The Craig Needles Podcast

Episode 286: Steven Guilbeault talks environment, Liberal polling troubles

Craig welcomed federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault to the studio to talk about Canada's emissions, the best things this government has done for the environment, affordability problems in Canada and about the Liberals lagging significantly behind the Conservatives in the polls.

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

Episode 285: Friday Round Table with Cheryl Miller, Kelly Ziegner and Steve Cordes

Craig welcomes former city councillor Cheryl Miller, Elgin-Middlesex United Way CEO Kelly Ziegner and Youth Opportunities Unlimited CEO Steve Cordes to the Covent Garden Market studio talk about London's top stories of the week.

The tackle the Ontario Civilian Police Commission report on Councillor Susan Stevenson, calling her social media posts "can bring (her) compliance with the code of conduct into question.”

Then, they talk about the City of London's ongoing pursuit of affordable housing and a new report saying 2.5 million people in Ontario don't have a family doctor - what does that say about our healthcare system?

Episode 284: Matthew Wilson and David Musyj talk LHSC's future

It's been a time of transition at the London Health Sciences Centre. Will a change in management help get he hospital's finances in order?

Board Chair Matthew Wilson and acting-CEO David Musyj join Craig at the Covent Garden Market studio to discuss what's next.

How can the budget deficit be fixed? What can the board do differently to avoid problems in the future? How will the next President and CEO be selected?

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

Episode 283: Friday Round Table with Shawn Lewis, Jared Zaifman and Mariam Hamou

On this week's round table, Craig is joined by London Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis, London Home Builders Association CEO Jared Zaifman and former London city councillor Mariam Hamou to discuss the week's top stories.

They look at the LCBO strike and the impact it may have on the Ford government, the battle over money between the province and the Thames Valley District School Board ad the rapidly increasing vacant commercial space in downtown London.

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

Episode 282: Beth Mai on TVDSB the deficit, future of school boards

The Thames Valley District School Board is facing a funding shortfall and problems are showing up in the classroom because of it.

How did we get here?

Beth Mai, the chair of the board, joined Craig in the studio for a wide ranging conversation on education, the provincial government and the future of school boards.

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

Episode 281: Friday Round Table with Kelly Elliott, A.J Wray and Jeremy McCall

On this week's Friday Round Table, Craig welcomes former Thames Centre Deputy Mayor Kelly Elliott, PhD candidate A.J. Wray and former council candidate Jeremy McCall to the studio to talk about the week's top issues.

They dive into the efforts of some London city councillors to save some money on your tax bill - with some controversial ideas to some. Also, a massive deficit at London Health Sciences Centre and the Conservative Party of Canada' safe supply attacks are now targeting a London doctor.

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

Episode 280: LHSC projects a deficit of $150-million, how did it happen?

At a meeting on Wednesday, members of the London Health Sciences Centre board of directors were told that after running a $78-million deficit in the last year, they project to run one of $150-million in the upcoming fiscal.

How did this happen? How can it be fixed? Acting President and CEO David Musyj spoke with Craig at the hospital to share what he's learned in the short time since taking on his new role.

Episode 279: Mike Moffatt talks housing polling, Trudeau's future

Economist Mike Moffatt, a founding director of the PLACE Centre, joins Craig on the podcast to talk about how the housing shortage is shaping Canadian politics in the wake of the Liberal by-election loss in Toronto-St. Paul's.

How does a generation being frozen out of home ownership impact voting? Will Justin Trudeau soon exit political life? Will an Ontario election come sooner rather than later?

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

Episode 278: Friday Round Table with Elizabeth Peloza, Cheryl Miller and Scott Collyer

On this week's Friday Round Table, Craig is joined at the Covent Garden Market studio by City of London Budget Chair Elizabeth Peloza, former city councillor Cheryl Miller and political insider Scott Collyer.

They talk about Shmuel Farhi's interesting (but perhaps unwanted) proposal for a new London city hall, changing ward boundaries in London, growing salaries for leaders at the Thames Valley District School Board, and whether we need to have school boards at all.

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

Episode 277: Dr. Andrea Sereda shares her side of safe supply debate

Why are advocates of Safe Supply so passionate about the positives of the program?

Dr. Andrea Sereda of London Intercommunity Health Centre, one of the leading safe supply advocates in the country, joins the podcast to explain her side of the debate.

She and Craig discuss the program's history, it's effectiveness, and the criticisms - both the legitimate ones and the ones made in bad faith.

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

Listen to Dr. Sharon Koivu's concerns about the program from last week's episode here.