TVO.org daily: Thursday, December 19

Good morning, Ontario.

Here's what we're following 

End of an era for Oshawa — and Ontario manufacturing 

The last vehicles built at Oshawa’s storied GM plant rolled off the assembly line yesterday, according to the Canadian Press. Almost 2,600 workers will lose their jobs as a result of the plant’s closure, announced more than a year ago. General Motors has been building cars in the city since 1918. Read more about how Oshawa became Canada’s Motor City and helped make Ontario a manufacturing powerhouse.  

First Nations face off with Ottawa over child-welfare funding 

A group of northern Ontario First Nations is telling the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that the federal government is severely underfunding child welfare in their communities, the CBC reports. Nishnawbe Aski Nation, whose 49 member nations have a total population of about 45,000, points to a report that found three child-welfare agencies face up to 68 per cent in funding shortfalls because Ottawa failed to account for the added cost of services in remote communities. If the tribunal rules in NAN’s favour, the government would need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more for Indigenous child services across the country.

Province working to expand natural gas service to remote communities 

Queen’s Park has ordered the Ontario Energy Board to study potential natural gas expansion projects to rural, northern, and remote communities, tbnewswatch.com reports. The province also announced it will commit $130 million to support expansion efforts. According to government estimates, switching an average home from oil, propane, or electric heating to natural gas would save $800 to $2,500 a year in energy costs. There’s a downside, however: natural gas creates more carbon dioxide emissions than electric heating.

The Agenda: Making political party nominations fair

Progressive Conservative MPP Belinda Karahalios speaks with Steve Paikin about her private member’s bill, the proposed Ensuring Transparency and Integrity in Political Party Elections Act, which she hopes will bring new rules to govern party nominations, leadership races, and executive elections.

Impossible Engineering 

Behind every seemingly impossible marvel of modern engineering is a cast of historic trailblazers who designed new building techniques, took risks on untested materials, and revolutionized their field. This episode chronicles the achievements and history behind the Crossrail, Europe’s largest rail project, and the operational challenges its designers had to overcome.

How southwestern Ontario is leading the way for free menstrual products in public bathrooms

Last spring, London’s city council voted in favour of offering menstrual products at no cost in public washrooms — a first for a Canadian municipality. Since then, southwestern Ontario has continued to support the movement, with a similar pilot project set to launch in Sarnia in January. Southwestern Ontario Hub reporter Mary Baxter reports on what’s behind the trend, and how despite these approved initiatives, some opposition remains. 

How this artist brings the opioid crisis to the art gallery

Last December, Alex Bierk, who entered addiction recovery 13 years ago, started a painting of OxyContin pills. A single painting can take Bierk a month or two to complete, and a couple of weeks into making this artwork, a childhood friend of his overdosed on fentanyl. The finished piece, which Bierk named “Lost a Friend to an Overdose,” is on display in his recently launched gallery exhibit, The Place at the End, which explores the theme of addiction. Arts and culture critic Tatum Dooley caught up with the Peterborough artist to discuss his work.  

8 p.m. — The evolving cinematic experience  

The Agenda looks at how the movie-watching experience is changing, particularly as it affects box-office revenue amid the rise of streaming giants such as Amazon, Netflix, and Disney+. Can movie theatres compete? What do movie watchers lose by staying at home? And is Disney’s market dominance bad for the making of movies? 

9 p.m. — Queen of the World​​​​​​​ 

Filmed with privileged access to Elizabeth II, her family, staff, and residences, this landmark documentary tells the story of how the Commonwealth has been a central focus and passion throughout the life of the Queen.