Tag Archives: girth radio

Sammy Younan

After our summer vacation Gregg Tilston and I got back in studio for a chat with Girth Radio founder Sammy Younan.

We discussed the rise and fall (but not dead!) of Girth Radio’s longtime home at the Pacific Junction Hotel, what’s coming up at the Toronto International Film Festival, movie spoilers, and the all too important topic of urinal etiquette.

Thanks to CF Toronto Eaton Centre for hosting us in their pop-up studio!

This is Episode #187 of the Welcome! podcast.

Listen here: 

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You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS Feed if you so desire.

John Sewell: Former Toronto Mayor

John Sewell is Toronto’s 58th Mayor. Sewell was first elected to Toronto’s city council in 1969 and served as the city’s Mayor from 1978 until 1980.

John Sewell was raised in the Beaches area of Toronto and earned his Law Degree from the University of Toronto. Sewell has always fought for the under represented and the underdog in Toronto.

Co-host Gregg Tilston joined me in studio for this conversation with Toronto’s first rebel mayor.

This is episode #137  of the Welcome! podcast.

Here are some of the things we talked about:

  • Why John Sewell wore jeans and a leather jacket when he was first elected to city council
  • Working with the community to help develop the St. Lawrence neighbourhood.
  • Why John Sewell thinks that the revitalized Regent Park didn’t go far enough in regards to affordable housing and integration.
  • The history behind the 401 Richmond heritage building and why it’s important to have smart property tax assessments instead of a one size fits all solution.
  • We discussed the challenges that cities all over the world seem to have regarding accessing funds for municipal programming and services.
  • A long and lively discussion around affordable housing.
  • Why John Sewell fought against the “megacity” proposal that created the city of Toronto as we now know it today.
  • Why Sewell thinks we should have smaller councils (in terms of councilors) while also having more local representation (more councils).
  • Sewell was a big fan of the Metropolitan Toronto system prior to “megacity”.
  • John Sewell’s candid thoughts on Richard Peddie, Desmond Cole, David Miller, John Tory, Jennifer Keesmat.
  • His favourite thing about Toronto.

Listen below:

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You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS Feed if you’re so inclined.

Music by Afraaz Mulji.

If you liked this episode you will also like the following conversations with other former podcast alumni:

Elena V. Wolfe

Currently a star in the hit Nikelodeon show, Star Falls, Elena V. Wolfe was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario and fell in love with acting at a very young age while watching her favourite shows on television. Her first introduction to performing came in the form of a high school musical when she was cast to play one of the evil step sisters Lucinda in Into the Woods.

Her acting would take a backseat however when she received a scholarship to play varsity tennis at the University of Virginia.

It wasn’t until after graduating college that her acting career would resurface when she landed her first role in the American crime drama television series The Bridge on FX. Shortly after, Elena joined the cast of the hit sci-fi television series Defiance on Syfy and Space. Other credits to her name include Flashpoint (CTV), The Firm (NBC), Degrassi Takes Manhattan and Filthy Cities.

This is episode #134  of the Welcome! podcast.

Here are some of the things we talked about:

  • What does the “V” stand for in Elena’s name?
  • How Elena got her start in acting.
  • Attending the University of Virginia on a tennis scholarship.
  • Some of the world’s famous women and men Elena has watched play and played against.
  • Elena’s thoughts on players “grunting” when hitting shots in tennis.
  • Her previous modeling career.
  • Why Elena studied law in grad school and how that’s helping her career today.
  • Her initial and continuing attempt at writing a book.
  • Why she left her career in tennis.
  • Moving back to the Greater Toronto Area

Listen below:

Girth Radio
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You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS Feed if you’re so inclined.

Music by Afraaz Mulji.

If you liked this episode you will also like the following conversations with other former podcast alumni:

Jaime Stein: Chief Client Officer, ICUC

Jaime Stein – formerly from Toronto – is now a Vancouver resident and Chief Client Officer for Winnipeg-based, ICUC.

Stein joined me inside the Girth Radio studio for an in-depth chat about his travels, his passions, work and why Canada has the best sunsets in the world!

This is episode #133  of the Welcome! podcast.

Here are some of the things we talked about:

  • The SportsConnectTO panel that started the friendship between Jaime Stein and Karim Kanji.
  • Jaime’s experience in preparing for and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
  • His work with the National Public Cord Blood Bank.
  • Doing varsity football play-by-play for Queen’s University in Kingston while going to school at Toronto’s Ryerson University.
  • Meeting Keith Pelley while at TSN helped Jaime Stein kickstart his professional sports broadcasting career.
  • Calling the play-by-play for the Toronto Argonauts.
  • His role at ING Bank in Canada.
  • Working the social media war room as ING changed their name and branding to Tangerine.
  • Why Jaime Stein had enough of Toronto and moved to Vancouver.
  • His role at Vancouver’s Hootsuite.
  • Leaving Hootsuite to join another company helping brands navigate the social media space, ICUC.
  • Jaime Stein finally ends the debate on which city province has the better sunsets: Ontario or British Columbia.

Listen below:

Girth Radio
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You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS Feed if you’re so inclined.

Music by Afraaz Mulji.

If you liked this episode you will also like the following conversations with other former podcast alumni:

In Session With…Kristin Fung

Kristin leads her own R&B band in original tunes infused with her signature super funky soul grooves (Massive Stride available now on iTunes), she is a featured soloist in the live and recorded versions of Anthony Braxton’s experimental opera Trillium J, a member of both Braxton’s Ghost Trance Choir and Christine Duncan’s The Element Choir, creator of the creative vocal/dance trio celeste, and half of the hip folky duo K Funk and Lady Ree.

SetList
Big Dumb Heart
You For You
The Man Is Optional

Recorded Live inside Girth Radio studios.

Subscribe to Welcome! with Karim Kanji Podcast

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Episode #120: Glynis Ratcliffe

This week Glynis Ratcliffe joined me in studio for a chat. Glynis is a recovering opera singer! We spoke about #metoo, Nora Loreto, and other stuff. What was most interesting was her story about her grandfather’s lost (and found) manuscript!

Listen below:

Girth Radio
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You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS Feed if you’re so inclined.

Recorded live at Girth Radio.
Music by Afraaz Mulji.

Episode #118: Toronto – Chapter 1 – Introduction

Gregg Tilston and Karim Kanji both love Toronto. And maybe they have to because they live here.

Gregg has literally traveled the world but still calls Toronto the best city in the world. Karim has travelled much less and has seen places around the world that “do things better” than Toronto.

What does a day in the life of Gregg (one partner, 2 dogs) and Karim (one partner, one kid) look like? How do they interact with the people and environment around them? How do they interact with the City of Toronto?

This is the first in an ongoing series about life in Toronto. What we love about the city. And what we hate.

Listen below:

Girth Radio
MixCloud 
Apple Podcasts
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TuneIn
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You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS Feed if you’re so inclined.

Recorded live at Girth Radio.
Music by Afraaz Mulji.

If you enjoyed this episode you’ll also like:

3 episodes with former MLSE boss and city builder, Richard Peddie.

 

Image Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uihNiE9JhkM