Note: Transcripts may contain errors. If you wish to re-use all, or part of, a transcript, please contact CBC for permission. Please check the corresponding audio before quoting in print. Copyright © CBC 2024

The AIH transcript for September 03, 2024

For more episodes of this podcast, please click this link.

NIL KÖKSAL: Hello, I'm Nil Köksal.

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

[theme]

CH: Tonight:

NK: Misery repeats itself. A migrant boat sinks in the English Channel, killing 12 people -- and six of them children. The head of a group that helps refugees says there's a terrible sense of loss -- and déjà vu.

CH: Chip off the old blockchain. A new report reveals that crypto corporations are pouring millions into the U.S. election campaign -- and those donations are raising major concerns.

NK: From the ashes. Their home in Jasper, Alberta was destroyed by this summer's wildfire. As children there prepare to back to school, our guest says hers are teaching her about resilience.

CH: Shelter from the storm. We'll remember the late Phil "Pinky" Lewis, a drag queen who inspired a critically acclaimed TV series -- and inspired a close friend, who says "Pinky" always helped her find joy.

NK: Root force. Eddie "The Beast" Hall is one of the world's strongest men. And -- apparently -- the key to his feats isn't just his rock-hard glutes and pecs -- but a set of smaller mystery muscles you've probably never heard of.

CH: And… Downing the tubes. A climactic showdown between two legendary rivals ends in a new hot-dog-eating record -- and the culmination of one of competitive eating's most notorious beefs.

CH: As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that supposes the contest made for the perfect end to brat summer.

Part 1: English Channel Deaths, Jasper Families Displaced, Strongman Study

English Channel Deaths

Guest: Steve Smith

CH: Today marked a tragic milestone in the English Channel: the deadliest day since 2021. At least 12 people are dead -- including six children and a pregnant woman -- after their dinghy disintegrated in French waters, as they were attempting to cross into the U.K. French officials say nearly 70 people were on board the small vessel, and that they are believed to mostly be asylum seekers from Eritrea. Steve Smith is the CEO of Care4Calais, a charity that helps refugees on the French coast and in the U.K. We reached him in Camelford, England.

NK: Steve, there are certainly still a lot of unanswered questions, a lot that is not known. But -- at this point -- I wonder what you and your team have been able to, to piece together about just what happened to this boat?

STEVE SMITH: I agree with you. The, the situation is unclear at the moment. And -- of course -- our team -- although they operate in Calais -- weren't actually at the scene or the site of the accident itself. However, I think we can put two and two together and, and come up with a reasonable assumption. What we've been finding is that asylum seekers have been taking increasingly desperate measures in their search for safety. Increasingly, people smugglers overload unseaworthy boats, which really aren't up to crossing the channel. And in order to avoid the police -- again -- are increasingly launching them from more obscure places. And those more obscure places tend to be the areas that are more dangerous to launch from. And this is going to continue as long as people are seeking safety and there are no safe routes for them.

NK: And we're also hearing from officials that, that this boat was just seven metres long, only eight lifejackets on board. Did those figures surprise you?

SS: Yeah, absolutely. Not, not at all. The people smugglers have the, their only interest is in making money out of people in dire circumstances. The more they can cram into those small boats, the more money they'll make. They don't care about lives. They don't care about the welfare of the individuals they're sending across. They don't steer the boats. They don't get in the boats themselves. It's pushed off from the shore, and you're on your own.

NK: We have had these conversations so many times on this program. This has happened over and over again. In fact, the British Home Office says more than 2,000 migrants tried to, to cross just in the past seven days. But when you hear about a death toll like this, overcrowded boat -- once again -- so few lifejackets, the fact that we're here again, how do you process that?

SS: I think that we're here again because the, the reactions or the actions that are being taken to, to stop the boats are really not working. We're seeing that time and time again. These, these are desperate people. They've survived war, conflict, torture, persecution. Okay -- within that -- there are some people who won't have viable asylum claims, but 75 per cent or thereabouts of them will have. And that's what the statistics prove when the asylum claims are submitted. They are really desperate people. They are so desperate that they are prepared to put their lives at risk to cross the channel, one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. And I think that, that shows what desperate people will do. I liken this to probation in the States. You know, you make alcohol illegal, and people will go underground to get it. You make safe routes illegal, you make being an asylum seeker illegal, and they will be forced to go underground to seek safety. And that's what's happening now. What's the way around this? To provide safe routes. You don't hear of Ukrainians dying in the channel. You don't come across Ukrainians sleeping rough around Calais because there are safe routes for those people to escape their countries and come into the U.K. There are no safe routes -- effectively -- for anyone else.

NK: There's been a change in government, a shift in policy in your country. The current British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is calling this -- quote -- horrifying and deeply tragic. End quote. But pointing to dismantling those smuggling operations and boosting security as the solution here. Is it?

SS: Well, I can see why she might think it's the solution. And I can see why she might say it's the solution. Apparently, the the new Labour government have had to dismantle the Rwanda plan. It was absolutely absurd. It was a complete and utter gimmick. But the trouble is, you dismantle that plan, and many of those who you might nudge towards the right will be in U.K. going -- well -- you've taken that away. What are you going to do? And I think Labour have felt compelled to offer something else. I think it's a bit of a fig leaf, quite frankly. Border Force have always been there. The Border Security Command, is it that much different? Is it really going to work? Since Brexit, the U.K. Is no longer in the European police force -- Europol. Were no longer able to use the European arrest warrant. And we have no access to something called the Schengen Information System that provides intelligence on people crossing borders within Europe. With all those things gone, I can't see how this could possibly work. Again, I come back to safe routes, have people processed offshore, and have visas with a safe and regulated way into the U.K. In that case -- in an instance like that -- they've already been screened before they come into the U.K. Not like those coming in through boats already screened. That will speed up the processing system, and -- hopefully -- get us back to where we should be, with those seeking safety being assured it.

NK: What will your team in Calais be doing over the next few days now?

SS: Well, we'll be doing routine work. A routine work is to provide clothing -- particularly -- we're now getting into autumn, we'll soon be into the winter. People are arriving in Calais effectively sometimes in T-shirts, jeans, nothing much else, and sometimes flipflops. We'll be providing clothing. We'll be providing shoes, we'll be providing underwear. We'll provide activities for people who are sleeping rough and have nothing else to do, nothing else to think about day in, day out. But also, attending a vigil for those that have died. And I know this will be absolutely gut-wrenching for my team because they, they work with these people day in, day out. And every time this happens, they're on their knees with grief.

NK: Steve, thank you for your time. Please take care.

SS: Okay. Thank you very much, indeed. Nice to talk to you, Nil.

CH: Steve Smith is the CEO of Care4Calais. He was in Camelford, England.

[R&B]

Jasper Families Displaced

Guest: Megan LeBlanc

CH: As they go back to school this week, kids are nervous about their classes and teachers, excited about seeing old friends, and anxious about making new ones. All the usual stuff. But kids in Jasper, Alberta go back to class on September 17th, they'll be feeling an extra layer of emotion: their community is recovering from this summer's monster wildfire, which destroyed a third of the buildings in town. Staff members in the Grande Yellowhead Public School Division have been cleaning ash-covered surfaces in schools. And -- in an interview last week -- Superintendent Carolyn Lewis talked about how they'll be supporting kids' mental health needs. She also told Nil the most common questions she's getting from parents.

SOUNDCLIP

CAROLYN LEWIS: Well -- initially -- it was when will school open? When will it be safe for my child to return? Is the playground safe? Because the playground looks normal.

NK: Yeah.

CL: It had to be sprayed down, but it didn't burn. Will the teachers come back? What if have I have to be away from Jasper for a while? Can I bring my child or student back once we get re-established in the community? Can we attend other schools in Alberta? So those were the questions, and we answered those in town halls. The government held town halls.

CH: Megan LeBlanc has two kids who'll be going to Jasper Elementary School. The family lost their home in the fire. Right now, they're in Saint John, New Brunswick.

NK: Megan, how, how are your children dealing with the delayed return to school?

MEGAN LEBLANC: I mean, they're nine and six, and we were lucky enough to secure a rental in Jasper, but it's not ready yet. So we decided to come to New Brunswick to see family. So they're with their grandparents and cousins, and they have no problems with being delayed by a couple of weeks. [NK chuckles] Because -- to them -- it feels like summer vacation. My husband and I are a little sensitive about the word vacation because although we're with people we love and we're having fun, we're also displaced. And so, [chuckle] we are having some definitely nice extended summer moments. But we're mostly head down on laptops, dealing with insurance, and trying to get our businesses up and running and all that stuff.

NK: What were you doing today? What's the, the latest hurdle?

ML: Well, we have four insurance claims, so we have a little one for a car that I lost. And then our house claim and we have two stores, and they're separate businesses. So, we have two business insurance claims. And so, it's just navigating all of that. So, we had some Zoom meetings today. And our business -- luckily -- one of our stores is open. We're really grateful for that, and, and proud of it. We got it up and running, and our team's doing a fantastic job while we're away. But we have to get payroll done, and we have to get the schedule out. And -- you know -- all of this while trying to make sure that our children are having a fun time. Luckily, our grand, the grandparents are incredible. So they've stepped in and allowed us to get stuff done. But yeah, it's mostly insurance work.

NK: Yeah. You mentioned that, that rental you've been able to secure in Jasper. Is that a rarity among friends and neighbours -- from what you know?

ML: Yeah. I don't have any hard statistics. But it seems like it's sort of down the middle. Some of our friends have been able to find something. You know, some people have relatives in Jasper they're going to move in with for a temporary time. And then some people weren't able to find a way back to Jasper, at least not just yet. And so, I know some people have started in Hinton, our neighbouring community. I know of a few people who've relocated to Valemount. Some people right at the beginning just said this is, I don't want to deal with it. We're going to relocate right off the hop, and we'll figure things out from afar. And so -- you know -- we know of a couple of families who've decided that Canmore will be their home base for the next little while, while they figure things out. So I don't know if it's a rarity, but I'd say not everybody has been as lucky as us to find a place that they can call their own, where they're not sharing space, and they're going to be able to live pretty comfortably until, until our rebuild. So I feel very, very lucky.

NK: What does the timeline for that rebuild and returning to what your life was like look like?

ML: I have no idea. You know, the, the numbers or the, the timeline we keep sort of floating around is two years. But this is really all just guessing. We really have no idea. As of right now, the homes are still piles of ash. We have an appointment to have our property sifted, which I didn't even know what that was before all of this. But they're going to, a company is going to go through and go through the rubble and see if they can find anything that, that we can -- you know -- any little treasures that might have been left behind.

NK: What was it like to go back there when you were able to after the fire and see that?

ML: It was definitely hard. I think we'd been prepared for it. We've had a month. You know -- in this day and age -- we have so much access to social media, and we've seen photos even of our exact home, and some really upsetting photos. And then -- in a weird way -- the anticipation of seeing the property was almost harder than seeing it. The drive in -- for me -- was more emotional. And once we finally got there, it sort of just -- you know -- it's just reality. It's just what we have to deal with now. And you just go one day at a time. And we have so much to do that it's almost -- you know -- I'm trying to make time for emotions, but I'm trying to just soldier on, you know? Like, that's all you can do is -- you know -- let yourself feel things. And I'm talking openly with my kids about it. And I'm having moments -- of course -- but I can't just let myself crumble because there's so much to do to get this rebuilt. And we're trying to focus on the, on the happy stuff. I'm really focused and optimistic about this back to school. Like, I can't believe they're only delayed by two weeks. I just think it's a miracle. And it's due to everybody's hard work. And I'm so thankful and focusing on that. And we're all anxious to get back to our community because the town might be -- you know -- the neighbourhoods, some of them are destroyed, but the community is still there. And so, I'm focusing on that and just trying to stay really, really positive and optimistic.

NK: And when you do have those, those conversations with your children -- I mean -- you mentioned their ages; they are young. Children can be very, very resilient. It feels like an extended summer to them at this point. But what kinds of things are you saying to them in those difficult moments?

ML: Yeah, they are really resilient. I'm trying to watch them, and I'm being really sensitive to them, but I'm, they're quite strong, you know? Like, we've talked really openly the whole time about what's going on. And they seem to be understanding of the situation. They know they've lost everything. But -- to them -- they have their important teddy bears. And that seems to be all that matters. And we've talked to them a lot about the ideas of what's replaceable. And -- you know -- I think some of the saddest things is some of the artwork they did as little kids, and they feel badly about that. And we, but we just talk about it every day like, oh, remember this? Yeah, that won't be there. But remember this, that won't be there, but that's replaceable. You know, the Barbie camper, we can buy a new Barbie camper. They seem to just sort of take it in stride. And it's funny because the day that we went to see the house, we decided it was, we talked a lot about whether or not we should take the kids with us? But we didn't really have a lot of options for where they could go. We don't have family in Alberta, so we made the decision to take them with us. I think I drew more strength having them there, and it was kind of great. We just got it over with -- all the four of us together -- and they were sort of more curious than devastated, which was really interesting. And I just keep looking at them, and they're safe, and that's really all that matters. And I know that's a little trite to say because -- of course -- I'm very upset about all the things that I've lost. But really, it is the truth that we all got out safely. And that is the most important thing.

NK: I'm really glad we could speak -- Megan -- and that you're all doing as well as can be in these times. I appreciate it, Megan. Thank you.

ML: My pleasure, and thanks for taking the time. And I hope everybody in the country is having a great Back-To-School while Jasper enjoys an extra couple of weeks.

NK: Thank you.

ML: Thanks, Nil. Bye-bye.

CH: That was Jasper resident Megan LeBlanc -- who's in Saint John, New Brunswick with her family right now.

[brisk piano]

Strongman Study

Guest: Jonathan Folland

CH: If you've watched the Olympics or Paralympics and seen the athletes lifting the incredibly heavy weights, you probably thought the same thing I did: "I could do that too, if I had enormous, bulging muscles." And yes, you would need enormous muscles. But that may not be all you'd need. Researchers at Loughborough University in England studied a strongman named Eddie "The Beast" Hall. He's best known for his record-breaking 2016 deadlift of 500 kilograms. Here's what he said to ITV about the feat.

SOUNDCLIP

EDDIE "THE BEAST" HALL: The 500 kilo is, it's the lift of the century. It's the heaviest weight ever lifted off the floor. What did it do to me? What didn't it do, is the question? I had a brain bleed, so I was bleeding out the nose, the ears, the eyes. My blood pressure was through the roof. Heart rate was through the roof. I lost my vision. And probably for about three or four weeks, I had the signs of concussion. You know, I couldn't remember my wife's name, my kids' names. I forget conversations.

HOST: Is it worth it? I mean, when you hear that.

ETBH: You know, to be the best at any sport, you've got to take risks. And there's always consequences. And if I could go back in time and do it all again, I would.

CH: Eddie "The Beast" Hall speaking to the ITV's This Morning show. Well, it wasn't Mr. Hall's risk-taking or his overall strength that snagged the attention of the scientists studying his physique. It was something else that surprised them. Jonathan Folland is a professor of neuromuscular performance. We reached him in Loughborough, England.

NK: Jonathan, I was just looking at some photos of Eddie Hall and a short video of one of his competitions. But for our listeners who haven't seen those, paint us a picture of Eddie Hall.

JONATHAN FOLLAND: So he's around six-foot-three tall. He weighs more than 350 pounds -- 172 kilos. So he's a, he's a mountain of a man. And -- you know -- he's, he's got muscles coming out of muscles, basically.

NK: Yeah.

JF: So he's pretty impressive. He's pretty intimidating as well, I should think.

NK: Muscles coming out of muscles is a great way to put it. What did you discover about his muscles?

JF: Well -- I mean -- the first thing is, is incredibly obvious: he's very muscular. And that was no surprise at all. His total muscle mass in his, his lower body -- which is basically from the chest down -- was around twice that of an average, untrained young man. But the more interesting thing that we found was that there was a big pattern to his muscularity. Some muscles weren't much bigger -- actually -- maybe 25, 30 per cent bigger. And which -- given his size, just his height alone -- you would expect his muscles to be a little bit bigger than, than average. So those muscles really were very similar to that of an untrained person, but other muscles were just enormous -- twice and more, in some cases, bigger than an untrained person. And particularly, the biggest difference was there's some unexpected muscles called the guy ropes muscles, which are three long, thin muscles which are all attached onto the same place -- actually -- below the knee. But then they kind of extend up to different points on the pelvis. And the reason they're called guy ropes muscles is because they play an important role in holding the pelvis stable, a bit like guy ropes on a tent. And --

NK: Because I was going to be really angry about the patriarchy, I was going to say women certainly have -- I'm sure -- have these muscles, too. [chuckle]

JF: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Of course, they do. And it's really interesting how well developed these, these muscles are in Eddie. Because it kind of makes sense that they would be well developed because -- obviously -- he spent his whole training time, his competition time doing heavy lifting and carrying. And it's really important to be able to hold the pelvis stable during those kind of movements, to be able to lift and carry those heavy loads.

NK: And do you think specifically for Eddie, it's because he has those muscles on muscles, and works so specifically on them that, that these guy ropes are so well developed in him compared to non-athletes?

JF: Yeah, I'm not sure he's targeted those muscles particularly. But it's just the fact that he's done that amount of heavy carrying and lifting, which has led to them to be really well-developed, I assume. I mean, we, we don't know categorically how much of this is nature, how much of it is nurture. Meaning, how much of it is innate characteristics that he's just been born with, and how much of it is through his lifestyle, his training, his nutrition, etc. but I'm kind of inferring that something must have caused that. And I'm, I'm assuming that's his training.

NK: What did Eddie say? How did he react when you shared the results with him?

JF: Yeah, he was, he was interested. He wasn't really that familiar with the anatomy. So these muscles were a bit new to him, too?

Really?!

JF: Yeah.

NK: His whole life is, [both chuckle] is perfecting his, his physique.

JF: Yeah, absolutely. But these muscles are not that well known generally.

NK: It's certainly, curious -- you know -- what you've found here. But we're also talking about a study of a, of a single man. So what use might you make of them?

JF: Well, just to give a little bit more background. We study the function and performance of human muscles -- actually -- right across the spectrum. From people who are very strong, very powerful athletes and, and people like Eddie Hall -- occasionally -- through recreational exercises, weekend warriors, down to the lower end, which is people who are very frail, maybe elderly people, people who have various pathology, injury, disease, who are very weak. And it's actually the same underpinning factors which determine strength or muscle weakness across the whole spectrum. So it's, it's interesting to understand somebody like Eddie, who's obviously at one end of the spectrum because he does tell us a little bit more about what determines muscle strength and the variability in some of the anatomy, and how that may be important. If we infer from the the variability in the size of the muscles that we see in someone like Eddie Hall, and, and I think that that's due to training -- well -- that suggests that the adaptations to training are very specific. And over time, we adapt very extensively to the kinds of activities that we do.

NK: So what's the, what's the takeaway you want to leave for our listeners and colleagues who who love working out?

JF: Well, you are a result of your activity and, and what you do. If you do a lot of something very specialized, then your body will adapt over time to become much better at that.

NK: So we should all work out tonight is what, is what you're saying? Don't sit on the couch. [chuckling]

JF: Yeah, yeah.

NK: That's what I'll take away from that. Maybe. Maybe. Jonathan, thank you.

JF: You're welcome.

CH: Jonathan Folland is a professor of neuromuscular performance at Loughborough University. He's in Loughborough, England.

[lo-fi]

Chestnut V. Kobayashi

CH: Virginia Woolf once wrote, [NK laughs] "One cannot think well, love well, or sleep well, if one has not dined well." If so, then last night, Takeru Kobayashi thought, loved, and slept well -- but Joey Chestnut thought, loved, and slept even better. Better than anyone ever has. Because he dined better than anyone ever has -- burying his own hot-dog-eating world record in a triumphant beige slurry of emulsified beef trimmings. [NK chuckles]

SOUNDCLIP

WOMAN: Eighty-four?!

MAN: Yes, he just hit 80! Where he just ate 80.

WOMAN: Oh my goodness!! [fan cheer... for some reason].

MAN: The rematch we've been waiting 15 years for. Chestnut, Kobayashi -- both with personal records. But the 16-time champion is going to walk away an apparent winner. There's 10 seconds to go, as the fans count it down.

FANS: Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

CH: Fans going wild at the end of yesterday's live event on Netflix -- Unfinished Beef. A long-awaited rematch between two of the greatest competitive eaters of all time: Joey "Jaws" Chestnut and Takeru "The Tsunami" Kobayashi. I… I don't have to tell you about their bitter rivalry. Kobayashi: the elegant master eater. A more cerebral competitor, and not just in the sense that he holds the record for eating cow brains. Chestnut: the American powerhouse whose stomach is all heart -- the greatest competitive eater of all. The two men had not gone head to head, or mouth to mouth, since 2009. Would they be able to keep up the hectic pace while keeping everything down? Well, Takeru Kobayashi did set a new personal best: 66 hot dogs in 10 minutes. But Joey Chestnut inhaled 83 hot dogs in 10 minutes, setting a new world record. And graciously gave his nemesis some of the credit.

SOUNDCLIP

JOEY CHESTNUT: This is amazing. I've been trying to hit 80 hot dogs for years, and without Kobayashi, I was never able to do it. And he, he drives me. And we, we, we weren't always nice to each other, but I, I love what he did. We push each other to be our best.

CH: For his part, "The Tsunami" said, "I feel like I did everything I could." [NK chuckles] I assume he means that he ate hot dogs. And he did do that, but his opponent ate more -- the most, in fact. And now, their journey together may be over. But we'll still wish both of these fierce competitors a heartfelt "Bun voyage".

[percussion]

Part 2: Crypto Election Spending, Phil Lewis Obit

Crypto Election Spending

Guest: Rick Claypool

CH: It takes a lot of money to win an election in America. Like, a lot, a lot. Ads, merchandise and staffers are extremely expensive. And according to federal data, campaign spending is really ballooning this year, even when you account for inflation. A big chunk of that money comes from donations -- both from individuals and corporations. And this year, the biggest federal election donors are crypto corporations. A new report from Public Citizen -- a consumer advocacy nonprofit -- analyzed federal election contributions and found that crypto accounts for almost half of all corporate spending so far. That's over $119 million USD. Rick Claypool is the author of that report. We reached him in Barrington, Rhode Island.

NK: Rick, when our listeners hear that number -- $119 million USD -- is that a lot of money in the context of a U.S. election?

RICK CLAYPOOL: Well -- in the context of a U.S. election -- it's, it's enough to make a difference, for sure. And it is, and it is an unprecedented amount in terms of direct corporate spending, in a -- you know -- in an election like this. And they already have a great deal of leverage with the narrow majorities in Congress right now.

NK: Yeah. Well, I wanted to dig into that a little bit deeper because -- you know -- you use the word unprecedented. The scale -- the amounts we're talking about -- are bigger in terms of -- you know -- one group making these kinds of donations is what you're saying. But -- you know -- there are mega-donors and big corporations -- the Koch family, you know, on, on one side -- giving a lot of money. What's different beyond the amount? What concerns you and the folks at Public Citizen about what you're seeing?

RC: Well -- so -- the -- I mean -- the amount is significant in and of itself. So, right, right now -- by comparison, you know -- the Koch Industries, the, the conglomerate controlled by the -- you know -- the billionaire -- you know -- Koch family, you know, that has also contributed significant sums towards influencing the 2024 elections. That's $25 million, right? So that's -- you know -- less than a quarter of what the crypto sector is doing. Another thing that's, that's different about how they're approaching this is their strategy. So typically, what we would have seen in the past were if -- you know -- corporations were getting involved into election spending, it was sort of they were contributing to campaigns that were already ongoing. Super PACs that were working towards electing either -- you know -- Republican candidates. You know, some to Democrats. Whereas what we're seeing here is a, an effort, and it's a -- you know, I mean -- they are outspoken about this strategy. About their sort of they're being bipartisan. They are, have amassed the funds to, and they've said, we're going to use this to help elect candidates who will help carry out our policy wishes. And we will use it to attack those who don't. And all of it concertedly designed to -- essentially -- discipline the elected body -- you, know, the lawmaking body -- to be one that produces policies that this niche sector wants, regardless of what the preferences of -- you know -- the American public might be. You know, the only reason that crypto is a big issue in the 2024 elections is this massive election spending -- primarily by the corporations who are doing it to benefit their own bottom line.

NK: As U.S. President Donald Trump said, crypto -- quote -- just seems like a scam, unquote. He's, he's changed his tune on that now, fully supports it. Kamala Harris -- the U.S. vice president -- has has yet to take a firm stance as, as a candidate trying to take -- you know -- the the Oval Office. Has either campaign benefited more than the other from these crypto contributions at this stage?

RC: It's hard to say. It seems like they -- the crypto sector and the, the Super PAC that they have organized -- Fair Shake -- is more focused on the, the congressional races for the House and Senate than it is on the -- you know -- presidential races. That makes sense for a number of reasons, including -- you know -- that -- you know -- even that massive sum -- the $119 million -- that they have spent, that goes a lot farther when you're sort of just targeting it on to either House districts or just -- you know -- a small number of, of battleground states.

NK: In 2010, the US Supreme Court ruled corporations can spend as much as they want, in terms of -- you know -- election donations. That ruling -- which was known as Citizens United -- overturned restrictions on election spending that had been in place for, for more than a century. Your report shows that, that since then, corporate spending has -- you know, not surprisingly -- gone up. You close your report by saying you feel that what you're seeing with crypto right now and this election is -- in your view -- proof that an amendment needs to be made.

RC: That's right. So that's, so to undo the damage of the Citizens United -- you know -- a constitutional amendment is, is actually what's necessary. You know, the, the core of the Citizens United problem is that -- I mean -- people have heard it so many times, corporations aren't people. But what that really means is that the corporate election spending sends a radically simple message. And that is to advance policies that benefit the bottom lines of the corporations that are doing the spending.

NK: What do you want voters who are listening to do with this information?

RC: Well -- you know -- I mean, the most immediate thing is that people need to be aware is that when they see, that an ad is coming from -- you know -- Fair Shake or one of these Super PACs, they should know that that means crypto corporations pushing for less regulations for crypto. The ads don't say anything about crypto policy whatsoever. So, without some other source of information, you would never know.

NK: Democrat Chuck Schumer has said -- quote -- we all believe in the future of crypto, and is reportedly trying to get the industry players to, to back Kamala Harris's campaign. It is such a tight race, a critical one in the United States. Do you think either of these candidates are actually going to turn down this money?

RC: That, that's a really, yeah, I have no idea -- you know -- who would, who would benefit overall? Although -- I mean, I think -- it is, it is generally detrimental to -- you know -- the, the overall public interest if, if all of the electeds are just falling over themselves to, to, to try to, to pander to an industry that's just trying to, to achieve its own goals. That if that's where this goes, that's, that's a huge problem for everyone.

NK: Rick, I appreciate your time. Thank you.

RC: Thanks so much, Nil.

CH: Rick Claypool is a researcher at Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy nonprofit. We reached him in Barrington, Rhode Island.

[ambient]

Paralympic Swimmer

CH: Nicholas Bennett didn't just win gold at the Paralympics in Paris yesterday. He won Canada's first gold at these Games. You may have seen the emotional moment when he stood on the top of the podium with tears in his eyes. The 20-year-old won the Men's SB14 100-metre breaststroke -- having already won a silver in the Men's S14 200-metre freestyle. He was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as a kid. This morning, Nicholas Bennett told the CBC what the gold means to him.

SOUNDCLIP

NICHOLAS BENNETT: This is a monument to me and my sister's success. It's the blood, tears, sweat, everything that we shed, day after day just finally cumulated into this.

HEATHER HISCOX: Your sister's Haley. She's your sister -- but in case anybody doesn't know -- she's also your coach. And you both are training out of Red Deer now in Alberta. Obviously, to have you speak of her so beautifully and so warmly, she means a lot. Can you tell me a little bit more about your bond with her and the trust you have in her as your coach?

NB: Yeah, it's, it's an amazing relationship. I've, it's very unique, to say the least. But she's always been a part of my life. Like, she's always been there. Ever since I started swimming, anything I've done, she's always been with me. And it's just, I don't think I'd be the athlete, person, or man without her sitting right in front of you.

HH: She's not the only member of your family there with you in Paris. We have another picture of your whole family -- Mom and Dad there, too. This is your second Paralympic Games, so they weren't able to be there with you in Tokyo. There they were to see you win that gold and the silver beforehand. They look as happy as you do about all of that. What has it been like to have the whole family there?

NB: Amazing. It's, it's elevated -- well -- it's elevated these moments to lifelong memories, of course. But it's amazing just to share this moment with them. Of course, it's, [deep sigh] I'll try to shed tears again, but it's just absolutely heartwarming I have them here all the way from Canada.

CH: Canadian swimmer Nicholas Bennett, speaking with the CBC's Heather Hiscox today.

[jaunty electronic]

Phil Lewis Obit

Guest: Jill Nalder

SOUNDCLIP

MAN: Have you seen this?

MAN #2: He said, she said, they said. They're always saying something.

WOMAN: They think it's this virus -- AIDS.

LBR: That's a clip from the 2021 TV show It's a Sin -- which follows a group of young gay men in 1980s London as they navigate the appearance of a mysterious and deadly new illness. The critically acclaimed Channel 4 series only ran for five episodes, but it prompted a surge in HIV testing in the weeks following its release. The show was set in a flat nicknamed the "The Pink Palace" -- inspired by a real apartment where a real group of friends lived. Among them was Phil Lewis -- a drag queen affectionately known as "Pinky". Phil Lewis has died, at the age of 65. Jill Nalder was Mr. Lewis's friend and roommate in "The Pink Palace". She also inspired a character named Jill in the show. We reached Ms. Nalder in London.

NK: Jill, I'm sure you're reflecting on a lot of memories as you process the loss of your friend, but I wonder what you remember about the very first time you encountered Phil Lewis.

JILL NALDER: Oh well, that's quite easy because it was on our youth theatre. This is how I met Russell Davis and, and a lot of people that I remained in contact with. Phil Lewis was part of that youth theatre. So it was on drama courses. And he -- you know -- what I remember most of all is even then he was making people laugh. You know, he's made people laugh his entire life. And so -- yeah -- I remember that, that as the first time I met him. And I also remember that we were doing some trips to London -- to the theatre -- and he was doing some chatting -- you know -- taking the microphone on the bus and doing a bit of comparing [NK chuckles] on the bus up to London as if he knew everything about London. But --

NK: He was a tour guide. [chuckling]

JN: He was a tour guide. That's exactly what he was.

NK: Tourists and tour guide all at the same time. How old were you all at that, at that theatre camp?

JN: So he would have been about 17, and I was about 15.

NK: Okay. Formative years, for sure. And Russell -- we should mention -- who you also met there and who's also spoken about the impact of that camp and meeting all of you wrote --

JN: That's right.

NK: Wrote the show It's a Sin. And now runs the reboot of, of Doctor Who. So, so very much involved in important shows of this time. I -- you know -- in, in the show, there's a character named after you, Jill. It was written by Russell, as, as we've said. There isn't a Pinky -- you know -- Phil "Pinky" Lewis in it, but I've heard you and others say his, his fingerprints, his ideas, his energy is really all over that show.

JN: Well, that's absolutely. Because he was that very person that would come home or come and stay at The Pink Palace, and he would be any chance to entertain, any chance to make people laugh, any chance to have fun. Might be tempted to throw a frock on, do a little bit of a drag act, do a comedy act. You know, life and soul of the party in the truest sense of the word. And, and always -- you know -- you always knew if he was in the room that people would be enjoying themselves.

NK: And -- for our listeners who haven't had a chance to, to see the show or read your book -- describe The Pink Palace.

NK: Well -- Jill -- I'm very sorry for your loss. But that is, that is a beautiful tribute. I'm very glad we could speak. Thank you.

JN: Thank you. It's my pleasure. And thank you very much. I'm very honoured to be speaking to Canada.

NK: We're honoured to have you. Thank you.

JN: Thank you.

LBR: Jill Nalder is an actor, and was a friend of the late Phil Lewis. She's in London.

[folk]

VIA Rail Delays

CH: It's always wise to expect delays when you're travelling. So, when Rudy Elmaghariki's VIA Rail train stopped suddenly during a trip from Montreal to Quebec City -- which usually takes three-and-a-half hours -- he was prepared to wait. But not for 10 hours. Here is Mr. Elmaghariki telling the CBC about the delay that he and about 200 other passengers experienced aboard that VIA train this weekend.

SOUNDCLIP

RUDY ELMAGHARIKI: Nobody was telling us anything. And they would shut off the power, so then the electricity would go. We had no air conditioning for a while. The toilets, they are also powered, so the washrooms weren't working. And the water wasn't no water anymore. So that's now it was around 5. People -- to be honest -- were start losing their patience. We are five cars. They were babies. They were toddlers. They were people who are -- like -- taking trips -- like -- overseas, coming here travelling. Like, it was really -- like -- we were just tired. We were hungry. We were thirsty. We felt we couldn't go out. We told them can't you -- like -- we were giving them solutions. Can't you bring shuttle bus? Their exact words were we are in the same situation like you. We have no answers. We're waiting for Ottawa to tell us what to do. And I'm like -- well -- but that's not an answer because we've been now let's say 6 in the evening. And then, they told us that the train 24 is going to come and push us. So he came. After we knew that the train came and cannot push us -- apparently -- they don't know how to push us. It doesn't work. So we were like -- okay -- so, here -- to be honest -- people were start screaming, like, like, like -- you know -- passengers, how come we are quiet? How come this? And people who are filming. On my car, one, one employee of VIA was telling us first in French, sit down, sit down, screaming in French. And he grabbed the phone from one guy from his hand because he was filming. And -- of course -- we're all filming. And that's where most of us start screaming as well. And then the attendant on the train took away the other engineer -- let's say -- moved him away, grabbed the phone, said, sorry, I'm apologizing. But at that time, we were all like, that's it. You're not giving us solution. We need to go out. We need -- like -- we need solution. We need, we cannot breathe. There's no water. So -- by then -- we had no water. There was the attendant will walk with -- like -- literally -- I'm not exaggerating -- two ounces of water and say, please, unless you're dehydrated, I can give you this. Otherwise, I can't.

CH: That was Rudy Elmaghariki speaking to the CBC. He was one of the passengers on a VIA Rail train that was stranded for 10 hours. In a statement, Via Rail said it offers its deepest apologies for the inconvenience caused to passengers, and will provide a full refund to anyone affected.

[folk]

Part 3: Canada Firearms Controls, Bat Dog Accident

Clarence Bayne Obit

CH: Clarence Bayne was a pillar of Montreal's Black communities. As the president of the Black Community Resource Centre -- and a founding member of the Quebec Board of Black Educators -- he worked to create better opportunities for Black people around the province and across the country. And those were just two of the many projects he spearheaded. Mr. Bayne died on Sunday at the age of 91. Alix Adrien was his friend and longtime mentee. He is the President of the Quebec Board of Black Educators. He told the CBC's Ainslie MacLellan about Clarence Bayne's dedication to his work.

SOUNDCLIP

ALIX ADRIEN: I got to really get closer to Clarence later on in my career, as he was a board member, he was a president of the organization. And as I grew up and became -- myself -- an administrator and joined the board, then this is where -- really -- our friendship and our relationship, started to evolve.

AINSLIE MACLELLAN: You said that you spent a lot of time discussing and debating. What kind of things would you talk about?

AA: Oh my God! We've talked about the news across Canada, in Quebec, the world. Dr. Bayne loved to debate. And he was always concerned about the situation and how things -- in his opinion -- didn't seem to be getting better. He was forever involved in, in forging a better future for, for himself and those of his communities and for the population at large as well. He's -- you know -- as a professor from university, he would, I would spend some time -- hours -- just listening to him because he was so rich in his understanding and his knowledge. And he had lived so many experiences that it was -- I felt -- a privilege to be able to get sort of firsthand notice of the history of Montreal as well. So, I've enjoyed that talk. And he's going to live on.

AM: When, when you spoke with him about some of the many initiatives that he was a part of in his career, I'm wondering -- you know -- looking at the Black Theatre Workshop, the Black Studies Centre -- I believe -- these were both founded in the early 1970s. What did he tell you about his motivation for creating these spaces at that time?

AA: Well -- to be, to be honest -- Dr. Bayne would always say that -- you know -- because he was, he was making change. But -- for him -- it was always a matter of survival. When he first came from Trinidad, studied in British Columbia and came to Montreal -- to him -- his involvement in his community was when he saw there was inequity, and discrimination, and racism. So -- in his optic -- it was to, to make life better for himself and his followers. And -- eventually -- that translated to helping the community at large because he was all about improving the lot of, of, he would always say -- you know -- I'm sort of a survivor. I try to do things to make my direct environment and my application better. And by doing so, I think the community benefited at large.

CH: That was Daybreak guest host Ainslie MacLellan speaking with Alix Adrien about the life and legacy of the late Clarence Bayne -- who died on Sunday at the age of 91.

[brisk piano]

Canada Firearms Controls

Guest: Suzanne Zaccour

CH: Suzanne Zaccour is urging the Trudeau government to finish its work. Ms. Zaccour is the legal affairs director for the National Association of Women and the Law. And that homework involves changes to the Firearms Act that is supposed to make it harder for guns to be used in cases of intimate partner violence. The House of Commons passed the necessary amendments to the Firearms Act last year. But the federal cabinet has yet to release the regulations and directives that would turn all that legal language into action. So the Association -- and a coalition of like-minded groups -- have sent the government a legal brief describing how to get the job done. We reached Suzanne Saccour in Ottawa.

NK: Suzanne, if this is all done right in the end -- and as you and your colleagues want it to be -- what could these legal changes mean in terms of the use of firearms in intimate partner violence in this country?

SUZANNE ZACCOUR: We know that having access to firearms really increases the risk that a violent partner will kill his intimate partner. So we want with these amendments and this new legislation and the regulations to make sure that in situations when when there is domestic violence, that the guns can be seized kind of quickly. That the authorities can intervene. And -- ultimately -- what we want is to save lives and save women's lives and make it safer for women to leave an abusive partner.

NK: What still needs to be done to, to, to get to the point where women will be safer -- or people in these situations will be safer?

SZ: There are really good measures in the new law. There was the bill C 21 -- some of which we recommended to parliamentarians -- and they were voted. However, they are not yet enforced. This is because they need to be made to come into force. And some of these measures will -- for example -- force the chief firearms officer to revoke a license when someone is suspected to have engaged in domestic violence. So we need the government to make, create an order in council so that these provisions can come into force. The provisions that are already part of the legislation, but not yet applied.

NK: This all sounds like common sense to a lot of people who are listening -- no doubt. Why hasn't it happened? What's the hold-up?

SZ: So the new provisions will have some implications for different actors, how the courts are going to function, how the police is going to function, and the chief firearms officer. So what we've heard from the government is the need to consult and create some materials, etc. But we've been saying that there's going to be a need to have those consultations, and there's going to be a need to act quickly with regulations for over two years. So we do hope that these provisions can come into effect as soon as possible. Because while it's important not to rush such measures, every moment that passes is -- you know -- one more day or one more month or -- you know -- we're, we're coming on six months with women not being able to benefit from these really important changes in the law.

NK: Is it frustrating for you -- even frightening -- to know when we're talking about potentially two more years?

SZ: Well, definitely. We would believe very strongly in these measures, and so did the parliamentarians who voted this bill. It's also, it's like we are working very collaboratively with the government and with our partner in giving really detailed recommendations of everything that needs to be done. And we're having good conversations, but we do want the, the action to take place much faster because what we've seen with action gun violence is that perhaps because it's politically fraught, it just takes very, very, very long. And that puts the, the measures at risk of -- you know -- being derailed, or not being done in time before an election, etc.

NK: Right. Domestic violence, intimate partner violence, people being killed is politically fraught too, no?

SZ: Well, we do hope that everyone agrees that something needs to be done to protect women who are victims of intimate partner violence. And -- you know -- sometimes this issue is kind of painted as -- oh -- people from the cities being against people from rural areas or some kind of geographic divide. But firearm-related intimate partner violence is more common in rural areas. So we are working to try to protect women across Canada from, from this violence, which remains way too common in Canada.

NK: What would you say -- Suzanne -- to, to people who do say that and are concerned that this is about a broader crackdown on guns? These are what I'm looking at, the rules that you've outlined here in this brief are very specific. So, what would you say to people who are concerned?

SZ: Well, I would say that domestic violence is really prevalent in our society, unfortunately. Sometimes we hear -- like -- why are you working against law-abiding citizens who are gun owners? Domestic violence takes place throughout the society. It's not because someone has a gun that they are not ever going to commit domestic violence. That would be absurd to think that. So -- among even legal gun owners -- there are going to be cases of intimate partner violence. And it's really important in a society that -- you know -- that you want to protect women, and we want to have a society that's fair and safe for women. It's important that the law support women who want to leave a relationship, or who want to report violence in a way that is safe. Because we know that leaving a relationship is extremely, extremely dangerous for women, especially if there's a gun in, in the house. So, the women might have safety concerns. So -- with these amendments -- we're trying to make sure that women's safety concerns are taken seriously. And it's much better to remove a gun from an abuser than to have, have that gun -- you know -- be used to commit irreparable violence.

NK: We've asked the public safety minister's office for a response to your brief. As you well know, this is -- you know -- the federal government certainly doesn't shy away from talking about women's rights and firearm safety. What would you say to Minister Dominic LeBlanc about the price of further delays?

SZ: Yeah. I would say that we've had good collaboration and cooperation so far. We are -- and with our allies -- we're doing so much of the work with very detailed recommendations. And we've been talking about the need for, for these changes to come into force for so long. I know the government always have -- you know -- a million priorities to tend to, but this is a very, very important issue. And if there's anything else that needs to be done -- you know -- we would like you to know and know what is taking so long, and how. How we can continue to contribute to making sure that these, these changes are made in a very effective way. So, there is, we can't really afford to wait any longer with women's lives at risk.

NK: Suzanne, I appreciate your time. Thank you for this.

SZ: Thank you.

CH: Suzanne Zaccour is legal affairs director of the National Association of Women and the Law. We reached her in Ottawa. The government uses the term "Red Flag Laws" to describe the new measures that were passed last year. And after recording our interview with Ms. Zaccour, we received an email from a spokesperson for Public Safety Canada. It directed us to a website with information on the new measures where -- quote -- "new information will be published...as the Government works to develop the Red Flag Awareness Program." Unquote.

[rock]

Bat Dog Accident

Guest: Andrew Davis

CH: This summer, a 10-month-old Labrador retriever named Lucy May made her big debut as a bat dog for the Clearwater Threshers, a minor league baseball team. A bat dog's job is straightforward -- during part of the team's home games, she was to retrieve the bats. But Lucy May made international headlines for some unauthorized extracurricular activities on the job. Here's a snippet of what happened, as reported by ABC News last week.

SOUNDCLIP

HOST: She came out with the Zoomies. She was excited for her first day, running all around the field to greet her new teammates and fans. But just a few moments later, Lucy may have run to the grass in front of second base and --

CO-HOST: Oh!

HOST: Had a little squatting action.

CH: Yeah -- to her owner's surprise -- rather than retrieving the bat, she sprinted energetically but aimlessly around the diamond, and then pooped. We reached Lucy May's owner -- Andrew Davis -- in Clearwater, Florida.

NK: Andrew, what have the last few days been like for you?

ANDREW DAVIS: Pretty busy.

NK: Yeah.

AD: In a, in a, in an aspect and kind of a realm that -- you know -- I'm not really familiar with. You know, with the, the interviews and phone calls. And -- you know -- obviously being, being reached out to from As It Happens [NK chuckles] over in Canada was, was a shock to me.

NK: Yeah. And millions of views of that now infamous video.

AD: And millions and millions of views. And -- you know -- friends who have who've known Lailah or Lucy and the Threshers, who -- you know -- randomly texted me -- you know -- different news stories that they've seen or heard. And so -- yeah -- it's been, it's been a pretty, pretty exciting, action-packed week.

NK: [chuckling] And how is Lucy May doing?

AD: She is just as full of the same energy and excitement as everyone in America and across the world saw her on, on that fateful Friday night.

NK: [chuckle] No shame, no remorse.

AD: None. None. Shameless, that girl.

NK: [chuckling] All right -- for those who haven't seen this video -- let's go back to last week. And -- honestly -- when I was reading the story about this -- and there's a video embedded in it -- within seconds, she's squatting. And I was wondering, and I start to cringe, but I'm wondering, are you melting as you watch? [trying not to laugh] Are you just dying?

AD: There was a major swing of, of emotions throughout this. [NK chuckles] where as we're waiting to take the field, and there was this -- you know -- gracious applause from everyone --

NK: Sure!

AD: Before the inning started. Because we were out there with, with Lucy's older sister Layla -- who just retired the, the month before. So that was exciting. And then -- getting in the dugout -- lots of new smells and different things for Lucy. And everybody wanted to see her. But the plan that day was to do the third bat. And I'm trying to get Lucy set up in the dugout down there. Obviously, stay out of the players' way. So I'm I'm focused on -- you know -- what I need to do. And -- sure enough -- the third out came really quick. [claps] Boom! So I go out there with her. And she -- you know -- bolts off for a second. And then she locks on to the bat, and I can see her. And I almost wanted to -- like -- give this fist pump. And I'm glad I didn't because she runs over to the bat and then decides she doesn't want it. [NK chuckles] And then -- from that point, from that point on -- it just progressively got worse. From, from her running into the other team's dugout, to, to definitely doing her business out there. And then, and then I even tripled down afterwards and tried to throw a bat just in front of her towards the end there.

NK: Right.

AD: And she, she went and chased the ball. So it was, it was mortifying, it was horrific, it was, it was embarrassing. But there was the rapturous applause of the crowd behind me. So I knew that -- you know -- everyone was loving it.

NK: They were getting a kick out of it, even though things went awry. And how long was this mortifying ordeal?

AD: It felt very -- like -- a very, very long time. And -- yeah -- the clock was ticking in my head. Andy, you need to get your dog off of this baseball field -- most ricky-tick.

NK: You have been doing this for a long time, though. You know, you mentioned Layla. You know, I wonder what Layla's first outing was like compared to her sister, Lucy May's?

AD: It's been about a month since Layla retired, and there was a series of interviews for her and her success for six years. And one of the, somebody asked us to dig up her first bat, and she did not quite what Lucy did. But Layla's first bat retrieve, she ran out there and got a little confused and kind of ran in the same direction Lucy did down the first baseline. But I was able to, to correct her and get her to snap back. And once she found the bat after that first time, I don't think -- for the six years after that -- that she missed one. She was good.

NK: And you were training Lucy May she was just a little puppy -- five months old. So what do you think? What do you think happened?

AD: A lot of excitement. I think being in the, in the staging area just before we were -- you know -- going to go onto the field to get into the dugout, Lucy and Layla were there. And Lucy was getting excited, and the players were excited, and I can hear them saying, oh -- you know -- that's the new bat dog. That's the new one. And there's actually video of it. Her first time walking through there, everybody's turned around and petting her head. And I tried to get her down there to -- you know -- like I said, get her to, get her to see where the bats are. And I coordinate with the, with the bat boy. And I'm like, hey -- you know -- when you go out there -- you know -- pick it up. You know, hold it conspicuously out there and walk back to us so that she can see and kind of relate. Not a lot of that got to happen before it was -- you know -- one out done. And then, it was -- you know -- double play. And -- you know -- the smells and the atmosphere being down there and it being a new place -- I think -- was definitely the -- you know -- in hindsight the biggest mistake that we made. Had we had a chance to go out on the field and -- you know -- do, do a little bit of practice -- you know -- before the game or a couple days before the game -- I think -- things might have been turned, I don't know I can say that things would have turned out better? If she would've went out there and got her first bat and came right back, I'm not sure we'd be having this conversation.

NK: So what happens next, Andrew? Does Lucy May still have her job with the Clearwater Threshers?

AD: Yes. So, after, after we got -- you know -- off the field that night, we, we were not very popular among the Clearwater Threshers staff. I think a lot of people were pretty embarrassed for us. And, and I think there were some people who might've kind of stuck their neck out who were, who were, who were starting to wonder about their job security -- including us. We weren't sure --

NK: It's a serious business then.

AD: Right. Yeah, we weren't sure if we were going to be, to be escorted off the property. But come, come Saturday afternoon -- and a couple million views -- they were like, oh yeah, Lucy is definitely coming back. And, her first game -- her, her redemption -- is going to be in April of 2025. So, pretty excited about that.

NK: Wow! That's a lot of pressure.

AD: But -- you know -- of also, yeah, with the world, the world publicity, and, and all the followings -- you

know, hopefully -- it'll be a big and successful second bat retrieve attempt for Lucy in 2025.

NK: [chuckle] Andrew, thanks for this.

AD: All right. Thank you, Nil. Bye.

CH: Andrew Davis is the owner of Lucy May the Labrador retriever. We reached him in Clearwater, Florida.

[jaunty instrumental]

Poop signs

CH: As we were just reminded, dogs will be dogs. They will fetch what they please -- and they will deposit things for you to fetch where they please. Of course, it's common courtesy to pick up after your dog, whether it squats in the middle of a minor league ballpark or on someone's front lawn. Well, Johnny Martychuck of Teslin, Yukon has a front lawn that's smaller than a minor league ballpark. And he's been noticing that some people are not picking up after their dogs have used his yard as a toilet. So now, he's made signs written in Tlingit and English, asking his neighbours to scoop -- and issuing a warning if they don't.

SOUNDCLIP

JOHNNY MARTYCHUCK: I wish the people would pack plastic bags with them, and they pick up after their dogs. Some people don't do that. They just keep them on a leash and keep walking and looking up and down the street and get away with it.

TORI FITZPATRICK: Yeah. So you then, you, you made some signs to try and get people not to do that. Can you explain a bit about why you chose to do that?

JM: Well, I think it makes them aware that -- you know -- they have to clean up after their dogs. Some people, they don't. They just keep walking and just forget about it, you know? People pick up after their dogs like some places. You know, it's awful in the wintertime. They let their dogs out to go do their business. And then -- in the springtime, you, you know -- you figure you can go for a nice walk on the trails. There, all the turds start growing out of the snow. You know, that's not right.

TF: No, definitely not. So, you made these signs. And -- I guess -- can you describe the signs? What did they say? Where did you put them?

JM: I just got them yesterday. I didn't put them on posts or anything yet. It'z got a red circle on it with a dog arched over. And it says pick up dog poop in Tlingit -- both English and Tlingit.

TF: Why was it important to have it in Tlingit?

JM: Well -- around Teslin here -- Tlingit people here. And I thought I would do the same as the stop sign. You know, people read a sign and then -- you know -- it catches on to the next person and next person. Maybe people wake up. Not only here, it's all over the place like that with dogs. You know, it's not only in Teslin. You go to Whitehorse and I bet you there's other people that are complaining about the same situation, but nobody seems to ever do anything about it.

TF: Do you plan on putting them all on your lawn? Or are you going to pass them along to any other neighbours? Is anybody interested in also taking one of your useful signs.

JM: Down in front of my mom's house and on the edge of my property, they started making a flood berm. So people started walking there with there dogs and that. So I got to put up couple signs down there and around the edge of my property.

TF: Yeah. Well, what would you say to, to people who -- you know -- have, haven't been cleaning up after their dog and who are -- you're hoping -- will obey your new signs?

JM: They'll get a surprise on their doorstep if they don't clean up after their dog.

CH: That was Johnny Martychuck speaking to the CBC's Tori Fitzpatrick on Yukon Morning today.

The AIH Transcript

Social Sharing