The Craig Needles Podcast

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, acco...

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 ...

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 ...

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 M...

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...

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 t...

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 resi...

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 el...

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.

Ope...

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 environ...

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 d...

Multiple YouTubers have created videos calling London, among other things, a zombie city or the most drug addicted place in Canada.

Of course, those sorts of claims are unfounded and quite frankly, dangerous.

London Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis joined Craig in the studio to discuss the videos and what the city may do in response.

Then, they look at the expansion of London's Urban Growth Boundary and the push to get more housing in the ...

There's still anger and unrest in London and all over the country after the verdict in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial.

Even beyond just the verdict - which most legal experts understood - the way the trial went and the lack of systemic control for organizations like Hockey Canada and the NHL remain question.

ANOVA and London abused Women's Centre have joined together to write a letter aimed at addressing both.

The executive...

The City of London had an update on the Whole of Community response this week and it actually is helping! Good news! But, there's a lot more people who need help, so how can we increase capacity?

Craig breaks down that story with advocate Frances Moore, Dr. Jeff Preston and former TVDSB trustee Matthew Newton-Reid - while also looking at the progress made in the 10 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report.

Then, t...

London-Middlesex Community Housing has a lot of problems.

Buildings that are falling apart. Pest infestations. Plumbing issues. But - are those things getting better?

Is the organization turning a corner - even if they're staring down more than $100-million in repair bills?

Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis and Ward 1 Councillor Hadleigh McAlister both sit on LMCH's board and joined Craig on the podcast to discuss.

The Craig Needles Podcast...

On this week's Friday Round Table, Craig is joined by former Thames Centre Deputy Mayor Kelly Elliott, organizational consultant Mojdeh Azad and former Green Party candidate Carol Dyck to breakdown the week's top stories.

They look at the misogynistic graffiti found in northwest London and analyze the way politicians and police have reacted to it - and discuss the safety of women and girls in our society.

Then, discussions about la...

Six months after the London Transit commissioners were unceremoniously removed by council - is bus service in this city any better?

Ward 11 councillor Skylar Franke, who is also the chai of the commission now, joins Craig for an update on where transit is in the city, how they hope to improve and what the future of the commission may look like.

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