Hamilton Today with Scott Thompson

Scott, & the CHML Crew Eat Poutine!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Radley: Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told CNN that he listens to “Dad Rock” music like AC/DC, Guns n’ Roses, Eric Clapton while he works, and that it helps make managing the war effort more manageable. McMaster students and Hamiltonians from all over rejoice! This Saturday, from 6:00 - 9:30 p.m., you will have your chance to nab free poutine. Why? Because the 'Smoke’s Poutinerie World Famous Great Canadian Cross Country Plaid Gravy Tr...

"👍"; That's Legally Binding?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Radley: A deal has been reached between Stellantis and the federal and Ontario governments to resume construction of the electric vehicle battery gigafactory in Windsor, Ont., the company confirmed on Wednesday. Be careful which emoji you send and whom you send it to… no, not just because you want to avoid accidental flirting. More Canadians are planning on spending less on summer travel or putting their vacation plans on hold completely compared to previ...

Could we fix global warming by blocking out the Sun's rays?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Radley: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has released a statement drawing attention to what they cite as a fundamental unfairness in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax policy: Quebec is paying a lower carbon tax than the rest of Canada. California startup Alef Aeronautics has been granted testing certification for its vehicle/aircraft, dubbed the “Model A,” making it the first fully electric vehicle that can both drive and fly to receive U.S. gov...

It’s Getting Hot In The Hammer!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Radley: Hamilton and the GTA are getting hit with a heat wave! Researchers at McMaster University have created a new packaging tray that can signal when Salmonella or other dangerous pathogens are present in packages of raw or cooked food such as chicken. Is Hamilton and the surrounding region losing skilled home-builders? A new report from the Smart Prosperity Institute says so. We take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs and how they are fairing at the st...

McMaster researchers say new packaging tray can warn of food contamination

Canada holding short of joining push to speed up Ukraine's NATO membership

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: It’s time for the Canada Day long weekend! Let’s find out what the City of Hamilton has in store for us. As reported in the Hamilton Spectator, less than five hours before he was charged with killing his mother, Daryl Buckle stood before a judge and explained the reason he spat on police officers with no provocation was because “a voice in [his] head told me that if I didn’t do it, [his] mother would be murdered.” While Ukraine’s counteroffensiv...

Aurel Braun - Push from NATO Members to Fast Track Ukraine Membership

While Ukraine’s counteroffensive advances, there is a push from some NATO members to speed up the process of getting Ukraine into their ranks. However, Anita Anand has stopped short of joining that call to action. GUEST: Aurel Braun, Professor of International Relations and a Senior Member of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.

Downtown meeting seeks perspective, ideas on legal encampments for Hamilton

Hamilton Police Service welcomes new Core Patrol to Hamilton's downtown core

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. says a $70 million Lotto Max ticket that had gone unclaimed for a year has not been physically validated and is now expired. Norway’s government said on Wednesday it has given approval for oil companies to develop 19 oil and gas fields with investments exceeding 200 billion Norwegian crowns ($18.51-billion), part of the country’s strategy to extend production for decades to come. In a press release the Hamilton P...

Hamilton police adds 'Core Patrol' to downtown beat to decrease bad behaviour

Supercrawl to include Hip hop tribute during 15th year of downtown Hamilton spectacle

New Ornge ambulance garage is coming to Hamilton

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Ryan Seacrest will become the new host of ‘Wheel of Fortune.’ In a recent piece for the National Post, Sabrina Maddeaux noted that Olivia Chow may wind up pushing Toronto voters toward the right. Supercrawl organizers today unveiled the musical lineup for the 2023 free festival weekend, taking place September 8-10, 2023 along James Street North in downtown Hamilton, Ontario. Ornge is bringing a new Critical Care Land Ambulance garage base to Ham...

Olivia Chow is the New Mayor of Toronto, Significant Cybersecurity Breach of an Oil and Gas Company and More!

A touchy scenario becoming more common is that People pursuing Medical Assistance in Dying are asking to donate one or more of their functioning organs upon their death to someone they know. Now an updated Canadian guideline sets out criteria under which it could be permissible to allow people choosing MAiD to gift their organs to a relative or close friend.    How will different organizations even begin to tackle this dilemma? How are ethical policies approaches when dealing with something s...

Dr. Aurel Braun on the state of Russia following the Wagner revolt & Sweden's bid to join NATO

Sweden’s bid to join the NATO military alliance will be discussed Monday at a meeting of Nordic leaders in Iceland, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in attendance. Guest: Dr. Aurel Braun, Professor of International Relations and a Senior Member of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto

In what kind of state does the Wagner revolt leave Russia?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: The leader of the Wagner mercenary group defended his short-lived insurrection in a boastful audio statement Monday, but uncertainty still swirled about his fate, as well as that of senior Russian military leaders, the impact on the war in Ukraine, and even the political future of President Vladimir Putin. In a press release, The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has announced that they are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to “back away from...

Learning Cursive Writing Coming Back to Ontario Schools, Solving the Housing Crisis and More!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: To start off the show, we look at lithium mining, as well as the shift in focus toward lithium spurred on by Canada's energy transition. Parliament has risen and ended this legislative session. While we know there are several unresolved issues, we also ask, what was accomplished? Let’s take a look at the Fresh Up R&B Festival, which will be taking over Mills Hardware (95 King Street) starting at 6 p.m. tonight and will be running on Saturday and...

How does Pierre Poilievre feel about things as the feds break for the summer?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Taxpayers paid $61,000 for hotel rooms so the prime minister could attend a celebrity-studded, two-day summit in New York City, newly released documents obtained by National Post reveal. Ontario Superior Court fined the Canada Bread Company $50 million on Wednesday after it pleaded guilty to price-fixing. It is the highest price-fixing fine in Canada ever, according to the Competition Bureau of Canada. Parliament has adjourned early. Joining us ...

CSIS Issues Rare Warning, Titanic Submersible Update and More!

Collective Arts brewery has been a hit with craft beer drinkers from Hamilton and across the province since they first opened their doors in 2014, and the praise keeps coming: they just were voted the best brewery in Ontario in an online survey GUEST: Matt Johnston, CEO and Co-Founder of Collective Arts Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. There have been – and will be – events taking place across the city. One such event is the evening of music, art and conversation taking pl...

Could AI Wipe Out All of Humanity? Plus More!

Fourteen years after a group of passionate sports fans in Hamilton met to discuss the future of some photos that were going to be mothballed at old Copps Coliseum, many of those same folks gathered Saturday afternoon to open the doors to the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame. GUEST: Garry McKay, President, Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame.   Doctors and ethics experts are concerned about the potential impact of an aggressive advertising campaign being used byNovo Nordisk for their medications… Ozempi...

Working towards telling the whole story behind Hamilton's statues

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: The Festival of Friends is around the corner – coming up on August 4th – and we now hae word of the iconic Gage Park festival’s lineup. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen led from start to finish and cruised to victory at the Canadian Grand Prix for a second year in a row on Sunday. Chinese President Xi Jinping met with top U.S. diplomat Antony Blinken in Beijing on Monday, as the two superpowers seek to put relations back on track after they were derail...

Father's Day is here and there's plenty to see and enjoy throughout Hamilton!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Are you ready for the Burlington Sound of Music Festival?! It kicks into full swing this weekend! A Simcoe County animal rescue agency is asking for help as adoption rates sit at an all-time low while more dogs are coming into their care. Four kilometres of a major downtown Hamilton, Ont. corridor is set to transform into a gala this weekend welcoming nothing but foot traffic and activity stations. Hamilton’s official Pride event may be delayed ...

Aurel Braun on Hamilton Today: June 15, 2023

Russia says it is close to severing ties with Canada. What would that look like and how would our nations be affected? Guest: Aurel Braun, Professor of International Relations and a Senior Member of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto

What made a 4-day work week so successful for a local not-for-profit?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Willowbridge Community Services – a not-for-profit operating in Hamilton, Brantford, Six Nations and beyond – is intent on instituting a 4-day work week after a test-run turned out to be a wild success. Hamilton-born, Toronto-based music historian Bob Wegner has scoured the archives over countless hours to bring audiences the definitive guide to one of Canada’s most prolific rock bands of all time, with his new book –“Max Webster: High Class”. L...

Burlington declares partner violence, violence against women as epidemic

It doesn't sound like anyone is in control of the federal government, so who's really driving the bus?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: An online survey from Abacus Data found the federal Conservatives have climbed to a seven-percentage-point lead over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, up from three points one month ago. The parliamentary budget officer says Canada's exclusive contract with German auto giant Volkswagen to build an electric vehicle battery plant in southwestern Ontario will cost the federal government up to $16.3 billion over the next ten years. Burlingto...

Why is the RCMP investigating foreign interference cases when the Special Rapporteur said we don't need a public inquiry?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: John Lennon’s voice is back from the dead, thanks to artificial intelligence and Peter Jackson, and because of this, there will be what Paul McCartney calls a “final Beatles record” with a song featuring Artificial Lennon released later this year. Erin O’Toole – the former Conservative leader and Ontario MP – used his last address to the House of Commons to issue a call to colleagues to focus on what he said should be figuring out the country's ...

David Johnston has resigned but now what?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: NASCAR and it’s next generation car will take over Le Mans. A new survey from Movember Canada is showing that more men are taking care of their physical health , however when it comes to mental health, they’d wait before seeking help. Elissa Freeman joins Scott today to talk about the fall out from David Johnston’s resignation. On Friday, David Johnston resigned as the special rapporteur, citing the highly partisan atmosphere. Now the opposition...

Leaking sensitive information is dangerous, not heroic, according to former national security adviser

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: What is the state of the writers’ strike and is there any movement or a time frame to be glimpsed? The Globe and Mail has launched a new “Freedom of Information project.” The database of FOI requests also includes instructions on how to file Freedom of Information requests, and digs into the system and how it works. We are hearing talk of war-weariness among Russia's elites. Are we rallying behind a fallacy or is this a sign of something major t...

June 9th 2023: Aurel Braun

We are hearing talk of war-weariness among Russia's elites. Is this just the West getting hopes up or rallying around something ultimately superficial, or are these signs on deeper trouble in Putin's world? With the horrific dam destruction factored in, what sort of end to this war are we looking at? Guest: Aurel Braun, Professor of International Relations and a Senior Member of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.

Hamilton arena reno master plan includes ‘efforts’ to relocate men’s shelter

Pierre Poilievre joins the show to talk about his thoughts on the proposed federal budget

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Where are we with he developments to downtown Hamilton’s “entertainment precinct” that will be growing from the old First Ontario Centre? How are parents being impacted by the need to save for their kids’ educations and just how far are they willing to go? The federal government handed out $1.3 billion in bonuses from 2015 to 2022, according to documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation through an access-to-information request. It’s...

With a new interest rate comes old questions like how much higher will it rise?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: We’ve worked hard to have lower-emission cars… but what about low-emission cows?! As the U.S. rolls on toward its next Presidential Election, eyes turn to the Republican Party, to see which way they choose to go: will they double-down on Donald, or are they looking for a change for the better… or even worse? The Salem Chapel Underground Railroad Cemetery project searches the Niagara region for the forgotten graves of former slaves who fled the U...

Dear David Johnston… Nobody is Questioning Your Resume!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Canada's special rapporteur on foreign interference David Johnston calls the allegations swirling around his objectivity "quite simply false," and says he plans to push ahead with his work, launching public hearings next month. Do you remember the time in June of 1975 when 52,000 people communed in Hamilton to catch Pink Floyd play at Ivor Wynn Stadium? Tom Blackwell was a reporter for the Canadian Press when he covered the trial of Paul Bernard...

RBG opens contest to name eaglets born in the Hamilton-area park

Chinese Aggression in the Taiwan Strait. What does this mean?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: A Chinese warship came within 150 yards of hitting American destroyer USS Chung-Hoon, during a rare joint Canada-U.S. mission sailing through the Taiwan Strait, the latest aggressive military move from Beijing in the South China Sea. As we heard from Jagmeet Singh when he joined us on Friday, he will be taking security meetings in the near future, as a follow-up to his concerns about Special Rapporteur David Johnston’s report on foreign interfer...

What happened in the Taiwan Strait?

A Chinese warship came within 150 yards of hitting American destroyer USS Chung-Hoon, during a rare joint Canada-U.S. mission sailing through the Taiwan Strait, the latest aggressive military move from Beijing in the South China Sea. GUEST: Elliot Tepper, Emeritus Professor of Political Science with Carleton University

Federal NDP Leader, Jagmeet Singh, joins to talk about the government's response to foreign interference

A municipal-led horticulture team has outdone itself using an annual gardening display at Hamilton City Hall to mark the beginning of football season by wheeling out “Stripes,” a 10-foot tiger-cat made up of some 2,000 individual local plants of varying types to mark the coming of better weather… but what is Stripes like on the inside? What is stripes made of? Writing in the National Post, Aaron Wudrick warns that both Justin Trudeau and Doug Ford to blame for us getting a “shakedown” from St...

Dr. Elaina Hyde on NASA's independent panel of experts studying UAPs

NASA held its first public meeting on UFOs Wednesday a year after launching a study into unexplained sightings. The space agency televised the hours-long hearing featuring an independent panel of experts. The team includes 16 scientists and other experts selected by NASA including retired astronaut Scott Kelly, the first American to spend nearly a year in space. Several committee members have been subjected to "online abuse" for serving on the team, which detracts from the scientific process,...

Elliot Tepper on Ukraine's desire to join NATO

President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed his case on Thursday for Ukraine to be part of the NATO military alliance and said he was confident a coalition of countries would form to provide Kyiv with Western fighter jets and Patriot missile-defence systems. Guest: Elliot Tepper, Emeritus Professor of Political Science with Carleton University

Jagmeet Singh isn't pleased with David Johnston's refusal to step down

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Hamilton’s medical officer of health issued a heat warning for the next two days with the expectation of temperatures hitting close to 30 C. President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed his case on Thursday for Ukraine to be part of the NATO military alliance and said he was confident a coalition of countries would form to provide Kyiv with Western fighter jets and Patriot missile-defence systems. Soon, each individual cigarette will come with its own w...

The Bar from Cheers? Archie Bunker’s Living Room? Captain Kirk's Clothes? You Can Own It!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: The man who has claimed such props and sets for his memorabilia collection is passing on the torch, putting these pieces of pop-history up for auction. It’s not a done deal yet but the next big band that could sell off its catalogue could be Queen! Fallout from O’Toole’s revelations, and how Trudeau’s government is handling the slipping public trust, as MP’s debate David Johnston’s future as Special Rapporteur. The federal government intends to ...

What gives AI the potential to someday legitimately threaten humanity's existence?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: What makes us more and less appealing to mosquitoes? Scientists at McMaster University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have used artificial intelligence to discover a new antibiotic which could be used to fight a deadly, drug-resistant pathogen that strikes vulnerable hospital patients. Ukrainian drones struck Moscow on Tuesday, Russia said in what one politician called the worst attack on the capital since World War Two, while Kyi...

Ukrainian drones struck Moscow, Russian politician called it worst attack on the capital since World War Two

Ukrainian drones struck Moscow on Tuesday, Russia said in what one politician called the worst attack on the capital since World War Two, while Kyiv was also hit by air for the third time in 24 hours. GUEST: Aurel Braun, Professor of International Relations and a Senior Member of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.

The “Advocate Registry” Idea... A Bad Solution To Encampments?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Let’s get into “Stay Interviews,” in which employers conduct regular interviews to get feedback from employees and learn what they can do to retain them and improve the workplace. Should more companies be doing them? “Life with Artificial Intelligence”. Alan Cross recently wrote a piece about Artificial Intelligence in the music industry… and how it might be a good thing! What do Canadians need to retire, and how can you figure out what works fo...

Is David Johnston's report enough to break the agreement between the federal Liberals & NDP?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Concession Street’s HEAL has taken off, despite starting its life just months before the first lockdown in the Global Pandemic. A passenger opened an emergency exit door during a plane flight in South Korea on Friday, causing air to blast inside the cabin and slightly injure 12 people, officials said. The plane landed safely. We speak with Randall Denley who writes in the National Post that “Unions want to turn schools into priciest restaurants ...

Has a porch pirate stolen those security reports from the front door of the Prime Minister's Office?

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Yesterday we learned that Tina Turner passed away after leaving an incredible legacy that paved the way for so many of today's biggest acts. Tactical nukes have never been used in warfare since their inception, but now Russia has deployed some to Belarus, once again raising the concern that Putin may put a nuclear weapon to use in his war on Ukraine. We are aware of mental illness but where do we go from here? Internet scams will become more con...

R.I.P. Tina Turner; “Queen of Rock”

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Radley: The Queen of Rock – Tina Turner – has died today at the age of 83. On the show today, Ireland will be the first country in the world to put labels on alcohol bottles warning of its reported risk of causing cancer, along with other health information. Details, unearthed by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, show the Governor General’s salary increasing from $302,800 annually in 2019 to this year’s rate of $351,600. The federal government is rolling...

Main Street’s two way conversion expected to slow 403 traffic into Hamilton

GUEST: Mike Field, Director of Transportation Operations & Maintenance with the City of Hamilton

David Johnston Decided If A Public Inquiry Is Needed… it’s about what you think

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Radley: 50 years ago, on Monday, Dolly Parton recorded one of her most iconic songs, ‘Jolene’. In a 2019 interview, Dolly revealed that she had written ‘Jolene’ and ‘I Will Always Love You’ on the same day! Of course, the latter song became inextricably tied to Whitney Houston. A public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in Canadian elections and society is not needed, special rapporteur David Johnston says. With as much fervor as this is ge...

Canadians Discovered An Earth-Like Planet 90 Lightyears Away!

The Hamilton Today Podcast with Scott Thompson: Canadian astronomers have discovered an Earth-like planet 90 Lightyears away, and it might be covered in volcanoes! As Peel is set to be dissolved, eyes turn to other regions to see how welcoming they are to the idea. What about Waterloo? The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Ontario Premier Doug Ford not to give any additional corporate welfare payments to Stellantis. Today, the North Wall Riders Association -- a Hamilton-based motorc...