The Current

The Current for Jan. 28, 2021

Today on The Current: The benefits of kids returning to the classroom outweigh COVID-19 risks, a report says; Canada’s Road Ahead: Antigonish, N.S., and a weird year for the students of St. Francis Xavier University; and hours of video released by Peter Nygard’s former employee.
Matt Galloway is the host of CBC Radio's The Current. (CBC)

Episode Transcript

Today on The Current

As Ontario weighs reopening schools, a new report from Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children says the benefits of being in class outweigh the COVID-19 risks students may face. Matt Galloway discusses the report with Dr. Ronald Cohn, president and CEO of SickKids, and Dr. Daphne Korczak, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the organization. Plus, Irvin Studin, president of the Institute for 21st Century Questions, argues that thousands of kids have dropped off school attendance entirely. 

Then, our series Canada's Road Ahead makes a stop in Antigonish, N.S., where students at St. Francis Xavier University tell us how they have been trying to find the normal in a fairly abnormal year. Legendary basketball coach Steve Konchalski is retiring after a successful career spanning 45 years at the university, with relatively little fanfare. He talks about coaching his players through a difficult year, and helping them realize their potential on and off the court.

And Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard is in a Winnipeg court today, arguing to be released on bail from jail. He was arrested last month on an extradition warrant. U.S. authorities accuse him of racketeering, sex trafficking and sexual assault involving "dozens" of victims. Nygard denies the allegations. We hear from The Fifth Estate's Timothy Sawa and Bob McKeown about hours of video released by one of Nygard's former employees; and Shannon Moroney, a therapist who has been counselling 33 of Nygard's alleged victims.