The Best of The Simi Sara Show - Wed Jan 23rd 2019

Chapter 1

🔥🔥 Hot question of the day 🔥🔥

Vote in @simisara980's 🔥 question of the day: Tonga is without almost all of its internet services after the country's only undersea connection was damaged. It could take weeks to fix. Today: we want to know how long you think you could go without the internet.

A few hours

A few days

A few weeks

Over a month

 

Chapter 2

Spotlight on the BC Liberals as more details on the expenses scandal emerge

The spotlight is on the BC Liberals as the expenses scandal at the BC Legislature continues to spark so much conversation today.

The man identified as an anonymous whistleblower in the speaker Darryl Plecas’ report into alleged misconduct by the clerk and sergeant-at-arms in B.C.’s legislature says the matter of questionable expenses goes beyond the two accused senior staff members.

Speaking exclusively to Global News, Connor Gibson says he was asked by Liberal MLA Linda Reid to file what he describes as inappropriate expenses. Gibson was identified only as ‘AB’ in the Plecas report.

Guest: Richard Zussman

Global News Online Legislative Reporter

 

Chapter 3

NDP call on BC Liberal MLA, and former speaker, Linda Reid, to explain her expenses

Guest: Garry Begg

NDP MLA for Surrey-Guildford

Member of the Legislative Assembly Management Committee

 

Chapter 4

Should Canadian cities be doing more to stop Airbnb upending local markets?

So much focus in recent years here in Vancouver about Airbnb... and a new report in Toronto is shedding light on the impact that it's having in that city.

The group 'Fairbnb' says that the online platform is draining 6,500 homes from the housing market in Toronto. And there's criticism that Canadian cities are not doing enough to stop Airbnb from upending local markets - and that other parts of the world are being more proactive at preventing this.

Guest: Dr Mariana Valverde

Professor at the Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies at the University of Toronto

 

Chapter 5

VPD sting sees 47 men arrested and seven charged with willingness to buy sex with underage girls

Vancouver police say 47 men have been arrested following a two-month operation in 2018, targeting people willing to purchase sexual services from youth.

All of the arrests took place in 2018, and included men from “all walks of life.” They include a school trustee, a teacher, a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang and a fireman, according to police.

Laurence Rankin, Deputy Chief Constable of the VPD outlines the process the police used to arrest the men in this sting.

Seven of the men have now been charged with considering buying the sexual services of a person under 18 years old. Police are working with Crown counsel on the other 40 men who were arrested and still face charges.

Guest: Emily Lazatin

Global News reporter

 

Chapter 6

Two shootings at separate Kamloops hotels this morning

Let’s get the latest now on a major police investigation in Kamloops today where two people were taken to hospital after shootings at two separate hotels this morning.

Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jodi Shelkie says the investigation is ongoing.

Guest: Colton Davies

Reporter with CHNL

 

Chapter 7

China warns US of 'further response' if it follows through on extradition of Meng Wanzhou

Canada's ambassador to China says there are strong legal arguments Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou can make to help her avoid extradition to the United States.

John McCallum told Chinese-Canadian reporters in Markham, Ontario that he sees three possible paths going forward and that the first is that Meng is extradited to the US.

McCallum points out that option number two is more under the control of the United States and not Canada. The third option is that Meng is released by a Canadian court.

Guest: David Akin

Global News Chief Political Correspondent

 

Chapter 8

BC Liberals in the firing line as legislature expenses scandal deepens

No comment yet from Richmond South MLA and former Speaker Linda Reid, to a claim by a whistleblower that she claimed mileage and taxi receipts for the same day.

Conner Gibson was mentioned using initials only in Monday's shocking report by Speaker Darryl Plecas. In it, he made the claims against Reid - allegations Plecas called ‘troubling’.

Gibson has now come forward to tell Global News that he thinks what Reid did was wrong and she should resign.

Reid has been under fire in the past for claiming controversial expenses including $120,000 in various upgrades and renovations, and she also once billed taxpayers $5500 to send her husband to South Africa.

Guest: Rob Shaw

Legislative Correspondent for the Vancouver Sun and the Province newspapers

Chapter 1

🔥🔥 Hot question of the day 🔥🔥

Vote in @simisara980's 🔥 question of the day: Tonga is without almost all of its internet services after the country's only undersea connection was damaged. It could take weeks to fix. Today: we want to know how long you think you could go without the internet.

A few hours
A few days
A few weeks
Over a month

 

Chapter 2

Spotlight on the BC Liberals as more details on the expenses scandal emerge

The spotlight is on the BC Liberals as the expenses scandal at the BC Legislature continues to spark so much conversation today.

The man identified as an anonymous whistleblower in the speaker Darryl Plecas’ report into alleged misconduct by the clerk and sergeant-at-arms in B.C.’s legislature says the matter of questionable expenses goes beyond the two accused senior staff members.

Speaking exclusively to Global News, Connor Gibson says he was asked by Liberal MLA Linda Reid to file what he describes as inappropriate expenses. Gibson was identified only as ‘AB’ in the Plecas report.

Guest: Richard Zussman

Global News Online Legislative Reporter

 

Chapter 3

NDP call on BC Liberal MLA, and former speaker, Linda Reid, to explain her expenses

Guest: Garry Begg

NDP MLA for Surrey-Guildford

Member of the Legislative Assembly Management Committee

 

Chapter 4

Should Canadian cities be doing more to stop Airbnb upending local markets?

So much focus in recent years here in Vancouver about Airbnb... and a new report in Toronto is shedding light on the impact that it's having in that city.

The group 'Fairbnb' says that the online platform is draining 6,500 homes from the housing market in Toronto. And there's criticism that Canadian cities are not doing enough to stop Airbnb from upending local markets - and that other parts of the world are being more proactive at preventing this.

Guest: Dr Mariana Valverde

Professor at the Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies at the University of Toronto

 

Chapter 5

VPD sting sees 47 men arrested and seven charged with willingness to buy sex with underage girls

Vancouver police say 47 men have been arrested following a two-month operation in 2018, targeting people willing to purchase sexual services from youth.

All of the arrests took place in 2018, and included men from “all walks of life.” They include a school trustee, a teacher, a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang and a fireman, according to police.

Laurence Rankin, Deputy Chief Constable of the VPD outlines the process the police used to arrest the men in this sting.

Seven of the men have now been charged with considering buying the sexual services of a person under 18 years old. Police are working with Crown counsel on the other 40 men who were arrested and still face charges.

Guest: Emily Lazatin

Global News reporter

 

Chapter 6

Two shootings at separate Kamloops hotels this morning

Let’s get the latest now on a major police investigation in Kamloops today where two people were taken to hospital after shootings at two separate hotels this morning.

Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jodi Shelkie says the investigation is ongoing.

Guest: Colton Davies

Reporter with CHNL

 

Chapter 7

China warns US of 'further response' if it follows through on extradition of Meng Wanzhou

Canada's ambassador to China says there are strong legal arguments Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou can make to help her avoid extradition to the United States.

John McCallum told Chinese-Canadian reporters in Markham, Ontario that he sees three possible paths going forward and that the first is that Meng is extradited to the US.

McCallum points out that option number two is more under the control of the United States and not Canada. The third option is that Meng is released by a Canadian court.

Guest: David Akin

Global News Chief Political Correspondent

 

Chapter 8

BC Liberals in the firing line as legislature expenses scandal deepens

No comment yet from Richmond South MLA and former Speaker Linda Reid, to a claim by a whistleblower that she claimed mileage and taxi receipts for the same day.

Conner Gibson was mentioned using initials only in Monday's shocking report by Speaker Darryl Plecas. In it, he made the claims against Reid - allegations Plecas called ‘troubling’.

Gibson has now come forward to tell Global News that he thinks what Reid did was wrong and she should resign.

Reid has been under fire in the past for claiming controversial expenses including $120,000 in various upgrades and renovations, and she also once billed taxpayers $5500 to send her husband to South Africa.

Guest: Rob Shaw

Legislative Correspondent for the Vancouver Sun and the Province newspapers