The Alex Pierson Show

Latest Episodes:

Police Working To Protect Missing Persons' 'Right To Be Forgotten' Online Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

Toronto police are working on a way to minimize the digital footprint left behind in missing persons cases, according to a tweet from earlier this month. Can something like this be feasible when someone is missing and then found? Maureen Trask is an advocate for other families of missing loved ones, and she herself lost her son Daniel who went missing in 2011 and, who unfortunately, was found deceased three and a half years later. She joined Alex to talk about the push being made by police, and whether or not she supports it.

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Can Psychedelic Shops Last Much Longer In Toronto? Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

The city says it has no plans to use its powers to shut down Toronto's only magic mushroom dispensary after a police raid earlier this month, leaving the shop still operating in a kind of grey area. We spoke with Paul Lewin, a lawyer who specializes in issues surrounding cannabis and psychedelics, about how long can a business like this can last.

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We Need To Get Past The Talking Stage About Guns In Schools Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

Teachers across Toronto are getting more and more concerned with coming to class given the high amounts of student violence that has been seen breaking out. Alex spoke with Marcell Wilson, Founder of the One by One Movement, and said advocates have been warning about an escalation of gun violence and ‘safe zones’ being breached.

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Remembering Börje Salming, The Iconic Maple Leafs Defenceman Nov 25, 2022

Show notes

He was just honoured two weeks ago at a Maple Leafs home game after he revealed he was diagnosed with ALS earlier this year. Börje Salming (aka number 21) was a former Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman who remains, even in his passing, one of the Maple Leaf's greatest players. Mark Hebscher, a Former TV Broadcaster and Host of the "Hebsy On Sports" Podcast, joined Alex to talk about this hockey pioneer.

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Toronto Tesla Owners Can Use Self-Driving Mode Downtown Nov 25, 2022

Show notes

Safety experts are concerned about the ability for Tesla drivers in Toronto to finally be able to utilize the self driving feature that has been widely used around the world. They're worried that the feature is not ready to implement in a downtown setting and that they weren't sure how the algorithm would work with so many constantly changing variables. Constable Sean Shapiro is with the Traffic Services Division of the Toronto Police, and joined Alex to discuss it.

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Investigation Into Veterans Affairs Staffer Who Offered Medically Assisted Death To Vets Nov 25, 2022

Show notes

We spoke with Mark Meincke, former Canadian soldier and veterans advocate and host of Operation Tango Romeo, a trauma-recovery podcast for Canadian Forces members, about two more instances of a Veterans Affairs Canada employee discussing medical assistance in dying with a veteran have been discovered during an ongoing investigation into the department. Mark says this should’ve been a criminal investigation from the get-go.

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Toronto City Council Agrees On Opposing Ford Housing Bill Nov 25, 2022

Show notes

Toronto City Council has voted unanimously to demand major changes to a Doug Ford government housing bill over concerns it will cost the city $230 million annually in lost development fees, lower the supply of affordable homes, and expose potentially thousands of heritage buildings to demolition. Stephen Holyday is the Toronto City Councillor for Ward 2 - Etobicoke Centre, and he joined Alex to talk about this and the strong powers now given to Mayor John Tory.

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Trudeau Says That "The Integrity Of Our Elections Was Not Compromised" Nov 24, 2022

Show notes

Did China interfere in our elections in 2019 and 2021? Are politicians getting paid off by the foreign nation? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been adamant in press conferences and media scrums, that he was never briefed on the matter, and that there was no known interference from China in our elections. Duff Conacher, Co-Founder of Democracy Watch & Democracy Education Network, joined Alex and noted these are public allegations, and we need disclosure on whether or not an investigation is underway.

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Less Screen Time For Kids: New Doctor Guidelines Recommend Nov 24, 2022

Show notes

The Canadian Paediatric Society have created updated guidelines on the use of screens for children under age 5, encouraging parents and caregivers to not only limit the amount of time preschoolers spend in front of screens but to be involved when they do. Dr. Sheri Madigan, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development at the University of Calgary, and who co-authored the study, joined Alex and spoke about how much screen time kids should be having, if at all.

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A Long Term Care Home Changed Its Operation And It Works Nov 24, 2022

Show notes

Toronto's Lakeshore Lodge the first of Toronto's municipally-run long-term care homes to receive extra funding to make the care more resident-centred. This allows the people living there to have more choices in everything including when and what they eat, what they do, and even down to decor in the facility. Alex is joined by Sr. Sander Hitzig, a Senior Scientist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, who has been working on the implementation of the program.

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