Nov. 30 Show Segments

8:30 – In its mid-year financial report released Monday, the Government of Saskatchewan forecast a deficit of $2.71 billion, up $97 million from the budget but down $29 million from the first quarter. The drought is what’s costing the province. Finance Minister Donna Harpauer said Monday if it weren’t for the expense of crop insurance and livestock producer support, the books would almost be balanced. Minister Harpauer is here with more from the province’s mid-year financial report.
LIVE: Donna Harpauer, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister

9:00 – A new COVID-19 variant Omicron was discovered in South Africa last week and two cases were identified in the Ottawa area. The variant was cause for alarm for a number of countries with some implementing travel restrictions. Microbiologist Dr. Joe Blondeau joins Gormley to discuss what we need to know about the Omicron variant – does the Omicron variant make you sicker and will the vaccines protect against it?
LIVE: Dr. Joseph Blondeau, microbiologist and head of clinical microbiology at RUH and the U of S.

9:15 – Hour of the big stories … open lines

10:00 – Dr. Patanjali Kambhampati is a leading Canadian researcher who says he has been denied multiple federal grants because his research “lacks diversity.” Dr. Kambhampati, who is originally from India and has personally experienced racism, joins Gormley to discuss his struggles with being turned down for government grants because of what he calls inclusive, equity and diversity provision “hoops.”
LIVE: Dr. Patanjali Kambhampati, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, McGill University

11:00 – A Saskatchewan professor has won an award for a first-of-its-kind shopping avatar. University of Saskatchewan Computer Science Professor Raymond Spiteri is heading a collaborative effort to transform the online shopping experience using personal avatars that not only mirror different body types, but also allow shoppers to ‘feel’ how clothes fit in a virtual world. Prof. Spiteri joins Gormley to tell us about the shopping avatar and his other projects.
LIVE: Raymond Spiteri, Professor, Director of the Centre for High-Performance Computing at U of S

12:00 – A Saskatoon singer is featured on six tracks on the new Rod Stewart album, ‘The Tears of Hercules,’ which was released earlier this month. Veszi-Gawanas, who sings as HunnyB, said she visited Stewart at his home along with other featured musicians to record the songs, and ad-libbed some of her parts while working closely with the legendary singer-songwriter. Veszi-Gawanas joins Gormley live from the UK to tell us about her experience.
LIVE: Melissa Veszi-Gawanas, singer featured on new Rod Stewart album