The Craig Needles Podcast

Episode 386: Friday Round Table with Cheryl Miller, Ryan Gauss and Scott Collyer

Craig is joined by a panel of former city councillor Cheryl Miller along with political insiders Ryan Gauss and Scott Collyer.

They breakdown the way London's council is structured. Should it be fulltime? Should we elect a Deputy Mayor in a city-wide election? Cheryl may have some Board of Control takes to share.

Then, the province is taking over another four school boards in Ontario, is it time to just end the trustee system? Locally, the Thames Valley District School Board will have a budget (great!), it will only be presented on the internet (weird?). Craig and the panel chat about the latest.

The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Episode 385: Get used to these heatwaves

On another 30+ degree day in London, Craig wondered - is this just going to be what the month of June is like from now on?

Nobel Prize winning climatologist Dr. Gordon McBean from Western University and the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction joined Craig on the podcast to talk about where our climate is going, what policy makers should be doing and some of the less obvious problems caused by climate change.

The Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Episode 384: Friday Round Table with Steve Lehman, Shawna Lewkowitz and Chris Moss

Is the London Police open air drug strategy working?

They - once again - are showing off a report saying that it is. Craig and the panel break it down on this week's Friday Round Table, as he's joined by Ward 8 councillor Steve Lehman, former federal NDP candidate Shawna Lewkowitz and London Cares Executive Director Chris Moss.

Later on, the panel breaks down the City of London putting those portable toilets back in Watson Park and the Thames Valley District School Board announcing another executive exit - amid questions about their budget. Has the transparency element been completely removed now that the province has taken over?

The Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Episode 383: How Unity Project Navigates the Homelessness Crisis

After last week's blow up at city hall, Unity Project Executive Director Chuck Lazenby joins Craig to talk about the homelessness crisis, what's happening in the community, the next steps for the organization and more.

The Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Episode 382: Friday Round Table with Jared Zaifman and Mojdeh Azad

The London tax increase seems like it'll get under 5% - a win for council or will there be fallout for services?

Craig is joined in the studio by London Home Builder's Association CEO Jared Zaifman and organizational consultant to breakdown that story, plus turning city-owned parking lots into housing and some concerning job trends on this edition of the Friday Round Table.

The Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Episode 381: Susan Stevenson motion draws ire from agencies, colleagues

Ward 4 councillor Susan Stevenson is back in the news - this time because of a motion perceived by some to have questioned the integrity of some local social service providers.

Stevenson says that is not the case, and joined Craig on the podcast to explain why she wanted to see some agreements the city completed with Unity Project, London Cares and Atlohsa.

Why did Stevenson want to see these contracts? Why does she think the backlash was so intense? And what would she do differently in the future? 

These questions and more on The Craig Needles Podcast - brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Episode 380: Friday Round Table with Frances Moore, Carol Dyck and Sara Mai Chitty

The Ford government's highly controversial Bill 5 was the big Ontario political story this week, so Craig is joined by advocate Frances Moore, former Green Party candidate Carol Dyck and first time round tabler Sara Mai Chitty to break it all down.

Why is the bill so controversial? Why are Indigenous communities, especially, so concerned by it? And what could the political impacts be?

Then, Craig and the panel look at the potential budget cuts at London City Hall. Council wants to save money, can they do that without major service impacts? What should council be focused on to bring down the tax rate.

Then, they wrap up by quickly discussing the city and Farhi Holdings working together to convert office space into housing.

The Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Episode 379: Dramatic Hockey Canada trial is almost over

Seven years of legal twists and turns could soon come to an end for former NHLers Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote.

The final legal arguments in the Hockey Canada sexual assault case are being presented next week.

Craig is joined by defense lawyer Alison Craig on the podcast to talk about the case, the various bizarre legal happenings surrounding it and what the outcome might be.

The Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Episode 378: London Music Week!

It's London Music Week!

Craig is joined by Mario Circelli to talk about everything happening from June 1st-8th, the music scene in London, how we can make it better and lots more.

The Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Episode 377: Friday Round Table with Kelly Elliott, Mojdeh Azad and Jeremy McCall

The fallout continues at the Thames Valley District School Board, as another executive has resigned in the wake of major financial scandal.

What's next for the board? Will we ever have trustees again? How did this happen?

Craig is joined by a panel of former Thames Centre Deputy Mayor Kelly Elliott, organizational consultant and activist Mojdeh Azad (formerly Mojdeh Cox) and former council candidate Jeremy McCall to try and answer those questions and more.

Then, they look at a London Police officer facing criminal charges while still getting paid and potentially tough decisions council will have to make as they try and cut the tax increase.

The Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.