http://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxJohn Downs hates it when a TV news anchor is advertised as a "Reporter First". That being said, John Downs is a reporter first!en-us2009AM640 Toronto RadionoJohn Downs, Downs, AM640 Toronto Radio, AM640 Toronto, AM640, News, Politics, Toronto, Newsmakerscrtinteractive@corusent.com20 Nov 2009 23:59:17 GMT20 Nov 2009 23:59:17 GMT1http://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxThe Federal Conservatives have decided to send out flyers to ridings with large Jewish communities. In these flyers they argue that they are committed to Canada's Jewish community while the Liberals are not. The flyers also state that the Conservatives have done more to fight anti-semitism and terrorism as well as support Israel more than the Liberals do. The Liberals have claimed this is anti-semitic of the Federal government. 19 Nov 2009 02:42:31 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxA U.S. Supreme Court has turned down a 17 year bid to change the name of the Washington Redskins. That means they will remain the Redskins however inappropriate it may or may not be. What do you think are some of the worst sports team names ever? 17 Nov 2009 02:47:35 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxIt appears as though coffee, snack foods and newspapers will be exempt from the HST when it comes into effect on July 1, 2010. Finance Minister Dwight Duncan announced that foods costing under $4 and newspapers will be exempt. Will the HST affect you come July 1? 13 Nov 2009 02:19:26 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxKen Lewenza - CAW President Ad advertisement placed in the Windsor Star which listed the names of 133 Canadian soldiers that have died while serving in Afghanistan since 2002 has caused some controversy. The ad titled "Lest We Forget" which was paid for by the Canadian Auto Workers Local 444 describes the war in Afghanistan as one "with no end in sight" and suggests the federal government to bring the troops home. Is it appropriate for this ad to be placed in a paper on Remembrance Day? 12 Nov 2009 02:47:09 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxJames Stribopolous - Associate Professor at Osgood Hall Toronto police will be knocking on doors in the Bathurst and Eglinton Area asking people to help them in the Mariam Makhniashvili case. Sixty plainclothes officers will be going door to door asking people if they could have a quick peek into their homes to ensure there is no evidence in relation to the missing girl's case. Police will have to notify you that you have the right not to let them enter. Would you let a police officer search your house, and if you didn't would they hold that against you and make you a suspect?10 Nov 2009 02:53:49 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxAn employee at Bodyworks in the UK was ordered by her employer to remove her poppy because it was against company policy. Employees working at Toronto television stations state they are told to wear the poppy. Should people have the right to wear the poppy if they please or should it be mandatory?6 Nov 2009 02:41:09 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxLooks like we may be looking at a fare hike for the TTC riders in the New Year. David Miller has promised a price freeze this year to help people who have been hit by the recession. There will be about a 100 million dollar shortfall on next year's operating budget and there are 3 ways for the TTC to raise operating revenue. The 3 ways are cut service, increased subsidies from the government, and fare hikes. Are you prepared to pay more to ride the TTC? 5 Nov 2009 03:52:48 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxEven with new leadership in the United States, Canadians still don't have any more love for the United States. President Barack Obama is liked a lot more than George W. Bush said the Historica Dominion Institute which conducted the survey. What is with this dislike for Americans?3 Nov 2009 02:27:58 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxJohn has some questions about the H1N1 that nobody wants to answer for him. Did you wait in line for the shot? How was your experience?30 Oct 2009 01:46:50 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxA poll done by the CBC has found that 80 percent of Canadians believe the monarchy is out of step with the times and more than 60 percent thought the constitution including the monarchy was outdated. Is it time to move away from the monarchy?28 Oct 2009 02:01:19 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxKeep your hands on the wheel and not on your cell phone. A new law has come into effect banning all electronic hand held devices. OPP sergeant Dave Woodford joins John to discuss the new law.28 Oct 2009 01:58:02 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxLooks like when Canadian news is on the television is off at 24 Sussex. Prime Minister Harper has stated that he doesn't watch Canadian news and in fact he is more interested in US television because he doensn't want to hear what people are saying about him. Prime Minister Harper has watched the last several elections in teh United States very closely. So is this a big deal? He already has been thought of by many Canadians as an "American Prime Minister." 24 Oct 2009 01:58:08 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxCormorant Books is publishing Witness To A City: David Miller's Toronto. In this book Mayor Miller compiles stories of people he has met in Toronto that helps to articulate his vision of a city that shows how different cultures can live together as one.23 Oct 2009 01:58:13 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxA teenaged son of a retired police officer who was charged with speeding at approximately 239 km/hr has beaten the charge. Corey Graves who is now 17 was clocked at 158km/hr over the speed limit on May 18, 2008. However the teen’s defence team was able to win the case. Defence lawyer, Randy Porter joins the show.22 Oct 2009 01:52:24 GMThttp://640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Home.aspxJust a few weeks after taking over as Toronto Education Director, Chris Spence has brought the idea of school for boys to the table with most of the teachers being male.21 Oct 2009 01:39:49 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx John is joined by Trustee Josh Matlow to discuss a planned protest at Northern Secondary School regarding the placement of police officers at the school. John and Josh are joined by an unexpected guest, one of the members of the protest group.20 Oct 2009 01:43:34 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx Khristian Oliver was sentenced to death for murdering a man whose house he was robbing. It was later found that upon deciding the fate of Oliver, the jurors consulted the bible. Amnesty international has appealed the decision stating the US constitution calls for seperation of state and religion. Should someone be executed based on what you read in a book?17 Oct 2009 01:34:51 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx A 6-year-old boy who set off a massive search and rescue operation and media frenzy when it was feared he was inside a homemade helium balloon that broke loose and drifted for hours, thousands of feet above Colorado, was finally found safe. Falcon Heene was discovered hiding in a box in the attic above his family's garage, hours after the odd silver contraption had deflated and landed softly in a dirt field, Larimer County Sheriff James Alderden said. "Apparently, he's been there the whole time, hiding in a box, a cardboard box, in an attic above the garage," Alderden told reporters. 16 Oct 2009 01:51:17 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx We're trying to figure out why the New York Times doesn't have a single NHL story. There are THREE NHL teams in the area, does the US really not care about the sport?14 Oct 2009 23:43:51 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx As a disciplinary action, the two paramedics, two dispatchers and one supervisor will have to take 10 to 17 days of unpaid leave, he said. They also face probationary monitoring for up to a year after they return to work. Hearst's partner of eight years, Alejandro Martinez-Ramirez, said today the disciplinary action taken against those involved "is really a joke." 8 Oct 2009 23:46:33 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx John gets a little bored with the unending government scandals, untill we learned this e-Health thing casot taxpayers ONE BILLION dollars...8 Oct 2009 01:01:06 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx Remember that transit link to pearson airport that no one agreed on? Well no one agrees on it.6 Oct 2009 01:14:10 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx You go on vacation to San Diego and take more than 100 photos of your three daughters, ages 5, 4 and 18 months. You also take seven or eight shots of your girls playing together at bathtime. Then you return home to Peoria, Ariz., bring your memory stick into Walmart for processing, and lose custody of your children because an employee finds the photos, decides they are pornographic, and alerts the police. That is what happened to Lisa and Anthony Demaree last year. Accused of sexual abuse, they were not allow to see their girls for several days, and did not regain custody for a month while the state conducted an investigation. Now the Demarees are suing Walmart and the state of Arizona, saying they have suffered “emotional stress, headaches, nightmares, a general feeling of malaise, shock to their nervous system, grief and depression.” 22 Sep 2009 01:13:53 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx Stephen Harper's minority government is poised to survive at least its first confidence test this week, thanks to the very ‘separatists’ and ‘socialists’ so often derided by the prime minister. Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe announced today that his party will support the government on a crucial budget vote on Friday. The vote is on a motion that paves the way for implementation of a host of budget measures, including the popular home renovation tax credit. 16 Sep 2009 01:35:01 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx Johny Downs is infuriated that Children are driven to schools two blocks away. At some schools, parents drive up with their children’s names displayed on their dashboards, a school official radios to the building, and each child is escorted out. When to detach the parental leash? The trip to and from school has become emblematic of the conflict parents feel between teaching children autonomy and keeping them safe. In parenting blogs and books, the school-bus stop itself is shorthand for the turmoil of contemporary parents over when to relinquish control. 15 Sep 2009 01:14:09 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx A critical vote that could spell the end of the minority Conservative government is expected next Friday. High-placed Conservative sources say Sept. 18 has been circled as the day to bring forward the so-called ways and means motion. The motion is a routine one that signals an upcoming vote on a budget matter, but is considered a vote of confidence. 12 Sep 2009 01:22:46 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says Ottawa will run deficits for two years longer than originally forecast and this year's deficit will be more than $5 billion higher than projected. Leading economist Dale Orr says in the post yesterday: The severity of the recession was not fully anticipated in last January’s budget. As a consequence, I forecast, instead of the balanced budget earlier forecast for 2013/14, a $13-billion deficit now seems more realistic. 11 Sep 2009 01:13:24 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx The Ontario government plans to appeal a ruling deeming a section of its street racing laws unconstitutional. 10 Sep 2009 00:30:13 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx Ontario Deputy Premier George Smitherman is considering a run for the Toronto mayor’s job, but says he won’t finalize his decision until the new year. If he opts to take on Mayor David Miller in next fall’s municipal elections, Smitherman said he would resign from his position as a cabinet minister in the Dalton McGuinty government and as an MPP with the Ontario Legislature. "I think there is a bit of a consensus forming in the city that the status quo is not getting the job done," the minister said today. "People, certainly, have been pretty encouraging and as a life-long Torontonian, it’s kind of a flattering thing." Smitherman said he has been in discussions with former Progressive Conservative leader and former mayoral candidate John Tory and they both believe that it would be “counterproductive” for both to run against Miller. "We’re going to remain in close contact," Smitherman said. 9 Sep 2009 01:17:30 GMThttp://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/JohnDowns/Audio.aspx Canada's six NHLteams are scrambling to find alternative travel arrangements south of the border after the U.S. Department of Transportation banned Air Canada's charter fleet from flying between U.S. cities. In a furious exchange with the Obama administration over the mid-August ruling, Canada has launched its own investigation and will soon close its skies to U.S. sports team charters in retaliation, warns Transport Minister John Baird. 5 Sep 2009 01:26:46 GMT