Closer Look

In November, the Ontario Liberals will elect a new leader — the party’s third in six years. Five candidates are on the ballot to replace Bonnie Crombie: Navdeep Bains, Stephanie Bowman , Lee Fairclough , Eric Lombardi and Dylan Marando . At this point, Bains is widely considered the frontrunner. The former federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development is a recognized name in and out of the party, and he currently leads all candidates in fundraising. Bains is our guest on this week’s episode of Village Media’s Closer Look podcast. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

At last count, nearly 200,000 people have signed an online petition demanding the expulsion of Donald Trump's ambassador to Canada. The petition — which will be presented in the House of Commons this fall — calls on the federal government to declare Pete Hoekstra persona non grata and remove him from Canada. The petition accuses the ambassador of making statements that undermine the Canada-U.S. relationship, and of intervening in Canadian political discourse in a manner inconsistent with diplomatic protocol. Last year, shortly after he assumed his current role, Hoekstra joined our podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about tariffs, friendship — and all the rhetoric about Canada becoming the 51st state. On this week's episode of Closer Look , we revisit parts of that conversation. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

For countless Canadians, Lloyd Robertson was more than a trusted voice. He was a fixture of their nightly routine. The chief anchor of CTV News for nearly three decades, Robertson helped people across the country understand the moments that shaped our nation and our world. "That's the kind of day it was," he said at the end of every newscast. Robertson died this week at the age of 92. In 2022, long after he retired, Robertson sat down for in-depth interview with Village Media's Scott Sexsmith. As they talked about his extraordinary career, what came through more than anything was his humility, warmth, wit, and genuine love for storytelling — and for Canada. On this week's episode of Closer Look , we look back on that conversation with Lloyd Robertson. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Researchers have identified a new blood test that could reveal signs of Alzheimer’s disease decades earlier than ever before. The potential breakthrough is just the latest piece of positive news when it comes to identifying and treating dementia patients — including the recent approval of a long-awaited drug that slows the progression of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. On a recent episode of Village Media’s Closer Look podcast, we sat down with one of Canada’s leading experts on dementia: Dr. Howard Chertkow, a senior scientist at the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education. He talked about why he thinks this could be a “turnaround decade” in the treatment, prevention and early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

When you’re at the beach this summer, you might notice something pretty cool: a Zamboni-like robot that meticulously cleans the sand. It’s called a BeBot, and it was unveiled for the first time in Canada last year by the not-for-profit group Pollution Probe. The vacuum-like device — which can cover 3,000 square meters per hour — sifts through sand in search of small pieces of waste. Last summer, while deployed to shorelines on all five Great Lakes, the BeBot collected a whopping 43,375 pieces of debris , including cigarette butts, toys, fireworks pieces, and fishing and hunting gear. The machine is back in business this summer. It just finished a deployment near Lake Simcoe, and is now at Port Burwell Provincial Park near Lake Erie. On this week’s episode of Village Media’s Closer Look podcast, we revisit our chat with Melissa De Young, the CEO of Pollution Probe, who told us how the robot works, why it’s so important — and how beach-goers react when they spot it. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Released nearly four decades years ago, The Wealthy Barber helped countless Canadians understand money management and sound investing strategies. Last year, author David Chilton released a fresh rewrite of his iconic book for a new generation — and also stopped by our Closer Look podcast for a chat. Amid news that Chilton is retiring at the end of 2026, we decided to revisit some of the sound advice he passed our way. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

If recent headlines are any indication, gift card scams have become a lucrative enterprise for organized criminals. On this week’s episode of Village Media's Closer Look podcast, we revisit an eye-opening conversation we had with Ritesh Kotak , a lawyer and cybercrime expert. He explains how these scammers operate, why gift card fraud is on the rise — and how you can protect yourself as a consumer. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

If you're a sports fan, you've no doubt heard of the acronym CTE. It has made plenty of headlines in recent years. CTE — chronic traumatic encephalopathy — is a devastating, degenerative brain disease triggered by repetitive head injuries. It often impacts athletes, but also soldiers and victims of intimate partner violence. At the moment, the condition can only be diagnosed after death. But a team of researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is working hard to change that. Their goal is to become the first lab in the world to diagnose the condition in life, not death — a breakthrough that could help stop the disease and even reverse it. Our guest on this week's episode of Village Media's Closer Look podcast is Dr. Neil Vasdev, director of the Brain Health Imaging Centre at CAMH. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

This week, Toronto police displayed the fruits of a massive seizure of counterfeit soccer merchandise worth millions of dollars. The haul included 16,000 fake name-brand jerseys and flags — including FIFA, Nike, Adidas and Puma — and even two counterfeit FIFA World Cup trophies. At first glance, it’s easy to downplay such a bust as a “victimless crime.” But don’t tell that to Toronto lawyer David Lipkus, whose firm, Lipkus Law LLP , tipped off the cops to this operation. A leading intellectual property lawyer who helps major brands protect their trademarks, Lipkus has seen first-hand how counterfeit items harm the economy, threaten consumer safety and line the pockets of organized crime. Lipkus is our guest on this week’s episode of Village Media’s Closer Look podcast. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Here's a piece of advice: Take a good look at your auto insurance policy. Starting July 1, Ontario is introducing some significant reforms to auto insurance rules. Simply put, some coverage that is now mandatory will soon become optional — including certain accident benefits like income replacement and death and funeral costs. Those in favour of the new system say it gives drivers more choice and flexibility — and potentially lower rates — while some experts worry the new rules could leave people unknowingly exposed to major costs after a serious crash. Joining us on Village Media's Closer Look podcast to dissect the changes is lawyer Tudor Gagea , an associate at the personal injury firm Oakley Vigmond, which has offices in Toronto, Sudbury Barrie and North Bay. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Last month, Mark Carney’s Liberal government announced a $6-billion plan to help recruit, train and hire up to 100,000 new skilled tradespeople over the next five years. The plan acknowledges a longstanding concern: that Canada has an urgent need for more carpenters, plumbers, millwrights and heavy equipment operators. Among the new initiatives is a $5,000 bonus when a worker completes their Red Seal certification, a process Ottawa also wants to modernize by introducing online exams, digital logbooks and creating a single national registered apprenticeship number. On this week's episode of Village Media's Closer Look podcast, we revisit a recent interview with Ian Howcroft of Skills Ontario , an organization that empowers youth to explore careers in skilled trades and technologies. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

In communities across Ontario, nominations are now open for October’s municipal elections. It is local democracy in action: candidates put their names in the hat, lay out their promises — and you vote. But is that enough? Does democracy demand more of us? On this week’s episode of Village Media's Closer Look podcast, we revisit a very timely interview with an author who has some urgent things to say about the state of democracy around the world — and why it's really not enough to simply cast a vote and move along. Peter MacLeod is co-author of the new book Democracy’s Second Act: Why Politics Needs the Public , along with Richard Johnson. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Even at 92 years old, Don Cherry is never far from the headlines. Back in February, the longtime co-host of “Coach’s Corner” was appointed to the Order of Ontario . A month later, a Conservative MP started a push to honour Cherry with the Order of Canada — a movement that continues to gain steam . And now there’s a new book out, authored by Cherry’s late daughter, Cindy, who passed away unexpectedly in 2024. The book — The Don Cherry Story: Part II — is the second instalment of a two-book series that she began writing before she passed away. Joining us on this week’s episode of Village Media’s Closer Look podcast is Tim Cherry, Cindy’s little brother and Don’s son. Our conversation covers a lot of ice, including Don Cherry’s infamous “you people” poppy rant , his controversial firing after nearly four decades on the air, and why Grapes didn’t simply apologize for a comment that stung a lot of people, including many who served in the Canadian Forces. Tim also fills us in on his dad’s health, if their popular podcast is ever coming back, and why — unlike so many people — he doesn’t blame Ron MacLean for everything that happened. Love or hate Don Cherry, this episode is a must-watch. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Back in December, Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media for kids under 16. Simply put, popular platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat were ordered to block all Australian children from their sites or face hefty fines. Should Canada follow suit? The momentum is growing. Last month, Culture Minister Marc Miller said the Carney Liberals are “very seriously” considering a social media ban for kids after the party adopted a motion at its recent convention. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew went one step further , announcing last weekend that his province would be the first to bring in its own social media ban for youth — and that the ban would apply to AI chatbots. Here in Ontario, the Ford government said this week it’s considering banning all cellphones from school property . Here’s the key question: Would ordering kids off social media actually work? Or would a ban create more problems than it actually solves? Our guest on this week’s Closer Look podcast is Michael Geist , a University of Ottawa law professor and the Canada Research Chair in Internet and e-Commerce Law. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

The Ford government says it wants to limit the foreign ownership of prime Ontario farmland, all part of proposed legislation aimed at boosting food sovereignty across the province. But some experts say the government’s focus on foreign ownership is missing the real crisis: Ontario’s rapidly vanishing farmland. Over the past 35 years, Ontario has lost 2.8 million acres — or 18 per cent — of farmland to non-agricultural land uses like housing developments and aggregate mining. To put that another way, 319 acres of farmland is vanishing every single day in Ontario. Our guest on this week’s episode of Village Media’s Closer Look podcast is Martin Straathof, executive director of Ontario Farmland Trust . Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Mary Walsh is so much more than one iconic character, but for countless Canadians she will always be Marg Delahunty, Princess Warrior. Her sword-wielding alter ego — who ambushed politicians, cornered them with uncomfortable questions, and even kissed one would-be prime minister on the lips — was a favourite on This Hour Has 22 Minutes , the long-running sketch show she created. But Marg is only one small part of her story. Walsh’s new book — Brassy Bit of Aging Crumpet: A Memoir in Pieces — lays it all out there, from her rocky childhood in Newfoundland to her struggles with alcohol to the dread she often felt while trying to make people laugh. Walsh is our guest on this week’s episode of Village Media’s Closer Look podcast. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Every day, our Closer Look podcast chases the same mission: to learn something new. Whether we're dissecting a pressing issue, or speaking to a prominent guest, we try to leave the conversation knowing a bit more than before. We hope you've learned some things, too. Starting next week, we're shaking it up a bit. Closer Look is moving from a nightly podcast to a weekly show, with new episodes dropping every Sunday morning across the Village Media network. Shifting to a weekly show gives us more room to focus on the stories that really matter. You can expect more context, more perspective, and more thoughtful conversations with our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers. Stay tuned! Reach out to Frisco and Scott

Canada’s Wonderland rode a roller coaster of headlines this week when it announced a new chaperone policy for kids. After 4 p.m., all children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult in order to stay at the iconic park. Any guests 15 or younger found inside Wonderland without a chaperone during those hours will be “immediately subject to removal.” Canada’s Wonderland insists the new policy wasn’t triggered by a specific incident, but rather in response to "unruly" behaviour reported at other theme parks. Joining us on tonight’s Closer Look podcast to talk more about the policy — and the public reaction — is Grace Peacock, director of public relations at Canada's Wonderland. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

In Ontario, the number of people over the age of 80 is set to soar — and advocates say we're not doing enough to prepare for the demographic shift. We are definitely not alone. Countries around the world are grappling to prepare for the inevitable rise in elderly populations. Could AI dolls help combat loneliness among seniors? Are robots the answer , a hi-tech way to help elderly people perform basic tasks? Those options — and many more — are on the table. On tonight's episode of Village Media's Closer Look podcast, we revisit our recent interview with Laura Tamblyn Watts, the CEO of CanAge, a national, non-partisan organization that works to improve the lives of older adults through advocacy, policy and community engagement. Reach out to Frisco and Scott

For 44 years, Joe Bowen’s signature voice has been the soundtrack of Leafs Nation. But this season will be his last behind the mic — and with the Toronto Maple Leafs officially out of playoff contention, Bowen’s legendary career is down to its final few periods. His last game on the airwaves will be April 15. On tonight’s episode of Village Media’s Closer Look podcast, we revisit our recent interview with the voice of the Leafs — and the pride of Sudbury — who has received plenty of love from fans throughout the season. “It’s been overwhelming, it really has,” Bowen told the podcast. “I've gotten letters, I've gotten texts, emails…It breaks your heart sometimes, but it warms your heart so many times, all of the great stories that everybody has.” Reach out to Frisco and Scott