What the Liberals’ new majority means for Canadians

I am an actor, fresh out of theater school with big dreams and an even bigger drug habit. But things are pretty good. That is until my best friend is set up on a date with David Lee Roth. Yeah, from Van Halen. If you know, you know. From CBC's personally, this is Discount Dave and the Fix. The true-ish story about how a fake rock star led me to a real trial that held up a mirror to me. And okay, let's just say that not everyone in this story is who you think they are.

Personally, discount Dave and the Fix. Available now on CBC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts. This is a CBC podcast. Hello, I'm Neil Cokesall. Good evening. I'm Chris Howden. This is as it happens.

Tonight. In the driver's seats, Mark Carney secures his majority government, and Liberal Party caucus chair James Maloney tells anyone concerned about floor crossers that a growing diversity of opinions in the party is a good thing. Orange Juice. The new NDP leader Avi Lewis explains how his party's half dozen MPs will face off against the new liberal majority

and how he'll lead them without a seat of his own in parliament. Collateral damage, Nigeria says an airstrike targeted militants, but an NGO worker investigating the attack says it actually killed as many as 200 civilians shopping at a local market. No sudden movies. It's been more than 50 years since anyone screened in a week films

made in the 70s using sand stop motion animation and the ethereal images are enchanting audiences. Sex machine to lure real sage grouse. Back to Grand Teton National Park. Conservationists are deploying sage grouse robots that mimic the male birds' sensual mating rituals. And they are sensual. And Stark Raven Mad.

Ten years on a British artist is still seeing red and complaining until he's blue in the face about another British artist who has exclusive rights to the world's blackest black. As it happens, the Tuesday edition, radio that wishes they'd make love, not noir.

also telling reporters he didn't go out and celebrate that he's focused on the government's agenda. He mentioned the economy and other priorities. But from where you sit, what is at the very top of that agenda? What can Canadians expect this government to achieve first? Well, first of all, I think, I mean, the question is being asked in the context largely of following the three by-elections yesterday. So I want to congratulate those three candidates, first of all, and thank all the people who put their name on the ballot. Look, I think the prime minister's approach to governing and his agenda is going to be the same today as it has been for the past 12 months, almost 12 months. there seems to be some perception that something's going to change.

It's not. If you look what the prime minister's been doing for the last year, he's been focused on all of the issues he just outlined in that comment. We heard at the beginning. So I think he'll keep doing what he's doing. It's going to the way parliament functions is going to be different, obviously, because we now have a majority government. And once in three new members take their seats in two or three weeks' time,

things will settle down. And I think we'll see things move much more quickly and more efficiently. There is criticism of how the Liberal Party secured this majority. Five MPs crossing the floor to join your government. We've covered those on our show as well. Our listeners are familiar with what's happened. And I know you're familiar with the criticism. But let's play what conservative leader Pierre Pahliev said about all of this today.

Let me just address that this prime minister has manufactured a costly majority that Canadians rejected in the last election. He did it through dirty backroom deals against the interests of the people with the help of politicians who betrays. trade, their voters, and their citizens. He's going to keep pushing that message and others. There are those who agree with them. How do you respond, James, to the argument that Canadians did not vote for this. They did not vote for a liberal majority. Canadians voted for each of those individual MPs.

Our system allows for this type of thing to happen. These decisions aren't made over lunch or overnight. These are people who gave a great deal of consideration to what they were going to do. They obviously agree with what the prime minister's approach is and his agenda, and they decided to support him and this government. I mean, I don't expect Pierre Poilievre have to say anything different. He said the same thing every time there was a floor crosser. But what would you have said if the situation were reversed?

Well, the situation was reversed. Go back to 2016 or 17. I was elected in 2015, and Leon and Alislev crossed the floor to the Conservatives. and, you know, Mr. Shearer and Pierre Poilievre and all these other folks were welcoming. You didn't see any bitter words coming from our side at the time. She made the choice to do it, and we accepted it. This is more than one or two, as you know. Why not hold by-elections?

Well, it's not required. I mean, this is the way the system works, and it's always worked that way. Might I also point out that Mr. Pierre Poilievre was one of a number of conservative MPs, who voted against a piece of legislation or a private members bill that was introduced in the House to prevent this from happening. So it's a bit ironic, to be generous, at this point for him coming out or his colleagues coming out and saying that this is wrong somehow. And whether it's one person or five people doesn't make a difference.

There's not a quantitative analysis that goes on here. I mean, they're entitled to do what they did. I know each of these individuals. I mean, some of them I know very well. and they're quality people and they're good representatives of their constituents. Strong opposition, a robust opposition is integral to the democratic process. As you know, what would you say to Canadians who are worried that we're going to see less of that push from the opposition parties? I would say don't worry because if you watch what's been happening now,

I would encourage them to go watch a number of the committee meetings that have taken place over the past. three to six months and none of that conduct that they will see is what anybody objectively would call constructive efficient opposition. It was obstruction, plain and simple. I've been chairing the Justice Committee for the last number of months and we have had days and days and hours and hours of filibustering with people talking about nothing to do with legislation. They're supposed to challenge you though, though, right? Those are part of the Well, no, they're welcome to challenge. And you ask any opposition MP, I'll sit down with anybody any time and talk about ideas and how to make legislation better.

But when you're just obstructing for the sake of objecting, that's not opposition. And in fact, if you go watch them, they're not even all consistent. They're not even consistent amongst themselves. I really think Canadians can be assured that this is going to result in a better government process. I wonder for you in your role, how you plan to navigate, these new members, this new makeup of the party. Last month, Lori Idlout left the NDP to join the government. Marilyn Gladio, as we reported, left the conservatives.

We're talking about very, not only different perspectives, diametrically opposed perspectives. How are you going to reconcile all of those differences that are now very present in your party? Well, look, I'm the chair of our National Caucus, which is an honor and great responsibility. One of the things that I enjoy the most is listening to diverse set of ideas and perspectives, whether it be from different parts of the country or different parts of the spectrum. Look, I mean, you need diversity of opinion to get to drive good outcomes, and that's what we have. So I'm looking forward to it. I don't see reason to have concern at all.

NDP leader, Avi Lewis, the new NDP leader, our listeners are going to be hearing our conversation shortly on the show as well. He has said that he doesn't recognize what it means to be a liberal anymore. What would you say to those who are thinking that way? I haven't heard of say that. It's a peculiar thing to say, considering his lineage. The Liberal Party's been around a lot longer than Avi Lewis or James Maloney. He hasn't been around a lot longer than both of us. So the Liberal Party stands for a diverse set of opinions,

and that middle of the road policy perspective, and that hasn't changed. And we're in a situation right now where that's exactly what you're seeing and that's the way it's playing out. James Maloney, thank you for coming on the show. I appreciate it. No, my pleasure, and thanks for having me on.

James Maloney is the MP for Atobico Lakeshore and the Liberal caucus chair. We reached him in Ottawa. Now that the liberals have a majority, the new Democrats face new challenges. The leverage they held in the House of Commons has evaporated. The ruling party,

no longer needs their votes. And they're left with just six seats after Nunavut MP Lori Idlout's defection to the Liberals last month. Ovi Lewis is the newly elected leader of the NDP. He'll have to deal with all these challenges and he'll also have to win his own seat in Parliament. We reached Mr. Lewis in Ottawa. Alvi Lewis, I wonder if you've called Prime Minister Carney to congratulate him on his new majority? We have a date to speak on Thursday, so I thought I would wait and do it in person. What will you say? Well, I'm hoping he'll congratulate me first on my much larger challenge ahead.

I am actually looking forward to speaking to the Prime Minister. What is your strategy to keep NDP priorities, your priorities on the agenda, given that challenge that I think it clearly has become even more challenging in this moment? Sure. Well, I, Neil, I mean, I think Canadians have noticed that the liberals have been governing sort of as if they had a majority. And I think they've been able to do that because they've been passing, sweeping, almost world-changing pieces of legislations

with the support of a Conservative Party. And I think that highlights the need for a progressive voice in the House of Commons and the country because we do have a unique situation where Mr. Pierre Poilievre and Mr. Carney do seem to align on many of the big issues of the day. They don't seem to publicly, at least, But I hear what you're saying.

How do you make that voice heard, though, given the makeup, you don't have a seat. You lost a Lori Edlout, an NDP, MP in the floor crossings, as well as our listeners know. How do you go about making that voice heard? Yes, the listening of bad news. I'm quite used to it in this new job. And yet, we've had tremendous momentum coming out of the leadership race. I think there's something happening under the surface of Canadian politics, and I've seen it at the base. We launched an initiative, a call on the government to ban surveillance pricing yesterday,

and it really struck a chord with Canadians. There are no regulations whatsoever on corporations, big grocery stores, teaming up with big tech to use your personal search history to alter the prices that you pay online or even in retail. Competition Bureau was concerned enough about this to do a study on it and yet recommended no action. While you are trying to be heard on your party's priorities, what you hope to be able to achieve, you also have to rebuild the party itself and work from within. We mentioned Lori Idlout's departure. We've also talked about on the show, NDP leaders Daed Menci and Carla Beck and Alberta and Saskatchewan, respectively, have been very public about their concern about your selection as federal leader, as it may impact them in their respective provinces.

What are you doing to mend the fences and rebuild your own party from within? Well, I had a good chat with Carla the other day. She reached out after my father passed away and maybe took maybe a different look than she initially had. I felt it after the convention that there was, you know, that moment when people are settling into their seats before the movie and finding places to put their coats. And there were some ruffled feathers in that moment. I have an ongoing relationship with Matt had mentioned. and I've said to Carla, as I've said to Nahed, and I will say over and over again,

I can't wait for them to be premiers of their respective provinces. They will be such a refreshing alternative to Daniel Smith and Scott Moe. And yes, we have some fundamental differences on one particular issue of our relationship to fossil fuels in our economy. We share a concern for fossil fuel workers who cannot be thrown under the bus in an energy transition that has been accelerated by this global, oil shock because of this crazy war, and Canada's being left behind. And I believe that the NDP is the only party that anyone can trust,

whether provincial or federal, to make sure that workers are taken care of. And we're one party with big regional differences and the occasional policy differences and a good, healthy democratic debate within our party, which also shows that our tent is growing, and we can encompass more perspectives. Are you going to try to get Luriebuck back? No, we're not in the New Democratic Party, we're not in the business of chasing MPs from other parties. We trust the voters, and we don't think floor crossers are helping what is a crisis in faith in institutions in our society. And people are getting more and more cynical about our democracy.

And if our vote is going to continue to mean anything, if we're going to resist the rise of authoritarianism in this country, which we see rising around the world, we need people to know that their vote counts. What are you going to do to try to make sure you can be an effective leader without being there for question period without a seat? Yeah, you know, I don't think it's not going to be forever. Jack Layton didn't have a seat when he was first elected and he made it clear he was going to spend a year, crisscrossing the country, listening to Canadians and really immersing himself in the challenges of the day. And that's precisely what I intend to do, although I haven't set a time period the way Jack did. Chagmede also didn't have a seat when he was first elected. So this isn't actually an unusual situation.

I met with my small, the mighty caucus right there in Winnipeg after the convention win, and they told me to stay out, build the party, build the base, raise money, and be election ready whenever that comes. I don't think anyone believes that we're necessarily in for three, four years of this precarious majority government. I don't know that the prime minister wants Marilyn Gladue to be holding the balance of power. So we'll see how long this government lasts. You mentioned your father of late Stephen Lewis. I wanted to ask you about him because I think our listeners would want to know, I mean, this is a huge new role for you, but also a huge, obviously, huge loss. So how are you,

how are you handling those realities together? Well, Neil, it's been a very emotional time, as you can imagine. But to give him this at the end of his life was very, very precious for me. You know, he said a year ago when I told him that I was going to run, that he was going to stay alive and see me win. And I immediately was found from Wood to Nostcon to be like, Dad, don't say the W word. We're just at the beginning of this race. I mean, come on.

But he was a person of tremendous will. he willed innumerable, incredible accomplishments into being, like mobilizing hundreds of thousands of people around the world to insist that drug companies and governments provide antiretrovirals to people dying in the HIV-AIDS pandemic in Africa. And he won rent control for Ontarians in 1975 where we had real rent control in the province of Ontario for 20 years until Mike Harris dismantled it. And he showed me how to be a good man, a generous, warm-hearted, principled person who saw the light that shines in others. And it was beautiful to be able to give him a gift on his way out. Avi Lewis, I very much appreciate this. And thank you. Take care.

Thanks, Neil. Thank you. We reached NDP leader Avi Lewis in Ottawa. We requested an interview with conservative leader Pierre Poilievre today, but we did not hear back.

Sage gross are about the size of chickens. They're recognizable, if you can see them at all, for their superior camouflage skills. They're round bodies. And on males, the pointed tailfish. feathers and yellow chest sacks that they inflate during their deeply erotic mating dances. But despite the allure of these displays, the sage grouse population has been declining, dropping by about 80% since 1965. And while the species as a whole isn't endangered in the U.S., populations in areas like Grand Teton National Park are at serious risk of completely disappearing.

Now conservationists in nearby Jackson Hole, Wyoming are trying something a little unconventional. They're using robotic sage grouse decoys in a bid to encourage breeding. Gary Duquette runs the Jackson Hole Robo Bronx, a group that works with students on robotics projects. He worked with the local robotics team at Jackson Hole High School to design this sage grouse cyborg. He's in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Gary, you're an engineer. You've been teaching robotics for decades now. What did you think when you got this call to be a part of this project?

I had never thought about building robotic animals before, so it was kind of a cool ask by the park service and Teton Raptor Center. And, yeah, I thought it would be a great way for kids to try to take their hands at using their robotic skills to something real life. Yeah, it was pretty shocking that they would reach out to a high school robotics team. So we spent a lot of time trying to figure out because the kids had never seen the sage grouse dance before. So watching a video of the sage grouse dance was a little intimidating when you have to replicate it. And then, yeah, just how we were going to make it work and what parts and pieces we were going to design and build and the gearing and the motors and the electrical and just all the different pieces that went into it. And now it's snowing and they're out there. And I'm a little worried about them.

So I've got to go check on on tomorrow. What were the specific materials you cobbled together to make this as realistic and as functional as possible? So the students designed some 3D printed gears that were run by some servos. So it would turn around side to side. The wings would flap. And then the body cavity, plastic, they've made that. And then we had wings and feathers from three different kinds of birds that were put together to try to make it look as realistic as possible.

And the kids 3D printed a head and painted it. So the head moves and dances as well. What a class to be a part of. What's your grade for how closely these robots? are actually mimicking what the real birds do. We couldn't do the air sac, so I'd give us a B, maybe a C plus for the first version, and the kids are excited to dive in and try to improve upon version one and make some more realistic birds next time.

Meaning those are pretty realistic. It's just they really want to improve upon them. Yeah, they really want to improve upon, you know, all the different detail parts. You mentioned that the weather, that it's snowed recently. How often are you checking on them? How are you checking on them? So they have the Teton Raptor Center who approached us with the park service. They have cameras out there, so they're watching. They actually play the calls to try to bring the birds in from a distance. We made six, and we were able to get four up there, and they have two different lex, which is where

the birds do their dancing. So we had two in each leck. In terms of the why, this is all necessary. The area near the Jackson Hole Airport used to be a breeding site for these birds. There's been a population decline, as our listeners heard a moment ago, since the 90s. What have you and your students learned from the other experts about just what kinds of issues the birds have been running into that necessitates this kind of project? Yeah, so the land that was down where we have the leck, where they do their breeding ground, was actually a little homestead, and they had planted non-native grasses there. They spent the first five years removing the non-native grasses that the birds can't eat. So they learned all about how, you know, fragile the sage grouse habitat is, even in a place like Grand Tita National Park. And so what will be the measure of success for everyone involved in this?

Yeah, so they're just trying to see the birds there. And they have the breeding birds that hang around the airport now. They would like to see them moved over. So I think from the researchers and the park service view, they just want to see if they can use the calls from the Raptor Center and the robot birds to see if they can move them over and hold them at a new leg. So that's their new place. And they just keep coming back there year after year. Is the sense you're getting now that this is a temporary thing or this might be used as a more permanent or long-term conservation tool? It's unknown at the moment.

I think they are excited about the opportunity if it works to be able to give. the birds a more realistic than just a static bird, which is what they've tried in the past. I think what they're looking at is other projects too. If they could use robots for this, what else could they use robotic birds for that they currently don't have solutions to? What of the conservationists you're working with told you about whether these robots could potentially be upsetting for the real birds or even confusing for them? I wonder how you and they weigh that against what you're trying to do. Yeah, they said they have to try to.

They have to give it a shot and they said they're not the smartest animals in the park, but they don't think it'll scare them away. But whatever happens, Gary, with this specific project, is this something you're going to incorporate into your classes permanently now, whether it's a grouse or a different kind of projects? So my goal has always been to try to incorporate as many community projects as possible. Some more than others, my classes have designed stuff for the space program at NASA. We've had a lot of interest from other people, knowing that the kids are capable of this to do projects around town. It seems like this is going to be a nice way to get more people understanding that these high school students are really capable of solving real world problems and probably more capable than most adults at this point. You almost make me want to go back to high schools. So there's a robotics class, almost.

But how exciting for your students, Gary. It's really great speaking with you. Thank you. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Gary Duquette runs the Jackson Hole Robo Bronx. He's in Jackson Hall, Wyoming.

I think of color as an immersive quality. That, you know, it's a bit like going into the shower. You're going to shower, you get wet. Or you'd be in front of a red thing and get red. It's completely with you, around you. That's artist Anish Kapoor, describing how important color is to him. And as educated appreciators of art, color is important to us, too. It enables us to say things like, I like that green painting.

I don't like that other green painting. But there is one color we can only see if Mr. Kapoor lets us see it. Vantab black, the blackest black. For the past 10 years, Anish Kapoor has been the only artist who's allowed to use that strange light-absorbing material. No one is even sure how he uses it. And he has not cleared anything up by saying things like, perhaps the darkest black is the black that we carry within ourselves. Yeah, I mean, it is pretty dark. dark in ourselves, but artists like Stuart Semple are not interested in hearing Mr. Kapoor speak

in rejected lyrics from Cure songs. They want the Vantablack, and they're disgusted by his monopoly. And that's why 10 years ago, Mr. Semple created his own superlative paint available to almost everyone. Hi guys. How are you doing? This is the world's pinkest pink paint. It is a super rich fluorescent pigment that reflects bucket loads of light. It's brilliant, super, super fluorescent. I'm on a mission to share this with everyone I possibly can around the world except Anish Kapoor. I really don't want him to get his hands on this. And in the intervening years, Mr. Semple has carried on his one-sided feud.

He's made a glitteriest glitter, his own blackest black, and then an even blacker blackest black. And he's made them all available to everyone but Anish Kapoor. Now it's the 10th anniversary of Stuart Semple's world's pinkest pink. To celebrate that, he's giving it away for free. You just have to pay the shipping. But as always, there's one caveat. From Mr. Semple's website, quote, by adding this product to your cart, you confirm that you are not Anish Kapoor.

You are in no way affiliated with Anish Kapoor. You are not purchasing this item on behalf of Anish Kapoor or an associate of Anish Kapoor. Now, so far none of this has moved Anish Kapoor to share Vantablag. But I guess Mr. Semple would argue that he, He's already showed us his true colors.

We're going to take a short break now. When we return, the brother and sister of a Canadian man killed by an Israeli drone in southern Lebanon, remember him as a loving husband and father and a devoted animal lover. And the footage is grainy, a film festival in Nunavutu screening. dozens of long-forgotten Inuit animation reels from the 70s, including some stop-motion movies made with sand. And the festival coordinator says they take him back in time. Stay tuned. I'm Chris Howden.

And I'm Neil Cooksalt. I'm Neil Cooksall. until my best friend is set up on a date with David Lee Roth. Yeah, from Van Halen. If you know, you know. From CBC's personally, this is Discount Dave and the Fix. The true-ish story about how a fake rock star led me to a real trial that held up a mirror to me. And okay, let's just say that not everyone in this story is who you think they are. Personally, discount Dave and the Fix. Available now on CBC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts. Nigeria's government called it a precision airstrike, but for people attending market day in the village of Gili, it did not seem precise at all.

Local authorities say that as many 200 people were killed in the attack on Saturday. The Nigerian military referred to the area as a known terrorist enclave and logistics hub and said the strike had killed terrorists, but local merchants told Agence France press that there were no militants among the dead. A state official later admitted some civilians had been killed. Issa Sanusi is the executive director of Amnesty International, Nigeria. We reached him today in London. Issa, you were just in Nigeria speaking with survivors of this attack. What did they tell you?

Well, they are saying that they were in the middle of the market. It's a market day, weekly market day. And around 3 o'clock, 3 p.m. And they saw some Paita jets hovering in the sky. and suddenly there were bombs falling on them and there was fire, there was screaming, and people were falling down, and there was so much blood in the market. And what was the aftermath like? Well, it was confusion, actually, because there were dead bodies everywhere,

and people don't know what happened, and they know that the bombs were coming from the Piter jets that were hovering in the sky some minutes before. And people who were really angry and they were really shocked because this is a market attended by people from so many villages to buy food items, to buy food stuff, to buy other basic needs and to do transaction, business transactions. Nigeria's military, as you know, describes this area that they hit as a, quote, terrorist enclave and logistics hub.

unquote. You've seen videos of people who were killed. What do you make of what the military is saying? Well, the military has been saying this, but this doesn't justify killing civilians. Because based on our investigation, all the people killed, all of them, all of the people that were killed are civilians. There is not a single militant or single insurgent or single jihadists among the people that were killed. And it doesn't make sense for the government or for the military to say that this is a militants enclave because the people they kill are not militants. There are civilians, ordinary people going about their daily lives as normal human beings. Are militants operating in that area? Of course, they operate in that area.

But, but you know, these are villages that have been abandoned by the government and people have no option. People don't go to those markets. There is no way they can eat. What are the chances that you will get answers from the Nigerian government that you and other people have? I mean, you're saying that everyone killed was a civilian. They're saying they didn't hit civilians. Well, that's why we are saying that there should be a very thorough, effective and standard investigation. Only an investigation can establish the truth and make sure that there is accountability for all the people

that were killed. We believe that all these claims by the military cannot take away the fact that they kill civilians. And that is according to international law or lawful, according to international humanitarian law or lawful. So we are seeking for an independent impartial investigation to establish the truth about what happened. This is also not the first time. As you know, something like this has happened in 2025, several times in 2020. 24, 2023 and others as well. How does this incident fit into that broader picture? This has been happening and we have documented and investigated five incidents recently.

And there are many other cases that have not been even reported in the media. And that is why we are saying that this is not a mistake. Because a mistake can only happen once, twice, twice. anything beyond that might be interpreted differently. So that's why we are saying that gradually killing civilians through air strikes in the name of fighting terrorism is becoming the norm is becoming a routine in Nigeria. What will stop that routine? What will change that routine?

Well, there should be accountability because all the first incidents have to be investigated. And all those who were found. to be responsible of what led to the loss of lives of civilians there must be held to account and the Nigerian military has to uh overhaul its processes and it has to know that there is no way it can be killing civilians in the name of uh protecting them because the entire military operation is done to protect people from these insurgents so if the people ended of being the victims uh the whole essence has been defeated the poll m has been defeated and it will even undermine Nigerian government's effort to fight terrorism.

What are they government officials telling people about how they can stay safe? If this is the only place, these places are the only places they can go to do their business that they need and buy food. What are they telling people about how to stay safe? Yeah, I don't think they have any plan for that and I don't think they give any thought to that. Because the one of the things the government said is that they have closed that market five years ago. So if they have closed the market five years ago and they realize that there are civilians, what have they been doing over the last five years to tell people that we don't want you to be there? We have provided you an alternative.

So it's just a don't care attitude of Nigerian officials when it comes to the lives of ordinary people. Would international pressure help at all? And what should that look like in your view? Well, there should be an investigation because these things, have been happening over the last 10 years and they have happened like seven times in recent years so there should be there should be an international investigation because that's the only way to establish the truth over time we realize that Nigerian government is incapable or unwilling to do a thorough investigation so if so if Nigerian government is unwilling or unable to do a thorough investigation

International help can go a long way. Issa, thank you for this. Thank you. Issa Sunusi is the executive director of Amnesty International, Nigeria. We reached him in London.

Muhammad Hassan Haidar was a Canadian citizen. He spent half his time in Lebanon and half his time in Windsor, Ontario. Last week he was staying in the South Lebanese community of Ro Khanna, close to Tyre. His family says he was caring for horses on his property when he was killed by an Israeli drone. He leaves behind a wife and five children still in Lebanon. At a press conference, his sister, Fatima Haidar and his brother Hussein Haidar talked about their late brother. We are a family of seven siblings, Lebanese Canadian, and our brother Hassan is second born in this family.

A very social, kind man, educated. He's a mechanical engineer. When we moved to Canada, he started working at the age of 16. Myself and Hussein and Hassan were only a year apart in age. We grew up inseparable. my brother my brother was an animal lover he loved his horses

and everybody that knows Hassan knows how much love and care he has for his horses and he had a dream of having the biggest horse farm in Lebanon he risked his life to care for his animals that he loved and not leave them behind

because he had no means of moving them a safe place so he made sure his family his wife his devastated wife and his five children oldest is 12 and youngest is one he made sure they were safe and he returned to his horses risking his life every day to protect them and care for them we lost our brother and i do not wish this pain for anybody but i do i do hope the Canadian government speaks for that. So basically, I was the closest family member to my brother Hassan

that I grew up looking to him as my idol in life. Since we were children until the last time we came to Canada, which we were working here, me and him, we were split souls. We never separated, you know. So my memories is all around him. Like he was the closest to me in my family. We were like twins, basically, but one year apart, you know. But yeah, we've been through thick and thin together, and now he's not here.

And unfortunately in November when he went to Lebanon in this trip, we never knew that it's not going to be his last trip. So he wanted to be with his family, to be the provider that he was designed by God to be, and to be the supporter that he has to be. So to provide and to support for his family, while at the same time take care of his poor animals, that nobody else is going to take care of him if he leaves them there. He made sure his family was safe until the last incident that took place with this barbaric attack. Enough is enough. Human's lives matter. It doesn't matter where they come from. It doesn't matter in what color, shape, or form.

Human life matters. Fatima and Hussein Haidar speaking with reporters this week. Last night, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand issued a statement that reads, in part, quote, on behalf of the government of Canada, I extend my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. And we call on Israel to cease its attacks and encourage Israel and Lebanon to reach a durable diplomatic solution, unquote.

The films were made over 50 years ago. The films were made over 50 years ago, almost none of them were ever screened until now. In the 1970s, artists at a film workshop in Kingait Nunavut produced arresting animations in different media. They include multiple works by well-known Inuit cultural figures like Peter Pizulac and Peter Lusisaila. At the time, only one of the reels was released, and it received international attention, but the rest were put in storage and forgotten.

Then the National Film Board of Canada rediscovered the works and shared them with the Aulayut-Nunavut International Film Festival, which is organizing the first public screening this week. Jamesi Fornier is the festival's event coordinator. We reached him in a hallowee. Jamesi, I'm wondering how people are reacting as they see these works. People are reacting very positively and it's something really enchanting to be able to see because there was a release at one point in time in 1973. However, these are all the pieces that were not included in that, that I've never seen the light of day until 50 years later. So people are very excited to be able to see what was left out.

And enchanting is such a perfect word, I think. What is it like for you to see that enchantment wash over their faces as they take in all of that they're seeing? Well, it's so much fun to be able to see because everyone connects to this era in Kingite and with the Inuit animation from the early 1970s in a myriad of different ways, whether it is their family or close colleagues and people that they worked with, because all these animators have gone on to have a very beautiful careers of their own. And so it's exciting to be able to see all these artists as the young experimental individuals that are really having fun with this medium. I've seen some images so far for those who haven't seen those images or the animations themselves.

What do they look like? So they are animations. We have sand animations, which one really stands out in your mind because it's a very, get the real thing to be able to see all these images swimming into one another. We also have collage animation and 2D animation as well as stop motion animation in a live action sense. So we have this kind of depart from what people traditionally think about inundi art in terms of printmaking and carvings to something much more experimental and fun

in an imaginative animated way. What are some of the stories there to the? They tell. One of them, it's neat to be able to see because some of them are traditional stories, right? A lot of them are songs and music. One of the traditional stories is one about the kind of the legend of the fog, but also being able to see that because a lot of Inuit will be able to see that story and recognize it and identify it.

But here we have the same story that's kind of encapsulated in a time capsule and seeing it broadcasts like 50 years in the future, but the story that we all already know is a really beautiful thing. Who made them? So this is a group of creative individuals in Kingite or Cape Dorset in the early 1970s, and they have such an immense creative talent pool from back then in the day. And so being able to have all these individuals working in collaboration with one another, with other musicians and singers as well,

that it's really quite breathtaking to be able to give these animations and these pieces of art a whole new career in the world. Why were these not released, as you said, in that previous batch decades ago? That is a hard question to say. That batch that was released in 1973, it went on to international film festivals and it was circulated on the CBC. broadcast nationally.

And so the workshop ran from 1972 to 1975, and that one 18-minute film was the only real piece that saw any sort of circulation. And so here we have like 50 minutes of over 42, like, different individual pieces of animation that were never were included into any such further release, which I can't really say why, because they're all just so beautiful to witness. This was happening in the 70s, as you said, the National Film Board of Canada, if I'm not mistaken, put on a workshop where these artists would put these together. The techniques that they're using, what strikes you about what you've seen, how they made these? Well, it's really great because we see this early 1970s kind of 8mm, 16 millimeter animation being used, the technology, the cameras of what they had of their disposal at the time.

but they're using them in such an innovative and creative way that's really exciting because we see nowadays people being able to make the same types of animation through using social media and cell phones and technology and making into reels. However, we have a group of very talented, very creative individuals in the early 1970s in Kingite, in Nunavut, in Northern Canada, doing the exact same thing and just having a lot of fun doing it. So I think that's really a treasure to see. There are more screenings to come, yes?

Yes, we are going to Kingite this week, and then the next week after that, we're going to Iglulik, and then May we're going to the Winnipeg Art Gallery as well. And they're also available on the NFB website for people to watch them for free at any time. Yes, definitely. You can go onto the NFB and find the Arctic Workshop Reels. There's also a series of articles written by Camillo Martin Flores, who really goes into depth into essays about the significance of these pieces. What do you hope people who are at those screenings

or calling up that NFB website after our conversation, what do you hope people feel as they watch them or take away from watching them? They're really experimental and animated and lively in a different way because traditionally the idea that we have in motifs of Inuit art is being able to look at that a different way we see kind of a departure from the normal storytelling mode

of art into something that's really vibrant. And just these artists who are having a lot of fun exploring with their creativity and their young minds and just being able to take that technology and to make something that's truly interactive and just a joy to witness. So I hope this helps form that in people's minds of this modern, beautiful avant-garde art

that's just been sitting for us to be able to witness once more. Damassi, I'm so glad we could speak. Thank you. Thank you so much, sir. My pleasure. Nekul me. Jamesi Fornier is the event coordinator of the Aulayot-Nunavut International Film Festival. We reached him in Akalawit.

Americans may soon have free reign to distill their own hooch in the privacy of their own homes. Last week, a federal judge declared that a 150-year-old, year old law against the practice violates the U.S. Constitution. The case could still be sent to the Supreme Court, but for now, would-be home distillers are celebrating. Rick Morris is the founder of the Hobby Distillers Association. He brought the lawsuit. We reached him in Fort Worth, Texas. Rick, did you raise a glass to celebrate? Of course. It was a huge, huge win for us. And what was in that class? My favorite. My absolute favorite is, out of a distillery up in New York called Kings County,

and they have an amazing cask strength, the barrel strength that they produce. You didn't want to have your own stuff to celebrate? Well, not until it's legal. Fair, okay. And in Texas, it's still at a state level is not. We almost had that legalized last year, but it just ran out of time.

So where does this leave you now? On a federal standpoint, the change is that people are now able to obtain a permit, a TDB permit, regardless of location, essentially. Basically, if a person is a member of the Hobby Distillers Association, because Hobby Distillers Association, being an association, a member-based association, as a member, you're part of the plaintiffs. You've been pushing for this for a long time. You're the founder of the association that you were just mentioning the Hobby Distillers. there are a lot of you out there, there's a whole association. Has this law really been preventing people from distilling at home? Some, many.

Obviously, there are people out there that are doing this illegally. That is not what we're supporting. We are trying to get it legalized and give people a legal pathway. And there are many, just as myself, that would love to do it, but want to do it legally. Take our listeners back in time. How did it come to be that this practice became illegal in the first place? The government at that time, very different times, obviously much more difficult in those times for them to not so much regulate, but have a watchful eye over what was actually going on. So whether they felt that was a way to protect that tax or whether it was protection for.

commercial distilleries, I mean, lobbying and having hands in pockets go back a long ways. So who knows exactly the thought process that brought it about? It's never been updated to come into today's day and age. July 1868, Reconstruction Area United States. It was in part to, you mentioned the tax, in part, they said at the time to prevent evasion of the liquor tax. and you could face five years up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine. What's your sense of what the judges on this panel said about that rationale? The way I read it, the way it has been explained to me, essentially is under Congress's ability to tax,

they can create a tax for something. They can collect that tax, but they cannot tell you where you can and cannot do whatever the activity is to create that product. When people hear about Hoot, home distilling, you know, they think that this is not. A lot of people would think that this is, you know, happening in basements, not safe. It's going to make you go blind. You've heard that. What is the reality as you see? We can use New Zealand as a perfect example because it legalized home distilling.

And that happened in 1996. So we're not talking, you know, way back in history either. And we're also talking kind of similar levels of. countries as far as advancement. When we first started the Hobby Distillers Association, we dug into a lot of that information from there because you could get information on different causes of home fires and the whole gamut of things because being legal there, that would be one of the things potentially listed as causes. And it fell way down on the list so far that it was considered statistically insignificant. Home fires on a, not just a gas stove, but even an electric

stove, there are more incidences than of home distilling. And the product itself, what do you do as an association to make sure that there are quality controls, to make sure the strength and the ingredients and all of that are up to safety standards, even if they are being distilled at home? Even if they're being distilled at home, one big thing when you've got legalization is people are willing to talk about it. They're not scared of getting caught for doing something illegal because they aren't. So people are more willing to get information to do things safely at home. Ultimately, your first home recipe, what are you hoping to create? It'll be a bourbon.

I'm a bourbon steward and part of a small bourbon group. so it'll most definitely be a bourbon. And what do you think about the Supreme Court, the potential this going to the Supreme Court, are you worried that you might lose there or you feel that this is a turning point for this issue in your country? We're obviously very hopeful that if it goes to the Supreme Court that we will win there, but nobody ever knows. It's going to be dependent on how the Supreme Court justices then view it, if they view it the same or similarly to,

the district court to the Fifth Circuit, then we should be in good shape. But there's no knowing going into it, you know, if it'll be taken to the Supreme Court and if so, what the outcome will be. And how long before you think you can make that bourbon you want to make? In Texas, we're trying to get it legalized. The Hobby Distillers Association is going to hit all the states as well trying to get it legalized in all the states. For many of the people that are doing this or want to do it, it's not about how much they can save over buying in the store. If you're producing a good quality product and with all the capital investment to get equipment, it's not about saving money. It's generally about the hobby, the science behind it, and people that like to tinker.

These aren't your bygone days moonshiner. These are true enthusiasts that want to enjoy all the different aspects of the hobby. Rick, I appreciate this. Thank you. Thank you very much. Rick Morris is the founder of the Hobby Distillers Association. We reached him in Fort Worth, Texas.

When the crew of Artemis II traveled around the moon, the photos and videos they got were nothing short of amazing. Those images offered those of us stuck here on Earth, the opportunity to experience the view from space as though we had been there. But Chris Stockdale only has to go into his backyard to get up close and personal with planets outside our solar system. For decades, the Australian man has been tracking tiny dips in the lights in the night sky.

And by doing so, he has managed to help identify more than 100 exoplanets. Now his efforts have won him the 26 Baroness and Arthur Page Medal. We reached Mr. Stockdale in Churchill, Australia, earlier today. Chris is very early in the morning where you are. How is the sky looking so far? It was clear last night, but this morning, that clarity, which is not uncommon here, unfortunately. And are you out every single night?

I have the telescope that's doing the exoplanet follow-up work, active every clear night. What did you think, you know, our listeners heard and congratulations are in order? When you got that call about being awarded the medal. Certainly when I got the call, I was literally over the moon. But it was a shock. Oh, wow. You know, except probably a bit more extreme than that. Wasn't jumping around celebrating.

But it was certainly I was quite moved and felt very honored and proud that I'd been given the award. When did you first fall in love with the night sky? It was actually in the 1960s. Two things that happened. And one was the Apollo Moon program was underway. So I remember in the primary school, it was only a small school, and the principal took us out of the classroom and said,

okay, moon landing's happening. And in those days, the small schools, there was a house associated with the school. And the principal took us into the house, the whole school. There was only about 15 kids. and we watched the moon landing. Well, a couple of us did. There was a whole bunch we were running around outside carrying on.

The other thing that happened was we were on a dairy farm and my father woke me up. It was about 4 a.m., I think, showed me a comet in the sky. And I noticed I got up myself the next morning and I noticed that it had changed. so I started sketching the comet. And at that stage, I would have only been about eight or nine. Childhood passions don't always carry in to adulthood.

It's beautiful when they can. Was there ever a time you gave it up? Or when did you decide that you were going to take it a step further and build an observatory in your backyard? It's something certainly, it went quiet for a few years. When I went through university, here and you know you get too busy and and uh i've got my first what i thought was sort of real telescope in 1985 and um that sort of fuels the the passion a little bit more and you

keep it sort of encouraging yourself but um probably got more serious after my uh my three boys they left home, going to university, that probably freed up a bit of time and also cash. Sure. What do they think of your achievements? Oh, they're very happy and proud. They're quite excited that I've managed to receive it. So, oh, wow, you know, that's pretty cool. It's also pretty cool that you've tracked several huge, you know, what are known as Super Jupiters, dozens of other exoplanets, you're co-credited with their discovery. What is it that you are looking for night after night?

Yeah, so I'd pick up a list of potential targets that the test team are interested in, and I just choose one and then take quite a large number of images or photographs of the area where the target star is located, then measure the light intensity of the star. See if I can find there's a small dip. Some of them are quite small. Sometimes there's a bit of cloud or something goes through. There's probably just as many that don't work out that do. Yeah, things happen.

Equipment stops working. A software update happens. you don't want the dreaded software update. You keep coming back. Clearly, there's still wonder for you and excitement in all of this after all of these years. What is it? What is that magic feeling that you get? I think it's the unknown and the wonder of sort of what's out there.

Because I still like to do visual observation. I think it's just the joy of finding. finding these, objects in the sky, and in terms of the vastness of space, there's so much unknown, and it's always an area where more research, you find out one little piece of information, and it just goes on and on and on. And you mentioned Apollo for you. I'm imagining all of the young children who are inspired as you were, as they watched the Artemis Mission. Yes, well, I actually watched the splashdown live, and I was relating to how that compared to the Apollo program and just thought it was great.

And hopefully this will help inspire another generation of kids to grow up and be wondering about space and wanting to explore space, both from the ground and from outer space itself. I'm glad we could speak, Chris. Thank you. No worries. Chris Stockdale is one of the recipients of the 2026 Baroness and Arthur Page Medal, which is awarded every two years by the Astronomical Society of Australia for Excellence in Amateur Astronomy. We reached Mr. Stockdale in Churchill, Australia.

You've been listening to the As It Happens podcast. Our show can be heard Monday to Friday on CBC Radio 1 after your world tonight. And you can, of course, also listen to our show online at cBC.ca.a slash Aih-H or on the CBC Listen app or, of course, wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Neil Kirksel. And I'm Chris Howden.

For more CBC podcasts, go to cBC.ca.ca slash podcasts.