The Best of The Simi Sara Show - SkyTrain strike: how negotiations between unions and companies are won / Are your kids safe while playing online games? & More...

CHAPTER 1

🔥🔥 Hot question of the day 🔥🔥

It’s @MikeSmythNews’s 🔥 question of the day:

The value of residential single-family homes in the Lower Mainland is forecasted to drop by five to 15% when the next BC Assessment figures are released.

Are you happy about this?

Yes, values need to drop.

No, it hurts my equity

No, it needs drop further

 

CHAPTER 2

SkyTrain strike: how negotiations between unions and companies are won

The voice of CUPE 7000 President, Tony Rebelo, speaking to reporters early this morning. 

Service is getting back to normal on the Expo and Millennium SkyTrain lines, after a struck by 900 SkyTrain employees was narrowly averted.

After 18 hours of non-stop bargaining and 10-minutes before the 5am strike deadline, CUPE Local 7000 and the BC Rapid Transit Company announced a tentative contract settlement.

Details won't be released until a ratification vote.

So how are disputes like this settled? What goes on behind the closed doors, and how do two sides come to an agreement?

Guest: Richard Zussman

Global News Online Legislative Reporter

Guest: Thomas Knight

Associate Professor, UBC Sauder School of Business

 

CHAPTER 3

UBC declares climate emergency, will divest endowment fund out of fossil fuel companies

UBC has declared a climate emergency, and as part of their efforts, the board of governors has agreed to move investments away from fossil fuels.

This follows a long-running discussion by various parties about whether this is a necessary move to help protect the environment.

Mike Smyth hosted a debate on the topic on the Simi Sara Show on Tuesday.

Guest: Michelle Marcus

UBC Alma Mater Society councillor

Co-ordinator of UBCC350, group pushing for UBC to divest away from fossil fuel companies

Guest: Stewart Muir

Resource Works, pro-resource development group

UBC alumnus, opposes divestment

 

CHAPTER 4

Are your kids safe while playing online games?

A recent expose by the New York Times have revealed how sexual predators use online video games to groom and lure children. Jesse Miller is the founder of Mediated Reality, and he joins us now to discuss the risks of online gaming and what parents and grandparents can do to ensure their kids are safe online. 

Guest: Jesse Miller

Mediated Reality

 

CHAPTER 5

Does the transit strike highlight vulnerabilities in Metro Vancouver’s transportation system?

The voices of some relieved commuters on the SkyTrain network throughout the morning.

After 18 hours of non-stop bargaining, and 10 minutes before the 5am strike deadline, CUPE Local 7000 and the BC Rapid Transit Company announced a tentative contract settlement. It meant the strike was narrowly averted.

Details won't be released until a ratification vote.

The passengers we heard from there had a plan B, but so many students and workers told their stories in recent days and weeks weren’t as lucky. So does this expose some of the vulnerabilities in our transportation system here in Metro Vancouver?

Guest: Gordon Price

Fellow at SFU’s Centre for Dialogue and a former Vancouver city councillor 

Guest: Brent Toderian 

Former Vancouver chief planner

City planner and urbanist

 

CHAPTER 6

 ‘Canadian eyes only’ intelligence reports say Canadian leaders attacked in cyber campaigns

Russia is one of the hostile foreign states that has targeted Canada in recent “cyber influence” campaigns, according to secret intelligence records obtained exclusively by Global News. The records from Canada’s Communications Security Establishment are labelled “Secret: Canadian Eyes Only”.

They say that due to their policies in Eastern Europe, then-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland, and Minister of National Defence, Harjit Sajjan, are among the Canadian targets of “cyber influence activity to cause reputational damage.”

Guest: Ward Elcock 

Former CSIS director

 

CHAPTER 7

Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor have been in a Chinese jail for one year

That’s federal Justice Minister, David Lametti. He’s speaking today on the first anniversary of the detention of two Canadians by China. Their names are Michael Spavor, and Michael Kovrig. 

Now China is hinting at upcoming trials for the two Canadians. The detentions are widely believed to be an attempt to pressure Canada to release Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei. The detentions of Kovrig and Spavor came days after Meng was arrested at YVR, at the request of American authorities who want her on fraud charges.

Guest: Joanna Chiu

Bureau Chief of Star Vancouver, and a friend of Michael Kovrig  

CHAPTER 1

🔥🔥 Hot question of the day 🔥🔥

It’s @MikeSmythNews’s 🔥 question of the day:

The value of residential single-family homes in the Lower Mainland is forecasted to drop by five to 15% when the next BC Assessment figures are released.

Are you happy about this?

Yes, values need to drop.
No, it hurts my equity
No, it needs drop further

 

CHAPTER 2

SkyTrain strike: how negotiations between unions and companies are won

The voice of CUPE 7000 President, Tony Rebelo, speaking to reporters early this morning. 

Service is getting back to normal on the Expo and Millennium SkyTrain lines, after a struck by 900 SkyTrain employees was narrowly averted.

After 18 hours of non-stop bargaining and 10-minutes before the 5am strike deadline, CUPE Local 7000 and the BC Rapid Transit Company announced a tentative contract settlement.

Details won't be released until a ratification vote.

So how are disputes like this settled? What goes on behind the closed doors, and how do two sides come to an agreement?

Guest: Richard Zussman

Global News Online Legislative Reporter

Guest: Thomas Knight

Associate Professor, UBC Sauder School of Business

 

CHAPTER 3

UBC declares climate emergency, will divest endowment fund out of fossil fuel companies

UBC has declared a climate emergency, and as part of their efforts, the board of governors has agreed to move investments away from fossil fuels.

This follows a long-running discussion by various parties about whether this is a necessary move to help protect the environment.

Mike Smyth hosted a debate on the topic on the Simi Sara Show on Tuesday.

Guest: Michelle Marcus

UBC Alma Mater Society councillor

Co-ordinator of UBCC350, group pushing for UBC to divest away from fossil fuel companies

Guest: Stewart Muir

Resource Works, pro-resource development group

UBC alumnus, opposes divestment

 

CHAPTER 4

Are your kids safe while playing online games?

A recent expose by the New York Times have revealed how sexual predators use online video games to groom and lure children. Jesse Miller is the founder of Mediated Reality, and he joins us now to discuss the risks of online gaming and what parents and grandparents can do to ensure their kids are safe online. 

Guest: Jesse Miller

Mediated Reality

 

CHAPTER 5

Does the transit strike highlight vulnerabilities in Metro Vancouver’s transportation system?

The voices of some relieved commuters on the SkyTrain network throughout the morning.

After 18 hours of non-stop bargaining, and 10 minutes before the 5am strike deadline, CUPE Local 7000 and the BC Rapid Transit Company announced a tentative contract settlement. It meant the strike was narrowly averted.

Details won't be released until a ratification vote.

The passengers we heard from there had a plan B, but so many students and workers told their stories in recent days and weeks weren’t as lucky. So does this expose some of the vulnerabilities in our transportation system here in Metro Vancouver?

Guest: Gordon Price

Fellow at SFU’s Centre for Dialogue and a former Vancouver city councillor 

Guest: Brent Toderian 

Former Vancouver chief planner

City planner and urbanist

 

CHAPTER 6

 ‘Canadian eyes only’ intelligence reports say Canadian leaders attacked in cyber campaigns

Russia is one of the hostile foreign states that has targeted Canada in recent “cyber influence” campaigns, according to secret intelligence records obtained exclusively by Global News. The records from Canada’s Communications Security Establishment are labelled “Secret: Canadian Eyes Only”.

They say that due to their policies in Eastern Europe, then-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland, and Minister of National Defence, Harjit Sajjan, are among the Canadian targets of “cyber influence activity to cause reputational damage.”

Guest: Ward Elcock 

Former CSIS director

 

CHAPTER 7

Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor have been in a Chinese jail for one year

That’s federal Justice Minister, David Lametti. He’s speaking today on the first anniversary of the detention of two Canadians by China. Their names are Michael Spavor, and Michael Kovrig. 

Now China is hinting at upcoming trials for the two Canadians. The detentions are widely believed to be an attempt to pressure Canada to release Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei. The detentions of Kovrig and Spavor came days after Meng was arrested at YVR, at the request of American authorities who want her on fraud charges.

Guest: Joanna Chiu

Bureau Chief of Star Vancouver, and a friend of Michael Kovrig