Your hosts, Levon, Vincenzo, and Marc (video of show at bottom)

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Trudeau asks for patience as rail blockades continue but offers no clear plan

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stands during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

As the rail blockades by Indigenous groups and supporters continue, business groups warn that the economy of the entire country is slowly grinding to a standstill. Farmers and the agriculture sector are extremely worried about perishable product standing idle in parked rail cars and about vital export contracts.

Ports on both coasts, Vancouver and Halifax, are operating at only a fraction of capacity and a major container shipper has already diverted ships to U.S. ports. Manufacturers are also warning that they are running out of supplies, and their shipping contracts are compromised.

Meanwhile, more protests and rail blockades in solidarity with the small group of Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs, who oppose a natural gas pipeline through their claimed territory in northern British Columbia, have sprang up. The crisis also underlines internal divisions between Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and the majority of the band who are in favour of the contentious natural gas pipeline.

The crisis was debated this week in the House of Commons in Ottawa with two very different views on how it should be handled. Levon has comments from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and reaction from Official Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer.

full story here  *note also RCI has several stories on this ongoing issue

Game studio in Ontario making audio-based video game

The Vale is a medieval fantasy role-playing game, where players will take the role of as the second born and blind, daughter of the king. On her way to a castle, a horde of barbarians attack her caravan, and she’s left alone to fend for herself.  (Courtesy Falling Squirrel Games)

A medieval fantasy role-playing video game is being developed with a new twist. Players are guided by sound and controller feedback. This means it’s not only accessible to players with sight, but also those who are visually impaired.

Vincenzo spoke with the creative director of Falling Squirrel Games in Ontario.

full story here

Survey: New office work space trends are actually counter-productive

The ideas of “open office” work spaces were touted as a way to boost communication, transfer of ideas, and increase productivity. As it turns out, that idea isn’t working so well at all. A new study says it leads to distractions and the loss of about two hours worth of productive time every day. Kane Wilmott is CEO and founder of iQ Offices co-working space who commissioned the study.

full story here

Video of show

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