The Current: Part 1

Satire

It's Thursday July 10th, and the theme of the 44th annual premiers' conference in Charlottetown is 'Toward a New Era of Co-operation'.

The Ontario, Newfoundland, Quebec and Alberta premiers are using the occasion to complain about the federal government, each with a hint of separatist rhetoric.

Currently, Canada's premieres are slapping their foreheads. Obviously they've confused the event with NEXT year's theme: 'Toward an Era of Disgruntled Local Self-Interest'.

Time to tuck back into the cozy federalist quilt, fellas.

This is the Current.

Ontario Separation

Grumbling and griping can be heard from coast to coast this week. That can only mean there's a Provincial Premiers' meeting...Everyone's got a beef.

Ontario's complaints were exposed in a leaked memo which demanded more control over taxes and immigration.

And separatist tendencies have, once again, cropped up in Alberta. In Calgary tomorrow, Western parties including Social Credit and the Alberta Party gather to discuss the provinces' "independence".

And of course we can't forget last week's Royal Commission report - which examined Newfoundland's place in the country.

All this angst... from so many provinces. But what about Ontario?? Why has it never threatened to leave Canada? So with our tongue planted firmly in our cheek...we've assembled an esteemed panel of thinkers to debate whether Ontario should call it quits - and leave Canada.

In our Edmonton studio, we were joined by Roger Gibbins. He's the president of the Canada West Foundation. Anthony Sayers is an associate professor of political science at the University of Calgary. And Heather MacIvor teaches political science at the University of Windsor.

Premier's Pizza

Ahh - the seemingly never-ending struggle for our provincial leaders to find common ground. You can only imagine what it would be like if all the premiers sat down and tried to order a pizza - to share! … the only menu item that everyone appears to agree on - is disagreement. A Premier Pizza…. Menu items? Hmm. I like that…. In fact, it all reminds me of an old nursery rhyme.

Listen to The Current: Part 1

The Current: Part 2

Letters

Our Friday host, Kathryn Gretsinger joined us from Vancouver to read some of the mail.

Music

Popcan

Malaria Documentary

Malaria is one of the most deadly diseases in the world. It kills anywhere from one to three million people a year . . . most of them children under age five in the developing world. But recent discoveries in the field of genomics could pave the road to better treatments, or even the elusive vaccine.

CBC Radio's science reporter Monica Kidd took an in-depth look at the scientific advancements and the human roadblocks to ridding the world of malaria.

Her documentary, "Not Even a Glass of Water" was originally broadcast on The Current on February 28, 2003.

Malaria Update

Monica Kidd joined us from our studio in St. John's to update us on what has happened since her documentary on malaria first aired back in February.

West Nile Factboard

In Canada, we've declared war on mosquitoes, but here the fear is of West Nile disease. Cities across the country are bracing for another season of the mosquito-borne virus.

So far this year, there have been no confirmed human cases. One New Brunswick man is suspected of having the virus, but the final test results won't come in until tomorrow. Government officials have already found dead birds infected with the virus in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

But the city of Winnipeg isn't waiting around. Insect control crews have been going out almost daily this summer, looking for standing water where the bugs breed. And they've gotten results. The mosquito traps used to catch several hundred mosquitos a day. Now they're down to just a handful.

Listen to The Current: Part 2

The Current: Part 3

Iraqi Treasures Documentary

Four million Iraqis live in exile around the world - from Ireland to India, Jordan to Canada. Many fled with little more than an overnight bag and their memories.

Last March, an exhibit in London, England honored those Iraqis by asking them a simple question… 'what is the most cherished or significant item you brought with you?' The response was extraordinary.

Mary O'Connell brought back this documentary from London just before the war began in Iraq. The piece originally aired on The Current on March 7th.

The exhibit "Our Life in Pieces: Objects and their Stories from Iraqis in Exile" ran last March at the Diorama Gallery in London, England.

Antiquities Update

At the end of the war in Iraq, the news was filled with reports of a collosal theft of the country's antiquities. Looters broke into Iraq's National Museum, smashing and stealing tens of thousands of priceless artifacts. Experts claimed that priceless items such as ancient gold jewelry and a five-thousand year old golden harp vanished in the chaos that shook Baghdad.

But now, nearly two months later, the American-lead coalition in Iraq is claiming that almost all the missing artifacts have been recovered.

However, not everyone is convinced that's true. Professor Clemens Reichel coordinates a major international recovery effort at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute.

Greek Marbles

A lot of precious sculptures are missing from the Parthenon in Athens. But it's no mystery where they are.

Lord Elgin brought them back from the Acropolis in 1811 and sold them to the British Government. Since 1816, they've been one of the biggest attractions at the British Museum in London, where they've become known as the Elgin Marbles.

Greece has been asking for their return since 1829. Now, with the Athens Olympics a little more than a year away a new museum is under construction at the Acropolis. Greece plans to use the museum to pressure Britain into giving the sculptures back. One room will be reserved for the Elgin Marbles and it will sit empty until they are returned.

Freddy New is leading a British campaign to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece. He was in our studio in London, England.

Listen to The Current: Part 3