
Closer Look (formerly Inside the Village) - Insightful, credible, unfiltered conversations that matter
In cities and towns across Ontario — and at Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill — our journalists work for you. Their mission is to dig for answers and tell you what they find. This new podcast from Village Media — ‘Closer Look’ — is all about the stories we tell. Every weeknight, hosts Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith go beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.
Episodes
119 episodes
First came the Stanley Cup win, then the viral video
If you’re a hockey fan, you’ve no doubt seen this viral video by now: Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice rewarding his fourth-line forwards in the waning seconds ...
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21:49

Inside the largest fentanyl bust in OPP history
In cities and towns across Ontario — and at Queen’s Park and
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21:16

Bill Barilko disappeared that summer, but his old hockey stick has resurfaced
Bill Barilko is a familiar name to hockey fans — a talented Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman who famously scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 1951.But for most Canadians, Barilko is even more famous for his appearance in The ...
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21:24

This new robot cleans Ontario beaches like a Zamboni
No, that’s not a Zamboni on the shoreline. It’s a BeBot — Canada’s first remote-controlled beach cleaning robot.The unique device was unveiled this week by the not-for-profit group Pollution Probe, which plans to dispatch the ...
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20:45

Charlie Angus has some things to say to Donald Trump
In cities and towns across Ontario — and at Queen’s Park and
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25:07

‘Nightmare’ finally over for man wrongfully charged in Dominican Republic
Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.On this week's episode: Free at last.A nightmare vacation for a Burlington, Ont. man has
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32:27

Is this the solution to countering Trump’s tariffs?
Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.On this week's episode: the urgent push to break down interprovincial trade barriers.Yes, you rea...
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30:58

Measles is back with a vengeance, and we all know why
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: Eradicated nearly three decades ago, measles cases are soaring — fuelled by COVID fatigue and misinformation that spreads faster than the virus itself.Welcome back to Inside t...
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29:28

As election day looms, Mark Carney joins our podcast for an exclusive chat
On Monday, Canadians will cast their ballots in what many are calling the most important election in generations.If you believe the polls, this is a tight two-horse race between Mark Carney’s Liberals and Pierre Poilievre’s Co...
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23:53

Steve Paikin has spent decades preparing for this moment
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: The moderator for next week's English-language leaders' debate tells us how he gets ready, what can go wrong — and his strategy for keeping things fair.Welcome back to Inside ...
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33:01

Buy Canadian? It feels so good — and might actually make a difference
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: As Donald Trump hits us with tariffs and muses about Canada becoming the 51st state, shoppers on this side of the border are punching back.Welcome back to Inside the Village
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35:28

‘It's a nightmare,’ says wife of Ontario man facing drug charges in Dominican
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: We speak to Jane Wilcox, who is fighting around the clock to clear her husband's name — and bring David Bennett home.Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind p...
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28:15

Algoma Steel boss talks to us about Trump, pollution and looming job cuts
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: A wide-ranging conversation with Algoma Steel CEO Michael Garcia, an American citizen who holds a unique vantage point on the brewing trade war.Welcome back to Inside the Vill...
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1:25:23

INSIDE THE VILLAGE: For online gamblers, Ontario is the new Vegas
This week on the podcast: As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, nearly half of all viewers in Ontario are expected to place a bet — a process that's never been easier, or more enticing.Welcome back to Inside the Village, a...
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27:33

Inside the Village: Election campaign? There's a cap for that
This week on our 'Inside the Village' podcast: Ontario will be in election-campaign mode over the next four weeks — and your local news outlet will be covering every step of the race.Welcome back to Inside the Village...
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26:49

Amid doctor shortage, medical misinformation has gone viral
How bad is the country’s doctor shortage? So bad that the medical misinformation business is flourishing online. Alarming new data released by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) shows that more than one-third of Canadians are getting he...
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29:33

Why don’t we care about the homeless crisis?
A new report has painstakingly tallied the number of Ontarians who experienced homelessness last year — and the figure is staggering: 81,515. If things stay the same, that number is expected to double over the next decade (and potentially r...
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28:06

Kathleen Wynne weighs in — on Trump, Trudeau and tariffs
Frisco and Scott are back for a fourth season of Inside the Village — and we kick things off with a blast from the past. Former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is now a professor at the University of Toronto and has plenty of thoughts on the...
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32:59

We’ve hit 100 episodes! Let’s reminisce
Launched in 2022, this news podcast has covered a lot of ground. As we mark the end of 2024 — and the release of our 100th episode — we take a look back at some or our most indelible interviews, including Ted Nolan, Gurdeep Pandher, Prime Minis...
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57:42

You’ve got no mail (but we have an interesting guest)
Delivery date unknown. That’s the news at the moment when it comes to when a deal will be reached in the ongoing Canada Post strike. Both sides remain far apart on the key issues that triggered this labour dispute, and no new mediation is sched...
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31:44

GST holiday? Not everyone is celebrating
It’s a tough time to be a small business owner in Canada. Surviving the pandemic was a massive hurdle in any community, town or city. Now, the stakes seem just as high with the impact of the two week old Canada Post strike, potential tariffs on...
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32:58

You throw like a girl! Damn right
A new report says girls are closing the gap with boys when it comes to playing organized sports in Canada. A full 63 per cent of girls are playing sports weekly, compared to 68 per cent of boys, the report found. Although the numbers are up, th...
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34:27

The Taylor effect: Eras Tour hits Toronto
When all is said and done, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour will have grossed over $2.2 billion. Every community on her tour has cashed in the concerts — including Toronto, where Swift is about to open a six-night run at Rogers Centre starting Thursday...
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26:23

EXCLUSIVE: Justin Trudeau joins us for a chat — and insists he has no intention of quitting
Talk about good timing. On the heels of a caucus revolt, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sat down with Frisco and Scott for a wide-ranging interview that was scheduled well in advance of all the political drama this week on Parliament Hill. Asked...
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39:08

Here’s a topic nobody is talking about: housing
Is it time to give up the dream of homeownership? Amid skyrocketing prices, scarce supply and longer mortgage terms, the goal of owning a home is slipping away from many Canadians — especially young ones. Diana Mok, a professor at the Universit...
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31:10
