Tag Archives: politics

Mike Dancy on Running for Brampton Council

mike dancy
mike dancy

I’ve known Mike for quite some time. He’s a stand up guy who lives in Brampton and cares about his community.

When asked by the Brampton Guardian who he wanted to run this is what he said, “Originally, I decided to run since the incumbent, Pat Fortini, was running unopposed. Everyone needs a choice and I put my name in so that people would have an option. Once I realized what a regional councillor could do with helping people, I decided that I was going to put 110 per cent into this campaign.”

This was Mike’s first time running for public office. So I thought I’d ask him on what lessons he learned. Hope you enjoy this conversation.

Photo from Brampton Guardian.

This is Episode #274 of the Welcome! podcast.

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Councillor Michael Thompson

My next guest, like yours truly, is a graduate of Scarborough’s Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate Institute. He is a long time resident of Scarborough who has assisted in the creation of the Wexford Heights Business Improvement Area and the popular Taste of Lawrence Avenue East Festival.

Now in his fifth term at Toronto’s city hall, my next guest helped to create the first ever TTC transit strategy for Scarborough, was the first chair of Toronto’s Music Advisory Committee and has been the recipient of many awards.

Please welcome to the show, Councillor Michael Thompson.

This is Episode #162 of the Welcome! podcast.

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councillor michael thompson and karim kanji

 

 

 

 

The Impact of Technology and Media on the Upcoming Federal Election

The impact of technology and media on the upcoming federal election. This title may b fake news. At the very least it’s most likely misleading. In the end it’s 100% manipulated content. Or is it?

Here’s what you’ll actually learn: What you need to learn about how to inform yourself, your family and friends on the real issues in advance of the Canadian federal election.

This is Episode #161 of the Welcome! podcast.

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Gregg Tilston is a VP at Iron Gate Wine, speaker, investor and podcaster.

Ari Shapiro is a podcaster and digital publisher at AriShapiro.ca.

Dan Speerin is an original YouTuber, former host of Young Turks Network and political and media commentator.

Politics in 2018 and 2019

Our next guest is a strategic leader in government relations, public policy and communications disciplines. Our guest joined Karim Kanji and Gregg Tilston in studio to chat about local, provincial and national politics in 2018 and what we can expect in 2019.

This is Episode #154 of the Welcome! podcast. Politics in Canada, many will argue, is boring. 2018 may have changed all that. One needs to look no further than this past year’s Ontario election.

According to most observers Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals had run out of time. Patrick Brown’s Progressive Conservatives were poised to take power. Then everything changed.

Brown resigned after allegations of sexual misconduct. Brown came back to run only to drop out and throw his hat into the ring for chair of the Region of Peel.

But then Doug Ford won the Progressive Conservative leadership and eventually became premier of Ontario.

Ford would cut the size of Toronto’s government and even scraped the Region of Peel chair. This would force Patrick Brown to run municipally in Brampton against an incumbent. And Brown won.

Our guest is one of Toronto’s most sought after political commentators. He joined us in studio to help all of us make sense of this and everything else that happened in 2018 in politics. He also gave us his insights on what to expect in 2019.

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Dai Williams: Women Win Toronto

Dai Williams is the Interim Co-chair and Communications Lead for Women Win Toronto. Women Win Toronto is a Toronto-based organization dedicated to train and prepare women from diverse backgrounds (including trans and gender non-conforming individuals) to run winning campaigns for the 2018 Toronto municipal election. Visit them at http://womenwinto.ca/

This is episode #142  of the Welcome! podcast.

Here are some of the things we discussed with Dai Williams:

  • What Women Win Toronto is
  • What Dai Williams does with Women Win Toronto
  • How Dai became involved in local politics and why she’s passionate about her work with Women Win Toronto and other initiatives
  • Women In Toronto Politics
  • Social Media Lead for #SnapTheBudget
  • Social Media Lead for Ontario Thrive
  • Why Faith Goldy wouldn’t meet the criteria for getting accepted into Women Win Toronto

Listen below:

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Closing music by Afraaz Mulji.

This episode was taped at Girth Radio studios inside the Pacific Junction Hotel bar in Toronto.

If you liked this episode you will also like these:

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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Music by Afraaz Mulji.

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

Sarah Climenhaga: Toronto Mayoral Candidate Discusses 2018 Ontario Election Results

Sarah Climenhaga joined co-hosts Karim Kanji and Gregg Tilston inside the studio this past week to discuss the 2018 Ontario Election results and its potential impact on the city of Toronto.

This is Episode  #3 of the Toronto The Podcast and Episode #130 of Welcome!

Here are some of the things we discussed:

  • Why Sarah Cimenhaga does not think that the city of Toronto is as divided as the election results seemed to point out.
  • The many reasons why she is running for the office of the Mayor of Toronto.
  • Gregg Tilston is obsessed with Doug Ford’s “Buck A Beer” election promise.
  • How Sarah Climenhaga would work with Doug Ford should she be elected as Toronto’s next mayor.
  • Sarah Climenhaga’s candid thoughts on the strong mayoral system as advocated by Doug Ford.
  • Why Sarah Climenhaga thinks the King Streetcar project has been successful and what she would do to improve the experience of drivers.
  • Karim Kanji argues why the $0.10 reduction in gas prices will do everything to increase drivers and cars on the road, decrease the use of public transit, lower the revenues available to the Ontario government, decrease the chances of continued and/or increased investment (including ongoing service and maintenance) in public transit in both Ontario and Toronto.
  • Sarah Climenhaga’s thoughts on affordable housing, affordable child care, the environment, equity, civic engagement and so much more!

Listen below:

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Recorded live at Girth Radio.

Music by Afraaz Mulji.

If you liked this episode you will also like:

Episode #128: 2018 Ontario Election Primer with Dan Speerin

 

2018 Ontario Election Primer with Dan Speerin

The 2018 Ontario Election is now upon us. Believe it. Dan Speerin joined me inside Pacific Junction Hotel’s Girth Radio studio to talk everything you always wanted to know about next week’s Ontario election but were too afraid to ask.

Listen to this episode before you vote on June 7th.

This is Episode #128.

Here are some of the things we discussed:

  • The history of how Patrick Brown was parachuted in Barrie to begin his political career.
  • How the 2018 Ontario Election was Patrick Brown’s to lose until…well, we all know what happened.
  • Doug Ford’s hijacking of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party.
  • What actually happened between Doug Ford having an insurmountable lead in all polls to being in a virtual tie with Andrea Horwath’s New Democratic Party of Ontario.
  • The reasons why Doug Ford hasn’t released the costs of his 2018 Ontario election platform.
  • Why the Ontario Liberal Party and Kathleen Wynne are so unpopular in Ontario.
  • Will millennials turn out on June 7th to vote for Andrea Horwath’s New Democratic Party?
  • The role of the Ontario Proud Facebook page and how it has over played it’s own importance in the 2018 Ontario Election.
  • The role of the mainstream media bias and how that is creating false narratives for and against all the major political parties in the 2018 Ontario Election.
  • Stay tuned until the very end. Dan Speerin tells all our listeners who we should NOT vote for next Tuesday in the 2018 Ontario Election.

Listen below:

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Recorded live at Girth Radio.

Music by Afraaz Mulji. 

If you liked this episode you will also like:

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.

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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

 

Episode #107: Marc Weisblott

Marc Weisblott of Toronto’s 12:36 newsletter stops by Pacific Junction Hotel’s Girth Radio again.

We talk Facebook, Jordan Peterson, Rick Mehta, King Street shenanigans and…RELIGION!

Recorded live at Girth Radio.

Listen below:

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