Libby Znaimer convened another panel of guests for this Free For All Friday including Dean Hollin, host of Big Band Sunday Night as well as many other programs on Zoomer Radio; Liz West, host of The Afternoon Express on Zoomer Radio; and Anthony Furey, a longtime Postmedia columnist and a former Toronto Mayoral candidate. Together, they discussed the biggest news stories of the past week including Venezuelan President Maduro's capture by the U.S., the latest budget unveiled at Toronto City Hall including Mayor Olivia Chow's property tax proposal of 2.2 percent for 2026, Toronto's recycling problems and other news.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: MAYOR OLIVIA CHOW’S 2.2% PROPERTY TAX PROPOSAL & WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF TORONTO’S BUDGET Libby Znaimer is joined by Jon Burnside, City Councillor for Ward 16 (Don Valley East), Councillor Brad Bradford, Ward 19 Beaches East York, and former Toronto City Councillor Karen Stintz. Our panel reacts to Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow's 2.2 percent property tax proposal and other details in the City's latest budget introduced today. SUSPECT ARRESTED FOR FATAL SHOOTING AT UOFT CAMPUS WAS OUT ON PAROLE AT THE TIME Libby Znaimer is joined by Clayton Campbell, President of Toronto Police Association followed by Kim Schofield, Criminal Defense Lawyer with Schofield Macchia. A suspect has been arrested in the shooting death of a student at the UofT Scarborough campus. The man arrested was out on parole during the time of the incident according to Toronto Police. Our panel discusses. ARE YOU AWARE OF THE NEW HEALTH CANADA WARNING LABELS ON FOOD PRODUCTS?  Libby Znaimer is joined by Nishta Saxena, a registered dietitian and nutritionist and the founder of Vibrant Nutrition. Have you come across health warning labels on any food products you've purchased lately? The Health Canada messaging is found on the packaging of foods indicating high saturated fat, sugars or sodium. Nishta is here to weigh in on the latest.

THE MEDICAL RECORD: ARE WE ABOUT TO GET CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES TO OZEMPIC?  Tasha Kheirddin is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Dr. Alisa Naiman, a family doctor practicing primary care in Toronto; Dr. Amol Verma, a staff physician in General Internal Medicine at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto; and Dr. Aaron Schimmer, the Director of Research at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre as well as a staff physician and a senior scientist. Is Canada about to get cheaper alternatives to the weight loss drug Ozempic? And, what does the research tell us about some of the potential additional benefits that vaccines can provide for older adults?  IS GREENLAND NEXT? AND HOW WORRIED SHOULD CANADA BE?  Tasha Kheiriddin is joined by Christian Leuprecht, a Professor at the Royal Military College and Queen’s University and Robert Christian Thomsen, Associate Professor, Department of Culture and Communication at Aalborg University in Denmark who does research on Canada and Greenland. Does the U.S. Trump administration have a case for taking over Greenland? And, should Canada be worried in the aftermath of the U.S. military operation in Venezuela? Our experts weigh in on the latest. A SHOCKING STORY OF ABUSE AT A SENIORS HOME IN TORONTO Tasha Kheiriddin is joined by Melissa Miller, Partner at Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP and advocate for the elderly as well as Jane Meadus, staff lawyer and the institutional advocate at the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE). We discuss a terrible story of abuse that took place at a nursing home in Toronto.

RECOVERING POLITICIANS: WAS MADURO'S CAPTURE BY THE U.S. ON YOUR BINGO CARD? Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by George Smitherman, former Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre, Health Minister and Deputy Premier; Cheri DiNovo, a former NDP MPP; and Lisa Raitt, a former Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. Our panel reacts to the U.S. capturing Venezuelan President Maduro and what this means for the region. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mark Carney talks about Canada's oil and Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been ordered to hand over his phone records. Finally, Chrystia Freeland is appointed special advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. She will be stepping down as MP. A ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION WITH ONTARIO SOLICITOR GENERAL MICHAEL KERZNER ON PROTESTS Jane Brown is joined by Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. We ask the SG how he thinks Toronto Police can do more to crack down on protestors who violate the law and to combat hate-motivated offenses.   WHAT ARE THE BEST CREDIT CARD OPTIONS FOR CASH BACK AND REWARDS POINTS HEADING INTO 2026? Jane Brown is joined by Patrick Sojka, Founder, Rewards Canada. What are the best credit card options heading into 2026 when it comes to cash back and rewards points? Patrick weighs in.

ZOOMER SQUAD: THE CHANGING PATTERNS OF CANADIAN SNOWBIRDS  Tasha Kheiriddin is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Anthony Quinn, President of CARP; David Valentin, Principal at Liaison Strategies; and Liz West, Host of The Afternoon Express right here on Zoomer Radio. Our squad reacts to the Ford government's back-to-work mandate for public service workers, and where Canadian snowbirds are headed this winter. WHAT THE HECK IS “ENSHITTIFICATION”?  Tasha Kheiriddin is joined by Cory Doctorow, technology critic and author of Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. Cory tells us about the term he coined, how we have reached a point where the internet is saturated with crap and what we can do about it to improve our experience. THE U.S. OPERATION IN VENEZUELA AND CAPTURE OF MADURO: A LEGAL ANALYSIS AND WHAT COMES NEXT  Tasha Kheiriddin is joined by Roxanna Vigil, an international affairs fellow in national security at the Council on Foreign Relations based in Washington, D.C. and Jeremy R. Paul, a Professor of Law at Northeastern University School of Law. Our experts weigh in on the dramatic U.S. military operation in Venezuela over the weekend which involved the capture of President Maduro. Was this legal? What comes next for Venezuela?

Today on Free For All Friday: Guest host Jane Brown was joined by panelists Dean Hollin, Tasha Kheiriddin and producer Ziv Haddi to discuss the news of the year and more.

RECOVERING POLITICIANS: A LOOK BACK AT THE BIG MUNICIPAL STORIES OF THE YEAR Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by George Smitherman, former Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre, Health Minister and Deputy Premier; Cheri DiNovo, a former NDP MPP; and Janet Ecker, former Ontario PC MPP and Finance Minister. We take a look back at the biggest municipal stories of the year, Mayor Olivia Chow's track record, a new Liaison Strategies poll on crime perception and the City's new traffic czar. EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR ACTUALIZING YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS  Jane Brown is joined by Dr. Steve Joordens, Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto. It's that time of year when you're likely brainstorming those new year's resolutions! So, what are some that come to mind and what are great strategies for actualizing them? Dr. Joordens weighs in. BRAD BRADFORD ON TORONTO'S NEW TRAFFIC CZAR & HIS RUN FOR MAYOR Jane Brown is joined by Councillor Brad Bradford, Ward 19 Beaches-East York. Councillor Bradford reacts to Toronto's new traffic czar and he weighs in on his decision to run for mayor in the next municipal election.

ZOOMER SQUAD: THE TOP FEEL-GOOD NEWS STORIES OF 2025   Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer this week. She is joined by Liz West, Host of The Afternoon Express on Zoomer Radio; David Valentin, Principal at Liaison Strategies; and Bob Richardson, a Public Affairs Consultant. Today: a discussion about the top feel-good stories of 2025. And, what the latest polling shows about the federal Conservatives versus the Liberals. THE BIGGEST CONSUMER TRENDS OF THE PAST YEAR AND A LOOKAHEAD TO 2026 Jane Brown is joined by Ellen Roseman, a Consumer Advocate and journalist. Let's take a look at the biggest consumer stories of 2025 and look ahead to 2026. We'll be chatting about grocery prices, frauds and scams, delayed compensation for airline passengers and other news of the week.

RECOVERING POLITICIANS: THE YEAR THAT WAS IN CANADIAN POLITICS Libby Znaimer is joined by George Smitherman, former Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre, Health Minister and Deputy Premier; Cheri DiNovo, a former NDP MPP; and Janet Ecker, a former Ontario PC MPP and Finance Minister. Prime Minister Mark Carney is crowned newsmaker of the year by Canadian Press. And, we talk about the biggest Canadian politics stories of 2025. WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE BOURBON INDUSTRY AND THE POPULARITY OF BEEF TALLOW  Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Professor and Senior Director at the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. Sylvain discusses the popularity of beef tallow in cooking, his thoughts on food predictions for 2026 and what's been happening to the bourbon industry in the United States. THE OLDEST BABY BOOMERS ARE TURNING 80 NEXT YEAR Libby Znaimer is joined by Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs and the co-author of Breaking Point: The New Big Shifts Putting Canada at Risk to discuss the latest on Canada's Baby Boomer generation.

ZOOMER SQUAD: CAREGIVER BURNOUT & RENEWING YOUR DRIVERS LICENCE AT AGE 80 AND OLDER Libby Znaimer is joined by Anthony Quinn, President of CARP, David Valentin, Principal at Liaison Strategies and Liz West, Host of The Afternoon Express on Zoomer Radio. Today, we discuss caregiver burnout and key findings from a new report from The Ontario Caregiver Organization. And, here's what you need to know if you are turning 80 and need to renew your driver's licence. ARE CANADIANS STILL DITCHING TRAVEL TO THE U.S? Libby Znaimer is joined by Devyn Perry of Devyn Perry Travel and Stephen Fine, President and Managing Editor at SnowbirdAdvisor.ca Are Canadians still ditching travel to the U.S. amid tariff tensions brought on by U.S. President Donald Trump? And if you are one of those Canadians, which travel destination have you opted for instead this season? A MAN FROM TORONTO IS FACING TERRORISM CHARGES Libby Znaimer is joined by Phil Gurski, President of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting and a former senior strategic terrorism analyst at CSIS; and Ward Elcock, former CSIS director. Our security experts react to the news of three men being charged for hate-motivated attacks in Toronto, with one of the men facing terrorism charges. We ask them about threats to the Jewish community both at home and abroad in the aftermath of the Bondi Beach Massacre in Australia.

Libby Znaimer was joined by Liz West, Host of The Afternoon Express on Zoomer Radio; Tasha Kheiriddin, a public affairs commentator, consultant, lawyer, policy analyst and writer; and Dean Hollin, host of Radio Limelite and FM Breakfast Classics, for an alternative Free For All Friday. They discussed politicians' reactions to the Bondi Beach terror attack, holiday shopping, Christmas cards and the rise in stamp prices.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: SPEEDING UP THE LRT Tasha Kheiriddin filled in for Libby Znaimer today. She was joined by Jon Burnside, City Councillor for Ward 16 (Don Valley East), Councillor Mike Colle for Ward 8 (Eglinton-Lawrence) and former Toronto City Councillor Rob Davis to discuss speeding up the LRT, the hike in transfer tax on luxury homes, and other municipal topics. WHO SHOULD TAKE OVER THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY?  Tasha Kheiriddin was joined by John Mykytyshyn, Conservative Activist and Political Consultant to discuss the future of Canada's Conservative Party and who should become the next leader. WHAT WAS LEARNED FROM THE THORNCLIFFE PARK FIRE - TORONTO'S MOST COMPLEX FIRE Tasha Kheiriddin was joined by Fire Chief Jim Jessop to discuss the most complex fire in Toronto's history and will this change the rule book for how Toronto Fire will deal with these incidents in the future?

THE MEDICAL RECORD: THIS YEAR'S FLU LEAVES MANY SUFFERING Jane Brown filled in for Libby Znaimer today. She was joined by Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and former head of BC Cancer; Dr. Fahad Razak, general internist at St. Michael's Hospital and Canada Research Chair in Healthcare Data and Analytics at the University of Toronto; and Dr. Nadia Alam, a family doctor and anesthetist in Georgetown, Ontario. They discussed this year's terrible flu strain and how badly it is impacting children, the elderly and filling up emergency rooms.   TOP FOOD STORIES THAT SHAPED CANADA'S FOOD SYSTEM IN 2025 Jane Brown was joined by Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast. They discussed Canada's top food stories of 2025 that shaped and influenced Canada's food system. MIKE SCHREINER ON THE ONTARIO LEGISLATURE'S 14 WEEK BREAK Jane Brown was joined by Mike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party of Ontario to discuss Queen’s Park's 14 week winter break.

RECOVERING POLITICIANS: REACTION TO THE BONDI BEACH MASSACRE Libby Znaimer was joined by George Smitherman, former Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre, Health Minister and Deputy Premier; Cheri DiNovo, former Member of Provincial Parliament of Ontario; and Lisa Raitt, former Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada to discuss today's political news. FBI THWARTS L.A. TERROR ATTACK  Four people were arrested and charged with an alleged New Years Eve pipe bombing plot that targeted 5 locations in Southern California.  Libby Znaimer was joined by Phil Gurski, President of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting and a former senior strategic terrorism analyst at CSIS; and Ward Elcock, former CSIS Director, to discuss how this attack was thwarted. UPCOMING CHANGES TO TORONTO'S RECYCLING PROGRAM: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Libby Znaimer was joined by Matt Keliher, General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services at the City of Toronto; and Allen Langdon, CEO of Circular Materials to discuss the changes coming to the City of Toronto’s Recycling Program.

THE ZOOMER SQUAD: JEWISH COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE REELING FROM THE HANUKKAH ATTACK IN AUSTRALIA Libby Znaimer was joined by Anthony Quinn, President of CARP; Liz West, Host of the Afternoon Express; and David Valentin, Principal at Liaison Strategies to discuss the horrific terrorist attack on the Hanukkah festival in Australia as well as other news of the day. CANADIAN POLITICIANS AND POLICE REASSURE CANADIAN JEWISH COMMUNITIES  Libby Znaimer was joined by Richard Robertson, Director of Research and Advocacy at B'nai Brith Canada and Rabbi Seth Goren, Chief Executive Officer of Hillel Ontario to discuss how Jewish Communities in Canada are reacting to the attack at Bondi Beach in Australia. HOW GENETIC GENEALOGY TECHNOLOGY WORKS TO CRACK COLD CASES Libby Znaimer was joined by Detective Sergeant Steve Smith with the Toronto Police Service to discuss how modern DNA testing is being used to crack cold cases.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: WHEN IT COMES TO MOST RATS IN A CANADIAN CITY, TORONTO GETS FIRST PLACE Libby Znaimer is joined by Daniel Tate, a concerned citizen, taxpayer and Director of IntegrityTO and former Toronto City Councillors Karen Stintz and Rob Davis. It’s Thursday, time to talk about all things municipal and that includes Toronto's rat problem, the Finch LRT, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford deciding not to intervene when it comes to Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow's land transfer tax hike proposal on luxury homebuyers. ITALIAN CUISINE GETS UNESCO RECOGNITION Libby Znaimer is joined by Marco Santaguida, Principal of Santaguida Fine Foods located on Bathurst Street and Rose Reisman, leading Health and Wellness Expert and Author. Italian Cuisine has received UNESCO recognition. It's the first cuisine to get that. And, we take this as an opportunity to highlight the vibrant Italian food scene right here in Toronto. RIGHT TURNS AT INTERSECTIONS AND THE THREAT TO PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST SAFETY Libby Znaimer is joined by Sgt. Kerry Schmidt of the OPP Highway Safety Division. This morning we learned about another pedestrian death, and as is often the case, it was a Zoomer. We connected with Sgt. Kerry Schmidt for a PSA about pedestrian safety on the roads. We also discuss turning right at intersections and safety tips for pedestrians and drivers.

THE MEDICAL RECORD: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS YEAR'S FLU SEASON Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and former head of BC Cancer, Dr. Amol Verma, a staff physician in General Internal Medicine at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto and Dr. Alisa Naiman, a family doctor practicing in Toronto. Today: a discussion about this year's aggressive flu season, Ottawa's immigration plans for doctors trained above and other healthcare news this week. AIR TRANSAT REACHES TENTATIVE DEAL: WHAT HAPPENS NOW Libby Znaimer is joined by John Gradek, a faculty lecturer at McGill University in Montreal and a former executive with Air Canada and Dr. Gabor Lukacs, President of Air Passenger Rights. Air Transat has reached a tentative deal which means no pilot strike is coming up. However, after the airline's flight cancellations, where does this leave travelers? DOUG FORD'S POSITION ON MAYOR OLIVIA CHOW'S PROPOSED HIKE TO LAND TRANSFER TAX FOR LUXURY HOME BUYERS Libby Znaimer is joined by Karen Stintz, a former Toronto City Councillor. Ontario Premier Doug Ford is not going to get involved when it comes to Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow's proposal to increase the land transfer tax for luxury homebuyers in the city. And, we discuss other local news topics of the week.

RECOVERING POLITICIANS:  OPP INVESTIGATION INTO COMPANY THAT GOT MILLIONS FROM FORD GOVERNMENT Libby Znaimer is joined by George Smitherman, former Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre, Health Minister and Deputy Premier; Tasha Kheiriddin, a columnist with the National Post; and Rob Davis, a former Toronto City Councillor. Our panel reacts to the news that the OPP is investigating a company that got millions from the Ford government, U.S. President Trump's fertilizer threat and a hate crimes investigation after Mezuzahs (Jewish prayer scrolls mounted to entrances of homes) were ripped off apartment units of residents living in a Toronto Community Housing apartment building in North York. CHECKING FOR SIGNS OF COGNITIVE DECLINE IN FAMILY MEMBERS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Howard Chertkow, a practicing cognitive neurologist at Toronto's Baycrest Health Sciences Centre. As the holidays quickly approach and we gather with our family members and other loved ones, it's a good opportunity to check in on how our parents and even grandparents are doing healthwise. One important element of this is checking for signs of cognitive decline. WHAT A NEW STUDY TELLS US ABOUT PRIMARY CARE ACCESS FOR CANADIANS  The shortage of family doctors continues to be a problem. The good news is a major national survey suggests the country is beginning to turn the corner on the primary-care crisis. Dr. Tara Kiran is a family physician and primary care researcher who led the study as part of a project called Our Care.

TUNE INTO THE TOWN: MAYOR CHOW'S PROPOSED LAND TRANSFER TAX INCREASE ON LUXURY HOME BUYERS Libby Znaimer is joined by Jon Burnside, City Councillor for Ward 16 (Don Valley East) and former Toronto City Councillors Karen Stintz and Rob Davis. We take a closer look at Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow's proposed land transfer tax increase on luxury homes, the latest on the soon-to-be opened Finch West LRT and more local news of the week. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THE CONCEPT OF "TOXIC PRODUCTIVITY?" Libby Znaimer is joined by Israa Nasir, Therapist and Author of Toxic Productivity. Libby and Israa have a much needed conversation about multi-tasking and toxic productivity. You won't want to miss this conversation. HERE'S WHAT FOODS WILL LIKELY GO UP IN PRICE NEXT YEAR ACCORDING TO CANADA'S 2026 FOOD PRICE REPORT Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Sadaf Mollaei, Assistant Professor and Arrell Chair in the Business of Food at the University of Guelph; and Rose Reisman, leading Health and Wellness Expert and author. As you grocery shop you're most likely noticing those increased prices! And a new Canada Food Prices Report for 2026 details what we can expect to see next year on this.

THE MEDICAL RECORD: WHY ARE MORE PEOPLE GETTING DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER DURING STAGE 4 OF THE DISEASE?  Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Malcolm Moore, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and former head of BC Cancer; Dr. Fahad Razak, general internist at St. Michael's Hospital and Canada Research Chair in Healthcare Data and Analytics at the University of Toronto; and Dr. Alisa Naiman, a family doctor practicing in Toronto. Today: the concerning increasing trend of stage 4 prostate cancer diagnoses in Canada & most individuals who opted for MAiD in 2024 had cancer diagnoses and were older than 75 years of age. WHAT THE AUDITOR GENERAL'S REPORT REVEALS ABOUT DOCTOR OVERBILLING AND THE FORD GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING OF PRIMARY CARE Libby Znaimer is joined by Shelley Spence, Ontario's Auditor General. Libby speaks to AG Spence about her concerning findings regarding doctors overbilling and the Ford government's handling of primary care. THE FORD GOVERNMENT'S RECORD SPENDING ON ADVERTISEMENTS  Libby Znaimer is joined by Sarah Thompson, Executive Managing Director, Glassroom Toronto and John Fraser, a Liberal MPP. The AG's report also pointed out the Ford government's record spending on ads in the last fiscal year: a whopping $112 million. Our guests discuss the latest. THE REALITY OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET RIGHT NOW  Libby Znaimer is joined by Jason Mercer, Chief Market Analyst & Director of the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board. Together they discuss the state of Toronto's real estate market.