Open Sources Guelph #497 - December 12, 2024

Guelph Politicast

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're not done with 2024 yet, and it seems like the year is not done with us! Out of the Middle East this week some good news for a change, or at least some less bad news depending on what's next. We will also talk about the reaction to a very specific crime on the streets of Manhattan, and closer to home, we'll have a city councillor do a little year-end recap with us!

This Thursday, December 12, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:

Bashir Bashed. If 2024 hadn't run out of surprises yet, there was one more and it came from a part of the world that has been longing for some good news. After decades of brutal dictatorship, the regime of Bashir al-Assad fell after an 11 day uprising that saw Assad flee to Russia for sanctuary while rebels released long-time political prisoners and looted the presidential palace. But in the midst of all the celebrating there's still a fundamental question that needs answered: What's next for Syria?

Begun this Class War Has? The cold blooded murder of United Healthcare CEO on the streets of New York last week had a surprising reaction online: A bipartisan consortium was dancing on Brian Thompson's grave. Politicians and pundits have struggled with this out and out celebration for what be an act of vigilantism if the suspected shooters suspected motives are to be believed, so now we must reckon with the possibility that people are now openly embracing violence as a solution to inequality. How concerned should we be?

Dan of the Year. It's been a long and busy year at Guelph City Council between managing issues of homelessness and addictions, debate about the use of public spaces, Strong Mayor Powers, heritage issues, a massive budget crunch and so much more. Helping us make sense of everything that went down at City Hall this year is Ward 1 Councillor Dan Gibson who is going to join us to talk about the struggles to take action, the limits of council power, and some of the good news stories from his own backyard in the city's east end.

Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.