The Alex Pierson Show

Ike Kaja is a man who would've just turned 50 had he not have been shot to death outside of his Midtown Toronto home earlier this year. While his murder continues to go unsolved, friends and family of his are putting the pressure on municipal leaders to do more when it comes to violent crimes in the GTA. Gautam Malkani is a friend of Ike's and spoke with Alex about how the family is doing, and what they're asking for in their local leaders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some are calling it the sleepy election, and the latest data released during advance polling shows that the turnout of voters for the Toronto municipal election is down by 30% compared to that of the 2014 election, which was already pretty low. Ben Spurr is the Toronto Star's City Hall Reporter, and joins Alex to break down the numbers and what this could look like on election night if this is the kind of numbers we're seeing already. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For only six weeks, the Emergency Act Inquiry will look into up to 65 witnesses, and write a report based on the federal government's usage of the Emergencies Act, and whether it was constitutional, or was a misuse of power. Justin Trudeau has already announced he is willing to testify, and while his testimony won't be until November, we're already hearing from witnesses who are testifying as residents, convoy supporters, and public officials. Hatim Khier is a lawyer with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms and breaks down this inquiry and what we could see coming out of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here we are dealing with new allegation’s in the latest chapter of the Hockey Canada saga. A woman alleges she was sexually assaulted in London, Ont. in March, 2018 by two men, one a Western University hockey player and the second a minor-league pro player, and she alleges she was discouraged by London police from pressing charges in both cases. This is not connected to the sexual assault allegations in London from June, 2018 involving eight former Canadian Hockey League players, that blew this case open. But this latest woman went to police, wanted charges laid, and told TSN she was told it was too much work and they couldn't guarantee her privacy if the person is acquitted. We spoke with Laurie Hepburn, Executive Director of the Halton Women’s Place, about why many women are hesitant to come forward and report sexual assault to police. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An international report finds that Toronto has the highest housing bubble risk in the entire world, but is it true? Just how far gone are we on the housing market and how did we get here? Tim Hudak, CEO of the Ontario Real Estate Association, joined Alex to discuss this and what he predicts will be the future of housing in Toronto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past eight years a bold, world-class artist has been using Canada’s largest city as his canvas. Using ultra-low taxes, municipal bureaucracy and political stagnation as his primary artistic tools, John Tory has embarked on a conceptual undertaking of unprecedented scope and scale. AusterityTO is a series of public art installations which explore the values and desires of Toronto’s residents. Each sculpture was painstakingly crafted by the artist as a meditation on the nature of public services, decay and austerity. James McLeod, Co-Creator of a satirical public art project dubbed The Austerity TO Project, joined us and asked if Torontonians can say they are satisfied with how this city has been run over the last 8 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're still waiting on more details to come from the investigation into the deaths of two police officers in Innisfil. The SIU is investigating the incident that occurred and while it might take some time, those in the policing community are reeling from the loss of, now, four police officers within a month. Here to talk to Alex about the grief being felt by officers and how they're supporting those who need it, is Jon Reid, President of the Toronto Police Association. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to dig into all things Ottawa, and Internal Department of Public Safety reports confirm there was no evidence of violence by Freedom Convoy supporters outside Parliament. One report, issued the very day that Cabinet invoked the Emergencies Act, said the protest was small, peaceful and had little impact on federal operations. But that night it was designated a national security threat. As always to discuss this, is none other than Tom Korski, Managing Editor of Blacklock's Reporter, who noted there was no evidence of guns on Parliament Hill for the three-weeks of the convoy protests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Right now you can walk into any Cabela's location and purchase an SKS rifle for the sum of about $550 and use it to hunt with. While you need a gun license to own one, the gun itself doesn't need to be registered. This is the model of gun that used to kill two police officers in Innisfil late Monday night after they responded to a disturbance call in the late evening hours. Tony Bernardo is the Executive of the Canadian Shooting Association and says that this gun is like the Honda Civic of the gun world, and to get rid of them, would be a major challenge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the quiet election. The one we don't hear much about. But yet, municipal elections are a big deal when it comes to your everyday cost of living. Potholes, transit, parking fees, and much more are never seen as the hot button issue. But just because it isn't sexy to talk about, doesn't mean it isn't important, and doesn't affect your wallet. Kat Eschner is TVO's Affordability Reporter, and joined Alex to talk all about how these are the things people in Toronto should be paying attention to right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices