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The AIH Transcript for January 19, 2016

Hosts: Helen Mann and Chris Howden

STORIES FROM THIS EPISODE

Prologue

HELEN MANN: Hello, I'm Helen Mann.

CHRIS HOWDEN: Good evening, I'm Chris Howden. This is As It Happens.

[Music: Theme]

CH: Tonight:

HM: A landscape turns lethal. After a series of earthquakes, an avalanche buries an Italian ski resort in snow and debris. And we'll get the latest on a rescue effort that may be too late.

CH: Done deals. Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Donald Trump will reverse decades of U.S. foreign policy by rolling back American influence in the world and making multilateral trade deals a thing of the past.

HM: She knows how fast things can go downhill. Which is why the CEO of a snowboard company says she'll pay for any of her employees to attend the Women's March on Washington this weekend.

CH: Plotter twist. Puerto Rican nationalist Oscar Lopez Rivera was sentenced to decades in prison for conspiring to overthrow the U.S. government. But now President Obama has commuted his sentence.

HM: If you don't like it on your wrist, you can get it a fondue farewell. If you heat up a Swiss companies amazing you watch it'll go all Salvador Dali on you because it's made of cheese.

CH: And… strips search. in Yellowknife a shelter dog breaks free and crosses the city to find the woman who showed it some kindness in the form of cheese flavored bacon strips. As It Happens the Thursday edition, radio that traces the inedible journey.

[Music: Theme]

Part 1: CEO women’s march, Italy avalanche, escaped dog

CEO women’s march

Guest: Donna Carpenter

CH: Thousands of people from all across the United States are pouring into the D.C. area for Donald Trump's inauguration tomorrow. But thousands of others will head there for the next day's big event: The Women's March on Washington. Donna Carpenter is one of the women who will be marching. She's the head of a major sportswear company and she's offering to take along any of her employees who want to go and to cover their tab. Donna Carpenter is the CEO of Burton Snowboards. We reached her in Burlington, Vermont.

HM: Ms. Carpenter, why are you marching on Saturday?

DONNA CARPENTER: Really for me was it felt like almost imperative — a gut reaction to the state of women's rights in the United States right now. Honestly the election felt like a real slap in the face to anybody who's been committed to things like climate change reform and gender equality. It just really felt like we needed to stand up for our values.

HM: And you're not going alone. You've also invited your employees along right?

DC: Yes. So I really they are the women that inspire me every single day. It's a male dominated industry and these are tough women who you know are committed to being part of action sports and winter sports. And I knew this would resonate with them. I knew a lot of them were going to be going anyway and I just thought if I can help in some way that would be meaningful.

HM: So you're covering some of the costs. What are you going to pay for?

DC: So I'm covering hotel rooms for Friday and Saturday night as well as some travel expenses. I was willing to help cover the cost of airline flights, but it looks like everybody's kind of carpooling. Most people are carpooling down and making an adventure of it.

HM: Yeah you mentioned the women employees that they are keen to go. Is it open to everyone regardless of gender?

DC: You know I just did it for women, but we've had a couple men reach out and say they wanted to participate so we said of course. But the offer was made to women.

HM: Are you willing to share how much this is going to cost you?

DC: I would probably say in the vicinity of $10,000. And again I'm doing this personally because I just believe when women make progress — I see it in my own company — when we started to take women's issues seriously whether it's child care or post maternity, paternity leave all those things. When we started to take women's issues seriously we became a better company. As a country, We're only as good as our women right? And how empowered our women feel and how entrepreneurial they feel. And so it's really it just feels like a natural extension of the work that we've been doing around gender equality.

HM: In making that decision. Did at any points you think about potentially alienating some of your customers by mixing politics and business. No I think again I think that Burton has grown up. We grew up in opposition to something right? We grew up in opposition to skiing, who didn't want us at their trade shows and they didn't want to set their mountains and we have it sort of in our DNA to stand up and say no this is what's right. This is what's fun, everybody should be enjoying snowboarding. And it just again it felt like whether it was climate change or gender equality or immigration. So it was really like OK all of a sudden it was like OK our government is not going to advance us on these issues. So I think it's going to be up to businesses. And you've seen it in the United States like in North Carolina where a lot of businesses spoke out about the anti-LGBT laws and said no we're not going to move there. And I think that businesses can stand up and say no we're not going to take a step backwards with women's issues and we're not going to take a step backward with climate change. These are things that mean something to us.

HM: So are you prepared that maybe some Trump supporters might be turned off your company?

DC: Yeah I'm OK with it. I really am. Because again it's about the values that we're trying to represent. You know I'm worried about this country. Our whole discourse has degraded to the point where it's grab em by the [Sound: Censored bleep] and we can say no we don't accept that we're going to treat each other with respect and inclusion and we're going to double down on our efforts to have more female leadership in our company and more female athletes on our team and more female participants in our sport. So it's sort of galvanized us in a way.

HM: I have to ask did any employees say that they'd like to go to Washington but they wanted to also attend the inauguration?

DC: No. We live in “Bernie Land.” We live in Vermont. I really would like if we could become part of Canada. I think Canada could just slip us right? Little Vermont, we wouldn't be a burden. You have a Prime Minister who was a snowboard instructor and he who’s a passionate snowboarder and sort of understands those values of inclusion and democracy. You know I think that my employees share my values.

HM: Do you think there's any concern or are you at all concerned that you might have employees who aren't in favor of this kind of action they're going to feel alienated by not going maybe you feel isolated by rejecting this move?

DC: No it was clearly I was doing this personally. I think that everybody was incredibly excited. I had more employees say oh my god I texted my mom and told her what you were doing. So I think the employees actually feel supported and feel heard a lot of my employees were… I've always been a Hillary supporter for very long time, but a lot of my employees phone cheered for Bernie. So they really felt betrayed by the election.

HM: How many are going in all.

DC: About 30. We're leaving tomorrow afternoon.

HM: See you're going to watch the inauguration first?

DC: We might ignore that.

HM: OK Ms. Carpenter, thank you very much for speaking with us.

DC: Thank you.

HM: OK. Bye bye.

DC: Take care. Bye bye.

CH: Donna Carpenter is the CEO of Burton Snowboards. We reached her in Burlington, Vermont. For more on that story you can go to our website: www.cbc.ca/aih.

[Music: Electronic]

Rick Perry

CH: During a primary debate back in 2011 when former Texas Governor Rick Perry was running for President. He promised he would eliminate three government agencies the Department of Commerce, the Department of Education and the… he couldn't remember the third one. To quote Mr. Perry, “Whoops”. But when he finally did remember he also promised to eliminate the U.S. Department of Energy. Six years later Mr. Perry hopes to lead that department. Today he had his Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Energy. For the record he did say he regretted making that statement. He also gave us another memorable moment in this exchange with Senator Al Franken.

SOUNDCLIP

AL FRANKEN: Governor.

RICK PERRY: Senator.

AF: Thank you so much for coming into my office. Did you enjoy meeting me?

RP: I hope you are as much fun on that dais as you were on your couch.

AF: Well…

RP: May I rephrase that, sir?

AF: Please. Please. Please. Oh my Lord. Oh my Lord.

RP: Well I think we found our Saturday Night Live Sound bite.

CH: Things did get serious though when senators pressed Mr. Perry about his position on climate change. Senator Bernie Sanders quoted a 2011 news report in which Mr. Perry said he did not believe in climate change science and asked if his views had changed.

SOUNDCLIP

RP: Senator, I believe the climate is changing. I. Believe some of it's naturally occurring I believe some of it is caused by manmade activity. The question is how do we address it in a in a thoughtful way that doesn't compromise economic growth? That quite frankly doesn't affect our energy affordability?

BURNIE SANDERS: Governor, I don't mean to be rude you know…

RP: I know you don't.

BS: We just have a short period of time and I apologize. But basically what I'm asking you, let’s get beyond the rhetoric. I think the majority of the scientists who study this issue feel that climate change is a global crisis. Which requires massive cuts in carbon and the transformation of our energy system. How do you respond to that?

RP: Getting past the rhetoric is looking at the record.

BS: Numbers?

RP: Yes sir. But I think it's important for us to talk about the 12th largest economy in the world while I was the governor because you're asking me what am I going to do.

BS: I'm asking you if you agree with the scientific community that climate change is a crisis and that we need to transform our energy system to protect future generations?

RP: And Senator, I will respond that I think that having an academic discussion. Whether it's with scientists or whether it's with you is an interesting exercise. But do I have a record of affecting the climate in the world and in this country? And the answer is yes when you lower carbon emissions by 17 per cent and sulfur dioxide by 66 per cent and NOX by 58 per cent to 56. Don't you think that is a good thing?

BS: Well I think what would be a better thing is for you to say right now. That you recognize that we have a global crisis and that the United States of America should help lead the world working with China, Russia, countries around the world to transform our energy system.

CH: That was Senator Bernie Sanders speaking with former Texas Governor Rick Perry earlier today at Mr. Perry's Senate confirmation hearing for secretary of energy.

[Music: Drums]

Italy avalanche

Guest: Tomasso Della Longa

CH: As helicopters circled above Italy’s Abruzzo region today, Hotel Rigopiano was nearly impossible to make out. The site where the remote hotel once stood is blanketed with snow. As we go to air, at least three people are confirmed dead, and dozens more are still stuck inside the hotel. The mountain hotel is just one site of many affected by major avalanches that pummeled central Italy today caused by earthquakes, earlier this week. Tomasso Della Longa is a spokesperson for the Italian Red Cross. We reached him in Rome.

HM: Mr. Della Longa, what can you tell us about how the rescue effort is going at the hotel Rigopiano?

TOMASSO DELLA LONGA: The rescue operation is obviously still going on. Mainly the search and rescue team of an organization dedicated to rescue search and rescue teams for mountain scenario and this type of thing happens when there is a lot of snow. They are still working. The hope is still there. Obviously the idea hopefully is that someone else is alive to be found. And the Red Cross, we are supporting the operation with several ambulances nearby the hotel to be ready if some medical treatments is needed for survival.

HM: If people were to stay alive inside air pockets how long might they have?

TDL: Actually it's quite complex to answer to this question because in defense of this situation it depends even of the scenario where these people are trapped. We don’t know if they are inside the snow and the avalanche or inside a place of the hotel where there is for instance no snow. Obviously the situation is getting worse after several hours because of the freezing temperature. But then again the hope is still there and the search and rescue teams they're still trying to find someone alive.

HM: When the avalanche struck how many people were inside the hotel?

TDL: The number is between 20 and 30. And there are several missing. So this could be the average of the number between 20 and 30 even child.

HM: the pictures are just quite daunting in terms of the volume of snow and rubble. How long was it before rescue crews were actually able to get to this scene?

TDL: But actually several hours because the main problem there, but not only with the hotel, but with all the other areas by the earthquake. Was that there was really severe weather condition and there was a big logistic problem. The first guys that arrived on the on the on the field were in there skiing or with snow cat. So it was the logistic problem to arrive there that was one of the biggest issues in the beginning.

HM: I understand that they did some of the rescue crews did end up getting inside the hotel. Can you tell us what they saw?

TDL: The avalanche somehow moved all the building of this hotel and arrived exactly inside the hotel. I mean it's really a disaster. The point is that the hotel is not there anymore. This avalanche was very big. So all the people were trapped because of that. By the way the earthquake continued and only last night in Italy, we have almost 40 aftershocks. So this situation all the time is getting worse.

HM: We are hearing that some families were separated from each other. One man reportedly went to his car and was found alive. He was not in the hotel. Can you tell us a bit about him?

TDL: They were separated I mean it was it was lucky in that situation he was not there. And as in any in any disaster unfortunately families could be would be divided. And this is why we are also setting up if needed, psychological support for them.

HM: His wife and children are inside the hotel?

TDL: It could be. It could be. I mean we heard, but it's something that we cannot confirm. It's very difficult to confirm it at this stage that even children are trapped inside.

HM: What can you tell us about some of the other affected regions?

TDL: The region is quite big and is getting bigger all the time. After new earthquakes as you probably know, these earthquakes started the day the aftershocks started at the end of August, 2016. And then there was another one — another two actually — in October, 2016, and now this one. All the time the is getting bigger. The region is getting bigger. Main problems now is that the earthquake where together with this severe weather condition with a lot of snow. So even yesterday there were several villages isolated, farmers isolated and now a main concern for main concern for us and for all the talent the protection there is in my area and into our people and all the people that need special medical treatment every day and also how to return to normal life? Because again this earthquake started in August 2016 all the time when it seems like that a normal life could restart or there is another earthquake in October and the now. So any kind of psychological side for these people is of the use now.

HM: Are you concerned that any other people might be trapped beneath the snow in some of these remote areas?

TDL: I don't think so. As far as we understood we arrived almost everywhere. Our concern now is that the emergency situation is not finished in a few hours after the earthquake. Even though we arrived there I mean all the Italian emergency response on the small villages. Then we need to continue to provide support all the type of support: psychological, food or medical support. And it's something that to continue the next few days. We hope that the weather will change in the next 48-72 hours or so then the situation would get better.

HM: Do you fear that this is going to turn into a recovery effort if you don't get to these people quickly enough?

TDL: It depends on the situation it depends even on the temperature and the events of the scenario. What we heard from our search and rescue team in other national disasters is that the rescue team will continue to work until the last body even dead or alive would be found.

HM: Mr. Della Longa, Thank you very much for speaking with us.

TDL: It was a pleasure. Thank you.

HM: OK. Goodbye.

TDL: Bye bye.

CH: Tomasso Della Longa is a spokesperson for the Italian Red Cross we reached him in Rome.

[Music: Piano]

Escaped dog

Guest: Abbey Boyd

CH: It started the way all good love stories do: with cheese-flavored bacon. That's what made Ted the dog fall in love with Abby Boyd. And it's why the dog escaped from the SPCA animal shelter in Yellowknife and ran for kilometers to find her. We reached Abbey Boyd in Yellowknife.

HM: Abbey Boyd, what do cheese-flavored bacon strips have to do with the story of you and Ted the dog?

ABBEY BOYD: That is how I tried to lure him out of his cage to go for a walk Saturday morning.

HM: And where were you at the time?

AB: I was at work at the NWTSPCA.

HM: And he didn't want to come out of the cage?

AB: No, he didn't want anything to do with me. He kept barking kept avoiding. But he wanted the bacon.

HM: How long has he been there?

AB: Fourteen hours maybe not even?

HM: So do you think he was just pretty scared?

AB: He was terrified. He was very very scared. He wasn't showing any aggression, but he just kept his face to me and he kept backing up and just avoiding me. But he come close enough to reach and pick the bacon strips I held in my hand and then back up again.

HM: Have you had many experiences with the dogs who don't want to go for walks?

AB: Oh yeah. We've get a lot of dogs from all over the north. And most of them come feral or they're abused. We are a shelter and a humane society all in one. And there's just some that you can't even touch for weeks.

HM: So you gave Ted the bacon strips and you say he went back into the cage?

AB: He stayed inside the cage. He was in an outside cage because we were assuming from what we could tell from his look that he's a German shepherd husky. I stayed in the doorway trying not to make him feel like he was trapped. But he stayed back there and avoided me pretty much.

HH: Right. So after that you went home?

AB: That was about eight o'clock in the morning and my shift ended at 3:00 that day. That was the last time I saw Ted for Saturday until next day at 6 o'clock in the morning on my deck.

HM: Yeah. So how did Ted manage to end up on your deck the next morning?

AB: He busted out of his outside kennel.

HM: Is that a hard thing to do?

AB: You would imagine he definitely had to put some effort into it.

HM: Do you live really close to the shelter?

AB: If you Google Map it, it’s about 5.5 kilometers away. If you go one way and the other way it's even further.

HM: So how hard would it have been for Ted do you think to find you?

AB: Well the only thing I keep thinking is that there's so many dog kennels we have so many dog sled teams that are between my house if he went the 5.5 kilometer way. There's a vet clinic. There's all sorts of machinery there's all sorts of chickens and horses like there's so many different smells that a dog from higher north wouldn't know that I feel would have been more intriguing than my house.

HM: Did you recognize right away when you saw him that that's who it was?

AB: I made a phone call to my coworker who was working Sunday morning. He hadn't gotten to work at that point because it was quite early and I made a comment just like you know it kind of looks like Ted, but I couldn't say for sure until I got him indoors and I noticed a nick from the day before that I was on Ted and he had the same nick on his nose.

HM: When did you find out for sure that that Ted had blown his cage?

AB: Probably 7:15 a.m. when my coworker got to work and sent a text message to our group message that we have with the work and he said yep that's Ted and there was his cage all busted out of.

HM: So how do you how did Ted end up at the SPCA shelter anyway?

AB: He was a surrender from a northern community possibly a stray. We never really find out the whole story is when it comes to the dogs that come out from the north.

HM: So how do you think you created such a bond with him. Was it all just this cheese-flavored bacon?

AB: Maybe who knows? Maybe he was sensing something that I have deep down or just maybe figured that I have a soft, warm heart when it comes to animals showing up on my doorstep.

HM: But no other animals from the shelter have shown up on your doorstep?

AB: No. No. Can't say that's ever happened.

HM: Wow. So tell me about your bond with him. He sounds like he's decided you're for him. But is it mutual?

AB: It's amazing. I would I would take him in a heartbeat if I could. Right now I'm just working on training and building our bond even more so. But no it's usual for sure.

HM: Now you say take I mean if you could does it are you not able to adopt him?

AB: At this time no. I live in a house where I'm not allowed dogs, I rent. My lease is up in May. So if it all works out with me and Ted then I'm surely looking for a place that allows dogs so that I can I can keep him and we can go on many adventures together, maybe not so much him alone.

HM: It must be hard for you to think that you might not be able to keep him?

AB: It’a already choking me up and make me feel sad. But if he does have a bit of a history that we don't know about we have to figure out if there's anything before he can go to someone because we'd hate for someone to get hurt. And for him to get hurt. So it's a good match. Because I have the full support of the SPCA all my friends and family. They're all backing me up and helping me make sure that he has a good experience and hopefully in the end in him end up forever until you know whenever.

HM: When you ask him to go for a walk now what does he do?

AB: He stays close. He doesn't really leave my side. He's gone on many walks with other dogs recently and he gets along great with them and he'll go with them for a certain amount of time and then he seems to come bolting back towards me. Happy as can be. Comes runs into me and then turns around and goes right back.

HM: Do you have to lure him with bacon anymore?

AB: No. No. He comes unless there's a really pretty female I see that he's kind of got his eye on. But apart from that he stays really close to me.

HM: He's got quite a nose on and this dog?

AB: Apparently, well apparently it's the German Shepherd Akita breed. Police dogs and bear dogs. They must make a mutant snout on them.

HM: Well you smell really good to Ted obviously?

AB: I guess so.

HM: Abbey, thank you very much for talking to us.

AB: Thank you.

HM: Good luck.

AB: Thank you. Bye.

HM: Bye.

CH: Abby Boyd works at the SPCA shelter in Yellowknife and is hoping to adopt Ted the dog. We reached her in Yellowknife.

Part 2: Harper on Trump, Rivera commutation

Harper on Trump

CH: Stephen Harper has had some time to think. And he's been thinking about Donald Trump. Canada's former Prime Minister was in New Delhi today. He gave the keynote address at an event sponsored by India's Foreign Ministry. The conference was called “The New Normal”. And Mr. Harper quickly made it clear that events in the United States and elsewhere have him expecting a lot more new and a lot less normal. Here's some of what he had to say.

SOUNDCLIP

STEPHEN HARPER: Now wherever I go last year. You probably felt the same thing, wherever I went. It seemed to me I got asked two political questions. One was about Brexit and the other was about Donald Trump. Now there are some commonalities. There are some big differences, but some commonalities. But the key commonality is the following. Hardly anyone expected either of them to happen. They were condemned condemned by virtually all the experts. And they happened anyway. Maybe think about this. Maybe they happen precisely because they were condemned by all the experts and all the commentators. Does that sound strange? I don't think so in the area of globalization and western societies in the post-Cold War era late 1980’s forward if you look at most Western economies. Incomes for middle and working class populations have been stagnant or declining. I would say that Canada under my government was actually an exception to that which is why we don't have yet a populist movement. But in the developed world there have been big changes and mostly negative for ordinary people. Jobs in traditional sectors have been lost by the millions in the United States as an example, 40 per cent of all manufacturing jobs have vanished in the last three decades. Low skilled migration has accelerated as wages have failed to rise. Social security systems have become more secure. And so what we are seeing in the West is a major political cleavage emerging. It is not a traditional left-right cleavage. It's not rich-poor. It's not private sector-public sector.

SH: It is between on the one hand establishment interests most governments, major bureaucracies major business corporate interests, major media entertainment interests. The so-called elite, who believe in open borders. Who believe in open migration, who tend to believe in open trade. Because they we are the people, who in our daily lives cross borders. And on the other hand, are people for lack of a better term that we are calling populists. People who live within borders and live on the ground in the fly over regions. Peoples whose concerns — economic concerns — are national or local not global not transnational whose identities are national and cultural not international or multicultural. The fact that all these major institutions established interests have a consensus. On these things is increasingly irrelevant. With modern technology people who disagree with this consensus even if no one appears to speak for them. They can get their own information, develop their own views, find their own interests, network with others who feel the same and ultimately support leadership from outside the system. I believe. That this problem is going to get worse. I watched the Brexit dynamic very closely. I watched the dynamic around the American election very closely. And it seemed to me that the approach of people who opposed Brexit or opposed Mr. Trump. Their principal approach seemed to be to call supporters of the other side stupid, bigoted or worse. Now I don't know about you. I was in politics a long time. My experience has been regardless of what you may think. Calling people stupid and bigoted and telling them that you are more enlightened and intelligent is not a very good way to influence people's opinions.

SH: Just because a very white establishment an expert consensus exists does not mean the public —the wider public — is going to accept that judgment in whole or in part. In fact, it may actually encourage them to reject the judgment. So we have elected in the United States the most non-establishment presidential candidate in political history. What does it mean? Top line is this. Without a doubt, a Trump presidency is a major source for a time to come of global uncertainty.And we also need to admit that when it comes to specifics. We do not have a clear idea of where the new President will head. But we do have some broad outlines. And we have every reason to believe that Donald Trump is serious about those broad directions. And there are two things on international affairs that I believe he is going to do that are truly game changers. First, Donald Trump is going to reverse the cornerstone of seven decades of American foreign policy. That is. He is going to reject and reverse the idea that the United States has an overarching responsibility for global affairs. Now why did the Americans vote for that? I think if you look at this honestly the American public has been told two things that they are finding increasingly incompatible from their leaders. One is that we are truly in a multi-polar world and the United States cannot do it all. But then secondly, that America and America alone must accept overall global responsibility.

SH: And I think the public figures out that those two things together are not working for them and they are choosing — the American public — is choosing to accept in the terms of this conference a multi-polar world. Trump will I believe the U.S. under Trump will focus squarely on America's vital national interests narrowly defined, especially its economic interests. This does not mean the United States will be unwilling to work with friends and allies on shared interests — it will. But only when such friends and allies are prepared to bring real assets to the table. But let me just say this as well. It is possible for a second to think about it. That Trump's approach could actually lead to a much more stable American foreign policy.

SH: I had a front row seat for 10 years up close watching the United States foreign policy swing back and forth from overreaching global adventures and then to withering self-criticism and retreat. Trump's approach could avoid both the tendency of the US in one era to overestimate its capabilities and in another era to overstate its limitations. So if Trump pursues a more transactional approach that could be entirely realistic and potentially much more predictable. But we should be under no illusion. This is going to take us into a world we have not known in eight decades. A world devoid of one or two dominating powers and the risks of that unknown are significant.

CH: That was former Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaking in New Delhi earlier today.

[Music: Somber]

Rivera commutation

Guest: Jose Lopez

CH: In 1981 Oscar Lopez Rivera was found guilty of illegal weapons possession and seditious conspiracy charges in the U.S. At the time, Mr. Lopez Rivera was a leader of the Puerto Rican militant group known as the FALN the Spanish acronym for the Armed Forces of National Liberation. He was eventually sentenced to 70 years in prison, but instead of spending the rest of his life behind bars he will only be there another four months. Because this week U.S. President Barack Obama commuted Mr. Lopez Rivera's sentence. Jose Lopez is the executive director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center in Illinois. He is also Oscar Lopez Rivera’s brother. We reached Jose Lopez in Chicago.

HM: Mr. Lopez, share with us how you reacted when you heard the news that your brother Oscar would be released from prison?

JOSE LOPEZ: Actually I learned officially in a conference phone call that we were having with his attorney, Jan Susler and with Congressman Luis Gutierrez, the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico Carmen Yulin Cruz and Oscar's daughter, Clarissa. And Jan gave us the news that she had just received from the Justice Department. I mean everybody just broke out in joy and we had to end that meeting because like nobody could contain themselves. But for me personally it was a bitter sweet moment in the sense that it was a wonderful moment of celebration for my family, for our community, but sort of very sad having to recall the fact that during this time my father died 35 years ago my mother passed away 20 years ago. My sister died seven years ago. So they were not able to be part of this celebration. But without a doubt this was a very very important victory particularly for the Puerto Rican people.

HM: What is your brother Oscar saying about his upcoming release?

JL: Oscar wants to return to his beloved Puerto Rico. He has given almost his entire life for the struggle for Puerto Rico's independence. He wants to be part of the political conversation and the political discussion to find a solution to the colonial question of Puerto Rico.

HM: Your brother has had a lot of big name supporters in recent years, but as you know there are also many who say that this commutation was a mistake. that the FALN was a violent organization that people died and were injured because of their actions. What do you say to those people who oppose this?

JL: I would hope that they would be open to really learning about my brother. A man who holds no hatred towards anyone, a man who sacrifices freedom for Puerto Rican independence, but also to improve the lives and the lot of the Puerto Rican community in Chicago. So I would hope that they would engage in knowing about him. I think this is the same reaction that many people had in South Africa when Nelson Mandela was released and created in South Africa a spirit of reconciliation. And I think that's the kind of moment that we should be looking at. There is a historical problem that people don't want to deal with the relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico. The U.S. Supreme Court has declared that Puerto Rico belongs to but it's not a part of the United States. Puerto Rico is facing an incredible humanitarian and economic crisis. This is the time to engage in that discussion. And so I think my brother, Oscar is going to help that process. He is a man that can become a very important personality in the process of creating a new climate of change in the relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States.

HM: Some of those who are upset by the release including the widow of one person who died as a result of the violence of the FALN has said you know what they would really like would be an apology from your brother and they say they haven't seen any sign of contrition. Do you think he is willing to do that?

JL: First and foremost that is not true. He has expressed sorrow on many occasions.

HM: Has he said specifically he's sorry?

JL: He has said that any deaths that were caused to anyone in this process not by him, but by other people. Because remember there's not a shred of evidence to tie him to particularly the person that you're referencing. If the U.S. government and particularly the FBI which claims that he had some responsibility if they had any proof of that he would have face that that parental. So you know I'm sorry for the loss, but I don't think my brother should be blamed for something that he did not.

HM: Your brother as you pointed out was born in Puerto Rico. He moved to Chicago as a young teenager. He's a Vietnam veteran. How did he become involved in the free Puerto Rico movement?

JL: My brother is in Vietnam in 1966 and 67. In 1966 there was a huge uprising in the Puerto Rican community of Chicago the neighborhood that he grew up in. And it was against the marginalization of the Puerto Rican people in Chicago. The police brutality, the exclusion from the schools, the exclusion from medical care. I mean Puerto Ricans in the United States have faced an incredible amount of discrimination and racism. And when he returns. He's very upset about the fact that he was fighting willing to give his life in Vietnam for a country that does not value our people — that have not value the Puerto Rican people. And that treats them like objects. So my brother came out of Vietnam and immediately began to organize our community and that's a legacy that we have carry on to this day in the Puerto Rican community of Chicago. By the way he was also given a Bronze Star medal for bravery by the U.S. government.

HM: Back in 1999, your brother refused an offer of leniency from then President Bill Clinton. Why was that?

JL: He did it because two other people were left behind and he told the rest of the people that were given a release that they should accept, but that he would stay in prison until the other two were released. But I think it's very important to understand that he was given the Bronze Star medal in Vietnam for leaving no soldier behind. He was the only survivor of an attack in Vietnam. And even though he was the only survivor he did not leave any of the soldiers behind. And so I think on the one hand the U.S. government rewarded him for not leaving anyone behind. And some people questioned why they didn't take the offer in 1999 because he didn't want to leave his fellow comrades inside the prison.

HM: What is the first thing you think Oscar will want to do when he lands back in Puerto Rico?

JL: I think he will want to enjoy the waters of Puerto Rico and the ocean. he's extremely intrigued by the ocean, but I think more importantly it will be the first moment he will be able to be with his only daughter Clarissa and his only granddaughter Karina that's awaiting his coming home.

HM: Mr. Lopez, It's good to speak with you. Thank you very much.

JL: Thank you.

HM: Goodbye.

JL: Bye bye.

CH: Jose Lopez is the executive director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center in Chicago. He's also Oscar Lopez Rivera's brother. Mr. Lopez Rivera was granted a commutation this week by U.S. President Barack Obama.

[Music: Ambient]

Wapekeka band member

CH: The community says it asked for help, it got none. As you heard on our program last week two 12-year-old girls from an Indigenous community in Northern Ontario took their own lives recently. Chantel Fox and Jolynn Winter lived in Wapekeka, about 600 kilometers north of Thunder Bay. In a press release, the community revealed that it asked Health Canada for funding for suicide prevention last year. Wapkeka never got that money. Health Canada told CBC News that it received the proposal last September, but it was quote, “an awkward time and no money was available”. Now Health Canada has said it will provide funding for the community’s suicide prevention plan. At a press conference today Indigenous leaders and community representatives spoke about the situation in Wapkeka. Joshua frogg is a band member from the community. Here's part of what he had to say.

SOUNDCLIP

JOSHUA FROGG: I went to visit my sister before I left two night ago. My sister is Sandra Fox. Chantel Fox is my niece. So was Joylnn Winter. Just mention of previous deaths in Wapkeka in the 1990’s, I was there. Those were all my relatives, it touched me. Just the way it touched me today to have buried my nieces. When we talk about burial, the families are the ones that are actually burying their children. There's no machine that comes to help us, there's no other people to volunteer. It is the mother, the sisters, the father that bury their children. They actually put the dirt on the casket, that's what you called burying.We call on the government to find the right time, the right kind of resources and the appropriate action. I heard that the response that it was an awkward moment. Awkward? It was awkward for us to bury two young children in the middle of the winter. In minus 30-40 degree weather. It was awkward to break ground in permafrost so that we can bury these children. It was awkward for our youth to cry at the funeral. Those are awkward times.

CH: That was Wapekeka spokesperson Joshua Frogg speaking at a press conference earlier today. He was joined by Indigenous leaders including Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde, and Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler. All of the speakers called on the federal government to create a national suicide strategy. Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott has called the situation tragic and says the government is committed to providing short and long term solutions. Dr. Mike Kirlew was also at the press conference today. He's a family physician who works in the area. Here's part of what he had to say.

SOUNDCLIP

MIKE KIRLEW: You know one of my big fears this morning actually has to do with this cell phone because I am very concerned that I may get a call and they may tell me from one community that a child has taken their life. We heard about these tragedies and I'm very concerned that there might be more. You know why? Because the inequality, the injustice, the inequity persists right now. The health care system on reserves is far inferior to what other people get, period. I have a very difficult time accessing mental health services. I have a very different time accessing developmental services. I have a very different difficult time accessing occupational therapy, physiotherapy, essential services that children need. I ask myself are community mental health resources given enough funding? Are resources outside of the community funded adequately? Communities do not receive necessary funding to implement community-based solutions. I see every day the effects of jurisdictional ambiguity instead of jurisdictional responsibility. And this is taking children's lives. I see in our area Canada is such a country of contradiction. We articulate values such as equity and justice and equality, but the exercise of these ideals as it relates to health care on reserve. As it relates to how we treat Aboriginal people in this country is totally lacking. You know what I have heard what equality sounds like, but I'm still waiting to see what equality looks like.

CH: That was Dr. Mike Kirlew speaking earlier today at a press conference in Ottawa.

Part 3: Gambia president, swiss cheese watch

Mnuchin hearing

CH: Today President-elect Trump’s treasury secretary pick Stephen Mnuchin had to account for himself. His Senate confirmation hearing took place today and it was a particularly heated one because before he worked as Mr. Trump's campaign finance chairman Mr. Mnuchin assembled quite a resume. It includes time on Wall Street working for Goldman Sachs financing films like “The Lego Movie”, “Mad Max Fury Road” and “American Sniper”. And a stint as the CEO of OneWest Bank. His time leading that institution after the 2008 housing crisis earned him Mr. Mnuchin and the nickname “foreclosure king” among his critics. Here's Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania asking Mr. Mnuchin about that.

SOUNDCLIP

BOB CASEY: A woman lost her husband to cancer, lost her son to an overdose and then she lost her home to OneWest Bank. She lives in Westmoreland County just a little bit east of Pittsburgh. The report goes on to say she filed bankruptcy, but even then could not save her house. She said it caused her quote, “A lot of depression”. But again the headline says hundreds of homeowners in western Pennsylvania. Depending on where you draw the line from one of the reasons I highlight that is to number one focus on the impact that those foreclosures had on one community in one state. But also to ask you some questions just so I can make sure the record is clear. One of the statements you made in my office when we met and I appreciated the time we had. You said that OneWest quote, “did lots of modifications” unquote. And then on the question of foreclosure itself you said, “at the time we only did 30 to 35 thousand foreclosures” unquote is that correct?

STEPHEN MNUCHIN: That was for the period of time that we were talking about 2009/2010.

BC: So that just the 2009 and ‘10 number?

SM: I believe the 36 was 2009/2010 versus there were 175 thousand. The hundred thousand loan modifications was over a slightly longer period of time.

BC: Let me just get this over the whole period that you were the leader of OnWest how many foreclosures total nationwide?

SM: I don't have that, but I can find the number. But let me let me just comment there since there's a lot of talk about this foreclosure business again 93 per cent of the loans that we serviced we serviced for third parties. We sold this business. So again I never wanted to be in the mortgage servicing business. I didn't want to be in the reverse mortgage business. I wanted to build a reverse a regional bank. So OneWest is no longer we sold years ago the servicing business because we didn't want to be in that. We sold that business. Obviously the loan that you're talking about I mean it sounds like an absolutely horrible situation and I sympathize for that.

CH: Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey pressing President-elect Trump's treasury secretary pick Stephen Mnuchin about his reputation as the “foreclosure king” during the recession. And just hours before his Senate confirmation hearing began in Washington today, it was also revealed that Mr. Mnuchin initially omitted one hundred million dollars in personal assets on disclosure forms.

[Music: Electronica]

Gambia president

Guest: Halifa Sallah

CH: Today, Gambia swore in its new President, Adama Barrow. There's only one problem: The old one is refusing to step down. Yahya Jammeh has been in power since a 1994 coup. And at first he said he would accept the election results. But at the eleventh hour he reconsidered. The new president was sworn in in neighboring Senegal and there are reports that Senegalese troops have now crossed the border to force the issue. Halifa Sallah is the spokesperson for the new president. We reached him earlier today in Dakar, Senegal.

HM: Mr. Sallah, I want to ask you about the swearing in ceremony in a few moments, but first before we talk about that. Can you tell us about the report of these troops from Senegal entering Gambia?

HALIFA SALLAH: What is clearly at this moment is that the army in no longer necessary and loyal to the incumbent because the cycle has come down to a halt. And that means he can no longer govern the Gambia. And that is why dialogue has been put there as a last option to get him to leave. We are now faced with either dialogue creating the solution or a war.

HM: Where at this point is the former president Mr. Jammeh — Yahya Jammeh? do you know where he is?

HS: He is still at the State House.

HM: He is still refusing to leave?

HS: Making it impossible for him to govern. And that creates new opportunity for the possibility of a negotiated settlement for him to go.

HM: And so these West African troops are at this point no more than a threat is that what you're saying?

HS: Now the President Adama Barrow is now President Barrow Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. If the Army decide to endorse his presidency. It means that the incumbent who is now inside the city would actually accept that he's a private citizen and is likely to go. And that's what we are emphasizing to be done here. That if the civilians and the military accept the dictates of the Constitution as it's dictates the verdict of the people. Then he will go and there will be no need for any war in the country.

HM: I'm just going to repeat part of what you said because the line is a little bit hard to understand. But as I understand it what you're saying then is that as long as the troops that are in your country now — in Gambia. Are willing to recognize that President Barrow is now the legitimate President and that they're willing to stand down and that former President Jammeh steps aside there will not be a war here. Do you have a sense of who those troops in Gambia are loyal to right now?

HS: Well, we should know since President Barrow is already now President Barrow. He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Gambia and one should expect that within 24 hours they make their declaration of loyalty or disloyalty.

HM: When will President Barrow return to the capital?

HS: It is anticipated that it could be within hours or it could be two within a day or two.

HM: Can you describe today's swearing in ceremony for us and how it felt for it to take place in Senegal?

HS: This is the first time in Gambian history after independence that the opposition is taking over in the power to the ballot box. Very symbolic. You can see the jubilation that took place in the Gambia. It was also accepted because of all the security that went through the State House. So when the celebrations started to come there were people couldn't stop themselves from expressing their deep happiness.

HM: Are you concerned about the impact this crisis is having on Gambia and how quickly the new government will be able to stabilize the situation?

HS: This is a blessing in disguise because it simply shows that the Gambian people have decided that they cannot believe on the old order. So they can’t believe the old way. That is what was reflected by the industry and the fact that the whole economy had completely shut down. It's an indication that the old regime can no longer govern. What has happened is simply saying the party of the people is irreversible. When people decide that they elect a government someone should not have the power of reason to govern over to others. Otherwise you will not be able to go one. So there is a state of ungovernability as a symbol that we can then choose the lessons and unless the current leader concedes power the ungovernability will continue.

HM: Mr. Sallah, I appreciate you speaking with us. Thank you very much.

HS: Thank you very much.

CH: Halifa Sallah is the spokesperson for the new president of Gambia Adama Barrow. We reached Mr. Sallah earlier today in Dakar, Senegal. And we apologize for the poor quality of that phone line.

[Music: Rock]

Pride gay cop

CH: At Pride Toronto 2017, the rainbow flags will, as always, be out in full force. But this year there will be decidedly less blue marching along in the Sunday parade — dark navy blue to be precise. Earlier this week, at its annual general meeting Pride Toronto elected to bar police in uniform from participating in festival events. The request was included on a list of demands issued last summer by organizers of Black Lives Matter Toronto. The item was not on Tuesday's agenda, but was added at the last minute after attendees raised a motion to have it considered. Danielle Bottineau is the LGBT liaison officer with the Toronto Police. She has taking part in Pride Toronto as a uniformed LGBT constable for the past seven years. Earlier today she shared her reaction to the decision with Matt Galloway host of CBC Radio's Metro Morning.

SOUNDCLIP

DANIELLE BOTINEAU: I'm saddened by it for sure. I'm disheartened by it, like we've always said that all parties involved need to come to the table to have a conversation. It needs to be a dialogue and not a monologue and that's the only way we're going to move forward. I took this position on six years ago as a liaison officer and there was hesitation. I mean not because it was going to put out myself because I'd been out for over 20 years by that point, but there was a lot of responsibility in this position both as a community member of the LGBTQ community, but also a member of the Toronto Police Service. And I knew it was going to be a balancing act and I knew it was probably going to be a rollercoaster ride. But I've learned a lot about myself both as an out gay woman, but also as an out gay officer. And this position has done that for me; community members have done that for me and the challenges that have been put to me. I would never change. I've been asked numerous times to wear the uniform because it's important for that 16-year-old kid that's in that gymnasium that is struggling to come out for them to see that. And in particular racialized individuals and Trans members who don't think that they can have a voice and they don't think that we're a safe place. I can tell you personally that I am a safe place for them whether it to be a report, whether it to be have a coffee, whatever that may be just because I'm a police officer the entire uniform does not define me. But that is definitely a part of who I am. I recognize and acknowledge that the uniform can be a trigger for some individuals. And I get why historically, but get to know me as an individual person and I'm not the only one within our service that is an out proud gay officer that is doing the work that is having the conversation.

DB: I ask Black Lives Matter and members of that community not to paint us all with the same brush. How is change ever going to happen if I don't put myself out there as an out gay woman in uniform? Because as much as I'm doing this for the community I'm doing it for community members within the service. As we all know, policing in general for many many years has been a very hetero normative, privileged male institution. That is changing and the reason that it is changing because members like myself across the province and across Canada LGBTQ members are putting themselves out there. They are identifying not only by their sexual orientation or their gender identity, but also as being a police officer. And that is breaking down the barriers institutionally and the education is happening.

MATT GALLOWAY: If the demands are upheld will you attend Pride this summer?

DB: I don't know. I don't want to make a rash decision at this moment and I don't want to speculate on any of that until we have a further conversation with Pride.

MG: But that's a heavy decision to make. I mean I can hear it in your voice and in the pause before you answered. This is this is difficult?

DB: It is. I'm not going to lie. It's been a very difficult 24 hours.

CH: That was Danielle Bottineau, LGBT liaison officer with the Toronto Police, speaking with Matt Galloway, host of CBC Radio's Metro Morning earlier today. This week, Pride Toronto elected to bar uniformed police officers from participating in this summer's Pride events.

[Music: Soft rock]

Tim Raines Hall of Fame

CH: I'm going to pitch you three words right now to determine how much of a baseball fan you are. If you think you've already hit on it take a swing any old time. Ready. Hall, call, Montreal. Now go ahead and circle the bases if you at any point before now shouted out one name: Tim Raines affectionately known as “Rock”. Mr. Raines who played for 13 of his 23 major league seasons with the Montreal Expos has just been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. It's been a longtime coming for the seven-time All-Star who was in his last year of eligibility to be named to the hall. He won 86 per cent of the votes cast by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Mr. Raines is the third Expo to be inducted after Gary Carter and Andre Dawson, and when he received the call yesterday Mr. Raines was surrounded by his family and his agent who caught the moment on tape. Here's what that sounded like.

SOUNDCLIP

[Sound: A ringing phone]

SPEAKER: Put it on speaker. Can you answer it? Put it on speaker.

TIM RAINES: Hello.

JACK O’Connell: Yes hello. May I speak with Tim Raines please?

TR: This is he.

JO: Hey Rock, this is Jack O’Connell with the Baseball Writers Association in New York.

TR: Yes

JO: I am calling to tell you that the writers have elected you to the Hall of Fame.

[Sound: A room full of cheering]

SPEAKER: Congratulations

TR: Thank you so much.

JO: You may not remember, but I was sitting behind you in the crowd and I told you one day you’d get in someday. I just wish it didn’t take so long.

TR: Oh thank you so much man, I really appreciate that.

JO: I don’t know what it is with the Montreal people, but you guys seem to have to wait longer than everyone else. Listen, I am really really happy for you.

TR: Thank you so much.

JO: You got 86 per cent of the vote, so you are going in with a great backing. I can’t tell you who else is going in, but it is going to be a great weekend and I look forward to seeing you in here tomorrow. Hang onto the phone because I’m going to introduce you to Jane Forbes, the board chairman of the hall of fame.

JANE FORBES: Tim, congratulations. I am so happy for you!

TR: I don’t think anyone is as happy as I am right now.

[Sound: Laughing]

JF: Probably not.

CH: Tim “Rock” Raines, former left fielder with the Montreal Expos getting the news yesterday that he is to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. That full video is up on YouTube.

[Music: Hip-hop]

Swiss cheese watch

Guest: Edouard Meylan

CH: When you think of a Swiss watch the word luxury comes to mind. Which is why watch manufacturers in Switzerland are so keen to have the words “Swiss made” etched on their products. But on January 1st a new law came into effect in Switzerland. It stipulates that only 60 per cent of the product must be Swiss made. That is far from the 80 per cent the one luxury watch company CEO wanted. So to make a point Edouard Meylan created a watch that is 100 per cent Swiss. We reached Mr. Meylan in Geneva.

HM: Mr. Meylan, you call your latest luxury watch the most Swiss watch ever. What makes it so?

EDOUARD MEYLAN: Well, we decided to create a watch that uses Swiss material. It is a little bit of a satire you know we wanted to criticize a little bit the “Swiss made” label and what he actually means for the Swiss watch industry? We fine it's a little bit too lax.

HM: And so what's in the watch?

EM: We decided to use the most precious material that we have here in Switzerland. That's our cows, so we used cheese to create the case of the watch. And we have leather band using cow skin.

HM: what kind of cheese?

EM: It’s actually from the village where I grew up in the Swiss mountain.

HM: Mm hmm. And you say you used it in the casing. How does that work?

EM: It's a technology they're using we usually use the high tech products. It is a polymerization system. And we basically mixed those components together with the cheese it's a 50/50 mix and helps to make it extremely hard. And obviously we don't want it to stink ever.

HM: So it doesn't smell at all?

EM: No, unfortunately not.

HM: And if we were to wear it sunbathing would it melt?

EM: it wouldn't. It is very high tech in the material.

HM: Right. Why cheese and not chocolate?

EM: Because you consider that chocolate is not Swiss If you think about it. We don't grow cocoa in the Swiss Alps. Well we have beautiful cows, a lot of grass and the best cheese in the world.

HM: You mentioned this polymer process and that it can be used with other materials as well. Was it difficult to assemble the watch using this method?

EM; It's not easy, but you know some people have done mixing this material these composites putting together with graphite and with carbin fibers. It is usually very high tech, high resistance material extremely hard and it was the first time I ever read you something similar to cheese. It took us a little bit of time, but after a few attempts we found the right formula and it works really well.

HM: All right you mentioned earlier this is part of a satire and it's a response to the government's announcement that products must contain 60 per cent Swiss materials in order to be considered “Swiss made” and to be able to say that. That seems 60 per cent a good thing is it not?

EM: The fact is Switzerland is extremely expensive. So we realize that a lot of brands what they do is they produce maybe out of 50 parts that you could find in the movement sometimes more of 50 maybe two are produced in Switzerland and everything else is produced in Asia somewhere and still you can claim the “Swiss made” label. And we feel that this is not good enough considering the tradition we have here in Switzerland. The craftsmanship, the people that work on this on those products we feel it should be much stronger and at least it should be checked. A big problem that we face as well is that there's no real label that is seen as very strong in abroad. That actually has nobody to control it in Switzerland, so that means a lot of people are kind of abusing it.

HM: Do you think that some other manufacturers perhaps find it hard to compete if they can't source cheaper materials outside of Switzerland?

EM: That's right. I think they I mean higher-end like our brand we are really on the upper side like most of our watches are 100 per cent made in Switzerland. We don't we don't have to compete with these other markets. The problem is more for our entry level Swiss brands. We have to compete and justify a price against brands from Japan for example or China. And the only way for them to compete is to source outside Switzerland, but still be Swiss made.

HM: But doesn't that make it a much more elitist thing to be able to use “Swiss made” does it not kind of force the manufacturers can't charge as much as you to not use that label and perhaps put them at a disadvantage?

EM: Well exactly, but that's the problem I think there's a few brands that claim to be Swiss made, but they're not.

HM: How much cache do you think the term “Swiss made” has these days?

EM: It still stands a lot for quality for for high end as statistics show that people are ready to pay 20 per cent more for a Swiss made product compared to the others in most industries. But I think I think a lot of people and customers around the world don't realize what actually the “Swiss made” term means. I was surprised when we announced that we are removing the “Swiss made” label from all our products. Actually a lot of collectors really buy a very high-end expensive watches that are very knowledgeable and actually no idea what “Swiss made” ment. They really felt like the you know it was controlled. And second that means that everything is made in Switzerland which as you can imagine and as I described it before is not the case.

HM: How much of your watch is… how much of the components are made in Switzerland?

EM: So probably for the watches that at least were made in Switzerland it's 95 per cent made in Switzerland. So pretty much 100 per cent the only exception is the strap because we don't have [unintelligible] in Switzerland so we sourced the outside, but everything else is made in Switzerland. But that's why we created that watch where you use the strap made out of the cow skin to actually show that it's you know we wanted to go all the way and kind of provoke the discussion around that label.

HM: What price have you put on your Swiss cheese watch?

EM: We priced it using the date of foundation of the Swiss Confederation the Swiss country. And that's the price to the watch for one million eighty one thousand two hundred ninety one Swiss funds. The watch has created so much buzz that we had a lot of offers and it's already a few hundred thousand Swiss Francs on the table. Considering that the benefit of the sale will go in a fund to support independent suppliers — Swiss watch suppliers — who suffer nowadays from so many brands. You know what you're seeing abroad.

HM: I calculate that amount as being about just over a million U.S. dollars, 1.4 million Canadian dollars. Any international interest?

EM: Yes actually, not from the U.S. of the Americas. But we have quite a few from Asia and from the Middle East.

HM: When are you closing the auction?

EM: On Friday.

HM: OK. We’ll keep an eye on it. Thank you very much.

EM: Thank you.

CH: That was Edouard Meylan, the CEO of a Swiss watch company and the creator of the “Swiss Mad Watch” a wristwatch made of Swiss cheese. He was in Geneva, Switzerland. And you can see pictures and video of that watch made of cheese on our website: www.cbc.ca/aih.

[Music:Electronic]

Weird animal calls

CH: Now that is weird, but not as weird as the weird animal calls the U.K.’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has to listen to all the time. These weird animal calls are from humans. This week the RSPCA shared some of the weirdest calls they had received to their 24 hour hotline. Partly to amuse us and partly to gently suggest that people not call about non-emergencies involving non animals. Now obviously the person who called both the baby reptiles stranded to the side of the road meant well, but an RSPCA officer who rushed to the scene discovered it wasn't in any distress because it was a toy. Similarly the poor bird trapped in a TV antenna and flapping wildly was actually quite deliberately attached to the antenna to scare off actual birds. The yowling cat inexplicably stuck inside a wall was actually a sound coming from a videogame in another room. And the RSPCA officer responding to a call about a collapsed horse was confused and relieved to find only a pile of hay. But my favorite weird call came from the person who was deeply concerned about an owl that had been on a nearby roof for days. The call reported that it seemed to be stuck in place only able to move its head. Inspectors arrived on the scene to find that the owl was in fact stuck to the roof but they did nothing to help it because in the words of this guy in an ad for a British pest control company it was…

SOUNDCLIP

SPEAKER: A wind-powered action owl decoy. This has a rotating and bobbing head. Let's see how they work.

CH: Oh well they work great… on humans anyway.

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Jan. 19, 2017 episode transcript

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