Fight Back with Libby Znaimer Zoomer Podcast Network

Today on Free For All Friday: our listeners phoned in to pay tribute to the late Bob Cole, and to talk about parking in High Park, the shingles vaccine, and more.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: AN ASSESSMENT OF OLIVIA CHOW'S FIRST 10 MONTHS AS MAYOR

Jane Brown is now joined by Alex Blumenstein, Co-Founder of The Peak, Karen Stintz, CEO, Variety Village, and David Crombie, a former Mayor of Toronto.

What a new poll tells us about how Torontonians feel regarding the job that Olivia Chow is doing as mayor. And, the City of Toronto has made car access and parking in High Park off limits for visitors looking to get a glimpse of the Cherry Blossoms in peak bloom. Then on the panel, we discuss the next steps that the City is taking in terms of addressing dangerous dogs. City staff will be visiting owners of dogs who are listed as dangerous and will require them to post a visible sign indicating as such on their property. Currently, there are 373 dangerous dog orders across Toronto.

DOSE4DOSE CAMPAIGN: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Jane Brown is joined by Dr. Molly Yang, a pharmacist who is the Director of Pharmacy Innovation and Professional Affairs at Wholehealth Pharmacy Partners, a national group with over 200 pharmacies across Canada.

On this National Immunization Awareness Week, the importance of keeping up with our vaccinations is top of mind. More than 200 Wholehealth pharmacies are taking part in a campaign called Dose4Dose where they are donating up to 30,000 childhood vaccines including measles, polio, tetanus to UNICEF Canada. And, as part of the campaign, they are encouraging Canadians including older adults to get their own vaccination whether it be for meningitis B, HPV, pneumonia, RSV or shingles. For more information about the campaign, visit: wholehealthpharmacy.ca/dose4dose

THE MEDICAL RECORD:THE POTENTIAL RISK OF MICROPLASTICS ON CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Dr. Fahad Razak, Canada Research Chair in Data Informed Healthcare Improvement at the University of Toronto and Dr. Nadia Alam, family doctor and anesthetist in Georgetown, Ontario.

What a study says about the care provided by female doctors compared to male doctors, and what medical schools in Ontario want to see happen so that more students pursue family medicine.




WHAT AND WHO IS BEHIND THE "STEAL FROM LOBLAWS DAY" CAMPAIGN

Jane Brown is joined by Sylvain Charlebois,  Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.

Sylvain reacts to the ongoing issue that consumers have with grocery giant Loblaws and revisits the discussion about "Shrinkflation".




WHAT MAKES A TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS FAN...A TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS FAN?

Jane Brown is now joined by Wally Rigobon, Co-host of the Naz and Wally Sports Hour on Zoomer Radio.

It's that time of the year...the Toronto Maple Leafs have made it once again into the playoffs. Currently, they face the Boston Bruins. Will this be the year they win the Stanley Cup?

RECOVERING POLITICIANS: FUTURE OF TORONTO POLICE AFTER UMAR ZAMEER TRIAL ENDS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FORCE

Tasha Kheiriddin filled in for Libby Znaimer today. She was joined by George Smitherman, former Ontario Liberal Cabinet Minister, Cheri DiNovo, former Ontario NDP MPP and Andrea Mandel-Campbell, former Conservative candidate in Don Valley West.

The panel discussed all things politics! From Umar Zameer's lawyer calling out politicians and policemen for "demonizing" his client, to Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles' attempt to reverse the ban of keffiyeh at Queen's Park failing to pass a unanimous vote. Tasha also touched on the multi-billion dollar deal with Honda to assemble electric vehicles in Ontario.



HEALTH EXPERTS EXPRESS DISAPPOINTMENT ABOUT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO END FUNDING FOR HIV SELF-TESTING KITS 

Tasha Kheiriddin was joined by Khaled Salam, Executive Director, AIDS Committee of Ottawa, and Dr. Sean B. Rourke, PhD, Scientist with MAP Centre of Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital and Scientific advisor with CANFAR.

Forty years ago today the world learned about the discovery of a virus causing AIDS. Tasha and guests talk about the end of funding for HIV self-testing kits, the development in medicine and therapy for patients suffering from the disease and the societal stigma that comes with it .



TORONTO HAS BEEN DECLARED AS A "TREE CITY OF THE WORLD"

Finally, Tasha Kheiriddin was joined by guest Stephen Bede Scharper, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of the Environment; Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto for a discussion about the significance of the title, importance of tree preservation, and how to balance the latter and property rights.

ZOOMER SQUAD: TORONTO TO PROVIDE FREE DENTAL CARE SERVICE TO CITY-OPERATED LTC HOME RESIDENTS
 
Tasha Kheiriddin filled in for Libby Znaimer today. She was joined by Bill VanGorder, Chief Advocacy and Education Officer at CARP, Anthony Quinn, Chief Community & Benefits Officer at CARP and Lorne Bozinoff, President at Forum Research.


The panel discussed Mayor Olivia Chow's announcement on the free mobile dental care program for the more than 2,600 residents of the 10 long-term care homes operated by the City of Toronto and more.


TORONTO CONDUCTED THE CITY’S THIRD POTHOLE BLITZ OF THE YEAR OVER THE WEEKEND


Tasha Kheiriddin was joined by Barbara Gray, General Manager of Transportation Services and Teresa Di Felice, Assistant Vice President, Government and Community Relations for CAA SCO.


Kheiriddin and guests talk about the third pothole blitz conducted by the city of Toronto. Gray revealed the city will soon add "Patch Masters" to their equipment inventory. The patch is described online to be an all-weather material that can be used to fill potholes in wet or dry conditions.


ISRAEL VS HAMAS PROTESTS AROUND THE WORLD CAUSE A RISE OF ANTI-SEMETIC SENTIMENT 


Finally, Tasha Kheiriddin was joined by Warren Kinsella, former special assistant to Jean Chrétien and CEO of the Daisy Group.


Pro-Palestinian protests blocked downtown Ottawa roads this weekend and some of the chants openly glorified Hamas’ terror attacks of October 7. While the Prime Minister condemned these actions on X, many Canadians are saying our politicians need to do more to tackle the rising tide of hate as the Israel-Hamas war enters its seventh month.


Kheiriddin also talks about the similar situation at Columbia University in the U.S. where classes were held virtually due to a surge in anti-Semitic statements on campus grounds.

Best of Fight Back Sunday April 21 Edition

Libby and a panel of political strategists reacted to Ottawa's budget and whether it is good enough for Canadians.

Plus The Medical Record panel discussed the latest cancer screening controversy.

And Speaker Ted Arnott put a ban on wearing a Keffiyeh at Queen's Park.