The Craig Needles Podcast

Will past scandal haunt London Police Service?

Craig welcomes political insider Scott Collyer, advocate Dr. Jeff Preston and former Green Party candidate Carol Dyck to the studio for the last Friday Round Table of 2025!

First, they talk about this "good neighbour" clause proposed at London City Hall, that would require... something of social services. We just don't know exactly what. It seems to be about maintaining property standards - or something.

Anyway, will this be effective? Or actively bad for front facing social services agencies? Craig and the panel discuss.

Then, London Police have made some new hires. And the headliner is Ali Chahbar, who is their new general counsel. Of course, Chahbar is the former chair of the London Police Services Board and also left the Thames Valley District School Board amid their financial mess.

Was this a good hire? Doesn't it look too much like cronyism?

Those questions and more on the 428th episode of the Craig Needles Podcast, brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Crises, Shelters and Lawsuits

We have an addictions crisis and a homelessness one - is it time for the province to step up?

Ontario's big city mayors say so. Will Doug Ford act?

Meantime, there's been some big debates at city hall about the micro-modular housing in south London, and a manager at the city of London is threatening to sue a member of the media.

Craig breaks down those stories - plus the latest Conservative-to-Liberal floor crossing - with former city councillor Cheryl Miller, CUPE Local 101 President Steve Holland and former TVDSB trustee Matthew Newton-Reid.

The 427th episode of the Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Mayor Josh Morgan: London is in a state of emergency

London is in crisis - but will the province acknowledge it?

Ontario's Big City Mayors have all signed a letter urging the Ford government to declare homelessness and the addictions crisis a state of emergency.

Will they actually do it? What would that mean?

London Mayor Josh Morgan joined Craig on the podcast to discuss that story and the new micro-shelters being built in South London - far from the city's downtown core. How will they operate? How did security firm Xpera get the contract?

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

Episode 425: What bad test results say about Ontario's schools

We're still trying to figure out what's next for trustees, the standard testing/EQAO results are pretty bad, school boards all over the province are in flux - strange times!

Craig was joined by education expert Debbie Kasman to tackle all of these issues and more on the latest podcast - brought to you by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Episode 424: Former London city councillor facing criminal charges

It's Friday Round Table time, and Craig opens the podcast by sharing what he knows about the Mariam Hamou arrest story.

He goes over where this all may have started, how was got to the point of an arrest being made, what may have been the catalyst for St. Thomas Police filing the charges and more.

Then, London Home Builders Association Executive Director Jared Zaifman and United Way Elgin Middlesex Kelly Ziegner joined Craig to analyze the big stories of the week, including council finalizing a budget - will voters be willing to live with a 3.4% tax hike?

Then, they talk about potential changes to the 'renoviction' bylaw in the City of London and another exit at the London Police Service Board.

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

Episode 423: Growing Chefs Ontario Fights Food Insecurity

Teaching kids about food can help fight food insecurity.

It's true - and that's one of the many things Growing Chiefs Ontario does.

The London-based non-profit has helped thousands of people learn about cooking, food preparation, food costs and more.

Executive Director Andrew Fleet joins Craig on the podcast to talk about the organization, the growing amount of food insecurity in London and more.

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

Episode 422: Is London's opioid crisis getting better?

On this week's Friday Round Table, Craig welcomes former Thames Centre Deputy Mayor Kelly Elliott and community advocate Jeremy McCall to the Covent Garden Market Studio.

First, they breakdown a new report from the Middlesex-London Health Unit showing that opioid overdoses and poisonings are trending down.

Have we turned a corner here? Is this report not showing what's happening on the street?

Then, they chat about the work environment at London City Hall. Councillor Susan Stevenson says she's been harassed by fellow councillors and staff.

Does she have a point or is this just a political play?

Then, Bill 33.

Education Minister Paul Calandra wants to get rid of trustees. But, the panel says his plans are poorly thought out.

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

Episode 421: Speed cameras aren't a cash grab

Unpopular take alert: Craig actually like speed cameras. And polling data says most people agree with him! Maybe the take is not so unpopular after all.

Robyn Robertson, President & CEO of the Traffic Injury Research Foundation joined Craig on the podcast to talk about speed cameras, how Doug Ford missed the mark in banning them and what other road safety measures London can deploy in school zones.

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

 

Episode 420: A quarter of Londoners don't like it here

Craig welcomes London Abused Women's Centre Executive Director Jennifer Dunn, London Cares Executive Director Chris Moss and organizational consultant Mojdeh Azad to the Covent Garden Market studio for this week's Friday Round Table.

They discuss the latest satisfaction survey from London City Hall - where 24% of people in the community say their quality of life is 'poor' or 'very poor'. Are you surprised?

Also, the top issue, according to the survey - homelessness.

Does the city have real answers there?

Also, they discuss London Police looking for feedback on their drug strategy, the latest at TVDSB (Student and Family Support offices?), London West MP Arielle Kayabaga getting slammed for a some big expenses, and more.

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

Episode 419: Was Carney's budget a 'disaster' for housing?

The reviews are in for Mark Carney's first federal budget, and, in a lot of cases, they are not good.

Economist Mike Moffatt, co-host of The Missing Middle podcast, joined Craig to breakdown what his concerns are and what he thinks would have helped create more housing in Canada.

Craig and Mike also discussed former cabinet minister Nate Erskine-Smith's criticism of the budget and whether premiers like Doug Ford and Danielle Smith have escaped criticism for their own housing failures.

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