Scott Radley Show

There's no question that when encampments pop up that garbage and litter follows so the City is looking to help residents and businesses with that. Scott speaks with John-Paul Danko from City Hall to dive further into how. Guest: John-Paul Danko, Councillor, Ward 8, City of Hamilton - Divorce rates are falling in Canada but not because we're getting better at marriage, it's just too expensive to live alone. Guest: Moshe Lander, Senior Economics Lecturer with Concordia University - FirstOntario Centre is undergoing some massive renovations. What does the future hold for the venue and how will it be ushered into its new form? Guest: PJ Mercanti, President of The Carmen's Group and Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group (HUPEG)

Pierre Poilievre has made numerous trips to Hamilton, more than expected. Could this be indicative of something larger? Guest: Larry Di Ianni, Former Mayor of Hamilton & political pundit - Though our federal government isn't great at many things there are two things it does amazingly, that's collecting taxes and spending that very same money. Today Scott's talking about the latter as more spending has been announced. Guest: Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation - Ontario is making a very conscious effort to become a leader in electric vehicle manufacturing with investments to the tune of billions of dollars. Should we be doubling down on this or have we already gone too far? Guest: Dr. Robert Huish, Associate Professor with the Department of International Development Studies at Dalhousie University

Does Hamilton need to continue offering incentives for developers to build in the downtown area? Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - Would taking away the driver's licence of a car thief be enough to deter would-be thieves? If someone is willing to steal a car, would they even care about having a valid licence? Guest: Richard Brennan, Former Journalist with The Toronto Star covering both Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill - Canada Soccer is making it happen! Though they are rather cash-strapped that isn't keeping them from getting the coach they want for the Men's National Team. Also, how important is it that your coach is of the same nationality as the players/team? Guest: Brendan Dunlop, Co-Founder of Canada Soccer Daily, Analyst for TSN Radio and Author of “DeRo: My Life, by Dwayne De Rosario"

Hamilton's unemployment rate seems to be on the rise. Are we looking at this on too small a scale or are things as bad as that sounds? Guest: Marvin Ryder, Professor, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University - Our amazingly divided world has come together and agreed (mostly) on something! That would be the agreement (again, mostly) that cellphones aren't needed in Ontario classrooms. Are these numbers suspiciously high? How does Ontario's cellphone ban compare to other areas? Guest: Dom Lucyk, Communications Director with SecondStreet.org - When does playing cleverly becoming playing dirty? The NHL playoffs have seem quite a few 'iffy' moves get pulled by the players with mixed results and Scott wants to know where the line is. Also, why does it seem like the Blue Jays' head office has nothing to fear despite their team's dismal performance? Good thing he's got Don Robertson to help tackle these and more questions in this week's edition of Sports Talk with Don Robertson. Guest: Don Robertson, Head Coach & Owner, Back-to-Back Allan Cup Champion Dundas Real McCoys & Broker of Record, ComChoice Realty

MPP Sandy Shaw joins Scott for this week's edition of The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio to talk about the relationship between social media and politics, naming places/buildings after people, teaching manners to our children, 'reviving' people with AI, the current state of politics and more. Guest: Sandy Shaw, MPP for Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas

Hamilton's airport is a prime example of a massive success but if people aren't using it for transport as much as Pearson, for example, how can that be so? Guest: Cole Horncastle, Executive Managing Director, John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport - The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired their head coach, Sheldon Keefe. Who should replace him? Guest: Bubba O'Neil, Sports Anchor, CHCH-TV

Our kids are having a hard time learning math, why? Is it the way the subject is taught? Guest: Monika Ferenczy, Educational Consultant, Horizon Education Consulting - Do we need to revamp Canada's bail system or is our view of it skewed? Guest: Jeff Manishen, Criminal Lawyer, Ross & McBride; Former Crown Attorney - Hamilton is home to an amazing hot sauce company called Dawson's Hot Sauce and it's owner, Brodie Dawson, is taking part in 'Thrive', a speaker series focusing on mental health and its relation with small business ownership where one is not just surviving but thriving. Guest: Brodie Dawson, Owner & Founder, Dawson's Hot Sauce - Hidden Secrets Of The Canvas is a documentary on a Hamilton couple puts a spotlight on their unique hobby of finding the locations that inspired paintings by the Group Of Seven. Guest: Emma Waddington, Narrator of Hidden Secrets Of The Canvas & Granddaughter of Jim & Sue Waddington

A shooting downtown has shocked Hamiltonians and made Scott wonder why it seems almost like Hamilton's entire image is based around the downtown area. Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - The Toronto Argonauts's starting quarterback, Chad Kelly, has been suspended by the league. CHML's own Rick Zamperin joins the show to help shed light on the details of this case and what it could mean for the Ticats this year. Guest: Rick Zamperin, Host of Good Morning Hamilton, Assistant Program, News & Sr. Sports Director at 900 CHML - The Canadian dollar's exchange rate could be looking to take a nosedive. What are the wider implications of this if it happens? Why would it happen at all? Guest: Dr. Eric Kam, Professor of Economics with Toronto Metropolitan University

Canadians are stereotyped as being kind and polite however it would appear that is anything but the case, especially in Ontario, according to a recent poll. Why are Ontarians so angry? Guest: Dan Arnold, Chief Strategy Officer, Pollara Strategic Insights - It seems like every major pro sports team in Toronto is a disappointment but is the problem the players or the coaches? Could it be both? What needs changing? These questions and more get answered in this week's edition of Sports Talk with Don Robertson. Guest: Don Robertson, Head Coach & Owner, Back-to-Back Allan Cup Champion Dundas Real McCoys & Broker of Record, ComChoice Realty

This week's guest is award-winning journalist Meredith MacLeod who joins Scott for an hour of conversation that's sure to be the brightest in Hamilton (see where we get the name from?). Together they cover the renovations FirstOntario Centre is undergoing, objectivity in journalism, receiving large inheritances from wealthy parents, if protests nowadays have lost the narrative and more. Guest: Meredith MacLeod, Editor & Co-Publisher, Hamilton City Magazine

If Justin Trudeau stepped down as the leader of the federal Liberals, who could step in to turn things around for the party? Guest: Stephen LeDrew, Past President of the Liberal Party of Canada, Lawyer & Host of “The LeDrew Three-Minute Interview” - How is it that this area can have so many different sports teams playing at the professional level in every major sport and yet there are so few and infrequent championship wins? This question and more gets addressed as Bubba O'Neil joins the show. Guest: Bubba O'Neil, Sports Anchor at CHCH-TV & Host of the Sportsline Podcast

There's always something happening in Hamilton and who better to talk about those things than The Bay Observer's John Best? Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - Warning labels are going to be placed on each and every cigarette sold in Canada, what kind of impact will this have? Guest: Rob Cunningham, Senior Policy Analyst, Canadian Cancer Society - The Rolling Stones are heading back out on the road! This wouldn't be an unusual statement to make however the band, which was formed in 1962, currently sports members who are in their 80s. Guest: Eric Alper, Publicist, Music Commentator, Shameless Idealist

Ontario is set to ban cellphones in classrooms, something that many have sought while others detest. Guest: Annie Kidder, Executive Director, People for Education - The Dundas Real McCoys are now back-to-back Allan Cup Champions! Coming off of this win, Don has graced the studio with the Allan Cup to talk about his team's win, what it might take to turn the Maple Leafs around, the performance the Blue Jays are poised to deliver this year and more. Guest: Don Robertson, Head Coach & Owner, Back-to-Back Allan Cup Champion Dundas Real McCoys & Broker of Record, ComChoice Realty

How much is a job worth? Are we pleased with the way Strong Mayor Powers are being used? How effective are body cameras on police officers? Why can't people correctly spell your last name? These questions and more get addressed on this week's edition of The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio with guest Mike Nabuurs. Guest: Mike Nabuurs, Host of Hammer Down with Jay & Mike, PA Voice of Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Hamilton, like every city, has pot holes but is there anything we can do about it? Guests: Carolyn Ryall, Director, Transportation, and Mark Priest, District Superintendent - Roadway Maintenance, City of Hamilton - Lots of lessons are coming from the Zameer case, whether for politicians, police, including the Chief, and the public. Guest: Jeff Manishen, Criminal Lawyer, Ross & McBride; Former Crown Attorney - The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its most recent class of inductees with names like Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, Mary J. Blige and more among them. Guest: Eric Alper, Publicist and music commentator

Who operates the LRT in Hamilton isn't a decision that will be made by the city council and yet they spent hours debating this very topic. Was that just wasted time? Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - Now that the federal budget has been announced, are we seeing a change in the polls in favour of the Liberals? What kind of response was garnered by the announcement? Guest: Dr. Lori Turnbull, Professor & Chair of Public & International Affairs with Dalhousie University - What's sparking this massive jump in the price of coffee? Do we need to keep importing coffee or can it be grown here? Guest: Dr. Sylvain Charlebois a.k.a. 'The Food Professor', Professor of Food Distribution and Policy, Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, Dalhousie University

Was hate speech spouted this weekend outside of parliament? When should police step in? At what point does free speech become hate speech? Guest: Dr. Robert Huish, Associate Professor, Department of International Development Studies, Dalhousie University - The federal government has announced 'halal mortgages'. What are they and why even suggest such a thing? Guest: Ian Lee, Associate Professor, Sprott School of Business, Carleton University - Don Robertson is busy behind the bench as the Dundas Real McCoys campaign to hoist the Allan Cup again which means Scott needs to call in pinch hitter, Steve Foxcroft. Together they'll debate and revel in the highs and lows of the sports world. Guest: Steve Foxcroft, NFL Chain-Gang Member & Vice-President, Fluke Transport

The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio implies conversation however today's guest is more than bright the way he speaks but also in the way he writes. While his future topics may be a mystery to most, the topics he covers with Scott includes the NHL playoffs, Jon's long-form journalism, the Arizona Coyotes' move to Utah, Hamilton's LRT, how "truth" is being misconstrued with "opinion", the relationship between Joe Biden's uncle and cannibals in Papua New Guinea & more. Guest: Jon Wells, Award-Winning Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator

This afternoon, city council discussed the privatization of LRT operations at its General Issues Committee with the final analysis being presented by the LRT subcommittee. What came of it and will it have in impact on the final decision? Guest: John-Paul Danko, Councillor, Ward 8, City of Hamilton - Could Canadians find themselves voting in a third referendum on the separation of Quebec? If things keep going the way they do in the province, that might just happen. Guest: Daniel Béland, Director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada - What's with the rise in true crime documentaries? Guest: Bill Brioux, television critic and author

The federal budget was announced today which means we can take a look at what the government plans to do with your tax money in the near future. How does it look and have any meaningful changes been made? Guest: Dr. Eric Kam, Professor of Economics with Toronto Metropolitan University - We keep with the theme of the budget but look at it from a different perspective, the political perspective and the implications on that side. Guest: Kate Harrison, Vice Chair of Summa Strategies - Since first stepping in front of MuchMusic’s national cameras in 1992, Bill Welychka has become one of Canada’s most enduring, recognizable and respected television personalities. Over the decades spent in entertainment, he's kept hearing, “You should write a book!” ​Well, that book is here. Guest: Bill Welychka, Former MuchMusic VJ and Author of “A Happy Has-been: Exciting Times And Lessons Learned By One Of Canada's Foremost Entertainment Journalists”​ - Acclaimed former Toronto Star journalist Mary Ormsby unveils a riveting exposé that transcends sports, offering a poignant exploration of fame, ambition, and an enduring quest for redemption which promises to ignite conversations and challenge perceptions surrounding one of the most controversial figures in sporting history, Ben Johnson. Guest: Mary Ormsby, Author of "World's Fastest Man* - The Incredible Life of Ben Johnson"

PM Trudeau's housing announcement contains implications for Hamilton's LRT. Also discussed, the Vrancor affordable housing proposal. Guest: John Best, Publisher of The Bay Observer. Data shows that elementary students in Hamilton are staying home from school more often since the pandemic. Guest: Annie Kidder, Executive Director of People for Education. Don Robertson joins us to talk about which cities might be getting new NHL teams (and which ones actually should), the Masters, and the upcoming Allan Cup! GUEST: Don Robertson, Owner of the Dundas Real McCoys

Matthew Adams, Assistant Professor and GIS Program Director of Geography, Geomatics and Environment with the University of Toronto New study tracks infamous ‘rotten egg’ smell in Hamilton lower city Jeff Manishen, Criminal Lawyer, Ross & McBride; Former Crown Attorney How do televised trials impact justice? How did televising the OJ Simpson trial impact the justice system? Tristan Borges, Midfielder for Forge FC The four-time Canadian Premier League champions, Forge FC, will kick off the 2024 season this Saturday at Tim Hortons Field versus Cavalry FC. We are joined by Forge star Tristan Borges to tee up the season!

The countdown to the RBC Canadian Open is officially on, with just five weeks left until the big event! Today, we're thrilled to chat with tournament director Brian Crawford, who will share some details of a major announcement. GUEST: Brian Crawford, Tournament Director of The RBC Canadian Open. Prime Minister Trudeau to testify at the foreign interference inquiry. GUEST: Dr. Robert Huish, Associate Professor with the Department of International Development Studies at Dalhousie University. Chrystia Freeland won't rule out new taxes on wealthy Canadians and corporations in the upcoming budget. GUEST: Dr. Ian Lee, Associate Professor with the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University. Examining the PM's six-day Indo-Pacific trip, and it's potential impacts on the taxpayer. It cost $2 million, including $200K in catering! GUEST: Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

In an opinion piece published to the Bay Observer, Fmr Mayoral Candidate Vito Sgro asks the question he keeps hearing in regards to Hamilton Council: "Have You Had Enough?" GUEST: Vito Sgro is a former mayoral candidate and political insider People flocked to Niagara Falls to see the once-in-a-lifetime eclipse yesterday. Leading up to the event, a state of emergency was declared, expecting millions of people to arrive. Turns out, the reality is a little different. What happened? GUEST: Jim Diodati, Mayor of Niagara Falls The Blue Jays play their first game in the newly renovated Rogers Centre and looking good while doing it. GUEST: Josh Goldberg, Baseball Journalist for TheScore

Government documents show concerns at Queens Park over the overrun of transit costs. What will this mean for the LRT? GUEST: John Best, Publisher of The Bay Observer  Don Robertson joins us over the phone and then in the studio thanks in part to 'Eclipse Traffic'. Lots to talk about, from the eclipse, to the Bulldogs and so much more. GUEST: Don Robertson, Owner of the Dundas Real McCoys

Bright conversations can be sparked by many things such as cartoons and no one does better editorial cartoons than Hamilton's own Graeme MacKay. With conversations about the upcoming eclipse, the boundaries an editorial cartoonist must follow (and when they can/should be pushed), when body modification enters the realm of mental illness, April Fools' products made by companies that actually sound pretty decent and more on the docket for today, you might be getting a sneak preview at one of Graeme's upcoming cartoons without knowing it! Guest: Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator

Why are we seeing places like Niagara Falls declaring an emergency ahead of this Monday's solar eclipse? Is buying extra food and water really something that we need to do? How bad could it be? Guest: Nomi Claire Lazar, Full Professor in Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa and author of the book “States of Emergency in Liberal Democracies” - This weekend, the Argylls, Signallers and other military occupations in Hamilton will be holding a recruitment drive in addition to a free tattoo and more. Guest: Dr. Jean Chamberlain, Honorary Colonel, 31st Signal Regiment, Canadian Army - There appears to be rising support for capital punishment here in Canada. What's spurring this increased sentiment? Guest: Andrew Furgiuele, Criminal Defence Lawyer, Furgiuele Law

We speak with Burlington’s mayor about a huge new development being proposed by the GO station in Aldershot that would include housing, a university campus, commercial space and a 5,000-seat arena. Guest: Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of Burlington - Coles has announced that it'll be closing it's store in Jackson Square marking the loss of one of the original tenants. Is Jackson Square still a viable business location? Guest: Marvin Ryder, Professor with the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University - Teenage Head's 50th anniversary show is this Saturday, April 6th at Carmen’s Banquet Centre. Guests: Dave Rave & Gene Champagne of Teenage Head

The continued fallout of Mayor Horwath's plan to use strong mayor powers, and the latest on the encampment in front of city hall. Guest: John Best, Publisher of The Bay Observer - Canada's productivity seems to be so low it's an emergency. How do we measure productivity, what's driving this drop and is there anything we can do to fix it? Guest: Moshe Lander, Senior Economics Lecturer with Concordia University - 'SCTV' alumnus Joe Flaherty passed away yesterday at the age of 82. Guest: Bill Brioux, television critic and author

The province says it's prepared to force the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board to sell its Sir John A. Macdonald property. How has this been received by the HWDSB? Guest: Todd White, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Trustee for Wards 5 & 10 - It would appear that for as divided as Canada appears to be nowadays there's still something many can agree on, opposing the Carbon Tax. Guest: Kate Harrison, Vice Chair of Summa Strategies - The Blue Jays are set to start their season a lot sooner than you may realize but that is not all that's happening in the baseball world. Shohei Ohtani is in the news for less than good reasons. Guest: Mike Wilner, Baseball Columnist for the Toronto Star

How important is it for our politicians to actually meet with protesters? What does it say when they do? This and more is happening in Hamilton so who better to talk to than the Bay Observer's John Best? Guest: John Best, Publisher of The Bay Observer - Parliament seems to be spending lots of time arguing about stuff in other countries and what they should be doing though we haven't thought much about what our reaction would be if other countries started demanding things change here. What if other countries started passing resolutions demanding Canada make Quebec a free country or tinkering in our affairs. What would our response be? Guest: Dr. Robert Huish, Associate Professor with the Department of International Development Studies at Dalhousie University - Outrage was sparked as a result of Playhouse Cinema's decision to cancel its hosting of the Hamilton Jewish Film Festival. Why would it do this and what does it say to the Jewish community at large? Guest: Gustavo Rymberg, Chief Executive Officer of the Hamilton Jewish Federation

A push by developers is being made to the Ontario Land Tribunal to bring some new buildings to Glanbrook. Who makes the final decision on this kind of thing? The City? The Land Tribunal? Guest: Mark Tadeson, Councillor for Ward 11 Glanbrook - Things went sideways fast as experts ran a hypothetical election with some disruption thanks to deepfakes. How might deepfakes cause our elections to go down like never before? Guest: Carmi Levy, Technology analyst & journalist - Electric vehicles are sometimes touted as being a money-saving option when it comes to transportation but will one really do that? Sounds like the amount of driving you do coupled with where you live can make the difference. Guest: Brian Kingston, President of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association

Changes to Main Street and the LRT are controversial, but an op-ed by our guest challenge that notion. GUEST: Léa Ravensbergen. Assistant professor in the School of Earth, Environment and Society at McMaster University  Who lies the most on their resume? Turns out, higher degree earners do it more. Why? GUEST: Dr. Nita Chhinzer, Associate Professor of Leadership & Organizational Management with the University of Guelph A trend with hockey teams starting good and then get bad once they make the playoffs. Plus, Mike Tyson, at 57 years old, is set for a big match coming up with Jake Paul on Netflix! And so much more with Don Robertson GUEST: Don Robertson, Owner of the Dundas Real McCoys

The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio excels at showcasing the brilliant people of humanity. You would truly be hard pressed to find someone more intelligent than today's guest as none other than CHML's own Shiona Thompson joins the show. She and Scott cover the literacy of college students, who the highest earning celebrity in Hollywood was last year, the encampment/protest in front of Hamilton City Hall, eating a Big Mac every day, people looking to change jobs and more. Guest: Shiona Thompson, Senior News Anchor, 900 CHML

Did you know that there are fake toonies circulating in our area? You might even have one without knowing it! How can we identify these fake coins and why would someone even bother making them? Guest: Brent Mackie, Coin Collector & Counterfeit Currency Expert

Did you know that there are fake toonies circulating in our area? You might even have one without knowing it! How can we identify these fake coins and why would someone even bother making them? Guest: Brent Mackie, Coin Collector & counterfeit currency expert - Some lawyers are arguing that a ruling from the Supreme Court regarding sexual assault myths puts an unfair bias against defendants. Guest: Jeff Manishen, Criminal Lawyer, Ross & McBride; Former Crown Attorney - From the bee invasion that suspended the Indian Wells tennis tournament to the importance of championship wins in the eternal "who's the greatest..." debate, there's plenty sports talk to have and who better to do it than Bubba O'Neil? Guest: Bubba O'Neil, Birthday Boy, Sports Anchor with CHCH, Analyst with the Ticats Audio Network

Following the ransomware attack that hit the City of Hamilton, paramedics are saying that they haven't been paid overtime. Guest: Mario Posteraro, President , OPSEU Local 256 - The 110th Grey Cup brought about $73.5 million in total economic impact according to a report. Guest: Neil Lumsden, MPP for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek and Minister of Tourism, Culture & Sport - The fallout from Kate Middleton's photoshop situation seems to be getting out of hand. Is this something that even really matters or should we be taking this more seriously. Guest: Peter McNally, Professor Emeritus with School of Information and the Director of History with the McGill Project, McGill University, McGill’s ‘Royal Watcher’

As Hamilton continues to deal with its ransomware attack, it's also seeing one of its councillors get investigated following a complaint from the Ontario Civilian Police Commission. Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - The Ottawa public school board is looking to include students who don't have passing grades to still take part in graduation ceremonies. Is this something that other school boards will consider or could we see it rescinded just as fast as it was brought up? Guest: Dr. Paul Bennett, Founding Director & Lead Consultant, Schoolhouse Consulting and Author, "The State of the System" & Educhatter blog - Canadian pensions don't always have the majority of their money invested in Canadian assets. Is this something that needs to change? Would Canadians benefit from a change in where this money is shored up? Guest: Dr. Ian Lee, Associate Professor with the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University

Senior Bank Executives are saying we've averted a recession in Canada. If true, that'd be amazing! But is it? GUEST: Eric Kam, Professor of Economics with Toronto Metropolitan University  Arizona Coyotes have a rink that can hold ~4600 people. Excited to see Joey Votto join the Blue Jays. And Don has a special announcement! GUEST: Don Robertson, Owner of the Dundas Real McCoys

This week's edition of The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio features the City's response to the ransomware attack, if it's beneficial to have a city council who's evenly split on certain topics, the amazing comedians who've come out of Hamilton, people's desire to visit downtown and more. Guest: Jason Farr, Host of Hammer Down with Jay & Mike and former Hamilton City Councillor

Does the early release of Selvey’s killer make a mockery of the Youth Criminal Justice Act? Is this an adequate punishment? Is there an appetite in either the legal community or government to change the Youth Criminal Justice Act? Guest: Jaime Stephenson, Criminal Defence Lawyer - How do you enforce Canada's Online Harms Act without stifling free speech? Can you? Guest: Andrew Furgiuele, Criminal Defence Lawyer with Furgiuele Law - The Academy Awards were once must-see TV but that doesn't appear to be the case anymore. What's changed and how can the awards show return to top-tier status? Guest: Elissa Freeman, PR and Pop Culture Expert - Both of McMaster's volleyball teams are preparing to play in the provincial championship tomorrow. How is Hamilton emerging as a hotbed for volleyball as Mac's teams dominate the scene? Guests: Nathan Janzen, McMaster Women’s volleyball coach Brad Douwes, McMaster Men’s volleyball coach

The City of Hamilton has been rather tight-lipped in regards to the ransomware attack it's been hit with. In addition to this attack, a brazen daylight shooting also occurred near one of the city's busiest intersections leaving one man dead. How do these reflect the state of things in Hamilton? Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - McMaster Innovation Park is making a major partnership in an effort to promote and accelerate innovation into deep tech and commercialization. Guest: Leyla Soleymani, Associate Vice-president of Research, Commercialization & Entrepreneurship with McMaster University - Hamilton's cybersecurity incident isn't unlike ones that have been dealt with by other organizations. With that being said, why is the City of Hamilton having such a hard time recovering? Guest: Carmi Levy, Technology analyst & journalist - Just For Laughs has filed for creditor protection. What does this mean for Canadian comedians as one of the world's largest comedy festivals signals for help? Guest: Eric Johnston, Hamilton based stand up comedian and author of “Run With The Bull”

Hamilton's housing market doesn't have much diversity when it comes to price. Where have the homes under $500,000 gone? Guest: Greg Martino, Vice President and Chief Valuation and Standards Officer for the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation - A hefty percentage of federal bureaucrats take home a six-figure salary each year. With 110,000 making that kind of money, do we have any chance of paying down the deficit? Will Franco Terrazzano ever be able to come on the show for a good reason? Unfortunately, the answer to each of those questions is likely the same. Guest: Franco Terrazzano, Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Federal Director - Obesity is something that affects over 1 billion people around the world however it's not always originating the way you might think. Guest: Dr. Deborah Sloboda, Canada Research Chair and a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University

A very friendly (and good looking) guest makes his return to the show as Scott welcomes back Mike Fortune to talk about the Enhanced Games, essentially banning books from the classroom, how our personal hygiene has changed pre and post-pandemic, Hamilton's "cybersecurity incident" and the priorities our school board trustees should have. All this and more is coming up on this week's edition of The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio. Guest: Mike Fortune, Host, The Hamilton Network, Cable 14

"Too early" to assess impact of of cybersecurity breach, City of Hamilton says. Guest: Robert Falzon, Head of Engineering for Check Point Research Canada. City of Hamilton lands $1.5 million from the feds for a winter homelessness strategy. Tom Cooper, Director, Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction. Please Note: Today's show was cut short due to the death of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.

Municipal housing is on the front burner with the debate over a Stoney Creek parking lot taking centre stage. Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - Canadian historians are more lost than they realize according to a professor of Canadian history at Trent University. Why? How? What can be done about it? Guest: Christopher Dummitt, Professor, Canadian History, Trent University - Google appears to be playing catch-up, a state they're not used to, in the AI race. This comes both overall in the realm of AI as well as when it comes to the recent issues that have cropped up regarding its Gemini AI. Guest: Carmi Levy, Technology Analyst & Journalist

Lynx Air is ceasing operations. What does that mean for Hamilton Airport? Guest: Marvin Ryder, Professor with the DeGroote School of Business and McMaster University Doug Ford continues to defend his plan to appoint "like-minded judges" in Ontario. Guest: Jeff Manishen, Criminal Lawyer, Ross & McBride, Former Crown Attorney A very special moment in sports turned 47 years old on February 25th. What was it? Find out alongside Don Robertson! GUEST: Don Robertson, Owner of the Dundas Real McCoys

This week, none other than Pete Dyakowski joins The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio to chat about hot tubs, improving your sleep, possibly running for mayor, Pete's time competing on Jeopardy!, the key to being awesome at karaoke and more. Guest: Peter Dyakowski, former CFL offensive linesman, Jeopardy! contestant, Colour Commentator for McMaster Marauders football team & much, much more

The plan to use a parking lot in Stoney Creek as a location for housing has been shot down. Why? Guest: John-Paul Danko, Councillor, Ward 8, City of Hamilton - If, according to economists, the cost of mortgages are a contributing factor to high inflation, why aren't we seeing interest rate cuts? Guest: David Macdonald, Senior Economist, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - Though the Toronto Maple Leafs have gone for an unbelievable amount of time without a Stanley Cup, that doesn't necessarily mean the players on said team are subpar. This is especially true for Auston Matthews who's already scored 50 goals this season, breaking the record which was previously held for 28 years. Guest: Mike Stubbs, Host of London Live on 980 CFPL and London Knights play-by-play announcer - Hamilton based comedian Doug Nagy was crowned “funniest comic in Hamilton” on Wednesday night at Levity Comedy Club following a month-long contest organized by The Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame culminating in a winner-take-all show consisting of eight finalists. Guest: Doug Nagy, Hamilton-based comedian

Is the goal to make Hamilton's downtown unfriendly to cars and driving? It seems more and more like it each day. Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - What's with the intense antisemitism that's been unleashed following the Oct. 7 attack in Israel by Hamas? A Global News investigation seeks to find out. Guest: Jeff Semple, Senior Correspondent for Global National - There has been a lot of movement at the Ticats with players coming and going but are they in any better of a position for a run at the Grey Cup? Guest: Josh Smith, Co-Host of the Podskee Wee Wee Podcast, Former Journalist for 3 Down Nation

What is McMaster's Innovation Park and why is there a lawsuit underway with regards to the firing of its CEO and alleged financial mismanagement? Guest: Dave Carter, Executive Director of Innovation Factory - What is open banking how could it change the way you bank? Should you adopt it? How do Canadians view their banking establishment? Guest: Dr. Ian Lee, Associate Professor with the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University - Could we someday look back on our current relationship with smartphones kind of like how we look back at cigarettes? How can addiction now be addressed? Is it the same kind of addiction? Guest: Dr. Peter Bieling, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry And Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University and a Psychologist with St. Joseph’s Hospital

With The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio comes the assurance that you're going to get stimulating conversation from the best guests and today's guest is certainly among the best. With topics including things like the future of journalism as we know it, Connie's involvement with Interval House of Hamilton, the resurgence of the typewriter, some of the best (or potentially worst) ways to commemorate Valentine's Day and more on the docket for today, you know there's going to be serious and meaningful moments mixed with that perfect amount of fun. Guest: Connie Smith, Veteran Journalist & Officer, Interval House of Hamilton

Hamilton City Council has voted to approve its budget. Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath joins Scott to talk more about this means for Hamiltonians. Guest: Andrea Horwath, Mayor, City of Hamilton - Is Hamilton's approved budget something that's good for residents? Is the 5.79% increase still too much? Guest: Vito Sgro, Former mayoral candidate and political insider - A new survey has found that Canadians have a growing sense of anxiety over the economy and their finances in addition to a general distrust of politicians. What could that spell for the future of politics in Canada? Guest: Tim Powers, Chairman of Summa Strategies and Managing Director of Abacus Data - A litany of announcements have been coming out of the CFL and its teams since the start of free agency and chief among them is the news about Simoni Lawrence. Though he's retiring from the field that doesn't mean he's leaving the Ticats. Guest: Rick Zamperin, Host of the Fifth Quarter and CHML’s Sports Director

Hamilton's storm water fee controversy has a new voice entering the fray in the form of MPP Donna Skelly. What does she have to say? Guest: Donna Skelly, MPP, Flamborough-Glanbrook - Bankruptcy is on the rise, and it's rising fast, but one of the top locations for this is Canada. Why? Guest: Dr. Eric Kam, Professor of Economics with Toronto Metropolitan University - The Enhanced Games is a sporting event that's being touted as being the 'Olympics on steroids' which in this case is quite literal as it would allow the competing athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs of all kinds. How could it change sports as we know them among many other things? Is this good? Guest: Bruce Kidd, Former Olympian and Professor Emeritus in Sport & Public Policy at the University of Toronto

It sounds like paying for a licence plate renewal isn't the only thing the Ontario government is stopping, now you won't have to worry about renewing it at all. Guest: Andrew Perez, Political Commentator - Are you more productive when working from home or in the office? This is a question that's been debated over and over since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic and it seems the verdict is in. Guest: Dr. Nita Chhinzer, Associate Professor of Leadership & Organizational Management with the University of Guelph - A survey of Blue Jays fans found an overall pessimistic outlook for the 2024 team with a diminished level of excitement. Is this simply from poor performance or does the team just need more players with good hair? Guest: Kaitlyn McGrath, Writer for The Athletic, covering the Toronto Blue Jays

Scott has been gone for a week. What’s happening in Hamilton? Municipal politics recap! GUEST: John Best, Publisher of The Bay Observer -- The unraveling of the fed's universal daycare program, and seeing the Conservatives going on the offensive. GUEST: Dr. Lori Turnbull, Professor & Chair of Public & International Affairs with Dalhousie University -- Don Robertson returns! The Superbowl last night, with Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift, and so much more! GUEST: Don Robertson, Owner of the Dundas Real McCoys

This week's edition of The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Today features CHCH Morning Live's very own Tim Bolen. With tales of how Tim got into the television game, whether or not social media is actively bad for kids, the return of McDonald's McRib and more. Guest: Tim Bolen, Co-Host, Morning Live!, CHCH-TV

We're hearing more and more about auto thefts in our area and believe it or not, that effects more than just the person whose vehicle gets stolen. How does a stolen car down the street impact you and the amount of insurance you have to pay. Guest: Elliott Silverstein, Director of Government Relations with CAA Insurance - A lot of Canadians fear losing their job with the majority saying they have next to no safety net to fall upon. Where does this fear stem from and who's actually saving for the future? Guest: Jon Roe, Research Associate with Angus Reid - There is more to professional wrestling than just musclebound men flying about a wrestling ring - there are real people behind the personas with real stories and even more real struggles. A local comedian happens to have a very personal connection to this world and aims to tell the stories of those who he knew as more than just people from the TV. Guest: Eric Johnston, Hamilton-based Standup Comedian and Actor - The NHL All-Star Weekend is happening this weekend. Are you excited? Is it even worth getting excited over? Guest: Mike Stubbs, Host of London Live on 980 CFPL and London Knights play-by-play announcer

Hamilton's Ward 11 councillor, Mark Tadeson, has suggested the City studies the way it uses consultants. How could this streamline the way consultants are utilized and ultimately save you money? Guest: Mark Tadeson, Councillor, Ward 11, City of Hamilton - Deepfakes are not a new topic however the recent use of deepfake technology to produce sexually explicit content of Taylor Swift has prompted lawmakers to look closer at the tech. Guest: Carmi Levy, Technology Analyst & Journalist

So much is happening at Hamilton City Council from conversations about housing to consultants and Scott welcomes John Best back to the show to catch us up. Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - Did things like autism, ADD/ADHD and allergies to seemingly everything under the sun just pop up out of nowhere or were we just not looking for/capable of identifying it before? Dr. Jason Profetto, Director of Family Medicine and Chair of Clinical Skills and MD Admissions at McMaster University - In Regina, a box has been discovered with some unbelievably rare hockey cards. What makes these so rare and why can they sell for millions of dollars? Guest: Jason Simonds, Sports Card Specialist & Consignment Director, Heritage Auctions

House of Commons back after the holidays, what's on the agenda? Guest: Richard Brennan, Former Journalist with The Toronto Star covering both Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill   Helicopter parents might shriek, but studies show that kids NEED risky play. Guest: Dr. Mariana Brussoni is the Director of the Human Early Learning Partnership, and a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia.   No Don? We get Steve Foxcroft! Swifties, Bills, and Sports galore! Guest: Steve Foxcroft, Fluke Transport / Tri-Foxco USA

Friday evenings signal another edition of The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio and this time Scott welcomes back Mike Fortune for conversations about cellphones in the classroom, naming Hamilton's snowplows, the NHL's ability to remove goons from the game but not consequences for playing dirty. It's time to buckle up and get ready for another wicked show. Guest: Mike Fortune, Host, The Hamilton Network, Cable 14

What would prompt a city councillor from Toronto to request an audience with Hamilton City Council? Perhaps a warning for Hamilton regarding who should run our LRT? Guest: Josh Matlow, Toronto City Councillor - We've hit a record high in the cost of protecting our members of Parliament. Why is this and is it warranted? Guest: Phil Gurski, President of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting, former CSIS analyst - Research has been done into the relation between police budgets and the rate of crime in Canadian cities. From the sound of it, an increase to one doesn't necessarily mean a decrease in the other. Guest: Melanie Seabrook, lead author on the study, and a researcher at the Upstream Lab, St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto - This year's list of nominees for the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame is amazingly star studded with Jim Carrey, Eugene Levy and Martin Short among some of them. Guest: Shaun Majumder, Comedian and host of the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame Gala Awards

The budget debate rages on for City Council as they work to lower the tax hike it'll pose to Hamiltonians. Guest: Ted McMeekin, Councillor for Ward 15 - The biggest cruise ship in history has her maiden voyage this weekend. A prominent piece of this ship was built right here in Hamilton. What part(s) was built here and what goes into constructing it? Guest: Tom Beach, President of Handling Specialty - When you watch a sports game, there's more than just the game that you're seeing. It would appear that up to 20% of your viewing involves watching advertising for gambling. Guest: Steve McAllister, Editor-in-Chief of Gaming News Canada - A staff report for the City of Hamilton suggests that a contracted operator should be chosen to run the LRT rather than the City itself. Is that in our best interest? Scott speaks with someone who vehemently disagrees. Guest: Eric Tuck, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 107

Is Hamilton really in need of $60 million worth of bike lanes and cycling infrastructure? Guest: Brian Hollingworth, Transportation Planning Director, City of Hamilton - Which movies have been nominated to win Oscars and why is Barbie among them? Guest: Bill Brioux, Television Critic and Author - According to the Federal Court, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was violated by the Feds when dealing with the trucker convoy using the Emergencies Act. Guest: Dr. Lori Turnbull, Professor & Chair of Public & International Affairs with Dalhousie University

The Canadian Gov. set to limit the amount of student visas in 2024 to 360,000. Guest: Moshe Lander, Senior Economics Lecturer with Concordia University.

Hamilton is pitching a $60-million plan to build more bike lanes in Hamilton, faster. Is this a bad idea? Guest: John Best, the Bay Observer   The Canadian Gov. set to limit the amount of student visas in 2024 to 360,000. Guest: Moshe Lander, Senior Economics Lecturer with Concordia University.   Cursed Franchises? Seems to be happening to the Buffalo Bills. Old School Hockey Stories and so much more. Guest: Don Robertson, Head Coach & Owner, Defending Allan Cup Champion Dundas Real McCoys & Broker of Record, ComChoice Realty

Moving through Hamilton is a challenge and it seems that those trips in the community are slowing down. With housing being close to the top of the biggest issues that City Council has to deal with, transportation is right up there with it. How will it be addressed? Scott asks none other than Hamilton's own John-Paul Danko. Guest: John-Paul Danko, Councillor, Ward 8, City of Hamilton - How will AI shape the way our music is created? Will the industry prefer holograms and AI over live acts? Scott knows just the person to help navigate both of these questions and the music industry as a whole. Guest: Eric Alper, Music Publicist & Commentator

Hamilton City Council is continuing budget talks in an effort to lower the tax hike. How have these talks been going? Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - As the world leaders plan and prepare how to respond to a worldwide pandemic akin to COVID-19, there is a lot of talk as if another one on that scale is coming rather than might. Are pandemics more common than we realize? How prepared are we to act if/when it the next one comes? Guest: Dr. Dawn Bowdish, Executive Director of the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health and a Professor in the Department of Medicine with McMaster University - Financial literacy is something that's sorely lacking in our world and though the government is set to introduce kids to it as a subject in school, that doesn't mean it's something only kids can learn. Luckily enough, a book has been written to help us all on this exact topic and it's author is someone you might know. Guest: Karen Cummings, Former CHCH Reporter and Author, “The Wealthy Martian: An Out-of-this-World Guide to Financial Literacy for Parents, Teens and Other Earthlings”

How can municipal politicians show their sympathy and possibly even help relieve the burden incoming tax hikes may cause? Perhaps by taking a pay cut? How about by passing on a pay raise? Guest: Jay Goldberg, Ontario Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation - Loblaws is pushing Ontario's government to allow the sale of cannabis in grocery stores. Is this something that's needed? Will it better serve the consumer? Guest: Mitchell Osak, CEO, Quanta Consulting Inc - The Maple Leafs are doing what fans have come to expect which is begging the question, is it time to change out their coach? Is it time for Sheldon Keefe to go? Guest: Mike Stubbs, Host, London Live, 980 CFPL & Play-by-Play Announcer, London Knights

Outstanding people and Fridays pair perfectly and The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio is proof of that! This week, Scott welcomes none other than Hamilton's own Ron Foxcroft to talk about reducing the tax hike that's been proposed with Hamilton's new budget, term limits for politicians, the success (or failure) of electric cars and more. Guest: Ron Foxcroft, Philanthropist, Founder & CEO, Fox 40 International Inc and Chairman, President & CEO, Fluke Transport & Basketball Referee

Hamilton City Council is looking to hear from you about what should be done about the budget. Sitting at a whopping 14% increase has many people outraged but could Toronto's proposed increase of over 10% make our proposed increase appear better or possibly worse? Guest: Vito Sgro, Former mayoral candidate & political insider - Federal polling numbers aren't too favourable for the federal Liberals and Justin Trudeau. As things seem to trend downwards, how does this party turn things around? Guest: Kate Harrison, Vice Chair, Summa Strategies - Weather is one of those x-factors in sports that can completely change a game but does that make it more enjoyable for you, the fan? Surely it isn't any fun for the officials! Guest: Steve Foxcroft, NFL Chain-Gang Member & Vice-President, Fluke Transport

Krispy Kreme is coming to Hamilton! Is this going to work or will the new location only be here for a short while? Guest: Joanne McNeish, Associate Professor of Marketing with Toronto Metropolitan University - McMaster University is facing a class action lawsuit over anti-Semitism on campus and alleged inaction towards addressing it. Guest: Sandra Zisckind, Lawyer representing the group suing McMaster - Multi-award winning, chart-topping, and multi-Platinum selling guitarist Colin James’ career spans more than 30 years, is rich in highlights, including 20 studio albums, 8 JUNO Awards, 29 Maple Blues Awards and multi-platinum record sales. He’ll be performing on January 25 at Fallsview Casino! Guest: Colin James, Award-Winning Canadian Musician

How have RVs complicated the housing crisis as people have started setting up shop with them around Hamilton? Guest: Matt Francis, Councillor for Ward 5 with the City of Hamilton - While the vast majority of Canadians agree that anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim views are problematic, it would appear that there is some disagreement over the severity. Guest: Mohammad Fadel, Full Professor of Law at the University of Toronto - There are many, many restaurants that are at risk of closing as the CEBA repayment deadline nears closer and closer. Guest: Mark von Schellwitz, Vice President of Western Canada with Restaurants Canada - The Toronto Blue Jays were poised to pick up some exceptional players however that isn't looking like it'll be the case and following the less than stellar performance from last year, what do fans have to look forward to? Guest: Josh Goldberg, Baseball Journalist for TheScore

The issue of transportation looms large for Hamilton City Council in 2024. Who will operate the LRT, and what will it cost? Should the notion of free transit still be on the table? Two-way street conversions and the consequences thereof are also discussed. Guest: John Best, the Bay Observer   Last week, a fire at Woodlands park burned down a public restroom. While, thankfully, nobody was hurt, the resulting property damage was, apparently, around $500,000! Seems like an awful lot of money for a loo. Guest: Tom Jackson, Ward 6 Councillor.   Nylander's contract has been extended. Are the Leafts paying too much to keep him? The Bulldogs are still in Brandford. Will Hamilton ever get them back? And we get to hear at least one of the hockey stories that Don's actually allowed to tell on air! All this and more on this week's edition of Sports Talk with Don Robertson. Guest: Don Robertson, Head Coach & Owner, Defending Allan Cup Champion Dundas Real McCoys & Broker of Record, ComChoice Realty

With the end of the work week comes another edition of The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio and this week's guest is none other than CHCH's Annette Hamm who joins Scott to talk about shadow aliens in Florida, appropriate workout attire, the purpose of movies, Christmas trees kept up all year long and more. Guest: Annette Hamm, Co-host, Morning Live, CHCH-TV

The Hamilton Police Service is going to be creating a community advisory panel to help deal with race-based data. How will this work and what does it aim to accomplish? Guest: Inspector Jim Callender, Hamilton Police Service - A universal basic income for Canadians is still debated to this day and it has people divided. What is being proposed and how would it impact Canadians? Guest: Dr. Ian Lee, Associate Professor with the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University - A worldwide push to introduce facial recognition to airports as a way of speeding up wait times and increasing overall efficiency. While this may seem like a good idea, there's always a catch. Guest: Carmi Levy, Technology Analyst & Journalist - Professional women's hockey is here by way of the Professional Women's Hockey League and the fans seem to love it. Is this the women's league that will stick and stay or is there an unfortunate shelf life to people's attention and interest? Guest: Mike Stubbs, Host of London Live, 980 CFPL and London Knights play-by-play announcer

As interest rates bring about a decline in residential home sales, how is the real estate industry responding? Is now the time to sell or buy? Wouldn't the housing crisis we keep hearing about contribute to homes getting snatched up the moment they're available? Guest: Nicolas von Bredow, President, Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington - Following last night's multiple-alarm fire near a homeless encampment that razed a bathroom is calling into question if enough is being done to support those living in encampments and if what's being done is what's needed. Guest: John-Paul Danko, Councillor, Ward 8, City of Hamilton - How has the prevalence of recording videos in the gym impacted those who are in the background? Do gyms have any say in this? Is a blanket ban the answer? Guest: Barry Vincent, Owner of Lift Training & Online Fitness Coach with experience in the large chain gym industry - History is one of those topics that has fallen by the wayside in favour of subjects like math and English. An article is looking to make a change to this as an effort to "make history meaningful again". One of the biggest things that first needs to be tackled is the age old question of, "When am I ever going to use this?" Guest: Nathan Tidridge, Award-winning teacher at Waterdown District High School teaching Civics, Treaty Studies, as well as Canadian and World History

Why would any group of doctors think it's a good idea to prioritize social justice over medical expertise in our doctors? Guest: Dr. Jason Profetto, Director of Family Medicine and Chair of Clinical Skills and MD Admissions at McMaster University

For the last episode of the year, Scott welcomes Mike Fortune back to the show. Featuring Festivus' Airing of Grievances (featuring your grievances) and a special replaying of Scott's infamous interview with Paul Soles, the voice of Hermey the Elf from the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer claymation movie, that goes sideways really fast, today's episode is the one that you don't want to miss. Guest: Mike Fortune, Host, The Hamilton Network, Cable 14

The first female Honourary Lieutenant Colonel of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada has been welcomed into the ranks. She joins Scott to talk about how this honour was bestowed upon her, what the position requires of her and more. Guest: Hon. Lt. Col. Shendal Yalchin, The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada - How will zero-emission sales actually look when the 2035 date put forth by the federal government earlier this week roll around? Will that push prices up or down? Guest: Marvin Ryder. Associate Professor of Marketing, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University - As we look back at the year of sports performances (or lack thereof) from our local teams, it's not hard to see that things were anything but stellar. Who's going to end their championship drought first? Guest: Rick Zamperin, Host of Good Morning Hamilton & The 5th Quarter and Sports Director, 900 CHML

To look back at a review of this year's politics in Hamilton and more, Scott welcomes Richard Brennan to the show. Guest: Richard Brennan, Former Journalist with The Toronto Star covering both Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill - Canada's population grew by 430,000 in Q3 alone. Are we prepared to support and care for these people? Guest: Moshe Lander, Senior Economics Lecturer with Concordia University - A new survey from Pew Institute of Research found that YouTube is at the top of the list when it comes to the social media platforms teens use everyday, some reporting a near-constant use. Guest: Jeffrey Gottfried, Associate Director of Research with the Pew Institute of Research

As Hamilton's city council looks to add a storm water tax, farmers are raising some major red flags. The largest of all is that if implemented, this tax could put farmers out of business. Guest: Drew Spoelstra, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture - No one likes to pay their taxes and even fewer are going to like the news that with the new year comes new tax hikes. Guest: Jay Goldberg, Ontario Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Was the Strachan Street location for a proposed tiny houses project the first choice by the Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters (HATS)? It doesn't sound like it. How did they try to change the City's mind? Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - How is it that no charges are being pursued after a death threat was caught on camera and in front of police during a protest over the weekend? Guest: Jeff Manishen, Criminal Lawyer, Ross & McBride; Former Crown Attorney - Would you hire Burton Cummings to play your backyard... again? Would you be in favour of using replay on every single play of a sports game? Is there anything other than the Great Wall of China and the little town in every Hallmark Christmas movie with its lights on that you can see from space? These questions and more get posed to Don Robertson on this week's edition of Sports Talk with Don Robertson. Guest: Don Robertson, Head Coach & Owner, Defending Allan Cup Champion Dundas Real McCoys & Broker of Record, ComChoice Realty

You know his voice but usually in short bursts. This time, Scott welcomes Ben to The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio to discuss driving manual cars, renaming Yonge-Dundas Square, mass-adoption of electric cars and more. Guest: Ben Straughan, Technical Producer, The Scott Radley Show

As we cross the anniversary of Hamilton's current city council taking office, they've offered congratulations to themselves. Is it deserved? Guest: Vito Sgro, multi-time political candidate, political insider - What's with the lack of good Christmas movies? Why haven't we seen another Christmas classic come our way in the last 20 years? Guest: Bill Brioux, Television Critic and Author

Hamilton's downtown was supposed to be seeing construction being done on a high rise condo development and yet there doesn't seem to be one where the Eaton Centre used to be. Why is that? Guest: Darryl Firsten, Vice President, IN8 Developments - As the federal government tries to push electric vehicles (EVs), it would appear Canadians are wanting them less and less. What do we want that EVs can't provide and how can that be remedied? Can it be remedied? Guest: Eric Kam, Professor of Macroeconomics, Toronto Metropolitan University - What's with certain hockey games being blocked out for viewers in Eastern Canada? When should a referee allow rules to be broken in sport and when should they be called? Is it a case by case basis exclusively? Should it only be by the book? Guest: Steve Foxcroft, NFL Chain-Gang Member, Vice-President, Fluke Transport

What is the role of the school board trustee? Whom do they serve? Who should they serve? Guest: John Best, Publisher of The Bay Observer - Christmas music can be loved and hated but there are some songs that people feel more passionately about than others. What are those songs and how do they rank? Guest: Eric Alper, Publicist and Music Commentator

Guests: Stephen LeDrew Former President Liberal Party of Canada Is this foreign interference inquiry going to be a sham? Don Robertson Owner of the Dundas Real McCoys The massive LA Dodger Ohtani contract and salary deferral, plus other stories in the world of sports

Conversing brightly is a requirement to find yourself on Scott Radley's The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton Radio. The ever bright and conversational Jeff Mahoney joins Scott for this week's edition to talk about using cell phones in the classroom, retesting people to keep their driver's license after certain ages, retiring after years in the newspaper industry, how the delivery of news has changed with time and more. Guest: Jeff Mahoney, Reporter & Columnist, The Hamilton Spectator

It's looking like our government is going to do more of the same, increase spending and take the deficit up to a new high. Guest: Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation - Who is actually making the decisions on post-secondary campuses regarding what's hate speech? Is that same debacle being reflected in the classroom? Guest: John Bonnett, Associate Professor, Department of History, Brock University - We've been talking about the chances of Shohei Ohtani joining the Toronto Blue Jays and there's often an element of facetiousness present but could it actually happen? Guest: Mike Wilner, Baseball Columnist for the Toronto Star - The Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame will be inducting multiple Hamiltonians as part of its upcoming class with Eugene Levy and Martin Short being only some of the big names being honoured. Guest: Eric Johnston, Hamilton-based Stand Up comedian performing at the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame festivities

Would running Hamilton's Wild Waterworks as a public-private partnership be beneficial? The City will be looking into it. Guest: Matt Francis, Councillor for Ward 5 with the City of Hamilton - How does demand for Christmas trees impact tree growers around here? Are evergreens sprouting left, right and centre or do they take more work than your average tree? Guest: Jeff Beattie, Ward 10 Councillor, City of Hamilton & Owner, Winona Gardens - The local real estate market has been extremely hot for the last while but that seems to have changed completely. What's sparked this change and how is it impacting sales and how they're conducted? Guest: Nicolas von Bredow, President, Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington

There's another delay in the seemingly never-ending LRT saga as the two-way Main Street conversion has its start date pushed back to 2026. Guest: John-Paul Danko, Councillor, Ward 8, City of Hamilton - What is the lasting impact Canadian soccer legend, Christine Sinclair, has had on the Canadian sports landscape? Guest: Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, CEO of Canadian Women & Sport - Should we teach math differently? That's the question being raised as Canadian students' math marks continue on a steep downward slide. Guest: Dr. Paul Bennett, Founding Director & Lead Consultant, Schoolhouse Consulting and Author, "The State of the System" & Educhatter blog - The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Tuesday, an updated football operations structure for the club will see Orlondo Steinauer focus on the President of Football Operations role, while Ed Hervey has been named the team’s General Manager. The club’s next Head Coach will be announced later this week. Guest: Josh Smith, Reporter for 3 Down Nation in Hamilton

The Red Hill debacle is no secret to Hamiltonians but a report investigating the parkway and its failures is pointing to an even larger management failure. Also, Hamilton has a new City Manager but is that something the general public should worry about? Does it matter the average citizen who their city's manager, what they've done, etc? Guest: John Best, Publisher, The Bay Observer - Canada's parliamentarians and senators were invited to view video recordings taken by Hamas and security cameras during its October 7 attack. How many actually attended and what does that tell us? Guest: Kevin Vuong, MP for Spadina-Fort York - Do the Blue Jays have a legitimate chance at Shohei Ohtani? Should they even entertain the thought? Has the NHL become a 'no-hitting league'? These questions and more get covered and debated on this week's edition of Sports Talk with Don Robertson. Guest: Don Robertson, Head Coach & Owner, Allan Cup Champion Dundas Real McCoys & Broker of Record, ComChoice Realty