Show Segments

8:30 – We’ll likely learn today whether Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is willing to testify about the circumstances that led to his controversial and failed prosecution on a breach of trust charge, according to his lawyer Marie Henein. Unfortunately, it may be too late for a full investigation by the Senate’s National Security and Defence Committee, as deputy chair Sen. Jean-Guy Dagenais intends to withdraw his motion calling for an investigation due to time constraints caused by the Senate’s sitting schedule which may limit the length and scope of any investigation. Henein expressed similar concerns, saying a brief investigation may not give the public any real answers. National Post reporter Brian Platt has been following the Norman case closely, and he joins John now to discuss the latest.

LIVE: Brian Platt, Politics Reporter for the National Post.

9:00 – The Hour of the Big Stories… Open Session

10:00 – A committee of MPs studying bus safety in the aftermath of the Humboldt Broncos bus tragedy decided not to call for a law requiring seatbelts on school buses across Canada, saying more information was needed before they could make a recommendation. So should seatbelts be mandatory on school buses? We’ll hear both sides of the issue, as John is joined by Saskatchewan school bus contractor Trish Anderson who’s opposed to seatbelts on school buses and US-based safety advocate Jane Terry who’s in favour of them.

LIVE: Trish Anderson, operations manager for Saskatchewan school bus contractor Rilling Bus Limited.

LIVE: Jane Terry, senior director of government affairs with the US-based National Safety Council.

11:00 – Protest has always been a big part of democracy, but recent years have seen a huge rise in protests both in Canada and around the world. Here in Saskatchewan we’ve seen high school students skipping class to attend climate protests, our own spinoff version of the French “Yellow Vest” movement, and huge convoys of trucks driving all the way to Ottawa to share their message of dissatisfaction. Why are we seeing so many protests in 2019, and is protest an effective way to create change in a democratic society? To discuss these questions, John is joined by Prof. Roberta Rice, co-editor of “Protest and Democracy,” a collection of essays published this month exploring the sometimes-complex relationship between protests and a free society.

LIVE: Roberta Rice, associate professor of political science at the University of Calgary and co-editor of “Protest & Democracy.”

12:00 – While school bus seatbelt safety is still a matter for debate, seatbelts are important for everyone in personal vehicles. SGI is using a robot to encourage children and adults alike to remember to buckle up any time they get in a vehicle. “Bucklebot,” a talking robot ambassador, will be attending schools around Saskatchewan to teach kids and their parents about the importance of buckling up. During 2018 police in Saskatchewan reported more than 4,700 offenses for not wearing seatbelts of using improper car seats for children, and improper or absent seatbelt use is a factor in 19 deaths and 158 injuries each year in the province. SGI media relations manager Tyler McMurchy joins John to talk about the initiative and why kids should learn about seatbelts long before they ever get behind the wheel.

LIVE: Tyler McMurchy, SGI media relations manager.