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The AIH Transcript for November 29, 2016

Hosts: Carol Off and Jeff Douglas

STORIES FROM THIS EPISODE

Prologue

CAROL OFF: Hello, I'm Carol Off.

JEFF DOUGLAS: Good evening. I'm Jeff Douglas. This is As It Happens.

[Music: Theme]

JD: Tonight.

CO: two out of three ain't good. Prime Minister Trudeau says no to the Northern Gateway pipeline. But yes the Line Three and the Trans Mountain. Our guest is deeply unhappy about that last one in particular.

JD: Taken by storm. Eight people have died so far in Melbourne, Australia after a rare outbreak of something called thunderstorm asthma which had our guest gasping for breath.

CO: Value un-added. CBC president Hubert Lacroix says it's time for the CBC to get rid of its ads. But it wants to replace that revenue with a lot more tax payer cash.

JD: They were supposed to spin rapidly, instead your head will when you hear the story of the Ontario wind turbine deal that went bad. And why it will cost the feds millions.

CO: King of the hills. The Vatican allows the BBC to see the letters of Henry the Eighth with the exception of one an excessively saucy sixteenth century sext to Anne vis a vis her bosom.

JD: And getting two handles on the situation. A British dad needs an exact replica of a sippy cup for his son with autism. So the company that discontinued that model says it will un-discontinue it just for him. As It Happens the Tuesday edition, radio that guesses he runneth over with cups.

[Music: Theme]

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Part 1: Pipeline announcement, CBC ads: Hubert Lacroix, autism sippy cup

Pipeline announcement

Guest: Adriane Carr

JEFF DOUGLAS: Canada and Alberta and British Columbia in particular, have waited a long time to hear about the future of three different pipeline projects. And now we've heard about all of them at once. Today the prime minister gave the go ahead to two of the major pipeline projects including the Trans Mountain which will stretch from Alberta through British Columbia to the west coast. Here he is speaking this afternoon in Ottawa.

SOUNDCLIP

JUSTIN TRUDEAU: If I thought this project was unsafe for the B.C. coast. I would reject it. This is a decision based on rigorous debate on science and on evidence. We have not been and will not be swayed by political arguments be they local, regional or national. We have made this decision because we are convinced it is safe for B.C. and it is the right one for Canada.

JD: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaking at a news conference earlier today in Ottawa. Again today the government approved two pipeline projects Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain and Enbridge’s Line Three. The government rejected a third the Northern Gateway application. Adriane Carr is a Vancouver Green Party City Councillor. We reached her in Vancouver.

CAROL OFF: Councillor Carr, wow did you feel when you heard this announcement from the prime minister?

ADRIENNE CARR: Devastated, upset and fearful for the future for my children.

CO: Did you not see it coming did you not expect it? He's hinted largely that this was something that the Trans Mountain pipeline is something that he might approve?

AC: You're right he has hinted in that direction, but I'm one with perpetual hope and I felt that he had made such clear promises to the people of Canada that he would do his bit to lead in the world in terms of bringing down greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating on climate change. He would lead on reconciliation with First Nations. I felt that potentially the thousands of emails and phone calls I know people from Vancouver have been sending to him would make that difference and change his mind at the last minute.

CO: He has said in his press conference today he said that decision is based on science and rigorous research. He says that they will not be persuaded by political agendas on any account and he states that if I saw that this pipeline was unsafe for the B.C. coast I would reject it. What do you say to that?

AC: I think he should look again at the notes and reject it. There was no scientific modeling that was that Kinder Morgan put forward about a marine oil spill and how they would handle it. If you look at the records on marine spills they're all for lighter crude oil. The modeling that exists is really nonexistent on bitumen oil the water bitumen can't be cleaned up. This spill and when you go that 10 tankers a week in Vancouver Harbor tight and treacherous passageways through the harbor the chances of the spill are very very high. It will be when not if, and I just can't imagine the beaches of Vancouver and the waters of our ocean here being fouled by this bitumen.

CO: he says — Mr. Trudeau says — that they have to get this oil to market for the meantime he said that they are the plan is a transition away from fossil fuels in Canada. He says that it can't happen tomorrow. And that in the meantime this is going to continue and that this is this oil this bitumen has to get to its market. What's your response?

AC: You know what I don't understand why he isn't aware that there was a changing market out there for oil and fossil fuel products. The world is heading in a totally different direction than Canada has just committed to. The world is heading to reducing their reliance on oil and natural gas and coal and instead investing in renewable energy technologies which by the way would provide so much more in terms of revenues, stable jobs, jobs to this country instead of concentrating jobs in one area of the country and in Alberta. You know from an economic point of view from an environmental point of view it's absolutely a no brainer to me that he should have said no to Kinder Morgan and he should say yes to renewable energies. The markets as I say are changing. And Canadian oil from the tar sands is not the most desirable of oil anyway. It seems to me, we're bearing huge risk certainly in Vancouver we've assessed it. It's not worth that risk when we could be embarking on a path of much more solid economic development that would be in line with mitigating climate change and better for jobs long term in the future.

CO: I think what the Prime Minister seems to be saying is he's saying yes to renewable energy in Canada and yes to Kinder Morgan.

AC: Well you know, what he’s saying when he says yes to Kinder Morgan is he saying yes to climate change. He's saying yes to the potential of the spill which will wipe out Vancouver's economy which is largely based on tourism. He's saying yes to the destruction of marine life where that spill occurs in the ocean. And yes to the annihilation of the Southern resident killer whale population, which is already endangered. He has to understand we don't protect the Great Bear Rainforest and say that's not where we want to see tankers, it's too precious. And then say sorry on the south coast. Your environment is not so precious and it's OK to say yes to something that's going to put at risk everything we love and hold so dear on this coast.

CO: just so people understand, you're referring to the Northern Gateway pipeline. He has soundly rejected that today and approved these other two pipelines including the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline. At the same time when you say that you feel it's an inevitability that there will be an accident Kinder Morgan has promised to abide by 157 safety conditions imposed by the National Energy Board. Is that not good enough?

AC: Ninety nine per cent of the oil spills that happen in marine waters within enclosed areas or in you know in tight navigational areas are caused by human error. You cannot mitigate for human error. You cannot eliminate human error. There are bound to be accidents and accidents will be tragic in terms of consequences on our marine waters.

CO: We have heard from the mayor of Vancouver Gregor Robertson, he said that if this is approved you will see protests like never before. We have heard from First Nations communities saying that if you see what's happening at Standing Rock you might anticipate that in the in Vancouver and in British Columbia. Do you think there will be those kinds of oppositions?

AC: Yes, I absolutely believe. I went through the Clayoquot protest days and I think that Calyquot will pale in comparison to what will happen. Carol, I've been a law abiding citizen all my life, but I care so passionately about the future for my children and this planet that I have signed a solidarity accord with the First Nations in this area that I will go to the line in non-violent civil disobedience if that's what it's going to take to stop this project.

CAROL OFF: We will be watching counselor Carr, thank you.

ADRIENNE CARR: Thank you so much.

JEFF DOUGLAS: Adrienne Carr is a Vancouver Green Party City Councillor. We reached her in Vancouver.

[Music: Ambient]

CBC ads

Guest: Hubert Lacroix

JEFF DOUGLAS: Hubert Lacroix believes the CBC's business model is broken and Hubert Lacroix should know. He isn't some executive from a rival network or a politician with an axe to grind. Hubert Lacroix is the president and the CEO of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He delivered his assessment yesterday as part of a pitch that would see the CBC stop running ads if the government agrees to give it a lot more cash. We reached Hubert Lacroix in Montreal.

CAROL OFF: Mr. Lacroix, you say that the business model and policy framework of CBC is profoundly and irrevocably broken. Very strong words, what exactly is broken?

HUBERT LACROIX: Broken means that even if the current Federal Government has reinvested 75 million dollars for the first year and 150 million dollars for the next four. those dollars do not allow us over time to actually fix the issues that are about ensuring that we can continue giving services to Canadians aa Canadians expect. And we're not the only ones to feel that way. Every other conventional broadcaster feels the difficulty of ad revenues moving and of the digital transformation that we're all coping with.

CO: You have proposed many things in this presentation but the big headline is of course that you're proposing that CBC get out of the business of selling advertising. Why do you want to do that?

HL: This proposal is about investing in culture and what we think we do best as is trying to focus the mandate of the public broadcaster in public service and allow the private's to continue doing what they do for example, on the conventional television networks that take American content and they put it in prime time. Well we want to continue differentiating ourselves from that business model in promoting Canadian artists, Canadian culture, Canadian films and we think that going ad free allows us to do this in a much better way.

Co: How so? How is it getting out of advertising allowing you to do something that you're mandated to do?

HL: Well, it allows us to take more risks. It allows us to not always have the filter of commercial revenue. It clearly influences some programming choices. So by unshackling ourselves from that focus we allow our programming choices to be more flexible and to actually now start focusing on compelling Canadian content.

CO: you know is not just the broadcasters who would like the CBC to leave the business of selling ads. The other private media, the newspapers you've heard from the Globe and Mail Phillip Crowley and we spoke of James Baxter at iPolitics people who feel that that CBC is cutting their grass that they've moved into the area of selling ads for the online content, which is doing the job that they believe that they should be doing. What do you say to them?

HL: Well firstly, I'll say that this proposal actually has something in that for them. Nordicity, which is the consulting that we work with Carol, says that about two thirds of our current ad revenues which is about 160 million dollars per year would flow to the other media companies in the country helping them through this transition period and the impact of the digital world. So I think they see the advantages of that, but that is a model that needs a lot of discussion and we hope the beginning of a conversation today.

CO: But it also indicates to them that you're conceding their point that by pulling out of the businesses selling ads you agree or you concede that this has been having a detrimental effect to their to their businesses?

HL: Actually Carol, no because we're focusing in on is our own mandate. What is it we do? We have a focus on Canadian culture and Canadian content. We think this allows us to do a better job at that. The privates will be private and the Canadian other media interveners will have their environment and we will have ours.

CO: All right let's get to the price tag for this because in order to do this initiative you would need to from the taxpayers of Canada another 400 million dollars?

HL: Absolutely, because we can't envisage ad free without replacing the dollars. This investment in our broadcaster wouldn't mean that for an additional $1 per Canadian per month you would have an ad free environment for CBC-Radio Canada to play with and to be able to deliver services in. And I think that's a very compelling number. And when you look at where that situates that's in the world for the 18 most important public broadcasters right now we're number 16 at 34 dollars per Canadian per year. That would move us to $46 very far from the $87 average, which is what citizens give to the public broadcasters in those 18 most important countries.

CO: Well those numbers only matter to taxpayers if they think they're going to get something for the extra investment. And there are those who argue that this ship has sailed in many regards that reduction in local programming the increase in revenue generating program has broken faith with the public and that they don't have a strong desire to further this commitment. So what is in it for to give me the pitch for why taxpayers should be willing to do this?

HL: If you look on your television schedules or anything that you listen to or hear about if you want American values you'll get them. OK we are bombarded by that. But if you want Canadian content if you want examples and you want conversations about being a Canadian in this world, CBC-Radio Canada is the only place to go right now. We would like to be as the BBC was in the U.K. the central piece the locomotive of that investment strategy and then multiply the promotion of Canadian content for its export across the world.

CO: But you know that outside of the big markets the big cities where we're a lot of the concentration has been because that while you get the numbers there and you get the advertising revenue. When you get out as I'm sure you do traveling a lot of Canadians feel that the CBC does not speak to them anymore or doesn't represent their values doesn't report doesn't reflect their communities. Can you see it that Canadians might feel that we've already broken faith with them?

HL: Well I think Canadians have told us very clearly over the last years that they actually care a lot about regional news about local news. We've completely reinvented the way we deliver news now. It's been like this for a couple of years where we focus mainly on local news and we try to be there on digital under different digital platforms 18 hours a day and that re-investment has shown Canadians that we actually care about what's going on and that we are now a broadcaster that is completely multi-platform. I think telling stories and having more than simply news stories out of the different regions of Canada is very important to Canadians. They've told us that we've listened. I think they care about their local music and I think that this is something that we could actually do again if I unshackled from this focus of we absolutely need to balance our budget at the end of the year.

CO: You say this would unshackle the CBC, not having to depend on these ad revenues would unshackle the CBC to fulfill fully its mandate. But if you don't get the money the $400 million is not something the Liberal government is willing to do. What's plan B?

HL: Plan B is we continue championing Canadian culture and democracy. We've done this. I mean this is the mandate and this is why we wake up in the morning. But we have to bring everybody back to the broadcaster needs a more sustainable funding model and the one that we have now is broken. It affects the whole of the media industry it affects the people that work with us and we are only a part of this environment that needs a new funding model and I think that is why [unintelligible] has gone across the country since April trying to figure out all right how am I going to read and reinvent this because I think she also sees the broken aspects of the ecosystem in the country right now.

CO: But if you don't get it, if you if they decide that they can't do that they don't have the public support for that. Is CBC back in the business of competing with the other private media for ads?

HL: Our models absolutely don't change, Carol. Yes, we continue doing what we do. We have a great media solutions team. They will they need and if you look at their last financial statements 253 million dollars of ad revenues allowed us to tell great Canadian stories, ensure news services across the country, international coverage drama and everything you do a big piece of it because that's the model under which we are funded depends on ad revenues.

CAROL OFF: Mr. Lacroix, thank you.

HUBERT LACROIX: Merci beaucoup, Carol.

JEFF DOUGLAS: Hubert Lacroix is the president and the CEO of the CBC. We reached him in Montreal and for more on that story check out our website. That’s www.cbc.ca/aih.

[Music: Rock]

Autism sippy cup

Guest: Marc Carter

JEFF DOUGLAS: To most people. It's just a little sippy cup. It has two handles it's something you'd find all kinds of places for just a few bucks. But for Ben Carter a 14-year-old kid in the UK, who has autism. It is much more than a cup. It is the cup! It is the only sippy cup he has used for almost his entire life. When it came time for Ben's father Marc Carter, to find a replacement for that cup the problem was that the company that made that particular sippy cup had stopped making it. And so in desperation he turned to social media and when the story got picked up around the world Mr. Carter wound up with a few more sippy cups and he had originally hoped for. We reached Marc Carter at his home in Devon, UK.

CAROL OFF: Marc, Can you tell us why this cup is so important to your son Ben?

MARC CARTER: It's the only cup he's used since the age of two years old. Ben is severely autistic and he has severe learning disabilities. He is non-verbal non-commutative and he doesn't understand he can use another cup.

CO: And is this not the same cup? is it the same Style of cup or what?

MC: No, it has to be identical is it actually the second one of the same cup, but between the two of them this lasted 12 years now.

CO: And how close is this cup to me meeting its demise?

MC: It hasn’t got long left. It's falling apart; the lid doesn't stay on very easily. So I leave it that way. I would say that it has got a month or so left. It's always been a massive issue in our lives. Try not to think about it because there wasn't anything I could really do. Try to change him and get Ben to accept something else. We do that all the time, but Ben just won’t.

CO: When you say it's a massive issue in your lives. What do you mean by that?

MC: So is very debilitating. Ben doesn't drink unless Ben eats and he doesn't eat unless he wants to. He doesn't eat outside the home. That means he doesn't even eat at school when he leaves home at 8:15 in the morning and gets home at 4:45 at night in that time has not a single thing to eat or drink.

CO: And even when he gets home unless he has this particular cup you can't get him to ingest anything?

MC: No. So a few years ago Ben had really bad tonsillitis which meant had a sore throat didn't want to eat so therefore he didn't want to drink. And he went for five straight days, 120 hours without fluids. We're in constant contact with medical professionals. In the end they said bring him in and we took him to hospital and they would get him ready to take him and put him under so they could put a line in because they had to completely knock him out for it. At which point he grabbed the cup took a sip which showed that he wasn't you know he's not gone yet and he can do it. But that's the only time we've known in his life where he's actually had to drink without food.

CO: And when he's had a drink he's had a drink outside the house?

MC: Yeah. It sounds silly doesn't it? But he just generally just genuinely isn’t interested. When we've been on holiday, which we've done a few times; we only stay in the country and we've gone to stay in a cottage somewhere. We take everything and we make Ben's bedroom look like Ben's bedroom his bedding and everything and we take two cars full and off he's been there eight hours or so he'll have something to eat and drink. He's accepted that we're staying. So yeah apart from holidays he never drunk or eaten outside the house.

CO: So how did you react when you learned that this cup is no longer being made?

MC: I think we knew just after we saw it I guess after a couple of years of using it you just couldn't put it into the back of our minds. And then one magically popped up. A friend actually found the nursery where they worked. And said this is Ben’s cup isn’t it? I've been looking on e-bay for years hoping that one pops up I have searches for every morning and night. So every day I check morning and night I'll check the searches to see if any up may have picked out to be identical I just never seen one.

CO: How is it that the company that makes the cup — the Tommy Tippee company — how did they get in touch with you?

MC: Well I went on Twitter which I never really use. I had about 30 followers at that time and I just I don't know actually. I don't know what made me do it. It was two weeks ago yesterday it was two weeks ago in a day. And I put a couple of tweets up and I found the National Autistic site in the country in England and found out who their celebrity supporters were and sent them tweets which you so share this message. And a couple of them did. Nothing really happened. Didn't think much of it. And then I was at a meeting the next day for care workers I support other caregivers and help them. And I got a phone call from the BBC, I thought someone was messing about. They'd managed to get my phone number somehow and wanted to put something on BBC News website I read about. My phone has been bleeping. So I came on about an hour later my brother called me and said why are you the number one news item in the U.K? More than Donald Trump, which I thought was quite funny because we're just had the grand news that Trump was the new president is it. Yeah I think people wanted some good news for a change. Everyone was saying contact Tommy Tippee and everyone was tweeting them making more cups and bless them it wasn’t their fault.

And they said we haven't got the molds. We can't make any we don't keep the molds. And they managed all of the social media for me because at one stage I think I was getting 50 tweets with my name in a minute. So I couldn't possibly read them and check everything. Ben's older brother and younger sister also have special needs. I'm a full time caregiver I'm quite busy.

CO: And how did the company find the mold as I understand they have?

MC: It just so happens that them someone thought they might have them and they went looking and they did actually manage to find them. It took them quite a few days searching in their warehouses in China.

CO: And so what did they offer to do?

MC: Well, they said we’ll make you as many as you want. Which I had no idea what to ask for. And they said well how about a thousand. Which just sounds crazy! So we talked about it and we have agreed to make 500. The idea is when we can eventually get Ben to use a new cup we've got to slowly transition him from his old cup to newer and newer cups. I've already tried to swap the base of his current Cup because people have been sending me them already. I’ve had six in the post and 35 sent by Tommy Tippee that are old ones that people have sent to them. And I tried to swap the base and then Ben realized and completely rejected his drink. Then we swapped it back but he wouldn't accept it and it took him, took us nearly 24 hours to get him drinking again and that was scary. And what we've agreed is we're slowly getting to a new cup we don't know how but we will and when he's there we’ll throw them away every two months when they start to scratch or look a little out so he never notices it again. And we reckon you know six a year to do the math and we're just going to work out a really good long life. Let's go for 500 and we should break even.

CO: It's a great gesture isn't it?

MC: It's lovely, yeah it is. Of course they’re getting publicity, but you know well they deserve it. Because not many companies would do this, they’d say no sorry we don't make it. See you later. But they've been amazing all along they haven't asked me to do any publicity. They said now we found it we can leave all alone you don't have to do anything. And I want to keep talking about it because I want to raise awareness of autism. This isn't just about Ben and his little cup. There are lots of Bens out there and they're not all what we see in very stereotypical programming you know famous film Rain Man and the stuff we might see on television in the media. Not all autistic children at the same time we need people to be having a conversation about that.

CO: I understand that you have had some negative response from people online who have told you he should you should you should get him fixed or agree or not indulge this. What do you say to those people?

MC: You know I was just you don't know him it's great if you know people reckon they're an expert and fine. But I threw back you know I said I never asked for your advice I asked for a cup if you don't have it. I really don’t need to hear anything else. I had a message a couple days ago from a woman actually adamant that she could fix him. She could make him better with a cure. As far as we're concerned in this country there isn't a cure for autism it is not a disease. If people are treating autism as a disease they’ve got bigger problems themselves actually and I would never give advice to another parent on their child because I don't know them and I think people should give other people the same respect and courtesy.

CO: Marc, you're an inspiration. Thank you.

MC: Oh bless you. Thank you Carol, It was very kind of you.

CAROL OFF: Take care.

MARC CARTER: Been a pleasure. Thank you.

JEFF DOUGLAS: We reached to Marc Carter in Devon, UK. If you'd like to see a photograph of his son Ben and his sippy cup go to our website www.cbc.ca/aih.

Back To Top »

Part 2: Thunderstorm asthma, wind turbines

Thunderstorm asthma

Guest: David McGann

JEFF DOUGLAS: If you hear that people died because of a thunderstorm. Usually you would be assuming it was a lightning strike not that somehow the storm stole their breath. But last Monday a freak thunderstorm triggered intense asthma attacks in and around Melbourne, Australia. Paramedics fielded more than 2000 calls during a five hour period. And hospital emergency rooms were overwhelmed. Health authorities recently confirmed that an eighth person had died. One other patient remains in critical condition. David McGann was one of those who experienced a severe asthma attack. We reached Mr. McGann in Melbourne earlier today.

CAROL OFF: David, where were you when the thunderstorm began?

DAVID MCGANN: I was at work and I hadn't heard about it being extreme weather or anything but I was just at work in the city of Melbourne at my law practice and I was riding home at about 5:30 in the afternoon when we started getting reports of it being quite severe. And it was also very harsh.

CO: You say you were riding. You were on your bike then?

DM: yeah that's right. Yep.

CO: OK so you got home. And then how did you feel?

DM: I was fine when I got home and it was still because I was so hot in the back part. I was about 12 km ride. We've got a communal call at our apartment so I myself and my partner jumped into the pool and cooled down. I was still fine at this point. As it was so windy on the bike ride home, I think I'd already breathed in a lot of the dangerous pollen. So I started feeling the effects of the tightness of the chest, at about 6:30 probably about an hour later. Yeah that was when I got up stairs to our apartment.

CO: Did you know what was wrong?

DM: I've had mild symptoms of this in the past over the past few years. So I sort of chalked it up to just a more severe storm. I just felt like it's a very severe version of what I've had before. So I didn't really think too much about it. Within the first two hours. So yeah it felt just like a severe version of what I've had.

CO: And when did you realize that it was quite serious?

DM: It was. Well Kelly my fiancé she went to play netball at about 7:30 and I mentioned it to her then. She got back about two hours later and I could tell that it was something else was happening or something quite serious because it was getting stronger and stronger. So at about 9:30 at night I thought this is an unprecedented level of sort of constriction and grazing difficulty. It was at that point where I realised it was quite severe.

CO: Did you know that many people in this city were suffering it was in fact, there was a medical health emergency because of the thunderstorm and with people having exactly the same symptoms as yours?

DM: No I had no idea. I thought it was just you know affecting me alone. So I thought something had happened and I joked to Kelly that I thought I was dying. And she thought I you know we should go to a hospital, but I'm quite stubborn. And so I went to bed because I just thought it would pass. So we went to bed at about 11 o'clock at night and laying there for about half an hour I was and I decided that I probably should get up and go to hospital or go to a late night chemist like adrugstore. So I jumped into the car and drove about 10 minute’s drive it looked on the Internet where something would be I think this is about 11:45 at night and when I arrived at the chemist of the line at the door of people and that was the first sign for me that was you know not just affecting me something big was going on.

CO: What was the lineup out the door for? What were they trying to get?

DM: They were trying to get their ventilation puffers. I don't know what they call it over there. But they’re ventilation spray puffers things that you inhale to open up your airways.

CO: It's an inhaler here. Yes OK, same thing.

DM: Yeah, an inhaler. So the staff at the chemist we're handing them out to people in the queue. And I remember there was distressed old man. Well, he wasn’t really old he was probably about 50- 55 and he'd never had anything happen to him like this before. He didn't know, he didn't understand what was happening. And I had to instruct him on how to use the inhaler because it never had the effects of this before, but he is quite stressed is in tears and so as was quite a confronting little experience. It was also you know a little bit of a relief to me that it wasn't just happening to me that it was something big happening to everyone. I was quite selfish in thinking that.

CO: Yes but at the same time, this is just people lined up at the drugstore. Another two thousand people had called for an ambulance during the five hour period of this crisis.

DM: I couldn't believe it. Well I still at this point hadn't heard of Thunderstone Asthma. So it was early the next morning when I read the paper that it was, yeah, it was crazy I couldn't believe how many people.

CO: Eight people died.

DM Yeah, eight so far it has just been reported.

CO: So what did people think was happening?

DM: It was the first story in the in the morning news that I listened to. And at that point no one realized how serious it was until probably a bit later that day when people started dying then.

CO: And how they, what have you learned since then about this condition this this Thunderstorm Asthma and how it happened?

DM: I've learnt that it was to use a pun, it was like the perfect storm that was the certain cause of Christ that is just outside of Melbourne it was a very hot day, very windy day and the wind sucking up the pollen into the clouds. And with the downpour of rain I think I'm no scientist at all. I'm just going by memory of what I've read, but you know the way that the pollen was pulled up and this made the pollen a lot smaller, which doesn't get stuck in people like I think we have a filtration systems in our nose that blocks most of the larger-sized pollen. This pollen was broken down a lot smaller and got caught in people's lungs. That had a very nasty effect.

CO: And is it something that could it could happen again?

DM: Yes it definitely could happen again because we're just in the same town. So that there'll be a lot more warning or hopefully a lot more warning systems in place from you know extreme pollen counts and you know. Yeah.

CO: You mentioned before we came on air that you were getting married in a few days. Are you feeling up to it? Are you feeling better?

DM: I am I'm breathing easily and be a little bit nervous on the day that I'm OK. My inhaler close by that otherwise I'm feeling great.

CAROL OFF: Well I hope the day is a great one for you. David, thank you.

DAVID MCGANN: Thank you very much.

JEFF DOUGLAS: David McGann suffered a thunderstorm asthma attack during a thunderstorm that left eight others dead. We reached David McGann in Melbourne.

[Music: Eastern]

Innisfail Indians name change

Guest: Steve Boutellier

JEFF DOUGLAS: If you've ever played team sports you have likely had a coach or a captain tell you that you play for the name on the front of your jersey, not the name on the back. But in Innisfail, Alberta the local men’s senior double-A baseball team was finding it increasingly difficult to do that and it wasn't because of a struggle for solidarity within the team. Quite the opposite in fact, everyone has been in agreement for some time now and it's been an agreement over the team name. Namely that it had to go. So for now they are calling themselves the Innisfail Trapper's. They're also looking to change their logo a scowling baseball wearing a headdress. Now while the details have yet to be sorted one thing is for certain, the Innisfail Indians are no more. Steve Boutellier is the Trapper's general manager and coach and on CBC Calgary’s The Eye Opener. He told host David Gray why the team decided to change its name.

SOUNDCLIP

STEVE BOUTELLIER: The biggest thing for us was back in 2015 I guess would be in April. Through social media — we have a Twitter account Facebook account — and there is a few different people that had used that outlet to reach out to us and give us their opinion on the team name. So it was a bit of an eye opener for us. After that it happened we decided to get together as a group of current players, older players, ex managers and stuff and just have a little bit discussion over if it was maybe time to look at something new. At first we were very strong-headed about it and they were a little negative towards us reaching out to some of specific players on the team calling them racist. And as the conversation went on and we opened up some other avenues one of the former managers had reached out to multiple Indigenous groups just to get their opinion on how they felt about the team name. We did have one letter returned to us with a very well written response on kind of his opinion on how was it completely educated us. That was the biggest thing was educating ourselves on proper terminology and how they felt about it.

JEFF DOUGLAS: Steve Boutellier explaining to David Gray host of CBC Calgary's The Eye Opener why the Innisfail Indians men’s baseball team are now the Innisfail trapper's.

[Music: Electronica]

Wind turbines

Guest: David Mars

JEFF DOUGLAS: In 2010 a group of New York investors agreed to build offshore wind turbines for the province of Ontario, they would then sell that power to the grid. It was a relatively straightforward plan, but it got complicated because delays from the province mean that those turbines still have not been built. And under NAFTA, all of Canada is on the hook for the project. The federal government has been ordered to pay those investors 28 million bucks and costs to taxpayers could get much higher if the situation is not resolved and it gets messier. This week one of those investors is in Toronto to answer questions from Ontario Provincial Police, officers are investigating whether former Ontario government staffers illegally deleted e-mails related to the wind turbine project. David Marrs is a co-founder of Windstream Energy. We reached him in Toronto.

CAROL OFF: Mr. Mars, what exactly was the deal that you reached with the Ontario government in 2010?

DAVID MARS: As part of the Green Energy Act, we came to the province actually in 2007 but in 2010 we entered into a 20 year power purchase agreement for a 300 megawatt offshore wind farm. And the idea here was that the province was open for business. They wanted to add jobs and have foreign investors come in and help fund that.

CO: We know yes in the Green Energy Act was 2009 initiative and it was gave priority to projects like this we were going to — Ontario — was going to go big into wind power in 2011 all the projects were cancelled and a moratorium on any other projects. Were you caught up in that?

DM: Yeah. So we actually were the only project that was cancelled because we are the only offshore wind farm that had a contract and gone through the process with the Ontario government and so we weren't actually cancelled what they told us at the time is that we would be quote unquote “frozen.” And once they finish studying the science they would then allow us to move forward and to proceed. It's been almost six years since that date. And we've unfortunately not been able to proceed.

CO: Why did you take this as a challenge to NAFTA?

DM: So we were attempting to discuss and to negotiate with the Ontario government so that we would have the ability to understand what it was we were to do where the counterparty to a contract they're holding six million dollars of our money and because of the timelines of the contract we've had to spend tens of millions of other dollars pushing this forward and so we had no sort of choice but to ultimately wind up in litigation and as a U.S. investor we felt that the best the best place for us to get some level remedy would be through a NAFTA litigation.

CO: You were awarded $28 million from the federal government. What did that represent what was that money for?

DM: So we were awarded the money for what they call frustration to the contract. So it's not actually for the contract itself, it's for the sort of damages that's around the I guess you would call it the acts that they've undertaken since then.

CO: You are in Toronto this week to speak with the Ontario police?

DM: I am, it was a follow on meeting the Ontario Provincial Police Department requested that we myself and the man who runs the company on a day to day basis, come up and answer questions in relation to a criminal investigation that that they're undertaking related to document destruction by the premier's office or people within the premier's office. This is sort of the second part of what previously was reported upon with Laura Miller and David Livingstone that they have been charged for in relation to document destruction for the gas plant scandal.

CO: OK as if this couldn't get messier. This is what you're referring to is these charges by the Ontario police do this. The emails relating to the gas plant cancellations — the gas plant cancellations — which cost Ontario taxpayers about a billion dollars were cancelled in because when the provincial Liberals under Premier McGuinty were fearing that they might lose an election and that was the price it’s been declared was what taxpayers paid. So the emails were allegedly erased in relation to that. How did you get caught up in those emails?

DM: Well. So it was it was the same people that were running the government at the time were the same people that we were dealing with. And it was the same time frame. So in essence I guess either either they were deleted in relation to our project or we were some sort of collateral damage. But the reason we know this is because when we requested through discovery for NAFTA emails and documents from the Premier's office we were originally told that the Premier's office and staff you know Chief of Staff and others had no involvement in offshore wind. And therefore there were no files or documents. Later on, I guess about six months post our discovery period document discovery period posted ending. We received a call from Canadian Council stating we have found a bunch of documents that we're sending to you. Those documents came, they were basically documents from the Premier's office, but they weren't given to us by the premier's office. They were given to us by the various agencies below like the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Environment and a lot of it was directive from the Premier's office down to them as to how to handle offshore wind.

CO: So what it appears is that the documents that were found that premier's office may have been deleted?

DM: Yeah. I mean either they were deleted or have been withheld from us receiving them. Over the last six years.

CO: you realize that you have become tangled in one of the more difficult files that are going on in the Canadian energy policy and that this is something the whole issue of the cost of electricity in Ontario and the issues with the Ontario government might actually defeat the government. That's the latest poll indicates that people are kind of fed up with their energy costs. Are you aware of what you're tangled in?

DM: Unfortunately I'm well aware of it. It's been a it's been a very strange process. I mean we've we were infrastructure investors and we've been infrastructure investors around the world and in jurisdictions which you would argue should be a lot riskier place to do business like the Ukraine and Russia and China and other countries like Brazil. And unfortunately what we found is our closest neighbor in Ontario or in Canada, but specifically Ontario has become the riskiest partner. And we don't want to be entangled in this. We just want full and clean transparency and what we would like to do is we'd like to sit down with the Ontario government and resolve this in a way that was most amicable for us and for the taxpayers. The unfortunate thing is that they have to date, refused to speak with us. Which is strange when you have a counterparty to a nearly $6 million contract.

CAROL OFF: We will leave it there. Mr. Mars, thank you.

DAVID MARS: Thank you very much. I really appreciate your time.

JEFF DOUGLAS: David Mars is a co-founder of Windstream energy. We reached him in Toronto.

[Music: Percussive]

Henry the 8^th letter

JEFF DOUGLAS: When the Vatican told the BBC it could have access to letters from Henry the Eighth. The BBC was overjoyed. The Vatican doesn't open its archives for just anyone. In fact, this would be the first time. It had only one simple request. Don't film one letter in particular. In a moment I regret to inform you, I am going to read the offending section of that forbidden letter. So right now I will strongly recommend you to ask your children to leave the room, then block the doors with heavy furniture and then put noise canceling headphones on them. Sorry I should have told you that before you move the couch. Now the makers of the series Six Wives with Lucy Worsley — Ms. Worsley is an historian and the host — were extremely pleased to have any access to any of the letters. Now the program obviously is about the 16th century King's half dozen marriages. Spoiler alert, he was a horrible husband. So these letters would be a visual evidence of his courting through correspondence. Although the forbidden letter reveals he could be extremely direct and shockingly vulgar and out of respect the BBC did not film the forbidden letter which Henry the Eighth wrote to Anne Boleyn. But we do know it contained a phrase the Vatican found too explicit to share. And now with deep remorse, I share it with you. “Wishing myself specially an evening in my sweetheart's arms whose pretty duckies I trust shortly to kiss.” Now in case you're confused arms is spelt with an E arms with an E means arms without an E and duckies as of course, you know means breasts.

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Part 3: Columbia plane crash, UK soccer abuse, Newfoundland speaker

JEFF DOUGLAS: People in the southern Brazilian city of Chapeco are in shock and in mourning. Last night, a plane carrying their local football team crashed near the Colombian city of Medellin. The team, Chapecoense Real, was scheduled to play in the South America Cup final today. It would have been the most important game in the team's history. According to authorities the plane declared an emergency due to electrical failure and then lost radar contact late last night. Of the 77 passengers and crew onboard, only six survived. Traveling with the team were several journalists. Two of the victims worked for the local radio station, Radio Chapeco. Francisco Bohner is a radio journalist there. And that is where we reached him, earlier today.

CAROL OFF: Francisco first of all I'm sorry for the loss of your colleagues and for so many others who were on that flight last night.

FRANCISCO BOHNER: Yes, we lost two friends and colleagues. One of them is [unintelligible] both with us working together for 11 years. Always always always follow the team wherever the team was playing.

CO: And this was a big game for them wasn't it? Everyone and I guess in your city in Chapeco was very excited about this game that they're going to play?

FB: It was the most important game for our team. We are the smallest team in a series of national championships. I think we represent the strong of our people the determination, the discipline also in the whole country was together. Because this little team is smallest team was in that South American Championship Final.

CO: And they were on their way to Medellin in Colombia to play that very important game everyone, I guess in your city was hoping to see that game?

FB: Yes. And a lot of important people was with the team. The direction, the CEO of the team and other important employers from our city, together with the team. So it was a big loss for our city — for our country.

CO: And I guess people are telling stories about these young players, you're hearing all kinds of little anecdotes about who they were. And just how was it share some of that with us if you would?

FB: You could find a lot of players just walking around the streets in some square. It was common person. They were always in our radio because of this the team was very close to the community.

CO: It's not a very large community either. How many people live in Chapeco?

FB: 210,000. It’s a small city.

CO: with 71 people who died in this crash. All these families who are grieving now?

FB: Yes, I can say it's impossible. You speak with any one person in our city that doesn't know just one or two in this accident. Because all of the people, players it was so common person. I can tell you our city is like it’s frozen. I could see people crying together, people holding each other and shops closed. It's in our soul our mayor decreed 30 days of mourning. We are very sad. The city and the people are sad.

CO: We saw pictures there in the stadium in Chapeco. Everyone gathered there just to share their grief. Can you describe that scene when you were there?

FB: Yes, it's silence, a silent mourning because there are thousands and thousand people around the stadium just quiet just waiting. Just how can I explain? Showing their pain, then they make little. How can I say? They are putting shirts and flowers in some place around the stadium. And I think this will keep going.

CO: We're now learning that there were six survivors that we know of at this point and three of them were players. Do you know how they are? Or what condition of those people are in?

FB: Well we know about the player called Follman and we had a guy from breathe in a bad situation. They broke some parts of the chest.

CO: The ribs.

FB: Yes. And he is stable

CO: He is stable.

FB stable, OK. Another one woman working the plane.

CO: She was a flight attendant.

FB: flight attendant, OK. Kate the flight attendant call it.

CO: And there's just one last thing about this extraordinary reaction in medellín where the Colombian team Atletico Nacional has asked the South American Soccer Confederation to award the title in honor of the Brazilian team — to give them the title of that of that match. Have you heard that that's going to happen?

FB: Yes, I think it's a big gift they recognize our team. And I really believe that our community will not stop now. We are keep fighting. We were keep our team and this title will give us strong.

CO: Francisco, again I'm sorry for the loss in your community. Thank you for speaking with us tonight.

FB: OK. I just ask you and Canadian people just a little pray for us. We really need now.

CAROL OFF: I can hear it in your voice Francisco. Thank you.

FRANCISCO BOHNER: Thank you Carol. Good night.

JEFF DOUGLAS: Francisco Bohner is a radio journalist with Radio Chapeco. And we reached him earlier today in Chapeco, Brazil.

[Music: Piano]

From Our Achieves: Jose Figueroa

Guest: Jose Figueroa

JEFF DOUGLAS: You may recall the story of Jose Figueroa, the El Salvadoran man spent two years in sanctuary inside of Langley, British Columbia church while fighting a deportation order. He has since gained permanent residency in Canada and moved out of the church and now he wants his name cleared for good. Senor Figueroa came to Canada as a refugee in 1997. Thirteen years later the Canadian government ordered his deportation. They argued that he was inadmissible because of his past membership with a political group in El Salvador. The FLMN it had opposed El Salvador's right wing dictatorship in the 1980s. Tomorrow, Senor Figueroa will ask a federal court to formally recognize he is not a terrorist and to quash a deportation order. We spoke to Senor Figueroa in December last year, when he became a permanent resident and was still living inside the church. Guest host Helen Mann asked him if he regretted his involvement in the FLMN.

SOUNDCLIP

JOSE FIGUEROA: No, not at all, not at all. In 1997 when my wife and I arrived into Canada immigration knew about my membership with the FMLN. The FLMN is not and has never been a listed entity in Canada. So if that organization is not a terrorist organization according to the ministers actually because it is the Ministry of Public Safety who makes their recommendations to include or exclude entities that the bill is. Then how come there are CBSA officer is making those decisions? So those are things that need to be clarified and the CBSA officers, they need to have accurate information concerning any organization before they bring issues of inadmissibility.

HELEN MANN: You were on this program back in 2013, you'd only been living in the church at the time for a few days. You were very stressed and worried about the potential for being arrested if you stepped outside. What's it been like for you these last couple of years? I'm just thinking in terms of the relationship you have with your family for example?

JF: I missed so many things, my son he graduated in this year. I couldn't be at his graduation. There had been birthdays that I couldn't I couldn't go share with my daughters. Christmases, there's so much that I have I have missed from my family. I only see them during the weekend when we were here at the church and sometimes not even then because my family needed to get a ride to the church. Sometimes there was nobody available to do so. So I think that there were a lot of things in my children's life that I cannot recover anymore.

JEFF DOUGLAS: That was Jose Figueroa speaking to As It Happens guest host, Helen Mann in December of 2015. Senor Figueroa will be in federal court tomorrow asking the government to formally recognize he is not a terrorist and to quash a deportation order against him.

[Music: Ambient]

UK soccer abuse

Guest: Andy Woodward

JEFF DOUGLAS: Barry Bennell was once a top soccer coach for young talent in England's professional leagues. Since the 1990s however, he has served three prison sentences for sexually abusing boys that he coached. Some of the boys were as young as nine years old. Now, eight more charges have been laid against a 62-year-old for offences alleged to have taken place in the early 1980s. And these come after a string of former professional English soccer players publicly revealed for the first time this month that they had been abused by Mr. Bennell as children. Andy Woodward was one of the first to come forward. We reached Mr. Woodward via Skype on a street in London.

CAROL OFF: Mr. Woodward, what have these past couple of weeks been like for you?

ANDY WOODWARD: A rollercoaster of emotions really. I’ve been totally overwhelmed by the support from members of the public that haven't suffered with what I have. But also with the people that have suffered like me. They've all got the same story and the same pain and the same you know the same thing that they've had so many years so. So it's just a roller coaster really just so I'm so relieved now that I did do it because so many times I wasn't going to do it. I didn't feel I could possibly do it. But you know that inner strength in me for some reason my partner's elder has been behind me the whole way. I say she's been my rock to push this through and do it.

CO: And this is, when you say do it. Means that you came forward and you spoke out against Barry Bennell now and then so many others have come forward?

AW: Yeah. I mean basically with all cats in 30 years or more. I've suffered a long term abuse from that man. And I knew there were so many others out there that had suffered. I'm talking hundreds here I mean hundreds with one individual. And it's just been such a long time and I just felt like now it's my time — half of my life. To get it out and speak and not be embarrassed or feel that I can't say what happened to me and just encourage others to become very brave because you know I have to speak out? And the response has just been phenomenal really.

CO: You were 11-years-old when Barry Bennell became your coach. And so what was your life like with him?

AW: I have no words for what my life was like with that man. And it is torturous and it's like the biggest secret you could ever have that you put in a box and you lock it away and you're never going to let them out. And when you do start to let it out there's so much pain in it unless you've actually experienced it you don't — you can’t explain what life is like living in that world.

CO: And what have you heard since then from others who have coming forward now that you have spoken out?

AW: It's absolutely overwhelming really and so emotional. I've been crying so many times because there's so many — if not all — who said that they would have taken it to the grave, but they saw me and they felt that they could actually do it you know? And it's just so overwhelming that the response and people what they say about you know you saved me you know? And I’ve not, all I’ve done is just give them the idea that say they can do it. Now they're going to be able to get that road to recovery and you know get the help that they need, including myself.

CO: What are you and the others saying that Barry Bennell did?

AW: He did horrendous things. I don't want the listeners to hear some of his graphic details, but they’re the most serious offenses that you can do not only that there are a number of these continually doing that.

CO: Is impossible as it's been claimed by the football club that they didn't know what was going on?

AW: In regards to the football club. They are they have said that they'll do an independent investigation and it's flattering to find truth to the things to come out. However, as boys and now as men we've all talked about it since it's come out and there is there isn't words for our vulnerable situation and what that football club allowed to happen. You know I don't know what the outcome is going to be. It's just I just think you know we felt that we weren’t protected really.

CO: And now among the people who are coming out are those who are saying that look they warned they warned the crew that this was going on, they wanted the football association the he was not allowed into some of the stadiums because the parents knew what he was up to. So how extensively do you think people knew what Barry Bennell was doing?

AW: It was white, it was all out there. You know me as a child always being by his side. And I heard it. I'd seen it. I've actually seen him get escorted off the football grounds. You know he was so prevalent in football. It was unbelievable.

CO: And now that you learned that that's how many times he has faced these charges and convictions what does it tell you about Barry Bennell as a predator?

AW: He won't. He wouldn't stop. He needed stopping. And people needed protecting. Now he will face justice. Now I really do believe that people are safe in the UK.

CO: Will you be testifying against him do you believe?

AW: I've already testified in 1998, but that was the previous case that he went to prison for. So I have testified, but I had my own anonymity. So this me coming out is actually coming now to the public to say you know I was one. Main thing for me is that I just want more and more to come forward and just let go of that horrible feeling on the inside.

CO: And do you think that this should go beyond Barry Bennell? That this investigation should take in the people who enabled him?

AW: Absolutely, he needs a full investigation into it all. We're already in the UK we have five forces looking at several clubs. So it wasn't just at Club Alexandra. It was at several clubs during that period. So you know yeah I do a full investigation into it because we want answers on why?

CAROL OFF: Mr. Woodward, we'll leave it there. Thank you.

ANDY WOODWARD: You're very welcome. Thank you very much.

JEFF DOUGLAS Andy Woodward is a former professional English League soccer player. We reached him in London.

[Music: Industrial]

Newfoundland speaker

Guest: Tom Osborne

JEFF DOUGLAS: The Great Depression was hard on everyone, including the good people of the Dominion of Newfoundland and that is why in April of 1932, thousands of unemployed people marched to the legislature. They smashed the buildings of the colonial the windows rather of the colonial building and they looted the place and carted away documents office equipment and furniture. Now the speaker Newfoundland and Labrador is House of Assembly wants all that stuff back and he is offering amnesty to anyone who returns any of the items that were taken 84 years ago. We reached Speaker Tom Osborne in St. John's.

CAROL OFF: Mr. Osborne, Newfoundland's legislature was looted in 1932. Why are you asking for those stolen items to be returned now?

TOM OSBORNE: Well, I wouldn't call them stolen. I would say they were borrowed. Looking at the politics of the day and people quite upset with government at the time. I understand the reasons for the riot, but I think the furnishings and the fixtures of the colonial building are historically valuable to the legislature and they tell a story of that era.

CO: Right. Give us a bit of a history lesson here. What happened. Eighty four years ago? What caused these riots?

TO: Well, I mean it was the economic situation of the province at the time. The province was on the brink in 1932, as were many other places around the world. But you kow the people of the Dominion of Newfoundland — the country at the time — were quite upset with government. Sir Richard Squires was the prime minister at that particular time. And my grandfather actually I remember him telling us stories of the riot he was there. He lived on Bannerman Street directly across from the colonial building. And when the prime minister had escaped the riot had gone down Bannermans Street. He knocked on my great grandfather's door who refused to open the door for him and he knocked on the door neighboring my grandfather's house and was able to go in for the front door in the back which is how he escaped the mob. But my grandfather had told me of many furnishings and fixtures and so on that were looted from colonial building on that day. You know obviously you know those are original fixtures and furnishings many of them dating back you know to the opening of colonial building and then I feel that those items should be viewed and enjoyed by all people of the province.

CO: have you any way of doing an inventory as to what may have been taken?

TO: Well, a lot of the items were damaged or destroyed at the time, but a lot of them were taken. I know there was a piano taken but that made its way to Bannerman Park, which is literally you know hundreds of feet away from the colonial building which you know it got dropped at that time and damaged and that sort of was its final resting place. But the word desks, chairs, the tables and the legislature lamps. There were water coolers canisters rather and gas heaters. Anything people could take or remove pictures anything that was removable was removed on that day.

CO: have you had anything returned so far?

TO: We have, we've had two beautiful wall murals, wood-carved wall murals. Now they weren't actually looted during the riot. They were both screwed to the wall so they date back about 100 years. We've also got enroute to government. Some other carvings and so on that were also gifted. When government moved to confederation building as of yet we haven't received anything back that would date to the riot or pre riot times. So I'm really hoping that that we'll see some of that back and once colonial building is restored or refurbished that we'll be able to display that and colonial building as part of the original furnishings of the building.

CO: Is there anything in particular do you like to see back? That you know might be out there?

TO: Well, I know directly outside my office there's a photo of the outside of the building the day of the riot and there's a young boy two young boys actually holding a gas heater that was part of the legislature and I've often wondered who those young boys are and where the gas heater ended up. And you know if that's still if that's survived and is still in existence I'd love to hear the story of where that went. I imagine it went to somebody's home to heat the home at that time.

CO: I guess one of your problems you're going to have is that I would imagine a lot of people if they do have something and they know where it came from it's a little piece of pre-confederation Newfoundland that they want to hold on to?

TO: Absolutely. I mean that's the challenge. And I mean right now, anybody who's had something from that riot I would say you know that item belongs to the family and it's part of the culture of what had happened. You know in no means are we going to force people to give something back. But certainly if we do receive items back you know I will endeavor to ensure that you know there's some sort of a plaque or postcard place next to the item to explain you know the story of where it went. And you know how it belonged to a family or was part of that family's history as well as the history of the province and make sure that those individuals are recognized as well.

CAROL OFF: Mr. Osborne, thank you.

TOM OSBORNE: My pleasure indeed.

JEFF DOUGLAS: Tom Osborne is the speaker of the house for the provincial legislature for Newfoundland and Labrador. We reached him in St. John's.

[Music: Cultural]

Obit: Mark Taimanov

JEFF DOUGLAS: Chess great Mark Taimanov liked to quote another chess great named Siegbert Tarrasch: “Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make man happy.” And all three of those things did make Mr. Taimanov happy. And periodically they made him miserable Mark Taimanov, a Russian chess grandmaster and concert pianist died yesterday in St. Petersburg. He was 90-years-old. The happiest part of his chest career was in 1952, when he was made a grand master. Or in 1956, when he became Russian champion or six different times he defeated world champions. The unhappiest part was losing to Bobby Fischer in Vancouver in 1971. Mr. Timanov lost six games to zero because at the time Mr. Fischer was nearly unbeatable. But Russian authorities felt humiliated and they punished their player. As Mr. Taimanov told an interviewer quote, “this dramatic match changed my life into hell.” He was prohibited from international travel. He lost his salary, his first marriage and he said at the time at least I still have my music and he did. Although musically speaking he was most famous for being half a piano duo with his first wife. Lyubov Bruk, popular too. And when their audiences began to dwindle, Mr. Timanov added a feature: he would play chess against two or three people during concerts running back and forth from piano to chess board. Ultimately he played chess and music his whole life usually not simultaneously and love wise. He was married four times. He leaves behind his fourth wife and his children including 12-year-old twins born when he was 78.

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Nov. 29, 2016 episode transcript

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