This Matters

Mar 05 2025 1033 ep. 22 mins 1.2k

This Matters Podcast artwork

The world is changing every day. Now, more than ever, these questions matter. What’s happening? And why should you care? This Matters, a daily news podcast from the Toronto Star, aims to answer those questions, on important stories and ideas, every day, Monday to Friday. Hosts Saba Eitizaz and Ed Keenan talk to their fellow journalists, experts and newsmakers about the social, cultural, political and economic stories that shape your life.

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What Trump wants in waging a trade war against us

Mar 05 2025 46 mins

Guest: Toronto Star Ottawa Bureau Chief Tonda MacCharles Canadians have been bracing themselves for a potential trade war for over a month, and on Tuesday U.S. President Donald Trump actually launched it, imposing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports. And that appears just to be the beginning. The Star’s Tonda MaCharles talks us through the immediate aftermath, including Prim

Ford wins! But did everyone kind of lose?

Feb 28 2025 36 mins

Guest: Toronto Star Queen’s Park Bureau Chief Robert Benzie On the one hand, Doug Ford won a third straight majority (the first such feat by a premier in Ontario since the 1950s). On the other hand, he doesn’t seem happy about it, because he wanted more seats. The Star’s Robert Benzie explains why, and looks at the similar dark cloud/silver lining result faced by other partie

The Ontario Election: Has housing become not just unaffordable...but impossible?

Feb 25 2025 19 mins

Guest: Toronto Star affordable housing reporter Victoria Gibson Ontario is racing towards a snap election on Feb.27 and for a lot of voters, two issues loom well above the rest: housing and healthcare. Both are at breaking point, and both are dominating party platforms. As part of our pre-election coverage, we’re delving into these issues. Where do things really stand, are any o

Mike Schreiner - Ontario Leaders at TMU Democracy Forum

Feb 24 2025 56 mins

Guests: Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, NDP Leader Marit Stiles, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner Star's political columnist Martin Regg Cohn also leads the TMU Democracy forum, where he recently sat down with Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, NDP Leader Marit Stiles and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner to discuss what they might do for Ontarians if their party wins the upcoming elec

Marit Stiles - Ontario Leaders at TMU Democracy Forum

Feb 24 2025 51 mins

Guests: Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, NDP Leader Marit Stiles, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner Star's political columnist Martin Regg Cohn also leads the TMU Democracy forum, where he recently sat down with Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, NDP Leader Marit Stiles and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner to discuss what they might do for Ontarians if their party wins the upcoming elec

Bonnie Crombie - Ontario Leaders at TMU Democracy Forum

Feb 24 2025 57 mins

Guests: Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, NDP Leader Marit Stiles, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner Star's political columnist Martin Regg Cohn also leads the TMU Democracy forum, where he recently sat down with Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, NDP Leader Marit Stiles and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner to discuss what they might do for Ontarians if their party wins the upcoming elec

The Ontario election: Healthcare on life-support

Feb 21 2025 21 mins

Guest: Toronto Star health reporter Megan Ogilvie Ontario is racing towards a snap election on February 27 and for a lot of voters, two issues loom well above the rest: housing and healthcare. Both are at breaking point and both are dominating party platforms. As part of the Star's pre-election coverage, we’re delving into these issues. Where do things really stand, are any of th

Debating over the long weekend

Feb 19 2025 36 mins

Guests: Toronto Star Queen’s Park Bureau Chief Robert Benzie and Queen’s Park reporter Rob Ferguson On Valentine’s Day, and then again on Family Day, the provincial leaders engaged in this Ontario campaign’s two debates. Rob and Rob from our Queen’s Park bureau recap why they may be the most substantial events of the campaign so far, allowing viewers to dig into many of t

Ontario’s campaign goes south

Feb 13 2025 33 mins

Guest: Toronto Star Queen’s Park Bureau Chief Robert Benzie During an election campaign, it’s unusual for a premier to take his campaign to stops in foreign countries — but these are unusual times, and this is an unusual Ontario election. The Star’s Robert Benzie joined Doug Ford and Canada’s other premier’s on their visit to a snowy Washington, D.C. this week and tells

What’s at stake for Toronto in the provincial election

Feb 10 2025 27 mins

Guest: Toronto Star City Hall Bureau Chief Ben Spurr The city, we often hear, is a “creature of the province,” and as such almost all city hall business hangs on the indulgence of the premier. So for Toronto, the stakes in the provincial election would seem to be high. It’s not hard to think of specific examples of issues that could turn based on the results, from bike lanes