add 9,400 acres in different areas to the existing two-million-acre swath of agricultural, wetlands and environmentally sensitive land, the province said on Friday afternoon. Matti Siemiatycki, Professor in the Department of Geography and Planning at the University of Toronto’s School of Cities, and Canada Research Chair in Infrastructure Planning and Finance, spoke with Alex about this broken promise and what it means for the Greenbelt going forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thursday's Financial update mentioned nothing for the city of Toronto that has a massive $865 Million shortfall. Mayor John Tory argues that they were told we’d be getting help after the pandemic. Now with their sights turning to the provincial update on Nov 14th, is the expectation we are going to see a fight if the province also doesn’t deliver? Pressure campaign? Or a tax hike that will go over like a lead balloon? Ben Spurr is the Toronto Star's City Hall Reporter and joined Alex to talk about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The saga continues in the inquiry into the use of the Emergencies Act in order to quell the Freedom Convoy from continuing further. On Thursday, Tamara Lich took to the stand and began her testimony saying that she was frustrated by the mandates that were imposed during the pandemic and that Trudeau's comments on the unvaccinated were divisive. So the big question coming out of this entire inquiry is whether or not the Liberal government was justified in enacting these measures or not. Joanna Baron is the Executive Director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, and joined Alex to talk about all of this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices