TVO Today is heading to Sault Ste. Marie on May 27 to hold an expert panel on the rise of public anger at The Loft at Algoma Conservatory of Music. The panel will be moderated by Steve Paikin of TVO Today’s The Agenda and will include experts such as Mayor Matthew Shoemaker, among others.

Every day, teachers are facing increased violence, Ontarians are engaging in more road rage incidents, and politicians are stepping down for their own safety. Joining Mayor Shoemaker for the TVO Today Live panel will be Sabreena Delhon, CEO of Samara Centre for Democracy, Michael Friscolanti, Editor-In-Chief of Village Media, Michele McCleave-Kennedy, Sault Ste Marie District Labour Council Executive Member and Vice President at the Ontario Federation of Labour, Joel Syrette, Director of Makwa Waakaa'igan and part time Faculty at Algoma University and Diane Kalen-Sukra, author of "Save Your City" and "Civic Resilience" and founder of Kalen Academy, an online training institute for civic leaders. Together these experts will consider the serious impacts public anger could have on democracy and will attempt to answer the central question of the event: Can angry people be good citizens?  

“The rise in public anger is concerning for all of us, as it limits our ability to engage with one another and build community, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic,” says John Ferri, VP of Programming and Content at TVO. “A public forum like TVO Today Live offers a chance to take a step forward together and mend our frayed connections. By having this conversation at the community level, we hope it will resonate across the province with other communities experiencing similar issues.

As a trusted source for intelligent and informative programming, TVO aims to connect and engage Ontarians on what makes communities unique and link them together by shining a spotlight on the issues, perspectives and solutions that matters most to Ontarians. This is why The Agenda with Steve Paikin, TVO Today’s flagship current affairs program, will be extending their stay to dig further into the topics that matter in Sault Ste. Marie. Steve and The Agenda team will film multiple segments featuring interviews with residents and groups for upcoming episodes of the show.

“I’m looking forward to participating in the panel and discussing the importance of local governance in the current political climate,” says Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie, Matthew Shoemaker. “Municipalities are the level of government closest to the public, and the challenges we face are only continuing to grow, so determining how to best navigate changing political norms is paramount.”

TVO Today Live is made possible through the generous support of The Wilson Foundation, whose mission is to strengthen and enrich Canada in education leadership, community, history and heritage, and public service. Previous TVO Today Live events have included guests such as legendary journalist Bob Woodward and comedian Samantha Bee, as well as debates on the impacts of social media and protests.

TVO Today Live will air a recording of the event on Thursday, June 13 at 9:00 pm ET on TVO.org, YouTube, TVO Today Smart TV app and TVO’s broadcast channel in Ontario.

Visit the TVO Today Live series page and sign up for email updates to learn more.

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Media contact: Genevieve Grant, TVO | ggrant@tvo.org

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  • TVO Today Live in Sault Ste. Marie: Can angry people be good citizens?
Genevieve Grant
TVO
ggrant@tvo.org