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The AIH Transcript for Jun 28, 2022

GINELLA MASSA: Hello. I'm Ginella Massa.

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

[Theme]

Prologue

GM: Abandoned hope. Dozens of suspected migrants are found dead in Texas, after being left in a sweltering tractor-trailer. A San Antonio archbishop shares his grief at the cruel, tragic end to their journey

CH: Giving the game away. It took years for Montreal to become one of the centres of the video-game industry -- and now, developers worry Quebec's new language law will mean it's no longer a major player.

GM: Hold your oarses. After over 200 years, the St. John's regatta will finally allow women to row the full-length course -- and getting the sexist standards changed was an upstream battle.

CH: Full throttle. According to new testimony at the January 6th hearings in Washington, Donald Trump desperately wanted to join the mob at the Capitol -- and when he was refused, he tried to grab a Secret Service agent by the throat.

GM: Not cool. Residents of a Toronto apartment building are sweating bullets -- because they say they've been threatened with eviction if they don't pay an extra fee for using air conditioners.

CH: And… he nearly threw in the towel. A Thunder Bay business owner describes the nasty shock he got this week when he rolled up to his brand-new water park -- and discovered the water had gone missing.

CH: As It Happens, the Tuesday edition. Radio that figures he was up a creek with just a puddle.

Part 1: Texas Migrant Deaths, Bill 96 Video Game, Ontario Lake Drained

Texas Migrant Deaths

Guest: Gustavo Garcia-Siller

CH: They went to the United States looking for a better life. But today, 50 people are dead -- including four children. Last night, in the middle of a heat wave, an abandoned tractor-trailer was discovered in San Antonio, Texas. Inside were dozens of people -- the vast majority of them dead. They had no water. And although the trailer was refrigerated, there were no signs that the air conditioning had been turned on. According to Mexican officials, 22 of the deceased are from Mexico, seven are from Guatemala, and two are from Honduras. At least sixteen survivors were taken to hospital with heat-related illnesses. Gustavo Garcia-Siller has visited some of those survivors. He's the Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Antonio. We reached him there.

GM: Archbishop, what went through your mind when you heard about these tragic deaths of so many migrants?

GUSTAVO GARCIA-SILLER: Well, there's so many. And it's like a horror reality, you know? We just went through the experience in Uvalde. Those people in Uvalde, they have a community. They have the support of their local leadership. They were home in that sense. And that itself was very difficult because many children involved. But this one is people that… I visited six hospitals since last night. And it just in my mind was I know, I know what is their plight, you know? Because I am an immigrant myself, and I had been since I came to the United States working with immigrants. So I have heard stories for three decades, you know? But there were so many in one trailer, and without water. It is inhumane. And knowing that they took that risk is because their situation at home was worse.

GM: Hmm.

GGS: And then, that trailer abandoned is… they were abandoned. It's not a trailer. People were abandoned there. That's the reality of the migrants.

GM: You mentioned that you visited some of the survivors in hospital. What was that experience like?

GGS: I mean, I haven't had too much time to really process, but they were asking me, who do you come to see? I said I don't know? And they said, well, we don't have the names because the situation is under investigation. So even those are brothers and sisters without a name. It just hit me. I mean, I know the procedure and I understand that until the investigation unfolds, the names will come and all that. But no names. I said that is the reality. They are non-existent. Migrants are not people for our society here. Immediately, I heard some comments from leaders that were really sad. You know, to get some gain with this. What is the gain with 50 people dead?

GM: You tweeted last night that the lack of courage to deal with immigration reform is killing and destroying lives.

GGS: Sure. Sure.

GM: Tell me more about what you meant by that?

GGS: Well, we have been decades, at least since the 1980s, that I am a witness of that. And nothing significant has been done to change laws. That means that our bodies could be at the state levels or at the federal levels. They have not been able to talk seriously and well about human beings who come to the country from the southern border. You know, it's just like everybody's bad coming from there. Everybody is non-existent. And as I said, abandoned. No names. That's the reality of it concretely, of these people and the survivors who are men and women in hospitals.

GM: Can you talk a little bit about what you hear from people who do come? The fact that they would risk their lives in this way, knowing this has happened before, knowing the dangers, what are they fleeing from that this is a viable alternative?

GGS: Well, this is viable because of the position of the United States in countries, in our home countries. So the situation is so horrible there. I have been in houses for immigrants in Mexico, in Guatemala and El Salvador, and they know that things can go wrong. But they didn't think it was going to be this way.

GM: Hmm.

GGS: But they are afraid to die. I mean, these are tremendous journeys, you know?

GM: Did you get a chance at the end, were you able to visit with any of those survivors in the hospital?

GGS: Sure. Most of them, they were intubated. Only two that were not. And one was a 16-year-old. She was in a children's hospital. And I saw her earlier this morning, and she was able to talk. It was the only one was able to… to speak.

GM: And what did she say to you?

GGS: Well, I mean, what I expressed to her, of course, was the chaplains. They were treating her really with kindness and with love. And I said, What is your name? Are you from Guatemala? And she said, yes. You are doing better, I said, is what the nurses are telling me. Trust them. Trust them. Everyone here wants to help you. And then I said, have you talked to your family? And she said, no, because they took my phone. I said, no, it's just part of the process. Don't worry. But when you get your phone, please talk to your family because that will give them peace and hope. And it will do good to you, too, Serena.

GM: Serena. That was her name?

GGS: Serena. Serena, yeah. That’s her name.

GM: Archbishop, thank you so much for your time and for sharing that young girl's story.

GGS: You’re welcome. Yes. Yes. Thank you for carrying on this moment that, hopefully, will wake up the hearts and minds, to see, to love.

GM: Thank you so much. Take care. Be well.

GGS: God bless. Bye.

CH: Gustavo Garcia-Siller is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Antonio, Texas. That's where we reached him. And you can find more on that story on our website: www.cbc.ca/AIH.

[Ambient instrumental]

Bill 96 Video Game

Guest: Osama Dorias

CH: It took decades to build Montreal into an international game development stronghold. But with the passing of Bill 96 in Quebec, that stronghold suddenly seems vulnerable. Among other things, the new language law will limit immigrants' access to government services in English, after six months. It also requires French to be the working language of major businesses, and allows for surprise spot checks to see how business is being conducted. But Quebec's games industry recruits talent from around the world, especially from the United States. Osama Dorias is a game designer who's worked in Quebec for 15 years. We reached him in Montreal.

GM: Osama. You've worked for multinational video game companies like Warner Brothers and Ubisoft. They both have studios in Quebec. Tell us what the culture is like at these companies when it comes to language?

OSAMA DORIAS: Absolutely. So, yes, that's correct. I’ve worked at big companies, and they differ slightly depending on if you're talking about Warner Brothers or Ubisoft, because Warner Brothers is an American company. Ubisoft is a French company. Generally, in the studio, when we're communicating within the studio, the culture is about the same. We have communications that happen in both languages because we have a lot of international workforce, so we can't do just French. The French is first if they're in emails, if we have documentation, documentation is almost exclusively in English, and that's because you don't have any control over who's going to read it. And, I mean, across the world. Like, different studios might need to jump into your documentation. If you speak to head office, this is where it differs. Like head office, Warner Brothers, of course, everything's in English. Head office in France, they will accommodate you if you're in a leadership position and you don't speak French. They will speak to you in English. Otherwise, we spoke in French. When it came to meetings, we did what… like, we'd scan the room, and if there were only francophones there, we would conduct the meeting in French. If there is one anglo, then, you know, we would switch to English to accommodate them. This is kind of across the board with studios that I've worked in, almost regardless of size. Generally, smaller studios, the more things happen in French because teams just happen to be smaller. So the chances of having people who are not francophone is lower. But in general, the spirit of it is the same.

GM: Hmm. So you grew up in Quebec. You speak French.

OD: Yes, I do.

GM: And I understand that you used to… you used to encourage people, other game developers, to… to come to Montreal. But now, that's changed. When a new hire comes, say from the U.S., what's… what do you tell them about what the expectation is that they'll have to learn French and start working in French?

OD: Exactly. It's not just the U.S. It's really pretty much across the world. If I have… if I travel, I speak at conferences, I speak at universities, and Montreal is a hub. So I often get the question. I see a lot of job postings in Montreal, but I don't speak French. Should I even consider it? I've been getting that for years. And my answer was always, yeah, of course. Like, come. And I explained pretty much what I told you, that we make accommodations for people who don't speak French. It's an international industry, and that's just how it works. So don't worry, come. It'll work out. Especially in Montreal, you won't have a hard time. And I used to joke about come to the city. I'll buy your poutine. You'll never want to leave. Recently, after Bill 96, when I saw that after six months, they can be refused service in English like at a government level. Then like, I have a moral obligation to tell people the truth. And so, I tell them the truth. If they ask, so I want to move to Montreal. I'm like, do you think you can learn French within six months? And if the answer is no, then no, I don't think you should. Like, how is this going to actually be executed? I don't know. I don't know if it's going to… you know, if this is just a stunt by the government and they're going to not action it. But, like, the wording is extremely troubling. And I can't have people accept a job here, relocate, move their life here on a… on a false promise.

GM: The Quebec government says that they will provide tools and resources to help newcomers learn French. And, you know, there's a responsibility to keep… to keep the French language alive. On that first point, you know, is that enough? And also, what do you make of kind of the rationale behind this in the first place?

OD: Actually, I do agree with the rationale. I do agree that we need to encourage people to learn French. There's nothing… it's a beautiful language. I speak it myself. And there's no problem there. The… the issue is six months, that is unreasonable. They had a study that they conducted themselves that it's nearly impossible to pick up a language and be functional in six months. French is not an easy language either. It's a beautiful language, but it's not an easy one. And I've been here all my life, and I still make grammar mistakes. It's just the nature of it. How do you expect someone to move to a country and within six months, pick up a language well enough that they speak it fluently. It's just not a reasonable request. So, it's more that. I haven't met anyone who came to work in the gaming industry who absolutely refuses to learn the language. That's not how it is. It just… it takes time.

GM: Do you worry about the future of the gaming industry, and that you'll lose talent?

OD: I don't know how big of an impact it's going to have. Of course, I don't see into the future. Will this have an impact? For sure. A lot of people are questioning moving here. A lot of people feel unwelcome. I've been speaking to a lot of people. I mean, I wish you were on my Facebook. You would have seen how many replies I've gotten from other people from the industry that were just basically echoing what I've been saying and, you know, lending their voice to that. Saying that either they’ve left in recent times even before 96. And they feel validated. Or that they're considering it now. And they're watching carefully. Some feel trapped. They've just bought a house, for example, and they're like, I don't know what this is going to mean. The honest truth is, there's a lot of fear, a lot of worry, and it's justified. And if enough people… if it becomes hard enough to hire people or to keep people here, this is a hub for a reason. People are starting companies here for two reasons. Of course, there are tax breaks. And the second reason is the talent is here. If the second reason is no longer true, people are just going to set up somewhere else where there are tax breaks, but the talent is going to be going there.

GM: You mentioned your Facebook, your friends, family, people that, you know, talking about their concerns, seriously considering leaving. Is it something you've thought about for yourself as well?

OD: Look, to be honest, I love it here. I've been here my whole life. I don't want to leave. But I'm also this is my career. This is the only thing I know how to do. I've been a game designer for 15 years. If I no longer have an option here, if the industry suffers here, and I don't have a choice, we go where the jobs are, right? Our priority is to support our families. So, yeah, I mean, it could happen.

GM: Osama, we wish you the best. Thanks for speaking with us.

OD: Thank you so much for having me.

CH: Osama Dorias is a game designer. We reached him in Montreal.

[Instrumental]

FTR: Trump On January 6th

CH: Witness-tampering, throwing food in a rage, and attacking his own Secret Service agent. Those are just a few details that emerged today about former U.S. President Donald Trump's actions on January 6th, 2021 -- during two hours of explosive testimony by 25-year-old Cassidy Hutchinson. She was a top aide to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Mr. Meadows has so far refused to participate in the hearings. But today, Ms. Hutchinson painted a picture of a president who was out of control. For The Record, here she is, in an interview, describing the former president's anger at the Secret Service for screening people for weapons before his speech on January 6th.

[sc]

CASSIDY HUTCHINSON: When we were in the off-stage announce area ten behind the stage, he was very concerned about the shot, meaning the photograph that we would get because the rally space wasn't full. One of the reasons, which I've previously stated, was because he wanted it to be full, and for people to not feel excluded because they had come forward to watch him at the rally. And he felt the mags were at fault for not letting everybody in. But another leading reason, and likely the primary reason, is because he wanted it full and he was angry that we weren't letting people through the mags with weapons. I was in… I was in the vicinity of a conversation where I overheard the president say something to the effect of, you know, I don't F-ing care that they have weapons. They're not here to hurt me. Take the F-ing mags away. Let my people in. They can march to the Capitol from here. Let the people in. Take that F-ing mags away.

LIZ CHENEY: Let's reflect on that for a moment. President Trump was aware that a number of the individuals in the crowd had weapons and were wearing body armour. And here's what President Trump instructed the crowd to do.

DONALD TRUMP: We're going to walk down… and I'll be there with you. We're going to walk down… we're going to walk down anyone you want, but I think right here, we're going to walk down to the Capitol.

[/sc]

CH: Republican Representative Liz Cheney asked Cassidy Hutchinson what happened next.

[sc]

LC: Ms. Hutchinson, when you returned to the White House in the motorcade after the president's speech, where did you go?

CH: When I returned to the White House, I walked upstairs towards the chief of staff's office, and I noticed Mr. Ornadt lingering outside of the office. Once we made eye contact, he quickly waved me to go into his office, which was just across the hall from mine. When I went in, he shut the door. I noticed Bobby Angle, who is the head of Mr. Trump's security detail, sitting in a chair, looking somewhat discombobulated and a little lost. I looked at Tony and he had said, did you F-ing hear what happened in the beast? I said, no, Tony, I just got back. What happened? Tony proceeded to tell me that when the president got in the beast, he was under the impression from Mr. Meadows that the off-the-record movement to the Capitol was still possible and likely to happen, but that Bobby had more information. So once the president had gotten into the vehicle with Bobby, he thought that they were going up to the Capitol. And when Bobby had relayed to him were not. We don't have the assets to do it. It's not secure. We're going back to the West Wing. The president had a very strong, a very angry response to that. Tony described him as being irate. The president said something to the effect of, I'm the F-ing president. Take me up to the Capitol, now. To which Bobby responded, Sir, we have to go back to the West Wing. The president reached up towards the front of the vehicle to grab at the steering wheel. Mr. Angle grabbed his arm, said, Sir, you need to take your hand off the steering wheel. We're going back to the West Wing. We're not going to the Capitol. Mr. Trump then used his free hand to lunge towards Bobby Angle and Mr. Ornadt had recounted the story to me, he had motioned towards his clavicles.

[/sc]

CH: For The Record, that was Cassidy Hutchinson, a top aide to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, testifying about how she was told by the White House Deputy Chief of Staff at the time that former U.S. President Donald Trump lunged at a Secret Service agent's throat on January 6th, 2021.

[Rock]

Ontario Lake Drained

Guest: Gerry Champagne

CH: Opening a new business can be terrifying. Have you done enough promotion? Do you have everything your customers will need? Will people even show up? It's a white-knuckle experience at the best of times. And at the worst of times -- well, let's ask Gerry Champagne. Just days after opening the Splish Splash water park this past weekend in Thunder Bay, Ontario, he discovered he was missing something critical. Something he understandably thought he could count on no matter what. We reached Gerry Champagne in Thunder Bay.

GM: Gerry, let's go back to Monday. You rolled up to your brand new waterpark at Boulevard Lake in Thunder Bay, Ontario. And just tell us what you saw?

GERRY CHAMPAGNE: The lake was gone. And as I've told a few people now, it reminded me of the movie "Green Fried Tomatoes". When the girl said There used to be a lake here, the birds landed, and it froze over, flash-freeze, and then they flew in and took the lake with them. For some reason, that was the first thing that went through my mind. I said. Just like "Green Fried Tomatoes". Then, the next step is to investigate because all emotions start to run. You know, there's some panic, some fear. I almost started to cry. But then my first reaction was, I better call the city, so called the City of Thunder Bay. And they answered, which was… which was nice at 6:20 in the morning. And so, she was surprised by it. So she started making calls and got back to me and said that it wasn't a planned draining. Of course, right before summer, it wouldn't be, and that they were going to investigate. And then I went over to the dam to have a look, and there were some fellas working on it over there. So I chatted with them a little bit. And everybody I talked to has a little bit of a different theory, so I really don't know which one is correct. Apparently, they're supposed to be announcing tomorrow that they found why it went down, so maybe… maybe we'll get the answer then.

GM: Oh, fingers crossed.

GC: Yeah!

GM: But there are some theories. So first, maybe explain how the lake was drained? I mean, the dams were open, 11 out of 12 of them. And that's not an easy thing to do if you don't know what you're doing.

GC: The first theory was vandalism. Then, once I talked to one of the guys in the city on the dam, he said the person would have to jump over the railing, which wouldn't be the hardest part. That would be the easiest part. But they would need to know where to place the buttons and know the programming to open the gate, and they'd have to do that for every single gate. And their theory is because the 12th one didn't open, that it's got to be vandalism. And he also told me that the buttons were in the exact same position as they were on Friday. So then, that leads me to believe it could have been a vandal because he's not going to change the buttons, go to the programming to open the gate, open up 11 gates, and then go back to all 11 to put the buttons back where they were. He's not sitting around to change the buttons. You know, he's getting his butt out of there, so.

GM: So what do you think? Just a glitch?

GC: They don't have it tied to a main source yet. The dam work is still not finished. Out of everybody I've talked to, the one that makes the most sense is somehow the computer part of it went into flood mode. In other words, all the gates had opened, so the water went back up for flood.

GM: I guess we'll find out who's right. I mean, but for you, this is also… this is your business. You know, you're getting set to… to open up this brand new water park. How much longer before you're going to be back up and running?

GC: We're opening tomorrow. The water park, we placed it in the deepest part of the lake. And so when I went out there yesterday, it measured at eight feet deep. And then, when I went there today, it's up almost two feet. So it's almost ten feet deep now on the one side and about six feet on the other, which is more than enough water for us to open.

GM: Okay, that's good news.

GC: Yes. Yes, it is.

GM: Do you worry, though, about something like this happening again?

GC: I've made inquisitions with the city to see what they're doing. You know, everybody says the right thing. That they're going to try to make sure they've followed up, whatever, whatever. Until they… until they know exactly what went wrong, you can't really put a solution on it. So I'm sure they're going to do something so that if it was vandalism, that they can't do it again. And if it was a computer glitch, I'm sure they're going to contact the manufacturer to make sure this doesn't happen again. They're embarrassed. You know, it's a brand new dam. They just spent $12 million. And, you know, four days before Canada Day, the lake empties, so.

GM: I guess it's easy to… to laugh about now knowing that you're going to be able to open tomorrow. But how are you feeling about the whole thing? I mean, as someone starting a new business, you think about all the things that could go wrong. And a disappearing lake probably wasn't at the top of the list?

GC: [laughing] It wasn't even on the list. There was a lot of anxiety, but my… I've been in business self-employed for a long time. So once you get through that initial anxiety and fear and stress, you take a step back, and you say, okay, what's my first step? Instead of freaking out, let's resolve what we have and let's try to get through it. And I feel like we have.

GM: And you know what, maybe the silver lining here is this mystery gives you a little PR before you open on the Canada Day long weekend.

GC: There was a lot of PR. You're probably the 10th or 11th interview. I've been on TV a couple of times. And the one thing about being on TV is you realize you need to lose a few pounds. [GM chuckles] But other than that, it was… it was good. Like, you know, it's never good having to shut down for business, but it's how you react to it and move on. And I think with help from my partners, some of the staff, the city, you know, everybody putting their heads together, I think we… we got through it okay.

GM: Well, Gerry, happy reopening day. And I hope folks have lots of fun and that the lake doesn't disappear again.

GC: Well, in "Green Fried Tomatoes", it only disappeared once. So let's hope it only goes once.

GM: Fingers crossed. Thanks so much.

GC: Thank you. Have a great day.

CH: That was Gerry Champagne. We reached him in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

[Disco?]

Part 2: Toronto AC Eviction Notices, NL Regatta Women

Toronto AC Eviction Notices,

Guest: Shelly Dunphy

CH: People living in a downtown Toronto apartment building were just trying to beat the sweltering heat. But now, dozens of them have received notices that installing their own AC units violates their leases. Electricity is included in their rental agreement. But they've been told they can either pay more to keep their air conditioning, or face eviction. In Ontario, landlords are responsible for keeping their buildings above a minimum temperature in the winter, but not below a maximum temperature in the summer. Shelly Dunphy lives in the building in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood. That's where we reached her.

GM: Shelly, just how hot can it get in your building without AC?

SHELLY DUNPHY: Oh, it's. It's humid. It's… it's… you're soaking wet. There's no air in here whatsoever. You can't even use your balcony between I would say 3 to about 6:30. And there's no air. It's so hot.

GM: Do you worry from a safety standpoint about folks who live in the building when it's an extreme heat alert in Toronto?

SD: Oh, most definitely. Because most of the tenants that just received the notices were… were seniors that have been here for many years. So, I know that they can't breathe. So a few of them are on oxygen. You know, all of the other health issues that come along as you get older. Yeah, I am worried for them.

GM: These folks who received these notices, many of them have had AC units in their window for years without any issue.

SD: Most… yeah, a lot of them got it… moved in in the 70s. So our leases just kind of turn over every year. No change in leases or anything like that. We've all been allowed ACs. We all grew up here in the 70s, 80s, 90s, when we had to do our own repairs, paint our own apartments, basically do everything on our own because Parkdale, you know, pre-gentrification was very different. So we always worked as a community here. So we were allowed to have AC. Yes, definitely.

GM: So what was the reaction when that suddenly changed?

SD: I don't want to say totally surprised because I know that the… the owners have been trying to push, you know, people out as much as they can or to sign things. We had something for parking not too long ago as well. And so, they've been trying anything to get them to push over to move. Pay the hydro.

GM: Right. So, I mean, is this in your mind about the AC? Is this about something bigger in terms of trying to get folks out who have been there for a long time and are paying less?

SD: Yeah, most definitely. So, it's either-or. So, either get them to be scared and just move or get them to be put on the metres to pay hydro throughout the year.

GM: Hmm. And to that end, the property management company says they can keep their AC units if they agree to pay more.

SD: Yes. It didn't say that on the… on the actual letters that they received, though. So they were just given a letter that said you have to vacate your premises by July 7th, which created so much chaos among those who, you know, language barrier seniors, especially, that don't know their rights so much. So when they went down to ask questions to the superintendent, they were asked to sign a form. And if they signed the form, then they were allowed to stay.

GM: What do you think about that?

SD: Well, it's sad. You know, our building is amazing. We have… like, we have 107 units here. And 50… about 40 to 50 of them received it, which means that we still have half of our building pre-gentrified Parkdale, right? It's… it's still the family that… that's always existed here. So it's unfortunate because the tenants here basically used to clean it. They've paid for all the flowers that were put up. Thousands of… everything was paid by us out of our pockets, not by the building managers, ever. So, it's sad to see that the people who actually kept your building clean and like amazing. We've been in the newspaper many years, won so many awards, and now you're going to turn around and treat us so terribly.

GM: For folks outside of Toronto, Parkdale is known, or was known for many years, as one of the last affordable neighbourhoods in downtown. Do you worry that, you know, this will impact that?

SD: Oh, it already has, right? So triple the rents. If they're able to get one of us out, they can easily up the rents by about $1,500, $1,000.

GM: You know, the company is… is essentially saying, look, this is in your lease. This is not allowed. But, you know, if you pay more for the hydro, you can stay. You say you think that's unfair. Can you just explain why you think it's unfair?

SD: Mainly because it does also stipulate in the lease that unless it's been agreed upon. So for people who have lived here 25, 30, 40, 50 years, if they have forgotten to ask them to pay hydro over that, you know, a few decades, then that's a bit weird. This is just the way it was. It was always included in your rent.

GM: You've been in the building for 43 years. You haven't gotten one of these notices yet. Are you expecting that? And what's your plan?

SD: Well, I received the initial one last year when we received them in June of last year, where they asked us to pay $400 for the summer for hydro. And I think because I went from apartment to apartment while they were… they were actually taking out the seniors air conditioners on the spot. They did home inspections on all of us. And when they went into a senior's apartment that was alone, they would actually take out their air conditioner. And then, I went there, and I made them put them back inside. So I think what they did is they left me out of it, so I wasn't included, hoping that because I didn't receive one, I wouldn't get involved this time and feel grateful.

GM: I mean, can you just talk a little bit about that, what the whole procedure was like? How they approached this? And it sounds a little bit like, you know, maybe taking advantage of a situation where someone couldn't physically stop them from doing what they were doing?

SD: Yeah, it's a lady above me. She's been above me before I was born. They were actually standing there, and they were just taking out her AC. And because there's a language barrier, they said, are you going to pay the $400? They knocked on the door. Do you have an air conditioner? Yes. Are you going to pay us the $400? No. Then we're going to take out your air conditioner for you. It was cruel. That's ridiculous because we're the people who actually made this building.

GM: So, what's the plan moving forward? Are residents fighting back?

SD: Yeah. So we called Parkdale Organize, who are amazing. They always are right there and ready and willing to help. Parkdale Legal also showed up, and then our MPP, Bhutila, she also came through. So, yeah, we're having another rally tonight at 6 p.m. in front. More so just so the people know that they're able to use the air conditioners and they do not need to leave by July 7th. It just creates, you know, the chaos, get it away from them, let them live without having problems, really.

GM: And do you know what your rights are in this case?

SD: In most cases, they cannot change your lease. As far as we know, it doesn't seem like a legal document. And they would have to take us all to court before they could even, you know, evict anybody. First of all, right, there's a process, right? We have rights.

GM: Shelly, thanks so much for speaking with us.

SD: Thank you so much. Thanks for calling.

CH: We reached Shelly Dunphy in Toronto. We receIved a response from Myriad Property Management. The company said that it conducts yearly inspections of all units, and notes items like air conditioners, which are not allowed under tenants' lease agreements. Myriad says tenants are given a warning letter and an option to pay for hydro directly, or via monthly fee. And it adds, quote, "It was not, has never been and will never be our intent to evict someone without providing them the opportunity to remedy the situation in a reasonable manner and amount of time." Unquote.

[Steel drum]

B.C. Crash Saviour Couple

CH: If it weren't for two strangers, Katie Potts believes she might not be alive today. A year ago, Mr. Potts and her boyfriend were in a horrific car crash on a highway in the B.C. Interior. The car was crushed, and she was thrown from the vehicle. She lost a leg and part of one of her hands. A couple pulled over to help them. They called 9-1-1, then tied off her wounds to stop the bleeding while they waited for the paramedics to arrive. Well, today, Katie Potts is doing much better. And she wanted to find the couple who came to her rescue. So she took to social media. And she reached out to the CBC's Radio West for help. Here's what she told host Sarah Penton last week.

[sc]

KATIE POTTS: I'm alive because of them. You know what I mean? Like, they… they did such a big thing for me. And I just… I want them to know that I… I'm never going to forget something like that. And I'm doing so well because of them, you know?

SARAH PENTON: We all want them to know. We have to find them. It's our mission.

KP: Yes. I'm very determined to find these people. They just… I need them to know that because of them, I am who I am today.

[/sc]

CH: Katie Potts speaking to Radio West's Sarah Penton last week. Well, Ms. Potts did find that couple -- Marilyn Thomas and her husband from Salmon Arm, B.C. And here is Katie speaking to Marilyn.

[sc]

KP: Marilyn, you know, I just… I need you to never forget. You know, you saved my life. And I was able to turn 21 because you pulled over. And that's… that's a big thing for me, you know? I'm here. And like I said to you before, I'm going to continue to live on and be the best person I can be because I didn't think anybody was going to pull over, right? We had multiple people pass us. And you were the ones who, you know, you stepped right in. You didn't even hesitate. I was getting mad at you throughout the whole thing. You know, I was telling you, give me water. Give me this. I'm… you know, I need it. And you were telling me, sorry, you know, we need to do this. We need to make sure you're okay. You can't drink water. And that's… you know, I am never going to forget that you're my guardian angel. You really are.

SP: Marilyn?

MARILYN THOMAS Yes. Well, thank you, Katie. And I feel like more people need to do what we did. People need to stop being in such a hurry. And they need to just start helping people in need. And I don't… I don't know what to say. I don't feel like a guardian angel. I don't feel like we did anything that somebody else would have done. But I'm glad that we were there for you that day. Because… because you're here. Because I feel like you're special to me.

[/sc]

CH: Marilyn Thomas and Katie Potts speaking on the CBC's Radio West.

[Bright piano and standup bass]

NL Regatta Women

Guest: Connie Duffett

CH: This year, for the first time in its 204-year history, the St. John's Regatta will look a bit different. Because this year, female rowers will be allowed to compete in the 2.5-kilometre version of the race. Now previously, women were only allowed to row the half-length race. An absurdly obvious double standard that female rowers fought to change for decades. Connie Duffett is a member of a team that took to the water in a warm-up race last weekend. We reached her in St. John's.

GM: So, Connie, what was it like for you and your team to cross that finish line of the course for the first time this weekend?

CONNIE DUFFETT: There were so many emotions with crossing that finish line. I think mostly we felt lucky and really privileged to be a part of such a historic event on Saturday.

GM: And now, this was just a warm-up race, but we should say that you did win. [laughing] That's got to be a pretty good feeling.

CD: Yeah. I mean, I think mostly we felt, you know, being able to do it was a major feast. So, I mean, winning was wonderful. But I think just the privilege of being there and being out in the race, and to be rowing that long course mean a lot for our entire crew.

GM: Is there pressure, though, you know, to be one of the first female teams to do well and to show, yeah, we deserve to be here?

CD: I think the pressure that we feel is mostly on ourselves. We've got a wonderful crew that's made up of, you know, nine individuals, a lot of whom are mothers. We've got children that range in age from 16 years to four months. So, I think the pressure comes from, you know, family commitments and… and making this happen, something that we really all wanted to do. And so, sacrificing a lot to make it happen this year with all the family commitments.

GM: And what was the mood like on the boat during that first race?

CD: So, you know, I think we were all pretty excited. We were warming up prior to the race, and we were all getting out the nerves. And then once we got down there, I think we were all just so excited to get racing. And we… we took off with another crew, a number of young females in that boat. And really, they're the future generations of… of rowing in our… in our sport. So they are in their late teens, early twenties. So racing against a young crew. I mean, this is really what it's all about. You know, it's about our crew, but also future generations of rowers.

GM: Yeah. I mean, you're talking about the future, but this is something you've been doing for 25 years. You've been fighting for this for almost as long. You know, can you just tell us about that? That feeling that you're finally able to do something you've been wanting to do for more than two decades?

CD: Being on the pond for over… you know, around 25 years, it's truly an exceptional experience. We've wanted this. And having the regatta committee come on side. It's something that they had wanted. We've got the first time ever a female vice president and female president that were super engaged and, you know, were… were supportive of this evolution of the sport. And to have that happen this year was truly an amazing experience for… for our crew, me particularly. I've certainly had a family history of rowing. My grandfather rowed for quite a number of years. And every time I race, I race with his medal that he won in 1936. And we also have another one of our rowers in the… in the boat, her mom had been a part of the first female championship race that was held in the late-70s, early-80s. So, you know, having such a family linkage with all our crew to the regatta is very meaningful and so emotional for us on… on Saturday.

GM: Oh, and did you think about him during that race and what he would think about you being able to participate in this way, your grandfather?

CD: Oh, yes. You know what? I look down at that medal right before every race, and it is something special that my grandfather would certainly be so proud of for me to be able to row the distance that he did. So, it was quite the emotional experience, kind of going to the starting line and looking down at that medal for the first time and being able to go, you know, the full distance that he was able to race.

GM: So doing this change, as I mentioned, you've been racing for decades, but doing a shorter race. How different or difficult is it to now adjust to this longer race?

CD: You know what? I had anticipated it being much harder, but what I feel now is that it's just different. So you pace yourself very differently. For the shorter distances, you go at a much higher stroke rate. So you know what? I don't think it's any harder. I just think it's different. And so, being able to do the full course was actually a lot easier than I expected.

GM: And I understand this change isn't just about including women in this longer race, but it also gives men an option?

CD: Absolutely. So… so really, this is about progression of our sport. So really, there's two different styles now of rowing. So, females can do the sprint distance, which we've always been able to do, but now also allows males to be able to do that shorter distance, that sprint distance. So, it opens up more categories for rowers to participate in. And I think that will bring back a number of different male crews. Right now, we're about 80, 85 per cent female rowers. And so, offering this additional category should hopefully bring back males to the sport and be able to have more categories for that sprint distance.

GM: The race is set for August, I understand. What are you most looking forward to, and what can the spectators look forward to as well?

CD: So, I think it should be a really exciting regatta day, especially because of the new changes in the categories. We're most looking forward to being able to push through those shortcakes and go right to the bottom of the pond and just do that for the first time in an official capacity, having an official time, being the first one of the first crews to be able to do that, I think, it will be an exciting regatta day. And I think that, you know, it'll be something that we always get a lot of turnout for. So I think it will be a great day for everyone.

GM: Connie, thanks so much and good luck.

CD: Thank you so much. And thank you for the opportunity.

CH: We reached Connie Duffett in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

[Light rock]

Ottawa Trans Library

CH: Ottawa's Hintonburg neighbourhood has a brand new library like no other. It's a privately funded operation with a focus on books for the transgender community. And for its creator, who grew up in the area, it's a labour of love. Here's Tara Sypniewski, founder of the Ottawa Trans Library.

[sc]

HALLIE COTNAM: One of the first things I noticed, Tara, when I came in here is that it's not just books; it's gathering places. It's places where people can sit and have a conversation. Why was that important?

TARA SYPNIEWSKI: There's still a lot of isolation in the trans community. I mean, we've been getting people in now, and they've found the courage. And I know there's a buzz in the community, and it's really big. It's important to them. They can find their own space if they want, or they can talk to me in the library. I call myself a librarian psychologist.

HC: It's such a visible location. Why was that important?

TS: [chuckling] Oh, that was big-time important. You know, trans visibility is… is what it's about. We're being visible to show people that we're just a regular part of society and we contribute in regular kinds of ways. But to do that, you have to be out. You have to show people you're around. And that's why we're in Hintonburg, really. It's to bring the community in and be part of the community. We're a part of Hintonburg now. We're really proud of that.

HC: So, what is it that drives you?

TS: Well, you know, a lot of people my age, they travel. And I was lucky enough to travel when I was younger. And so, this is far more meaningful to me than, you know, schlepping around the world or anything like that. And I always had an itch for social justice, and this is part of it. And this is something I know. I know the community. I can't fix everything, but I know I can make one small little difference here at the corner of Hintonburg.

HC: I'm wondering if… if a space like this would have made a difference for you?

TS: Oh, yes, absolutely. You know, I grew up in the 70s. I was in my early twenties in the 70s. They were bad times. And I was very, extremely isolated and very angry, until I met other trans people. But it was very difficult to do that. Whereas here, I'm offering people this opportunity to meet other trans people, you know? I should say also that besides the regular hours, we have these special events and that's what I'm hoping people will come to, you know, that are interested. And we have our book club, we have our board game night.

HC: You also have some books here that have nothing to do with being trans.

TS: No, absolutely not. You know, there's more to us than being trans. And I wanted to have this section of interesting books that people might want to select from.

HC: Again, prominent location, expensive rent. What's the business model here?

TS: The business model is largely I calculated how much money I have, my age, and how long I'm going to live. And I budgeted for $3,000 a month. And on a two-year lease. that makes $72,000. And I think… I thought, well, I can afford that.

HC: That's extraordinary.

TS: Well, it's a philanthropic venture, of course. But the point is that I always say that if you can make the city that you want, if you can contribute to it some way, and it's meaningful to me to do this.

HC: You're making the Ottawa that you --

TS: The Ottawa I wish I had. And I have this "we love this city" sign in the front. And I'm from… I'm born and raised in Ottawa. I'm proud of this city. I want make it better.

[/sc]

CH: That was Ottawa Trans Library founder Tara Sypniewski, founder of the Ottawa Trans Library, speaking to Hallie Cotnam on Ottawa Morning.

[Violin]

WPG Doggie Dates

CH: In most municipalities, you can borrow books at the library. Some cities even have programs to lend out things like power tools and other useful gadgets. But Winnipeg has decided to let people borrow something more directly involving. Something that demands your attention. Something… furrier. It's called Doggie Dates -- a partnership that allows Winnipeg's fire paramedic stations to host dogs that are available for adoption. Here's Leland Gordon, the general manager of Winnipeg Animal Services.

[sc]

LELAND GORDON: It's a win-win because nobody likes dogs sitting in kennels in an animal shelter. So how awesome is it to be able to place these dogs in a facility with lots of staff who can love the dogs, spend time with the dog and the dog and run around this very cool fire station, right? But as a matter of fact, Murphy, who's been very spoiled at this station, he's gone home overnight with firefighters and paramedics. He actually went to a very fancy cabin on an island this past weekend and spent the… spent the weekend on an island being spoiled by firefighters and paramedics. So, what a great program. And again, we're very… we're grateful for the teams both at Animal Services and the Winnipeg Fire And Paramedic Service for making it happen. Murphy has been living at this fire and paramedic station for upwards of three to four weeks right now, and he's having a great time. But hopefully, somebody will adopt Murphy either at the station or out in the community. So on our end, we hope that slightly increases our dog adoptions, gives the dogs more socialization, more enrichment out in the community. But at this point, right now, we're… we're hoping to expand to more of the chief's facilities that he oversees. And that… that's baby steps, what we're doing at this point.

[/sc]

CH: That was Leland Gordon, the general manager of Winnipeg Animal Services, speaking at a press conference.

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June 28, 2022 Episode Transcript

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