Zoomer Week in Review

Have you ever received really bad customer service but you weren’t sure how to “fight back”? There’s a new way to resolve consumer complaints that takes the guesswork out of filing your grievance. Libby talks with founder and CEO of myresolver.ca, James Walker. And – Remembering a pioneering fashion icon. 85-year-old designer Karl Lagerfeld died this week, and was working until almost the end of h...

With a federal election just 8 months away, the Trudeau government’s final budget is expected sometime next month. The Zoomer Advocacy group CARP has spent this last year calling for critical changes needed for older Canadians like financial security, healthcare and housing support. The man who will deliver the budget, Finance minister Bill Morneau, visited our Zoomer Radio studios this week. And...

Ground-breaking Canadian research is radically changing the way we think of vascular disease. For the first time ever, the connections between heart conditions, stroke and cognitive decline have been mapped, proving they’re more deeply connected than researchers knew. The Heart and Stroke Foundation calls it a troubling wake up call. Libby talks to director of Toronto West Regional Stroke Centre a...

Six months into the job, Canada’s new minister for seniors has crisscrossed the country on a listening tour. Libby caught up with Minister Filomena Tassi to hear what older Canadians are saying as her government prepares to deliver its final budget before the fall election. And – Thousands of Canadian paramedics are being trained to deliver palliative care. The initiative is meant to reduce unnece...

Be honest, have you ever lied to your doctor? It turns out a disturbing number of patients are not forthcoming with their physicians. Many say they just don’t want to be judged or lectured, and some doctors say this disturbing new information, published in the American Medical Association Journal, is a wake up call for both patient and physician. Toronto doctor Iris Gorfinkel joins Libby to talk a...

Canada’s new food guide hasn’t been made public yet but already it is getting kudos for abandoning beef and dairy as separate categories in favour of “protein foods.” The document was first published in the ’40’s and last updated in 2007. Dietician Rosie Schwartz likes what she’s hearing and argues the government recommendations should be based on science and NOT influenced by powerful rich food c...

Death is often a taboo subject but NOT for an Ottawa-based Doctor who talks openly about it with his patients. His new computer algorithm can predict the end of life in years, months and even weeks. Libby talks to Dr. Peter Tanuseputro, the doctor behind this end-of-life-calculator to learn the benefits and potential drawbacks. And – The next 3 months are the busiest for Canadians leaving the cold...

We’ve all heard about “Dry January” where people swear off alcohol for a month after the holidays. But this year, the big health trend for the month is: Veganuary. Libby talks to author, entrepreneur, and nutritional consultant Rose Reisman to get her take on it. And – Annual health physicals are becoming a thing of the past. This shift in healthcare comes after numerous studies found those who ge...

Bob Komsic fills in for Libby Znaimer. The discussion continues this week with the second part of our year-end political wrap with our panel of experts. We look back at the highlights and lowlights of federal politics and what’s ahead, with an election just 10 months away. Libby speaks to Bob Richardson, Kim Wright, and John Capobianco. For part one, listen to last week’s episode. And – A new docu...

One of the big news stories of the year was Doug Ford’s majority win in the provincial election. Six months in, is the honeymoon over for this new Progressive Conservative Government? We’ve assembled a panel of expert political pundits to weigh in on the first term..and look to what’s ahead in the new year. Libby speaks to Bob Richardson, Kim Wright, and John Capobianco And – No gift-giving at Chr...

With escalating diplomatic tension between Canada and China this week, and the recent frosty trade talks with the US, we focus on an international relationship that’s flourishing. Libby recently spent time in Israel to learn more about this burgeoning partnership between Canada and Israel on many fronts, including tech and trade. Libby spoke with Ambassador Deborah Lyons and iAngels’ Lee Moser. An...

Christine Ross fills in for Libby Znaimer. The face of hunger is changing in this province. Seniors are twice as likely to use a food bank regularly compared with other visitors. Libby talks to Michael Maidmont, CEO of the Ottawa Food Bank, to look at the factors behind the dramatic 10 percent bump in visits by older Ontarians. And – Christmas can be a difficult time for many, but it’s particularl...

Refrain from romaine!!! That’s the advice from health experts as some Canadian grocery stores pull the leafy lettuce from shelves after a warning about potential E. coli contamination. But there’s been no official recall. Libby speaks with food safety expert, University of Guelph professor, Keith Warriner. And – We’ve had another wild week on the markets… so how should you adjust your financial po...

Former Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown has come out swinging in his new tell-all memoir that contains some blockbuster allegations about sitting provincial politicians and more. Libby speaks with Brown, who is now the mayor of Brampton..the day before the book hit the shelves. And – There’s been a troubling resurgence of antisemitism here at home and across the world. It’s been three weeks since t...

Christine Ross fills in for Libby Znaimer. It’s Remembrance Day and this year is extra special. It marks the 100th anniversary of the end of world war one. 94 year old Canadian veteran Richard Rohmer spoke at the ceremony at queens park. He has many titles: aviator, lawyer, author and historian. But the one he’s most proud of is his current title: Honorary Lieutenant General of the Canadian Armed...

Holocaust Education Week began just days after the horrific massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. 11 people were murdered and 6 were wounded by a gunman shouting anti-Semitic slurs. Can this become a teachable moment? Libby talks to 98 year old Max Eisen. He survived the notorious death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau and has been sharing his experience for 32 years. And – A very popular r...

This month marks the 100th anniversary of the great influenza pandemic of 1918 and it was at its worst this very week. The flu pandemic is often considered the deadliest event in human history killing between 50 and 100 million people. Neil Orford is behind a major project to commemorate the history of this tragedy in Canada. And – As we mark the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, here is a con...

Recently we heard about gender bias with heart health…and worse outcomes for women than men with heart failure. Now, there’s evidence the same is true for strokes. But doctors don’t know all the reasons behind the gender bias. This past week, the 11th World Stroke Congress was held in Montreal. Dr. Patrice Lindsay, a director with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, presented this research which she...

The largest advocacy group for Zoomers is putting a “face” to the issues impacting older Canadians. This week, CARP launched its 5-point national strategy called FACES in advance of next year’s federal election. And – Recreational marijuana becomes legal in Canada in just 3 days. How will that affect the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who use medical marijuana? Libby finds out from physician,...

A new VisionTV documentary “Follow the Money shows how radical Islamic terror groups are linked with organized crime. It exposes how Jihadists fundraise on the dark web and how they make millions from human trafficking and looted art and antiquities. Libby speaks with the documentary filmmaker, Martin Himel. And – Author Bella Bathurst lost her hearing in her 20’s. Twelve years later, she was able...

Bob Komsic fills in for Libby Znaimer. This week, marbles! The popular yet simple toy that many Zoomers grew up with. Can you believe in these times of high tech toys, there’s an American company that still produces a million glass marbles every day! Bob talks to Marble King CEO Beri Fox. And – The Beatles’ classic 1968 White Album is commemorating its 50th anniversary with a re-issue. It’s been r...

To mark World Alzheimer’s day, Libby talks to world-renowned neurologist Dr. Howard Chertkow. He has recently arrived in Toronto to become the inaugural director of the Kimel Family Centre for brain health and wellness at Baycrest Health Sciences Centre. And – Andy Kim has sold more than 30 million records and is still making music and performing. And this year, he’s one of 8 inductees into Canada...

This year marks a century since the end of the First World War. To commemorate the sombre anniversary, there’s a powerful project called The World Remembers, dedicated to the millions of lives lost. Libby talks with the Canadian behind the project: famed actor and playwright R.H. Thompson. And – Tennis is at an all time high in popularity in this country thanks to newcomers like Denis Shapovalov a...

Canada’s first prime Minister is once again at the forefront of the current conversation. A new Angus reid poll finds most Canadians want his name and his statues to stay in public view. Libby talks with historian Patrice Dutil to re-examine John A. Macdonald’s history with indigenous peoples. And – As TIFF begins, Libby talks to Toronto filmmaker Barry Avrich about his fascinating new documentary...

It’s back to school time. Libby talks with Marie Bountrogianni, Dean of Ryerson’s Chang School of Continuing Education about what’s it like for Zoomers hitting the books this fall? And – Shattering the myth about declining health as you age. You CAN be in the best shape of your life in your 50’s and older. Libby speaks with Margaret Webb’s about how she transformed herself in her 50s to be able to...