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The AIH Transcript for August 14, 2020

Hosts: Peter Armstrong and Ali Hassan

Prologue

PETER ARMSTRONG: Hello. I'm Peter Armstrong, sitting in for Carol Off.

ALI HASSAN: Good evening. I'm Ali Hassan, sitting in for Chris Howden. This is As It Happens.

[Music: Theme]

AH: Tonight:

PA: A sinking feeling. The mayor of Sarnia, Ontario, is asking Americans not to participate in this year's Port Huron float down -- a tradition that routinely sends wayward rafters into Canadian waters, and now brings the added threat of coronavirus.

AH: Middle Eastern promises. A new agreement claims to foster relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. But many Palestinians, including our guests, say it's a stab in the back.

PA: Lovers in a dangerous time. We hear from a Brooklyn man who's keeping romance alive in the time of COVID-19 by taking date nights to a new and very public level.

AH: Post-haste. The debate over mail in voting is picking up steam in the United States, and a North Carolina lawmaker says her confidence in the U.S. Postal Service to deliver a result is waning fast.

PA: Last call. B.C. Premier John Horgan is resorting to some drastic measures in the fight against COVID-19, including phoning up the actor Ryan Reynolds. We'll hear how Mr. Reynolds responded.

AH: And parent trap. Six year old black cats don't always attract lots of interest from would-be adopters, but one such feline recently got its claws into Dennis Quaid of all people. He just couldn't resist its purr-fect name: Dennis Quaid. As It Happens. The Friday Edition. Radio that imagines that call gave the shelter workers paws.

[Music: Theme]

Part 1: Trump is going after the U.S. Postal Service to 'derail' the election: Congresswoman

Port Huron Float Down

Guest: Mike Bradley

AH: The land border between the U.S. and Canada may be closed, but the worry this weekend isn't on land, it's in the water. Today, the Canadian and U.S. officials announced that they extended the border closure until September 21st. But this Sunday, like every year on the third weekend of August, there's an event along the St. Clair River near Sarnia, Ontario -- it's called the Port Huron float down. And every year Sarnia mayor Mike Bradley dreads it, that's because thousands of Americans hop on rafts and tubes in Michigan and float along the river, often ending up in Canada. We reached Mayor Bradley in Sarnia, Ontario.

PA: Mayor Bradley, just how much are you dreading this Sunday's float?

MIKE BRADLEY: Well, there's a lot of apprehension, not just myself, but the people in authority here that have to deal with the floaters that they overcome the wind and up on the side of the river. It's just this whole thing about, 'why would anyone do this during the COVID war?'

PA: For those who aren't familiar with it, can you describe the Port Huron float down?

MB: Well, it's interesting. I mean, it's not a killjoy. I mean it's a lot of fun for people -- they jump in the river just north of the Blue Water Bridge. It's a very rapid current because you've got Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, all coming through this 200-300 foot space. And it's been going on for three or four decades. The American authorities have tried to stop it repeatedly, but the organizers are very skillful -- they do not identify themselves or webpages are not traceable. And so there's no one in charge of it. So it's called an unsanctioned event because there's no way to stop it through the normal processes. And it can bring four or five thousand people into the river. It's a very fast flowing river. It's a dangerous river. About six years ago, someone drowned in this event. And there's been drowings before that, because when you've got all these people out there on everything from inner tubes to life rafts, you name it, there's not a lot of security out there in the river.

PA: Four to five thousand people?

MB: Well it is. Seems to go on the downside of all the publicity, it's receding since 2016 when 1,500 Americans landed on our shores is that the more we bring attention to it, the more it seems to interest people. And one American authority was saying the other day they thought there'd be more people this year because of COVID and the people wanting to do things, and this is sort of the big tourist attraction, at least internally in Port Huron, Michigan.

PA: Remind me what happened in 2016. It was just basically a stiff wind, blew like 1,500 Americans up on the Canadian side, the shore, right?

MB: Well, I live in downtown Sarnia. I live in an apartment. And that morning, I could tell the wind was going to be trouble. And about one or two o'clock that afternoon, we had over in an hour or two about 1,500 Americans, not just show up in downtown Sarnia, but down by near some of the refineries and all the way down to Stag Island, which is well known for being the cordage home of Chris Hadfield. It was actually pre-COVID. The officer in charge, Doug Warren, said, we're not arresting anyone, we're not going to do anything but get you back home safely. And many of them had no identification. A great majority from what I could witness were over refreshed. But we took good care of them. We did it the Canadian way and we sent them back. It's different this time because of COVID. Michigan has had almost as many deaths as Canada has had as a nation from COVID. And it is a hot spot across the U.S. for COVID. And it simply seems unacceptable. We have no way of stopping this, nor does it appear the American authorities to have such a high rate of COVID in that state, almost 100,000 cases -- and then for people to jump in a river and to then possibly come over here.

PA: And just for what it's worth, it's not like this water's particularly warm, right? Like a lot of these people end up getting treated for hypothermia.

MB: Exactly, Peter. In the middle of the 2016 incident, even though it was a warm day, they were being pulled out of the water that way that they just underestimated. You think it's August, it's hot, but no, the river is still very cold and very swift. So it's not anti-American. It's simply that we are really apprehensive this year. There's a thorough plan. You've got the RCMP involved who are in charge of the border issues. We've got the Coast Guard. The issue I've struggled with is that if all these Canadians that are trying to come back to Canada and get back to the country and have to go into 14 days isolation. And apparently the plan this year by the RCMP and the Coast Guard is simply to process them, garb-ed up, and then get them back to the U.S. That may be the right approach. But I don't think they should get off without penalties. It sends a really illogical message to others that, 'Hey, you've got to isolate for 14 days if you come to this country. Ah, but if you come across a life raft, you're okay.'

PA: Right. So you say you've got the RCMP and the Coast Guard involved. What can they do, though, if sort of one by one people just hop in with their makeshift rafts and start going down the river? Can they do anything?

MB: Well, they can't do anything. They are very well-prepared. There will be an enormous amount of money spent here on Sunday, as in the past number of years since 2016 with helicopters, Coast Guard boats, RCMP boats, OPP ships, our own police and fire department will be on in charge on this side as it relates to processing people. And hopefully they won't have to deal with a large number of people coming over. It would be unusual if we didn't get a few, though, and even that is some source of concern.

PA: This interview will play out obviously across Canada on CBC, but also in the United States on PRX. What would you say to any Americans who are listening to this who may be planning to take part in the float this year?

MB: Well, I've learnt, Peter -- I've been mayor for quite some time -- and the more we protest, I think the more we offer the incentive. I sometimes feel like the college professor in the room and the kitchen, in one of the horror movies you know saying to the kids in college, "Don't go in the basement, don't go in that basement." Well, you know what happens when they go in the basement. And I think in some ways, all the times that we are trying to say, don't do this and just do all these things, we're actually inflaming the people to want to go and do this. I would just hope common sense would prevail. But I also know from dealing with COVID in my own community and across this province, that common sense often doesn't prevail.

PA: You know, I hear you and I hear the frustration and it sounds like everyone's just going to try to mitigate damage as best they can. So I wonder, with that in mind, what do you think is the likely outcome this weekend?

MB: Well, Peter, it's always hard to guess. It'll be Sunday when we will get a real handle on the weather. There's supposed to be wind. It may be raining. But, you know, the fact is that hasn't stopped it in the past. So, you know, you plan to do your best. And we're fully prepared to deal with the issues and how to process the people, how to get them back to the U.S. and hopefully penalize them too. And that's one of the message I'd like to get across to our American friends, that there will not be the lighthearted approach that went -- the softly softly approach -- back in 2016, where we just said, 'This is great, we'll get you home and take care of you.' This is very serious. And if you think about it when we're trying it -- and just today it was announced with the extension on the border closure, which is very important in border cities, and yet we have to deal with this event. In my heart, what I had hoped is whoever the organizers were would come out through social media and say, 'let's just skip this year and we can start again next year when we're in better shape on COVID.' We're not getting that.

PA: Well, we'll all be watching. Good luck this weekend. Let us know what happens.

MB: Thank you very much, Peter.

PA: All right. Take care.

AH: Mike Bradley is the Mayor of Sarnia, Ontario. That is where we reached him.

[Music]

US Postal Service Election

Guest: Alma Adams

AH: In normal times, it's unlikely we'd be hearing so much about the United States Postal Service. But with the pandemic forcing states to expand mail-in voting, the agency has been brought to the forefront and it has also been a target of Donald Trump. Yesterday, the president linked his opposition to funding for the agency to his continued attack on mail-in voting. There's also concern around the new head of the Postal Service, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who is a Republican donor. Alma Adams is a Democratic congressperson from North Carolina. We reached her in Charlotte, North Carolina.

PA: Representative Adams, the postmaster general said last week that his agency has, "Ample capacity to deliver all election mail securely and on time." How confident are you in that right now?

ALMA ADAMS: I am not confident about that. And he isn't either if he's honest about it. My mail is delayed. And everybody that I've talked to, their mails are delayed. A lot of our veterans aren't getting their medications. So that's just not true. And he knows it's not true. And all the things that he seems to be doing in terms of these new rules and regulations are really attempts to really slow the mail down. And that's exactly what's happening.

PA: But DeJoy, Louis DeJoy, the postmaster general, has said that, "The notion that I would ever make decisions concerning the postal service at the direction of the president or anyone else in this administration is wholly off base." What do you say to that?

AA: Well, I say it's totally off base for him to say that because he know that's not true. First of all, he has no background experience to even serve in this position. His connection with Donald Trump is a financial one -- in terms of contributions that he's made to his campaign. And yeah, I think it's all been rigged and he's there for that purpose to derail -- to help the president derail this election, to bring the post office down. And I think they have some attempts to privatize it. I think that was the underlying objective for this whole thing. So, no, I don't believe Mr. DeJoy at all.

PA: Those are some pretty big claims that it's rigged, that he's there to help the president with the election, that he's trying to bring down the post office. Do you have any actual proof that that is happening?

AA: Well, I think so. I think we can look around and we see that, for example, he has eliminated over-time. And, you know, our postal workers need that over-time because mail is now over-time. I mean, think about it, in this pandemic with more packages are coming through, more mail is coming through. Our small businesses are more dependent on the post office. Our seniors are more dependent on the post office to get their medications. So there has been an abundance of mail. So why would you do things to slow it down? Why would you prevent the postal worker employees from having over-time? All of these things, all of a sudden he's going in making these changes -- to me, those changes are evidence that he's really trying to help the president. The president has said outright that he's not going to provide any funding.

PA: But President Trump has said today that he would increase funding. He says he'll put in 25 billion in funding if Democratic lawmakers like yourselves make concessions. Are you willing to make those concessions to see that money?

AA: Well, that depends on the concessions that he wants. I understand him. And what he's trying to do is take money from Social Security. Listen, we had this huge tax break that the president, as soon as he got into office, they put into place a part of the deficit that they talk about is one that they created, one that the president created. You know, I haven't seen any concessions that make any sense that will really help our heroes, as we call them, from the heroes act. So he seems to doing a lot of talking, but he's not doing much else.

PA: And at the same time, all of this is happening at an extraordinary time for the U.S. Postal Service. It's a dire financial situation. We know that tough decisions need to be made and that some of these things that we're talking about here they were part of the plan, were they not?

AA: What was part of the plan?

PA: Well, a reduction of services. The U.S. Postal Service simply doesn't have capacity to act and to function the way that it used to. Is that a fair assessment?

AA: Well, I think that the Postal Service clearly has had some issues in terms of funding and costs. I think we have a responsibility, particularly now in this day of COVID when people are at home, when people are relying on the post office, to not do things to disrupt that service, but to do as much as we can and more to improve the service. And so, you know, if you think about it, the president, in his own words, has said that he's not going to fund the U.P.S. or help it conduct the election. So he knows what he is trying to do. And so, like I said, he's just talking a lot of talk, but he's not walking the walk.

PA: But do you think the kinds of comments we're hearing from the president specifically about mail-in voting, do you worry that that is confusing to voters?

AA: Well, he's been confusing to voters and citizens from the time he got in office. I mean, all you have to do is think about and look at what he said over and over again about the pandemic. Not only has he been confusing, he has certainly not been about telling the truth. So, yeah, he has confused people and I think he's doing it deliberately. I mean, he says, don't vote, you can't vote by mail. But yet he got his absentee ballot delivered to his address in Florida.

PA: And we're, what, 80 some -- not even 80 days away from the election?

AA: That's exactly right. About 79, something like that. Too close for all of the shenanigans that the president and DeJoy are pulling. Too close for that.

PA: All right. We'll have to leave it there, but we appreciate you making the time to speak with us today.

AA: Thank you very much.

AH: That was U.S. Democratic Representative Alma Adams in Charlotte, North Carolina. This afternoon, The Washington Post reported that the U.S. Postal Service sent letters to nearly four dozen states saying that it would not be able to guarantee that ballots cast later this year in the election would arrive in time to be counted. For more on that story, visit our website: cbc.ca/aih.

[Music]

Dennis Quaid's Cat

Guest: Danielle Ulmer

AH: Dennis Quaid finally has a new home. No, I'm not talking about the Parent Trap actor, although I will be -- Dennis Quaid is a cat at the Lynchburg Humane Society in Virginia. And this weekend, he will be heading to his forever home with Dennis Quaid, the actor that is. To explain how that came about we reached Danielle Ulmer, the adoption centre manager at the Lynchburg Humane Society.

PA: Danielle, how excited do you think Dennis Quaid will be when he moves in with Dennis Quaid?

DANIELLE ULMER: Well, I'm hoping, pretty ecstatic. Dennis Quaid, the cat, he is quite a handful. He's a little adventurer. But he is the sweetest guy you'll ever meet. So I'm hoping that they'll be a good match.

PA: What happened here? How did Dennis Quaid, the actor, even learn about Dennis Quaid, the cat?

DU: So during the month of August, the United States were participating in an event called "Clear the Shelters." So I was working with a local news station just highlighting certain pets in our centre. And just the other week, we spotlighted a cat that we had that we named after the actor Dennis Quaid. And somehow that story got sent to the real Dennis Quaid. And they have a pet podcast called The Pet Show him and Jimmy. And Jimmy just reached out to us and just one thing led to another [chuckles] and next thing we know, we're talking with Dennis Quaid on Zoom.

PA: Did you believe it? I mean, I would have thought this was a prank that somebody saw Dennis Quaid the cat, haha.

DU: It took us a couple minutes to be like, okay, should we even write this person back? Is this the real thing? Like, there's no way. Like how on earth did Dennis Quaid hear about a shelter from, you know, this little town in Virginia? But, you know, we were like, well, let's just take a chance, because if nothing else and we get pranked, at least it'll be a funny story.

PA: Fair enough. How did Dennis Quaid the cat, get that name in the first place? Do you know?

DU: So we intake about over 4000 animals every year. So we try to get a little creative with our names just so we don't have too many repeats. So we decided just to kind of take names of, like, our favorite actors from, like our favourite movies. And just that week that Dennis Quaid the cat came in, we happened to be on a huge Dennis Quaid cake. We're all really big Parent Trap fans. So we just decided this one is Dennis Quaid. He's got a great personality, just like the real Dennis Quaid. So, yeah, that's how we picked it out.

PA: Did I hear you right -- did you say those two the Dennis Quaid the person and Dennis Quaid the cat, have now met over Zoom?

DU: They have, yes. So this past Tuesday, I got to do a Zoom call with Dennis Quaid the actor, and got to introduce them to Dennis Quaid the cat via Zoom.

PA: What was that like?

DU: It was interesting. Dennis Quaid the cat -- he was good for the first ten minutes being held and then he was like, all right, well, I'm ready to start walking around. So they definitely got to see his rambunctious side for sure, but also the sweet, cuddly side of him as well. But he was like, all right, cuddle time is over. But we got to talk a lot. And I think they were asking questions about the shelter world for their podcast as well.

PA: Right. Of course, because they have that pet show. Now, you say Dennis Quaid the cat is something of a handful. What can you tell us about him?

DU: Yes. So by that, I mean, he's got a very vibrant personality. So when you walk into a room, it's like you're his best friend, even if he's never met you. He just loves attention all the time. He wants constant pats, constant playtime. And it's funny because he's actually -- he's a lot like a dog too, because he loves belly rubs. So if you just get him on the ground and start rubbing his sides really fast, he'll just flop right over and he'll purr so loud, it's like an engine. And he loves being around people.

PA: You've only spent a short Zoom call with Dennis Quaid the actor. But do you get the sense that those two will get along well?

DU: Oh I definitely think so. They both have big personalities and just definitely a big heart. I can tell just from the short time that I got to talk with Dennis Quaid the actor, he seems like just such a standup guy. So we're all really excited that our little Dennis Quaid the cat, gets him as his new home. I think that they're going to make a great fit.

PA: So you have Dennis Quaid the cat at the shelter. What other celebrities are sneaking around back there behind you?

DU: So one of our other cats that we have is "Jenny from the Block." So J.Lo. She's one of our favourite ones for sure. We have a Kenan Thompson, a Brad Pitt. [Chuckles] We've got Julia Roberts. So we definitely have a lot of celebrities here. Dennis Quaid was just the first one to find his namesake and reach out. So fingers crossed, the trend keeps going.

PA: Well, yeah, this could be a successful campaign. Like I'm sure you must be getting a ton of press about this.

DU: Oh, absolutely. It's definitely a little overwhelming some times because of how fast it blew up. It's really awesome. And I think it's amazing that adoption for shelter pets is getting such a huge spotlight through this.

PA: Yeah, no doubt. Well, I mean, look, at the end of the day, thank you for finding a home for Dennis Quaid the cat, of course I mean.

DU: Yeah. [Laughs]

PA: Thank you so much for speaking with us today. This is great.

DU: Yeah, of course. Thank you.

PA: Have a great day.

DU: You too. Bye bye.

AH: Danielle Ulmer is the adoption centre manager at the Lynchburg Humane Society. We reached her in Lynchburg.

[Music]

Julian Bream

AH: Classical guitarist Julian Bream was quite decidedly English. Writing for The Guardian, the late British broadcaster John Amis recalled a concert Mr. Bream once gave for an assortment of diplomats. And as the story goes, the German ambassador was so taken with Julian's performance of Spanish music, he declared, "You must have some Spanish blood in you." Mr. Bream did not and said as much informing the ambassador, "What me? I was born in Battersea between the power station and the dog's home." Mr. Bream did play the classical guitar and the lute like few before him. The virtuoso died today in Wiltshire. He was 87 years old. He had already stopped playing seriously a few years back after injuring both hips and a hand in a fall. And at the time he told The Guardian, "The thing I feel a little annoyed about is that I know I'm a better musician than I was at 70, but I can't prove it." And if you ask his fans, he was already plenty talented long before that. But he never let the adulation go to his head. Back in 1977, he spoke with Natalie Ween on CBC Radio about striking that balance.

JULIAN BREAM: There are some artists that if they're not performing every night, they feel that nobody loves them anymore. And a lot of artists really do need the adulation of the public. It's like a drug. And it keeps them working feverishly. I must say that for my own part, my own musical life, this is not by any means a necessity. Although I love performing in public. In fact, I can almost say I enjoy it more now than I ever have done in the past. There are other things in life which, if not absolutely necessary, are important for one's psychological, and to some extent, physical well-being. And since one leads such an artificial life so often in jet planes and these sort of modern razzmatazz hotels, it's important to have balance. And to have balance one has got to be rather intelligent about how you conduct your life and what you get up to and what you feel is important for your own personal development. Now, music to me is the nerve centre of my life. I couldn't live without it. If I gave up music for six months, I'd end up in a lunatic asylum, I'm sure. But on the other hand, there are one or two other things in life, probably several other things, which, whilst by no means as important as music, nevertheless are necessary for me to feel in a sense a bit human.

AH: Julian Bream speaking with Natalie Ween on The Eric Friesen Show. That interview aired on CBC Radio in May 1977. Mr. Bream died today. He was 87 years old.

[Music]

Part 2: New York couple takes date night to next level by dining on Brooklyn Bridge

Palestinian UAE Deal

Guest: Diana Buttu

AH: Some may be calling Israel's deal with the United Arab Emirates historic. But for many Palestinians, it's historic for the wrong reasons. In forging the deal, both nations have vowed to normalize relations. And Israel has agreed to temporarily suspend its plans to annex parts of the West Bank. Despite that, Palestinians have largely criticized the agreement, with one Palestinian official calling it a poison dagger. Diana Buttu is a lawyer and former legal advisor to the Palestine Liberation Organization. We reached her in Haifa, Israel.

PA: Ms. Buttu this deals being called historic, unprecedented, ground-breaking. What words would you use to describe it?

DIANA BUTTU: Shameful, disgusting, and a real letdown.

PA: How much of a surprise did this come to you and to people like you who really know this file so well?

DB: Well, we know that the Emiratis have had some type of relations with the Israelis for some time, whether it's Israeli officials that have visited the United Arab Emirates or the various statements that they've had back and forth. The problem here is that this came without them even consulting Palestinians. And the worst part is that they're claiming that they're doing it for our benefit.

PA: The supporters, including Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, say, look, the thing that they gained was Israel agreeing to suspend or forego for now the annexation of the West Bank. Do you consider that a victory at all?

DB: Actually, that's not what's going to happen. First, we had a Prime Minister Netanyahu come out very shortly thereafter and say that annexation is not off the table. But even more importantly is that annexation has been going on now for 53 years. The only difference that was going to happen in July was that they were going to make a formal declaration of annexation. And what I mean by that is that for the past 53 years, we've seen that Palestinian land has been taken, that land has been taken and used to build Israeli-only settlements and Israeli-only infrastructure where Israelis have rights and Palestinians who live on that land do not have rights. All to say that this agreement has stopped nothing. And in fact, all that it really has done is it has halted the boycott, the divestment, and the sanctions movement that Palestinian civil society and the Palestinian leadership were pressing against Israel. We are pushing to hold Israel accountable. And instead of the UAE holding Israel accountable, they're now rewarding Israel for its illegal behaviour.

PA: And I mean, well, you're pushing to hold Israel to account, I think the leverage was all of these neighboring countries like the UAE that refused to recognize Israel, that didn't have formal ties with them. What happens to that political leverage now that as big a player as the UAE has made this deal?

DB: This is the problem is that the UAE is part of the Arab League and the Arab League has long taken the position that it won't normalize relations unless Palestinians are given their freedom, given their rights. And so now what we see is that one country has breached that position of the Arab League. And I suspect that others will too.

PA: You know, meanwhile, you have Egypt, Bahrain, both praising this agreement. There's a lot of speculation, at least, that Bahrain and maybe Oman would follow suit in some way. What do you make of that speculation?

DB: I think that we are going to see Bahrain and Oman follow suit very quickly. And I think that the damage that the UAE caused is going to continue to multiply. I do think that there is a difference between the governments of the Arab world versus the people of the Arab world. I think that Israel might feel comfortable that it's securing these statements from the governments of the Arab world. But they still will never have peace with the people of the Arab world until Palestinians are given their freedom, until we're no longer languishing in refugee camps. So the damage that they are causing is not just to us as Palestinians, but to the region as a whole. And I wouldn't be surprised if we begin to see some type of reaction against these governments by the people that they purportedly represent.

PA: It seems to me like there was a time when a situation like this would have put thousands of people back out in the streets and chanting and demonstrating against it. What has the reaction in the Palestinian territories been like?

DB: Well, mostly because of COVID-19, there have been some demonstrations, but they have been limited. But on social media, there has been a great deal of criticism. They definitely want to condemn this agreement. But on the other hand, Israel has placed such a strong hold on the Palestinian economy that so much assistance actually comes from the Arab Gulf. And this is assistance that keeps people alive. So people want to go out and protest. But on the other hand, people are well aware that there are 350,000 Palestinians living in the United Arab Emirates that send home a lot of money. And the Emirati government has long been providing support to the Palestinian authority. So we're in this double-edged sword situation.

PA: I get the sense that your anger and disappointment is spread across this. But of all of the players, who were you angered and most disappointed by?

DB: The Emirates. Definitely the Emirates. There was no need for them to go down this path. And moreover, the fact that they've broken the position of the Arab League and the fact that they're trying to break the will of Palestinians to be able to stand up and resist Israel's military rule is really quite shameful. To add insult to injury as well when they say that they're doing it on our behalf. We're now in the year 2020, one would suppose that instead of the United States claiming that they're doing things on our behalf or Israel claiming that they're doing things for our benefit or the Emiratis, that they would actually ask Palestinians what it is that they want done.

PA: You know, the Israelis would say that the Palestinian leadership, whether it's in Gaza or in the West Bank, is so fractured right now and so ineffective that they've had to, they feel, go to the Bahrains of the world and the UAEs of the world, and make deals with the Arab world there rather than a more comprehensive agreement at home. What do you say to that?

DB: Well, this has actually been part of the Trump strategy to go around the Palestinians rather than speak to Palestinians. And this is why we saw the Trump plan revealed in the way that it was revealed. It was entirely the Israeli wish-list. He did everything from holding the Bahrain conference to speaking to the leaders of these various Arab governments and so on. But they've never actually spoken to us. At the end of the day, it's Palestinians who have to determine our future. It's not the Trumps of the world. It's not the Netanyahus of the world. And it's not the Emiratis.

PA: All right. We're going to have to leave it there. But thanks as always.

DB: My pleasure. Thank you.

AH: Diana Buttu is a lawyer and former legal advisor to the Palestine Liberation Organization. We reached her in Haifa, Israel.

[Music]

Shark Catch

AH: Tony Andersen, a fisherman, in Makkovik, Labrador got a surprise when he checked on his fishing net this week. He had caught a heavy creature that was weighing down the net and he needed the help of other fishermen in the harbour to pull it out. Mr. Andersen shared the details on Labrador Morning.

TONY ANDERSEN: Probably around 10 o'clock I went out to my net hoping to have a salmon or a char. When I got there, it looked like the net was sunk down. So I knew I had something. I didn't know. Figured it might be a seal or harbour porpoise or something. But I started hauling out the line, and I saw this tail coming up to the surface, like hooked on. He was dead at the time anyway. Well, I was hoping [chuckles]. So I hauled up to the side and look different than a porpoise. The tail was a different angle. Took a piece of the line out of the boat and tied it around its tail and hauled the net off his tail and let him go back down to the bottom tied onto the boat. I was only by myself and it was too heavy to haul aboard so I just tied it up to the side to boat, and towed it right down into the harbour. And couple of boys saw me coming in there slow, so they came up and we hauled it up on a rock. And it was a porbeagle shark. I said yeah, he is a poor beagle now.

ALYSON SAMSON: [Laughter] Have you ever encountered a shark like that before?

TONY ANDERSEN: No. A few good many years ago, I had a Greenland shark right off the house here. But it seems like they are seeing more in the last few years. Like people would be out and see them around the boat or trying to take their fish from off the hook. And even the evening I shot my net there was one seen just across the bay, the same kind of shark. The change of things, like we never used to see them. But a few have been caught here now over the last few summers, in net and salmon net. And I think there's reports of couple being seen so far this summer already.

ALYSON SAMSON: What did people around town say when they heard you had brought a shark in?

TONY ANDERSEN: Whole lot of them came up bringing up their families with their kids, looking at it on the rock there. I think almost everyone knows now that there's more coming around. Like they hear stories of people seeing them more.

ALYSON SAMSON: Why do you think that is?

TONY ANDERSEN: The temperature of the water, I guess. Killer whales out there too. So there's different stuff. One of these days we might see a dinosaur coming over the hill.

AH: Tony Andersen pulled up a porbeagle shark in his fishing net this week. He spoke with the CBC's Alyson Samson on Labrador Morning. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans say they don't yet know how warming waters will affect migrating sharks, but they are asking for the public's help in tracking shark sightings around Newfoundland and Labrador.

[Music]

New York Pop-Up Dates

Guest: Dean Gaskin

AH: Tuesday night was date night for Jasmin and Dean Gaskin. They sat down to long stemmed glasses full of sangria. Candles flickered on their white tablecloth along with an elegant fern centrepiece. The table was set perfectly. The ambiance of the evening really could not be beat. But they weren't sitting in a fancy restaurant. They were smack dab in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge. It's all part of their effort to keep romance alive in the time of COVID. We reached Dean Gaskin at his home in Brooklyn.

PA: Dean, why did you and your wife choose the Brooklyn Bridge for your candlelit dinner for two on Tuesday night?

DEAN GASKIN: Well, we had a few previous dinners on the beach at Coney Island, Brooklyn, a park locally -- and we wanted to just go bold. And the Brooklyn Bridge is so iconic. And because of the quarantine and COVID, we just knew that tourism was down, it'll be a perfect opportunity to take advantage. You know, we understood that there'll be passerby and joggers along there, but not as many as it normally was. So it just felt perfect.

PA: And what was the reaction, as you see all these people walking by on the bridge?

DG: Funny enough, me and my wife, the setup is the weirdest part if people were looking at you unfold a table and chair, taking out food. But once we sit down and engage in our dinner, we block everyone out, it's so weird. You know, we take in the sunset. And then again, there's people around us. So we just take in the whole ambiance of New York City.

PA: I was looking at a picture, and in fact, I think it was the Brooklyn Bridge picture looking for signs of how you do it. You have the perfect table cloth and the plates look like they're straight out of the restaurant. And I was looking for signs of like backpack straps on the underside of the table. How do you get it all there?

DG: So funny enough, the tablecloth acts like a shield or cover. We have a sort of carry-on suitcase that we wheel along with us that has two compartments that one side holds the China and plastic wineglasses and the other side holds our portable speaker, the battery-lit candles, things of that nature, whatever sort of table decor we bring and most of that stuff is from my house and we bring little houseplant and candles and whatnot.

PA: So walk me through this. Why did you decide to start doing these sort of pop-up dinners instead of just going to some restaurant patio?

DG: My wife and I and our children have been quarantined in the house long enough. And when our city started to open up with the phases, we just weren't comfortable yet with going into restaurants or with their outdoor seating situation. So we wanted to support local businesses, some of our favourite spots. We totally understand some of our friends are restaurant owners or working at restaurants, they were laid off or had to close down for a bit. So we just wanted to get the economy back up, at least in our neighbourhood.

PA: The idea just opens up a whole world of possibilities too.

DG: Absolutely. You know, we hope that this inspires couples and friends to go out and, you know, start their own pop-up lunches and dinners and whatnot, take advantage of whatever scenery and iconic of things you have in your neighbourhood, your city, and do things that, you know, generically can't really be done on a normal basis. I don't know what's normal anymore. So let's create our new normal.

PA: I mean, I feel like an adventurer when I decided to eat in the backyard. This is of a whole new level [laughter].

DG: Actually, it started with having dinner on our roof one night. We bought a 12x12 soft patch turf situation, put it on the roof with some chairs, had dinner. And I said this is great. And got the sunset. Got a few things. And then we started to venture out.

PA: It's also incredibly romantic, but it has these very serious Brooklyn and Instagram vibes about it. Is the gesture inspiring maybe any annoyance from people, whether it's online or when they go by?

DG: No. Believe it or not, I know New York City is rough and tough and gritty, but we are getting a lot more gratitude, and "Oh my God, why didn't I think of that?" moment than anything else. To be frank and to be honest, we've gone and a few people are like, "Oh my God" or raised their nose up. But again, like I said, I'm so into my conversation with my wife or the other 98 percent that it doesn't matter. It's fine.

PA: What counts as the most romantic or the best one so far?

DG: It has to be the first one that we did back in July. It was for our 5th wedding anniversary. We were supposed to travel back to Cabo San Lucas where we got married. But because of travel restrictions and COVID, we decided not to. And my wife's only request was she wanted to have dinner and have sand under her feet. So Coney Island is not far from where we lived in Brooklyn. And I just really, you know, Googled some stuff like "what do restaurant tables look like?" "When I've gone on vacations, what have I experienced?" And boom, I just recreated it.

PA: I have to admit, as a Canadian, where we're technically not legally allowed to drink on the streets, I looked at it and wondered have the police brushed by at all or said anything?

DG: We've been fortunate enough not to have any run-ins with the law enforcement as of yet. But when we get there, we'll take our picture with a wine bottle on top. But as we're eating, we'll hide the bottle. And I'm ready for that conversation. You know, we haven't been out there for longer than 90 minutes per dinner, pop-up. So, you know, it's all in the name of love. So hopefully they'll show us a little grace and gratitude and let us get by.

PA: And have you heard from others? I was just reading a little bit online of others that have seen this and as you say, said, 'Why didn't I think of that' that have started doing -- you have inspired something of a movement now, haven't you?

DG: I think so. I think so. And we received a call from a city councilman. And on the record, we are the first people to have dinner on the Brooklyn Bridge. There's been wedding proposals. There's been even a wedding on the bridge. But we are the first to really set up. So I think this is the beginning of something new and cool. And I hope people can get creative and recreate their own special moments all over New York City and their own city.

PA: Now Dean, I don't want you to give away any of your secret plans, but can you tell us -- do you have your eye on the next one? Or do you have one that you're sort of planning ahead and thinking of already?

DG: There is a list, Peter. There is a list. All I can say is try to follow me and my wife on social media for our next journeys through New York and beyond, because we plan to travel across the country with this one.

PA: Well, it's been a wonderful ride so far. I can't wait to see where you end up next. Dean, thanks for this.

DG: We appreciate it. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

PA: Cheers.

AH: Dean Gaskin and his wife Jasmin are from Brooklyn. They started setting up pop-up dinners in public places around New York City to keep romance alive during the COVID-19 pandemic. To have a look at some of their dinner dates, head to our website: cbc.ca/aih.

[Music]

Deadpool To The Rescue

AH: Desperate times call for desperate measures. On Wednesday, British Columbia saw the third largest single day jump in COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. 85 new cases were recorded in the province with young people in the lower mainland making up the majority of them. B.C. public health officials said that partying was partially to blame. And Premier John Horgan worried that his message to party-goers to 'cool it' was just not cool enough. So he made a plea.

JOHN HORGAN: Minister Dixon, I I've been talking about the importance of making sure that younger demographics are hearing the message. This is a call out to Deadpool right now. Ryan, we need your help up here. Get in touch with us. My number is on the Internet. Seth Rogen, another outstanding British Columbian. We need to communicate with people who aren't hearing us. The two of you alone could help us in that regard. There's a host of other options available, and we're working as hard as we can to enlist a number of prominent British Columbians and prominent Canadians to help get that message through to the demographic that clearly isn't hearing our message.

AH: Today, that call was answered in the form of a message posted to Twitter.

RYAN REYNOLDS: Hey, Premier Horgan, Ryan Reynolds here. I got your message about the thing. I'm not sure it's a great idea frankly [chuckles]. People don't -- I don't think they want medical advice from guys like me. No sir. Unless it's plastic surgery, which a lot of people don't know this, but I used to be Hugh Jackman. You know, young folks in B.C., yeah they're partying, which is, of course, dangerous. And they probably don't know that thousands of young people aren't just getting sick from coronavirus, that they're also dying from it too. And, of course, it's terrible that it affects our most vulnerable B.C.'s -- that's home to some of the coolest older people on Earth. I mean, David Suzuki, he lives there. My mom. She doesn't want to be cooped up in her apartment all day. She wants to be out there cruising Kitsilano Beach, looking for some young 30 something Abercrombie burnout to go full Mrs. Robinson on. She is insatiable. But here's the thing, I hope that young people in B.C. don't kill my mom, frankly, or David Suzuki or each other. Let's not kill anyone. I think that's reasonable. And, you know, I don't think that I'm the guy to deliver this message. I love parties. My favourite thing to do is just sit alone in my room with a glass of gin and the first 32 seasons of Gossip Girl. Now, that's a party. Threw my shoulder out the last time I did that.

AH: That was actor Ryan Reynolds. He was responding to B.C. premier John Horgan's request that he tell young people spreading COVID-19 in the province to stop partying.

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August 14, 2020 Episode Transcript

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