Murray Wood: Mosquitopalooza
Mosquitoes are, sadly, part of summer in Saskatchewan but on a camping trip Murray found this is an epic year for the bu...
8:30 – The Saskatchewan government is making another round of changes to the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability program, with updates taking effect September 1. Terry Jenson, Social Services Minister and the province say the changes will simplify the program, but disability advocates say they’re concerned some people with more complex needs will lose access to important support. Minister Jenson joins Evan to discuss the changes.
Listener Question: Do you think the government is doing enough to support people living with disabilities in Saskatchewan? Why or why not?
9:00 – This spring’s flooding left many Saskatchewan residents, businesses and communities facing costly repairs and a long road to recovery. Changes to the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) could provide some much-needed assistance. Noel McAvena, Executive Director of PDAP, joins Evan to discuss what the changes mean to those impacted by disasters and how people can access support.
LQ: With extreme weather becoming more common, do you think disaster assistance programs need to be expanded even further?
9:30 – Open phones – Evan goes to the phones to chat with listeners about what’s on their minds today. Call 1-877-332-8255.
10:00 – Most people think of paramedics as the people who show up in an emergency, but a growing program in Saskatchewan is focused on preventing those emergencies in the first place. Community paramedics help connect vulnerable people with housing, addiction treatment, health care and other supports before a crisis lands them in the ER. To talk about this, Evan is joined by Sherri Jule, Director/Chief EMS, Provincial Community Paramedicine and Jessica Heathcote, Advanced Care Paramedic.
LQ: Should the province focus more on preventative healthcare? Checking on people before it’s an emergency?
10:30 – Equalization has long been a debated federal program, with supporters calling it essential for ensuring comparable public services across Canada and critics arguing the formula no longer reflects economic reality. But a new study by Tegan Hill, Director, Alberta Policy at the Fraser Institute, suggests the program is “broken.” She joins Evan to discuss her findings and what she thinks needs to change.
LQ: Do you think the current equalization program is fair?
11:30 – There has been some explosive news as of late: a rare intestinal illness linked to contaminated fresh produce is making headlines after a growing outbreak in the United States. Dr. Joseph Blondeau, Saskatoon clinical microbiologist and Head of Clinical Microbiology at RUH and the University of Saskatchewan, joins Evan to bring us up to speed on what the illness is and how it can be prevented.
12:00 – Saskatchewan is grappling with another tragic bear attack after two people were killed in the north last week. The deaths come just weeks after a separate fatal attack. To put that in perspective, Saskatchewan had only three documented fatal bear attacks in its entire history before 2026. Doug Clark, professor in the University of Saskatchewan’s School of Environment and Sustainability, joins Evan to talk about bear activity and how people can stay safe outdoors.
