Hamilton Today with Scott Thompson

Gas prices to hike to highs not seen since 2022!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Gas prices are going up to levels not seen since 2022, according to our guest. The Conservative Party’s deputy leader joins us to share reaction to the budget. Ontario asks Ottawa to close loophole that's led to 'disturbing' rise in pay-for-care clinics. There have been Multiple arrests, 19 charges laid in $22.5M in the fallout from the Pearson Airport Gold Heist. What happens to Canada’s middle class now? There are plenty of concerns about our ...

It's federal budget day!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Are the Tesla layoffs a sign of rough times for the EV industry – or is it something else? We look at the federal dental care plan, and the Ontario Dental Association's thoughts about it, in light of the hesitancy some Alberta dentists are expressing toward signing up. NASA confirmed Monday that a mystery object that crashed through the roof of a Florida home last month was a chunk of space junk from equipment discarded at the International Spac...

Vinyl is back! LP sales continue to skyrocket.

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: 70 years ago saw Bill Haley “Rock Around the Clock”. Vinyl is back? LIUNA Gardens development rejected, and residents couldn’t be happier. Bill Maher says Canada’s “Extreme wokeness” is a ‘cautionary tale’ for America. We discuss the threat of foreign interference in Canadian politics, and the tactics of division. Israel’s war cabinet meets following Iran’s attack over the weekend. Certain vehicles frequently stolen? Your insurance is going to b...

Ontario Land Tribunal turns down plan for former Liuna Gardens site in Winona

Golden Bachelor fans, there’s some devastating news...

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Only three months after their lavish, televised wedding ceremony, Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist of the Golden Bachelor have announced their divorce. Randall Denley says that Trudeau's attempt to blame Ontario Premier Doug Ford for the carbon tax isn't fooling anyone, in his newest piece for the National Post. If an election were held today, the Liberals would form the opposition? Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Thursday that Ottawa ...

O.J. Simpson died. How do you feel about it?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: O. J. Simpson has died of cancer at the age of 76. Boeing is in the spotlight, and once again it’s not for good reasons. The Feds announced that they have agreed to double the tax credit given to volunteer firefighters. Newest Abacus data shows the Conservatives in the strongest lead yet. The Ford government has unveiled a new omnibus bill focused on streamlining home building and approvals in the province. Want affordable housing in your backya...

Foreign Interference Inquiry (ft. PM Justin Trudeau)

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Canada is on the outside looking in, when it comes to the security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Bite of Brant event has welcomed in over a thousand students this year, to learn about agriculture and possible careers, now going 29 years strong. We find out about how this year’s event unfolded. The Bank of Canada held its benchmark interest rate steady on Wednesday amid signs that inflation is easing, with ...

Fast Music? Slow Music? Not in Chechnya.

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Authorities in the Russian Republic of Chechnya have announced a ban on music that they consider too fast or slow. The ban will mean that many songs in musical styles such as pop and techno will be banned. How might experiencing the eclipse affect people? What does Canada’s defence policy update mean for us, and what does it mean for our NATO allies? Pierre Poilievre is gaining ground with the youth vote. How, and what does that indicate? We loo...

A Total Eclipse of the Hamilton Today Podcast!

We are in the Path of Totality! Join Scott as we sneak onto the roof and enjoy a prime viewing spot of today's total solar eclipse over Hamilton. Get the scoop on what it was like to be at Tim Horton's Field, with CHML Reporter Lisa Polewski. Take a jaunt over to Ft. Erie, where the eclipse lasted longest, with CHML Reporter Ken Mann. Then hop back inside as we discuss the eclipse further with professors, astronomers, and Mayor Andrea Horwath. We also look at the Jays home opener tonight, the...

Got Your Glasses For The Eclipse? How To Find Out If They’re Legit.

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Writing in the Globe and Mail, Mike Moffatt says that Ottawa’s proposed Canadian Renters’ Bill of Rights “may not be as transformative for renter protection as some of its other initiatives, but it’s a helpful, if secondary, measure.” How do you spot the dangerous, fake eclipse glasses? What makes the safe, legitimate eclipse glasses actually safe? And what are our alternative options for viewing the eclipse? Kawartha Dairy unveiled its newest l...

Rebuttal to Jagmeet Singh’s Carbon Tax Comments...

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Balance has returned to Hamilton’s real estate market for the first time in nearly a decade, according to the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington. What does that mean or look like? We hear Dan McTeague’s rebuttal to Jagmeet Singh’s comments about the B.C. Carbon Tax, made while on air with us on Wednesdays show. Is Hamilton seeing an uptick in eclipse tourism ahead of April 8? Doug Ford wants Ontario medical schools to reserve all their ...

Speaking with Jagmeet Singh about what brings him to town today

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Today, Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is in town to speak to media about the party’s push to make big grocer CEOs “pay their fair share,” as the press release puts it. As the federal inquiry on foreign interference by China and other nations resumed last week, hearing from activists who claim persecution by those countries, a much different sort of approach to the People’s Republic unfolded overseas: A delegation of five MPs and senators, mos...

Teenage Head 50th Anniversary Show! I’m not old, you’re old!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Remembering SCTV alumni Joe Flaherty who died yesterday. Prepare for the Teenage Head 50th anniversary show this Saturday, April 6th at Carmen’s Banquet Centre. The open letter from economists is oblivious to carbon tax realities, writes Carson Jerema in the National Post. The federal government's $1 billion loan program for expanding child care spaces. Democracy Watch is an intervener in the ongoing inquiry into foreign interference. As such, t...

Is Hamilton at risk of a situation like what happened in Baltimore?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: A large encampment at Hamilton city hall has lost its primary organizer. Former President Donald Trump is urging his supporters to buy a "God Bless the USA" Bible for $59.99 as he faces mounting legal bills amid his third presidential run. Hamilton mayor Andrea Horwath has used her strong mayor powers to veto a decision to reject the construction of 67 affordable housing units on top of a parking area in downtown Stoney Creek that residents and ...

Why challenge the implementation of Strong Mayor powers if you're going to use them?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Burlington Ward 3 City Councillor Rory Nisan weighs in on his comments regarding strong mayor powers. Florida’s Social Media ban for ages under 14. What does social media do to the adolescent mind, and do the concerns of Florida republicans make sense? A senior Bank of Canada official says the need to improve productivity has reached an emergency level as the economy faces a future where inflation(opens in a new tab) may be more of a threat than...

What, if anything, should be done about the protest encampment outside of City Hall?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Celebrities – like Stephen Colbert – walk back their speculation and jokes about Kate Middleton, now that they have learned she has cancer. What happens following the Moscow concert hall terrorist attack? Greece is interested in purchasing Canada’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) if the resource could be made available to the Mediterranean country, according to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Why did Donald Trump’s ‘Truth Social’ receive a...

Fed Gov clamping down on migrant worker numbers

The federal government is clamping down on the number of migrant workers in Canada while trying to boost access to permanent residence for those already here, to rein in population growth that's contributed to a housing crisis and strained resources. After imposing a quota on the study permits issued and reintroducing a cap on international students' work hours, Ottawa will reduce the share of temporary residents of the overall population from the current 6.1 per cent to five per cent over th...

Pushing back an election to increase pension eligibility?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: We look over the highlights of this weekend’s Juno Awards. A military veteran who spent 20 years in uniform, Lieutenant Colonel Huajie Xu now lives on a quiet street in Winnipeg. He did not serve in Canada’s armed forces. Instead, he was a member of China’s People’s Liberation Army, according to records obtained by Global News. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released estimates showing how much it could cost to delay the next election by a wee...

Let’s Hear More About the Growing Encampment Outside of Hamilton City Hall

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, says cancer was found during her abdominal surgery earlier this year and she is undergoing “preventative chemotherapy,” she announced Friday. This week, the federal Conservatives called for a vote of non-confidence on Trudeau’s Liberal Government, in an attempt to trigger a Carbon Tax Election... The House of Commons rejected the motion. We look at the growing encampment outside of Hamilton City Hall, which...

Will Canadians revolt if they realize how broke they are?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: We examine the escalator tax on alcohol and ponder if it's worth keeping when we just keep pushing it back. Bruce Winder discusses how some retailers are lowering their prices in order to win back customers. Environment minister Guilbeault's comments about roadbuilding are still creating trouble for him, and work for his staff. The total solar eclipse is coming up! Dr. Elania Hyde walks us through how we can look, and maybe even take pictures o...

Dr. Jack Cunningham on Canada's decision to stop sending arms to Israel

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says that the federal government will stop sending arms to Israel. What is changing, and what will the fallout be? Guest: Dr. Jack Cunningham, Ph.D., Program Coordinator at the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History, in Trinity College and the Munk School, University of Toronto

Does Oakville's Iroquois Ridge High School need a new name?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: We look at the legacy of Brian Mulroney. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says that the federal government will stop sending arms to Israel. Citing escalating security concerns, The Playhouse cinema says it has had to postpone an upcoming film festival organized by the Hamilton Jewish Federation, calling the decision “difficult” and apologizing to ticket holders. Avoiding a CRA audit, navigating the new tax rules. Young workers in Canada un...

Why might gas see a 20 cent/litre jump in the near future?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: On this surprisingly wintry last day of winter, we get an update on the famous falcons of Hamilton! More than seven months after her separation from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau is ready to talk. Hertz, the rental car company that announced in January it was selling roughly a third of the electric vehicles in its fleet, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just f...

Hamilton’s falconwatch says downtown peregrines seen with egg

Big Changes Being Made to the Around the Bay race.

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Big changes coming to the Around the Bay race. Trudeau’s “crazy job”. Ontario Liberals to rule out the carbon tax, if they form government in 2026. Treated poorly in a store recently? Why is that? Putin (shockingly) wins Russian election. Don’t want to be in a nursing home? There are some creative solutions it seems. It is all coming up on the Hamilton Today Podcast! Guests: Anna Lewis, Race Director of ‘Around the Bay’. Tim Powers, Chairman of ...

“Match Made In Heaven!” Sound of Music Festival teaming up with the Burlington Performing Arts Centre for 2024

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Elon Musk's SpaceX company has conducted a third test flight of the most powerful rocket ever built. The Sound of Music Festival is teaming up with the Burlington Performing Arts Centre for 2024. Ontario’s education minister, Stephen Lecce, says the province is prepared to force the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board to sell the vacant Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School site if they continue "hoarding" it. What is Measles, how has it b...

TikTok’s on the mind. Should it be banned? Can it?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Writing in the Globe and Mail, David Moscrop asks “Letting 16-year-olds quit school to go into skilled trades? What can go wrong?” For some Loblaw customers in Ontario, their next grocery run might look and feel a little different. Writing for ‘The Conversation,’ Professor Doug Jacobson looked at whether governments should ban TikTok, as well as if they even can. Should we be seeing and hearing more of Mayor Andrea Horwath during this initial fa...

Dr. Elliot Tepper on Putin's willingness to use nuclear weapons

According to Putin, he's prepared to deploy nuclear weapons in the event Russia has its sovereignty or independence threatened. Guest: Dr. Elliot Tepper, Emeritus Professor of Political Science with Carleton University

Putin says he's prepared to use nuclear weapons if Russian sovereignty is threatened

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Are we ever going to see anyone held accountable following the Chinese infiltration of the Winnipeg microbiology lab? There are calls to halt the Carbon Tax hikes that are set to happen in April and they're not coming from just anyone. Do Canadians feel that the Online Harms Act will make social media safer? It's no secret that there are different types of mortgages and as rates change some are more favourable than others. Where's the 'sweet spo...

Margaret Atwood weighs in on Trudeau & the Online Harms Act

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: A photo released by Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, over the weekend was meant to calm speculation as to her whereabouts. Writing in the Globe and Mail, Campbell Clark says that if Chrystia Freeland and the federal Liberals are looking for a low-cost economic initiative, the answer lies with the office of Immigration Minister Marc Miller. Keith Mackey joins us to share his insights on two aviation stories catching our eyes today. Overall, abo...

Marking the 4th anniversary of WHO's declaration of COVID-19 a global pandemic

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Did you watch The Oscars last night? How do we get more physicians in Ontario? Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says the federal government will cap the annual alcohol excise tax increase on beer, spirits and wine at two per cent for an additional two years. How can we fix Canada’s military recruiting crunch? On March 15th, the Cancer Assistance Program is celebrating 30 years of providing free practical services to cancer patients and their f...

Dr. Aurel Braun on the significance of Sweden joining NATO

We look at the significance of Sweden joining NATO. Guest: Dr. Aurel Braun, Professor of International Relations and a Senior Member of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto

Celebrating the amazing women who keep our world ticking!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged the federal government to cancel or put a hold on the carbon tax ahead of a planned increase, warning that if they don’t, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could get annihilated in the next election. How McMaster’s planetarium is preparing for the eclipse? How did Biden’s State of the Union Address go over? Brandi Ferenc, from Stouffville, Ont., is the keynote speaker at this year’s International Women’s Day Luncheon ...

Michael Spavor's multi-million dollar settlement with the federal government

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: The Hamilton Police Service’s Shooting Response Unit has been made permanent. As you heard from Marit Stiles on yesterday’s show, the leader of Ontario’s new democrats wants Doug Ford’s provincial government to remove tolls from the 407 and make it a highway for transport trucks. A carbon fee with your pizza? Goodfellas Wood Oven Pizza chain is planning on pairing the two. You may have seen the story of a gravestone in Peterborough that has been...

Looking closer at the shooting in Hamilton and what it signifies

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Premier Doug Ford's Conservatives halted the Ontario NDP push to scrap tolls for transport trucks on Highway 407. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released Leger polling showing 69 per cent of Canadians oppose the federal carbon tax hike on April 1. Saudi Aramco and the United Arab Emirates’ ADNOC are investing in U.S. liquid natural gas, while they still can. The Bank of Canada left its benchmark interest rate unchanged on Wednesday and signal...

Hamilton's "cybersecurity incident" confirmed as a ransomware attack

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: An annual road closure in Burlington for an endangered salamander species is happening early this year due to unseasonably mild weather. All this talk of Ontario highway tolls, preventing future tolls being created, and even the Ontario NDP suggesting we scrap the 407 tolls… what is going on? We get an update on the School bus crash near Woodstock, Ontario. Kevin Nielsen was on the scene earlier today, and he joins us now. The Ontario government...

Canada's worst criminals are living better than some Canadians?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with guest host Scott Radley: New Ipsos polling conducted exclusively for Global News found that 42% of respondents would go to the United States and personally pay for more routine health care if needed. As artificial intelligence develops further and fraud schemes become increasingly convoluted, Canadians are more concerned than ever about the effect the nascent technology could have on fraudulent activities, says a recent poll conducted by RBC. We have heard a lo...

Brian Mulroney's impact on Canada was greater than political

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Tom Wilson Tehoháhake returns to the show, to talk about his newest book, his art, and life in general! Former prime minister Brian Mulroney died at 84, yesterday, as you heard on 900 CHML. The Ancaster Food Drive needs volunteers as well as donations: this Saturday is the 32nd Ancaster Food Drive and it looks to be one where they will pass 2 Million pounds of food. More Canadian auto insurance companies are calling on some of their customers to...

Where the heck is Justin Trudeau?!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is out in Thunder Bay. What is he up to out there? This week marks the 40th anniversary of his father's famous "Walk in the Snow." Could the current PM be contemplating something similar? Well, Scott can hope! We delve into the famous walk that led Pierre Trudeau to resign as Prime Minister, and it's legacy in the time of his son. We'll also talk about surge pricing, pharmacare, springtime real estate markets and m...

Look! It's another place we can't build housing in Hamilton!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: We’re getting hit with uneven weather to close out the month of February. What can we anticipate? Will we need shorts one day and snowpants the next? Preserving heritage sites or making room for more housing. Like with much of the talk about finding spaces for housing, we ask – is there a middle ground? Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history who maintained his power in the face of dramatic convulsions in the Republican Par...

Why can't the Stoney Creek parking lot be turned into housing WITH parking?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: What are the safety issues with a solar eclipse, and are they worth shutting down school early or should schools be taking advantage of the cosmic, educational moment? The Online Harms Bill has a focus on human rights and stiffening responses to hate crimes in online platforms: is the bill living up to its goal or missing the mark? In an age of artificial intelligence, how crucial is it to be taught writing? What does the CEO of the Ontario Phar...

Cole Morro on Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day

February 22nd is Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day, and Hamilton resident Cole Morro has firsthand experience with the disease. Cole was training to become a physician assistant when a classmate noticed he had a murmur. Heart Valve Voice Canada is leading an awareness campaign called “Listen to Your Heart” in partnership with the Alliance for Aging and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Over 1 million Canadians are affected by heart valve disease, but awareness of the signs and symptoms is ...

Dr. Aurel Braun on the resignation of the Palestinian government

Palestinian prime minister submits government’s resignation, a move that could open door to reforms. Dr. Aurel Braun, Professor of International Relations and a Senior Member of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto

Doug Ford still ahead in the popularity race?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Doug Ford beating out Marit Stiles in the provincial political realm? Abacus says so. Are the Liberals not enthused about the pharmacare deal as the NDP? Hamilton is clearing a path to more “gentle density” by inviting triplexes and fourplexes into neighbourhoods where single-detached homes predominate. How are housing starts defined in Ontario? Cybersecurity incidents targeting municipalities are becoming more common, and it seems like Hamilton...

Speaking with Jagmeet Singh about pharmacare in Canada

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Wednesday's passage of a Conservative motion came a day later than the party originally hoped for after debate around amendments stretched until the end of the allotted meeting time. This week we heard BlackBerry is making moves to become the go-to company for designing the operating systems for cars. Beyoncé has gone country and become the first black woman to top the Billboard Country Music chart, and we're due to get four interconnected movie...

Pierre Poilievre's thoughts on the issues of Southern Ontario

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: We get Hamilton International Airport’s reaction to news that in the summer, Air Canada will offer ‘luxury’ bus service to Toronto Pearson Airport from Hamilton as well as Waterloo. Today, February 22nd is Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day, and Hamilton resident Cole Moro has firsthand experience with the disease. A plan to use a portion of a downtown Stoney Creek municipal parking lot to shore up Hamilton's affordable-housing stock has fizzled ...

How many inquiries are there?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: The Conservatives want to issue another formal summons for the owners of GC Strategies to appear before the government operations committee probing the ArriveCan controversy. Let’s talk Shingles: a new survey of Canadians 50 and older, commissioned by GSK Canada and conducted by Leger Research, revealed significant misconceptions about shingles, despite the fact that 8 in 10 respondents say they are familiar with the virus. Canada is prepared to...

Ontario's Legislature is back with plenty to do

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: With the addition of a new flour mill, Hamilton is taking bigger and bigger steps toward becoming an agri-food hub. We find out more about the Ford government’s ‘Get It Done Act’ and what it means for drivers in the province, according to Ontario’s Minister of Transportation. Should the operating systems for cars be designed by BlackBerry? There may be pros and cons to the tech company becoming the go-to for vehicles OS but the big question is, ...

The new Hamilton Budget… let’s talk about it!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Hamilton’s budget has been voted in but not every councillor voted in favour of it. Family Day is coming up on Monday! What can we expect in Hamilton? How do grocers decide which foods to donate and which to dump? One of Vladimir Putin’s harshest critics, the imprisoned leader of the opposition, Alexei Navlany has died. Niagara region is having success with its modular homes. What is the situation like in Hamilton, and what does our near future ...

Hamilton's budget has passed!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: How much snowfall are we looking at, and how will we be affected? We get more from the neighbours of the GFL Landfill in Stoney Creek. Canada’s political leaders can’t dodge the need for NATO spending any longer. The Carbon Tax rebrand announced by Trudeau’s government is not winning over the people at the Canadians Taxpayers Federation. How do we approach the role of Artificial Intelligence in the classroom? Can we imagine a place for it? The L...