The Craig Needles Podcast

Is the gun buyback program a massive failure?

There's no way around it, the federal government's gun buyback program isn't working.

Police services say they don't have the resources - or even the desire -to participate, so, where does that leave this?

Elgin-St. Thomas-London South MP Andrew Lawton - who worked with Craig for years - joins him on the podcast to break it all down, plus a conversation about bail reform. Is the federal government going to finally get something done on this lightning rod file?

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

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"The people involved in this need to **** off"

Two former London City Councillors - Roger Caranci and Cheryl Miller - joined Craig in the studio for this week's round table.

First, they breakdown a CBC story about a man who was sent to London by health officials in Huron County because he was homeless.

Are Ontario municipalities selling each other out in the fight against homelessness? Shouldn't the province act on this?

Then, a look at Mayor Josh Morgan's State of the City address this week.

Did it seem like a pre-election speech? Will the new homeownership program actually help those trying to get into the market?

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

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What is a 'good neighbour', anyway?

There multiple several big discussions about London's homelessness crisis at city hall this week - and Ward 4 councillor Susan Stevenson helped bring two of them to the table. She joined Craig on the 434th episode of the podcast to break them all down.

One was about when warming centres open and how cold it needs to be for that to happen. Stevenson explains how changing one word could mean the centres are open more frequently and she and Craig talk about how many warming centres the city should have.

Then, they talk about shifting funding from outreach towards longer hours at homelessness providers and the good neighbour clause - which Craig still doesn't understand.

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

Follow Craig on Twitter/X, Bluesky and Facebook.

BRT is back!

The 2016 Instagram trend seems to have made its way to London City Hall.

Bus rapid transit is back!

Council is asking the province for cash to put a bus rapid transit route on Wharncliffe Road that runs by Western and to Masonville Mall.

Good idea? Or have we gone down this road before?

Craig looks at that story with London Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis, United Way Elgin Middlesex CEO Kelly Ziegner and former Green Party candidate Carol Dyck on a brand new Friday Round Table.

On the 433rd episode of the podcast, the panel also looks at council's upcoming debate over the winter response to homelessness, and a new ranking that says London has the 11th best quality of life in Canada (we did it!).

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

Follow Craig on Twitter/X, Bluesky and Facebook.

Why is everyone getting sick?

Flu season has been especially brutal this year with the Middlesex-London Health Unit tracking some large case counts.

Why have so many people been getting sick?

Dr. Jennifer Guthrie, a professor at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, joined Craig on the podcast to explain why this year seems to be worse than flu seasons past - and what you can do to avoid getting ill.

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

Will homelessness in Ontario double?

On this week's Friday Round Table, Craig is joined in the studio by former Thames Centre Deputy Mayor Kelly Elliott, London Cares Executive Director Chris Moss, and organizational consultant Mojdeh Azad.

They breakdown new numbers that show homelessness is on the rise -  85,000 Ontarians were homeless last year, up 8% from 2024. Craig and the panel talk about potential solutions, how bad this can get and whether governments are actually serious about the issue.

Then, a look at the construction delay with the micro modular shelters in south London, and why the build started as late as it did.

They wrap up with Mark Carney's trip to China - did he, as Doug Ford says damage Ontario's auto sector with this new deal?

Episode number 431 of the Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Will some councillors get booted in 2026?

It's the first Friday Round Table of 2026!

Craig was joined at the Covent Garden Market Studio by former city councillor Cheryl Miller, political insider Nathan Caranci and former TVDSB trustee Matthew Newton-Reid.

The panel looks ahead to the big political event in London this year - the municipal election.

What will the key issues be? How much turnover will there be on council? Will Josh Morgan have an easy road to re-election?

Should there be online voting in London? Woodstock is doing it!

Also, what's going on with those thrown out books at Beal? Who is to blame?

Episode 430 of the Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Scrap the controversial temporary foreign worker program?

The Temporary Foreign Worker program has come under criticism both in Canada from the opposition Conservatives and internationally from the United Nations - is it time to get rid of it?

Peter Fragiskatos says no.

The London Centre MP - who also serves as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship - joined Craig on the podcast to explain.

Episode 429 of the Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

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.