Show segments, Monday, May 9

8:30 – Imagine the federal government tracking your cell phone, and logging your trips to the liquor store and grocery store, or where you went this weekend. Well that’s exactly what happened during the COVID pandemic, as the Public Health Agency of Canada tracked 33 million mobile phones without the owners’ knowledge or consent. They say the data was anonymized to avoid any privacy issues, but the Ethics Committee probed the issue and concluded that government must inform Canadians if it collects data about their movements, and allow them to opt out. MP James Bezan, who sits on the ethics committee and serves as Shadow Minister for Ethics, joins Gormley to tell us more.
LIVE: James Bezan, MP for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, Ethics Committee member, Shadow Minister for Ethics.

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

10:00 – A new political party is holding events around the province. The Saskatchewan United Party was first formed in December in response to “overwhelming calls from all corners of the province.” The party is now collecting signatures and establishing committees as they work to get themselves established. Former MP Gerry Ritz has been advising the group and speaking at a number of their events, and he joins Gormley to tell us more about the new party.
LIVE: Gerry Ritz, former MP and advisor to the Saskatchewan United Party.

11:00 – Supply is the big issue on Saskatchewan’s real estate market, with inventory concerns growing. Silvia Martini with the Saskatoon and Region Home Builders says builders are pushing back against things like the six per cent PST on home construction, but when it comes to supply chain snarls, inflation, and rising material costs there simply isn’t much that can be done. Martini joins John to tell us about some of the challenges home builders are facing, and what could be done to improve the situation.
LIVE: Silvia Martini, interim CEO of the Saskatoon and Region Home Builders Association.

12:00 – There are more than 4,000 charities and non-profits active around Saskatchewan, and we’re featuring some of the great people doing great work in this province during our new segment called “The Best of Saskatchewan.” In this week’s feature, we’re catching up with Dr. Vicki Holmes, co-chair of the Prairie Hospice Society, to learn more about the society’s work to ensure access to affordable, high-quality end-of-life care and support in Saskatoon.
LIVE: Dr. Vicki Holmes, co-chair of the Prairie Hospice Society.