Music producer Gavin Lopez-Smith prepares as hosts Lauren Rollit and Nils Goetz rehearse.
Midweek had a week off as journalism students at Carleton University enjoyed a well-earned break week, but now it’s back at it with a show to do!
We opened with an analysis of how the organization L’Arche is handling revelations of abusive relationships in its late founder’s past. Reporter Lauren Rollit spoke with an expert on communications strategies for non-profit groups, who said L’Arche is getting a lot right.
Midweek’s John Gallardo then took us to the Pinoys on Parliament networking and leadership conference in Ottawa where young Filipino-Canadians discussed what they can bring to the broader society — and what they need to do to get that chance.
David Lochead spoke with an energy expert on the uncertain outlook for fossil fuels and markets — and speaking of wild rides, Martin Halek looked into how rail blockades by Wet’suwet’en solidarity activists are flooding rideshare services to and from Toronto as students scramble to get back to campuses after their break week.
Copy editors Meaghan Haldenby and Jake Greenwood fact-check on deadline.
But while some folks may have grumbled about inconvenience caused by the rail blockade, others took to Parliament Hill to support the cause and to demand justice for indigenous people and protection for the climate, as Midweek’s Stuart Miller-Davis reported.
Rhea Lisondra then told us about efforts by employees of the food delivery service Foodora to unionize — the pros and cons, and the overall challenges of the gig economy.
Concussions in sport are finally getting the attention they deserve, and Midweek’s Luke James spoke to a local rugby player about his slow recovery from a bad one five months ago. Speaking of kicks in the head, those involved in local community hockey teams are upset at the suggestion the city may close single-pad ice rinks; Midweek’s Erna Bitote spoke with a former coach who is trying to organize an outcry.
A group in Ottawa called A New Day is working with victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, and Midweek’s Rhea Lisondra spoke with members of its staff and also a survivor of trafficking who went through its program on her way to safety.
Reporter Rhea Lisondra edits her audio and writes her script.
“Fight for yourself,” she said as her message to other victims. “Find forgiveness for yourself. … It’s not your fault.”
Steven Marchand then shed light on how products Canadians routinely consume may be partly produced by what amounts to slave labour in other countries. He spoke with an activist spreading the word on human trafficking in the supply chains of seemingly innocuous industries.
Lauren Rollit and Rhea Lisondra collaborated on a doc about local tinkerers who are inventing their own self-driving autonomous autos — little cars that solve the same engineering challenges the big car makers are wrestling with. One project: a self-driving snow plow…
OC-Transpo’s experimental Trillium light rail line is heading towards a prolonged closure as it’s rebuilt, and Midweek’s Steven Marchand rode the rails to find out how that disruption is going to upset the lives of those who now rely on the service. Erna Bitote then looked at the potential loss of another service important to many: the Ottawa Family Cinema that’s being forced to find a new home…or close.
But not everything is struggling: The weekly Timekode dance parties are going strong after 15 years, as Midweek’s Nils Goetze found out when he visited organizers of the popular events in the basement of the Ethiopian restaurant D’Afrique.