TVO's The Agenda with Steve Paikin begins Life and Death Week

March 29 to April 2 at 8 pm

TORONTO, March 26 /CNW/ - Will technology allow us to live longer, and is that a good thing? And have views about death and an afterlife shifted. As a significant portion of the population ages, more and more people are contemplating their future and beyond. From March 29 to April 2 at 8 pm and repeated at 11 pm, TVO's flagship current affairs program, The Agenda with Steve Paikin, will take an in-depth look at how views about aging and dying are evolving.

Schedule for Life and Death Week:

Monday March 29: The Changing Face of Aging

In a series of one-on-one interviews Steve Paikin talks to experts about aging including Alain Gagnon, Sociology Professor at the University of Western Ontario, about technology and life expectancy. Lynn McDonald, Director of the Institute for Life Course and Aging at the University of Toronto, talks about the stresses and realities of caring for elderly parents. Demographer and economist David Foot joins Steve for a discussion on the economic impact of an aging society on future generations.

Tuesday March 30: The Curse of a Long Life

A panel of experts joins Steve Paikin to discuss and debate the merits of a long life. Does living longer mean living better?

Wednesday March 31: The Changing Face of Dying

Steve Paikin talks to Dr. Marissa Slaven, Medical Director of the Juravinski Cancer Centre Division of Palliative Care in Hamilton, Ontario about how palliative care policy has changed our approach to death. Steve will also discuss the economics of death and the sometimes high cost of keeping us alive with Konrad Fassbender, Professor of Palliative Medicine at the University of Alberta.

Thursday April 1: Euthanasia

Experts discuss and debate the moral and ethical issues of euthanasia. Will our laws follow technology?

Friday April 2: Life after Death

To round out the week, Steve Paikin and guests will discuss how we face death with a look at the value of grief and grieving, contemporary cultural representations of death, and courage in the face of death.

About TVO

TVO is Ontario's public educational media organization and a trusted source of interactive educational content that informs, inspires and stimulates curiosity and thought. TVO's vision is to empower people to be engaged citizens of Ontario through educational media. For more information, visit tvo.org.

Where to find TVO

Cable channel 2 (channel may vary in some areas), Bell TV channel 265, Shaw Direct channel 353.

For further information: Media Contacts: Paul Ginis, TVO Communications, [phone] ext. 2445, [email protected]