The Craig Needles Podcast

Episode 418: Will 35% raise backfire on London councillors?

London city councillors have voted themselves a 35% raise.

Will they pay for it at the ballot box next October?

Craig is joined at the Covent Garden Market studio by former city councillor Cheryl Miller and former YOU CEO Steve Cordes to discuss whether this is a story that will have staying power.

Then, thy breakdown the harassment scandal at London City Hall - should administration be asking councillors to avoid media interviews about anything?

And finally, a conversation about the federal budget, which is heavy on red ink and low on housing announcements.

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

Episode 417: Could a London engineering student change Canada's housing market?

Meet Ribal Zebian.

He's received the Governor General’s Award of Honour and a $120,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship for his engineering work - which included building a Mercedes out of wood.

Now, he's turning his attention to the big issue Canadians are facing - housing.

How can engineering help make housing more affordable? Zebian has some ideas.

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

Episode 416: Council votes themselves a raise

Friday Round Table!

Craig was joined at the Covent Garden Market studio by former city councillor Cheryl Miller, political insider Devin Munro and former Green Party candidate Carol Dyck.

They discuss councillors in London getting a raise - and severance pay. Clearly it won't be popular politically, but was it needed?

Also, a look at the budget. Mayor Josh Morgan has tabled a buget with an expected 3.6% tax hike in 2026 and 4.7% in 2027.

Good number? Will people in London accept it? This this an "election budget"?

Then, the Ford government is, uh, speeding... to get rid of speed cameras. Are they right? Is the process here a red flag?

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

Episode 415: Jail scandal lets three accused murders go free

A massive rights violation at Maplehurst Correctional Complex in the GTA has resulted in three men who stood accused of murder having their cases thrown out - due to the, as the judge said, torturous conditions at the facility.

Will this continue at Maplehurst? Will there be other issues like this at other Ontario jails - like Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre?

Defense lawyer Alison Craig thinks so.

She joined Craig on the podcast to discuss the state of corrections in the province - and call on the government for action.

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

Episode 414: Are we making the homelessness crisis worse?

It's the Friday Round Table!

Craig was joined by a panel of community advocate Jeremy McCall, former NDP candidate Shawna Lewkowitz, and Blackburn Media news manager Scott Kitching.

First, a quick discussion about Donald Trump saying he's cutting off trade talks with Canada because of an ad the Ontario government placed.

Then, a look at the news out of Queen's Park that the Ford government is looking at making major changes to residential rental rules in the province - and the potential pitfalls that come from that. Would it lead to more homelessness in London?

Also, London finally has a HART hub! Will that help our homelessness issues? What about those 'micro shelter' spaces south of the 401? The panel discusses.

They wrap up with a look ahead to next year's municipal election. Will Josh Morgan have any serious challengers?

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

Episode 413: A TVDSB arrest and a TVDSB exit

It's been another banner week at the Thames Valley District School Board.

One former executive (Linda Nicholls) was arrested by London Police for alleged mail theft. Meantime, former general counsel Ali Chahbar has officially left the board after going on leave back in March.

What does this tell us about what was going on at the board? How should education governance look in Ontario?

Leroy Osbourne and Marianne Larsen - who were elected as TVDSB trustees in 2022 - joined Craig on the podcast to talk about it.

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

Episode 413: Go check out the Forest City Film Festival!

The Forest City Film Festival starts on October 24th!

Screenings, workshops and more all coming to the city's core - and there's still a chance to get tickets to check it all out.

The festival's executive director - Dorothy Downs - joined Craig on the podcast for a preview and to highlight some key events!

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

Episode 412: Why sign London's top cop to a big contract extension?

London Police Chief Thai Truong - just two and a half years in to his original five year deal - has signed a contract extension with the service that goes until the end of 2031.

That's a lot of term.

So, why did the London Police Services Board give it? Why did the chief want to sign it?

Truong and board chair Ryan Gauss joined Craig on the podcast to breakdown those questions and take a look at the state of policing in London.

Open air drug enforcement, violent crime, gang enforcement. What's working? What's not? 

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

 

Episode 411: Environment vs. housing - how does London grow?

London is growing - but may not as fast as we thought?

New population projections show we may not have as many people living in the Forest City as we thought in the years to come, so does that mean we change were we can build housing? 

The Urban Growth Boundary has been debated at city hall this week, and Craig decided to get both sides of the discussion on the podcast.

London Home Builders Association CEO Jared Zaifman and environmental advocate Dr. Brendon Samuels to discuss.

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

Episode 410: Det. Gary Bezaire on what's changed at London Police

Detective Gary Bezaire has been with London Police for over 20 years, so he's seen a lot. How has the service evolved?

Bezaire, who is in charge of the London Police Human Trafficking Unit, joined Craig on the podcast to talk about how that evolution has impacted the fight against human trafficking in the community.

They also discuss the impact the budget increase has had on frontline officers, and work London Police officers are doing in the community.

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