APRIL 18 2023-CHERRY BLOSSOMS AND FOOD PRICES

Published: April 18, 2023, 5:05 p.m.

Marissa Lennox is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Lisa Raitt, former deputy leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, George Smitherman, former Ontario Liberal MPP for Toronto Centre who also served as a health minister and deputy Premier, and Peggy Nash,\xa0 the former New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for the Parkdale\u2014High Park electoral district in Toronto.\n\nThis week: We discuss CBC vs Elon Musk and Twitter and being labelled "government-funded media" by the social media platform. Meanwhile, today the Ford government will be making an announcement about the future of Ontario Place and the Ontario Science Centre. And, Olivia Chow joins the Toronto Mayoral race. She's done it before. Does she have what it takes to address this City's current issues?\n----\nFOOD PRICES AND INFLATION DROP\n\nMarissa Lennox is now joined by Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.\n\nThe good news: according to Statistics Canada, the annual rate of inflation fell from 5.2 per cent in February to 4.3 per cent last month. The also somewhat good news is that there has been a deceleration of food prices which went from 10.6 per cent in February down to 9.7 per cent in March (yes...not a big difference). The drop in food costs was fuelled by lower prices for fruits and vegetables. Dr. Charlebois reacts to the latest news and weighs in on what it means for consumers.\n----\nRESIDENTS MAY BE ABLE TO SEE CHERRY BLOSSOMS EARLIER THIS YEAR\n\nMarissa Lennox is now joined by Charlie Dobbin, host of The Garden Show on Zoomer Radio.\n\nIt may very well be the case that we'll be able to see the High Park Cherry Blossoms earlier than expected this year because of a wave of unseasonably warm weather in the City. Our gardening guest weighs in on the latest.\n\nListen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!