Canada's federal government has announced it's plans to raise the federal carbon tax and even though they say Canadians will receive a return, is it as simple as that? Guest: Aaron Wudrick, Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation - A basketball player has deemed speaking to the media as being beneath him, a Wayne Gretzky trading card has sold for $1.2 million USD & another sports team is making the call to change their name. These are all on the agenda for this week's edition of Sports Talk with Don Robertson. Guest: Don Robertson, Head Coach & Owner, Dundas Real McCoys & Broker of Record, ComChoice Realty

This week's edition of The Brightest Conversation in Hamilton sees Scott Radley joined by Mike Fortune to talk about immunity passports that'll verify vaccination against COVID-19, traveling to the moon and space as a whole, the Vancouver Canucks & the firing of their national anthem singer and more. Guest: Mike Fortune, Host, The Hamilton Network, Cable 14

Chinese soldiers have been training with Canadian soldiers on Canadian soil. Why would anyone think welcoming Chinese soldiers to Canadian soil be a good thing? Guest: Charles Burton, Senior Fellow, Macdonald-Laurier Institute - We now know the names of the newly minted astronauts some of whom are likely to find their way onto the moon as soon as 2024. Normally news like this would be making headlines everywhere however it hasn't, why is that? Has space become normalized and less special than in years past? Also, why do we want to return to the moon? Guest: Dr. Jesse Rogerson, Assistant Professor, Department of Science & Technology Studies, York University

Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, two cast members from the TV show 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?', are teaming up to bring their new interactive improv comedy show 'Stream of Consciousness' to you at home! Colin joins Scott to talk all about this new show as well as what it's like improvising for an audience, the results of mistaking bat people for fat people and more. Guest: Colin Mochrie, Professional Improviser, Actor & Author, 'Not Quite the Classics'

Now that COVID-19 vaccines are beginning to roll out around the world, the question of how do we confirm if someone has been inoculated has been raised. A proposed idea is that of an immunity passport but the catch is that if you're not vaccinated then you can't attend theatres, restaurants and possibly even work among other things. Could something like this actually happen and what path could it start leading us down? Guest: Michael Bryant,  Executive Director and General Counsel, Canadian Civil Liberties Association and former Attorney General of Ontario - The International Olympic Committee has announced it's newest Olympic sport, breakdancing. Is this an example of the IOC being ridiculous or could this be just what the Olympic Games needs? Guest: Steve Foxcroft, Sports Broadcaster, NFL Chain Gang Member, not-so-long-time NBA Court-side Administrator & Vice-President, Fluke Transport - Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, two cast members from the TV show 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?', are teaming up to bring their new interactive improv comedy show 'Stream of Consciousness' to you at home! Colin joins Scott to talk all about this new show as well as what it's like improvising for an audience, the results of mistaking bat people for fat people and more. Guest: Colin Mochrie, Professional Improviser, Actor & Author, 'Not Quite the Classics'

Now that you've had time to digest the report from Ontario's Auditor General which included the cost of Hamilton's potential LRT, Scott wants to hear from you. Would it be worth having the City of Hamilton spend $1 billion in order to build the LRT project? - Today marks the 40 year anniversary of the murder of John Lennon. What could have happened to The Beatles if John wasn't killed? What might the world and the music industry look like today? Guest: Eric Alper, Publicist, Music Commentator & Shameless Idealist

A new report from the Auditor General of Ontario has brought attention back to the topic that will never die, Hamilton's LRT. Is there a positive light being cast or a negative one being cast on the project's cancellation? Was the right call made? Guest: Steven Del Duca, Leader, Ontario Liberal Party & former Minister of Transportation under Kathleen Wynne - There's research that suggest music is a beneficial factor in building the brains of children however could it also be something that helps rebuild aging brains? A McMaster University project might be able to find out an answer to that question. Guest: Dr. Laurel Trainor, Founding Director, McMaster Institute for Music & the Mind - Professional athletes wield an amazing amount of power and influence and yet some just don't realize it, Scott and Don reminisce on great moments & missed opportunities they've had with pros and the moments they'll never forget. Also on the docket for today is whether or not a coach's career should be ended over a bad play and do you think more outdoor NHL games is what we need? Guest: Don Robertson, Head Coach & Owner, Dundas Real McCoys & Broker of Record, ComChoice Realty

Whether you like it or not, your actions and decisions have consequences. Should that then mean that people who choose not to wear a mask should go to the back of the line in the event they get sick? Guest: Dr. Arthur Caplan, Founding Director, Division of Medical Ethics, New York University School of Medicine - The federal government of Canada is looking to impose a tax on large companies based outside of the country like Netflix, Amazon and Airbnb. Would these companies simply eat the tax and carry on or will they just pass the expense on to consumers? Guest: Marvin Ryder, Associate Professor of Marketing, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University - If there's a Christmas carol that is best suited for earthlings in 2020, it's 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas'. The one catch with this song is that many of us have been singing it wrong for a long time. Which lyrics were changed and why is the original better fitting for today? Guest: Jason Markusoff, Author, 'It's the perfect pandemic Christmas song—but we don't sing the right version', Maclean's

After centuries, words and phrases can be forgotten altogether so Scott and Ben take a look at some of the best slang from the 18th century to see if some of it is worth bringing back  Whether you're a muffin walloper, completely shipwrecked, or have a boss with a giggle-mug you're sure to find something you like.

Snow days in Hamilton may be coming to an end if you're in the public board. Online learning has kept students at home and thus eliminated any safety risk should heavy snow come our way. The teachers' union isn't happy with this so Scott is looking to find out more. Guest: Jeff Sorensen, President of the Hamilton-Wentworth Elementary Teachers' Local union - A major relief has come to the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board after the province has decided to step in and save them from having an incredible deficit. Where does this leave the school board and Hamilton as a whole? Guest: Alex Johnstone, Chair, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board - Love them or hate them, you know exactly what you're getting when you watch a Hallmark christmas movie. What makes them so enjoyable and yet so similar? Also, how do you go about making one? Guest: Ron Oliver, Emmy-nominated Director, Writer & Producer

Protestors brought and left a coffin filled with roses and some naloxone kits to Mayor Fred Eisenberger's house. Was this a thinly veiled threat of violence or merely a memorial to those lost to drug overdoses and homelessness? Guest: Larry Di Ianni, Host & Community Producer, Cable 14 & Former Hamilton Mayor - There is some understanding that vaccines take time to develop, approve and subsequently distribute. Despite this, we've seen the process get sped up on all fronts which has raised some questions as to whether we should be concerned with the COVID-19 vaccines. Have they simply been pushed to the front of the bureaucratic line or are these vaccines half-baked? Guest: Dr. Ed Mills, Health Researcher and Associate Professor at McMaster University - It wasn't too long ago that the NBA season came to a close and it sounds like teams are continuing the theme of keeping things short. The Toronto Raptors are said to be getting ready for training camp for the next season. Is this too much, too fast or are you ready for basketball to come back? Guest: Bubba O'Neil, Sports Anchor, CHCH-TV

John Maher John Maher MA MD FRCPC, Barrie & South Georgian Bay ACT Teams, Canada