The Agenda with Steve Paikin (Audio) The Mothers Who Raised Churchill and Roosevelt

Ontario will soon permit tall wooden structures up to 18 storeys, giving encouragement to the province's burgeoning mass timber sector. A look at the potential and practicality of pre-fab wood construction, including its possible impact on Ontarios' economy if the sector continues to grow. Guests include: Christoper Williams of Timber Systems; Philip Silverstein of Moriyama & Teshima Architects; Steven Craft of CHM Fire Consultants; and Anne Koven of Mass Timber Institute.

No space is neutral, according to author Tye Farrow, and it either adds to or diminishes a person's well-being. Purpose-designed buildings not only help motivate and inspire the people occupying them, they also improve overall health and performance in their bodies and minds, he says. A look at the links between physiological health and the types of buildings that improve it, with Tye Farrow, architect and author of "Constructing Health: How the Built Environment Enhances Your Mind's Health."

Growing papayas in Ontario seems impossible, but avid gardener Drew Raine loves a challenge and has a 12-foot papaya tree to show for it. Drew has also been growing mango, kumquats, limes, and grapefruit for more than 10 years - all without a greenhouse. Relying on containers that he can move indoors in cold weather, Drew has maintained his connection to his South American roots by bringing the tropics north.

Are Ontario politicians over-coached? Then, after several disruptions can the Ontario film and TV industry bounce back? Why are so many young voters gravitating to conservative politics, and the pros and cons of drug decriminalization.

Decriminalizing small amounts of illicit drugs is supposed to light a path to treatment for users and de-stigmatize addiction. But has harm reduction actually been achieved? The pilot decriminalization project in B.C. - in effect since January 2023 - has hit a snag due to concerns over public safety. Meanwhile, Toronto has been waiting two years for approval of its application to decriminalize drugs. Should that bid be adjusted as the city learns lessons from the west coast? We ask: DJ Larkin, executive director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition; and Derek Finkle, journalist and columnist for the National Post.

In his new essay, "The Coming Entropy of Our World Order," futurist and founder of AlphaGeo Parag Khanna looks at the volatile state of geopolitics, and where he thinks the world is headed.

The Conservative Party's support among young people appears to be on the rise. What's drawing them to the party, does that echo trends elsewhere in the world, where parties on the right are appealing to the youth vote? Have tough economic times and social media brought a whole new generation of voters to the conservative fold?

After film and television productions in Ontario finally dropped their pandemic testing protocols, they were hit with another setback. When writers and actors went on strike in the United States last summer many American productions that film in Ontario were forced to shut down. As a result, the economic impact of film and TV in our province took a big hit last year, and some in the industry say things have not rebounded as quickly as they had hoped. What can be done to help the industry bounce back? How can we meet the economic goals Premier Ford has laid out for media production?

Actor, writer, and director Kate Drummond explains the differences and nuances of acting for video games versus acting for film, TV, and stage.

When politicians hold a news conference to make an important announcement, then take questions from reporters, only to not answer the questions, then what? Four guests from all sides of the experience join Steve Paikin to discuss whether ministers and other politicians are being over-prepared for their public interactions.