On Point With Alex Pierson

GM is shutting down the plant in 2019, putting more than 2,500 employees out of work, as the automobile giant forges ahead with its global restructuring plan. 

Alex Pierson is joined by Rubina Ahmed Haq, Global News Radio Finance Expert, to talk about the financial implications of the holiday season. With Black Friday and the emerging Single's Day extending the length of sales, are you really saving any money?

Alex is joined by Adam Oldfield, Global News Radio Technology Expert, to talk about Sweden's decision to implant microchips for payment instead of cash. The country is fazing hard cash out by 2025, instead using microchips for payment and identification. Seems like the future is catching up to the present pretty quickly.

Alex is joined by Bob Richardson, Senior Counsel at NATIONAL Public Relations, and Anthony Furey, Sun / Postmedia columnist & national comment editor. Topics include: New story suggests that as many as seven disgruntled Conservative MPP's are set to cross the floor to join the Liberals, Ford Government announced Caroline Mulroney as Minister of Francophone Affairs, Justin Trudeau met by hundreds of protesters when he lands in Calgary and more.

Alex Pierson is joined by Victor Willis, Executive Director, PARC - Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre, to discuss the Ontario Government's overhaul to the social assistance program. Is the current system helping people or trapping people in a cycle of dependancy? Pierson and Willis discuss the implications of the reform and the best practices to decrease poverty.

Today's Top Talkers are: Tasha Kheiriddin - Anchor, Global News Toronto & Devon Peacock - Executive Producer, Global News Radio London Topics Include: The Liberal MP of Brampton East under an ethics investigation after stepping down for medical reasons when in fact he resigned because of a gambling addiction, Ford Government under fire for making cuts to French Language Service Commissioner and scrapping the construction of a French University and more.

The President and Principal of St. Mikes College both resigned this week amid the sexual assault scandal. While the resignations were a welcome first step, they cannot be the only one. Many more people must be pushed out in order for any real piece of justice to happen.

Alex is joined by Paul Davis, Educator on social media. bullying, sexting and child pornography to discuss how much of an impact a cell phone has on a child's life as well as when is the proper time for a child to be given a cell phone.

Alex is joined by Jesse Hirsh, futurist, researcher, public speaker, to talk about how Facebook’s outgoing head of communications is taking the blame for hiring Definers, the public relations firm doing opposition research on the company’s critics, including billionaire philanthropist George Soros.

Alex is joined by Dr. David Lewis, Assistant Professor, Ted Rogers School of Retail to talk about how recent downward trends in clothing-mega Gap's shopping mall sales, the fashion outlet is looking to close up hundreds of it's stores in a way it describes as "quickly and aggressively".

Alex is joined by Melissa Lantsman, Vice President, Public Affairs at Hill & Knowlton and Kim Wright, Vice President, Public Affairs at Hill & Knowlton for this edition of Counterpoint. Topics include: St. Mike's College School announces the President and Principal have both resigned, the Ford government is overhauling Ontario's social assistance program, a dilemma stands in front of the future of 24 Sussex Drive, the federal government aims to push postal workers back to work and proposed tax incentives for greenhouse-gas emitters raises a lot of eyebrows and questions.

Alex is joined by Rob Breakenridge, Global News Radio Calgary, to talk about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's recent event in Calgary in which he addresses the on-going saga that is the Trans-Mountain pipeline as well as the ever-widening price gap oil prices are having on the Canadian economy

If the past few years have shown us anything, it's that the public's view of the media has been shifted from okay to questionable. Be it politically-driven rhetoric or the notion of needing someone to blame, the media almost always seem to be the first in the line of fire. But, if not for a free, balanced press, who would fact-check the decision-makers and call into question the decisions that are morally wrong and unjust?

Alex is joined by Gary Mar, Former Alberta Minister to discuss the fall fiscal update.   

Alex is joined by Tom Quiggin, former military intelligence officer, RCMP advisor, and a court appointed expert on jihadist terrorism in both the Federal and criminal courts of Canada to discuss Canada's national homicide rate. Last year was the highest it's been in a decade says Statistic Canada. 

Alex is joined by John Mraz and Bill Hutchison. Topics lnclude: Tax credits, Ford's unelected cheif of staff wants officials to raid pot store, St. Michael's College School parents demand resignations, CRA not treating all taxpayers equally, and more.     

Alex is joined by David Akin, Chief Political Correspondent with Global News to discuss fall economic update  that will seek to close the loop on some of its outstanding mandate commitments, leaving the door open for the Liberals to use next year’s budget as their 2019 election platform.

Bill Blair is slamming a Conservative MP for hosting a “Guns and Guinness” fundraiser last weekend.

Alex is joined by Steven Mastoras, Gordian Hospitality Corp, to take a closer look at a recent publication by the Montreal Economic Institute that says the recent spike in Ontario's minimum wage has led a significant loss in job numbers while driving up the prices on restaurant meals.

Alex is joined by Lorne Honickman, Toronto-based lawyer and journalist for this edition of Case and Point. Topics include: With more cases of alleged group assaults coming out from St. Mike's College school, the question in mind becomes "where do you begin in terms of legal proceedings?" and a Toronto court judge invites the media inside a Brampton court house to showcase how a lack of courtrooms could cause public distrust within the justice system.