Zoomer Week In Review

This week marked both Remembrance Day and Holocaust Education Week. As we get further away from the two World Wars, the question of how to pass on this history becomes more urgent. Scott Masters, a teacher at Toronto’s Crestwood Preparatory College devised a unique solution. He is behind a widely acclaimed oral history project that pairs veterans with students who interview them and then edit, digitize and post the material. Arielle Meyer, the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor interviewed 94-year-old Charles Scot-Brown, a Captain with the 51st highland division who landed on the beach at Normandy on D-Day. Plus – With all hoopla around the legalization of recreational marijuana, it’s still not easy to get medical cannabis. Libby talks with Brent Zettl, CEO of Cannimed Therapeutics about the impact on patients.

It sounds like something out of a novel. Controversial writer and broadcaster Tarek Fatah is well known as a passionate secularist who takes on radical Islam. While visiting India, he started hosting a TV show. It became a huge hit, but that led to a plot to assassinate him, and Indian police have recently arrested a second suspect associated with this plot. Libby talks with Tarek about the whole strange saga. Plus – What can we learn from the happiest places on earth? Explorer and educator Dan Buettner shares some lessons from two years of research.

It’s become something of a tradition: newly minted federal party leaders coming to speak to the CARP AGM. After all, the older demographic votes in overwhelming numbers. At 38, Conservative Party of Canada leader, Andrew Scheer is the youngest of the three. He dropped by the studio to talk with Libby before addressing the group. Plus – How to get the government working for Zoomers! Libby talks to CARP’s VP Advocacy Wanda Morris about the organization’s priorities for the coming year.

One of the NHL’s top players of all time, Ken Dryden takes on a new challenge with the release his book “Game Change: The Life and Death of Steve Montador” by advocating to make Canada’s favourite sport safer and reduce brain injuries. He joins Libby to talk about it. Plus – The explosive allegations against Harvey Weinstein sparked an online movement with tens of thousands of women coming forward with their stories of harassment. But does the #MeToo mark a watershed moment or a celebration of victimhood? Libby talks to British academic and author Dr Joanna Williams.

Gordon Lightfoot helped define the folk-pop sound of the ‘60s and ‘70s, but he’s not known for being an open book when it comes to talking about his personal life, until now. Libby speaks with Nicholas Jennings, the author of Lightfoot. The first biography of the legendary troubadour. Plus…. This year’s flu vaccine is now available, Libby talks to Dr. Bryna Warshawsky, Medical Director at Public Health Ontario, about why it is especially critical for Zoomers.

Genetic testing has opened vast new possibilities for curing disease, but it has also raised ethical questions and started to be used as a kind of entertainment with mail-order tests. Libby continues her conversation with health professor Timothy Caulfield on his new tv series “A User’s Guide to Cheating Death.” You can watch it on Monday nights at 9pm on VisionTV. Plus – She’s enjoyed huge success and faced daunting challenges. That’s why at just 40 years of age, Canadian Opera Singer Measha Brueggergosman – a has penned a memoir, called “Something is Always on Fire.” She joins Libby to share some of her life stories.

Bob Komsic fills in for Libby Znaimer. The Iconic founder of Playboy, Hugh Hefner has passed away. Suffice it to say, Hugh Hefner changed the way society thought about sex, but, you may be surprised to learn how he influenced Zoomer Media founder, Moses Znaimer! Plus – As the Province of Ontario looks to resolve its hospital bed shortage, which some say have reached crisis levels, Bob talks with Natalie Mehra, the Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition, to get her insight.

He’s famous for taking on the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, to debunk faddish and sometimes dangerous health trends promoted by celebrity culture. Health law professor Timothy Caulfield is investigating everything from ancient therapies to the latest in plastic surgery in his new series airing on our sister station VisionTV. He dropped by our studios to talk to Libby about A User’s Guide to Cheating Death. Plus – He’s a true, Canadian hero – Libby catches up with the man in motion himself, Rick Hansen, as he hits the town for the Invictus Games, the commonwealth competition for wounded soldiers.

Dr. Vivien Brown, author of A Woman’s Guide to Healthy Aging: 7 Proven Ways to Keep You Vibrant, Happy and Strong joins Libby to share her best tips for healthy aging. Plus – There’s both good and bad news about Zoomers’ financial health. Libby talks to Nora Spinks, CEO of the Vanier Institute of the Family, to get a snapshot of the latest census on money, work and wellbeing for the demographic.

When a debilitating condition prevented her from playing the complex pieces she is famous for, Canada’s First Lady of Guitar, Liona Boyd, opted to reinvent herself rather than give up music. Now she has a new memoir “No Remedy for Love.” Libby talks to her about how she turned adversity into a new opportunity. Plus – The economy is going gangbusters, but when it comes to personal finances…not so much. Nearly half of Canadians live paycheque to paycheque and many who no longer collect that paycheque are still in debt. Libby talks to Laurie Campbell, the CEO of Credit Canada Debt Solutions.

What is happening to the family silver? Prized possessions used to be a precious legacy. Now many younger people are just saying no to what they consider unwanted stuff. Libby talks with the Downsizing Diva, Karen Shinn, about this avalanche of heirlooms. Plus – A new major study finds the conventional wisdom about dietary fat is wrong. Fat is fine and low-fat diets may actually raise your risk of early death. Libby talks to Researcher Dr. Andrew Mente, from McMaster University to get all the details.

Bob Komsic fills in for Libby Znaimer. How can University music students and retirement home residents live a mutually beneficial, harmonious life together? Bob finds out from Heather Gingerich, the designer of an exciting, new program that aims to do just that! And – The criteria required for Doctors to help their suffering patients end their lives was questioned in court recently. Bob talks with Shanaaz Gokool, CEO of Dying with Dignity, about this landmark case, and how it will affect future decisions.

Bob Komsic fills in for Libby Znaimer. The Royal family continues to be a source of fascination and fodder, which is part of the reason why Queen Elizabeth and her newly retired husband, Prince Philip grace the current cover of Zoomer magazine. Bob talks with Deputy Editor of Zoomer Magazine, Kim Izzo to get the inside scoop about the Royals. And – A Solar eclipse came to North America, where for a short time the sun will disappear. In fact, all of North America will be able to see a partial eclipse! Bob talks to astronomer and York University professor Paul Delaney to learn some fascinating facts about this phenomenon.

Does your waist measure more than half your height? A new study says this measure is more important than what the scale says and they’ve coined a new word to describe it: “overfat.” To find out what it means for us, Libby talked to obesity specialist Dr. Sean Wharton, Medical Director of the Wharton Medical Clinic in Burlington, Ontario. And – Jack Rabinovitch, businessman, philanthropist, founder of the Giller Prize, passed away recently. Libby talked about him and his legacy with his long-time friend, cartoonist Terry Mosher, who draws under the pen name Aislin.

A recent State Farm survey singling out older drivers as a danger has sparked a storm of criticism. Libby is joined by CARP’s VP Advocacy Wanda Morris to talk about it. And – A recently released 2016 StatsCan census revealed that for the first time in Canada, single-person households have become the most common living arrangement. The trend, like all the other key changes in the way we live was driven by Zoomers. Libby talks to Laurent Martel, Director of the demography division at Statistics Canada.

Ontario’s College of Nurses has just revoked Elizabeth Wettlaufer’s license even though she is already serving a life sentence for murdering eight patients. But could they have acted sooner to prevent the tragedy? Libby talks to Jane Meadus of the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly. And – 35% of all dementia cases can be prevented by following some simple rules about the way we live. That was a headline in a recent landmark study in The Lancet. But neurologist Dr. Antoine Hakim was ahead of the curve. He joins Libby to talk about his new book Save Your Mind.

What does it mean to be Black in the GTA? The answers are in a new landmark survey called the Black Experience Project. Libby talks to the project’s Director of Outreach and Engagement, Marva Wisdom. Plus – Are you trying to watch your weight by drinking diet drinks or using a sugar substitute in your coffee? A new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal finds that it may actually lead to weight gain! Libby is joined by Dr. Meghan Azad from the University of Manitoba.

Are you being sent for an ECG heart test as part of your annual physical? A new study says many of these tests are completely unnecessary. Libby gets all the details from the study’s lead author Sacha Bhatia, Director of the Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV) at Women’s College Hospital. And – The Bank of Canada has raised interest rates for the first time in 7 years. Does that mean we should make changes in our portfolios? Author and Investment Advisor Gordon Pape joins Libby to talk about how this will affect you.

Bob Komsic fills in for Libby Znaimer. Ontario’s assisted dying law is supposed to improve access for grievously ill patients while easing the moral burden on physicians who object to referring patients for assisted death. But is it working? Dr. James Downar, from Dying with Dignity Canada, the University Health Network, and Sinai Health System, joins Bob to talk about it. And – Libby has talked about home co-ownership on this show before, but what if there was an easier way to find someone to co-own your home with? Bob talks to Lesli Gaynor, a real estate agent who has a unique way to make that happen.

Is there a connection between grilling meat on the barbecue and cancer? Dr. Vikki Ho from the Université de Montréal joins Libby to talk about it. And – How much did that Canada Day party you threw set you back? That’s the starting point for a TD study that compares Canada 150 to our centennial back in 1967. TD Senior Economist Brian DePratto joins Libby to explain.