Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list ...
8:30 – Saskatchewan officials are warning there may be limited participation in the federal firearms buyback program. In response, the province has put its own measures in place to ensure firearm owners receive fair market value and aren’t left absorbing costs tied to the federal plan—but what does that actually mean, and how will it work logistically? To break it down, Evan is joined by Robert Freberg, Saskatchewan Firearms Commissioner and former Chief Firearms Officer for Saskatchewan.
Listener Question: Is your frustration with the buyback about safety, cost, or government overreach?
9:00 -Evan goes to the phones to chat with listeners about what’s on their minds today. Call 1-877-332-8255.
10:00 -A Fraser Institute study estimates that about 105,529 Canadians travelled abroad in 2025 to pay for non-emergency medical care. The reasons include long wait times, lack of available resources or procedures at home, and a desire for quicker or more advanced care than they can access in Canada. To talk about the findings Evan is joined by Nadeem Esmail, Director of Health Policy at the Fraser Institute.
LQ: Have you or someone you know travelled abroad for healthcare? We want to hear your stories.
10:30 – Late last week, a Federal Court of Appeal upheld a lower court’s finding that the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act during the 2022 “Freedom Convoy” protests was unreasonable and beyond its legal authority. To dig into the details of this rulin,g Evan is joined by Howard Sapers, Executive Director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.
LQ: What kind of checks would you like to see on government power in future “emergencies”?
11:00 – Chef Kevin Monych from Saskatoon is heading to Ottawa to compete for gold at the 2026 Canadian Culinary Championship, after winning regional gold last November. He’ll go head-to-head with Canada’s top chefs, and today he joins Evan to share his experience and give us a taste of what it takes to compete at the national level.
LQ: If you have to compete in a National cooking competition what is the dish you would make? What is the meal you make that never misses?
11:30 – Prime Minister Mark Carney has secured a preliminary trade deal with China that sharply reduces tariffs on Canadian canola seed to about 15 per cent and lifts other agricultural duties, in exchange for allowing up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into Canada at a reduced tariff. Some are calling it a rare moment where Ottawa appears to prioritize Saskatchewan agriculture over Ontario auto manufacturing. Evan is joined by Heath MacDonald, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, to break down what this deal means for farmers.
LQ: Does this China trade deal feel like a win for Saskatchewan farmers, or are there trade-offs that worry you?
12:00 – Lindale School in Moose Jaw will be the first in the city to try a four-day school week in 2026‑27, with 14 four-day weeks and Fridays off, slightly longer days to meet instructional requirements. Many dream of a four-day workweek—how about a four-day school week? Evan is joined by Joe O’Connor, CEO of Work Time Revolution and co-author of Do More in Four: Why It’s Time for a Shorter Workweek.
LQ: Do you think kids going to school just four days a week is a good idea or a logistical nightmare?
