Scott Thompson Show

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Over the weekend, we learned of the death of Jimmy Buffett. According to Naomi Buck’s op-ed in the Globe and Mail, Cellphones have taken over our classrooms, and it’s been a disaster. According to the Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation, those who believe Canada’s official residences are crumbling due to a lack of funding may have missed something: the numbers. You may remember talk of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. It is one of the steps away from entanglement and reliance on Xi Jinping’s Government of China, for our country. This morning, Ontario Premier Doug Ford spoke with the media following a tumultuous long weekend that saw his housing minister step down and his cabinet shuffled. Where does Steve Clark’s resignation leave the Ford government, and the concerns around interference in government? What of Premier Ford’s reassessed plans for the Greenbelt that he announced this morning? Money laundering is a ‘significant problem’ in Ontario real estate transaction

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: The Importance of radio news has been highlighted by the wildfires during the Meta news block. It’s the time of year for the Burlington Ribfest!! That is to say, Canada’s Largest Ribfest begins today! Canadian Conservative Member of Parliament Michael Chong, who was earlier in the year a subject of China’s pressure campaigns, will speak to the United States’ Congressional-Executive Commission on China. The New StatCan report say that Canada’s economy stalled in this year’s second quarter. Michael Chong is set to talk with the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China. The fact that the U.S. is taking these steps is likely to irk Xi Jinping’s government, and to see Canada combined is certainly eyebrow-raising: what sort of reaction can we expect to come out of this? As the conversation around the Greenbelt continues, and rightfully raises eyebrows in some cases, we can’t lose sight of the fact that we still are in a housing crisis and need to be able to bu

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: In 1984, Canada's music video television service, "MuchMusic," went on the air at 6 p.m. ET with a launch party broadcast live from studios in Toronto. The federal Liberals are seeing a dive in popularity among younger voters, once the core of their base, falling 23 points behind the Conservatives by the end of August, according to new polling from Nanos Research. Ontario drivers whose vehicles are popular with thieves are now getting hit with a $500 surcharge by some insurers Premier Ford held a press conference today to make an announcement about education but the news was overshadowed by questions about the Greenbelt and the fate of Housing Minister Steve Clark. We are joined by MPP Donna Skelly for a conversation about some of the Greenbelt issues that have been raised this week. Ontario and Quebec have agreed to swap energy to help each other out when electricity demands peak. It is all coming up on the Hamilton Today Podcast! Guests: Alan Cross, Host of th

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Would you pay extra money to be guaranteed a seat away from children on a long flight? The Kremlin acknowledges the Wagner Chief’s crash might have been deliberate. What does this sort of message mean during an investigation in Russia? Ontario’s integrity commissioner has found that Housing Minister Steve Clark broke ethics rules for his role in the Ford government’s Greenbelt land swap. Universities pulling course information from their public websites in order to protect faculty and students from violent attacks, like the stabbing that targeted a gender studies class at Waterloo a few months ago. New polling from the Association for Canadian Studies shows that Canadian youth have a grim outlook on the future: we find out exactly what they are seeing and why. Xi Jinping now faces the political threat of his waning economy: Charles Burton covers this in a new piece for the Globe and Mail, as well as right now on Hamilton Today. It is all coming up on the Hamilto

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: When Jen Schuringa starts pedaling her recumbent bike along the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain this September, her route will become part of a 10-year journey of perseverance since suffering a traumatic brain injury in 2013 when her car lost control and she hit a tree head on. Athletes, as well as some celebrities, will no longer be allowed to appear in commercials promoting online gambling in Ontario. We get the latest developments on the Greenbelt story, which includes new of developers looking to sell land rather than develop it. Understandably, Premier Ford is not happy. A new federal report predicts Russian intelligence services and police will help cybercriminals operate with “near impunity” against their targets — including Canadians — in the coming months. The high gas prices may be in for a break tomorrow – and we are getting some relief this week as well – but the tumultuous pumps are still an ongoing reminder of troubles with how we handle our e

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: As we head into the fall and get ready for the return of school and – let’s be honest – colder weather, there is talk of potential COVID-19 increases in North America. What are we seeing take shape? Over the weekend we learned that Bob Barker died at the age of 99. Trump’s election interference trial set for March 4, 2024. What should we expect in the meantime, and what will the repercussions of this date be? Workers at a trio of major automakers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing their union to call a strike if bargaining committees can’t secure new collective agreements in the coming months. Minister of Education Stephen Lecce reached a tentative deal with public highs school teachers, and Lecce went live with an announcement. today about back-to-school plan. News that may surprise some: it appears that an educator who has been the centre of notable controversy will be joining the HWDSB. It is all coming up on the Hamilton Today Podcast! Guests: T

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: The Burlington Public Library (BPL) officially launched the Burlington Digital Archive on Aug. 23. There is a lot happening this weekend, as Summer winds down… This Sunday, August 27, will see the return of Hamilton’s own Pride festival. This is the first Pride festival to be held outside, in a park, since 2019. Starting today, the Northern Heat Ribfest is taking place in Gage Park! The newest TikTok trend is… cracking eggs over kids’ heads and filming the reaction. Kleenex brand tissues are being discontinued in Canada. Kimberly-Clark, the brand that owns them, has not gone into great detail about why. We are joined by Larry DiIanni to tackle a few of the topics hitting close to home in Hamilton, with regard to the housing crisis. Trump gets a mugshot, and a glamorous one at that! What will this do to him, might it just be one more thing he spins in his favour? It is all coming up on the Hamilton Today Podcast! Guests: Marisa Purdy, BPL local history and digita

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Beekeeping on the roof of CF Limeridge Mall? It’s more likely than you think! Governor General Mary Simon’s travel cost taxpayers more than $2.7 million last year. The latest group to express concern over the tiny shelters planned for Hamilton’s North End as part of the city’s Encampment response is LiUNA: what are their concerns? India has become the fourth country to reach the moon, and the first to land a probe on the southern pole of Earth’s natural satellite. Why does the south pole of the Moon matter? The average Canadian family spent 45.3 per cent of its income on taxes in 2022—more than housing, food and clothing costs combined, finds a new study published by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. Donald Trump is going to Georgia to be arrested. Mike Moffatt spoke to Prime Minister Trudeau and the rest of the Liberal cabinet at the retreat in P.E.I., covering the issues surrounding the housing crisis and now

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: The troubles with other city’s LRT systems are lessons for Hamilton, so what sort of lessons have we been presented with, and what can we learn? The next space race has already begun, what will it look like and what sort of international and legal turmoil may come of it? Ryan Amato, chief of staff to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, has resigned after being in the spotlight as part of the investigation into the Ford government’s Greenbelt land swap controversy. Wagner chief mysteriously died in a plane crash which will surely bring about some impacts in Ukraine, Niger and around the world, right? The federal Liberal’s cabinet retreat wraps up today, after addressing housing, the economy, internal grumbles from Liberal MPs and more. Liberal inaction is allowing Xi Jinping’s CCP Government to colonize Canada, according to Tasha Kheiriddin. Ontario’s municipal affairs and housing minister says he is looking at potential tax changes to spur the creatio

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: The feds are pushing for Meta to drop its news block so that wildfire information can spread. Students starting University will encounter the thrill of being on their own with more responsibility, but with adulthood comes the too-familiar experience of being targeted even more so by scams, over the phone and online: what do they need to be ready for? Can you really rely on coffee and naps to make up for a poor night’s sleep? Doug Ford is bestowing more powers on regular mayors, transforming them into Strong Mayors! But who is using these powers, and what happens when Ontario has more mayors that are strong than those who are average? The Liberal Cabinet retreat is set to be briefed on housing an immigration today, which is a reminder that the cabinet retreats function as a song and dance of sorts, showing off what they are all learning and will supposedly be addressing soon. Yesterday, Trudeau says he is moving forward on the interference inquiry. And since Mike

Russia said on Monday a decision by Denmark and the Netherlands to donate the first F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine would only escalate the conflict, while Ukraine said the jets would help end Moscow’s invasion. Denmark and the Netherlands on Sunday announced they would supply F-16s to Ukraine, with the initial six due to be delivered around New Year. Washington approved the delivery of the U.S.-made jets last week. GUEST: Aurel Braun, Professor of International Relations and a Senior Member of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: The Canadian government on Friday demanded that Meta lift a "reckless" ban on domestic news from its platforms to allow people to share information about wildfires in the west of the country. Russia said on Monday a decision by Denmark and the Netherlands to donate the first F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine would only escalate the conflict, while Ukraine said the jets would help end Moscow’s invasion. With wildfires burning across North America, and the smoke spreading too, we wanted to look at what Canadians think of extreme weather and climate change. If someone is injured at an encampment, is the City liable? Delegates from across Ontario began descending on London, Ont., Sunday as Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his cabinet prepared to meet municipal officials for days of detailed, local discussions. It is all coming up on the Hamilton Today Podcast! Guests: Jeffrey Dvorkin, Senior Fellow at Massey College, Former Director of Journalism at the University of Toront

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: How "infinity mortgages" really impact homebuyers, mortgage default rates and the economy is not so very clear, according to experts. What to expect at The CNE this year. What should Hamiltonians be prepared for if there is a service interruption due to striking city workers next week, and how can they prepare? The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) said in a recent report that high construction costs and rising interest rates are hurting developer confidence in the market. Two out of three builders tell CHBA that they’re building fewer units, while 22 per cent of developers have fully cancelled projects in recent months. Steven Guilbeault, Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change is heading to China later this month in an effort to convince Xi Jinping’s government to change it ways with handling climate change concerns. Meanwhile, Canada is still dealing with unresolved issues of foreign interference, and there are still ethical qualms about

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: The Green Machine food truck is entering a new era: we first spoke with entrepreneur Mike during the era of lockdowns, now a brick-and-mortar location is in the future for the Green Machine. Trump trials are on the way and that likely means turbulence for everyone involved. The City of Hamilton’s protocol for addressing encampments and our unhoused citizens will move on to a ratification vote at city council on Friday. Is Pierre Poilievre trying to beat Trudeau at his own public relations game, with the new set of ads running? Despite common misperceptions, middle-class workers in Sweden—a country often celebrated by social democrats in Canada—pay relatively high taxes for Sweden’s large government, finds a new book published today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. The Bank of Canada is having a tough time getting a hold on the economy. Coil it be that there needs to be a change in tactics and focus? It is a

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: A local Martial Arts Studio is now facing pressure from CERB debt, after just bouncing back from the strains of lockdowns. Franco Terrazzano of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation took to Twitter (sorry, I meant X) yesterday to post insights on the Federal Carbon Tax. We wanted to give him a bit more room to express himself than the character limit allows online. Don’t get swindled while searching for concert tickets! It’s harder to pick out the scams than you might think. What do we have to know, how do we navigate the ticket landscape in 2023? The LCBO has suffered another security breach and customer information may have been compromised. Small news outlets are having an even more difficult time than usual due to Meta blocking Canadian news. The NASCAR Pinty’s Series has returned to Ohsweken Speedway, part of a five day Speed Week at Ohsweken running from Friday, August 11 to … tonight, August 16th! It is all coming up on the Hamilton Today Podcast! Guests: Jef

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: A 4th criminal case for Donald Trump. Trudeau and his Liberals must ‘go big or go home’ on housing, according to a new piece in the Globe and Mail penned by Campbell Clark. Strachan Street has been selected as the location for the Tiny Homes that the Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters have been pitching, but that is not a location they pitched and it caught them as well as North End residents off guard. The union representing elementary school teachers in Ontario is preparing to ask its members for a mandate to strike after a “lack of sufficient progress” in negotiations with the Ford government. A majority of Hamilton councillors have given initial approval to an encampment protocol calling for a mini homes pilot project and provisions for public washroom and shower facilities for those who are unhoused. The Province of Ontario has formed a working group to respond to concerns raised in Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk Report. It is all coming up on the Hamilton T

What happens if you are over 65 and dismissed: what happens with severance? GUEST: Howard Levitt, senior partner of Levitt Sheikh, employment and labour lawyers with offices in Toronto and Hamilton; He practices employment law in eight provinces, and is the author of six books. 

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: A St. Thomas resident fell for an employment scam and is out $200,000: we find out a bit more, so that you know what to be wary of. Both China and Russia are having a hard economic time – welcome to the club, guys! Some economic forecasters are expecting a rise in the inflation rate again, and are pointing toward the prices of gasoline as a major factor. Developers approaching cities like Vaughan and Pickering to develop, while AG report Green Belt trouble plays out at Queen’s Park. 20 years ago today was the Great North American Blackout: what did we learn, what has changed? The Liberals are trying to pivot on housing: how could they turn around now, what will it look like? It is all coming up on the Hamilton Today Podcast! Guests: Samantha Wakefield, Corporate Communications Coordinator, St. Thomas Police Service. Elliot Tepper, Emeritus Professor of Political Science with Carleton University. Marshall Heally, reporter with 980 CFPL in London, Ontario. Dan McT