The Inside Agenda

Ontario Economic Wrap-Up

Fri, 26 Jun 09 21:43:53 GMT

Since our 2008-2009 programming season began last September 2, The Agenda has covered a lot of different topics. But the one topic to which we have devoted the most energy has been the issue of greatest concern to most people in this province: Ontario's economy.

Tonight we wrap up our 2008-2009 season with one more look at how things stand in the Ontario economy. With that in mind, I thought it would make sense to post here a sample of some of the episodes we've produced over the past 10 months where the Ontario economy has been front and centre.

10 Months Seems Like a Lifetime Ago

Our second program of the 2008-2009 season on September 3, 2008 discussed the state of the province's economy just as the full scale of the economic downturn was about to begin. Several of the MPPs that appeared on this episode are also appearing on tonight's program to discuss where things stand 10 months later.

The Agenda on the Road: Manufacturing in Windsor

This programming season saw The Agenda go on the road to five different communities in Ontario to discuss the state of various sectors of the province's economy. Our first stop was in Windsor on October 20, to discuss the challenges faced by Ontario's large but declining manufacturing sector.

The Agenda on the Road: The Resource Economy in Sault Ste. Marie

November 17, 2008 was the second stop on The Agenda on the Road series and our first stop in Northern Ontario. Since the North's economy has been primarily driven by resource industries such as mining and forestry, it was fitting to use our time there to discuss the resource economy.

The Agenda on the Road: Agriculture in Kingston

Kingston was the site of The Agenda on the Road's discussion on Ontario's agricultural economy on January 20, 2009.

The Agenda on the Road: The Aboriginal Economy in Thunder Bay

Northern Ontario is home to many of the province's aboriginal communities. For that reason, The Agenda on the Road stopped in Thunder Bay on February 9 to discuss the aboriginal economy.

The Agenda on the Road: Innovation in Waterloo

Our last Agenda on the Road episode for this programming season took place in Waterloo on March 30, 2009. There, the home of Research in Motion, the maker of the Blackberry, a discussion took place on where some see the future of the Ontario economy: High-tech innovation.

That's a sample of some of the programming we have done during the 2008-2009 season on the state of the economy.

I encourage you to post any thoughts you have on the state of the Ontario economy, what needs to be done to bring it out of recession, and on which key industries the province should focus in the coming years.

The Best of The Agenda - 2009 Summer Schedule

Fri, 26 Jun 09 16:17:33 GMT

We kick things off with repeat presentations of this season's Munk Centre specials. Back in September — before the federal election, before the anti-Harper coalition — we began with this look at the splintered centre-left in Canadian politics.

We'll also repeat our 3 special week-long series: Growing Minds, Mysteries of the Mind, and Belong or Bust.

And finally, as The Agenda gears up for Season 4, we'll repeat last season's Agenda on the Road specials - our cross-province look at the state of Ontario's regional economies. The Agenda visited 5 cities outside of Toronto last season, including Waterloo, Thunder Bay, Kingston, Sault Ste. Marie, and Windsor.

The Agenda with Steve Paikin returns with new programs on Tuesday, September 8 2009. Thanks for watching, and have a safe and enjoyable summer!

MUNK CENTRE SPECIALS
Monday, June 29 2009 | The Left - Too Many Parties?
With 4 parties vying for your vote, what's a centre-left voter to do?
Tuesday, June 30 2009 | Free Market - Mirror or Distortion?
An anthropological take on the free market system: Do free markets accurately reflect human nature?
Wednesday, July 1 2009 | Aboriginal Identities at a Crossroads?
With more than half of Canada's First Nations now living off-reserve, can the traditional way of life be maintained?
Thursday, July 2 2009 | Politics in the Classroom
The role of professors: transmitters of knowledge or drivers of social change?
Friday, July 3 2009 | Our Illicit Addictions
Fighting for a drug-free society or managing our addictions in a complicated world?

Monday, July 6 2009 | Toronto: World Class or Second Class?
In 1987, the actor Peter Ustinov called Toronto, New York run by the Swiss. Is it a description that still fits?
Tuesday, July 7 2009 | In Quest of More Justice
Ontario's human rights tribunals: adjudicating injustice ... or hurt feelings?
Wednesday, July 8 2009 | Disorder on the Couch
Are you "addicted" to the internet? Can shopping be an illness? If you are "sensory-sensitive," are you sick? Psychiatry's bible and the controversies surrounding its revision.
Thursday, July 9 2009 | Reproductive Technologies Gone Wild?
From California's octuplets to Calgary's 60-year-old mother of twins: Has reproductive technology gone wild?
Friday, July 10 2009 | Policing in a YouTube Era
From the Robert Dziekanski case in Vancouver to the G20 protests in London: a closer look at policing in the YouTube era.

GROWING MINDS WEEK
Monday, July 13 2009 | What is School For?
Getting along or getting the right job, creating critical thinkers or creating citizens ... what is the purpose of a K-12 education?
Tuesday, July 14 2009 | Robert Compton | Education East to West
Two million minutes: the amount of time between grade 8 and high school graduation. Documentarian Robert Compton and his concerns about how American adolescents are wasting that time. And: From rote learning to critical thinking, from competitiveness to harmony, from socialization to employability: schools and social outcomes, east and west.
Wednesday, July 15 2009 | Paul Tough | The Teachers
Starting over: The New York Times Magazine editor Paul Tough on the bottom-up rebuilding of New Orleans' inner city classrooms. Lessons for anyone else? And, the teachers: are they up to the job? Is the quality of teaching down, or is everyone just riled up?
Thursday, July 16 2009 | Education 2050: Neural and Networked
Synapses, social networks and school: what developments in brain research and computer technology tell us about the classrooms of the future.
Friday, July 17 2009 | Leonard Sax | Education and Choice
Boys Adrift author Dr. Leonard Sax on the benefits of single-sex schooling.And: does separate work? The social consequences of slicing the educational pie ever more thinly.

MYSTERIES OF THE MIND: FROM BRILLIANT TO BROKEN
Monday, July 20 2009 | Dr. Donald Stuss | The Male and Female Brain
Your brain and you: Baycrest vice president of research Dr. Donald Stuss on which part of the brain is responsible for what.And: Hard wiring and social expectations - men, women, grey matter ... and even greyer zones.
Tuesday, July 21 2009 | Dr. Rahul Saxena | Happiness and the Brain
When using your head just isn't enough: the Hospital for Sick Children's Dr. Rahul Saxena on the adolescent brain. And: the hub of human happiness - how much do we really know about what makes us happy?
Wednesday, July 22 2009 | Professor Gregory Petsko | Your Brain on Technology
The coming boom in neurological diseases: Brandeis University biochemist Gregory Petsko on the ageing brain. And: your brain on technology - what growing up with technology means to the evolution of your brain.
Thursday, July 23 2009 | Dr. Norman Doidge and "Brain Man" Daniel Tammet | Peace of Mind
An extraordinary mind, an unusual life: Dr. Norman Doidge joins Daniel Tammet to help explain what it's like being one of the world's only autistic savants. And: talk therapy, medication and the brain - how to treat mood disorders - a patient's perspective.
Friday, July 24 2009 | Hardwired to Hurt?
Aggression, violence and the brain: Are some of us hardwired to hurt others?

BELONG OR BUST: WHERE DO I FIT IN?
Monday, July 27 2009 | The Need to Belong | Rudyard Griffiths
No man is an island: reconciling individual identity and difference with our status as a 'social animal'. And: from single-country citizenship to mandatory voting - author Rudyard Griffiths on renewing civic life in Canada.
Tuesday, July 28 2009 | Ta-Nehisi Coates | Me versus We
Being black: handicap, blessing or neither? The Atlantic's contributing editor Ta-Nehisi Coates on Obama and a 'deeper' black identity. And: balancing me with we - how Canada is faring in balancing individual liberty and group identity.
Wednesday, July 29 2009 | Olivier Bauer | Choose Your Own Identity
Can hockey be holy? Université de Montréal professor Olivier Bauer on La Religion du Canadien de Montréal. And: from punk to politics - how we create communities of belonging.
Thursday, July 30 2009 | Belonging in a Global Era
When global souls settle down: how returning Canadians change the country.
Friday, July 31 2009 | Bliss Broyard | The Mighty Middle
Colour her confused: author Bliss Broyard on the secret life of her father, The New York Times literary critic Anatole Broyard. And: the class everyone talks about but no one can define - is middle class about money or mentality?

THE AGENDA ON THE ROAD
Monday, August 31 2009 | Manufacturing in Decline
Ontario's manufacturing economy: it accounts for 15% of Ontario's jobs, 20% of the provincial economy, and an even larger share of exports to the United States. But despite the impressive numbers, Ontario's manufacturing base is struggling. From Windsor, Ontario.
Tuesday, September 1 2009 | Our Resource Economy
Local resources, global realities: what a global economic slowdown and an increasingly competitive environment mean for Northern Ontario's traditional economic backbone. From Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Wednesday, September 2 2009 | Ontario's Agricultural Economy
A global supermarket, changing demographics and a severe economic shock: the future of the farm and the men and women who work the earth. From Kingston, Ontario.
Thursday, September 3 2009 | Aboriginals and the Economy
Aboriginals and the economy: how to move forward without forgetting the past. From Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Friday, September 4 2009 | Ontario's Innovation Economy
As Ontario's industrial sector comes apart at the seams, what can a province built on the sweat of its brow learn from a city built on the strength of its brains? From Waterloo, Ontario.

Monday, September 7 2009 | The Bill Davis Legacy
On the 50th anniversary of his first election to Queen's Park: the Bill Davis legacy and why his 25 years in public life touch us still.
Tuesday, September 8 2009 | 2009-10 SEASON PREMIERE
The Agenda with Steve Paikin returns with new programs, beginning its 4th season.

2007 program: The Highs and Lows of Politics

Thu, 25 Jun 09 22:28:05 GMT

I recently read Steve Paikin’s book Public Triumph Private Tragedy about former Ontario Premier John Robarts. I finished the book wondering if the personal costs of a successful public life are worth the private sacrifices and whether the life of an MP/MPP has changed since the heyday of John Parmenter Robarts.

Tonight’s program is a continuation of a theme from the 2007 program Ontario MPPs: The Rookies and the Defeated. On this past program we discussed what those on their way in learn can from those on their way out.

The panel included two rookies to the Ontario Legislature at the time, Paul Miller (Hamilton East-Stoney Creek) and Peter Shurman (Thornhill) as well as two recently defeated MPPs, Dianne Cunningham (15 years at Queen’s Park) and Paul Ferreira (8 months at Queen’s Park).

What else would you like to see The Agenda examine about the life and work of our politicians?

Don't worry about the coat and tie ...

Wed, 24 Jun 09 20:42:24 GMT

One of the more fascinating articles I came across in researching for tonight's interview with Princeton University's Julian Zelizer, about Barack Obama's management style, was this one - White House Unbuttons Formal Dress Code - by Cheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times.

I don't know about you, but I had no idea that one of the rules of the George W. Bush administration was coat and tie in the Oval Office at all times. I'm not sure why that surprised me, but it did. Perhaps because I never really thought about it before.

Well, that rule is no more. President Obama, photographed in the Oval Office with his sleeves rolled up and tie loosened, has a lot of work to do these days, and I've got no problem with him being a little more comfortable while doing it. Do you? I'd love to know your thoughts on this.

There are other interesting nuggets of information in the article:

- Obama works out at 6:45 every morning, and is in the office by 9:00 a.m. Again, I never really thought about it, but the President essentially works from home. His commute is all of 30 seconds.

- Punctuality was important to George W. Bush. Stolberg recounts a time when Secretary of State Colin Powell showed up a few minutes late for a meeting, and Bush locked him out of the Cabinet Room. Just picture that for a second - Colin Powell, one of the most powerful men in America at the time, standing outside the locked door of the Cabinet Room, probably cursing under his breath. Showing up late to a meeting; it truly does happen to all of us.

- Forget about the coat and tie, the White House is now officially "business casual" on the weekends. Your thoughts?

- Former President Bush received the "president's daily brief" Monday through Saturday. President Obama gets it seven days a week. What I'm wondering is: how long does the briefing last?

- President Obama drinks Honest Tea, and White House refrigerators are stocked full of them. His flavours of choice: Black Forest Berry, and Green Dragon. (I've never heard of, or tried, Honest Tea. Can anyone vouch for it?)

The article by Ms. Stolberg was published in January of this year. At the time, Obama had yet to change the decor of the Oval Office. Understandable, considering there was that whole "economic crisis" going on. It was on his mind, though, and here's an excerpt from the article:

The rug is still there, as are the presidential portraits Mr. Bush selected - one of Washington, one of Lincoln - and a collection of decorative green and white plates. During a meeting last week with retired military officials, before he signed an executive order shutting down the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Mr. Obama surveyed his new environs with a critical eye.

"He looked around," said one of his guests, retired Rear Adm. John D. Hutson, "and said, 'I've got to do something about these plates. I'm not really a plates kind of guy.'"

I don't think of President Obama as a plates kind of guy, either, and while I'm not sure about the portrait of George Washington, I can't imagine he'll be taking down Lincoln's.

Enjoy tonight's program.

Fighting for the Skies

Tue, 23 Jun 09 22:15:53 GMT

Back in March, The Atlantic Monthly's National Correspondent Mark Bowden wrote a fascinating article for the magazine, entitled "The Last Ace."

For more than 50 years, the American military has ruled the skies. So much so that Bowden argues America has taken it for granted. The F-15, the revolutionary fighter jet that gave American its advantage, is no longer the force it used to be. The rest of the world - Russia, India, China, North Korea and Pakistan - has caught up to the technology. There's a new kid on the block - the F-22 Raptor - and unless the entire American aerial fleet is upgraded to this new and incredible technology, their days of ruling the skies may be numbered.

Enjoy the interview. As always, I'd love your thoughts and feedback.

Iran: Interactive Timeline

Thu, 18 Jun 09 23:18:00 GMT

As protests over Iran’s disputed presidential election continue for a fifth day, The Agenda's web editor, David Erwin, has prepared an interactive timeline of key events in modern Iranian history. You'll find text, images and video that put the events of the last few days in better context.

Iran Timeline on Dipity.

And please post any comments you have on the ongoing Iranian situation.

Can GM be Saved?

Wed, 17 Jun 09 21:45:17 GMT

Have you seen the New GM commercial? The one where they say: “we’re not going out of business; we’re getting down to business”? It makes me want to start chanting “RUDY, RUDY!”

GM is using the typical underdog analogy with its new ad. They even throw a hockey fight and a football game into the mix. And hey, if we can get a man on the moon, then maybe GM can come back from the brink? That’s the only reason I can think of why they would show a man oh the moon during an auto company ad.

Everyone loves an underdog and the commercial almost makes me want to root for GM. One thing it doesn’t do is make me want to buy a GM car. Isn’t it GM’s job to make cars that people want to buy? What’s with the hockey fight?

I know what they are trying to do. They are trying to get us back on their side. The managers were getting paid millions of dollars to run the company into the ground. They couldn’t design cars that people wanted to buy and the unions didn’t make any concessions, knowing the dire straights the company was in. So, this is their way of saying, OK we messed up. Truce?

GM’s brand is tarnished. Call it what you like: I’ve heard them all: “Government Motors”, “Gimme Money”, the list goes on. So, if GM was really “getting down to business” then shouldn’t they be advertising their new brands? As Jerry Maguire would say, “Show me the money” Show me the cars, show me that you have a turnaround plan, don’t show me a hockey fight, I can tune into Hockey Night in Canada if I want to see that.

I don’t even want to know how many tax payer dollars were used for that glossy ad, and I admit it is pretty, but it doesn’t get me believing in GM.

Have you seen it? Do you like the new GM commercial? If it’s any indication of their turn around plan I would say that we can kiss our hard earned tax dollars goodbye because this isn’t going to end the way the movie “Rudy” did.

A Disputed Election

Tue, 16 Jun 09 01:31:39 GMT

I’ve spent most of the day reading about the disputed Iranian election online. Along with following updates on the websites of the usual suspects – The New York Times and CNN – I found myself getting a lot of information from two unlikely sources: Twitter, and The Atlantic contributor Andrew Sullivan’s blog, The Daily Dish.

Sullivan went as far as calling Twitter’s user-generated coverage of the day’s events its “finest hour.”

For those not familiar with Twitter, “the social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time,” it has a feature called Trending Topics: a list of the top 10 subjects being discussed on the site. “#IranElection” is the top trending topic today, and has been all day. I imagine it will remain in that spot for the rest of the night, and into tomorrow.

One of the more followed Twitter users throughout the day has been persiankiwi. Here’s a sample of some of the accounts’ tweets in the past few hours:

“Gov hackers are on twitter now - we are getting threats - #Iranelection”

“reports of gun shots in Sadatabad too - we heard gunshots from that direction about 45 mins ago #Iranelection”

“we have call from Sharak Gharb - reports of streetfighting and tear gas #Iranelection”

“we only want freedom - we are peaceful - we have no life no future in IRI without freedom - #Iranelection”

“it is very hard here - we are under big pressure and risk - we are being tracked on twitter - #Iranelection”

“unconfirmed - up to 7 dead in Azadi sq today #Iranelection”

Of course, there is no way of tracking the validity of tweets like the ones above, so they must be received with caution. But they are fascinating nonetheless, and show the power of Twitter as a social messaging and organizing platform.

I’ll leave the final word of the day on Twitter and the happenings in Iran to Andrew Sullivan: "I have to say my skepticism about this new medium (Twitter) has now disappeared. Without it, one wonders if all this could have happened. ... Technology has not just made the world more dangerous; it has also enabled freedom to keep one small step in front of tyranny and lies."

The Poison Parent

Fri, 12 Jun 09 22:28:50 GMT

High-conflict cases is what they’re called in family court — where acrimony between exes fuels endless court appearances and the inability to resolve issues. And one area where it is most contentious is over custody and access rights.

Professionals in the family court system are increasingly paying attention to the alienation of a parent by another parent. Bad-mouthing the ex and leading children to believe they aren’t loved by the other parent is incredibly damaging to children as you will hear from our panel tonight.

Mr. Justice Harvey Brownstone, who presides over North Toronto Family Court, family lawyer Jeffery Wilson, family psychologist Barbara Fidle and researcher Amy Baker will be on hand to discuss the damaging effects of parental alienation and how it is playing out in our courts.

One guest we tried to book but he was already committed to another conference today is law professor Nichiolas Bala of Queen’s University in Kingston. He and his research team recently concluded a study which focused on parental alienation cases in the courts from 1989 to 2008. He concluded that such cases are on the rise and a detriment to the courts in that they are taking up far too much time. He also broke down cases according to gender and the results of experts appointed to give testimony. It’s worth a look.

Open Letter to the Minister of Weather

Wed, 10 Jun 09 23:39:56 GMT

I’m writing to you as a concerned citizen about the state of the weather in our province today. To put it bluntly, dear Minister, it is simply awful! Today is June 10th and although it was indeed sunny for a good part of the day, it was not nearly warm enough for my liking. I think the high today was 20 degrees Celsius, which is well below the seasonal norm, and I want to know who is responsible. Whoever it is, they must be fired immediately and replaced by someone more competent and with a greater sense of compassion. I’m a good person, I deserve a good summer. Please, I beg you, turn up the heat!!!