The Alex Pierson Show Curiouscast

We have at least 2 Senators in Canada who have questionable ties to the Chinese government, and how are rumoured to be some of the names mentioned in the NSICOP report on foreign interference. So if that's the case, why is a group of concerned activists warning the federal government to approach this investigation with a level of caution? Alex Pierson had the same question, so we went to the source. She speaks with Cheuk Kwan, the co-chair of the Toronto Association for Democracy in Canada about why he and his colleagues and associates in other organizations wrote this letter to the Foreign Interference Commissioner, and what it really means.
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On this episode of the Alex Pierson Show Podcast we first get to celebrate the fact that after almost a decade, the federal government has FINALLY designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. But why now? Could there be an alternative motive? Alex turns to Kaveh Shahrooz, a human rights lawyer and Iranian-Canadian on why this change is so important, but why he believes the liberals decided to do it now.
GUEST: Kaveh Shahrooz, Human Rights Lawyer
X(Formerly Twitter): @kshahrooz

Next, more information has come to light in a case that involved a double murder/suicide...but it turns out to be much more sensational and sinister in nature. Reports suggest that the shooter was the victim of mortgage fraud that left his life savings decimated, and he lashed out on the people who committed the scam. Just how common is mortgage fraud and why didn't the police arrest the known fraudster? Ron Butler is a broker with Butler Mortgage and exposes the seedy underbelly of the mortgage world, and how this crime sadly was able to happen.
GUEST: Ron Butler, Broker with Butler Mortgage
X(Formerly Twitter): @ronmortgageguy

Finally, after Premier Ford tweeted that he's urging the federal government to impose tariffs on Chinese vehicles, Alex gets a leader in Canada's automotive world, Flavio Volpe who is also the President of the Automotive Parts Manufacturer's Association on what this actually means and how it could be done.
GUEST: Flavio Volpe, President of the Automotive Parts Manufacturer's Association
X(Formerly Twitter): @FlavioVolpe1
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Tom Korski, Managing Editor of Blacklocks Reporter joined Alex Pierson to discuss Liberal MP's will spend the summer talking to voters ''about their hopes and dreams,'' Government House Leader Steven Mackinnon said yesterday, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says she routinely shares password-protected news stories. All this and more!
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On this episode of the Alex Pierson Podcast, Alex first start off talking to some of the forgotten heroes in Canada...our farmers. Dusty Zamecnik is the General Manager of EZ Grow Farms in Norfolk County and mainly deals with propagating strawberries for larger farms or distribution centres. Alex and Dusty discuss how these heat waves affect his crop yield, and what he and members of his industry are forced to do in order to adapt to our extreme weather
GUEST: Dusty Zamecnik - General Manager of EZ Grow Farms
X(formerly Twitter): @Dustyzam

Next, after Premier Ford announced that his government had reached an agreement with Indigenous groups to start building roads in Northern Ontario, host Alex Pierson asks a question that's plagued this province for decades...does this mean the Ring of Fire can finally be developed? To get the answers, Alex speaks with Heather Exner-Pirot the director of natural resources, energy and the environment as well as a Sr. Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. Heather breaks down why the Ring of Fire has taken so long to see any progress, and why this mineral rich region is not only beneficial for Ontario, but for Canada as a whole!
GUEST: Heather Exner-Pirot - Sr. Fellow & Director of Natural Resources, Energy & Environment with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute
X(formerly Twitter): @ExnerPirot

And Finally, Alex speaks with a Basset Hound Breeder, Trina Gallop about the new changes coming to crossing the border with your dog. The new CDC rules could deeply affect the bottom line of breeders, show dogs and even those who just want to travel. Trina tells Alex how her industry is still reeling from this information, how it will affect her business and what the Canadian Kennel Club is doing to combat this.
GUEST: Trina Gallop - Basset Hound Breeder
X(formerly Twitter): @tgallop
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On this episode of The Alex Pierson Podcast, we first start off with free speech. After a group of law students signed an open petition against Israel, they are now starting to understand why free speech isn't free from repercussions. Alex speaks with Robyn Doolittle, an investigative reporter with the Globe And Mail who has been covering this issue and helps to explain why the letter was first penned, and why some of these students thought they would be safe.
GUEST: Robyn Doolittle - Reporter with the Globe & Mail
X(formerly Twitter): @robyndoolittle
Next, Alex sits with a landlord and board member of the Small Ownership Landlords of Ontario (SOLO), Varun Sriskanda about new proposed bylaws coming to Toronto which could force landlords to ensure ALL units have A/C in extreme heat. Varun tells Alex that all landlords are not the same, and this bylaw could cause rents to skyrocket...or landlords to leave the city.
GUEST: Varun Sriskanda - Member of the Small Ownership Landlords of Ontario
X(formerly twitter): @VarunSriskanda
And finally, Alex speaks with the former vice chair of the CRTC and current Sr. Fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Peter Menzies about why big tech are able to circumvent the Online News Act and freely access Canadian news. Peter explains why our tech laws are decades behind, and how this could hurt the news industry even further.
GUEST: Peter Menzies - Sr. Fellow w/ MLI & former Vice-Chair of the CRTC
X(formerly twitter): @Pagmenzies
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A new change coming to the TDSB is designed to combat rising hate...but focuses on "anti-Palestinian Racism" while underscoring rising anti-Semitism. Why is this the case, especially when the TDSB is unable to properly define what anti-Palestinian racism even is? Our host Alec Pierson is joined by a Toronto-based lawyer and also a concerned parent, Ian Cooper. Ian tells Alex his serious concerns, and why he believes the TDSB needs to abandon this plan ASAP.
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