February 2011 Archives

As winter drags on, here's something to look forward to beyond the snowy season: This spring, the Toronto Public Library wants to Keep Toronto Reading One Book . That book is Midnight at the Dragon Cafe by Judy Fong Bates. This first novel deals with the immigrant experience in small-town Ontario. Su- Jen and her parents emigrate from Communist China and take over the only Chinese restaurant in town. The book describes the loneliness and isolation experienced by the family as they struggle to make a life for themselves in Canada. We spoke with the author, Judy Fong Bates.

Listen (runs 7:08)

More on TPL's One Book campaign here

Carlos Rodriguez, Dr. Carrie Bernard and Helen van Dongen update their progress since starting on the road to a healthier life. Today, it's all about balancing day-to-day life with their new routines.

Listen (runs 7:32)

Today the Canadian Civil Liberties Association released a report calling for a public inquiry into police actions at last summer's G20 summit in Toronto. More than 1100 people were arrested when thousands of police cracked down on protesters during the summit.

The CCLA and National Union of Public and General Employees put together their report after three days of public hearings in Toronto and Montreal in November. We spoke with Graeme Norton, Director of the Public Safety Project at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and co-author of today's report.

Listen (runs 4:07)

Canada may welcome immigrants from all over the world but how well do we integrate them? A major international study released today ranks Canada 3rd at helping immigrants integrate. The Migration Integration Policy Index is published by the British Council and the Migration Policy Group based in Brussels. It ranks 25 European and 3 non-European countries. Among the areas where Canada stood to improve were political participation (ie. allowing newcomers to vote in municipal elections) and allowing immigrant input in the shaping of government policy.

We reached Jack Jedwab, executive director of the Association for Canadian Studies. You can also see the whole study here

One of the most crucial life skills is how to manage your money. Yet many of us, old and young, struggle with it. The Ontario Securities Commission has just allocated nearly $2-million to help the Ministry of Education start financial literacy programs in schools this fall. We spoke with Tom Hamza, the president of the Investor Education Fund, a group that promotes and develops unbiased, independent financial programs and tools. They will be helping develop the new programs.

On the last day of February, Black History Month, we took a look at the Underground Railroad. The Railroad helped thousands of American slaves cross the border to a new life of freedom in Canada. Once they got here, black Canadians became a crucial part of Canadian society. We spoke about their legacy with Dyan Cross, who writes under the name L.D. Cross. She is the author of The Underground Railroad: The Long Journey to Freedom in Canada.

Listen (runs 5:40)

Some of the people responsible for housing Toronto's poorest residents appear to have been leading a fairly lavish lifestyle on the city's tab. City auditor Jeff Griffiths outlined the misspending in a report earlier today. He found staff at the Toronto Community Housing Corporation spent thousands on things like parties, pedicures and boat cruises.

We heard reaction to the report from TCHC tenant leader Linda Coltman, who also serves as an alternate to the tenant representatives who sit on the TCHC board. Listen (runs 5:47)

The board of TCHC is quick to respond to the report. Chair David Mitchell and CEO Keiko Nakamura held a media conference earlier today. Listen (runs 3:40)

When doctors go to medical school, they learn anatomy, how to read x-rays and how to sew up cuts. But one thing most doctors never learn is how to be a patient. That is, until they become one. Our house doctor Brian Goldman shares his first-hand experience being on the receiving end of medical care and some of his insights into what kind of patients doctors make and why.

Listen (runs 5:47)

The Ontario government's alleged use of Agent Orange from the 1950s through the 1970s is coming under scrutiny as some former government employees suffering from cancer are wondering about exposure to the harmful chemical. Laura spoke with Carol Brown Parker, president of the Agent Orange Association of Canada.

Listen (runs 5:53)

For more information, visit AgentOrangeCanada.com

Remember what some people have called the War on the Car? Apparently there is going to be a ceasefire this weekend. Tomorrow from 7am until midnight a company is offering free parking in some city-owned Green P lots - a total of 7-thousand free spots. Laura spoke with Scott Neil, national marketing director for autos.ca, the company behind the free parking.

Listen (runs 4:40)

An international competition called Kids Lit Quiz debuts its Canadian edition. Seven Toronto schools entered their teams for the competition at Maurice Cody Public School. Here and Now's Robin Brown has the details of the quiz and some of the students who took part in a competition that rewards their love of reading.

Listen (runs 8:09)

For more information, visit Kidslitquiz.com

A Toronto man is concerned about the welfare of his father who is working in Libya. His father is one of the many Canadians stranded in Libya as the country suffers violent civil unrest. Laura spoke with Ahmed just after he got some good news.

Listen (runs 6:58)

Help may be on the way for Canadians wanting out of Libya. CBC News has learned that Prime Minister Stephen Harper is sending a C-17 military cargo plane to get Canadians out of Tripoli. We spoke with Gar Pardy, a retiree Canadian ambassador and former Director General of Consular Services. He has been involved in evacuation efforts around the world.

Listen (runs 5:33)

Gas prices went way up today, in some cases by four cents to more than $1.20 per litre. Analysts are blaming uprisings in the Middle East. But Toronto gas station owner Jim Stonely thinks there may be more to it than that. He's the co-owner of Corktown Esso at the corner of Front and Sherbourne.

Listen (runs 5:27)

Toronto is full of accents from all over the world, but there's one man who says an accent can be too much of a good thing. Voice coach and performer Adrian Luces is offering a 'voice neutralization' seminar. He talks about how losing your accent can be beneficial. The seminar is Friday at the Markham YMCA Business Centre.

Listen (runs 4:49)

Buying a home in our city can be as competitive as any sport... But for people who are looking to enter the market or, upgrade their home, there's some good news from RBC Economics. Today, they released new numbers, showing that in Toronto, the housing market is pretty stable.Their figures suggest that the days of fierce bidding wars and homes selling for tens of thousands over asking are largely gone...at least, for now.
Robert Hogue prepared RBC's annual report on housing affordability for this year... He's a senior economist, and he spoke with us about the findings.

Mayor Rob Ford is under fire for his budget, but he says he's sticking to his election promise of a tax freeze. The first budget under the new mayor was before Toronto City Council today. Some councillors critical of the budget wanted a property tax increase, but it was voted down.
The mayor was questioned about a number of issues including the land transfer tax, paying down the debt, spending on environmental initiatives, and whether this budget is putting the city into a financial hole for next year. He addressed all of them in a scrum with reporters.

A few years ago, Toronto theatre company Canadian Stage got a new artistic director...and soon after, a new season. Matthew Jocelyn's lineup was a departure from what audiences were used to from Canadian Stage.. Some considered the plays esoteric....others thought them brave, interesting choices.

Today, Canadian Stage announced its new season. Critic and Here and Now theatregoer at large Lynn Slotkin was there for the newsand joined us to asses how the new series builds on -- or departs from -- last year's experiment.

Coming up next year to the Canadian Stage around town:

--- ANOTHER AFRICA: two plays from the Africa Trilogy that played last summer at Luminato.

-- ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE:choreographed and directed by Marie Chouinard.

-- RED: the Tony Award winning play about artist Mark Rothko and his young assistant., directed by Kim Collier who directed Studies in Motion this year.

-- CRUEL AND TENDER: by Martin Crimp, directed by Atom Egoyan, about deposing a dictator

-- THE YOU SHOW: created and choreographed byCrystal Pite.

-- THE GAME OF LOVE AND CHANCE: a boy meets girl story with two happy endings.,directed by Matthew Jocelyn

-- I SEND YOU CADMIUM RED: letters set to music and choreographed by James Kudelka.

-- THE TEST a dark comedy starring Eric Peterson.

-- BECKETT FECK IT: short works by Samuel Beckett works directed by Jennifer Tarver.

-- CLYBOURNE PARK: a huge hit in London,directed by Joel Greenberg and produced by Studio 180.

For more on the season, go to the Canadian Stage website .

Our food columnist and locavore Sarah Elton popped in with the story of an Argentine cafe, El Almacen. (El Almacen means general store in Spanish). The cafe serves loose leaf mate, similar to a herbal tea, in gourds. You can sip the warm drink from metal straws, to be enjoyed along with other South American delicacies such as alfajores.

Listen (runs 6:02)

You can find the charming El Almacen at 1078 Queen St. West. Call ahead to make sure it is open: 416-516-2898

So you think you've missed the boat on starting an RRSP just because you're in your 40s? Not so, says financial expert and author Gail Vaz-Oxlade.

Listen (runs 5:11)

Some festivals in Ontario may soon be allowed to pack up their beer tents and allow revellers to wander freely while enjoying an alcoholic beverage. That is one of several changes to the liquor laws announced by the Ontario government. The government is also hinting it may allow all-inclusive vacation packages in Ontario. And those planning weddings and charity events will be allowed to sell liquor beyond the current 1am cut-off. Laura spoke with Attorney General Chris Bentley.

Listen (runs 4:57)

University of Toronto researchers have published a study showing that when faced with a moral dilemma, most of us will do the right thing even when doing the WRONG thing will lead to a reward. Laura spoke with Rimma Teper, a PhD candidate in psychology and the study's lead author.

Listen (runs 5:53)

For some seniors living in private retirement homes, their surroundings are less than stellar. Over the years, there have been reports of retirement home residents living in dirty rooms, left in soiled undergarments and being fed substandard meals. The Ontario government responded by announcing they would finally regulate these private homes. Today, they introduced draft regulations to inspect and monitor retirement homes. We spoke about the changes with Sophia Aggelonitis, provincial Minister Responsible for Seniors.

Listen (runs 4:40)

A handful of city councillors have spent the day crunching the mayor's budget numbers.The 2011 budget lays out how the city will be spending our money in the year ahead. Today the audit committee is double-checking those numbers to make sure the budget will be balanced.

Starting Wednesday, the full council will get ITS hands on the controversial document -- controversial because although it's balanced NOW, it has come at a cost.It borrows heavily from next year's funds.The mayor says he's confident he can find enough waste at city hall in the coming year to offset that deficit.
But not everyone is so sure.

We talked about the situation with our two city hall watchers: Toronto Sun columnist Sue-Ann Levy, and Toronto Star urban affairs columnist Christopher Hume. Listen (runs 8:09)

Blues singer and songwriter Diana Braithwaite concluded her weekly series called "A Glimpse of Black History in Toronto. " Today she told the story of heralded anti-slavery activist Mary Ann Shadd Cary and her ties to our city, which earned her a plaque earlier this year. It will be installed at 143 King Street East, former home of the Provincial Freeman: Read more here .

One of Toronto's culinary institutions has come back to life. Thai restaurant Salad King was originally located at 335 Yonge Street.You may know it as one of the businesses in the building at Yonge and Gould that collapsed last spring...and then burned down last month.

The owners have been working on a new location since the collapse. And today eager fans stormed the new location just across the street at 340 Yonge Street. We spoke with Ernest Liu, one of the owners of Salad King.

One of these things is not like the other: CBC, CTV, Global or Netflix. According to Canada's telecommunications regulator -- the CRTC -- Netflix is the odd one out Right now, the video-streaming service isn't considered a "broadcaster."But some industry groups say it should be, and they want Netflix to start paying up.

Our technology columnist Dan Misener joined us to talk about the situation. More on the story here .

Where would you rather live - Toronto or Vancouver? According to The Economist, you should consider Vancouver. The British magazine has given the West Coast hub top prize for most livable city in the world while Toronto places a respectable 4th on the list. Cities are ranked based on stability, health care, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.

We wanted to know, what makes Vancouver so special? So we challenged one of our colleagues to tell us, one who's a bit of a ringer, since he's an ex-Torontonian. Rick Cluff is a former sports host with CBC Toronto. He now hosts the morning show for CBC Radio in Vancouver. He and Laura engaged in a little cross-country ribbing.

Listen (runs 6:19)

You can read the Economist article on the most livable cities in the world here.

According to new research from McMaster University, staying on the couch is the last thing you should do... that is, if you want to maintain your youthfulness. Researchers at the university have found the secret to anti-aging is at the end of a barbell.
Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky.is the lead researcher of this latest study, and a professor of pediatrics. He told us more about the study. Listen (runs 4:58)

Family Day is a great opportunity to share the pleasures of preparing a meal together with the family. With this in mind, we consulted The Cookbook Store's proprietor Alison Fryer. She joined us with some suggestions on good cookbooks for famly cooking.
Listen (runs 5:43)

Among the titles she mentioned on the air:

-- FAMILY DINNERS by Laurie David (yes, Larry's ex-wife). This book includes not just recipes but topics for dinner discussions, activities and other ways to connect over food.

-- KITCHEN FOR KIDS by Jennifer Low, former food editor for Home and Garden. Alison likes this book because its recipes don't require a lot of heat or sharp implements

-- READY, SET, SPAGHETTI. This book is part of a series, and provides basics around making dinner.

Lots more of Alison's suggestions for kid-friendly cookbooks here ..

Protests in Libya have turned bloody. With the death toll rising by the hour,, we heard from a man living in Canada who has been in touch with his family in tripoli. We then spoke with Hani Faris, a professor of Middle East politics at the University of British Columbia, about what we can expect next in the small but pivotal nation.

During the beginning of each new year... all sorts of promises are made:to lose weight... to eat better... and to exercise. Carlos Rodriguez, Carrie Bernard and Helen Van Dongen made a committment to do all three, as part of the CBC's Live Right Now challenge.And when they first started their new regimens, it was like starting a new love affair. They were excited, enthused and enamoured with their new routines.But last week... things changed. Carrie and Carlos admitted they were having a tough time staying committed. For some advice, we returned to Martin Moran.In January 2010 he decided to quit smoking and lose weight. He successfully did both... and now weighs ninety pounds less than he did a year ago. Here's what he said worked for him: -- find someone to be accountable to. Moran took part in a challenge with 6 other people, and he found that the competition kept his motivation up more than other things like rewarding himself might. Having someone to report to, or be challenged by, can help keep you going when your willpower flags -- keep it simple. Moran recommends sticking to one high-cardio activity to burn a lot of fat -- in his case, running -- and then doing one other thing you love, be it hiking, playing a sport, etc...that will help you enjoy getting out and moving around Listen (runs 5:03) Follow Martin Moran on Twitter @bigmanbigloser .

Today, a report called "My Mind a Beautiful Thing" argues that teaching and nurturing children to be creative and to use their imaginations is essential in our schools.The report is based on an arts program that's been going on since 2002 called Exploring Creativity in Depth, for students in grades 1 through 8, at selected schools in Toronto.
Austin Clarkson is one of the people behind this program. He's a professor emeritus in music at York University and is the director of the Milkweed Collective which developed the program. He joined us in studio to tell us more about the report he wrote. Listen (runs 5:51)
You can read Clarkson's report here .

A Toronto police division has just opened a re-vamped lobby area that - they hope - will help make people feel more at ease with the police.That lobby is at 51 Division, on Parliament near Front - has been transformed into a museum.celebrating 135 years of local policing in Cabbagetown and Regent Park.It's hoped the museum can become a portal for residents, schoolchildren and visitors to always feel welcome while entering a police station and, while in the station, embrace policing history.

Joining us to talk about what he hopes to gain from the exhibits was Insp. Heinz Kuck. He's second-in-command at 51 Division. Read the official announcement here.

Beer may be viewed as a male-dominated beverage but now The Pink Boots Society is trying to get women interested in drinking and making beer. We spoke to our occasional beer columnist and proud pink boots wearer, Mirella Amato. And Jennifer Robitaille, a brewer with Magnotta Brewery.
Listen (runs 5:14)

To hear female brewers speak about their work go to Barley's Angels

From the London Stage, through Broadway and now in Toronto, Billy Elliot: The Musical hits the stage at the Canon Theatre. Here and Now's Robin Brown sat down with the four young dancers who play the title character on rotating nights: Cesar Corrales, Myles Erlick, Marcus Pei and JP Viernes. Tickets are currently on sale through July 10.

Listen (runs 5:50)

Superior Court judge Casey Hill took the unprecedented step of sending letters to people who failed to appear for jury duty. He ordered 43 people to come to court to explain why they had ignored the law. In the end, they got away with a slap on the wrist, but the strategy has the legal world buzzing. We spoke with Lorne Honickman, a legal analyst and a partner with McCague Borlack in Toronto.
Listen (runs 6:22)

Mayor Rob Ford has suggested the private sector could help finance the extension of the Sheppard subway system. The plan was presented to the transportation authority Metrolinx for review. Under the plan, developers would cover nearly one third of the $13-billion cost. In return, developers would be able to build condos or retail space. Laura spoke with Stephen Dupuis, the president and CEO of BILD, an organization that represents developers. Listen (runs 4:28)

The federal government wants to create a new points system to apply to immigrants. It would benefit those who are younger, fluent in English or French and skilled in trades. Laura spoke with the Minister of Immigration, Jason Kenney. Listen (runs 6:57)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the introduction of the Citizen's Arrest and Self-Defence Act. It includes new measures to expand citizen's arrest. The changes come after Toronto store owner David Chen caught and tied up a repeat shoplifter last fall, only to be charged himself with assault and forcible confinement. He was acquitted. We spoke with the Justice Minister, Rob Nicholson. Listen (runs 4:38)

Life in a Rexdale youth shelter is reenacted in the docu-drama, The Middle Place, a Canadian Stage production at the Berkeley Street Theatre. The play is based on manuscripts compiled through hundreds of hours of interviews conducted with shelter residents by Toronto actor and playwright Andrew Kushnir. The play is performed by 4 actors plus Kushnir himself. The play runs through March 12. Listen (runs 8:30)

For more information, go to Canadian Stage

There is a new one-woman musical at the Spadina Museum, Sweetheart - the Mary Pickford Story, telling the story of the Canadian silent film star. Singer and actor Denise Norman performed some of the show for us and we also heard from writer and lyricist Dean Burry. The show runs through February 27th. Listen (runs 4:52)

Little piercings have led to big problems at Notre Dame Catholic High School in Toronto. Kortney Knight and other students have been in a battle with school administration over facial piercings. The school's dress code does not allow them. The students' parents have taken up the battle, trying to gather support for an upcoming vote on the issue at the next Parent Advisory Council meeting. Laura spoke with Kortney's mother, Alisha Warner-Knight. Listen (runs 5:45)

Handfuls of businesses and homeowners in Toronto have been ordered by the city to remove graffiti from their properties, even when the graffiti may have artistic value. The cases of three homeowners were reviewed by the Etobicoke-York Community Council. Laura spoke first with Ward 17 Councilor Cesar Palacio, chair of the Etobicoke York Community Council's Licensing and Standards Committee. Then she spoke with homeowner Randal So who was asked to clean up his garage door. Listen (runs 7:40)

Laura spoke with Harry Oliver about his new book, Flying By the Seat of Your Pants: Surprising Origins of Everyday Expressions.

A new study of tuberculosis in Toronto shows it is a growing problem among the homeless population, and especially if the homeless person was born outside of Canada. Laura spoke with Dr. Michael Gardam, medical director of infection prevention and control with the University Health Network, one of the authors of the study.

For more information on the study, go Here

In this digital age, with social networks and blogs becoming more popular, every aspect of our lives becomes public. That's what author Hal Niedzviecki wrote about in his book, The Peep Diaries. The book has turned into a documentary, Peep Culture, which premiered on The Passionate Eye. Laura spoke with Hal Niedzviecki.
Listen (runs 5:59)

For more information, or to view the documentary online, go to The Passionate Eye

When Dr. Andrew Wakefield's study linking autism to the childhood measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was first published in The Lancet, in 1998, it garnered worldwide attention.But in journalistic circles, few questions were asked about the doctor's methodology and just how he arrived at his conclusion.

One reporter decided to ask his own questions. At the time, Brian Deer was working for The Sunday Times of London.His investigation cracked open a tale of fraud, breach of ethics... and questionable judgement.

This evening, Brian Deer addresses a Canadian Journalism Foundation event, looking into what other journalists, the medical community and even the public, can learn from his experience. It's taking place at the University of Toronto's Innis Town Hall at 2 Sussex Avenue. The discussion begins at 6:30 p.m..

Those unable to attend in person can tune in to CBC Radio's The Sunday Edition this weekend, which will feature an interview with Brian Deer, hosted by Michael Enright..

More at the British Medical Journal website.

Toronto may soon have a new private high school. But it's not for trust-fund kids whose parents have deep pockets. This one would be for students from low-income families.

The idea behind the school is to give those students a better chance at a university education. It's modeled after a network of private Catholic schools in the United States called Cristo Rey.In those schools, the students work one day a week, to help pay for school.

We spoke with Father Joseph Redican is one of the people trying to get the school up and running. He's currently the president of St. Michael's College School. For more information, go here .

A new licensing deal between Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and one of the world's biggest drug companies is being closely watched across the country.The agreement involves the discovery of a wound-healing molecule that could benefit millions of diabetics. It could also prove to be very lucrative for the hospital.

We spoke with James Heller. He's an Associate Professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.He says a deal like this benefits all parties while the drug company takes on the risk.

Our CityScape columnist, Jennifer Keesmaat, explained why social places - as much as social media - contributed to the uprising in Egypt.

With all the cold weather we've been having, it's hard to believe that baseball season is around the corner, but this week in Florida the Blue Jays have started spring training.

Fans are keen to see how the team will perform on the field this year, but they may be even more interested in what's happening at the negotiating table.The Jays' are trying to sign Jose Bautista to a new contract. Bautista, as you may remember, led Major League Baseball last year with 54 home runs.

To help us understand what's going on, we've reached Richard Griffin. He's a baseball columnist with the Toronto Star. You can read Richard Griffin's baseball blogs here or follow him on twitter @RGriffinStar

The digital world is full of threats to privacy and security:viruses, malware, phishing schemes and more.Now, according to new research, there's one more risk to add to the list: your username. Yes, your Twitter handle...or eBay user ID...could be used against you.

Our technology columnist Dan Misener joined us to tell us more. The research paper that analyzes the issue can be accessed here. .

Dan also mentioned an online tool that lets you analyse your own usernames. You type one in, and it'll tell you how easily it can be used to identify you. Or, you can type in two usernames, and the software will tell you if it thinks they belong to the same person. You can find the tool by searching for "how unique are your usernames?", or by clicking here. .

Imagine for a moment... you work in an office and make -- say -- a hundred thousand dollars a year.Your colleague next to you is making half that...One day, your boss comes to you and says your colleague is having a tough time. The boss then asks you to fork over some of your salary to help your colleague out financially.

You may think this sounds completely absurd. But according to Len Crispino, president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, this has been going on in Canada, between the federal and various provincial governments for several generations.Ottawa has always taken payments from the provinces. And to help out those who are struggling, they transfer money from more economically successful provinces in what's called an equalization payment.
Crispino argues it's high time the federal government revisited and revised how it hands out equalization payments. He joined us to tell us more about why the Chamber believes Ontario is not getting the kind or amount of help it needs.

You can read the Chamber's report here .

The federal government says it wants to reduce immigration by five per cent next year.That's after 280,000 new permanent residents came into the country last year, the highest number in 50 years. One of the areas being cut back is the federal skilled workers program. Only 56,000 skilled workers will be allowed into the country this year, compared to 70,000 last year. Monica Boyd is a Canada Research Chair in Immigration, Inequality and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. She told us that it's not so much about increasing the number of new immigrants, but rather matching them with appropriate jobs that's important. Listen to the interview here (runs 5:38)

Valentine's Day means chocolate...and lots of it. But in between heart-shaped truffles and other chocolatey delights, you may want something to quench your thirst.
Our beerologist Mirella Amato recommends beer. She joined us to tell us why cocoa goes best with a cold on: many beers have roasted notes that tie in well with chocolate, and others have sweet flavours that complement caramel flavours in candy.

Among Mirella's recommendations:

- milk chocolate goes best with dark beers like Guinness, stouts and porters, because their coffee like flavours cut the sweetness. Bitter beers also go because they sometimes have a citrus/floral note that pairs well

- white chocolate has a buttery/nutty quality that makes it work well with English ales, especially brown English ales, which complement with buttery and nutty tones of their own

- dark chocolate goes well with fruit beers, and high alcohol beers because the complexity and fruitiness balance out the intensity of semisweet chocolate, whereas bitter beers would only underline the bitterness of dark chocolate This pairing is Mirella's personal favourite.

Follow Mirella Amato on Twitter @beerologyboffin .

Over the past six months, Toronto writer and teacher Chris Kay Fraser held a love letter writing contest and workshop. From her responses she discovered that love letters are not limited to romantic partners, and that heartfelt and stirring emotion can be expressed for almost anyone - or even anything. She read a selection of her finds over the weekend, but on Friday, she visited Here and Now with a preview (runs 7:10) You can find out more about Chris Kay Fraser's writing classes snd workshop at her website for Firefly Creative Writing

Ryerson bills itself as the leading research university in the province.But according to a recent survey, it may want to start focusing less on research...and more on students.
In the last academic year, the school fielded 78 complaints from students about the behavior of professors - things like disrespectful behavior, and a lack of availability to meet.That's an increase of about 80 per cent over the previous academic year.
Joining us to talk about the spike in complaints was Alan Shepard. He's Ryerson's Provost and Vice President Academic. Listen to the interview here (runs 4:44)

Remember when cellular phones were just used for conversation? That's changed, thanks to smartphone and wireless technology. Now, you can see videos or read news on your phone. You can even listen to the radio.
But according to University of Sydney media professor, Gerard Goggin, all of us should be asking who's behind that content and how they decide what we have access to. He's in town to speak at Ryerson University tomorrow, but first, he spoke with us.
Goggin's talk begins on Tuesday, at 10:30 a.m.. to noon, at the Ted Rogers School of Management in Room TRS 1-010.

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend on Valentine's day, but where those jewels came from could spoil the mood. Or what about the gold or platinum setting?
The jewellery industry is dealing with ethical issues like never before and now there is a new way to know whether that gold ring you bought was ethically produced. Starting today, there is a new designation called FairTrade FairMined. We spoke with Ryan Taylor, founder of the Fair Trade Jewellery Company in Toronto.
For more information, visit the Fair Trafe Jewellery Company website

When your life is on the line, doctors check your blood and run x-rays and other kinds of tests. You assume they diligently follow up on the results of thoese tests.
But that's not always the case. The British medical journal Quality and Safety First published a study by researchers from Australia . They looked at 12 studies done that involved patients in hospital, involving more than 1.5 million patient records for tests including blood tests and x-rays and other diagnostic imaging.
The results are quite startling. Depending on the study, between 20 and 60% of all tests were not followed up - meaning the results was not checked by the doctor responsible for checking it. In many cases, there were multiple failures in individual patients. Overall, depending on the study, as many as 23% of patients admitted to hospital - that's nearly one in four - finished their stay in hospital without having all of their tests checked by the person looking after the patient.
Our health columnist Dr. Brian Goldman joined us with his own follow-up.
Listen (runs 4:58)

A doctors' group is disappointed with the Ontario government over its recent decision regarding wind turbines. On Friday, the province announced it was shelving plans to build wind turbines offshore in Lake Ontario and other freshwater lakes, until further scientific research is conducted. But the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment says the decision is a setback for green energy.
We spoke with Gideon Forman, the executive director of CAPE.

For more on this story, visit CBC.ca here.

Nearly 40 years after they met in what was then Peking, US President Richard Nixon and Chinese Communist Party leader Chairman Mao Tse-Tung meet again -- not on the world stage, but on the local stage, at the Four Seasons Centre downtown..
. NIXON IN CHINA is the opera that dramatizes that historic encounter between democratic and communist states..At the time, the meeting shifted the ice during the deepest freeze of the Cold War Today, hindsight offers a different view on the people and events involved.
Marisol Montalvo and Chen-Ye Yuan play two of the key characters in the story of that meeting. Chen-Ye Yuan plays Chinese Premier Chou En-Lai. And Marisol Montalvo plays Chiang Ching, the formidable wife of Mao Tse-Tung, We
spoke to them on Friday's show. (runs 6:59)

The Canadian Opera Company's presentation of NIXON IN CHINA continues to February 26. For more details, visit the company's website.

Two years ago, Premier McGuinty vowed to crack down on communities that fought against green energy projects.He called it NIMBYism, short for Not In My Back Yard, and argued some people agreed with the projects - as long as they were built in someone else's community.
Well, on Friday afternoon (Feb 11), the premier had a different word for those people: Right.McGuinty has pulled the plug on controversial plans to set up wind turbines in Ontario lakes.The Liberals issued a news release that says more research needs to be done, to determine the environmental impact of the projects.
One of the most controversial projects was planned for the Scarborough Bluffs.
Sixty wind turbines were to be set up in the shallow waters offshore - even though many Scarborough residents were dead set against the idea.
One of those residents was John Laforet. He's now president of an organization called Wind Concerns Ontario. Listen to his interview with Laura Di Battista
here (runs 5:10)

Learn more about Wind Concerns Ontario's positions here, We got a different point of view, coming up on the next edition of Here and Now (see next post)

Last fall, Toronto's Chris Kay Fraser held a love letter writing contest and workshop. From her responses she discovered that love letters are not limited to romantic partners, and that heartfelt and stirring emotion can be expressed for almost anyone - or even anything. So for Valentine's Day weekend, the local writer and writing teacher is hosting a reading called "Love Letters Aren't Just For Lovers". It's at the Inner Garden at 401 Richmond, Suite 384 at 7 pm on Sunday February 13th. Admission is free, but donations will be collected for the street youth art group Sketch.

You can find out more about Chris Kay Fraser's writing classes and workshop at her website for Firefly Creative Writing.

It's National Eating Disorder Awareness Week bringing to light the problems among many people, especially young people. Here and Now's Robin Brown brought us the story of eating disorders and disordered eating among athletes. She consulted with Dr. Julia Alleyne, who has worked with athletes from the recreational to the elite level and will be Canada's Chief Medical Officer for the next Olympic Games. She also runs the SportCare clinic at Women's College Hospital in Toronto. Listen (runs 7:36)

Nearly 40 years after they met in what was then Peking, US President Richard Nixon and Chinese Communist Party leader Chairman Mao Tse-Tung meet again -- not on the world stage, but on the local stage, at the Four Seasons Centre downtown..
. NIXON IN CHINA is the opera that dramatizes that historic encounter between democratic and communist states..At the time, the meeting shifted the ice during the deepest freeze of the Cold War Today, hindsight offers a different view on the people and events involved.
Marisol Montalvo and Chen-Ye Yuan play two of the key characters in the story of that meeting.Yuan plays Chinese Premier Chou En-Lai. And Montalvo plays Chiang Ching, the formidable wife of Mao Tse-Tung, We spoke to them on Friday's show.

The Canadian Opera Company's presentation of NIXON IN CHINA continues to February 26. For more details, visit the company's website .

Harvey Weinstein is an old Hollywood style movie mogul who defies cliche. He's a public figure who is also a complete enigma...a brilliant film buff with excellent taste but also a crude man who bullied his way to the top. And a winner, definitely: his films have garnered nearly 300 Oscar nominations and 67 wins.
A character like that.deserves a movie of his own. And now he's got one. Toronto filmmaker Barry Avrich has a new documentary about Weinstein .He spoke with us about the man he discovered behind the Miramax millions and more.
UNAUTHORIZED: THE HARVEY WEINSTEIN PROJECT screens tonight (Friday February 11) at the TIFF Lightbox at 7 pm, with a talk by Avrich.More here.

One of the city's Catholic girls' schools is is trying to solve a 25-year-old mystery.
St. Joseph's Morrow Park in North York turns 50 this year. And as part of their celebrations, they're hoping to crack open a time capsule that was buried somewhere on the grounds, back in 1986.
The problem is, no one seems to know exactly WHERE it was buried.The school's alumni association has appointed a committee to hunt for the mysterious missing time capsule.And they do have SOME leads.
We got an update from one of the searchers, Dorothy Kopar-Moore from the class of 1990. Anyone with further leads as to where the capsule might be is asked to email sjmp50@gmail.com

Food columnist Sarah Elton was in to talk about the East African vitumbua, a rice-based crumpet-like staple that is hard to find commercially here in Toronto. Listen (runs 5:37)

She visited Simba's Grill, a family restaurant specializing in Tanzanian food at 375 Donlands Avenue, south of O'Connor. Call first for availability: (416) 429-6057

You can follow Sarah's food adventures and more on Twitter @thelocavore.

Canada Reads 2011 is a wrap...and the essential Canadian novel of the past decade has been chosen.
Here's panelist Sarah Quinn revealing how she cast her deciding ballot, earlier today on Q: Listen (runs 0:15)

That was Canada Reads panelist Sarah Quinn and Q host Jian Ghomeshi announcing the winner of Canada Reads 2011 - Terry Fallis' "The Best Laid Plans."
The novel is a political satire that centers on Daniel Addison, a Liberal Party speechwriter desperate to get out of politics.
His exit strategy involves running a campaign for a no-hope candidate - Angus McLintock - in the upcoming federal election.
But things go pear-shaped in a hurry when Angus actually wins.
Defending "The Best Laid Plans" was CNN broadcaster and chief business correspondent, Ali Velshi. Earlier today, he joined Laura Di Battista on Here and Now to talk about his pick. Listen (runs 5:28)

Listen to winning panelist Ali Velshi and author Terry Fallis at the top of Q, with host Jian Ghomeshi tomorrow.
And a special one-hour recap edition of Canada Reads will air on Saturday at 4 p.m. [4:30 p.m. in Newfoundland] on CBC Radio One.
We'll also be talking about the winning book online. You can join the discussion by becoming a CBC Books member. Find out how here.

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Canada Reads crowned its 2011 winner earlier today. Hometown hero Terry Fallis, author of the political satire THE BEST LAID PLANS, emerged victorious. But don't think that's the last we'll hear of the other writers who ended up in the final five. In fact, Toronto's about to get a fresh bundle of words from contender Angie Abdou tonight. She's bouncing back onto the literary scene with her new novel, THE CANTERBURY TRAIL, which she will do the first public reading from tonight at Type Books on Queen West.
The unsinkable Angie Abdou joined Laura Di Battista to talk about it.
Listen (runs 4:59)

Last week , in the thick of RRSP season, we talked to our business columnist Donna Guzik about ideas for investing outside Canada. This week, as we continue the countdown toward the March first deadline, we asked Donna for some more pointers on RRSPs. and tax strategies. Here's what she had to say (runs 5:20)

All through February, Torontonians talk and learn about black history. But Cara Ricketts gets to live it, in a manner of speaking. In the current play ETERNAL HYDRA , the Toronto actress plays black women from three different centuries Although they speak from different times, each has a part in a literary mystery that unfolds over the play.
The people Ricketts plays are imagined -- but their perspectives and the times they live in reflect true circumstances and events experienced by real people. Cara Ricketts joined us in studio to tell us more about learning real black history through fictional characters.
Listen (runs 5:39)

. The Crow's Theatre production of ETERNAL HYDRA plays till February 12. For details, go to the Factory Theatre >website