0:08  
Good afternoon, it's Thursday, March 29. And you're listening to RSJ  Radio. I'm your host, Sindi Dulluku.

0:15  
And I am Peter Ash. Thanks for joining us today folks. Our top stories today include U of T's referendum rejection.

0:21  
The Pope's controversial decision not to apologize for residential schools.

0:26  
And Malala Yousufzai's first returned to Pakistan.

0:29  
But first, if you're a Toronto commuter, you may have had a rough time getting to work or school today. That's because several lanes were closed on the Don Valley Parkway due to a car crash early this morning. Luckily, injuries are minor and lanes have reopened.

0:44  
Well, Sindi spring has sprung, but the boys of the summer are ready for their opening day. The Toronto Blue Jays play the New York Yankees tonight.

0:52  
That's right Peter. Opening day brings excitement, but there's also a somber tone this year. The Jays will retire the late pitching legend Roy Halliday's jersey today.

1:02  
We all know that Toronto universities are the epicenters of commuters and students are always looking to save money on transportation. U-pass a university wide m etro card offered a chance to do just that. But in order for it to work, all four universities in Toronto have to agree on it. However, at the University of Toronto, students have decided they're not in favor. Tiana Salmon has a story.

1:28  
At the moment, university students in Toronto have to pay regular price for a metro pass. That's $116 a month. The TTC says they will provide passes at a discount, $70 a month. U of T student Cassandra likes the idea. She says the pass would be great for more than commuting to school. 

1:47  
I usually walk to school sometimes I'll take the subway if it's like raining or cold. But I don't think it would be much of a financial burden because even if you're walking to school, I'm sure you're taking the subway or the streetcar somewhere else like if you're going out. Or you have to go somewhere else in Toronto, so that probably would have been really beneficial for them too. 

2:03  
However, all four universities have to sign on and it seems many students oppose the idea. They call the pass a financial burden to those who live near or on campus. In a referendum this week, U of T students voted against the pass. The process is different at Ryerson. Daniel Liss is with the Ryerson Student Union.

2:24  
It's disappointing to say the least. But I'm not at all concerned about the prospects it has for Ryerson or the impacts it has on Ryerson. Ryerson has the largest commuter population of any post secondary institution in Ontario. So so the U-pass I'm very convinced is still a good option for for Ryerson student body.

2:47  
And while non-commuting students may not agree with the pass, Liss says it is still beneficial for them.

2:52  
Students who use it less frequently would have it covered under OSAP students. So students who are on low who are coming from low income scenarios will have and are receiving grant throws that will literally have the transfer the first time the transportation covered so for free.

3:09  
Ryerson plans on holding a referendum in the beginning of the fall semester. Students at George Brown, and OCAD will also have a chance to vote for rsj radio. I'm Tiana Salmon.

3:21  
The man who killed six and injured five at a Quebec City mosque changed his plea to guilty yesterday. Alexandre Bissonnette told the Quebec City courtroom that he is deeply ashamed of his actions. He faces six counts of first degree murder, and 60 of attempted murder, or first degree murder conviction means an automatic life sentence without parole for 25 years. Bissonnette's plea change will spare families and survivors of further anguish.

3:48  
Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan for the first time since being shot in the head there. When she was just 13, she was shot by the Taliban for pushing for girls his educational rights. Yousafzai spoke emotionally about how she dreamt of returning to her home country without fear. Details of her time in Pakistan are being kept secret for security reasons. A family member has said that she will not be visiting her home region of Swat due to threats against her.

4:15  
Back in Toronto, there is a new student group on campus. Muslim woman at Ryerson will provide a forum for marginalized voices in the Muslim community. The group was ratified earlier this week on Muslim Women's Day. Jasmine Bala has the story.

4:33  
Let's see. I feel like it just hasn't set in for me. Yeah, no, I'm just shocked. Yeah. 

4:39  
Muslim students who identify as women now have an inclusive group available to them on campus. This includes women who have been marginalized in Islamic and Muslim spaces, such as those who identify as LGBTQ plus and people of color. There are Muslim student groups on campus, but not everyone felt comfortable in them. Arudia Yaqoob a member of the group said executive team says there was a need for a group like this,

5:03  
Even among the GTA, there is no space for us and it's wild to us that there is no space here at Ryerson either. And that's why we really wanted to create the group.

5:15  
The new group was ratified by Ryerson Student Union on Tuesday. One of the group's founders Aima Warrich says it was a significant moment.

5:24  
It's iconic that we got ratified on that day where it's all about Muslim woman. And nobody what any naysayer said in that board meeting, seeing any everyone raised their hands and seeing them, you know, recognizing that we need this space. Right was a big accomplishment because they use their privilege on a really great day. 

5:44  
One Muslim Ryerson students, Sarah Abdulah says she will probably join the group. 

5:49  
Just to be surrounded by people who understand that who I don't have to constantly explain what I wear, why I wear what I do. It would be nice, especially since I haven't had that ever since I've moved to Canada because I came from a largely Muslim country.

6:01  
While they have community members willing to join, they still need new board members to better reflect their identities. The group plans to host educational events about intersectional identities. For our RSJ Radio. I'm Jasmine Bala.

6:17  
Police are investigating alleged hate crimes at three mosques in Mississauga. A video shows a woman ripping pages from the Quran in front of the mosque. The woman identified as Sandra Solomon has been encouraging others to do the same. She's become known in the community as an anti-muslim activist. Police won't identify which mosque have been targeted. No charges have been laid.

6:40  
Two RSJ students are heading to the CBC this summer after earning a prestigious scholarship. The Joan Donaldson scholarship is awarded to eight top journalism students from universities across Canada.  RSJ reporter Attara Shields caught up with one of the recipients Ilina Ghosh.

7:03  
The Ryersonian newsroom is where many journalism students spend the last year of their undergrad. Ilina Ghosh is here now as a news editor finishing up her last semester. And as of this week, her summer plans are officially cemented. She's won CBC's prestigious Joan Donaldson scholarship. That means she'll work in Toronto local news, as well as CBC Indigenous in Winnipeg and CBC health. This is a dream of Ghosh's since she first heard about the scholarship in her first year.

7:28  
Ever, ever since I read about it everything that I've done, I've always thought, can I submit this for the Donaldson And we just probably I mean, it was, it's a funny way to think about stuff. But yeah, for a long time I've been thinking that I know that this is something I really want to do. 

7:41  
She interned at the CBC in 2015. Still, she was worried about the competition. 

7:46  
It's so intimidating before I got in. I was like there's no way I can get this because these people are so impressive and they've done so much in their lives. 

7:54  
In the last decade, Ryerson students earned this award every year except one. The rigorous application process began in the fall with top journalism students across the country competing for eight available slots. One of them is another Ryerson student, Matt Amha. 

8:08  
I'll think he'll do really great things. I think he's like a really needed voice at at CBC. So really, I'm glad to be working with him.

8:14  
Ghosh hopes that this opportunity will open doors for her in future employment at the CBC. For RSJ Radio, this is Attara Shields.

8:24  
The Cambridge Analytica company revealed that personal data of 50 million Facebook users have been compromised. Ryerson president Mohammed Lachemi, is concerned with how this will impact the school's reputation. Facebook partnered with Ryerson's School of Journalism earlier this year for the Digital Innovation Challenge. This program will give $100,000 to a company leading in news innovation. It is Facebook's first initiative to intersect social media and news. Asmaa Malik, the lead coordinator said that the controversy will not impact the school's relationship with Facebook as of now.

8:58  
President Donald Trump fired veterans affairs secretary David Shulkin yesterday and in classic Trump style, he did it using Twitter. This comes after an ethics scandal and a mounting rebellion within the agency. His possible replacement White House doctor Ronnie Jackson. Trump praise Jackson and his tweet saying he is excited to nominate the highly respected Admiral.

9:23  
Pope Francis will not apologize for the Catholic Church's involvement in Canadian residential schools. One of the 94 recommendations by the truth of reconciliation reconciliation commission. Pope Francis said that he is aware of the injustice Indigenous people facing Canada, but he cannot make a formal apology. The Pope issued an apology to the Indigenous people of Bolivia for the sin of colonization. Trudeau is disappointed in the post statement and hopes that a non-government actor will become part of the reconciliation process.

9:54  
What's harder, running the province or running Ryerson University? The sunshine list was released this Week. Interestingly enough, Ryerson president Mohammed Lachemi makes nearly double of what premier Kathleen Wynne makes less Xiaomi made over $400,000 this week. That means he can buy 3 2018 Range Rovers. The sunshine list identifies any publicly employed people in Ontario public sectors making over $100,000 a year.

10:23  
Ryerson students get set for the stage. The next generation of artists are searching for their calling, and hopefully a job after graduation. Students at the Ryerson School of Performance are putting on a week long theatre festival. Cassandra Alsate has the story.

10:42  
Catching a big break in performing arts is not always easy. At Ryerson New vVoices Theatre Festival is their chance to put themselves out there. Students get to perform, collaborate with others to write and produce. Together they put on 15 original shows. Sheldon Rosen is a performance professor. He says the performances are more creative and political than ever before. Rosen acknowledged getting a job in the industry is not an easy feat. 

11:08  
You got to be hungry, you gotta hustle. You got to try to find an agent. You can't take no for an answer. You can't be too sensitive about it. Auditions are a nightmare and 99% of the time it's no and every now and then it's yes.

11:23  
Rosen says students work month on end to put their shows together starting in third year. Fourth year acting student Zid Eck is the writer and producer of Blue Dreams on a Tuesday. He says the New Voices event is good practical experience to learn how to create smaller scale shows for local festivals.

11:43  
It's the first time in four years that we get to actually create our own work, which is what we're gonna be doing once we get out of school. So it really is a good first step in development.

11:55  
The public is invited to the new voices festival tickets are $10 a person. Performances will run till next Wednesday at SLC Student Theatre for RSJ radio, I'm Cassandra Alzate. 

12:08  
Toronto is a city of many talents. The music scene in the city has provided the world with many significant artists. But what does it take for artists to succeed in such a competitive environment? Lydia Abraha has the story.

12:21  
It's an exciting time for Toronto's music industry. Artists like Drake and Daniel Cesar have brought the world's attention to our homegrown talent. This week, we introduced you to artists and producers that are bringing Scarborough to the Toronto music scene. These individuals are not just looking to further their own careers, but also to uplift other young artists.

12:43  
We have a lot of talent and we just don't have as many resources as people would like to like to lead to believe that there is you know what I mean? Like the people will put up like pictures of like all these like cool things like all of the restrictions around getting into these spaces is like it's not documented. So I kind of like to just be able to give back and put a spotlight on my community because I feel like they deserve it.

13:07  
That was North English, a hip hop producer from Scarborough. He says that the lack of funding and inaccessible art spaces in Toronto has left many talented artists helpless.

13:19  
There might be a studio in the library, but like you have to like jump through hoops to be able to access it. There might be programs, but the programs were underfunded, so like, there's only 10 of us able to benefit from the program. But there's like 200 youth in the space that could use that spot. The resources aren't as plentiful as it seems on paper.

13:40  
North English is part of a team of Scarborough musicians that are promoting artists development. This agency is called Sound Stock and gives resources to aspiring musicians.

13:50  
This we really want to just help artists grow. We're creating a four to five month curriculum based on like, what the artist needs. So like once we actually get to sit down in the studio with the artists and like get to know them what their goal is and kind of like help them build marketing strategies, build good music. Be able to differentiate the two and be able to like sit down in a studio and not worry about how it's gonna look iand just worry about the music.

14:18  
At the head of this company is Abel Lovegood, who is a Ryerson alumni. He started this company to help artists market their talent and build their skills. Through his network of artists in the Scarborough community Lovegood built on the quality skills of Nate Smith and North English.

14:35  
The bare minimum we do is always provide like, you know, feedback and criticism to anyone songs that wants to see kind of some improvement because we're really big into artist development. But in terms of actual resources, we just launched our development program called Sound Academy. Where artists essentially get three hours of studio time per week, which everyone knows to time super expensive, so that's like the number one like selling point. To let artists, we provide them access to these two music producers and sound engineers both equally qualified Smith and North English amazing dudes.

15:11  
So far, the company is focused on increasing production resources for artists. This includes studio assistance, recording and beatmaking. Abel has noticed this is a widespread issue in the music community.

15:23  
Hear the crazy stories and you know, like how, without the program, they wouldn't be able to, you know, really record over the next like six months to a year. They wouldn't be able to shop a project. So, you know, it's hard, like if you don't, if you don't have consistent studio time you try to record at home. But then if you're not really like first and like sound, engineering, then the quality suffers and then you put it out and, you know, people don't receive it as well. So, you know, it's easy to say do it yourself, especially without technological advancements, to to your equipment and how cheap it is to actually record our home.

15:41  
Sound Stock Academy also gives artists a professional portfolio and live performance opportunities.

16:03  
To get a fully produced project three to six songs of EP. They get a marketing plan to like kind of outline, you know, what they're gonna do over the next you know, six months to a year. And then at the end of the program, they get paid live performance opportunities.

16:21  
Abel's journey goes beyond his business degree. He now works in a community housing office, and in his spare time, he's leading Sound Stock.

16:29  
Growing up, always wants to get involved in, in business in some capacity. But more from a traditional sense, I really wanted to get involved with you know, being like a suit and tie guy in the corporate cubicle like you know, just making money that way. But then I always had love for music, but I never really knew how to explore that route. And then it wasn't until I met Stretch where like he was also equally interested in getting involved with the music stuff.

17:00  
Sound stocks leading artists is Simon Abraha Johannes are better known as Stretch. Stretch has been interested in music and art from the age of six. He was first introduced to spoken word before becoming a rapper. Stretch successfully released his first album in November titled the Ballpark Tape. The Ballpark Tape is allowed and proud of Scarborough anthem, and has had a lot of success.

17:41  
As the city was growing with notoriety and slowly becoming a pop culture hub, we were watching and we're seeing like, Okay, you got Brampton kids doing the thing you got 'Saga kids doing the thing about downtown kids like really doing their thing and just nobody was like kind of putting on for us. So it's kind of so this is was very like it was premeditated. It was conscious. And this is this is just what we want it to be.

18:05  
The individuals behind Sound Stock are making great strides to help artists despite their limited resources.

18:14  
When you have less you have to make more greatest challenge, especially in the city It's just finding, it's just like making money. To be honest, it's really hard like everyone, there's not a lot of resources, like I said, and I feel like when certain people do get these resources they don't use them because they don't have the education necessarily. And the people that do have basic education just choose not to take the high road.

18:45  
I'm Lydia Abraha for RSJ Radio. 

19:14  
[Music: Ballpark Tape] 

19:25  
A Pakistani journalist is making international news by becoming the country's first transgender news anchor. Marvia Malik made her first on air appearance on March 23 going viral on all social media networks. She wanted to prove that the transgender community is capable of doing any job. Pakistan's most recent census shows that 10,000 people identify as transgender. The country recently passed away to protect the rights of the transgender community.

20:03  
Before swinging the paddle Ryerson's cricket team has to worry about swinging money out of their wallets. Because of their club status. The team doesn't get much funding from the university. RSJ Radio reporter Olivia Scaringella has the story.

20:16  
Hockey, basketball and soccer, the stars of varsity at Ryerson. Varsity teams get support and funding from the university, but what about the dozens of recreational sports? Cricket is one of the sports that does not receive much support from the university. The team currently receives funding from the Canadian Cricket Association. Sadia Khan, a member of the women's team says that cricket is not taken as seriously as varsity sports. 

20:43  
I feel like cricket doesn't really get the recognition that I feel that it deserves, especially in the Canadian context. In a lot of university settings, things like basketball, soccer, volleyball, are varsity sports, but it feels like we aren't really taken seriously.

21:00  
Obay Ulla is the captain of the men's team. He says that even though they receive a small amount of funding, it isn't enough.

21:08  
Each student has paid at least thousand dollars participate in the American tours this year. That's the equivelant to two courses. Athletics gave us a very small amount of funding and we're grateful for that. But like there needs to be a talk with the university as a whole to be able to fund this a lot better.

21:21  
The lack of support is shown beyond funding. The women's cricket team has yet to have a home game, and the website is messy and incomplete. For RSJ Radio, I'm Olivia Scarangella.

21:33  
Provinces across the country have no plan to address climate change according to a new federal audit. Canada has an international commitment to cutting emission by 30% by the year 2030. So far, Canada has no way to measure, monitor and report their progress. This is the first time the Federal Environmental Commissioner assessed their policies on cutting emissions. The report says that Canada is unlikely to meet their goal of reducing carbon emissions.

22:00  
The Liberals announced their provincial budget yesterday. The 2018 to 2019 budget which focuses on childcare, health care and support for seniors will leave the province in a deficit of $6.7 billion. The province's budget will not be balanced until 2024. These initiatives won't happen unless the Liberals get reelected. With two months before the elections, the provincial budget is more of a Liberal campaign platform.

22:28  
The Liberal government plans to make daycare free. This will allow children age two and a half to attend daycare all day for free until kindergarten. The program would begin in 2020. It will cost the province 930 million dollars. Premier Kathleen Wynne says this would save the average family, one preschooler around $17,000 This may give the liberals some leverage for June 7 provincial election.

22:55  
And finally, don't forget to look over your shoulder this Sunday. It's April Fool's Day, the one day of the year where pranks are encouraged and appreciated, for the most part. As it turns out, some of our colleagues here at RSJ double as master pranksters themselves.

23:10  
So when I was in high school, I made a fake OFSA letter and envelope and I totally faked that our boys basketball team was using drugs and we just totally broke some of the OFSA rules when we won our championship in our city. And the coach totally fell for it. He thought it was real.

23:28  
Well when I was in grade six while we thought we were so clever. We knew the teacher was coming back so into the classroom so we put some boots outside of the window like leaning on the window ledge so it would look like someone's hanging out of the window. And we just started screaming Don't do it. Don't do it come back in the teachers coming. And the teacher walked in and we're like, oh no, and we like pulled one of the boots. Oh, it came back out of the window. We just started screaming as if someone fell out of the window.

23:56  
So Suanne Kelman who was a professor here at the school had a brilliant idea to get Ivor Shapiro who was our chair and is currently Associate Dean for FCAD. She had all of us call, email, text Ivor, to say that we were unable to come into work that day. One woman said that her daughter left a favorite stuffy behind it her in at her parents place in Kingston. My children were both ill with the flu. Everyone had some weird, wacky excuse for not coming into work that day. So Suanne called her and said, Have you seen all of these emails? You know, all of these people can't come into work today. And he started freaking out and screaming and he woke him son up because he was so loud and then Suanne said to him Ivor, what day is it? And he goes, What do I care what effing date is? She said Ivor the day and he goes, Oh my God. And ever since April Fool's has become a thing. So one year we also saran wrapped his entire office. So he's a little nervous every year around April 1. And I think this year he's actually pretty happy it falls on a Sunday.

25:00  
Well, Peter, those are some interesting stories. Do you have any past pranks you'd like to share?

25:05  
Actually, there's just one time where one of my closest friends faked his own death. He thought it was pretty funny until he saw me lose my mind.

25:13  
Well, let's hope people remember to keep their pranks fun and light hearted this year.

25:17  
Let's hope so. Well. That's it for today's show. Once again, thank you for joining us.

25:22  
To those of you who celebrate Passover week and Good Friday. We hope you enjoy time with your families. And we wish everybody a happy long Easter weekend to all.