Zoomer Week in Review

During the last two federal election campaigns, the Trudeau Liberals vowed to hike the C.P. Survivors Benefit by 25%. They delivered on a promise to increase old age security for those 75 and older but the survivors pensions continue paying little or nothing, in some cases. Actuary Doug Chandler explains where things stand now. AND Do you have a go-to place to eat, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinne...

Affordable housing was the key issue in this week’s Toronto byelection that swept Olivia Chow into the mayor’s chair.  Now, real estate giant RE/MAX is getting behind an idea that could deliver more of it. The 15-minute neighbourhood is a place where residents are a 15-minute walk, bike, or transit ride away from all their daily needs. Libby Znaimer talked with veteran urban designer Ken Greenberg...

"Necessity is the mother of invention" and that’s what motivated a retired Ontario woman to create a network for other women who found themselves retired and unable to afford rising housing costs. Average rent across Canada is up about 20 percent from pandemic low and still rising. So Pat Dunn of Peterborough founded "Senior Women Living Together", to help others find roommates to share rising hou...

Canadian AI experts are sounding the alarm about the dangers of artificial intelligence by urging Ottawa to pass legislation quickly as the technology advances. The government is currently working on legislation that would eventually penalize companies and individuals who use the technology unethically but experts fear it’s too far off. To break this all down, we reached Luke Stark, assistant prof...

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling for the removal of the Commissioner of Corrections Canada after its quiet and unexplained decision to transfer notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo from maximum to medium security lockup. And the federal government has expressed shock over the move that was done in secrecy. Outrage is growing over the transfer leaving many asking about victims rights vs the ri...

It’s a world first that experts hope will have a huge impact. As of August 1, Canada will become the first country in the world to print warning labels directly on individual cigarettes. They will carry messages like "poison in every puff" and "cigarettes cause cancer". The hope is that this will deter new smokers and encourage more quitting. Libby Znaimer reached Rob Cunningham of the Canadian Ca...

This week, special rapporteur David Johnston tabled his long-awaited first report by announcing he’s not calling for a full public inquiry into Chinese interference in Canada because of the sensitive and classified information involved. While not surprised with the decision, critics say it’s misguided amid accusations of a conflict of interest. So what will be the political fallout? We reached Ian...

A review of scientific literature published this week isn’t offering new advice, according to one expert in the field of gynecology who has 30 years experience studying menopause and who helped author guidelines for women looking for relief. The study just published in the Canadian Medical Association reinforces a shift already underway, that hormone replacement therapy should be the first treatme...

We’re wrapping up Nursing Week in Canada, a time to recognize nurses for their important role in health care. Many believe Ontario’s nursing shortage has reached a crisis point, impacting nurses and the quality of care patients receive. Poor working conditions and the pandemic have left them burnt out with many considering or actually leaving the profession they once loved. We reached Dr. Claudett...

The U.S. Surgeon General is calling it a public health crisis. Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Surgeon General Advisory calling attention to the dangers of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection. Even before the pandemic, about half of American adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness, which can increase the risk of disease and death. The situation is most likely the sam...

Is it third time lucky or strike three you’re out? Earlier this week, Liberal Transport Minister Omar Omar Alghabra unveiled his latest fix to the Airline Passenger Rights Bill. It sparked lots of criticism and has critics wondering why Ottawa doesn’t just follow a model that works? Libby Znaimer talked with NDP Transport critic Taylor Bachrach AND This week Zoomer Media launched it's very own lin...

65 percent of organizations across Canada are facing a volunteer shortage and the decline is leaving organizations that depend on volunteerism struggling to move forward post COVID. As we wrap up National Volunteer Week that celebrates Canada's 24 million volunteers, we look at how the pandemic has created a critical shortage of volunteers, many are Zoomers who donate their time to help others. We...

British Gardener Charles Dowding’s influence stretches across the globe, renowned for his gardening method with 40 years experience. The ‘No Dig’ approach isn’t just saving him time, it costs less. In this conversation with Libby Znaimer, Charles presents a convincing case for ‘No Dig’ as not only easy but more productive. AND After 40 years of marriage, Rona Maynard fell in love with another male...

It’s the holiest time of the year for many religions. This year, Ramadan, Passover and Easter converge for the first time in 30 years. In Toronto, at St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica , there will be a new face at the altar guiding the Catholic congregation through Easter service. 51 year old Archbishop Francis Leo was installed last month, weeks after Pope Francis formally named him to the post, r...

Are you tired of "tip-flation", of being asked for more money, on top of tax, at every point of sale, even for the teensiest transactions where no service is involved? An Angus Reid poll finds that nearly 65% of us have been asked to tip more often and dole out larger tips. Over the last 5 years, the average gratuity has jumped from 16 to 20 per cent. Libby Znaimer talked with Digital and Cyber la...

It’s a grisly last resort for many families struggling to settle the estate of a departed loved one. They hope a fingerprint or face scan from the deceased body will unlock the digital assets behind phone and computer screens which they can’t get into. Libby Znaimer talked with technology expert Carmi Levy about how to protect and pass on your online legacy. AND The documentary "Four Winters" tell...

March is Fraud Prevention Month and police are giving special attention to grandparent, or emergency, scams. They have been around for years but now a growing number of people are falling victim and the amount of money they reported losing last year was over $9.2 million, up exponentially from $2.4 million in 2021. Libby Znaimer spoke with Det. Constable Kristin Thomas from the Major Fraud Unit at...

We set the clocks ahead an hour overnight, returning to daylight saving time. It’s no secret that a good night's sleep is important for overall mental and physical health and it fact, it’s been proven that irregular sleep can lead to heart disease and a host of other health issues. New research presented recently at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting suggests our bedtime habits coul...

At first it was dismissed as a conspiracy theory but this week both the FBI and the U.S. Department of Energy  concluded that an accidental laboratory leak in China most likely caused the coronavirus pandemic. Other government agencies believe the virus jumped from animals to humans and the authorities concede there is no consensus on the matter. That’s why we thought it was a good time to revisit...

As we wrap up Black History month, you may be surprised to learn that tipping has roots in racism. After the US Civil War, tips or gratuities were an exploitative measure to keep wages down for newly freed slaves in service jobs. Skip ahead to modern day and the practice is expanding in the gig economy. But advocates for fair and liveable wages say the pandemic has "tipped the scale" in the fight...

The bombshell that led to the resignation of Toronto Mayor John Tory underscores some long term trends affecting many in the Zoomer demographic: a lengthy marriage in trouble, a much younger woman, a relationship apparently born during a very intense and stressful time at work. Libby Znaimer talks with Family Demographer Rachel Margolis, of the University of Western Ontario. AND It seems unfair. M...

It’s a conundrum for older people who want to age in place and their children: How to make sure a senior is doing well when family can’t always be there. A new report titled Special Delivery from the National Institute of Ageing finds that postal workers could provide the answer. The idea is a service where the workers would check in on clients who subscribe along their mail routes. Libby Znaimer...

The documentary, "First to Stand", tracks the cases and causes of Irwin Cotler. You know him as a Former Justice Minister currently serving as a Special Envoy to Combat Anti-Semitism. Cotler, above all, is a renowned human rights lawyer who set a template for freeing political prisoners going back to his first case: Soviet dissident Anatoly Natan Sharansky who was imprisoned in 1977. Libby Znaimer...

It sparked debate in recent weeks with word the US Consumer Product Safety Commission was looking to take action on hazards posed by gas stoves used in millions of homes. An outright ban is now off the table but the renewed concern has ignited debate in the US and Canada. So what should consumers do? We reached Dr. Jeffrey Siegel, a professor of civil and mineral engineering at the University of T...

Elon Musk says it’s the reason he looks fit and ripped and there are unconfirmed reports the drug Ozempic enabled Kim Kardashian to fit into Marilyn Munroe’s dress for the Met Gala. The drug was approved to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity but its popularity on social media, and with celebrities, has led to shortages and a debate on who should have priority access. Libby Znaimer talked with Dr. S...