The Craig Needles Podcast

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.

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.