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The AIH Transcript For September 22, 2021

[hosts]Carol Off, Chris Howden[/hosts]

CAROL Off: Hello, I'm Carol Off.

CHRIS HOWDEN: Good evening. I'm Chris Howden. This is As It Happens.

[music: theme]

Prologue

CH: Tonight:

CO: Taking a shot at avoiding one. As vaccine passports come into effect in parts of the country, some people are seeking unfounded medical exemption letters. And a Calgary doctor says one patient offered him a bribe for false documents.

CH: Eyes wide open. The incoming NDP MP for Nunavut says she shares her predecessor's frustration with federal politics -- but she's determined to make positive change even as she braces for the same old discrimination.

CO: A show of hands. To prevent more Black men from being shot by police in their cars, our guest invented what's called a "Not-Reaching Pouch" -- but she wishes she hadn't had to.

CH: Waste deep. New Orleans is struggling with a serious shortage of sanitation workers, so people are banding together to clean their streets of the rotting garbage left by Hurricane Ida.

CH: Rent asunder. A campaigner in Germany explains a daring plan that could see hundreds of thousands of properties transferred to public ownership as a way to curb the astronomical cost of housing.

CH: And... getting in on the ground florets. If your kid hates broccoli, a new study suggests there's a legitimate reason why: chewing it releases a stench that makes them green around the gills.

CH: As It Happens. The Wednesday edition. Radio that knows it's tough to be the new kid on the brocc.

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Part 1

Fake Medical Exemptions

Guest: Dr. Mukarram Zaidi

CH: Across the country, more and more people will need a vaccine passport for access to various services. Today, New Brunswick and Ontario began requiring proof of vaccination to enter non-essential spaces, including restaurants and gyms. That's already the case in B.C., Quebec, Manitoba, and Alberta. But rather than get the vaccines that would enable them to get vaccine passports, some patients are looking for medical exemptions from their doctors. In almost all cases, physicians are turning them down. Dr. Mukarram Zaidi is a family doctor. We reached him in Calgary.

CO: Dr. Zaidi, do you think anybody should be getting these letters of exemption?

DR. MUKARRAM ZAIDI: Those who medically qualify should get one.

CO: And what would that be, what what would qualify them for an exemption, in your view?

DMZ: Somebody who is suffering from pericarditis. It's a heart condition. Or had an anaphylactic reaction to the first dose.

CO: Uh-huh. Do you have any idea how many people would then qualify for this exemption?

DMZ: Very few. Less than .01 per cent in our population.

CO: How often are you being asked to give people this letter of exemption?

DMZ: So, almost every day. I would say three patients a day minimum.

CO: And do they have these conditions?

DMZ: No, none of them.

CO: So what are they saying to you about why they want to get a certificate showing that they don't need a vaccine?

DMZ: So, I would break them into three categories. First of them are the people who are undecided. Now, they're trying to understand more. They have more questions. And they come for a letter. And when I explain to them, they're open for a discussion, and they're open-minded. And a good majority of them would agree to get vaccinated. I had a pregnant female who didn't get vaccinated and got vaccinated after our discussion. I had a family which came in with young children. I explained to them, and the children agreed to get vaccinated after they understood that their decision would impact on the entire community. And people are suffering because their surgeries have been cancelled.

CO: So you've been able to use these... use these as opportunities to explain to people why they should be vaccinated?

DMZ: Definitely, those people who are open to discussions have agreed to get vaccinated. And then there's a second group of people who feel entitled. And somehow, they got a letter for facemask exemption. And now, they want a letter for the vaccine exemption or a letter that says they have a vaccine. And they don't want a discussion. They're... they feel entitled. They feel they're smarter than everybody. They're just in the room to get a note. Once I decline after a longer conversation about why I am not giving a note, they just leave.

CO: Wow! I just want to explore that a bit more. And so... so the people coming in, they just... they don't offer any reason for wanting it. They say they just... they don't want the vaccine, and they expect you to provide the letter for them?

DMZ: Correct.

CO: But you're also getting people who are wanting you to give a note that they have been vaccinated when they haven't been?

DMZ: Correct.

CO: What do you make of that?

DMZ: The jaw drops every time. And I tell them that what you're asking me is illegal and unethical and borderline criminal as well. And they go, yeah. And the kind of note they're asking for something so illegal, but they are shameless in asking for something like that.

CO: Wow! And then the third group?

DMZ: The third group is there who... which... which knows they're doing an illegal and immoral thing. But on top of it, they want to offer money as well.

CO: They offer you… they're offering you --

DMZ: They know --

CO: They're offering you money? They're going to buy this letter of exemption?

DMZ: Correct.

CO: How much money are they offering you?

DMZ: So the one Caucasian gentleman offered me 200 dollars.

CO: Cash?!

DMZ: Yeah, so he comes to the clinic, and he says that he's here for a letter of proof of vaccination. So I said, OK, I'll just go on Netcare and see. He said, no, you cannot go on Netcare. I'm a patient, and I'm telling you need to trust me. And I'll pay you for this consultation and the letter. I said, no, you don't need to pay me for a letter of proof of vaccination. I'll just go and check. And he said, no, you need to trust a patient what the patient says, and I will compensate you for that. And I'll give you two 200 dollars. I'm like, no, I don't need the money. This is unethical and criminal to give a letter. So once he understood, I'm not giving him a letter, he kind of left.

CO: How did you feel about that?

DMZ: Angry, very, very angry. It makes me really upset that somebody would come in, choose me as a physician for a walk-in and kind of offer money. And then I told a gentleman, you know, not every immigrant coloured medical graduate is corrupt. We are educated and ethical individuals.

CO: So you think he chose you specifically?

DMZ: I think that individual was looking for a ethnic name to go to a physician and kind of get his way through.

CO: Because he thought you might be corrupt?

DMZ: Because he thought he might get his way around, you know, pressurizing an individual by speaking louder and then telling them what it's ethical and unethical.

CO: This is an extraordinary story. Why do people want to go to such lengths to get this letter of exemption instead of getting... just going the route and getting the vaccine?

DMZ: Which I feel the problem is in Alberta is our poor leadership. Had they been honest, open and clear with a proper message from the beginning, we might not have the problem we are facing. Our premier and medical officer and our minister of health did not want to implement facemasks or social distancing for the longest time. And when they were forced to, they did. And they opened up for summer as COVID had gone. Well, we had predicted that ICU would be full and we would be cancelling surgeries. And at this point, surgeries have been cancelled for weeks and with no end in sight. Being a primary care physician, I see the suffering of patients. We knew that they would be having a surgery, the surgery's cancelled, and there's no end in sight for their pain.

CO: Just finally, those who come to you with this privileged attitude that you're supposed to just provide this without any reason, or this person who tried to buy an exemption letter from you, where do you think they go afterwards? Do you think that's it? Or do you think that they eventually find someone who... some doctor who'll do that?

DMZ: I think they would go and do some more shopping for other doctors to find a note somewhere else.

CO: And do you think that's how others got their facemask exemption as well?

DMZ: Yep. When I tweeted about it, I retweeted that they heard somebody saying that they got the facemask exemption letter for 160 dollars.

CO: Dr. Zaidi, these are very disturbing stories. I'm sorry you had to go through that, but I appreciate you telling the stories to us today. Thank you.

DMZ: Thank you very much for having me.

CH: Dr. Mukarram Zaidi is a family doctor. He was in Calgary.

[music: ambient]

Not-Reaching Pouch

Guest: Jackie Carter

CH: In the five years since Philando Castile was shot and killed by police during a traffic stop in St. Paul, Minnesota, there have been protests throughout Minneapolis. Mr. Castile was a licensed gun owner, who told the officer that he had his weapon with him before reaching for his driver's license and registration. The officer says he thought Mr. Castile was reaching for his pistol -- so he shot into the car seven times, killing him. Jackie Carter decided to do something about that problem of drivers having to reach out of the view of a police officer. So she created the Not-Reaching Pouch. The clear plastic cardholder gives drivers easy and visible access to their license and registration. We reached Jackie Carter in Alexandria, Virginia.

CO: Jackie, first of all, can you just tell us what inspired you to create these Not-Reaching pouches?

JACKIE CARTER: The inspiration actually came from Philando Castile, after I saw his fatal traffic stop on July 6th of 2016. My son was actually celebrating his 30th birthday, and Valerie was losing her son to a routine traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Minnesota.

CO: Just maybe just describe what it is and what it does?

JC: Not-Reaching is a vehicle identification pouch. It's a plastic pouch that clips to a magnet. The magnet is placed on your driver's side air vent, and you click the pouch on it, and it holds your licence, registration and insurance. So when you're pulled over for a traffic stop, when an officer is approaching your vehicle, you're no longer having to reach. And after discussing this with law enforcement, this was one of the biggest things they discussed as far as escalating traffic stops was the reaching and the movement.

CO: How do you think it might have helped Philando Castile from being shot and killed by police?

JC: His mother, Valerie, has... she's been on... you know, done many interviews and has said that if her son had the Not-Reaching Pouch, he possibly could be alive today. She's not guaranteeing, but she's saying possibly because when the officer... when he told the officer that he had a licence to carry, and when the officer asked him to get his documents, he reached. And when he reached, Officer Yanez shot him fatally seven times. Philando's last words before what his mother says he lost his constitutional right to live was, I wasn't reaching. And when I named the pouch Not-Reaching, I did not even know they were his last words.

CO: You are working with Philando Castile's mother, Valerie, on this project. What made her want to be part of it?

JC: My opinion on that is Valerie saw that we were trying to create solutions. Not creating the solution, but creating a solution for what happened with her son. She... she looked at it as if, hey, if this could help, why not try to use it? Why not... you know, she uses it daily. She's giving them out. She actually created a pouch with Philando's image on it that she passed out during the July 6th commemoration of his fatal traffic stop. And so, you know, she's a believer in it.

CO: The Minnesota Department of Public Safety is also on board with the idea. What are they... they're actually promoting, and I think distributing the Not-Reaching pouches, is that right?

JC: That is correct. They've actually customized them as well with their logo on them. And they have given them out to, I think, at least eight police departments in Minnesota. And those departments are giving them out. And even over the weekend with the naysayers on social media, I was getting a lot of sales from Minnesota, which tells me that, you know, it's not something that people are saying, oh, my gosh, we shouldn't do it. And, you know, people are asking for them.

CO: You're doing this because, as a mother, you don't want to see your son or anyone else's son get… end in the same way as Philando Castile, right?

JC: We want both parties to go home safely. We want law enforcement to go home safely. We want the drivers to go home safely. And yes, as a mother and as a Black mother, I am always concerned for our son, Justin. He was a medic in Afghanistan. And I, honestly... I had this conversation with someone yesterday. I turn my phone off at night because I'm still scared. I'm more scared with him here and something like that happening to him than I was when he was in Afghanistan.

CO: What does that say to you that you're more afraid that he'll be killed in… in your city than he would be in a war?

JC: That we have a lot of work to do, that there's still things that are going on that should not be. And we have to get to a point where not just drivers are trained, but officers are trained as well, so that we don't have that situation, that I can keep my phone on night and not be afraid that I might get a call, so.

CO: And how many Black mothers do you think have that same fear of the phone call at night?

JC: Oh, no, that's... that's inherent. We all have it. I would... I would beg to differ if someone says they don't.

CO: You know that... you say there are naysayers, and people are... some of the responses are that this... this shouldn't be called the Not-Reaching Pouch. It should be called the Don't Murder Me Pouch. Don't you think people have... have a reason to look at it that way?

JC: I mean, everybody has their opinion. And, you know, I don't dispute anyone's opinion because that's their own. However, I think that a lot of people actually did not do their homework, did not do their research, did not understand that we have created a non-profit now that trains. We’re doing virtual reality training now for student drivers.

CO: Why should anyone have to learn such things? Is the onus not on those who might be shooting them?

JC: Yes, sometimes we have to be proactively prepared for any scenario.

CO: Right. I guess the argument is that, first of all, that... that Black people, Black men get stopped for routine stops far more frequently than anybody else. And Black people are -- young Black men are -- the ones getting shot. They're getting shot for doing something they were asked to do, which was to show some... to go and get their I.D. and show it to the authorities. That there's something inherently wrong with all of that. That's, I guess, the argument people are putting back to you, right?

JC: Yeah, I mean, and I agree. Systemic change takes time. This is... this is not a one-and-done, where, OK, now, all of a sudden, everybody stop doing that. That's not going to happen. And we shouldn't kid ourselves in thinking that was going to happen. We have to train. We have to, you know, educate. We have to... on both sides. You know, there has to be new policing policies on who we let in police departments, if they're... they're even prepared for traffic stops and doing traffic stops. There's a lot that goes in this. We are just at the beginning of trying to make changes. Look, I hope Not-Reaching is a relic that one of my grandkids can go and see in the African-American Museum in D.C.

CO: Jackie, we will leave it there. And I thank you for speaking with us.

JC: Oh, thank you. I greatly appreciate it.

CH: Jackie Carter is the inventor of the Not-Reaching Pouch. She’s in Alexandria, Virginia. This week, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety began distributing her pouches in hopes of reducing what it calls "deadly force encounters".

[music: vocalization]

New Orleans Garbage Cleanup

Guest: Anthony Marullo

CH: New Orleans, Louisiana has long had a problem with garbage collection: there just aren't enough people to do the job. And now, that problem has gone from unpleasant to a full-on health hazard. Demand for sanitary workers skyrocketed after Hurricane Ida hit. But supply of workers shrank. Now, almost a month after the storm, streets are still filled with litter, maggots are multiplying exponentially, and the smell around the city is unimaginably bad. Anthony Marullo owns townhomes in New Orleans. He's been helping his tenants and other local residents, clean their homes and streets. We reached Mr. Marullo in New Orleans.

CO: Anthony, first of all, just paint a picture for us. When you walk into a tenant's home, how much litter and damage are you seeing?

ANTHONY MARULLO: It's pretty extensive when the tenants are walking into their home or up their sidewalk or parking in their driveway. In some cases, the garbage is... is spilling over so much that they can't even get into their driveway or walk on the sidewalks. And the trash situation here was a big problem prior to Hurricane Ida. A lot of folks don't realize that some locations didn't have a trash pick-up 30 to 45 days before Hurricane Ida hit us.

CO: Yikes!

AM: So you can only imagine what, you know, months of garbage would smell and look like. And that's what our residents are dealing with in parts of the city of New Orleans.

CO: And so, people... after the hurricane and they come back and there's been a lot... I guess you lost some electricity and all these things. And so people are tossing out a lot of stuff from the refrigerators, right?

AM: Oh yeah, there's a lot of food on the street. There's a lot of other items that I would prefer, not to mention on the street, that children shouldn't have to see. There's diapers that have been out on the street, used soiled diapers. It's a serious situation. It's approaching a public health crisis.

CO: Sounds like it already might be a health crisis or public health crisis. What... what do you think... what are the consequences of having that much trash out on the street?

AM: I mean, look, the consequences are pretty vast. We, as residents and citizens of New Orleans, we expect to receive the basic necessities as any other resident of any municipality would expect. And to have our children and to have our... our people living in this... this type of garbage. And, you know, the year 2021, it is just unacceptable.

CO: There are some stories people are telling about, just... not just once you've got that much trash, and it's... it's been... just been mouldering for so long, you have a huge problem with maggots and the flies, right? Are you seeing that?

AM: Oh, yes. The maggots, in some cases, are inches long. I mean, it's... it's really a bad situation. Roaches. There's, you know, even more rats and rodents than we normally deal with here in New Orleans. It's... it's a pretty dire situation.

CO: And you said... so. This problem existed even before Hurricane Ida, right? Why is that?

AM: There was labour shortages here in the city, especially with some of the trash companies prior to Ida. I believe it was a COVID effect, quite frankly. And so, they were struggling before the hurricane. And so you can only imagine what type of situation we're dealing with now after the hurricane. It definitely has not gotten easier to find workers and help.

CO: And why is it so hard to find garbage collectors in New Orleans?

AM: Well, I mean, look, I don't think... I don't think our children grow up, number one, wanting to be garbage collectors. However, you know, just like I know in my private business, it's the same in public enterprise. You have to... if you're having problems, you have to pay your workers. You have to do something. You have to incentivize these individuals to step up and to do this job so we can provide the service for the residents of New Orleans.

CO: And so now they're not just being asked to do a job where they're saying that there's not... it's not adequately paid work, so it's hard to get people. But now, it's just... it's beyond disgusting. I mean, so people who are describing trying to clean it up themselves, it's the... it's just overwhelming, the stench and the... and the the contact with these... with these insects.

AM: It is. I mean, the smell, when I was going to one of my complexes to help with these efforts, I could smell the garbage when I turned off the interstate, and I was on the service road. I could literally smell the garbage from two or three blocks away. It's... it's... it's just... it's a... it's a serious situation.

CO: How are people able to live there with that?

AM: Well, I mean, I think... I think a lot of folks, they don't want to live like this. They don't want to. But they're... you know, what are they going to do? You know, they... they... they're here. They love the city. I'll tell you one thing about our people. We're resilient. We stick together. We come together when we need to. We love our city, you know? And I think that... that they love the city so much that they're... that they're just, you know, trying to bear... bear through this and trying to make it through this. But they certainly don't deserve it, and they certainly shouldn't be dealing with this.

CO: There have been calls for people or suggestions for people to actually deal with it themselves, to go to the dump, to go to dumpsters, gather up the garbage. But the resistance is that you're putting a bunch of leaky maggot-infested garbage in your car is, like, not a great idea, right?

AM: That's correct. Not... not every... not every resident has access to a pickup truck. So you're now asking folks to put soiled garbage, you know, maybe in their trunk or their back seat. That's just unacceptable. And it's something that, you know, we shouldn't be asking our residents to do.

CO: But you tried to mobilize people to clean some of this up. You're doing it yourself as well, aren't you?

AM: Yes, ma'am. I love my tenants. I got on the phone with some friends. I called Sidney Torres, who's a big trash collector in the area, who... he's actually doing a bang-out job with the roots he's servicing. All his roots are actually getting picked up. And he so graciously donated us dumpsters. So, you know, like I said, here in New Orleans, we're resilient individuals. When we have to, we come together, and we'll find a way to get the job done.

CO: All right, Anthony, I'll let you get on with that. And I do appreciate you taking time to talk to us. Thank you.

AM: Absolutely. Thank you, ma'am.

CH: Anthony Marullo has been leading a community effort to clean the garbage-strewn streets of New Orleans after Hurricane Ida.

[music: folk]

Broccoli For Kids

SOUNDCLIP

GEORGE H.W. BUSH: There are truckloads of broccoli at this very minute descending on Washington. [laughing in the background] My family is divided. [more laughing] I do not like broccoli. [again with the laughing] And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid, and my mother made me eat it. And I'm president of the United States, and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli

CH: From March of 1990, U.S. President George H.W. Bush, announcing an executive order declaring he would not eat broccoli. That became a running gag throughout his presidency -- emphasis on gag. Which was very popular with one constituency in particular: children. A lot of kids hate broccoli. And if you're a parent who's trying to ensure they eat broccoli, it can be tempting to assume it's because they're jerks. But that's not the reason. Or, at least, that's not the only reason. A new study suggests it's because of their saliva. All of us, grown-ups and young'uns alike, have enzymes in our spit, produced by bacteria. They break down a compound in cruciferous vegetables -- which include cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli. And when that compound breaks down, it creates foul-smelling odour molecules. And the more enzyme activity in your mouth, the more odour molecules are produced. Now, adults are used to this phenomenon. So it doesn't affect our enjoyment of broccoli. But children are more sensitive to weird tastes and putrid smells. So when they hate broccoli, that's why. And children whose spit produces more terrible smell hate it even more. And with this new information, maybe they're right: I now hate broccoli, mouths, all foods, and eating. And if you're having dinner right now, I apologize: this was in the worst possible taste.

[music: conga]

Part 2

NDP: Lori Idlout

Guest: Lori Idlout

CH: In many ways, Monday's election was out with the old, in with a different version of the old. But in Nunavut, the territory's lone sitting Member of Parliament wasn't even on the ballot. As NDP MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq told Carol in June, she decided to leave politics, because the job left her feeling alone, frustrated and exhausted.

SOUNDCLIP

MUMILAAQ QAQQAQ: To be told all the time as an Indigenous person, as someone that looks like me, that they know there's a problem, they know there needs to be more done is incredibly frustrating. And what I've come to realize more and more is that it's... it's about power and that there's a major imbalance. And what that is, is... is the gaslight. It's a power trip to be able to have an immense amount of oppression on not a small group of people by any means. I'm talking about tens of thousands of Inuit. I'm talking about hundreds of thousands of Indigenous people, who the system doesn't... doesn't work for. And I have point blank said to ministers, walk in our shoes, attempt it, try it, try... put yourself in the position you forced us into. And they refused to. They know they can't. They know they couldn't handle it. So why would you expect any other human being to live in conditions you... you say you wouldn't even imagine? Like that is so wrong and shameful and gut-wrenching for people... the people that need help.

CH: Former Nunavut MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, speaking with Carol in June about why she was not running again. Lori Idlout is the NDP politician who won that seat on Monday night. She's Nunavut's new MP. And we reached her in Iqaluit.

CO: Ms. Idlout, first of all, congratulations.

LORI IDLOUT: Thank you. Thank you so much.

CO: What's it like for you to hear Mumilaaq Qaqqaq explaining how frustrating she found life in Parliament, and you are now the person to follow in her footsteps?

LI: I have empathy for her, for sure, because I have experienced racism myself. So while I'm concerned, I know that I'll have the coping skills to be able to deal with it and to have a sense of what she's experienced helps me to prepare as much as I can mentally before I arrive there.

CO: Do you understand what she's explaining about how she thinks people in Ottawa are on some kind of a power trip and that they… that they don't understand... the system doesn't work for people in... in your region, in your... in your riding, who... people you represent. Do share that view?

LI: I'd say that it's not just people in Ottawa. Racism is systemic in all of Canada. It makes me frustrated at the same time. But it also makes me determined to make sure that we're working towards a better understanding of the shared history that we need to have for our children and our grandchildren to be better educated.

CO: But you're not the first person. You're not the first Indigenous person who is going to try and make that case to try to explain that in Ottawa and also to the rest of Canada. And so how do you think you'll do that? How are you going to get that message in front of people and get them to understand what your constituents are living with?

LI: I completely understand that I am not the first. I'm just saying that when I left my Nunavut communities to further my education, I've had to live in the south, I've experienced racism. I know what it's like. I know how challenging it is to be judged just for the colour of my skin. And for me, I need to make sure that I play a role in ensuring that more Canadians understand that as Indigenous Canadians, so many of us were forced to lose our language, our culture. And because of the intergenerational trauma, there's still a lot of pain and suffering that we experience. And because of that, Canadians need to be understanding and respectful and really just make sure that more Canadians have a more way of being trauma-informed and really just making sure that we base our education on creating and generating an understanding of Canada's treatments to Indigenous Canadians.

CO: The needs go beyond respect and understanding, don't they? Because your territory is dealing with a severe housing crisis. You have people living with... with mold. You have overcrowded homes. You have homes that are substandard. And so, this is... this is a... this is an investment issue, isn't it? It's... this is something that is sort of a bricks and mortar issue. How are you going to get that issue? How are you going to get the housing crisis in your territory, in front of and on the agenda of Ottawa?

LI: My approach will be to make sure that we shift our relationship with the federal government. Up to this point, Nunavut, Indigenous Canadians basically are begging for more resources, begging for more services. We need to shift that relationship so that we get the federal government to realize that we can negotiate in a position of power because we know that the federal government wants resources from us, too. And based on knowing that, we need to say that we have to negotiate what benefits come back to Nunavut, what benefits Indigenous Canadians receive. And to make sure that we're shifting the conversation from Realizing that the federal government have always wanted resources from indigenous Canadians. And to use that to change our conversation with the bureaucracy, with the huge government that the government of Canada is.

CO: And so you see the opportunity to use what Canada, what the government, wants from Nunavut. You can see that as leverage to say you want something you're going to have to give back, right?

LI: Exactly.

CO: And yet, we heard from Justin Trudeau. He visited Nunavut in August. He promised that his government would invest 360 million dollars for housing in Nunavut. And he said he would do it, quote, very, very soon. How confident are you that you will see that money?

LI: I am not very confident. He's promised that he's promised more housing funds for the last six years. His promises, even those amounts result... and... and based on an analysis that we were given in three new houses per community per year. And three new houses in one community will not address the housing crisis. So it's not sufficient, and we need to make sure that we do better when it comes to housing.

CO: What is the message people in your community? What are they saying they want you to take to Ottawa? What do they want you to put before Parliament?

LI: Housing was definitely the biggest issue. Not just to increase housing, but to address the mold crisis, to make sure that we're renovating the old houses that were built many years ago, and to also make sure that we keep our elders in our communities. It's a huge concern. The elders are being sent south because of the needs that can't be met from what the government says are their standards. So it's very much about getting the federal government to realize that Inuit have skills and resources that they can use that are not recognized. Similarly, that needs to be recognized. And just finding a way to make sure that we're in power in Nunavut to be the decision-makers. And to make sure that we're listening to the Nunavut communities when it comes to solutions that can work in their communities.

CO: Ms, Idlout, we will leave it there. And I wish you success with the message and... and the needs that you are bringing to Ottawa as an MP. So thank you very much for speaking with us.

LI: Nakurmiik. Thank you so much.

CH: Lori Idlout is incoming NDP MP for Nunavut. We reached her in Iqaluit. And you can find more on that story on our webpage at: www.cbc.ca/aih.

[music: elevator music]

Berlin Housing Solution

Guest: Jonas Becker

CH: During the election campaign, it was clear that affordable housing is an issue that concerns a lot of Canadians. And that's the case for Germans too -- who head to the polls at the end of this week for federal and state elections. In Berlin, campaigners gathered enough signatures to get a referendum on the ballot. They want housing units owned by the city's largest landlords to be transferred to the government. Jonas Becker is a renter in Berlin and also a spokesperson for the group behind the referendum. He's in Berlin.

CO: Jonas, how often does the cost of rent come up in conversation among people who live in Berlin?

JONAS BECKER: Almost always. It's really the most important topic, especially nowadays when we have the state election coming up and our referendum.

CO: Is it hard to find a place to rent, or is it the affordability question that's... that's really at issue?

JB: It's a mixture of both because it is really difficult for people to find affordable housing, to find any apartment, to begin with. But an apartment that you can afford where you don't have to pay too much of your income, that is almost incredibly hard to find in Berlin.

CO: And is that across the board? Is that low-income people who have a hard time finding affordable housing? Or how far does it go into your society that you have to pay a very large part of your income in rent?

JB: Yeah, that's really a problem that also affects the middle-class incomes, not only low or medium-income households. But you also have families sometimes where both parents work and get a decent wage or a medium-income wage who don't find affordable housing in the city. And that is really a problem that concerns everyone in Berlin because you have over 80 per cent of Berliners who are tenants and who have to pay their rent monthly. And the rents have doubled in the last 10 to 15 years.

CO: Hmm. And so, what is this referendum asking voters to consider?

JB: We want to really get to the root of the problem, which is from our perspective that corporate landlords take the rent in order to make profits and are responsible for the increasing rents. And that's why we want to expropriate corporate landlords who have more than 3,000 apartments in the city, in order to lower rents and in order for the apartments to be publicly administered.

CO: Activists, people campaigning to get affordable housing everywhere, including in cities in Canada, are often calling for exactly this, that corporate ownership, that big companies that make a lot of money off of rent and pay it to their shareholders, that this is... that they protest against that. But how difficult was it to actually get this onto a referendum?

JB: It was very difficult because Germany has, for obvious historical reasons, very high barriers, legal barriers for direct democracy. So it's a lot of effort that we've put into it. It shows that it really is a very important question for most Berliners.

CO: Because it is an issue for… for a city that was once divided between two political systems, right? To actually ask that your city socialize your housing, take from the rich and give to the poor. I mean, this is... is that controversial in Berlin?

JB: Yeah, it sounds controversial, and it sometimes is. But most of the time, we can very plausibly argue that what we want to achieve was just the normal status in the whole Western Europe and even West Germany throughout the 60s and 70s, where a large amount of buildings were publicly administered, which were not profit-driven or like handled by corporations. So it doesn't really have anything to do with the two political systems that were for a long time part of our city in Berlin. But it is rather a question of affordable housing and the development that, for many people, poses a real problem and a threat.

CO: Are there particular big mega landlords that you're pursuing in this? Are there particular ones that are actually named in this referendum?

JB: Yeah, I mean, the name of our initiative is Deutsche Wohnen & Co. Enteignen, which means that Deutsche Wohnen, obviously, is one of the corporate landlords we want to expropriate. Others are, for example, Vonovia and Akelius, that are really companies from not only within Germany but also from Europe and other parts of the globe who we see as the main problem because they only want to engage on the real estate market in order to make profits.

CO: And it's interesting that for a Canadian point of view, this company, Akelius, which is based in Stockholm, it owns a lot of properties in Montreal and Toronto. [chuckling] So I'm sure people are quite interested in what you're saying. [JB chuckles] But your issue is that... that these companies, that a lot of them are owned by hedge funds. A lot of these... these... these units are owned by hedge funds, by corporations that are paying dividends to shareholders. And so, they have a vested interest in keeping the rents quite high. That... that's... that's the issue, right?

JB: Exactly. That is the root of our problem. We don't have a problem with the companies itself, but it's rather the necessity for those companies in the system in which they are acting that they have to raise rents in order to make profits, in order to give dividends to their shareholders. And that is the problem we're having. From our perspective, the rent should not go into the dividends for shareholders, but rather into either lower rents or into the buildings or into buying and building new buildings. That is more important from our perspective.

CO: What might the cost of this referendum, if it was passed, what would it actually be for Berlin?

JB: Yeah, we are relying on Article 15 of the German Constitution. And in Article 14, it is stated that the compensation sum that we would have to pay to the corporate landlords in order to get the apartments must be balanced between the interests of the public and the corporations. The Senate stated that the 39 billion euros, which is the market value of the apartments, is the upper maximum of this balance. And obviously, zero euro would be the opposite. So in order to really find a balance, it must be somewhere in between. And that's why we say it should be around 13 or 11 billion euros because that would be a balance between the interests of the corporations and of the public.

CO: And I guess finally, the opponents are saying that even if you're successful in this referendum, that is unconstitutional. And that you're going to have all kinds of legal challenges and... and political chaos. So how do you respond to that?

JB: Yeah, we've already had a very long and intense process of legal explanations for our referendum when the Senate had to validate our referendum. And it did so. And we are relying on the Constitution. And most of the legal experts we have consulted say that Article 15 of the German Constitution, which we rely on and has never been triggered before, exactly, wants to provide the possibility of socialization, and that is the exact nature of our referendum. So that's why it's not really fair of people to call that unconstitutional because it is the nature of this Constitution's article.

CO: All right. We will be watching. Lots of people in this country will be watching because this is quite fascinating what you're... what you're proposing to do. Jonas, it's good to talk to you. Thank you.

JB: Yeah. Thank you.

CH: Jonas Becker is a spokesperson with the group Deutsche Wohnen & Co. Enteignen, which wants to expropriate corporate landlords in Berlin. That's where we reached him. And you can find more on that story on our website: www.cbc.ca/aih.

[music: jazz]

FOA: As It Flappens

SOUNDCLIP

[a phone dials]

CHICKELYNA: Thank you for calling Cickelyna at MPBC’s As It Flappens [Hey, I know their transcriber!]. I'm sorry I missed your call, but if you leave your name and number up --

MIIKSHI: Hurry up! Hurry up!

CHICKELYNA: I'll get back to you as soon as I have a free moment, which may not be as soon as I'm a really busy chicken.

MIKSHI: Chickelyna, it’s me --

CHICKELYNA: Thaaaaaanks!!!

[disconnects]

[music: our theme? Sounds like it!]

CH: [chuckling] Tape from a children's TV show called Miikshi -- complete with a variation on the As It Happens theme song, and a character named Chickelyna, who bears something of a resemblance to our own really busy Carol Off. At least in terms of their shared commitment to radio journalism. Less so in terms of their physical appearance. Chickelyna is, after all, a chicken puppet. And now, she's a chicken puppet you can watch in Ontario on TVO Kids. Miikshi premiered on the channel this week, after husband-and-wife creators Justin and Lindsay Lee shared previous, self-produced episodes on YouTube. Back when the first of those came out in 2019, they spoke with Carol here on As It Flap… ah, As It Happens.

SOUNDCLIP

LL: I happen to be a huge fan of “As It Happens”. And Chickelyna the character is a journalist. And I thought because she's a chicken, she flaps her wings, so “As It Flappens” would be the title we came up with for her radio show. And because we love the theme song so much, and it's just so much fun, Justin and our other friend wrote a little Miikshi version of the theme song that sounds remarkably very close to the “As It Happens” theme, I hope.

JL: But not to similar.

LL: Yeah, not too similar.

CO: The thing is that now this host of this show, “As It Flappens” is a very chick, Chickelyna. And she's sitting on her little nest chair with her headphones on. Is she modeled on anyone in particular?

LL: She's actually modeled on a childhood toy of mine. When I was younger, I had a toy she might have been a duck, but I thought she was a chicken. And she had a big, round yellow head. And a big, pouty orange beak. And in my mind, she was kind of a brat — an abrasive character. So she was she was modeled on that. But yeah, she's quite an interesting character because she is she's quite loud and abrasive and rowdy, but she's also very, very good at her job. She’s a good journalist we think.

JL: And her broadcast voice, we might have asked our friend to effect a little bit of a Carol Off impression — just a bit.

CO: She is she is aggressive, isn't she? I mean she's holding animal feet to the fire, isn't she?

JL: We just thought maybe she should sound just a little bit like you, and then not too much.

LL: Which is not aggressive at all. We don’t associate that with you.

CO: Now, this is very exciting for us here. But I understand Chickelyna is available — that I can speak with her, is that correct?

LL: Yes, she is.

CO: Chickelyna, are you on the line?

C: Hi. Yes, I am.

CO: This is very exciting. We are big fans of you and your show, “As It Fappens”.

C: Oh, thank you so much. And let me just say I was just absolutely flattered to hear that CBC started its own show inspired by “As It Flappens” called “As It Happens”.

CO: Well, we'll never be as good as you.

C: Oh, thank you. Thank you. Well, I know you guys are real journalists. You don't allow guests to duck any questions. You don't allow foul language. You know if that if that kind of thing happens on the radio, it could be your swan song.

CO: You won’t make an ass out of me.

C: Well I’m sure it’s OK if you poach a few of our puns. That’s OK. But I can be a little scrambled sometimes. You know, you don’t want to be too hard-boiled about it. Birds of a feather and all that. Birds of a feather.

CH: [chuckling] Justin and Lindsay Lee are the husband-and-wife duo behind Miikshi, in which a chicken hosts a radio show called As It Flappens. Melanie Leblanc is the voice of Chikelyna. Miikshi premiered on TVO Kids this week in Ontario. And we've been grooving to the As It Flappens theme song ever since.

[music: I swear this is our theme]

Part 3

Winnipeg Student Not Standing For The Anthem

CH: Winnipeg high school student Skyla Hart is choosing to sit this one out. Even if it means trouble from her teachers. Since she was in Grade Five, the First Nations student has been sitting during the national anthem. And her small act of protest against the treatment of Indigenous people was never an issue. Until this year. Now, the Grade Ten student has been pulled out of class and reprimanded for not standing during "O Canada". She spoke with CBC Winnipeg about it.

SOUNDCLIP

SKYLA HART: I don't stand for “O Canada” because like… like this country is a colonized country, and I don’t want to stand for a colonized country. People always say, like, it was a long time ago. But that doesn't matter if it's still, like, we're still going through it, all the trauma from it. And I didn’t choose to stand for “O Canada”. And then, my teacher pulled me out of the class and told me I had to stand in the hallway. And I would still be standing for “O Canada” if I stand in the hallway. So I chose to sit down in the hallway. And then another teacher came from one of the other classrooms and she... she, like, yelled at me to stand up. And I told her respectfully, like, I don't stand up for “O Canada”.

CH: That was Skyla Hart speaking about her decision to sit during "O Canada". This morning, her mother, Raven Hart, who is a residential school survivor, talked about her teenager's decision.

SOUNDCLIP

RAVEN HART: You know, the first feeling that I had was I was really proud of Skyla. I was thinking about how brave it must be for her, how courageous she was to, you know, to take a seat in class and go against the grain. And so, for me, I just felt a sense of pride in my child that, you know, that... that she... that she would, you know, decide to take a seat and that there would be, you know, consequences to her actions. But she was willing to do that to raise awareness about, you know, what Indigenous people have continued to face in Canada.

MARCY MARKUSA: What do you think should happen to… to “O Canada” in schools, especially, I mean, this is a publicly-funded school, River East?

RH: I think that... I don't think that there should be “O Canada” in school. I think that as a result of the, you know, children that have been found at the residential schools, the children that are still today being uncovered, you know, the assaults on Indigenous children in the development of Canada with residential schools. You know, residential schools were built to, you know, undermine Indigenous, Metis, Inuit cultures all across Canada. And it disrupted Indigenous families for generations. And I feel like that those assaults were on the bodies, minds and hearts of Indigenous children all over Canada. And as a result of that, I think that, you know, the only people that benefit from “O Canada” is, you know, the white settler population. You know, and I let my daughter know that as a result of her taking a seat from Canada, that there... there could be consequences. But she's willing to do that in order to raise awareness that Indigenous people today are still suffering from the traumas of residential schools.

CH: That was Raven Hart speaking to Marcy Markusa, host of Information Radio, about her daughter's decision to sit during the national anthem. In a statement to CBC Winnipeg, the school division that oversees River East Collegiate said it offers "complete support" to Skyla and that the division's Indigenous academic achievement staff will be "working with River East Collegiate to build staff capacity knowledge.”

[music: instrumental]

Arkansas Vaccine Barber and Preacher.

Guest: Reverend Kenneth B Thomas Sr.

CH: From the pulpit to the barber's chair, Reverend Kenneth B. Thomas, Sr. is on a one-man crusade to get the people of Jonesboro, Arkansas vaccinated. In his county, only 34 percent of eligible people have been willing to get their shots, even though the area is near the top of the list for new COVID cases in the state. Reverend Thomas preaches about wearing masks and not being afraid of the shot. It also helps that he runs Daddy's Choice Barber Shop -- another place to get in people's ears about the vaccine. We reached Reverend Kenneth B. Thomas, Sr., in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

CO: Reverend Thomas, can you give us a taste of your sermon on masks and vaccinations? What are you telling your congregations?

REVEREND KENNETH B THOMAS SR: Well, what I tell my congregation is, you know, we're... we have to definitely be careful. And, you know, I told them that if the coronavirus come, you know, I would like to be the first one to take the vaccination. And so I took the vaccination, and nothing happened to me. And after that, they started taking theirs. So when I started preaching about it, I just started telling them about the safety of themselves. It's a personal thing.

CO: I understand you have a phrase that lots of people are picking upon. It's: mask it, vaxx it, or choose the casket.

RKBTS: [chuckling] It's a choice. Yeah, those... those are your choices. Majority of all of us have heard of someone that passed away from this particular virus. So you have a choice to mask it. You can either take the vaccination, or you can choose the casket. Now, you can either choose the mask, or you can choose not to wear the mask. It's your choice. But if you choose not to take the mask, there's a chance that you may face carona. And if you catch carona, there is not a guarantee that you will make it out. So you will be choosing the casket. So I would love it for you to choose the mask, choose the vaccination instead of choosing the casket because no one wants their loved one to pass away. So that is... that's where I get it from.

CO: And what about in your congregation? Were there people who did get very sick? Did you lose people to the coronavirus?

RKBTS: Yes, yes. Yes, we did. We have lost... we have lost loved ones from the coronavirus.

CO: And did that persuade people that maybe they need to... to get the vaccination?

RKBTS: You know, it helped a bit. Let's... let's be honest about it. You know, we had a... we had a young man here in the community that he was healthy, played sports and things of that nature. He came by… you know, I'm a barber also. He came by my... my barbershop, and he was like, hey, I'm not going to take the... this vaccination because you don't know what's in it, this and that. He had a whole lot of things to say negative about it because someone gave him false information. But, at the same time, he didn't take it. And don't you know it, three weeks later, that same young man passed away from the coronavirus. And that woke a lot of people up. You know, how could a young man that's very active end up passing away from having the coronavirus? So we have to... we have to... we have to actually look at this thing and take it at face value. No one is lying about the coronavirus. No one's lying about it. This thing is real serious. So anyone that tells you that this is a joke, hey, why don't you come on and follow me down to the cemetery and let me show you some people that actually passed away from this. As a matter of fact, let me introduce you to some family members of those that passed away that didn't have the health issues that you guys are saying that they had. I can introduce you to some of those people. And this is very serious. So all of us now take it serious because we've lost someone.

CO: I think I just got a sense of what you've been saying at the pulpit.

RKBTS: Yes.

CO: And how do people react when you get... when you tell them that?

RKBTS: Well, they react in a serious nature. And a lot of them react with a amens because a lot of them are the ones that are experiencing these things. You know, a lot of our church, we're like a... we're like a family. We're close-knit. And so what hurts one hurts us all. And so we all have this experience losing friends, family members, and church members, community members and leaders and things of that nature. We all have experienced that. So we all respond in a certain way because we believe in God, first of all. We believe in God, first of all. And we believe that God has given these... these doctors and scientists the ability to do what they do, to make the right decisions for the people. So we trust God on this one. So if we trust God, we have to trust those that he put in position.

CO: So God has given us the science you're saying?

RKBTS: He has given it to us. Anything that's given on this Earth is given by God. It's all given by God. So we can't take away... take away what God has done and give it to man.

CO: But this message is not shared widely because looking at the… at the statistics for... for Arkansas, first of all, you've got 44 per cent of Arkansas people have been vaccinated.

RKBTS: Yes

CO: Which is really much lower than the national average. But then, in Jonesboro, in your community, it's even less, it's only 34 per cent of eligible people have been fully vaccinated. Why... why are people in Jonesboro so reluctant, do you think?

RKBTS: You have it wear false information has been given. You have one news outlet saying this thing, and you have another news outlet saying this, and you have another outlet saying that. And also, you have leaders that are saying this and saying that. So it's a lot... it's a bunch of... it's a bunch of confusion.

CO: We've heard from others that... in the United States, that's one of the issues, is that in Black communities like Jonesboro, that they.... they don't trust the health authorities. And so they're reluctant to get the shot. Are you experiencing that as well?

RKBTS: Oh yeah, no. Yeah, we can say that across the board, you know, when it comes to the Tuskegee experiment and things of that nature. So a lot of it plays a part in and also. It all plays a part in it. So we have to... we have to try our best to... to get our... get our people to trust, to trust the medical field and things of that nature and the vaccination. So there's a lot of trust issues going on with that also. And as leaders, we have to make sure that we can be persuasive enough and being able to tell the truth and letting them know what's really going on when it comes to the vaccine and vaccination.

CO: If I'm hearing correctly, the thing that's needed at this point is leadership. Do you think that there's been a dearth of that? Do you... do you think that in the United States, you haven't seen the leadership that's necessary in order to fight this virus?

RKBTS: So we can actually say it's the leadership. And when you say leadership, I don't know if you're talking about the president, the governors or the mayors or whatever?. But there are more leaders in the community that deals with this, OK? Those that are in the news media, they're also leaders because they're the ones that's conveying the information. We look at the pastors in the pulpit. They're also the leaders. So those that are in charge of the information to get to the people, the truth they need to get to the people, we all are held responsible for what's going on.

CO: Reverend Thomas, I think that you're probably very effective [chuckling] when you speak to people in your church and also in your barbershop. I understand you talk to a lot of people there about all these things. And I appreciate speaking with you myself. Thank you.

RKBTS: All right. Thank you. And bless you.

CO: Thank you. Bye-bye.

RKBTS: Bye-bye.

CH: We reached Reverend Kenneth B Thomas, Sr., in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

[music: guitar]

Bear Killed By Goat

CH: If you had to choose who'd win a fight between a grizzly bear and a mountain goat -- by not getting killed -- you'd probably pick the bear. But that was not the case recently in Yoho National Park in eastern British Columbia. At the beginning of September, a hiker reported seeing a dead grizzly bear. Parks Canada says it removed the creature so it wouldn't attract other predators, and then did a necropsy. Wildlife ecologist David Laskin told the CBC what that revealed about how the bear had died.

SOUNDCLIP

DAVID LASKIN: You know, we know that grizzly bears will preydate on mountain goats. Like, that's pretty common. And we found out that it died of natural causes, which was the result of an unsuccessful predation attempt on a mountain goat. And I guess the mountain goat was successful in this circumstance. And it ultimately turned the tables on this bear.

SARAH PENTON: The goat fought back?

DL: Yeah, as it would. [SP chuckles] You know, they're big animals. And, you know, well-equipped to defend themselves. Again, you know, grizzly bears are known to hunt down mountain goats. And, you know, the location of the wounds on the carcase, which were in both armpits, you know, puncturing one lung and then on the underside of the neck, you know, those are consistent with the predatory attack behaviour of grizzly bears. So when do these attack, they tend to focus on the head in the back of the neck and the shoulders of their prey. And this is usually from above. So in turn, the defensive response of the mountain goat would be to protect itself using its sharp horns.

SP: How sharp are those horns?

DL: Well, they're like, really pointy.

SP: [chuckling] sharp enough to get into a grizzly bear, hey?

DL: Definitely and the necropsy confirmed that the wounds on the bear were consistent with the size and shape of mountain goat horns. So this kind of ruled out other causes, such as human involvement.

SP: Can you describe the size difference of this grizzly bear and your average mountain goat?

DL: Well, this bear was about 70 kilograms, so 150 pounds. And many mountain goats could be 150 pounds or bigger. And billies, even bigger than that. You know, the largest being close to 300 pounds.

SP Have you ever seen anything like this before?

DL: No. You know, there have been reports of mountain goats killing grizzlies, but this is exceedingly rare. And the first time my colleagues and I have dealt with this.

CH: David Laskin is a Parks Canada wildlife ecologist with the Lake Louise, Yoho, and Kootenay field unit. He spoke with the CBC's Sarah Penton yesterday afternoon on the program Radio West.

[music: acoustic guitar]

Giant Arck

Guest: David Blair

CH: Standing high on a hillside overlooking the Kyles of Bute, David Blair's ark is both beautiful and unsettling. It's built from European larch, and its hull is framed, but not clad -- offering visitors an intriguing view of the landscape, through the lens of a boat. And Mr. Blair hopes that lens will help bring climate change into focus -- particularly with the United Nations' COP26 Climate Change Conference in nearby Glasgow fast approaching. David Blair is a carpenter and member of the Tighnabruaich chapter of Extinction Rebellion. That's where we reached him.

CO: David, just to begin, can you paint me a picture of your ark?

DAVID BLAIR: It's a large timber structure that sits on top of a hill above the village of Tighnabruaich. Snd it's about 23 metres long, maybe six metres high and about five-and-a-half metres wide. And it's a big open timber frame with curved ribs bent onto that frame all the way around, which gives the impression of an arc under construction.

CO: It's quite beautiful and it's massive also on top of that hill. What has been the reaction on the part of people who see it?

DB: It's been very positive and I did think I'd probably have to put up some signage to explain what it was all about. But actually, I haven't put up any signage. I've just put a gate in the fence and invited people in. And… but most people recognize it as an ark, and they know the story of Noah and the ark. And... and through that, they make the connection that it's something to do with climate change and sea level rise in the run up to COP26. So without any interpretation, most people make that connection. And that was my hope and my aim.

CO: All right. So just tell us a bit more about what it does mean. What is it all about?

DB: Well, it's really... it's really to raise awareness of, you know, this critical issue. At this incredibly important time for humanity, I really feel that COP26 is our last best chance to... to galvanize the world’s governments to action on the climate and ecological crisis. And, you know, I am angry with the developed world governments and the global super-rich, really, for not taking action on the climate and ecological emergency before now, when the science is actually been clear for over 30 years that this is where we're heading. And just very little has happened to turn this ship around and get us heading in the right direction.

CO: And just for people to know it if they don't. COP26 is the climate conference, international conference, that is going to be in Glasgow in... in this year, in November.

DB: That’s right.

CO: And... and so, you're trying to draw attention to that. So I... just to go back to the actual structure, when you were building it, I understand you did run into a bit of trouble with the local planning department, is that right?

DB: Well, I actually... I didn't apply for planning because I wanted it to raise kind of the maximum amount of attention, really. And... but I am now engaged with the planning department, and I'm in the process of applying for planning permission. So hopefully it can stand on the hill until 2045 when the Scottish government have pledged to be carbon-zero. And if they achieve that, I'll happily take it down.

CO: And just you said we were building it. So you and other people in your community, other activists. Are they... you're part of something called the Extinction Rebellion, is that right?

DB: I am part of the Extinction Rebellion. And I've been to protests in London and Glasgow and Edinburgh to, you know, go straight to the heart of government and try and try and get them to wake up to the seriousness of this issue. But I'm a woodsman. I cut timber, I mill timber and I build stuff. So the ark was something I was able to do with the resources I had available to me. And it's had a far greater reaction already than, you know, my presence at the Impossible Rebellion in London would have had, for example. So I built it with my brother Rob and and our friend Scott Smith. So it was just three of us and we built it in the space of two weeks. And... and I'm really pleased with it. It's raising the energy. It’s raising awareness in another way through environmental art that tends to go more to the heart than... than the rational reasoning head.

CO: And you've had students visiting, a few school groups have actually been up to see it. And so... as well as, I guess, one church minister who then preached about it at the pulpit, is that right?

DB: That's right. No, the local minister really took it onboard and endorsed it as a... as a relevant symbol that we all know about, you know? And the story that we all know about. And... and... he, in his sermon, he related it to climate change and sea level rise. And yeah, next Wednesday, we've got the whole primary school coming up to the ark. And the minister's going to come up and do... do an interpretation of the Noah's Ark story within the ark. And the hope is that we can get all the kids to make up, you know, animal face masks to represent the ark even better and... and get some photographs of them all within the ark.

CO: And so, of course, so much interest in Scotland because of COP26 being in Glasgow. But it harkens back to COP21, doesn't it? And that was the one where the Paris climate accord was signed by so many countries that year, including Canada. And you know how far short of the goals that the agreement set out have been reached in your country and mine. And so what hope do you really have for COP26?

DB: Well, it's the most important conference since Paris. And in some ways, it could be argued, it's the most important conference that's ever happened on the planet. You know, if we see it as the last best chance to avert the worst effects of climate change, then this is absolutely crucial that the governments step up and not only make the pledges and the commitments, but then go away and act on them and put their money where their mouth is, put the funding behind it and pull together on this and agree to to take the actions that are necessary.

CO: All right. We'll be watching come November. And meanwhile, David, we’re going to post pictures on our social media of your beautiful ark. And I appreciate speaking with you. Thank you.

DB: It's been good to speak with you.

CO: Take care. Bye-bye.

DB: Bye.

CH: David Blair is a self-professed "woodsman" and an environmental activist in Tighnabruaich, Scotland. That's where we reached him. And to see photos of his ark, visit us on Twitter at @cbcasithappens.

[music: folk]

Fake Funeral Home Sign

CH: Sometimes it's best to get right to the point. But sometimes the point is that not enough people are getting the point. So to get your point across you might need to get creative. Like the Wilmore Funeral Home of Charlotte, North Carolina, did on Sunday. A big football game had drawn loads of fans to the city's downtown. When better to drive around in a black truck fitted with ads that read simply: "Don't get vaccinated"? Accompanied by the logo and URL of the Wilmore Funeral Home. It's a bold business-building move, a bit like a dentist handing out lots and lots of Gummi bears. And it may not have attracted any bodies -- but it certainly got eyeballs. Because, as it turns out, there is no Wilmore Funeral Home. Go to the website and you'll be redirected to a local medical facility where you can get your COVID-19 vaccination. According to David Oakley, the ad agency director behind the scheme, your average "Get the Shot" messages just aren't effective. He told CNN, "We wanted to do something that saw it from a different perspective, and kind of shocks people into thinking, 'Holy moly, man.'" Well, holy moly achieved. And I guess, even when you're trying to convince people to get a pointy needle, sometimes your strategy needs to be a blunt instrument.

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September 22, 2021 Episode Transcript

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