Inside the Village - A weekly podcast featuring newsmakers in Ontario Village Media Inc.

A rare chance to draw back the curtain this week on Inside the Village as Frisco and Scott go one-on-one with retired Ontario judge Norm Douglas. After years as a respected prosecutor who then served on the bench, Douglas has penned his first book: You Be The Judge. Inspired by the visits he used to make to high school classes, the book recounts the details of 24 cases from his career — and asks the reader to decide. In a wide-ranging interview, Douglas shares his thoughts on numerous hot-button topics, from the state of the country’s bail system to Premier Doug’s pursuit of “tough” and “like-minded” judges. On a less serious note, we also discuss what “Stormin’ Norman” does for fun: impersonate Elvis. Also on the podcast: a love story 75 years in the making.

On this episode of Inside the Village, we really take you Inside the Village — to talk about a massive project that Village Media has been toiling away at behind the scenes. It’s called SPACES, a new kind of social media network designed to be safe and civil and 100 per cent community-powered. Simply put, SPACES is our attempt to bring back genuine local engagement, helping residents connect even deeper with the people, places, events and traditions that make their hometown so special. Joining us to talk all about it is Village Media CEO Jeff Elgie. Full disclosure: we’ve been asking the boss to come on our podcast for more than a year, and he finally said yes. Along with SPACES, our wide-ranging conversation touches on the state of the media industry, why the Village model works, and who he likes better: Frisco or Scott? Also on this episode: a big welcome to our latest addition to the Village family, MiltonToday.

Remember when measles were pretty much eradicated? So much for that. The number of confirmed cases in Canada has now reached 40 — more than three times the number in 2023. Why the resurgence? A growing number of kids simply aren’t getting vaccinated like they used to. The spike in cases comes just as public health agencies across the province are cracking down on elementary and high school students whose immunizations are not up to date, including shots for mumps, measles and rubella. In recent weeks, thousands of kids have received letters in the mail, warning they’ll be suspended for 20 days if they don’t roll up their sleeves (or if their parents don’t fill out the necessary exemption forms). Joining Scott and Frisco to break it all down is Dr. Dawn Bowdish, an associate professor of medicine at McMaster University. Also on the podcast: Should Highway 400 be renamed in honour of the late Gordon Lightfoot? “Carefree Highway, let me slip away on you…”

Nearly four years ago, provincial regulators started asking for public feedback on an interesting question: Should Ontario allow human composting? Although it’s legal in a handful of U.S. states, no Canadian jurisdiction has given the green light to this greener alternative to burial and cremation. Could Ontario be the first? To better understand how human composting works — and why it’s slowly gaining popularity — Frisco and Scott spend some time talking to Morgan Yarborough of Seattle-based Recompose, the first funeral parlour in America to allow it. Spoiler alert: a typical composted body from her facility fills the back of a pickup truck. Also on this week’s episode: A huge congratulations to The Trillium, and a big welcome to Oakville News!

More and more companies are adopting a four-day work week to help reduce employee burnout and increase productivity — and the idea appears to be working. A new report from the non-profit think tank Infinite Potential found that only nine per cent of employees report feeling burned out at organizations that have implemented a reduced schedule at the same pay, compared to 41 per cent at workplaces with a standard 40-hour week. Joining Frisco and Scott to talk work-life balance is Joe O’Connor, CEO of the Toronto-based Work Time Reduction Center of Excellence. Also on the podcast: Is it time to allow composting of dead bodies?

The numbers are staggering. In Ontario alone, more than 50 vehicles are stolen every single day. For governments of all levels, combating the problem has become a top priority. Premier Doug Ford recently warned car thieves everywhere that “we’re coming after you,” and this week, the Trudeau government pledged $15-million to fight the growing problem across the country. Joining us this week to explain the gravity of the crisis — and why it’s gotten so much worse in recent years — is Bryan Gast, a former OPP officer and now vice-president of investigative services at Équité Association. Gast also offers some handy tips on how car owners can better protect their wheels from wily thieves. Also on the show: A trip down memory lane with some of Village Media’s most memorable Random Acts of Kindness.