Best Needles And Pokes Podcasts (2025)

1
Carney's Minority Challenge and Chow's Congestion Gamble 51:46

10d ago51:46

51:46

Now & Next (May 1, 2025) Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Lindsay Broadhead, Anne-Marie Aikins, Bob Reid As the federal election dust settles, Dave Trafford is joined by the NOW and NEXT C.A.S.T (Comms And Strategy Team) to dissect the results, implications, and missed opportunities across Canada’s political landscape. The panel delves into voter behavi…

1
Do Election Debates Move the Needle? 36:47

24d ago36:47

36:47

Now & Next – April 16, 2025 Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Anne-Marie Aikins (AMA Communications) Bob Reid (Broadview Strategy) Lindsay Broadhead (Broadhead Communications) Episode Summary In this episode of Now and Next, Dave Trafford is joined by communications and strategy veterans Anne-Marie Aikins, Bob Reid, and Lindsay Broadhead to assess the ra…

1
Canada Need a WAR-TIME PM: Trust, Tariffs & Trump’s Shadow 48:30

1M ago48:30

48:30

Host: Dave Trafford Guests: Lindsay Broadhead, Bob Reid, Anne-Marie Aikins Episode Summary: On this special Liberation Day edition of Politically Speaking, Dave Trafford convenes his regular comms and strategy roundtable—Lindsay Broadhead, Bob Reid, and Anne-Marie Aikins—to dissect Canada's precarious position in the wake of mounting trade tensions…

1
Carney starts fast Opinion polls show the Canadian federal election is a real horse race! 29:20

2M ago29:20

29:20

Here's the latest from POLITICALLY SPEAKING. We're three days into the federal election campaign in Canada and the latest polling aggregators have seat modelling suggesting Mark Carney's Liberals are in a position to win a strong majority. But hey! It's early yet. One thing we do know is it's shaping up to be a very close race between the Liberals …

1
The WRIT RACE has started. Canadians are going to the polls April 28th 24:26

2M ago24:26

24:26

Welcome to this edition of POLITICALLY SPEAKING! John Wright and Dave Trafford break down the election call in Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney has set April 28, 2025 as Election Day in Canada. AND...Donald Trump and his trade tariffs are THE BALLOT QUESTION. Who can handle Trump? Who can manage the cultural and economic angst of Canadians?…

1
"Look into yourself!" We're headed to the polls in Canada 46:35

2M ago46:35

46:35

This week on Now and Next: It's THE C.A.S.T. - our Comms and Strategy Team: Lindsay Broadhead, Bob Reid, and Anne Marie Aikins. "Elbows Up!" isn't just a cute slogan, it's a posture Canadians are assuming on a number of levels knowing tough times are coming thanks to the stupid antics of the useful idiot and his White House minions. Also, Olivia Ch…

1
Trump says he respects Ford but survey says Canadians aren't all that crazy about the US 15:02

2M ago15:02

15:02

It's my bi-weekly visit to Moore in the Morning on Newstalk 1010 in Toronto! Sitting in on the Roundtable with Paven Bratch, Rowena Santos and host John Moore. Lots of Trump and tariff talk: Trump says he respects Doug Ford as the premier heads to Washington DC (copy below) https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/donald-trump-calls-doug-ford-a-…

1
The Carney Coronation Resets the Federal Liberal Party 53:34

2M ago53:34

53:34

Welcome to POLITICALLY SPEAKING on Now and Next. Former Bank of Canada Governor and self proclaimed political outsider, Mark Carney won't nearly 86% of the vote in his bid to be leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. He set a new tone for the party while setting his sights on CPC Leader Pierre Polievre in anticipation of a soon-to-be-called federal…

1
It will be hard to come back from US betrayal 30:27

3M ago30:27

30:27

Our Canadian Sovereignty is front, centre and focussed as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of our Maple Leaf national flag. So we explore it against the backdrop of the Trump tariffs, Pierre Poilievre's commitment to beefing up our defence in the Far North, and the seriousness of the Annexation rhetoric. Scott Clancy is a retired Major General, ha…

1
Missing Christie Blatchford 31:20

3M ago31:20

31:20

In this episode of Now and Next, we take a moment from the chaos of the news cycle to remember our friend, colleague and competitor Christie Blatchford. Christie passed away five years ago on Feb. 12, 2020. This episode of the pod features an Edward R. Murrow award winning radio documentary called Embedded in Kandahar. It was based on Christie's Go…

1
Our Now and Next C.A.S.T. weighs in on the Ontario WRIT RACE 54:40

3M ago54:40

54:40

We are dropping our DAILY edition of On the Ledge - your Ontario Politics Podcast into the NOW and NEXT feed through the course of the proviincial campaign. We've lined up the Traveling Wilburys SUPER GROUP of political commentators in Ontario to dissect, discuss, analyze and scrutinize this provincial campaign. In this DAILY edition of On the Ledg…

1
What will the NEXT NORMAL look like in 2025? 1:01:31

4M ago1:01:31

1:01:31

We’ve reassembled our NEXT NORMAL Roundtable! The NEXT NORMAL, with David Hardy Lisa Taylor, CCDP and Ujwal Arkalgud, is the first podcast series produced under the Story Studio Network banner. It launched in 2021. It explored the foundational shifts in culture, in politics, education, healthcare, and economics - all forced upon us by the COVID 19 …

1
We head into 2025 facing a Perfect Political Storm in Ottawa and Washington. 53:54

4M ago53:54

53:54

In this episode of 'Now and Next with Dave Trafford' for Wednesday, January 15, 2025, Our C.A.S.T (Comms and Strategy Team), featuring Anne Marie Aikins, Bob Reid, Lindsay Broadhead and Brad Ross, dives into a range of pressing issues. The discussion covers he political turbulence and leadership challenges in Ottawa and Washington, budget concerns …

1
A political bombshell sets the tone for the holidays on Parliament Hill 48:10

5M ago48:10

48:10

Our Now and Next C.A.S.T. (Comms and Strategy Team) weighs in in the chaos ignited on Parliament Hill by the sudden resignation of Finance Minster and Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland. Nobody saw it coming. But the Prime Minister should have expected it - considering he FIRED Freeland from Finance mere days before she was expected to table the Fall Econ…

1
NOW and NEXT LIVE from the PAAC Conference in Toronto 53:23

5M ago53:23

53:23

It's a NOW and NEXT first! Our Comms and Strategy Team (C.A.S.T.) presented this edition of the podcast LIVE at the Public Affairs Association of Canada conference in Toronto. It was held in November at the waterfront campus of George Brown College. We riffed on the emergence of podcasting a powerful weapon in the comms and stategy arsenal for bran…

1
Phil Verster's time as Metrolinx CEO has been an unmitigated, abject disaster for public transit in the GTHA 1:01:22

5M ago1:01:22

1:01:22

This week on NOW and NEXT: Phil Verster has QUIT as CEO of Metrolinx - catching the Ford government by surprise and leaving a litany of of billion dollar transit project in disarray. Not one project has been completed during Verster's leadership. They're running over time and over budget with no clear sign as to when they'll be delivered. And we've…

1
Does it really make sense for pollsters to track "the Black Vote" in America? 44:41

6M ago44:41

44:41

This week on NOW and NEXT: Cliff Young, President of Polling and Societal Trends at Ipsos in the US joins the podcast and breaks down how and why the Democrats got it wrong, the GOP got it right and addresses pollsters' under estimation of Trump's support. LEAVE US A VOICE MESSAGE ABOUT THE SHOW! Let us know what you think. Comment on the discussio…

1
From RFK's Big Mac Order to Southeby's latest offering - it's all BANANAS! 57:18

6M ago57:18

57:18

This week on NOW and NEXT Our C.A.S.T. (Comms and Strategy Team) is here! We go deep on the grassroots ground game that's grooming the political landscape at Toronto City Hall. Was Anthony Furey a victim of a voter suppression campaign or did he just lose the Don Valley West byelection to a well oiled Orange Machine? Donald Trump's photo op with RF…

1
NORAD's former Director of Ops says Trump's re-election makes the world a more dangerous place. 40:43

6M ago40:43

40:43

This week on NOW and NEXT: First, a passion project. I'm producing a benefit concert for St. Clare Inn - transitional housing for homeless women in Toronto who have mental heath challenges. The performance dates are Dec. 20 and 21. Three shows. It's music I wrote for a youth choir over a fifteen year period. Buy tickets or make a donation. http://w…

1
There were nearly 3.5 million visits to Toronto food banks in the last year. 30:39

6M ago30:39

30:39

This week on NOW and NEXT: First, a passion project. I'm producing a benefit concert for St. Clare Inn - transitional housing for homeless women in Toronto who have mental heath challenges. The performance dates are Dec. 20 and 21. Three shows. It's music I wrote for a youth choir over a fifteen year period. Buy tickets or make a donation. http://w…

1
It's TRUMP 2.Oh No! 50:23

6M ago50:23

50:23

The NOW and NEXT C.A.S.T. (our Comms and Strategy Team), weighs in on the historic election win by Donald Trump. The Democrats were too busy trying to "connect" the WRONG dots for voters while Trump played to the concerns that resonated with more than 70 million American voters. Get ready for the MAGA CARTA, (Project 2025). The election result not …

1
CBC President and CEO pours gasoline on the fiery debate over Conservative calls to defund the Corps 55:31

7M ago55:31

55:31

This week on NOW and NEXT: Catherine Tait makes a scorched Earth retreat from her third and final appearance before the parliamentary Heritage Committee in Ottawa. The outgoing CBC President and CEO accused the committee, (mostly the Conservatives at the table), of attempting to "villify" her and the CBC. Our NOW and NEXT C.A.S.T., (Comms And Strat…

1
Taylor Swift helps improve Toronto's infrastructure and META fires staffers who misuse UberEats coupons 1:06:41

7M ago1:06:41

1:06:41

This week on NOW and NEXT: Great to have Barb DiGuilio and Kym Geddes return to the N&N podcast! Barb and Kym riff on the state of NEW media post secondary education programs. Are there any jobs for grads coming out of the broadcast and journalism streams? You might be surprised. Taylor Swift descends on Toronto in a few weeks. She's not just a for…

1
The NEW media strategy for Kamala Harris and Justin Trudeau 54:54

7M ago54:54

54:54

This week on NOW and NEXT: We make the final turn in the Race for the White House and VP Kamala Harris does a 60 Minutes sit down on CBS but causes more of a buzz by appearing on the Call Her Daddy podcast with Alex Cooper. At least, it excited her base. At best, it added to the base on the margins. And in a race that will come down to a hand full …

1
Big changes at CFRB fifteen years ago! 52:36

7M ago52:36

52:36

This week on NOW and NEXT: By accident or design I stumbled across an old mp3 file. It's a recording of the final episode of Toronto at Noon - a radio show I hosted and co-produced on 1010 AM CFRB in Toronto at - you guessed it - Noon! That show aired fifteen years ago this week, (as we post this edition of NOW and NEXT). And it reminded me of just…

1
The Middle East is on the "brink of an imminent catastrophe" 28:34

8M ago28:34

28:34

Today on NOW and NEXT: We are joined by (Ret) RCAF Major-General and former NORAD Director of Operations Scott Clancy and Phil Gurski, President and CEO Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting and former Strategic Analyst at C-SIS. As we record this episode, it is the deadliest day of bombardment in Lebannon in nearly thirty years as Israel and Hezboll…

1
Trudeau and Singh hit the skids. How soon will they hit the hustings? 35:21

8M ago35:21

35:21

This week on NOW and NEXT It has been a Summer of Discontent for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his federanl Liberals. Now that NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has ripped up their "Supply and Confidence" deal, are the Liberals facing a Fall of Despair? Our INSIGHTS team is a gathered around the table to sift through the political entrails and the four …

1
Trump blew the debate but will that move the needle for Harris? 22:34

8M ago22:34

22:34

Today on NOW and NEXT: It was billed as the most consequential Presidential Debate in more than a generation. Although, it's arguable, the Biden vs. Trump tilt in June might have taken top spot when you consider President Biden's free fall from grace as the presumptive Democratic nominee. Okay, let's call it a toss up. Either way, the September 10t…

1
After one year on the job, how does Mayor Olivia Chow score on her first annual report card? 49:22

10M ago49:22

49:22

This week on Now and Next: Lindsay Broadhead, Bob Reid, Anne Marie Aikins and Brad Ross are around the table. These wizards of words are comms pros who've spent a good deal of their careers in and around Toronto City Hall. So who better to assess Olivia Chow's first year in the Mayor's Chair in Toronto? The consensus is: "Mayor Chow gets along well…

1
The last 30 days of the US Presidential Campaign played out like a Netflix series - written and performed in real time. 45:20

10M ago45:20

45:20

This week on Now and Next: It's been a month to the day since Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump. Today, with 101 days until election day, there's been a seismic change in the poltical landscape. We're joined by David Shultz, professor of political science and US constitutional law at Hamline University, and John Wright,…

1
Trump walks away from a bullet. Biden's stopped by COVID 34:45

10M ago34:45

34:45

This week on Now and Next: (We recorded the show a couple of hours BEFORE President Joe Biden was forced to pause his campaign after testing positive for COVID-19) Our Comms Crew, Bob Reid, Anne Marie Aikins, Brad Ross and Lindsay Broadhead join the show to disect the latest in the US Presidential election. They offer up first reactions to the atte…

1
BONUS: Why would it make sense for Justin Trudeau to fire Chrystia Freeland? 13:06

10M ago13:06

13:06

In this BONUS episode of Now and Next: I was inspired to post this BONUS edition after listening to the latest episode of The Line, a podcast hosted and produced by Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney. They discuss reporting by the Globe and Mail suggesting staffers in the PMO don't think Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland is managing the Liberal government's mess…

1
PM Trudeau's NATO commitment is meaningless. It's just another announcement. 19:32

10M ago19:32

19:32

This week on Now and Next: The NATO Summit has wrapped up in Washington D.C. and Canada’s defence spending was a more than touchy subject. House Majority Leader Mike Johnson called Canada's lack of commitment "shameful". The minimum contribution for NATO members is 2% of GDP. Canada spends less than 1.4%. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadian…

1
Going down with the political ship! Biden and Trudeau are headed for the iceberg. 57:08

10M ago57:08

57:08

This week on Now and Next: Lindsay Broadhead, Brad Ross, Anne Marie Aikins and Bob Reid join the roundtable. Calls for US President Joe Biden haven't slowed down. In fact, they're heating up a week after his disastrous debate performance. Justin Trudeau says he's "listening" to Canadians after his party's devastating defeat in the Toronto-St. Paul'…

1
It's too late for "the walk in the snow". Liberals are wandering in the wilderness with or without Trudeau. 31:08

11M ago31:08

31:08

This week on Now and Next: David Coletto, CEO and Founder of Abacus Data, joins the podcast to analyze the results from the By-election in the federal riding of St. Paul's. He says there's no way to consider this outcome as anything other than a crushing, if not shocking result from the Trudeau government. The Conservatives won the mid-town Toronto…

1
Calgary's water crisis is a #PoliticalFail. Toronto wilfully ignores history. And the federal capital gains tax prevents unwanted pregnancy. 53:43

11M ago53:43

53:43

This week on Now and Next - Story Studio Network's flagship podcast Our comms crew assembles! Lindsay Broadhead, Brad Ross, Anne Marie Aikins and Bob Reid join Dave Trafford at the Now and Next table to go hard and deep on stories that need more than just headlines. Calgary's water main break was predictable and preventable. But city council's wilf…

1
Russian cruise missiles are within range of Toronto as US allies ponder preparations for the possibility of a second Trump presidency 44:38

11M ago44:38

44:38

This week on Now and Next: The Russian Navy is parked mere miles off the coast of Florida. A frigate, a nuclear-powered submarine, an oil tanker and a rescue tug arrived in Havana harbour on June 12. RCAF veteran, retired Major General Scott Clancy - Leader, Author, Speaker, Mentor, Coach has a unique perspective on this. He served as Director of O…

1
Toronto couldn't afford a TTC Strike. Can the city afford a settlement? 48:51

11M ago48:51

48:51

This week on Now and Next: Our Comms Crew is assembled. Brad Ross spent a good portion of his comms career working for the TTC. Anne Marie Aikins has just recently retired from the provincial transit overlord - Metrolinx. And Lindsay Broadhead is the former Comms Chief at the City of Toronto. They all agree, a TTC strike would be sheer chaos for co…

1
Super Heroes make all of us stronger. We hear Quisha Wint's experience as a live organ donor. 37:58

12M ago37:58

37:58

This week on Now and Next: We explore Music, Recovery, and Community with musician, singer, songwriter Quisha Wint. Quisha is "one of Toronto’s sought-after session vocalists, currently living in the GTA, Quisha is a rising star in the tight-knit music industry thanks to her bright personality and strong emotive vocal abilities." But she's also a l…

1
Are we commoditizing cancer as a form of entertainment? 41:03

12M ago41:03

41:03

This week on Now and Next: Our veteran comms crew is back at the table! Lindsay Broadhead, Bob Reid, Anne Marie Aikins and Brad Ross join SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford. The series finale of The Good Doctor sparked a spirited conversation about the commoditization of cancer by big network, prime time television dramas. We've culturally …

1
We need to teach our kids the value of failure 47:37

12M ago47:37

47:37

This week on Now and Next: Rocco Rossi is the inaugural President and CEO of Shift 25 - a new movement "cultivate a BOLD and thriving Canada - teaching our kids "every failure is just feedback on the way to success." And Keith Currie, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture joins us to talk about the challenge of balancig the need for f…

1
Is the Toronto Police Service facing an integrity crisis? 41:37

1y ago41:37

41:37

This week on NOW and NEXT: We're excited to introduce an All-Star Roundtable including Lindsay Broadhead, Brad Ross, Anne Marie Aikins, and Bob Reid. They're all veteran Comms pros and they bring their considerable collective experience in war rooms, boardrooms, behind private and public sector podiums. In our inaugural sitdown: The Toronto Police …

1
The time has come to talk seriously about a Basic Guaranteed Income 32:37

1y ago32:37

32:37

This week on NOW and NEXT: We're joined by Sheila Regehr, Chair of Basic Income Network Canada and Jessie Golem, who is part of a class action lawsuit seeking $200 million in damages from the Ontario government. The lawsuit claims the government breached terms and conditions of a contract it entered with 4,000 low income Ontarians who qualified for…

1
What are we looking for in a Prime Minister? 39:05

1y ago39:05

39:05

This week on Now and Next: Abacus Data CEO David Coletto joins us to talk about his latest research. He wanted to know what Canadians are looking for in a prime minister. David says, "In our survey, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reigns as the premier party host, which might not come as a surprise given his charismatic and sociable public persona. H…

1
Has the Trudeau government weaponized poverty? 57:28

1y ago57:28

57:28

This week on NOW and NEXT: We go deep on two line items in the the federal budget. Legislated poverty is now a nationally funded program. The 2024 Trudeau budget threw pocket change at the Canada Disability Benefit and, in so doing, managed to add to the $80 billion annual cost of poverty in this country. The government's refusal to fully fund the …

1
The paper bag discussion at the LCBO misses the point - ENTIRELY! 43:21

1y ago43:21

43:21

This week on Now and Next: The Ford government in Ontario is patting itself on the back for forcing the Liquor Control Board of Ontario to reversing a ban on paper bags. The LCBO made the move in August 2023, claiming it was an environmental initiative aimed at saving our forests. Premier Ford says it's a matter of affordability for Ontarians. But …

1
Will the US be a more dangerous place if Donald Trump wins or if he loses in November? 37:45

1y ago37:45

37:45

We are seven months from election day in the United States and its outcome could prove to be the most significant since Abraham Lincoln was elected with less than 40% of the popular vote in 1860. Lincoln’s election is cited as the primary cause that triggered the US Civil War. With that in mind we ask the question: Will the United States be a safer…

1
Remembering the Honourable Roy McMurtry 37:42

1y ago37:42

37:42

In this episode of NOW and NEXT: A funeral was held this week for Roy McMurtry, the former Chief Justice of Ontario and Ontario's Attorney General in Bill Davis' government at Queen's Park. McMurtry at the age of 91 on March 18, 2024. I had the chance to interview the Chief Justice when he retired from the bench in 2007. We replay that sit down for…

1
Can we achieve Truth and Reconciliation in the Mining Industry? 53:31

1y ago53:31

53:31

This week on NOW and NEXT: We explore truth and reconciliation in the mining industry. It's a critical issue, especially when you consider how much mining in Canada is done on the traditional lands and territories of First Nations right across the country. Brandon Ringham, from Creative Fire, sat down with us at the PDAC confernece in Toronto. We'r…

1
Did Ottawa get it right with the Online Harm bill? 43:39

1y ago43:39

43:39

Today on NOW and NEXT: It's been a LONG TIME coming but the feds have finally tabled their legislation aimed at curbing online harm. That includes new measures to deal with hate speech and puts a major onus on the big tech companies to take responsibility for content posted on their platforms. Owen Charters is the President and CEO at BGC Canada. H…

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