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The Craig Needles Podcast

News & Politics Podcasts

Longtime London, Ontario media personality Craig Needles talks about the biggest stories in the Forest City with local newsmakers and commentators.

Location:

Canada

Description:

Longtime London, Ontario media personality Craig Needles talks about the biggest stories in the Forest City with local newsmakers and commentators.

Language:

English


Episodes

Episode 255: What will the London Transit audit find?

3/27/2024
London city councillors are about to order a performance audit of the London Transit Commission. Routes, systems, executive performance and more will all be under the microscope. How's that going over at the commission? Commission chair Stephanie Marentette joins Craig for an honest discussion about whether the system is good enough (it isn't), what the big problem is (underfunding) and whether the LTC is ready to implement bus rapid transit (probably not). The Craig Needles Podcast is brought to you by the Covent Garden Market and Downtown London.

Duration:00:50:22

Episode 254: Bonnie Crombie on Ford, housing, ODSP and more

3/23/2024
On a special Saturday edition of the podcast, Ontario Liberal Party leader bonnie Crombie joins Craig in the studio. They discuss the upcoming Lambton-Kent-Middlesex by-election, Doug Ford's anti-fourplex takes, the housing crisis, Ontario Works and ODSP rates and more. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by the Covent Garden Market and Downtown London.

Duration:00:21:39

Episode 253: Friday Round Table with Steve Cordes, Sarah Browning and A.J. Wray

3/22/2024
On this week's Friday Round Table, Craig is joined in the studio by Y.O.U. Executive Director Steve Cordes, political insider Sarah Browning and PhD candidate A.J. Wray to breakdown the biggest stories of the week. They start with Doug Ford's comments on fourplexes in Ontario and how it may run counter to federal Conservative messaging. Then, they look at the proposed re-brand at the Thames Valley District School Board and what that says about the board's priorities and the proposed London Transit audit and what may come from it. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Duration:00:53:19

Episode 252: Time to ban TikTok?

3/20/2024
The US is a step closer to banning TikTok. What will that mean in Canada? And for people who make their living on that site? And is TikTok really any worse than apps like Facebook, Instagram or YouTube? Craig welcomes Dr. Anabel Quan-Haase, from the Faculty of Media and Information Studies at Western, to the podcast to breakdown those questions and more. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Duration:00:22:43

Episode 251: Friday Round Table with Shawn Lewis, Kelly Ziegner and Jared Zaifman

3/15/2024
On this week's Friday Round Table, the Craig is joined by London Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis, Elgin-Middlesex United Way CEO Kelly Ziegner and London Home Builder's Association CEO Jared Zaifman to tackle the top stories of the week. The discuss whether building is happening fast enough in London, the province not giving the city housing funding, the potential sale of the LCBO and traffic safety in London. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Duration:00:47:29

Episode 250: Mike Moffatt and the Blueprint for Better and More Housing

3/12/2024
Economist Mike Moffatt joins Craig to talk about the new report from the Task Force for Housing and Climate, called the Blueprint for Better and More Housing. Canada needs homes. And we need them fast. How do we get them? Mike goes over recommendations for federal, provincial, and municipal governments. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Duration:00:35:25

Episode 249: Friday Round Table with Jennifer Dunn, Jessie Rodger and Ryan Gauss

3/8/2024
On this week's Friday Round Table, Craig is joined by London Abused Women's Centre Executive Director Jennifer Dunn, ANOVA Executive Director Jessie Rodger and political insider Ryan Gauss. They talk about whether encampments are part of the "fabric" of London - as a city staffer said this week. Also, increased CCTV in the downtown core and whether a lopsided by-election loss in Durham is a sign of bad things to some for the Trudeau Liberals.

Duration:00:36:36

Episode 248: New Covent Garden Market studio, male breast cancer awareness

3/5/2024
The Craig Needles Podcast and Classic Rock 98.1 have a new home! The new, extra studio is at the Covent Garden Market, in the heart of London's entertainment district. Market GM Amy Shackleton and John Fyfe-Millar, the market's board chair, joined Craig on the podcast to discuss the new partnership and the exciting days ahead. Then, Brian Lynch, a patient at the London Health Sciences Centre, joins Craig to talk about his male breast cancer diagnosis and the stigma surrounding that illness. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London.

Duration:00:29:09

Episode 247: Friday Round Table with Shawn Lewis, Mojdeh Cox and Carol Dyck

3/1/2024
The hot debate surrounding the city's budget is the big topic on this week's Friday Round Table. Craig is joined in the studio by London Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis, activist Mojdeh Cox and former Green party candidate Carol Dyck to break it all down. The group also discusses budget problems at the Thames Valley District School Board and Brian Mulroney's legacy. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Duration:00:56:51

Episode 246: Chief Thai Truong and Board Chair Ali Chahbar on policing in London

2/25/2024
As debate over London's policing budget intensifies and council gets set to make a decision, London Police Chief Thai Truong and London Police Services Board chair Ali Chahbar join Craig in the studio to discuss the sticker shock felt by some in the community over the $672-million price tag. What will be the markers to show this sort of expenditure is successful? Do we really need a new training centre? Or a new LAV? Those questions and more in a wide-ranging conversation. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by the Covent Garden Market and Downtown London.

Duration:01:07:20

Episode 245: Friday Round Table with Cheryl Miller, Jeremy McCall and Scott Kitching

2/23/2024
On this week's Friday Round Table, Craig is joined in the studio by former city councillor Cheryl Miller, former council candidate Jeremy McCall and Blackburn Media News Manager Scott Kitching. They discuss the man who killed four members of Our London Family being found to be a terrorist, the final week of a tumultuous London budget process, and have a conversation about council debate surrounding graphic anti-abortion posters in London. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Duration:00:42:49

Episode 244: Friday Round Table with Kelly Elliott, Ryan Gauss and Nathan Caranci

2/16/2024
On this week's Friday Round Table, Craig is joined on the panel by former Thames Centre Deputy Mayor Kelly Elliott, and political insiders Ryan Gauss and Nathan Caranci. They discuss the city's budget Hunger Games (Craig's words) and whether having agencies openly lobby council is a good thing. Then they look at the upcoming by-election in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex and whether it will tell us much about where Ontario voters are at ahead of the 2026 election. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Covent Garden Market and Downtown London.

Duration:00:57:00

Episode 243: J Stevens on the state of radio and a new show

2/13/2024
J Stevens is the new morning show host on Classic Rock 98.1! J and Rubino launches this week, and J sat down with Craig to talk about his new role, the state of the radio industry and how local radio still matters. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Duration:00:21:26

Episode 242: Friday Round Table with A.J. Wray, Scott Collyer and Shawna Lewkowitz

2/9/2024
Craig is joined by a panel of PhD candidate A.J. Wray, political insider Scott Collyer and former federal NDP candidate Shawna Lewkowitz. They talked about London's budget priorities - from police, to transit, to libraries - as well as the future of media after the news of another round of massive layoffs at Bell. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London and the Covent Garden Market.

Duration:01:05:07

Episode 241: Do London Police need $672-million?

2/6/2024
The London Police budget ask is a massive $672-million dollars. Do they need all of that money to keep the city safe, as their chief and board have said? Where could they find cuts? Former London Police officer and current professor at King's University College Dr. Lesley Bikos joins the podcast to share her thoughts. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London.

Duration:00:35:45

Episode 240: Friday Round Table with Cheryl Miller, Steve Cordes and Jared Zaifman

2/2/2024
On this week's Friday Round Table, Craig is joined by former city councillor Cheryl Miller, Y.O.U. Executive Director Steve Cordes and London Home Builder's Association C.E.O. Jared Zaifman. They discuss the $672-million police budget ask and the London Police Association statement blasting "defund the police zealots", as well as Mayor Josh Morgan's proposed 8.8% tax increase next year and the latest on the Hockey Canada sexual assault case. The Craig Needles Podcast is powered by Downtown London.

Duration:00:38:21

Episode 239: What's next in Hockey Canada case?

1/31/2024
Former Knight Alex Formenton, along with four current NHL players, have turned themselves in to London Police amid the 2018 Hockey Canada sex assault case. What's next? How long will it take until we get some answers? How does the civil settlement impact the criminal case? Defense lawyer Alison Craig discusses on this edition of the podcast.

Duration:00:22:25

Episode 238: Friday Round Table with Elizabeth Peloza, Jennifer Dunn and Mojdeh Cox

1/26/2024
City of London budget chair Elizabeth Peloza, London Abused Women's Centre Executive Director Jennifer Dunn and activist Mojdeh Cox join Craig for this week's Friday Round Table. They discuss the Mayor's State of the City address, the police budget, the reported plan by London Police to arrest five members of the 2018 Canadian World Junior team and whether the kindergarten curriculum needs to change.

Duration:00:42:43

Episode 237: Can development be green?

1/24/2024
In the middle of a housing crisis, London needs development. But can that development be environmentally friendly? On the heels of a conversation at city hall, councillor Skylar Franke and London Home Builder's Association CEO Jared Zaifman join Craig to breakdown what the city wants to do and how it could work for developers.

Duration:00:28:57

Episode 236: Friday Round Table with Shawn Lewis, Roger Caranci and A.J. Wray

1/19/2024
On this week's Friday Round Table, Craig is joined in the studio by London Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis, former city councillor Roger Caranci and PhD candidate A.J. Wray. They breakdown compensation for London City Councillors and what the future should look like, as well as an open meetings violation found by the Ontario Ombudsman and Doug Ford's plan to have people head to Wal-Mart or Staples to get a health card.

Duration:00:55:16