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The AIH Transcript For March 4, 2022

[hosts]Helen Mann, Chris Howden[/hosts]

HELEN MANN: Hello, I'm Helen Mann.

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

[Music: Theme]

Prologue

CH: Tonight:

HM: Kremlin’s in the system. Russia's former foreign minister tells us the West should consider even more sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine -- and that, despite his tightening grip on dissent, a revolt against Putin could be in the cards.

CH: It's not the journey, it's the destination. People fleeing Ukraine are arriving to a welcome sight at Berlin's train station -- food, donations, and open doors. A hotel owner tells us how he took in dozens of people who described the horrors at home.

HM: Old wounds. A years-long fight to secure health benefits for U.S. veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during their military service may have reached a turning point.

CH: An irreversible error. In Cape Breton, a former funeral director, says he shouldn't have lost his licence -- after an unfortunate cremation mix up led to a case of the wrong remains.

HM: Little big screen. As pandemic restrictions ease, people in Stratford, Ontario vie for an exclusive ticket to what has just been certified the world's smallest cinema -- where the movies are an IMIN, not IMAX.

CH: And… face, the final frontier. By sending samples of lab-grown skin to the ISS, one company will finally use outer space for its true purpose: making our skin look better.

CH: As It Happens, the Friday edition. Radio that's not sure a space station is the best place to make rash decisions.

[Music: Theme]

Part 1: Russia: Former Foreign Minister, Ukraine: Refugees Berlin, Hockey Night in Cree

Russia: Former Foreign Minister

Guest: Andrei Kozyrev

CH: His all-out invasion of Ukraine has prompted tough sanctions, strong Ukrainian resistance, and even anti-war protests in his own country. But Russian President Vladimir Putin is showing no signs of blinking. Today, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke to Mr. Putin by phone -- but, in the end, they only agreed to hold further talks soon. The Kremlin claimed that Russia is open to dialogue, but only on the condition that, quote, "Russian demands are met." Unquote. Andrei Kozyrev was Russia's foreign minister from 1990 to 1996. We reached him in Miami, Florida.

HM: Mr. Kozyrev, knowing Vladimir Putin, does it surprise you at all that he is showing little willingness to compromise right now?

ANDREI KOZYREV: It does not. I mean, he miscalculated both the Ukrainian resistance and actually the fact that the Ukrainians being Russian brothers, are a separate and proud nation. And he miscalculated the Western reserve to stand against him. But he wants to kind of save as much as he can from this adventure, and that's why he resorts to nuclear threats.

HM: But there are fears that Mr. Putin feeling cornered, might be tempted to follow through on some of these threats. Is the fact that the war is going poorly for his forces making the situation even more dangerous?

AK: Yeah, the situation is dangerous. But, you know, first of all, cornered? Yes. But suicidal? No, I don't think so. Nobody there is suicidal. They like good wines. They like good cognac. They like good entertainment and all that. And they have families also. Some of them have families in the United States, probably some even in Canada. As far as I know, those guys, they are not suicidal. Nuclear blackmail should be just eliminated from the calculation here. Otherwise, he will win all over the place.

HM: What do you think is going on in Putin's head right now? What is driving him forward?

AK: What drives him? It's a miscalculation. His sense of impunity, which should be broken now. But it grew up like a cancer. It is a [chuckle] madness of convenience. It is not a madness of medical, you know, sense. It's madness of convenience. It's convenient for him to scare the world. The other source, of course, is that he probably believes that he's a genius, especially when the American president, former American president, says that he's a genius. His acolytes, I mean, Putin's acolytes, who are telling him that… day and night, that he's a genius. And you can get really crazy. I mean, you might start really believing that you are a genius.

HM: You have made a call to all Russian diplomats. Tell us what you're… you're asking of them?

AK: I am asking them literally to resign, but I don't expect, actually, that too many of them will actually resign. But I want to wake them up on what they are doing. The diplomats and the military. And they are supposed to defend their countries, to protect their people. And now, it's destroying Russia, first of all. I mean, the aggression is destroying Ukraine but destroying the Russian economy, destroying Russian oil, destroying the Russian future. Its heinous crimes committed in the name of the Russians of Russia. I mean, that's tremendous damage, and they should not defend this damage.

HM: The current Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, was once your deputy. How… what do you make of his role in this? Does it appear that he's changed since you knew him?

AK: [laughing] Of course, 100 per cent. I mean, politically, of course, 100 per cent, a total reverse of what we were doing with him. He was my deputy, he was my friend, and he was kind of a brother in arms at that time.

HM: He was helping with the move towards perestroika and the rebuilding. And now, what has happened?

AK: I don't know what happened to him? I mean, something awful to my mind. I mean, he's a totally different person, politically speaking.

HM: How does that make you feel seeing your… your one-time friend in this role?

AK: Oh, it makes me feel sick in my stomach when I see a lover and some other former friends and former colleagues doing what they are doing now.

HM: You say that Putin is likely to believe the people around him, the yes men who are saying he is a genius. He also seems to, you know, have the government under control. And now, of course, has cracked down on any free media in Russia. Do you think there are any forces in the country that could stop him right now?

AK: First of all, yes, he does everything. So the… the authoritarian dictatorship is happening right now. But yes, the answer to the second part is also yes. You know, people don't live… even dictators, even tyrants, they don't live on the moon. They live right there in the country, and they are surrounded by people. And people have to respond to their orders. And that very much depends on how they respond. I mean, do they make every effort to fulfil, or they start to sabotage, or they start to hesitate, or they start to revolt. I mean, all that is in the cards very much. And that's the story of all tyrannies.

HM: We spoke to a Russian journalist last night who told us this felt like going back to the USSR days. Does it feel that way to you?

AK: Absolutely. It is going to the USSR.

HM: Mr. Kozyrev, thank you very much for sharing your insights with us. I appreciate it.

AK: Thank you. Bye.

HM: Goodbye.

CH: Andrei Kozyrev was Russia's foreign minister from 1990 to 1996. We reached him in Miami, Florida. And for more on that story, go to our website: www.cbc.ca/aih.

[Music: Indie rock]

Ukraine: Refugees Berlin

Guest: David Henning

CH: People fleeing the horrors in Ukraine are receiving a warm welcome in Berlin. More than a million people have left Ukraine since the fighting started nine days ago. And what started as a trickle into Germany has now become a steady stream. More than a thousand refugees have arrived at the main train station in Berlin. Many have been travelling for days, uncertain where they were going. But when they got off the train, Berliners were there offering food, donations -- and beds for the new arrivals to sleep in. David Henning is the CEO of Big Mama hotel. We reached him in Berlin.

HM: David, describe the scene at the train station yesterday.

DAVID HENNING: It was very chaotic. A lot of people… a lot of people didn't know where to go. A lot of people wanted to help and… but they also didn't really want… didn't really know where to go. There are places where they could get food, and they can give food and places where you could get clothes and give clothes. It took a bit to figure out where we could offer shelter. And, yeah.

HM: You went there with the intention of offering shelter. What… what were you planning? How many people were you hoping to take?

DH: We said before that we offer a whole floor from… from our hotel. So that's basically 12 rooms. And yeah, we thought we would take as much as possible.

HM: I understand a lot of people were holding up signs. I'm just wondering how people who are coming into the country fleeing Ukraine linked up with people who would give them shelter? How did they match people up?

DH: When they arrived, they talked to some volunteers and said, you know, we are two adults and two children. And then, those volunteers just basically had a microphone and said, so here are two… two adults, two children. So anybody offering them shelter for… for two weeks or for one day or for three days. And then, you just hold up your sign and then they just picked you. And if more people held up their signs, then they would just choose.

HM: And how many people did you end up helping?

DH: In the end, it was 35 people, 16 students, so we offered them our dormitory rooms. That's basically four rooms more than… than we… than we intended to offer. And then, all the others were women and children. Children from, yeah, from basically toddlers to 16, 17 years old.

HM: When you talk to some of the people who were fleeing Ukraine, what kind of things did they tell you?

DH: They didn't talk much, to be honest. They were all really scared. You could… you could see that. They… they were afraid. And you have to imagine you come to your country and there are people offering help, which is great, but you don't know them. And you just… you just get matched to them. And then you… yeah, you're… you're in their hands. And so they were a bit afraid. But once they arrived at the hotel, they calmed down. They just went straight to the… to the room, took a shower and slept until very, very late. And then, we… we offered them some food. There was one woman and a bit older, and she grabbed my arm, and she was… she kept talking in Russian, but I didn't understand her. And then she showed me her phone, and she showed me a picture. And then she said, house, house. And… but this… this house on this picture was totally destroyed. So I figure that's… that's that's her house. And some say they didn't sleep for the last five to six days because they had to come across all from Ukraine and Poland, and it was all really hectic on their journey. So some… some days, they just walked. Some days, they took the train. They didn't know sometimes where to go and when they had to leave. And I can't imagine how this must be with travelling such a long time with children. And yeah, it's horrific.

HM: What did you say to them?

DH: I… so there was one one boy who was 16 years old. His English was really good, and I just kept telling him that, please, he has to translate at the station because there was nobody from us who was able to speak Russian or Ukrainian. And I just told them, we are… we are happy to help. We want to help. They can stay as long as they want to. Some… some asked if they had to pay? And I said, no, no, obviously you don't have to pay, just come with us and relax for the next two or three or four days, touch base and then we can take it from there.

HM: Why was it so important for you to do this?

DH: That's the only way I can help. I want… I want to help. You see those pictures, and it's just a natural feeling of mine that I want to help. That's the way I can help them.

HM: When you saw all of those people, I mean, you're still seeing all those people from Berlin and surrounding areas showing up and opening up their homes to people they don't know. How does it make you feel about your fellow Germans, your fellow Berliners?

DH: It's great. It's really great. You know, we have our own special history, and it's kind of still in our DNA, and it's… it's really great. There are young students who… who had a sign that they can host somebody in their student apartment. And there were women with children waiting there for other women with children to help them. And yeah, it's just great. People from all over Berlin came there and wanted to help. It's great.

HM: People may remember a similar story back in 2015, when people in Berlin also gave a warm welcome to people from Syria who were fleeing the war. This seems to have become a tradition?

DH: Yeah. I mean… but it's a tradition we… we don't need to have, I would say. Or we don't… we can't… yeah. If we don't have to host those people, then it would be better for all of us, I think.

HM: Um-hmm.

DH: So let's hope that it's not repeating itself all the time.

HM: Have you had any new arrivals? Do you plan to welcome any more people?

DH: We had a woman today with six children. One NGO just called us and say… and told us, you know, we saw that you are still offering rooms. Are you still offering? And we said, yeah, we have one room left. And she said, okay, but it's a woman with six children. And, yeah, they just… they just came today. Also, she has a little baby, and the oldest one is 12 years old.

HM: Wow! David, it's wonderful to hear what you and everyone else is doing there to help people in such distress. I appreciate you talking to us.

DH: Yeah, thank you for talking to me. And let's hope this is over soon.

HM: I hope so. Thank you. Bye-bye.

DH: Bye-bye.

CH: David Henning is the CEO of Big Mama hotel. He was in Berlin.

[Music: Folk]

Hockey Night In Cree

Guest: Clarence Iron

CH: If you're a hockey fan, you're probably planning to watch this Saturday's game between Toronto and Vancouver. And if you're a Plains Cree-speaking hockey fan, it will be a special night. Along with Sportsnet, APTN will kick off Hockey Night in Canada in Cree this weekend. And over the next couple of months, five more national game broadcasts will air on APTN on Saturdays. Clarence Iron is doing play-by-play commentary. We reached him in Pinehouse Lake, Saskatchewan.

HM: Clarence, is there one call, one hockey term in Plains Cree that gets you most excited about making?

CLARENCE IRON: Oh yeah, when… when somebody scores, that's… that's probably the best, Pehtikwahew. That's what I use anyways. There's a group of words that mean you put the puck in, or you put something in.

HM: How do you say power play?

CI: Power play is Sohkahpicikewin, meaning they have more power.

HM: And what about hat trick?

CI: Hat trick is nisto c-pihtokwahat.

HM: That's a lot of syllables.

CI: Yeah, the Cree language is very descriptive. Yeah, that means… meaning the puck has been brought into the net three times.

HM: Now, your calling of games goes back to your time at residential school. What do you remember about the first times you called hockey games?

CI: I do believe there was about six teams? Not too sure, but we did have a thing called house league hockey. And, you know, there was a… a… young boys like myself. I played also in the house league, but you know, when I was playing, I pretty much knew everybody, you know, after staying a few years at the residential school. I knew pretty much everybody there, and I knew their numbers, their names. So I used to… you know, it's an outdoor rink. I've never seen an indoor rink in my life, but there was an outdoor rink. So I used to be right by the boards there, and I’d just be calling hockey because, you know, I've heard a few of the past announcers, you know, the broadcasters. Danny Gallivan, that's the one I used to like, listen to. So I try to imitate Danny Gallivan. And, yeah, I was calling some games there. And, you know, sometimes I'd be a little bit too loud, so they'd tell me, shush. But it was in English, not the Cree language at the time. It was later in years that I… I tried calling in Cree.

HM: This Saturday's game as part of a bigger three-year deal between APTN and Sportsnet to broadcast hockey games in Plains Cree. What do people who watch your broadcast tell you about what it means to them?

CI: Oh, you know it… it has really picked up here in the last few years. They were pretty hungry to hear the Cree language. And even some of the people hear it through social media. You know, even the elders. And yeah, it's something new, and they got so excited that even the ratings were pretty much right at the top.

HM: I understand you have a letter from a listener that you want to share with us?

CI: Yeah, it made me cry when I read this. What it says was we were just amazed at the talent you have at announcing the hockey game. We were so proud of you. We didn't get to watch much of it, as we got invited out for supper. But what we saw was incredible. Our daughter, Crystal, got to watch the whole game and was so amazed at your humbleness, the talent, the kindness and the respect for others. You are a true disciple of God and have been blessed with so much talent. You have totally proven that with the love that pours from your heart for others. You were so blessed to have such beautiful grandparents. And I knew your grandparents and your mum as well. This is where your talent stemmed from. God bless you and continue the awesome work.

HM: That is lovely!

CI: That one hit me in the heart. [warm chuckle] I had tears.

HM: I can see why. [CI chuckles] What do you hope that your Hockey Night in Canada in Cree broadcasts do for the preservation of your language?

CI: Well, our identity, it’s the heart of Canada's identity. You know, it's strong and cultured. And, you know, it's something that nobody ever dreamt would happen, you know, to carry a language out, you know, at the top, especially Hockey Night in Canada. I did have some dreams before, but never to call in Cree, but the English language when I was younger. But I never had that opportunity at the time. But, you know, now an opportunity came. So, yeah, it's… it's… it's something that people are… are very excited. And… and it's, yeah, it's right across Canada, too. And not only in Canada, but there's also other people that listened overseas. That's… that's something to hear. You know, it's very, very exciting.

HM: And younger generations, I'm sure, are going to take something from that, too?

CI: Yeah, I also… I usually go to the school here to help them out. We're promoting the Cree language here in Pine House. I go to the elementary school, so I pretty much know all the younger people here. I play hockey with them. I skate with them here quite often. I still play a little bit of hockey. So yeah, they're… they're excited. And, yeah, even the very first hockey game that I… that I called, I came back, and I was invited into the school, and there was my picture there and congratulations.

HM: Clarence, I've enjoyed speaking with you. Good luck on Saturday, and thank you for speaking with us.

CI: Yeah, and I could give you a little play-by-play here.

HM: Oh, sure! Go for it!

CI: [Carrying out a very excited call in Plains Cree]

HM: [chuckling] Fabulous. Thank you again.

CI: All right. Have a good day.

HM: You too, Clarence. Bye.

CI: Bye-bye.

CH: Clarence Iron is part of the Hockey Night in Canada in Cree broadcast team. We reached him in Pinehouse Lake, Saskatchewan.

[Music: Pop beat]

Space Skin

CH: Since time began, people have looked up in wonder at what Hamlet called "this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire," and yelled, "Hey, space -- when are you gonna fix my skin!" Well, good news: scientists are finally trying to solve some of the mysteries of the infinite cosmos, to give our cheeks a natural, radiant glow. We already know that space is tough on skin. Astronauts have reported that floating around up there kicks their faces' butts: they get rashes, their skin gets drier and thinner. It seems that space accelerates the ageing process. Plus, astronauts have experienced elevated rates of psoriasis, dermatitis, fungal infections, and even carcinoma. "Sure sure," you're saying, "but how will space help me with my neck?" Well, last month, Colgate-Palmolive's skincare division sent lab-grown skin tissue samples to the International Space Station. These samples, which you should not try to picture, were exposed to microgravity for a set period, and then frozen. When they return, researchers will take a close look at the molecular changes caused by microgravity. Colgate-Palmolive is hoping that will lead to major innovations in skin care on Earth and in space. And even if it doesn't, the company will put "MAGIC SPACE CREAM" on its products. Finally, space is fulfilling its promise: to make us look better. It reminds one of the immortal words of Neil Armstrong, when he first set foot on the moon.

SOUNDCLIP

DEFINITELY NEIL ARMSTRONG: That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’s skin care regimen.

CH: Mmmm

[Music: Acoustic guitar]

Part 2: Toxic Burn Pits Legislation, World's Smallest Cinema

Toxic Burn Pits Legislation

Guest: Jen Burch

CH: When Jen Burch returned from Afghanistan, she went straight from the airport to the hospital. During her military service, Ms. Burch was exposed to toxic burn pits. And like many others, she got sick. As of this week, the United States is one step closer to helping more veterans like her. Yesterday, Congress passed legislation that would expand health care eligibility for veterans exposed to the toxic burn pits. The issue even made its way into President Joe Biden's State of the Union Speech.

SOUNDCLIP

JOE BIDEN: These burn pits that incinerate waste, the waste of war, medical and hazardous material, jet fuel, and so much more. And they come home. Many of the world's fittest and best-trained warriors in the world never the same. Headaches, numbness, dizziness, a cancer that would put them in a flag-draped coffin.

CH: But the "Honoring our PACT Act" still has a long way to go before it hits the president's desk -- including a vote in the U.S. Senate. We reached Jen Burch in Washington DC.

HM: Jan, how did it feel to hear President Joe Biden going to bat for veterans like you who were affected by burn pits?

JEN BURCH: My first thoughts of hearing burn pits mentioned in the State of the Union address for the president was feeling seen for the first time. Like, truly being seen by our, you know, our nation's leader. And… and that this is a real problem. And although it takes time to manifest, and the injuries and the wounds of toxic exposure seem to be more invisible, it's still a horrible physical injury manifesting in our nation's veterans, including myself.

HM: You served in Afghanistan; you saw the pits with your own eyes. Will you describe them for us?

JB: Yes. Thankfully, I never had to actually work around close with the pits. But you always knew when they were going because you could see the big black flames coming up. You just knew that everything that was going in there, because everything had to be burned, it couldn't have been good. But, at the time, you weren't too concerned about future impacts of what that might lead to because you were so concentrated on doing the job that you were there to do and surviving to come home.

HM: What kind of health issues did you face when you got home?

JB: I was one of the ones that came home very sick, coughing, just this elephant weight on my chest. [chuckle] And I actually went from the airport straight to the emergency department because it was so bad. And there, I would be diagnosed immediately with bronchitis and pneumonia. And so, I actually started showing symptoms from these burn pits right away.

HM: And then, beyond dealing with these health issues, you also faced this fight to prove that those issues were linked with your service. What happened?

JB: When I left the military, I was actually medically retired, and so I had several disability ratings. But I actually never got a toxic exposure rating. And I started to get sick again. I would end up in the hospital in the E.R. a lot. Breathing problems, you name it. And now I'm paying thousands of dollars out of my own pocket to… to get the care that I needed. And it took a seven-year battle. And it wasn't seven years straight of fighting, but it took seven years to get enough… enough evidence and doctor reports and showing that, you know, I've consistently had medical problems since I left the Air Force. On this issue, I had to be my own medical advocate, my own lawyer, my own social worker, and I had to build my own case, bringing all these medical reports. And because I started showing symptoms within the service, they were easily able to connect the two. And I was approved of my claim. However, many more veterans don't start showing symptoms while they're in the service. And if they don't start to manifest within those five to 10 years after service, the VA is less likely to approve your claim and to service connect it. And that's where the disconnect is right now.

HM: So how will the Honoring our PACT Act help veterans get easier access to health coverage?

JB: So, the Honoring our PACT Act is the most comprehensive piece of legislation to address toxic exposure right now. And it was really great and a nice victory yesterday for it to be passed in the House. You know, I think the PACT Act, it provides your health care, your benefits framework and presumptives. And so, the PACT Act actually includes 23 presumptives. And just quick presumptives are just saying that because of unique circumstances, it's presumed as if a veteran is diagnosed with a condition, it's presumed that this is from toxic exposure. And so, what that does is remove the burden of proof from the veteran. So unlike, you know, where I had to prove my case, they'll automatically be seen for that. And it also gives you health care. So these veterans are going into debt. Some veterans go into… file for bankruptcy because, you know, medical care is so expensive in the United States. And then, some veterans can't work because of their conditions. And they might have families to support or just to support themselves. And so it also provides disability benefits as a form of a cheque every month, a stipend. It also will set new framework -- legal framework -- for establishing presumptive illnesses, just as like we saw in other wars with whether it was mustard gas from the World Wars or Vietnam Agent Orange. It took, you know, years for different things to manifest. And they're still finding things that are linked to Agent Orange. And so, down the road, when more veterans, you know, might be getting sick, that might not be included in those 23 presumptives. The framework from this legislation will be able to establish new illnesses that they can presume come from toxic exposures like burn pits.

HM: This legislation still has a few steps to go. Are you hopeful that it will be signed into law?

JB: I'm always… [chuckle] I'm optimistic, so I will say yes, I'm hopeful. But, you know, we had quite the fight in the House to get this done. But the fight is going to be even larger and harder to get it through the Senate, especially the way that the Senate is 50-50 right now.

HM: As you see this legislation start to move forward, what goes through your mind when you think of your fellow vets that… that didn't make it this far?

JB: [deep breath] It's tough. You know, I feel guilt sometimes. Like, I see myself, right? And then, I see other veterans who have cancers who haven't gotten their health care and benefits from the VA. And, you know, for those veterans out there that are still trying to get their claims approved, don't give up. You know, things are moving in the right direction and keep fighting. And if… and if they have the will, the veterans that are out there with these stories, and they feel up to it, share those stories. Because sharing that human impact does so much more in touching the members who will be voting on this legislation and why they should be voting yes to take care of these veterans.

HM: I'm sure that these veterans are grateful for the efforts that you've made and the progress that is happening at this point. Thank you so much for talking with us.

JB: You're welcome. Thanks for having me.

HM: All right. Bye for now.

HM: Bye.

CH: Jen Burch is a U.S. Air Force veteran who now works with the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. We reached her in Washington.

[Music: Glassy guitar riff]

Ukraine Paralympics

CH: By the time the Beijing Paralympics opening ceremony began today, two countries had already left the athletes' village. Yesterday, the International Paralympic Committee announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from the games because of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The news came less than 24 hours after the IPC said they would be allowed to compete -- angering athletes, and Lee Reaney. Mr. Reaney is originally from Saskatchewan. But years ago, he moved to Ukraine, where he's now a journalist for Lviv Today. Earlier this week, he gave an emotional speech during a press conference, asking the IPC president why Russian athletes should be allowed to compete. And yesterday, he explained how his friends back home are doing.

SOUNDCLIP

LEE REANEY: You know, I know a lot of people in Ukraine, an awful lot. I know a lot of people that are still in Ukraine that are not planning to leave, that are dealing with the situation right now. I have a lot of friends there, but I mean, this was… this was something that was months in advance that we knew about. I was questioning politicians before Christmas about a Russian invasion. I had moved out all of the stuff from the apartment in Kyiv. I had found somebody to… a close friend of mine to look after my apartment in Lviv before I came out here, fully anticipating a Russian invasion in between the Olympic and Paralympic Games. You know, many of my Western friends have got out of the country. Many of my local friends haven't. I cover parasport, and I know that we have Paralympians sitting in bomb shelters in Zaporizhzhia right now, which is getting bombed from time to time. And what the people in Kharkiv, in… in Kherson, in Mariupol, what they're going through right now. In Kyiv as well. You know, it's disgusting, unnecessary, and I think the international community has said as much, but the bombs are still falling. And so, I think that we just need to remember that, you know, the world can't go on as normal when… when the world is not going on, it's normal for people in Ukraine.

LEISHA GREBINSKI: So, what do you think about the fact that now Russian and Belurussian athletes have been banned? What impact will that have… has that had?

LR: Well, I think the IPC made the right decision 15 hours too late. These para-athletes overcome an awful lot in their own lives, even in places like Belarus and Russia and other countries that you may disagree with. You know, their trainers dedicate their lives to helping people with impairments. And I want people to understand that, you know, these athletes and their trainers are not necessarily the devil. At the same time, you know, the Ukrainian National Paralympic Committee president at his press conference today wanted to make certain that there are members from the Paralympic Committee that are members of the Russian military. There are Paralympians in Beijing that have posted things on social media like Ukraine is getting what it deserves. When people are dying [chuckling] and cities are getting massacred, you know, you can't expect the right to… to go skiing, you know?

CH: That was Lee Reaney, a journalist for Lviv Today, speaking with Leisha Grebinski, host of Saskatoon Morning, from Beijing.

[Music: Ambient]

World's Smallest Cinema

Guest: Leigh Cooney

CH: As COVID measures ease across the country, you may be considering finally returning to the cinema. But then you imagine being in that giant room with tons of people. And the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you start hearing the ominous sounds. I mean, coughing would be distressing, for sure. But I'm thinking more of the guy behind you who stage-whispers "Who's that?" to his friend every time anyone shows up onscreen. Or the nerve-rattling crackle as someone in front of you unwraps a Starburst for seven minutes. If that's off-putting, why not go somewhere smaller. In fact: why not go somewhere smallest? Stratford, Ontario's Little Prince Micro-Cinema isn't just micro. Guinness has declared it the world's smallest purpose-built cinema in operation. Leigh Cooney is the owner and operator. And we reached him in Stratford, Ontario.

HM: Leigh described the world's smallest movie theatre to us.

LEIGH COONEY: Yeah, it's a… it's a 13-seat movie theatre. Well, quote/unquote movie theatre. And it has… we have a full concession, full lounge area, you know, popcorn machine, custom little arcade machines that looks like it's out of the Victorian era, which was designed to match the rest of the space, which is all very antiquated, I guess, faux-antiquated. So yeah, it's… it is… it's got everything a big movie theatre would have but in miniature scale.

HM: And what about the screen? How big is your movie screen?

LC: I believe it's 110 inches, so it's about six feet tall by nine feet wide, give or take a little bit.

HM: So, do you just have the usual traditional projector?

LC: No, we've… we have… we do have… [chuckle] that's… that's the one thing that doesn't quite fit in the space actually is our digital projector. We did look at or consider using an old celluloid projector at one time, but we realized that we'd basically have to take over the business next door so that we could put it on the other side of the wall. [HM chuckles] Otherwise, I don't think you'd be able to hear the movie too well. As neat an effect as that would have, it wasn't really practical. So that's kind of a long-term possibility.

HM: Right, got it. [LC chuckles] So what inspired you to create the world's smallest movie theatre?

LC: It was, I guess, a bit of an organic thing. It didn't… we didn't set out with that intention. We started back in 2019, actually trying to build a very basic screening room at the back of what was at that point, Meger Maker, our small handmade store. And yeah, we used to do little gallery shows back there in the same space, but it just became challenging to do the gallery shows by myself. [chuckle] Being a dad and a small business owner and putting on our shows every month. So, we at the time had also been doing some small competitions for local amateur filmmakers. And we thought a screening room would be great. We could do these things, you know, year-round. And then I started decorating it and started getting into Damascus wallpaper and tiering the seating and red velvet drapes. And then, all of a sudden, it started to look a little bit more like an actual movie theatre. So then… yeah, then we started, you know, researching online and trying to find out what other people had done. And that is how we ended up in the realm of Guinness.

HM: So, people, you know, have home theatres now. They're often when they go out to the movies looking for kind of a big-screen experience. So why do you think they come to your theatre rather than just stay home?

LC: That's a great question, actually. I mean, yeah, there's something to be said for enjoying a movie with other people. Like, in our case right now, we don't allow strangers in in as much as we rent it out to private parties, you know, families, social bubbles, that sort of thing. But… but yeah, but even just sitting… I mean, you laugh more when other people are laughing around you, right? It's… it's… it's… being at home just feels like a family thing, and you want to get out for that whole experience that the movie theatre brings. And especially in this day and age, we didn't… we didn't build it with the pandemic in mind. Obviously, it was before that. But it certainly has benefited us, I guess, in that way. The silver lining is that people don't want to sit with hundreds of strangers. So, getting together with just a group of friends or just an extended family network really works for people. And, of course, it's that… again, that whole experience. Coming in and smelling popcorn and, you know, having the arcade machine tinkering away in the corner. And we have, you know, an old radio that plays with a Bluetooth speaker that plays old-timey music. You know, it really is that whole experience from the moment you walk in to the moment you leave. And people seem to love it. Their response has been amazing, so. [chuckle]

HM: What kind of movies do you show?

LC: A little of everything, actually. In the beginning, we were only going to focus on short films being as we were working with amateur filmmakers and that sort of thing, and we figured there was no venue for that. But we adapted with COVID and decided to focus on private parties. And since we were doing private parties anyway, we decided to let people pick their own movies. So we have a catalogue of somewhere in the range of 30,000, I believe, movies, films we have licensing for.

HM: Wow!

LC: And we… yeah, we just try to adapt each one and customize it to each group that comes in.

HM: So, how did you get the Guinness Book designation?

LC: Yes. So that, I guess, brings me back to… to, you know, going online in the beginning and… and trying to just see what other people had done. We figured, you know, obviously, someone out there has probably built something similar. And we were looking for inspiration. And we came across what at that time was the record holder for world's smallest movie theatre. But we were building it within the constraints of the room we had, so it was going to be 13 seats no matter what. But the current holder at that time was something like 21 seats or 18 seats or something. So we thought, hey, ours is smaller than that! So, you know, we figured we'd at least look into it and see what happened. And it took us about 16 months to finally get the recognition. It was a lot of… a lot of bureaucratic red tape, which was great, of course, because it means it's hard to beat us. But yeah, it was… we had to get a lot of witnesses, you know, architects, drawings, historians, all sorts of people in to witness on Guinness' behalf because they're a U.K. organization. So there's no one… they can't send a witness out to us. But, yeah, 16 months of hard work, and it finally paid off, so!

HM: So now you got the bragging rights at the smallest theatre.

LC: That's right. Exactly. We're no longer unofficially the smallest movie theatre in the world because I think the other one was shut down anyway. We are now officially the world's smallest movie theatre.

HM: Are you booked this weekend?

LC: We are! Actually, yeah, we're quite busy. And that was before the announcement. So we have… I think we have four screenings back-to-back tomorrow. And by back-to-back, I mean, there's… we leave a small window of time in between each one to make sure we can sanitize and clean and that sort of thing. But four for us, being as we're small and understaffed, is a lot. So… and then I think we have two or three on Sunday as well.

HM: What's your favourite title you're showing this weekend?

LC: That's… [chuckle] actually, we're… because we're running some tests right now just before you called. So we are testing for Airplane with Leslie Nielsen.

HM: [chuckling] I remember it well.

LC: Yeah, right? Exactly. Don't call me Shirley. It's… it's a classic, and it's one of… I think it's one of the funniest movies ever. So… so, yeah, someone requested Airplane, for instance. And that is going to be tonight's feature. And… and that to me, this is one I could just sit through, so I'll probably do that. Like, testing it, quote/unquote. [chuckling]

HM: Yeah, it sounds like a lot of fun. Thank you very much for telling us about it.

LC: Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate that.

HM: Nice to talk to you. Bye-bye.

LC: Bye now.

CH: Leigh Cooney is the owner and operator of Little Prince Micro-Cinema and Lounge. We reached him in Stratford, Ontario.

[Music: Poppy beat]

NS Funeral Director

CH: Joe Curry wants his licence back. Mr. Curry was the funeral director at Forest Haven Memorial Gardens in Cape Breton until last month. That's when the Nova Scotia Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors suspended his licence. They found that Mr. Curry had, quote, "cremated the wrong patient because of his failure to maintain the chain of custody, and failure to verify the patient's identity," unquote. But Joe Curry insists it wasn't his fault. He says that the body had the wrong paperwork when he picked it up from the hospital. And he claims there's no regulation that specifically requires funeral directors to make sure they've got the right remains. Mr. Curry described his surprise when he got the call telling him there was a problem.

SOUNDCLIP

JOE CURRY: So, Joe, where are you? Well, I said, I'm just on my way back from East Bay. Well, could you drop into the office? That's all that was said. Yeah, I'm only about 20 minutes away. I came to the office. There were three staff members and David, the owner. We're in the office. We've got a situation. Oh? We committed the wrong body. How in the name of heavens did that happen? That was my introduction to what was going on.

TOM AYERS: But you're appealing the --

JC: I am definitely appealing. Well, because I considered it initially… initially to be silly and farcical and very frankly unbelievable that a fellow funeral professional, whose father, who's saying, we're going to revoke your licence. [banging on the table] We strip you. Well, what are you doing that for? Well, I don't deserve any of that. I behaved entirely with and for these families. And when I had this non… you know, you say it was the wrong remains. It wasn't the wrong remains to me. Everything that passed through to me says it is that one. And everyone from a funeral home that… I had one Just recently, a pine box, nailed. We take the nails out afterward, but we don't open that box to do another identification. We have the identification requirements [banging on table some more] are with us. And I had them for this person, and I looked after this person's. So they say, well, it's another person. The hospital made a mistake. Well, they didn't mean to make a mistake. They got mixed up.

CH: Joe Curry was the funeral director at Forest Haven Memorial Gardens in Cape Breton, until he lost his licence for cremating a body he shouldn't have cremated. He was speaking to Tom Ayers from CBC Cape Breton.

[Music: World]

Part 3: Sudan Healthcare Crisis, Atherstone U.K. Ball Game

UN Security Council Ukraine

CH: Vasily Nebenzya didn't find a welcome audience at the United Nations Security Council today. Russia's Ambassador to the United Nations found himself under attack for his country's shelling of Ukraine's largest nuclear plant. His Ukrainian counterpart called it an act of nuclear terrorism, but Ambassador Nebenzya shot right back.

SOUNDCLIP

VASILY MEBENZYA: [Speaking Russian]

TRANSLATOR: I would like to emphasize once again that the danger to the civilian population of Ukraine is not emanating from Russian troops. It is coming from Ukrainian nationalists who are holding the civilian populations of a number of large cities hostage and carrying out acts of sabotage and provocations. One of which is what we are now discussing. After that, they attempt to blame Russia for all of it. Yesterday's incident at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is a clear illustration of this. And your reaction to this incident and your attempts to blow it into a global scandal, my dear Western colleagues, leave no doubt that the radicals and extremists in Ukraine were and are under your close guardianship and protection. We urge you to calm down your mentees, who, in the worst traditions of ISO terrorists and their associates, are hiding behind civilians, placing heavy weaponry and multiple rocket launchers in residential areas. These terrorists are preventing those civilians wishing to leave the cities from doing so. This practice is affecting not only Ukrainians but also foreign citizens. The number of foreign nationals who are being forcibly held by Ukrainian nationalists is shocking.

CH: That was Russia's Ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, speaking at a meeting of the UN Security Council today. He went on to read an itemized list of the countries with students in Ukraine who he claimed the Ukrainians were preventing from leaving. Here's how Ukraine's ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, responded

SOUNDCLIP

SERGIY KYSLYTSYA: We have survived the night that could have stopped the history of Ukraine and Europe, said the president of Ukraine this morning. Indeed, every day provides us with newer and newer evidence that it is not only Ukraine under Russian attack. It is Europe. It is the entire world. It is humanity. And finally, it is the future of the next generations. Now, per lies of the Russian ambassador about the foreign students, an appalling example of gaslighting. Example of what he probably intended to present as almost an angelic message of peace. But let me remind him and remind all of us that Satan was also an angel. An angel that rebelled against God. So I would like to ask the permanent representative of the Russian Federation if he still is able to communicate with his capital? Which is probably not the case. Who knows? Please make an appeal to the armed forces to ensure a safe corridor to allow the foreign students to leave the areas of concern. Stop spreading the lies.

CH: That was Ukraine's Ambassador to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, speaking at the Security Council today.

[Music: Folk]

Sudan Healthcare Crisis

Guest: Dr. Alaaeldin Muhamed Nugud

CH: Sudan's healthcare system was struggling for a long time. Now it's falling apart. The coup in October sent the country into an economic freefall. Inflation is over 250 per cent, billions of dollars in foreign assistance have been suspended, and the military-led government continues to raise taxes. For doctors, this has meant turning to the black market for supplies and equipment that were once readily available. Dr. Alaaeldin Muhamed Nugud is one of Sudan's few remaining organ transplant surgeons. We reached him in the capital, Khartoum.

HM: Dr. Nagud, give us an idea of how dire the situation is at your hospital and at others around the country?

DR. ALAAELDIN MUHAMED NUGUD: Right now, the situation in my hospital and in much of the hospitals in Khartoum and the state is very bad. There is very much a deficient budget for the health sector because much of the money and the budget of the country is towards the security services and the security forces that choose brutally and aggressively to… to counteract the protests. So few money is left for the health sector. There is much deficiency in the drugs and much deficiency in the consumables. And most of the things are gotten by the black market, unfortunately, especially the anaesthesia drugs.

HM: Anaesthesia drugs. What else are you buying on the black market?

DAMN: Drugs used in the emergency situation. For example, in my hospital, we are the only big centre for receiving the bleeding, and we use certain drugs to inject or to stop the bleeding. Most of these drugs right now is bought by the patient from the black market or the hospital will buy it from the black market. And last week, we have a very big crisis in the main dental hospital in the… in the capital that there is no anaesthesia for the dental care. And usually, it's… it's written down in the prescription to the patient to bring it from the market, which is unfortunate.

HM: So they are responsible for finding their own medications, their own anaesthesia, before they get a procedure.?

DAMN: Yes, yes. Yeah, exactly. And unfortunately.

HM: What has this meant for your ability to treat your patients?

DAMN: Actually, this restricts the ability too much. And it makes it very difficult to provide good healthcare and health service for the patients. You cannot rely on the patient to go for himself and to search for the drugs. It should be available at the hospital store, for example. This makes it very difficult. And they put the patient under the mercy of the black market, which there is no mercy there. Their only mission is they want to get benefits and to get profit. So, they can increase the price any time. Every day, there is a new price.

HM: Can you tell us any personal stories of patients that have struggled because of all of this?

DAMN: Yeah. Last… in the last two weeks, the government, especially the Khartoum state government, increased the fees of the whole medical services. For example, getting a file in the hospital or a record when you come inside the hospital, have been more than 200 per cent increased. So many of the patients or the relatives, they get their patients outside of the hospital. I don't know where they get it. They maybe went to a traditional doctor, for example. Even the fees of some surgeries have been quadrupled or more than that. So, they just get themselves out of the waiting list, unfortunately.

HM: Is it true that you are rationing anaesthesia for surgeries so that when someone is under, they may not get the amount of anaesthesia they… they would have had at a previous time?

DAMN: Yeah, this happened right now. Many of the anaesthesia drugs is very short in the stores. So you cannot find the most wide variety of anaesthesia drugs. So some of the big surgeries are abandoned. And we cannot use… it cannot be replaced by other drugs, unfortunately.

HM: Can you give me some practical examples of the cost, say, of a procedure? Of what it would have been before the coup and after the coup?

DAMN: For example, a simple cholecystectomy, like a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Before the coup, it was actually a thousand Sudanese pounds. And after the coup, in the last two weeks, it increased up to 20,000 -- 20,000 Sudanese pounds. So this is the whole salary of somebody in the health sector, for example. Even getting a file or record, it was 10 Sudanese pounds. Right now, it’s become 1,000-2,000 Sudanese pounds. So there's so much increase in the fees of the medical services.

HM: What about your country's Ministry of Health? Why are they not addressing this issue?

DAMN: They addressed the issue. Actually, they wrote a letter to the military coup and the Sudanese council, the new one that was appointed by the military coup, that we are in a very drastic situation. And we lost about 300 million U.S. dollars that were allocated for the health sector in 2022 by the coup. But nothing was done. Nothing was done. It’s military leaders, so they don't give a care to what's happened. We lost 300 million Sudanese… 300 million U.S. dollars for 2022 health projects just by one day that the military leader decided to make a coup.

HM: What effect is this having on staffing? Have you got enough doctors in the country? Or are people leaving the country or leaving the profession?

DAMN: The doctors and the medical staff right now are starting to leave the country after the coup. Much of the nurses, the medical assistants and even the doctors and surgeons. We are three liver transplant surgeons in the country and one is planning to leave right now. So we are going to lose much of the capabilities and the resources.

HM: How can other countries help you right now?

DAMN: I think all over the world, countries and especially the big countries, the first world countries, can help by issuing targeted financial economic sanctions against the military and the civilians who supported the coup -- the same as what's happening right now in the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Because it's all against the human rights wherever, here in Sudan and in Kenya. So I think these sanctions would bring this government to step down and bring back the democratic transition and bring back the civilian leaders, who will change the budget towards services like education and health rather than security, weapons and guns that were used to kill the protesters.

HM: Yet, the world's attention is really focused on Ukraine right now. What do you want Canadians to know about the situation in Sudan?

DAMN: I just want them to know that the people are resisting this military coup and the military government. And this military coup and the military government are pushing the Sudanese people very much in a difficult situation. All the service sectors, education and health, and people are dying in the streets and also are dying in the hospitals. So, we need them to stand with us and to put these leaders of the coup in a very bad situation with sanctions by the government of Canada.

HM: Dr. Nugud, thank you for telling us about the situation. It sounds like it's very difficult for.

DAMN: Thank you and thank you for all this.

HM: All right. Good to talk to you.

DAMN: Thank you so much.

HM: Bye-bye.

CH: Dr. Alaaeldin Muhamed Nugud is one of the remaining organ transplant surgeons in Sudan. We reached him in Khartoum.

[Music: Vocalization]

SK Ukrainian NGO

CH: At home in Saskatchewan, all Andrew Allsop can do is wait and worry. Mr. Allsop is the vice-president of a non-profit which, seven years ago, paid to build a group home in Ukraine, to house young victims of human trafficking. Now, the 17 girls and young women who were living in the home have had to leave. Andrew Allsop spoke to the CBC this morning.

SOUNDCLIP

ANDREW ALLSOP: Right now, they are basically on the bus. You know, they're just leaving the Maple Leaf House, which is in western Ukraine, and they have a 60 km trip to Poland, plus the massive lineup. So we should hear from them again once they arrive in Poland. The lineups at the border are quite long, and they may end up being on the bus for a day and a half, two days. They're children. They're very anxious and very upset. And doubly traumatized by… by their previous life experience and the war now. So, the safehouse is not in a conflict area at present. But there's no point in waiting until it is. So, out of an abundance of caution, our people in Ukraine have made the decision to move to Poland. With the issues with power going on and off, natural gas going on and off and the air raid sirens going off, the kids were basically hiding inside the Maple Leaf House in an interior room with food and clothing and water just in case, just in case. So it's basically a high level of anxiety. The staff there felt that the girls were better served by getting them away from the conflict areas. And then we'll see what happens from that point. If things calm down in Ukraine and common sense prevails, they would go back. If not, then we'd be bringing them to Canada. It takes… it takes a lot of bureaucracy. It is not horribly difficult. But when you go to the… the government websites and look at, you know, how do I apply for this? And we don't fit any of the categories that they have on their drop-down list. And also the fact that, you know, being as young as these girls are, and we had no plans for travel, they have no passports. So I've been working with our local MP here, who was on the immigration committee in Ottawa, to get through this and get prepared as much as we can.

CH: Andrew Allsop from the non-profit group Nashi, speaking with Leisha Grebinksi on Saskatoon Morning today.

[Music: Hip-hop beat]

Atherstone U.K. Ball Game

Guest: Rob Bernard

CH: In the British town of Atherstone, there's a road called Long Street. It has shops, an inn, a pub, a pharmacy -- and a place to get a sausage roll if you're so inclined. But on Shrove Tuesday, those businesses close and board up their entrances in preparation for an event that goes back hundreds of years: the Atherstone Ball Game. For two hours, participants battle it out for dominion over a big, heavy ball. This year's event took place on Tuesday. Rob Bernard is chairman of the organizing committee. We reached him in Atherstone.

HM: Hi, Rob. Did you play this year?

ROB BERNARD: Yeah, I'm right in the thick of it on every scrum. I'm the chairman of the game, and I'm chief marshall, so I do take part in it, yes. We have to get the ball back out of the middle of the scrum. And every… every scrum, we have to get the ball back out.

HM: So, is that your job?

RB: Yeah, that's my job on the day, yeah.

HM: I see. Now, I have to say, do you end up getting bruised in all this?

RB: Yeah, I'm pretty battered this week. Yeah, I've sort of suffered bruises and a bad back, bad shoulder.

HM: How did you get those?

RB: I got trampled on.

HM: Like lying on the ground?

RB: Yeah, yeah.

HM: The pictures make this game look pretty brutal. You got a lot of scowling faces, bloody noses. People… do they actually have fun?

RB: Yeah, the pictures don't do justice, really. I mean, the people wouldn't be there if it wasn't fun for them. You know this is like Christmas for the people in Atherstone. It's absolutely brilliant.

HM: And yet, I don't see any women in the pictures. Why is that? Are they kind of too clever to go… [chuckling] to go into this?

RB: [laughing] Yeah, they're too clever. Yeah, definitely. Now, I don't know. Women spectate; women don't really take part in it, really. There's nothing to stop them. But like you say, they probably got more sense than us.

HM: I guess I should get you to go back to the beginning and tell us what the Atherstone ball game really is?

RB: Well, originally, it was played between Leicestershire lads and Warwickshire lads. They would play for… for a bag of gold.

HM: Is it true it goes back more than 800 years?

RB: Yeah, 822 years, yeah.

HM: That's crazy!

RB: Eleven ninety-nine. Yeah, 1199. We've never seen these records, but that is what it's believed to be dated back to -- the reign of King John.

HM: And is it held every year?

RB: Every year, yeah, yeah. Apart from obviously, last year was the first time we never had a ball game because… obviously because of COVID. It was terrible for us because even through two world wars, the ball game still happened. They still had it.

HM: So, are there any rules to the game?

RB: Yeah, there's… there is rules. Yeah, I mean, the rule of the rule is it can't leave Long Street. The ball's not allowed to leave Long Street.

HM: So just… just explain this a little more clearly? The ball gets tossed off a balcony into this crowd. There are teams. Exactly how is it played?

RB: The idea of the game is to kick the ball from one end of Long Street to the other end of Long Street as many times as we can before half-past four. That's why we need at least 20 to 30 marshals or stewards to keep getting the ball back up and moving.

HM: And how do you win the game?

RB: Well, when the klaxon is blown at 5:00, I then go over the top or into an alleyway, where they took the ball, to get down to the bottom and declare the winner. The person holding the ball, yeah, when you get to the bottom of it when you finally get there.

HM: Who won this year?

RB: His name was Josh Sheldon, who won it. He's the lad from Brendan.

HM: And what was his strategy? How did he win?

RB: Um, he just… he was just in and out of the pack at the end for the last 20 minutes. And then, he managed to get himself down right down to the bottom of it and just snatched it away from a couple who had largely been holding it for like 10 minutes. Because like I say, they'd been down there too long, and they've got no energy left to hold the ball. And he managed to snatch it away from 'em.

HM: Has anyone ever died?

RB: No, no one's ever died. Two years ago, one of my stewards had a heart attack.

OM: Oh!

RB: Yeah, he was a steward in the game, and he had a heart attack. But luckily, he was in a good place there because he was where the ambulance services, first aid, first responders, firemen, everybody was there really to help him straight away.

HM: And was he able to attend this year's event?

RB: Yeah, we… we gave him the honours of throwing the ball out.

HM: Where do you get this ball since you're not using a pig's bladder anymore?

RB: I have a… I buy leather, a 16 feet piece of leather. And then I hand make the balls myself. They're big. You know, you have to grasp both arms around them sort of thing, yeah.

HM: Yeah, so it's not an easy thing to… to snatch and hide. You're walking around. People can see this when you're playing. Are there strategies that tend to be more successful?

RB: Just good teamwork, really. It's all about planning it and not taking it too early 'cause you burn yourself out. Within 15 minutes of being under 100 bodies, you've had it. [chuckle] No matter how big and strong you are, you just can't breathe. You can't do nothing.

HM: You said hundreds of years ago, there was a sack of gold for the prize. What's… what's the prize now?

RB: The ball.

HM: That's it?

RB: That's it. And the pride of the town. It's the biggest pride of the town you can have. If you can win the ball, you're a pretty strong man. You know, people got a lot of respect for you.

HM: And does the person who wins get to keep the ball for the rest of the year or forever?

RB: Yeah, he keeps it forever. That's it. That's his prize. He keeps that ball, and then I'll make a new ball for next year.

HM: Well, it's quite the tradition. [laughing] I'm glad no one died.

RB: Have you seen the videos of it? Have you seen the videos of it?

HM: It's… it's quite something. I have to say, I am not brave enough to either participate or even to officiate.

RB: [chuckle] Yeah. Well, think of the stewards and the thankless tasks they have.

HM: I guess. Do you make enemies?

RB: Yeah, we always make enemies. You know, some people say it's the wrong decision. Some people say, you know, this, that and the other. But at 5:00, when it's all done, back into the pub, it's all forgotten about. It doesn't matter. Everybody is shaking hands, buying each other a pint and it's all done. It's funny. It's finished. It's over for another year.

HM: And everybody's looking forward to the next one.

RB: Yeah, already talking about it straight away, you know?

HM: Well, I'm sure your minor injuries will heal pretty quickly. Thanks. Thank you for telling us the story of this game.

RB: Yeah, no problem. It's been a pleasure.

HM: Okay. Take care. Bye-bye.

RB: Thank you. Bye.

CH: That was Rob Bernard, chairman of the organizing committee for the Atherstone Ball Game. We reached him Atherstone, U.K.

[Music: electronic]

SOD: Montreal Bleeping Noise

CH: Montreal has apparently had enough of all the bleeping noise. The city has decided to ditch what it calls the "bip-bip" sound that municipal trucks made when they were backing up. That bip-bip sounded like this:

SOUNDCLIP

[Sound: The satisfying bip-bip sound of a truck backing up… which always seems to carry in the morning at around 5:00 a.m. during the winter months]

CH: Okay, so this is Montreal's old truck-reversing sound. But with every chemin, rue, and autoroute in the city always under construction, the constant bip-bipping was getting to be a bip much. So the city says it's replacing that sound with what it's poetically described as the "pscht-pscht" sound of a can being opened. I'm not sure they've nailed that description exactly -- but it's our sound of the day.

SOUNDCLIP

[A pneumatic schpppt schhhpptt sound. It sounds like my little sister sneezing, if I’m being honest]

CH: Hmmm. our Sound of the Day -- the new and hopefully less annoying, but not necessarily, sound the city of Montreal is going to use to keep people safe when municipal trucks are backing up.

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March 4, 2022 Episode Transcript

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