The Agenda with Steve Paikin (Audio)

Carbon emissions across the country have fallen since the implementation of a federal carbon tax in 2019, but provincial governments are pushing back, saying the program is too costly for residents. Are there alternatives to the policy, or does it simply need to be refined? We ask: Kris Sims of Canadian Taxpayers Federation; and Stewart Elgie of the University of Ottawa.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Toronto Grade 12 student Misstura asks: how can we reverse the effects of climate change? Dawn Bazely, a professor in the Department of Biology at York University, gives us her answer on the ways we can mitigate climate change, if we start now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How best can Canada's earmarked AI funds be spent to stay competitive? Then, Laura Tamblyn Watts discusses her new book on how to care for aging parents. And, what is the state of entrepreneurship in Canada?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's going on with men? The aftermath of the #MeToo movement shattered the idea that most social ills like online abuse or sexual assault long hidden under wraps are just stemming from men being men. This crisis of conscience and identity has shifted the collective idea of what it means to be a man, therefore a consensus around a healthy conception of manhood becomes critical. Alex Manley has written and edited for a men's website for over a decade. In their non-fiction debut called "The New Masculinity," Manley pushes against the common and harmful myths on how men are supposed to carry their manliness in order to offer a guide that teaches healthy lessons about how to be a man today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The elevated place of sports in North America and the societal expectations that surround them are often perpetuated at the expense of the athletes' mental health. Whether this is in team sports or individual sports predominantly played by boys and men, any weakness whether real or perceived is weaponized, while toughness and hypermasculinity rule both on the field, as well as in the locker room. Dr. Teresa Fowler has investigated how stereotypes in elite-level men's hockey influence the mental well-being of boys and men, while Geoff Girvitz, the founder of Bang personal Training, takes a mindfulness-based approach to strength training and leads a platform for men in taking care of themselves with "dad strength."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fred Winegust, Project Specialist at Reena and Christopher Wong of Young Urban Farmers are working to strengthen their communities by way of container gardening. Students, neighbourhood organizations, and restauranteurs alike can benefit from growing fruits and vegetables in underutilized urban spaces. From rooftops to patios, parking lots to back yards, any space can be transformed into a productive mini (or mega) farm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent data suggests entrepreneurship is in decline across Canada. Are people choosing to move away from a self-employed lifesyle? And what are the consequences of lower levels of small business ownership across the province? We ask: Jeff Coull, executive director of the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre; Nancy Wilson, founder and CEO of the Canadian Women's Chamber of Commerce; Nadia Ladak, program marketing officer at Startup Canada and co-founder of Marlow; and Joel Blit, associate professor at University of Waterloo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If plants come from seeds, where do seeds come from? That question from Grade 2 student Wyatt is answered by Peter Kotanen, a professor in the Department of Biology and Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto Mississauga.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More people are living longer, many with better quality of life. Even still, aging parents often require support and care they've never needed before. Laura Tamblyn Watts has a new book out aimed at improving communications when the roles reverse: when the adult children suddenly find themselves the informal caregivers of their older parents. She discuess, "Let's Talk about Aging Parents: A Real-Life Guide to Solving Problems with 27 Essential Conversations."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When ChatGPT launched in late 2022 the great promise was that this was only the beginning and that AIs would only exponentially get more sophisticated and powerful. But has AI hit a wall? Are those big exponential gains that were promised beginning to plateau? Are we now in a world of diminishing returns for AI? Gary Marcus, Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at NYU, pushes back on the hype around AI.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal government recently announced a $2.4 billion dollar investment in artificial intelligence. It includes money earmarked to accelerate the adoption of AI in sectors as far flung as health care and agriculture. The feds say this will help to 'secure Canada's AI advantage." But does Canada even have an advantage in AI compared to our neighbors? Are Canadian companies and industries doing enough to embrace this technology? And is there a potential downside if we embrace AI too quickly? For insight, we welcome: Ajay Agrawal, the Geoffrey Taber Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the U of T's Rotman School of Management, and Faculty Affiliate at the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence; Krista Jones, Chief Delivery Officer at the MaRS Discovery District; andKristina McElheran, assistant professor of Strategic Management at the University of Toronto Scarborough, and Rotman School of Management.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Valentine Goddard, founder and executive director of the AI Impact Alliance, answers a question from Grade 10 student Xavier on the effect artificial intelligence may have on the creative arts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's a heat pump and what's all the hype about? We drop into a heat pump party with Sarah Lazarovic, VP of Communications for Rewiring America and Richard Laszlo, Founder of CutYourHomeCarbon.com, as they share their knowledge on what to know before you buy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientist and educator Stella Ng answers a student's question about health care advocacy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Journalist Davd Frum talks to Steve Paikin about the loss of his daughter. Then, how can Ontario combat human trafficking. What can be done about the rise of renovictions in Ontario? And, Jane Philpott on her book, "Health for All."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former federal minister of health, and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen's University, Dr. Jane Philpott discusses her new book, "Health for All: A Doctor's Prescription for a Healthier Canada."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamilton has passed a new "bad faith" renoviction bylaw that makes it more difficult to drive existing tenants out of their homes to attract new ones at a higher price. Is it needed in other Ontario cities, too? Or is there more the province can do to help residents with affordable alternatives. We ask Patrick Johnstone, mayor of New Westminster, B.C., a jurisdiction that has successfully cut down on renovictions; Toronto city councillor Parthi Kandavel, and Tony Irwin, CEO of Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kristen den Hartog's book, "The Roosting Box," takes a look behind the walls of the Christie Street Veteran's Hospital in Toronto, also known as the Dominion Orthopedic Hospital. For nearly 30 years, the hospital treated thousands of injured soldiers. And as Jeyan Jeganathan discovers, the hospital was a place filled with the aftermath of war, but also a place of invention and healing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A stark increase in "bad faith " renovictions of Hamilton tenants in the last decade, a tent city on the grounds of Hamilton city hall. What is happening there to create these unfortunate situations? We talk to a landlord, tenants, and the city councillor who helped usher in the bylaw set to begin next year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to a Statistics Canada report late last year, Ontario has the second highest rate of human trafficking in Canada. A high concentration of urban area is said to contribute to the higher rates of human trafficking in the province, as well as easy access to international border crossings. Law enforcements are working towards catching those criminally involved, but what can we do to protect ourselves and our loved ones?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.