As you know by now, our Your Agenda discussion boards are closed while we work on redesigning our website. But we're still looking for your show ideas. Every Thursday night is YOUR AGENDA. And we mean that.
That being said, here's a message from our Executive Producer Dan Dunsky:
Your Agenda: How to pitch a story for The Agenda with Steve Paikin
Several years ago, when we began planning for this program, we knew we wanted to find a way of including the public’s suggestions into our editorial decision-making process. Those were the heady days of web 2.0 and everyone assumed there was an unlimited appetite for “citizen-based journalism” and that every media outlet would soon become another YouTube.
Well, we weren’t immune to those pressures here at The Agenda with Steve Paikin but, three years later, we’ve learned a few things. And so, we’re in the process of redesigning our website to be more accessible while cutting down on applications that never really took hold among our viewers and online users (those which never passed what Fifth Column blogger Mike Miner calls the ‘cute kitten’ test).
Still, some things have worked, and worked well. Later this season, for example, we’ll follow up on our successful participant-generated AgendaCamps with a new round of these events as part of this year’s Agenda on the Road specials.
And we’re still going strong with our Thursday night Your Agenda segments.
The concept here is simple.
Every Thursday we produce our program based on your input. Sometimes that means you come up with the ideas, sometimes it means we ask you what you find interesting about our ideas. Either way, you are helping to program this program.
We also work your comments and questions into these programs at theagenda@tvo.org, at twitter.com/theagenda and on the last Thursday of each month during our Munk Centre web chat.
If you’re interested in contributing, here are five points to keep in mind:
- The Agenda with Steve Paikin is not a news program. We take our cues from what’s going on in the world, but our job is not to report what is happening but to (hopefully) shine a light on why things are happening. Think of us as the op-ed pages of a newspaper, or as a current affairs periodical focused on matters that are changing the world we live in.
- When you think about it, we stick to our knitting: we produce interviews—of both the “feature” and “accountability” varieties—and we produce discussions and debates. Your suggestions should likewise stick to this format.
- Or think about it another way: we like to analyze issues and events, or to synthesize several issues and events, and discuss the trends they suggest.
- Suggest guests: who are the experts you think we should invite on our program?
- Follow up. Some of our best programs have emerged from points guests have made on air, or in response to blog posts and replies. Remember, we’re not looking for answers but to carry on and deepen the conversation.
So, there you have it, the abridged version of how to pitch stories for The Agenda with Steve Paikin.
All you need now is curiosity about the world and you’ve got it made.
There you have it, folks, now let your ideas flow freely!
For next week, Thursday, September 24th, here are a couple of ideas we're kicking around:
A viewer said one issue that was very important to how he would vote this year was the border. He sees Canada's inability to work with Washington to keep the border open as a failure, and something he would hope a U.S.-friendly Conservative government would be well-suited to accomplishing. Should Ottawa have done more to keep the longest undefended border in the world flowing freely?
And: With INCO workers on strike since July, it's safe to say the recent boom days are over. With foreign companies in control of the mines, population still in decline, and no solution in sight, is Northern Ontario sustainable? Do we need vibrant cities up there or will a resource colony suffice?
What are your thoughts about those two ideas? I'd love to know. I'd also love to read some ideas from you.
And, if you're not already doing so, please follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/navin_vaswani
UPDATE: Please try and keep your comments focused on the topic of the post. We're looking for your thoughts on tonight's program, and any other show ideas you might have for upcoming Your Agenda Thursday shows. Thanks.
The alarming spectacle of the "birthers", the anti-tax "tea-partiers", the town hall hecklers, the "death panel" charges - deserves our attention. This display of right-wing fury can be seen as history repeating itself. ***Overblown conservative protests have appeared whenever liberals have been ascendant in U.S. politics.*** Subjects of these protests have included: > the empowerment of new groups > any move towards multi-lateralism in U.S policies > a perceived increase in influence by the urban intelligentsia > conservative feelings of persecution as a result of having suffered a setback. Defeat does not rest lightly on right-wing shoulders.
The Sept., 2006 research study, "Political Conservatism as Motivated Cognition", provided a perspective on the conservative psyche, which helps to explain this extreme behaviour. It identified in conservatives heightened fear, aggression, dogmatism, and intolerance of ambiguity. (Think of Geo.W.Bush saying that he does not do nuance.) One of its authors would make a suitable guest.
On Thursday, Sept.17 "The Current" on Radio One featured Rick Perlstein. the author of a piece in "The Washington Post". (See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/14/AR2009081401495.html) "In America, Crazy is a Pre-existing Condition."
There ought to be no problem finding conservative spokespersons to deny what they'll see as an illegitimate attack upon their wholly reasonable values and tactics.
posted by Ex-T on 18 September 2009 at 6:58 PM
Why not do a show in the next week on the upcomining election in Germany? Why is Angela Merkel more popular than her CDU party? What has been the German experience of the past 2-3 years with Grand Coalition government? What are the issues? What implications could there be for Canada? This could be FAR more interesting and relevant to listen to than the opinions of ivory tower academics on how Germans are coping with their nazi past. Why not try debunking some of the disinformation out there on MMP and coalition government? What good does it do to investigate why events occur, if all you do is present two diametrically opposed viewpoints which are often totally predictable based on who the guests are? Often the guests argue and debate for an hour and the viewer is left no more knowledgeable than at the start, indeed often one is somewhat confused at the end of it. These discussions lead nowhere.
posted by BorisTheYounger on 18 September 2009 at 7:07 PM
Boris the Younger: .... What good does it do to investigate why events occur, if all you do is present two diametrically opposed viewpoints which are often totally predictable based on who the guests are? Often the guests argue and debate for an hour and the viewer is left no more knowledgeable than at the start, indeed often one is somewhat confused at the end of it. These discussions lead nowhere.
Ditto here ! Most really interesting topics are too complex and controversial to elucidate in a single session, e.g. such as the health care topic. And guests should include actual participants, not just talking heads. In the case of the health care discussion an actual patient who exercised the US option would have contributed, also a US doctor. The two Canadian physicians were predictable, etc. If the issue is controversial allow time in the program episode(s) to really get to the bottom of who is doing what to whom !
As for show topics: - Economic restructuring ( global level ) - Global politics ( emergence of China / India / Russia, the EU ) - More on health care - Constitutional issues ( elected senate, abolition of Indian Act, ongoing constitutional challenge to Canada Health Act,... - Abuse of refugee system, passports of convenience - Poverty, the real and imagined - The Canadian deficit & debt ( federal, provincial, municipal ) - Psychology: a science or search for excuses for our foibles etc.
posted by DieterH on 18 September 2009 at 10:13 PM
We heard on your shows this week how well women are doing, especially vis-a-vis men, in education, employment etc., but inspite of this studies are showing women are increasingly unhappy. I read a very interesting article on The Huffington Post by Marcus Buckingham which is to be the first of a series on this topic. It might make an excellent Agenda topic.
posted by 2h on 18 September 2009 at 11:32 PM
This bug can’t magically appear out of no where…it has to be transmitted some how… this is not the first time the gov used virus to kill us off… theirs a long history of it…
How to prevent h1n1 getting your body…
http://helpdesk.infowars.com/cgi-bin/ttx.cgi?cmd=ticket&key=108807Z1910044446087469556
posted by ZorroIsGod on 19 September 2009 at 1:25 PM
like i said thier is somthing rotton in our gov...
posted by ZorroIsGod on 19 September 2009 at 1:30 PM
Chuck Strahl and the health minister to join up to dictate what is what....LOL..
First Nation should have our own separate system basic… give us the data and samples and will get our people to review your finding… We need our people empower over this instead of being dictate to… take their word as truth is not a good thing at all…
We should have facilities for our own health planning that all nation can par take in.. Developing patents for resale…
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090919/aglukkaq_flu_090919/20090919?hub=TopStories
posted by ZorroIsGod on 19 September 2009 at 1:48 PM
With the Climate summit approaching in Denmark there is a large lobby of climate scientists/ skeptics armed with creditable evidence trying to get their side of the debate heard [volcanic activity, the sun etc..] With international media attending, wouldn't it be nice to have these voices heard first on the Agenda, prior to this summit? Why does the mainstream media decline any debate over this issue? Does anybody remember the ice age scare of 1976? Some of those same voices from the ice age scare are now speaking up for global warming. Why the fear of debate?
posted by Fat in the middle on 20 September 2009 at 2:20 PM
Does mainstream media even count? I think Agenda should have a show on the death of mainstream media. I did not think I would see the day when a couple of kids with a handy cam and a budget of $1300 broke one of the biggest story of the year that resonates throughout the whole American society. Just imagine the main news being driven by blogers on youtube, well actually no need for imagination. It's happening as we speak. As for guests? Bernie Goldberg would be a good start, Andrew Breitbart would be great as well. Maybe somebody from the Huffington Post-little use that I have for them. Oh, Ms Malkin would be too much? There is a revolution in progress in the media and the mainstream is either ignoring it or simply concentrationg on the technology. As Jon Stewart asked recently-where are the reporters? And he's just a comedian. Ignore this at own peril.
posted by jc on 20 September 2009 at 5:56 PM
I would like to see a program that takes a really close look at parliament during the last three minority governments to see just how much legislation actually was passed. How many of the same bills had to be reintroduced after elections and just how much did each of the minority parties actually voted in favour of bills presented by the governing party. Each party claims that it is trying to make parliament work. Where have our elected officials done their best to do the work? And where have they put up road blocks for political gains? How different have the votes been during these minority government versus recent majority governments?
posted by Sean Webb on 20 September 2009 at 6:30 PM
jc: Fat in the middle. Does mainstream media even count? I think Agenda should have a show on the death of mainstream media.
I think the "problem" with mainstream media is that they are still stuck in the lowest common denominator mass audience rut. Challenging viewpoints, intelligent debate and/or politically incorrect opinions are program non-starters. The ongoing revolution in low cost ( practically "0" ) real time Internet based media is short circuiting content control by advertisers and the political status quo. I sincerely hope that TVO / The AGENDA will continue to evolve into and intelligent audience based communication/debate forum as opposed to the traditional broadcast mentality of one-way dribbles of opinion from talking head bystanders. Broadcasting is NOT communicating. But I guess there will always be the passive devotees of Reality shows and spectator sports .... So which will it be AGENDA ??
posted by DieterH on 20 September 2009 at 7:15 PM
The Agenda is well named. As the benchmark for gutsy journalism has been raised by professional people that are doing it on their own, outside the mainstream on the net, shows like the Agenda can't compete with the level of truth being displayed these day. I understand there is a lot of mis givings on the net, but there are a lot of credible people doing great work. With the corporate list backing TVo, I highly doubt we will see that edge. That is the reason issues that confront popular belief like global warming presently don't see debate. Until journalism is story based and not advertising/ funding based, will we not reach that level of integrity.
posted by Fat in the middle on 21 September 2009 at 1:39 AM
More shows on Premier William Davis; birthday, and any anniversary ?
:)
posted by nailinthecoffin on 21 September 2009 at 12:13 PM
but can't TVO give out some information on the status of the pickled "Your Agenda" forum, where ideas can be discussed between members of the community ?
A bit sluggish in coming online, isn't it ?
posted by nailinthecoffin on 21 September 2009 at 12:30 PM
Recently I listened to this 4 part discussion by Dr. Mercola and Dr. Russell Blaylock. It concerns vaccines and in particular the flu shots we are being given. It is a concern of mine as I am in the Homeopathic camp and know that flu can be dealt with easily and effectively and at low cost with no side effects. In this case it is two doctors who are in mainstream medicine who have posted their findings. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/19/The-Truth-about-the-Flu-Shot.aspx
Further to this Dr.Boyd Hailey presented a paper regarding Mercury and neurological consequences. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/19/The-Truth-about-the-Flu-Shot.aspx
There are many medical professionals who are concerned and my last reference is. http://www.mvvic.info/en/vaccination/
Perhaps you could do a program to give the measured response to flu and the vaccines that is not hyped by the Pharmas and pushed by Government agencies under their sway.
posted by johnboard on 21 September 2009 at 12:53 PM
Ferguson and Zakaria with Steve Paikin for a full hour on the "post American world" would be an EVENT.
posted by moleculo on 21 September 2009 at 1:45 PM
for all the comments and ideas, folks. We appreciate them, and they have been duly noted.
@2H: I read The Huffington Post article about women being unhappy late on Friday afternoon. It's a very interesting topic coming out of our "Death of Macho" program from last week.
@ nailinthecoffin: The "Your Agenda" forum will be closed until the redesign of TVO's website is complete. We will no doubt keep you updated as to when you can expect them back up and running. And we of course appreciate your patience and understanding while we work to make your entire tvo.org experience a better one.
posted by Navin Vaswani
on 21 September 2009 at 1:47 PM
Swine flu, vaccines and the post macho world are other over-played subjects we could do without. Give us a break and tackle something new, for heaven's sake. Something less depressing, more uplifting...
posted by BorisTheYounger on 21 September 2009 at 2:31 PM
You'll be happy to know that we're putting together a show about the happiness of women for Thursday.
posted by Mike Miner
on 21 September 2009 at 3:19 PM
And precisely who cares ? The Toronto NHL franchise does not want competition from a team at Hamilton, and the powers will do their best to block Balsillie from acquiring the Coyotes and transferring the team. A simple question of which side has more $$$$ M to spend. Personally - professional ( spectator ) sports are on the bottom of my list of interests. Surely there are more immediate issues than discussing a bunch of overpaid jocks.
I shall bring in a pile of firewood ( real exercise ), light the airtight stove, have a good scotch handy and read a book !
posted by DieterH on 21 September 2009 at 5:06 PM
I am proposing a show based on exposing the weaknesses of privatizing public hydro assets. How public assets were taken from the people and turned against them. The system that once benefited the public now victimizes them. I would like to see a show that clearly presents the flaws of a private hydro system, one that creates power shortages for profit. The Agenda, Sept. 8, 2009 was not broad enough and it did not expose the failure of the projected hydro load. It didn't expose the new build of generation to the United States. We need to evaluate the true value of public power at cost in three terms: 1) Asset value 2) Competitive value - energy competitive value 3) Reactive value - cheap energy costs in goods produced to be sold in the world market. JOBS! To go forward we need to have a clear understanding of the value of the loss created by the promoters of privatization. The failure to investigate this loss will have a very traumatic effect on the economy of Ontario. Yours truly, City of Orillia Ward 2 councillor 36 year power and generation operator Maurice McMillan Home #: 1-705-689-4259 Cell #: 238-8708 email: buttercup.estate@sympatico.ca
posted by Aurice on 22 September 2009 at 2:04 PM
Reading the previous comment, I can't help cheekily asking - would The Agenda produce a show debating whether to privatize TVO?
posted by BlackTuxedo on 22 September 2009 at 9:09 PM
Thanks for your suggestion, Aurice. We've added it to the list of ideas we've so far accumulated.
@ BlackTuxedo: Thanks for your comment. We've actually looked at that very issue before, back in the Studio 2 days. If it came up again, and were relevant, we would certainly explore the issue.
posted by Navin Vaswani
on 24 September 2009 at 12:33 PM
The role and purpose of the 'news media'. Seems to me its going downhill with the advent of ultra partisan media outlets like fox, etc. I'd like a discussion on what people in and out of the industry see as its role in our society and how its being achieved given the cost pressures, advertising, media ownership being centralized, etc.
posted by Jack5092 on 25 September 2009 at 10:11 AM
A discussion on taxes. What do taxes give our society and what do they hinder. I hear a lot of chatter about taxes being cut and government being reduced, but really no discussion of the roles these play in our society. What are they providing me as Joe Citizen? You could look at low tax countries and high tax countries for comparisons.
posted by Jack5092 on 25 September 2009 at 10:15 AM
The increase in the price of gold is a vote of no confidence in fiat cuerrencies. This is not crackpot. All currencies are down in relation to gold, even though there is now inflation in the near future. I can recommend a speaker Anatole Feteke, who is very articulate on the gold and currency issues.
to further flush out this idea I can be reached at 416-449-2004 hm or 416-873-5505 cell
posted by pdtor on 25 September 2009 at 6:19 PM
I think you really need a show on the experiences of people living on the Ontario Disability Support Program and the Ontario Works Program and how Unfair these programs are. If your up for a learning experience and a real challenge , go to the ministry of community and social services and read the policy directives for both ODSP and OW, And tell me if the policy , procedures and legislation are treating those folks fairly. These are the people I would like to see on that show, :
The Honourable Madeleine Meilleur
Minister of Community and Social Services
A memeber from the The ODSP Action Coalition
One member from the Ontario NDP and Conservative Party One couple that Are on ODSP One single person that is on ODSP A single and married couple with dependants who are disabled on odsp A single and married couple who are disabled with childern over 18
The concerns and issues of this class of Society(for lack of a better term) seems to have been swept under the rug,
Is the Agenda willing to tackle this subject, on your agenda Thursday shows. I hope that you are.
posted by Neversurrender on 29 September 2009 at 7:20 PM
I've always been interested in internet comments and how people (who I'm sure are at least semi-decent in reality) turn into absolute A-Holes on the internet. Glancing at any website that allows comments (Youtube being the worst) one quickly sees that comments generally go from semi-helpful serious feedback on the presented topic to random insults, cursing, and "You don't know anything!" rants. Other shows have covered this topic, but I would be intersted to hear what the Agenda had to say. As for speakers/experts, I would assume phycologists or sociologists, and those who study technological trends and how they affect people.
posted by Jeeda555 on 02 October 2009 at 2:52 PM
That is the title of a science article by Margaret Talbot in "The Guardian Weekly", 09.10.09.
The term "neuroenhancement" is used to identify the effects that large numbers of American university students and others are achieving through the use of prescription stimulants for what the article calls "off-label use".
One study showed that drugs such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Provigil are routinely being used by U.S. college students to "sharpen focus, concentration, and memory". As many as 20% of students in one survey admitted to using these stimulants to improve their grades.
More quotes from the article:
"In the near future some neurologists will refashion themselves as "quality-of-life consultants".
"An aging population won't put up with memory loss"; "parents will be bent on giving their children every possible edge"; and "anxious employees in an efficiency-obsessed BlackBerry equipped office" will become dependent upon psycho- pharmaceuticals to keep up.
I would be interested to learn whether large numbers of Canadian students at different levels of education are using these medications.
I'd also like to learn whether it is likely that quite soon older Canadians need not put up with memory loss.
Neuroenhancement seems to be an important development that will also of be considerable interest to viewers.
The journalist who produced the article would perhaps make a good panelist, along with medical practitioners, educators, and a geriatric specialist.
posted by Ex-T on 15 October 2009 at 11:33 AM
Thanks for the suggestion, Ex-T.
We have already done a show on the topic, which you may be interested to check out:
http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda/index.cfm?page_id=7&bpn=779538&ts=2009-06-19+20:00:35.0
posted by Mike Miner
on 16 October 2009 at 5:08 PM
It would be a welcome change of pace, if The Agenda were to devote an episode to the dreadful condition of all five of the professional sports franchises in the city.
>The Blue Jays disappointed and finished well below .500 again. >TFC is not going to make the playoffs in the North American soccer leagu again.. >The Argonauts have easily the worst record in the CFL. >The Maple Leafs are being outscored almost three to one, and look as though they may not win a game before Christmas. >The Raptors are the last chance that the city has to produce a team with a winning record, and they have looked very ordinary in the pre-season.
Why is this city cursed with losing teams? It is not a failure to spend money. Colangelo and Burke are being paid upwards of $3 million dollars a year each to produce winners.
Shouldn't at least one of the five teams have a winning record every once in a while? Do fans have to stop buying tickets in order to put some pressure on ownership? What is the answer?
posted by Ex-T on 17 October 2009 at 11:37 PM
There has been lots written in the last few years about the concentration of big media and how that affects diversity and objectivity in journalism.
Canada used to balance big media with a policy that led the world in its time: community television (think "Wayne's World" or the original "Tom Green Show" on Rogers, Ottawa). Developed from a NFB "Challenge for Change" stream of films in which viewers had control of content, CRTC policies kicked off in the 1970s that opened community-access channels country-wide. The idea was to give ordinary people a say on television. Twenty-eight countries around the world have followed suit since then, most recently South Korea, using the original 1970s NFB "Challenge for Change" newsletters as their guide and rallying call. Dan Aykroyd, Mike Meyers, and Guy Madden all got their start on community TV.
But what has happened to the medium here at home? Over the last twelve years, big cable companies have closed many community channels, regionalized content, and kicked the public off. Grassroots access at the bottom is gone. At the same time as the public and private sectors have pulled out of local programming, so have the erstwhile trustees of the community sector, despite its on-paper mandate. As the Lincoln Report on "Our Cultural Sovereignty" questioned as far back as 2003, how is the cable levy for "community TV" really being spent?
Because of complaints, the CRTC has promised a long-overdue review of community TV this winter.
Meanwhile, the European Union and the Knight Commission in the US have recommended that for healthy democracies, there need to be community media and technology centres accessible to all citizens. Will the new "community channel" be a multiplatform access centre, that might hold simultaneous over-the-air radio and TV licenses, webstream, and distribute to wireless? Is it finally time for the community to control these channels, as happens everywhere else but Canada?
posted by C. Edwards on 17 October 2009 at 11:48 PM
In the U.S. the Fox network is complaining bitterly these days that the Obama administration has refused to provide representatives to appear on their news and comment shows.
The Obama people have stated that they don't regard Fox as a legitimate network, since it's people are all right-wing crazy with a search and destroy mentality, rather than an organisation that has a reasonable perspective.
Here in Toronto we have the radio equivalent of Fox in Radio A.M. 640. Show hosts such as the abominable John Oakley and the knuckle-dragging Mike Stafford come on each day loaded for bear, ready to dfenigrate any liberal notion.
Here is a Samuel Clemens quotation that bears on the matter:
'If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.' Mark Twain
Is it not the case that those who get their news and opinion from Fox or 640 are being badly served, since they are being exposed to an entirely one-sided spin on current events?
Or is it better to be mis-informed than to be un-informed?
posted by Ex-T on 19 October 2009 at 4:37 PM
The newest Kyoto agreement will be decided in Copenhagen this December, 2009. I personally believe this is the planet's greatest deadline. What is achieved is all that matters - air, water, earth quality. The clock is ticking. We have 50-something days until Copenhagen and I don't understand what the Canadian delegation stands for. Why was our delegation in Bangkok walked out on by other U.N. delegates? This issue is timely. Please address on your show Canada's point of view and those of other countries. Thank you.
posted by Marie Bennett on 19 October 2009 at 8:36 PM
There has been an explosion of interest in Ayn Rand with two new biographies on her life about to be published in the U.S.
Red-necks on both sides of the border have made her their new darling, since she can be seen as the anti-Obama of our time.
Her "Objectivism" is all the rage now, and members of the right are snapping up her novels such as: "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged" for their next fix of reassurance that selfishness is a wonderful thing. (I guess that people with their eyes too close together are still able to read.)
And now it is proposed that we add to the forced wearing of seat-belts in cars and the ban on texting and hand-held cell-phone use in vehicles, prohibition of smoking in apartments and condominiums.
Of course, red-necks - those who put themselves first, and everyone else nowhere - are up on their hind legs again, screaming, "My home is my castle, and it is being invaded!"
Bring a John Oakley type onto the show. (He's the knuckle-dragging, Rush Limbaugh sound-alike morning show host of Radio 640 in Toronto.) He can represent the ultra-selfish nays. And find a sane, thoughtful individual or two to explain that no one has the right to poison his or her neighbours in the next unit.
It could make for a lively show. posted by Ex-T
on 20 October 2009 at 3:45 PM
In reply to the last post, I must share this would be a good show idea. However, I would like to see a representative of the so called ''red necks'' be someone that understands the importance of less government, and has their facts in order. The irony is; in this fabricated left/ right paradigm, we forget that fascism comes from the left. The actions of Obama speak for themselves, and to cherry pick characters that dispute his actions [Obama], labeling them as rednecks is to only seek drama and not the truth. There does need to be a show about this. Good idea, I would like to see free speech be on the agenda. That is what is eroding, and Obama's actions are displaying that in a horrible fashion. Look at the G20 police state.
posted by Fat in the middle on 24 October 2009 at 5:14 AM
I take it that you have written your own dictionary. I don't know where else you could find the rise of fascism attributed to anyone but extremist right-wing European governments of the 1930s, including Italy, Germany, and Spain. Mussolini was certainly a fascist. So was Franco. So was Hitler. If you want to accuse left-wingers of having totalitarian tendencies, that's fine. Do so, and provide whatever evidence you can find to back up the accusation. Please, just don't take a term which is properly applied to right-wing crazies, and misuse it. That's intellectual laziness.
posted by Ex-T on 28 October 2009 at 4:56 PM
a tv station did a poll this week , and about half of people polled said they were NOT going to get vaccinated,,,
I feel this is due to misinformation and the general public believing myths and false rumors about the vaccine..
Could the Agenda please address this issue by doing a specific show that informs and dispels all the false notions about the vaccine..
I dont think the public are really fully aware of how dangerous it is to NOT get the vaccine...
May I also suggest that TVO itself do short segments between their tv programs that inform the public about the truths and seriousness of getting vaccinated..
In the forums discussion section of TVO I wrote a longer post better explaining some of my thoughts and ideas on this public awares issue/campaign, and how it may be implemented. You can go there and read it if you want, i just finished posting it a few minutes ago...
thank you yours brett.
posted by Brett on 28 October 2009 at 11:20 PM
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-28/friday-night-bloodlust/?cid=hp:mainpromo5
Above is the URL for a report on sports injuries to young athletes which I found shocking.
I did not know that Mark Messier has designed a much improved hockey helmet, but only eight NHlers are using it, because the rest don't like its shape.
I think this would make a terrific show topic, and one that could start us on the road to significantly reducing amateur sports injuries.
I expect that it would not be difficult to find panelists on both sides of the issue. Plenty of people in sports, including the parents of many teen-aged athletes, appear to consider the risk of serious injuries to be just "part of the game".
posted by Ex-T on 29 October 2009 at 6:16 PM
Yes fascism can be considered both left and right. ''German Nazism was closer to Russian communism than to any other non-communist system'' [Stanley Payne]. It is just that the popular definition is placed with extreme right wing movements. It is a very loose word, one used to describe human behavior at its extremes. The present day left wing environmental movement can be considered fascist in behavior, lending to the righteous ''my way or the highway'' emotionally driven elitism. Just as a extreme white supremacy can act in similar ways. To say it originated from the left is wrong, but to say it is exclusive to the right is also wrong. The political spectrum is not the judge of fascist behavior. Go no further than Al Gore.
posted by Fat in the middle on 31 October 2009 at 7:14 PM
there has been a lot of ads on tv about the local tv vs Cable companys. Local tv saying it should be paid by Cable companys for letting them air their programing,,,and Cable companys saying that the are being hit with a tax,,,etc.... Local tv is saying in their ads that Cable is refusing to sit at the table and discuss this... so i just thought why not have both parties and their supporters on the agenda to discuss their points of view.. what would make the show real interesting is that TVO is sorta the third party being a publicly owned station so their perspective added to the mix might make it even more interesting,,,as well TVO's the Agenda for the most part has proven itself over the years to be able to play the role of a neutral moderator, so that could be a way to bring both parties to the table where they will both be given fair chance to present their case... As of late with Canwests troubles and selling of a few other local stations like CHCH, and CTV to CITY , i think the topics surrounding local TV issues should prove interesting for discussion..cheers.
posted by Brett on 03 November 2009 at 10:57 PM
This subject has received significant media attention over the past few weeks. The subject is vast and hugely complex but the attention given to this subject has largely been superficial. The Canadian Government intends to publish a report on this issue in December 2009.
posted by MRF on 08 November 2009 at 10:55 PM
Profiling the lives of the assistants and/or the "right-hand" men and women to politicians. These people are indispensable to the decision-makers at all levels of government. The higher we go in political authority, the more key these people become in the direction a government takes.
Also, on a more personal note, what are their lives like? How many hours do they work? Is there a possibility for a private life or a family? Their prospects for finding work after their tenure in the political realm.
These "invisible" managers have been ignored for far too long and should be brought on the show to talk about what it's like to be at the heart of the action.
Thanks,
Andrew C. Miller Toronto
posted by Andy82 on 13 November 2009 at 2:57 PM
MRF: Retirement and Pension Programs in Canada This subject has received significant media attention over the past few weeks. The subject is vast and hugely complex but the attention given to this subject has largely been superficial. Excellent idea - in particular since Canadian bankruptcy law operates at the federal level, whereas pensions are a provincial responsibility. Thus infinite finger pointing without action, and no priority whatever to protect pensioners. A guest suggestion, someone who knows where the skeletons are hidden: Diane A. Urquhart Independent Financial Analyst Mississauga ON uquhart@rogers.com ( 905 ) 822 - 4832
posted by DieterH on 19 November 2009 at 7:40 PM
It seems that cities have little autonomy over how they are developed. If a city chooses to deny a developer the right to build, they appeal to the OMB and then the city is forced to accept a development they didn't want.
It also appears that the OMB is pro developer, pro Big Box Stores, and against cities that try to keep their smaller businesses vibrant.
A discussion of the positive / negative role the OMB plays in Ontario development would be interesting.
posted by evie1 on 19 November 2009 at 9:05 PM
I know that this topic has been covered, but since the current deficits will likely affect our governments and economy for decades to come we should probably give it more time. Was the large stimulus spending put towards the right sectors? Have we missed our chance to change our economy for the good? Why did so much of it go to prop up the old economy and very little of it went towards the new emerging economy?
To be fair what I am asking for is a follow up to an interview that took place on In Conversation With Allan Gregg recently.
posted by Sean Webb on 20 November 2009 at 10:34 AM
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Agenda Camp - Financial Industry
The Agenda Camp series should have an edition dedicated to the Financial Industry. Finance, Insurance & Real Estate account for about 23% of Ontario's GDP, the largest single sector of the Ontario Economy (by comparison, Primary Industries like Mining or Agriculture make up 1%, yet justified two separate Agenda Camps last season). Financials make up about 30% of the S&P/TSX Composite (again, the biggest subcomponent), and are arguably the main industry of the GTA. So, clearly, it is an important sector.
There are no shortage of topics for discussion either: regulation on banker pay, minimum capitalization requirements, national securities regulator, foreign investment, regulation of private equity, derivatives, what is an "acceptable level of risk" and so forth. These are major discussions in the US & EU.
Guests could include Don Drummond (he's been on the Agenda before), officials from regulators like the OSC or OFSI, maybe Gord Nixon?
posted by David Strang on 18 September 2009 at 5:31 PM