Hosts Dexter McMillan and Gavin Lopez-Smith rehearse under the eye of chase producer Rhea Lisondra.
This little radio show went to market this week…and to the diner…and a whole lot of other places, too.
Reporter Martin Halek opened with a trip to the Lansdowne farmers’ market, finding out from vendors there just what they’re up against as they get fresh produce to local tables in the depths of winter. Midweek’s Meaghan Haldenby, meanwhile, went to a gathering of NDP and Green party activists trying to figure out how to better market themselves to voters.
Speaking of green, Lauren Rollit sat down with a researcher into Canada’s defence and environmental policies to ask her why she feels those wearing green are anything but green because the government’s own emissions standards don’t apply to the country’s military.
Steven Marchand took his mic to the picket lines to talk with local elementary school teachers and parents who support them, and Gavin Lopez-Smith joined residents of Vanier celebrating a victory in their struggle against a proposed homeless shelter for their local main street. Then Steven and his mic were off to a top chef’s competition, and reporter John Gallardo was off to find out from the owners what makes Wilf and Ada’s Restaurant so special in his Centretown neighbourhood.
Deborah Burgoyne of Royal LePage Realty, and president-elect of the Ottawa Real Estate Board
And speaking of neighbourhoods, one thing that makes them special, the experts say, is if all your needs are within a 15-minute stroll from home. Midweek’s Matthew Guida brought us a detailed report on the concept, speaking with planners, real estate experts, and others involved in encouraging the concept of urban neighbourhoods that are really little villages.
Not everyone can live totally within their own neighbourhood, though, which means we need transit…that works. Midweek’s Lea Batara rode Ottawa’s light rail trains to find out what its users think of the service, especially at peak times when riders are all squeezed together. She also spoke with those who depend on Paratranspo and have very different needs.
Particular transit headaches aren’t the only thing people with disabilities have to put up with. Their list is long — and it includes stigma and just plain weariness over being stared at. Some are pushing back with tweets using the hashtag #UHateDisabledPeople that point to how people reveal often subconscious prejudice in thoughtless words and acts in daily life. Midweek’s Clare Rayment and Jake Greenwood brought us a special report on what people with disabilities want the rest of the community to pay attention to…and what they want them to stop noticing, too.
On to sports: Lauren Rollit previewed the upcoming Capital Hoops faceoff between the basketball teams from Carleton University and the University of Ottawa — the first to be at TD Place, and John Gallardo reported on a new coin honouring Willie O’Ree, the first black player in the NHL.
The Midweek team prepare to take the show to air as seconds tick down.
February is Black History Month, and Midweek’s Maan Alhmidi caught a show at Algonquin College by a local blues band made up of Angelique Francis, her dad Kiran, and her sisters Kharincia and Kira. Angelique stressed the message that so much of all modern music genres has grown out of The Blues, which in turn grew from the tough and complex history black North Americans have lived.
And to round out the show, we had some wildlife stories — one each coincidentally from this week’s hosts: Gavin Lopez-Smith spoke with an expert on urban coyotes about how winter makes us more aware of these stealthy neighbours, and Dexter McMillan reported on dragons.
Well, not just dragons. Dungeons, too. And especially the assortment of local creatures, wizards and warriors who’d rather be playing Dungeons and Dragons at the pub than watching the Super Bowl.
So that was this week’s Midweek quest — lots of great stories, not many goblins, and a little something for everyone.