The Agenda with Steve Paikin (Audio)

The 400 series highways. The 401. Hundreds of schools. Hospitals. Canada's first subway. Metro Toronto itself. He helped make much of modern Ontario. But behind every great man is, of course, a good barber. This is the story of Old Man Ontario, the Silver Fox, the Laird of Lindsay, Leslie Frost and the peculiar influence his barber had over policy in Ontario during the 1950s.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author Allyson McOuat loves horror stories, especially those real and fictional specific to gen X pop culture. So much so that she wrote a book of essays with 1980s and '90s as their backdrop. "The Call is Coming from Inside the House," is a raw look at McOuat's influences and touchstones as she navigates her life from early adulthood on as a queer woman trying to fit into society's prescriptions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"In a Violent Nature" is a new horror film by director Chris Nash and producer Peter Kuplowsky. Shot in Sault Ste. Marie, its fresh take on the slasher flick - this one told from the point-of-view of the killer - has earned rave reviews from critics and horror fans. It joins a long list of horror movies made in Ontario - from "Black Christmas" to "The Fly" - that have scared audiences for decades. To discuss Canada's significant contribution to horror movies, we welcome: Chris Nash, director of "In a Violent Nature;" Peter Kuplowsky, a producer of "In a Violent Nature," and programmer of TIFF's Midnight Madness;Carolyn Mauricette, programmer at Fantasia International Film Festival and Blood in the Snow Film Festival; and Alexandra West, author of "Gore-geous: Personal Essays on Beauty and Horror," and co-host of the Faculty of Horror Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a beloved game found in cottages and farm houses across the province. And every year on the first Saturday in June, the top players from around the world gather in Tavistock, Ontario to compete in the World Crokinole Championship.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A cook's knife is their most important tool and Eugene Ong has been obsessed with cutlery for a long time. As a chef, he came to appreciate the necessity of a perfect edge - from there, knife sharpening became a full-time obsession. For 15 years, Eugene has run KNIFE in Toronto, teaching young cooks how to hand-sharpen their gear as well as passing on the lessons of discipline required to maintain blades in peak condition. Now he also drives the Knife Truck to various towns in Ontario to bring his hand-sharpening skills to a broader audience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cultural long-term care homes have provided elder care for seniors steeped in their language, diet, and cultural traditions. But recent legislation has left these homes grappling with an influx of new residents from outside those cultures, and are seeing what they say are serious consequences. How can care homes that cater to specific culturally needs be preserved in Ontario?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the Grand Theatre in London, Ont., author Mark Kearney tells Steve Paikin about his book, "Al Christie: Hollywood's Forgotten Film Pioneer."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the end of the Second World War, Canada has had increasingly close ties with Germany. In March of this year alone, Germany exported almost $1.5 billion worth of goods to Canada - mostly cars and pharmaceutical products. Sabine Sparwasser has been Germany's ambassador to Canada for the past seven years. Her ambassadorship is about to come to an end, so we welcome her to find out what's working and what could be working better between the two countries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How has Toronto changed in 15 years? Shawn Micallef, urban affairs columnist for the Toronto Star and co-founder of Spacing magazine brings readers along on 31 walks around the city to highlight how the landscape, landmarks, and neighbourhoods have changed since the original 2010 publication of the book. Host Jeyan Jeganathan joins him on a brief tour of the Toronto Islands; learns about psychogeography - how location affects the emotions and behaviour of people, what can be learned by walking a city, and how Toronto has changed, for better or worse, over the years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was a time when Richard Peddie couldn't have been more urban. He was the chief executive officer of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, responsible for bringing the population of a small town into the Scotiabank Arena most nights of the year. So it's somewhat ironic that Peddie's latest book is called, "Great Small Towns of Ontario," in which he chronicles the qualities that make for this province's ten best.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new revision of Rosemary Sadlier's "The Kids Book of Black History in Canada" includes African acknowledgments that asserts how Black Canadians are an integral part of shaping this country's history and includes a look into the issue of lack of representation this community experiences. Sadlier, the former president of the Ontario Black History Society, talks to Nam Kiwanuka about this important update and her ongoing work highlighting the contributions of Black people to Canada.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extreme heat events are becoming more frequent and more intense in Canada. The public health risk of heat waves is growing, especially in cities where renters may not have air conditioning. How is this extreme heat affecting our lives, and what can we do to protect ourselves? For insight, we welcome How-Sen Chong, climate campaigner, Toronto Environmental Alliance; and Caroline Metz, managing director: Climate Resilience and Health, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Canada marks National Indigenous Peoples Day, what lessons can be drawn from this country's experience with reconciliation, reckoning with residential schools, and treatment of Indigenous people? For insight, we welcome: Deborah Parker, CEO of The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition; Chief Robert Joseph, Ambassador Reconciliation Canada; Kaila Johnston, Director of Education & Public Programming at the National Centre of Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba; and Karyn Pugliese, editor-in-chief of Canadaland.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ontario Provincial Air Service will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in Sault Ste. Marie. Ontario's fleet of yellow aircrafts conduct a number of resource management programs including aerial wildlife surveys, fishing stocking, rabies vaccination distribution, but it's best known for its expertise in forest fire patrol and suppression. The service has gone through a number of name changes over the decades and morphed into the Aviation, Forest Fires and Emergency Services under Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Jeyan Jeganathan visits the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre to revisit the rich history of the Ontario Provincial Air Service in northern Ontario.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our review of the week begins with Andrew Lawton discussing his book on Pierre Poilievre. Then, how food can bridge cultural, political, and religious divides. What does a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas look like? And, assessing Canada's record on reconciliation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1911, a northern Ontario boomtown that had sprung up around massive new gold mines was incorporated into a bedroom community called Timmins. In the years that followed, those mines, and the people who worked in them, drove the local economy in more ways than one. And not all of them on the level. According to our guest, theft was so common, it created a booming black market in illicit gold. Well, Timmins' once-thriving underground economy and the people who populated it - the villainous and virtuous alike - are the subjects of a new book, ,City of Thieves,, written by veteran northern reporter Kevin Vincent. While the book is fiction, it's based on real events that he has researched and documented since 1984.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The long-awaited ceasefire plan announced by President Biden for what he called a ,durable end to the war, between Hamas and Israel has brought some hope for an end to hostilities. For more on what this ceasefire proposal means for Israelis and Palestinians, Benjamin Netanyahu's future as prime minister, and the geopolitical implications for the region, we welcome: Hussein Ibish (Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington); Bessma Momani (University of Waterloo), and Janice Stein (University of Toronto).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An insightful conversation with Yael Splansky, the Senior Rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple, Toronto's historic first synagogue. Amidst a time of emotional turmoil within her community, Rabbi Splansky faces unprecedented challenges in her rabbinical leadership. She tells us how she works to foster peace and resilience during these trying times.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the summer of 2021, The Haifa Room, a standout Middle Eastern restaurant in Toronto's west end, started as a take-out window. It has grown into a beloved dining spot. Run collaboratively by Palestinian and Israeli owners, The Haifa Room offers a menu rich with flavours from their childhoods. It's a place where food transcends cultural, political, and religious divides, creating a harmonious dining experience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For NHL players, winning the Stanley Cup is the ultimate goal. After facing the challenge of winning hockey's biggest trophy, tradition states that each winning player and coach gets to spend a day with the cup. On the Stanley Cup's official summer tour, the winners welcome family, friends, and their hometown community to join in their celebration. Canadian journalist and sportscaster Jim Lang shares these stories in his new book, "My Day with the Cup."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.