Shows
On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcast"Routine Audit" of SDF Recipient leads to an OPP inquiryHost: Dave TraffordGuests:• Tim Hudak – Partner, Counsel Public Affairs; former Ontario PC Leader• Keith Leslie – Political Commentator, CH Television• Kathleen Wynne – Former Premier of OntarioOn this week’s episode of On the Ledge, Dave Trafford and the panel dig into what was supposed to be a quiet off-week at Queen’s Park — only to discover a flood of political controversies and policy battles.The conversation begins with birthday celebrations for Neil Young and Trafford’s grandson, before pivoting to the expanding scandal tied to the Skills Development Fund. The panel dissects the provinc...
2025-11-1357 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastBonnie Crombie Quits as Ontario Liberal Leader. Now what?What’s Next for the Ontario Liberal Party After Bonnie Crombie’s Resignation?Bonnie Crombie resigns after a failed leadership review. On The Ledge panel asks: why did she step down, and who will lead the Ontario Liberals next?In this bonus episode of On The Ledge – your Ontario politics podcast makes a special appearance on Newstalk 1010 with Moore in the Morning.OTL Host Dave Trafford, former Premier Kathleen Wynne and former PC leader Tim Hudak, join John Moore to analyze what happened at the Ontario Liberal Party’s AGM, what the failing leadersh...
2025-09-1710 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastFord Fast Tracks First Nations ShowdownOn the Ledge - June 5, 2025Host: Dave TraffordGuests: Tim Hudak, Kathleen Wynne, John Wright, Keith LeslieThis week on On the Ledge, Dave Trafford and the panel dive deep into the fallout and implications of Ontario’s controversial Bill 5. With the legislature on summer break, the political temperature rises over Indigenous consultation, environmental oversight, and the Ford government’s legislative tactics.The conversation also ranges from pay raises and pensions for MPPs to the expectations around Mark Carney’s national leadership and the looming threat of Trump-era tariffs on Canadian steel. A though...
2025-06-0555 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastFrom Mines to Medicine - The Political Storm Over Bill 5 and Ontario’s Doctor CrisisShow Notes for On the Ledge – May 29, 2025Host: Dave TraffordGuests: Tim Hudak, Kathleen Wynne, Keith Leslie, John WrightEpisode Summary:This week on On the Ledge, host Dave Trafford and the panel dive deep into Ontario’s Bill 5 and the mounting controversy surrounding its scope, timing, and lack of consultation—particularly with Indigenous communities. Kathleen Wynne calls it “a mess of this government’s own making,” while Tim Hudak views the push as necessary to unlock Ontario’s resource potential and economic resilience.The conversation also pivots to school board reforms, raising questions abou...
2025-05-311h 04On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastPoilievre’s Pivot and the Polling Mirage - Inside Canada’s Election PulseIt must be Thursday! We're dealing with another round of tariff chaos courtesy of the Useful Idiot.On the Ledge : April 10, 2025Host: Dave TraffordGuests: Kathleen Wynne, Keith Leslie, John Wright, Tim HudakIn this wide-ranging episode of On the Ledge, Dave Trafford and the panel dig into the volatile tariff landscape shaped by U.S. trade moves, its ripple effects on Canada, and how political leaders are responding.Broadcasting from Iqaluit, Trafford also introduces a new Arctic-focused podcast, The Arctic Edge.Meanwhile, the...
2025-04-1152 min
NOW and NEXTExcited to introduce the newest Trafford and introduce a new show from Story Studio NetworkToday on NOW and NEXT:It's been a busy couple of days as we welcomed the newest member of the Trafford clan to the world. Elliot David Trafford joined humanity Monday evening and was the centre of all of our attention Tuesday, (so, I'm late posting this episode!)Our first visit was wonderful and fun to see Elliot meet his big brother James.Also in this episode, we talk to Susan Larkin, COO at Look Good Feel Better. It's a mission driven not-for-profit that provides personal, communit and emotional support to those being treated...
2023-10-0438 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastDoes Doug Ford really want to pick a fight with Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie?The OTL gang is assembled! Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion, Sabrina Nanji, Publisher and Editor of the Queen’s Park Observer and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:Premier Doug Ford tells Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie to stop whining and be a good partner! (At least he didn’t tell her to stick to her knitting).Ford goes off on a rant over Crombie’s opposition to Queen’s Park’s plan to eliminate Developer Charges as a means of incentivizing developers to build more...
2022-12-0935 min
NOW and NEXT[FRIDAY BONUS] Head for the Hills with Glenn Crouter and Dave TraffordHead for the Hills is back! As ski season returns, Glenn Crouter and Dave Trafford welcome it in with open arms (and mitts), then chat with Robert Huter (GM/owner of Mount St. Louis Moonstone ski resort) about surviving through the pandemic, and what's in store for this season and the future.Head for the Hills is sponsored by our friends at ewool. Check out their offerings at ewool.comYou can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn...
2022-12-0917 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOntario's Auditor General is the Auditor Gotcha!OTL SHOW NOTESThe OTL gang is assembled! Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion, Sabrina Nanji, Publisher and Editor of the Queen’s Park Observer and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:Why do we even listen to Bonnie Lysyk? Sure, the annual Auditor General’s report makes for great headlines. So, what?John Wright says the AG report is nothing better than clickbait.Toronto Star Investigative reporter Kevin Donovan has had more effect on holding governments accountable than all of L...
2022-12-0238 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastUmm...Where's Doug Ford? Anyone?The OTL gang is assembled! Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion, Sabrina Nanji, Publisher and Editor of the Queen’s Park Observer and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:Ontario’s premier has been AWOL this past week, skipping out on Question Period, failing to attend the Order of Ontario ceremony and ghosted Ottawa’s newly elected Mayor Mark Suttcliffe.Could the average Ontarian pick the Health Minister out of a line-up? Sylvia Jones is proving to be a complete failure while the hospital and healthcare system...
2022-11-2528 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOntario's Health Minister has the nerve to tell us everything's under control?The OTL gang is assembled! Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion, Sabrina Nanji, Publisher and Editor of the Queen’s Park Observer and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:CUPE and the province go down to the wire hammering out a contract for support workers.If Ford Nation is all about taking care of the Children, where are they on the overwhelmed paediatric wards?The Health Minister has the gall to think we'll believe she had a plan all along to deal with the pressures.
2022-11-2137 minNOW and NEXTCanada's Health Ministers Fail to Get a Grip on the Healthcare CrisisOntario health officials are asking us to wear masks; Turns out Hockey Canada wasn’t very honest; Who’s Hungry? Probably your neighbour.Time Codes: 02:00 - Pathway to the Stars was a huge succes07:44 - Ontario's weak-kneed suggesting we mask up again.09:27 - Canada's health ministers FAIL to get grip on the healthcare crisis.10:22 - Premiers say they need more cash for healthcare. Feds want to know it's being effectively spent.14:23 - Get MAD! Dave can't be mad for all of you!!18:02 - Hockey Canada CEO was lose with the facts at Parliamentary committee hearing.20:30 - Tim...
2022-11-1440 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastTaking a break from politics to RememberThe OTL gang is assembled! Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion, Sabrina Nanji, Publisher and Editor of the Queen’s Park Observer and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:It’s Remembrance Day in Canada - November 11th.We take time to reflect on the service and sacrifice of our military and their families.AND, we are featuring an archived presentation of Embedded in Kandahar - a radio documentary Dave Trafford produced with the late Christie Blatchford. The show is based on Christie’s Governor Genera...
2022-11-1122 min
NOW and NEXT[SPECIAL] The Avro Arrow LegacyThe final installment of our Special Series - Pathway to the Stars in partnership with the Royal Canadian Air Force Foundation. If you've been enjoying this special podcast drop, please consider checking out rcaffoundation.ca to explore more of what the foundation is doing to preserve and celebrate Canadian aeronautic and aviation history. Today's episode focuses squarely on one of Canada's continuing fascinations - The Avro Arrow.The Cold War story that continues to fascinate Canadians. What if the Avro Arrow program hadn’t been canceled? What did Avro contribute to innovation and the economy? Will Canada ev...
2022-11-1023 minNOW and NEXT[SPECIAL] The Sky's No Limit - Women in AviationJoin us for Part 3 of our Special Series this week - Pathway to the Stars. Over the course of November 7th-November 10th, 2022, we are exploring four stories of Canadian aviation innovation and history in partnership with the Royal Canadian Air Force Foundation. Today, we turn our storytelling lens on Women in Aviation.Brianna Ricketts holds Canada’s record for youngest solo flight by a female pilot. But did you know, 30% of Canada’s 2700 Air Cadets are women? We explore the contributions and continuing story of Canada’s young women pilots who are shaping the future of Canada’s aviati...
2022-11-0925 minNOW and NEXT[SPECIAL] The Amelia Earhart Toronto connectionJoin us for Part 2 in our Special Series this week - Pathway to the Stars.In this 4-part series, we explore some of the stories that are uniquely rooted in the history of the Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian aviation.Welcome to Pathway to the Stars in partnership with the RCAF Foundation.Amelia Earhart is one of the best known women in aviation in the world, but most have no idea she has deep roots in Toronto. In fact, some say a Toronto woman was the last person to ever hear Earhart over a shortwave radio.
2022-11-0821 minNOW and NEXT[SPECIAL] Who was William Barker? Canada's most decorated servicemanAs we approach Remembrance Day, November 11th, here in Canada, we are called upon to acknowledge and honour the years of service our veterans have afforded this country and the sacrifices they made, often with their lives, to fulfill their mission of securing our borders and safety around the world.But it’s also an opportunity to celebrate the rich history of this country that has informed and shaped our culture, our national identity and our place in the world.In this special SSN series, we endeavor to explore some of the stories that are uniquely rooted in th...
2022-11-0730 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastCUPE's illegal strike responds to illegal legislation at Queen's ParkThe OTL gang is assembled! Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion, Sabrina Nanji, Publisher and Editor of the Queen’s Park Observer and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:Ford Nation may have won the battle, forcing a contract on education workers but what kind of war has begun?Has Ontario's use of the Notwithstanding Clause pushed Canada towards a constitutional crisis?This is the third time the Ford government has used the Notwithstanding clause to push legislation. In this case, it’s clearly contrary to t...
2022-11-0436 minNOW and NEXTThe National Post would have you believe an "activist" Supreme Court of Canada justifies Ontario's use of the Notwithstanding Clause (WARNINThe National Post would have you believe an “activist” Supreme Court of Canada is to blame for the Education standoff in Ontario. The Post conveniently left out important details to make the "story" fit an editorial agenda. (F-bomb's were dropped in the recording of this podcast:What do Sean Hannity and Jake Tapper have in common. They're doing the same Prime Time cable show. Omar Sachedina’s documentary on CTV may tell us more about the network than his mother’s expulsion from Uganda 50 years ago.Time Codes:02:45 - Supreme Court goes rogue? (Spoiler alert: not really)
2022-11-0335 minNOW and NEXTQuebec MNAs balk at swearing an oath to King Charles.Quebec MNAs must swear an oath to the King if they want to sit in the National Assembly; Want a blue check mark on Twitter? There’s a price for that; Time to HIT GO!Time Codes:01:44 - What do you want to learn more about when it comes to poverty and hunger?04:48 - Should Quebec MNAs be forced to swear an oath to King Charles lll?07:07 - Could Francois Legault be the smartest politicians in Canada?12:53 - Erin thinks Legault and Elon Musk are both "evil geniuses"!13:20 - Who's going to pay $8/month to subscribe to Twit...
2022-11-0234 minNOW and NEXTDoes Ford Nation think Ontario education unions will walk quietly into the night?The Ford government is passing legislation to force a contract on education workers. The education minister says the province is prepared to invoke the Notwithstanding clause to make it stick. How does anyone think this leads to harmony in the schools?Will British Columbia’s new plan to pay family doctors work? And you asked what you can to do make a difference when it comes to poverty. We have the answer.Time Codes:01:47 - Negotiating in the media is never a good idea03:36 - What’s the end game with the CUPE battle? Anybody?...
2022-11-0139 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastWill Ford get an easier ride on the housing file with Horwath, Del Duca, Brown and Tory in the Mayors' chairs?The OTL gang is assembled! Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion, Sabrina Nanji, Publisher and Editor of the Queen’s Park Observer and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:Horwath, Del Duca, Brown, Tory and Crombie are likely to help Ford Nation move quickly on the affordable housing file.The province has a surplus! Good for taxpayers. Bad for Ford.What is Ford thinking by refusing to testify at the federal inquiry in the use of the Emergencies Act?We need to issue a BO...
2022-10-2932 minNOW and NEXTWe need a Food Security Emergency Act!Staggering new numbers about how many Canadians go hungry every day; The latest numbers from Food Banks Canada suggest there were 1.5 million food bank vists in March of 2022. New resaerch from the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto make it clear, food bank visits are a real time economic indicator. So, why are governments ignoring them?And there are low hanging solutions to ease stress on our healthcare system. HINT: It doesn't mean spending more money.Time Codes: 03:55 - Food bank stats aren’t going to improve05:41 - A note on the media reporting new food bank usa...
2022-10-2734 minNOW and NEXTVoter turnout for municipal elections in Ontario is BRUTAL!John Tory is just one among a number of other former provincial party leaders running cities in the GTHA; Doug Ford doesn’t want to testify at the emergencies act inquiry; Has Kanye finally ticked everybody off?Time Codes:04:09 - Toronto’s growing complaints04:50 - Will this be a legacy term for Toronto’s Mayor John Tory?05:35 - How many people voted in Toronto on Monday? (spoiler: not many)09:57 - What's Doug Ford's thinking by fighting a summons to appear before the inquiry into the use of the Emergencies Act in response to the Freedom Convoy occupa...
2022-10-2533 minNOW and NEXTIt's Municipal Election Day in Ontario; Phishing scams are pretty sneaky; and Rishi Sunak will be the next UK PMDescriptionIt’s (municipal) voting day in Ontario. How bad will turnout be? Phishing scams via text are on the rise (and this newest one is timely!) And Liz Truss is out as Britain’s PM. That was fast!Time Codes:01:51 - Dave’s worried about voter turnout.05:27 - Brampton’s got a last minute election worker staffing issue. (And they saw it coming).08:34 - Dave got his carbon tax rebate cheque! Celebrate!11:54 - Erin thought the CRA was scamming her.16:24 - "Human Hand Grenade" Liz Truss can say her term as UK PM spanned...
2022-10-2425 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastWhat? CUPE's demanding a 50% increase for Education workers in Ontario? Stephen Lecce says so.The OTL gang is assembled! Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion, Sabrina Nanji, Publisher and Editor of the Queen’s Park Observer and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:The Ford government is prepared to cough up $365 million to parents of school kids while telling education workers the government doesn’t have enough money to meet contract demands.So much for not negotiating in the media. Education Minister Stephen Lecce tells Newstalk 1010, the CUPE demands amount to a nearly 50% increase.Will the threat of strikes lead...
2022-10-2133 minNOW and NEXTDo you know who's running in your municipal election? Danielle Smith needs to template her apology statements; Olympian slams Hockey CanadaEngaged voters struggle to find information about municipal candidates; Who’s running Danielle Smith’s communications strategy? Olympian Katie Weatherston rips Hockey Canada for crappy financial support following her concussion.Time Codes:02:07 - Who’s running for municipal office in Mississauga? Great question.05:47 - Did Becky find information on who’s running in Fort Erie?08:18 - What should potential candidates have to do in order to apply?14:57 - Being over-exposed in the media is a problem.28:43 - Today on the brief with Dave…Jennie Worden - first time municipal candidate in Toronto’s Beaches-East York Ward.
2022-10-2037 minNOW and NEXTWho quits first? Danielle Smith's caucus or her staff? And kudos to CTV Ottawa for their no-frill reporting!Alberta Premier Danielle Smith just keeps talking and not apologizing; Was the $54 Million on the ArriveCan App money well spent? How to report on grocery billsTime Codes:02:11 - Happy Birthday Piper04:57 - Who will quit first? Danielle Smith's caucus or her staff?08:11 - Did we just stumble across a genius business idea?13:23 - Do we need a committee hearing to look into ArriveCan App’s exploding price tag?22:50 - Today on the Brief with Dave, Tim Hudak, CEO of the Ontario Real Estate Association on the state of real estate markets.32:35 - Dave give...
2022-10-1937 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe contract dance continues between the province and education workers; Is it time to eliminate School Boards?Where is the Health Minister?The OTL gang is assembled! Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:Is there room for optimism in the education contract talks?Is it time to declare education an essential service?John Wright admits he’s not a Mathlete!Where is the Health Minister? Latest numbers say hospital wait times are up across the province..Newsrooms are dropping the ball when it comes to reporting on Queen’s Park!Does Alberta Premier Danielle Smith get a mull...
2022-10-1447 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastPoll says most Ontarians overwhelmingly think Ford Nation is mishandling healthcare, LTC and housingThe OTL gang is assembled! Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:Quebec re-elects Legault and the UCP in Alberta chooses Danielle Smith to succeed Jason Kenney and the province’s premier designate.It puts pressure on federal-provincial relations. Is Trudeau up to the task?An Angus Reid survey says Ontarians “overwhelmingly” say Ford Nation is mishandling the healthcare, LTC, and housing files four months into the PC’s second mandate.More than 20% of municipal election races are over. A...
2022-10-0737 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastWhy do we still have dozens of Boil-Water orders in First Nations communities on this Day for Truth and Reconciliation?The OTL gang is assembled! Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:We mark the second annual Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and the truth is dozens of First Nations communities in Ontario remain under boil-water orders.We hear from Sol Mamakwa, MPP for the riding of Kiiwetinoog in Northwestern Ontario. One of the communities in his riding has been under a boil-water order for 28 years!Keith and John get into a spirited debate over claims that nuclear energy...
2022-09-3033 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastFord's approval rating drops four percentage points. Should he worry?The OTL gang is assembled! Sabrina Nanji from the Queen's Park Observer, Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:It's not debatable but we talk to Keith from his vantage point in Nova Scotia on his preparation plans as Fione bears down on NS, PEI and NL.The latest Angus Reid survey suggests Doug Ford’s approval rating has dipped four-percentage points settling in around 41%. John Wright says Ford Nation has nothing to worry about. Keith is surprised it isn’t lo...
2022-09-2335 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastFord Nation shuts down the legislature for 7 weeks?!!The OTL gang is assembled! Sabrina Nanji from the Queen's Park Observer, Keith Leslie at CHCH-TV, John Wright SVP Maru Public Opinion and SSN Chief Executive Producer Dave Trafford are around the table.In this episode:MPP's barely got back to business at Queen's Park and the Ford government has adjourned the legislature until AFTER municipal elections on October 24th.The “More Beds, Better Care Act" is a complete misnomer and does nothing to solve the long term problems in long term care.Barrie Mayor, Jeff Lehman says he's considering a bid for the Ontario Liberal le...
2022-09-1633 min
NOW and NEXTWelcome to NOW and NEXTStory Studio Network CEO, Erin Trafford is in studio today to talk about our new venture - NOW & NEXT. It's the rebrand, relaunch of The Daily Brief with Dave Trafford.Erin and Dave will co-host the show, highlighting the three news stories of the day that are most likely to affect you and your family, you and your business, you and your future.The Daily Brief will be a featured segment of the show, exploring the big issues and big ideas driving culture, the economy and politics.NOW & NEXT officially launches Monday, September 12th, 2022. No need to...
2022-09-0723 minNOW and NEXTWe're BACK and we've got some news for youHope you enjoyed what was a glorious summer in this part of the world! With the unofficial turn towards Autumn, we're launching a raft of new shows at Story Studio Network and we're beefing up The Daily Brief!Starting Monday, September 12th, we are re-launching this show. It will be called NOW&NEXT and it will feature co-hosts Erin and Dave Trafford as well as a a Daily Brief segment.There's so much to talk about in the news and in the media, we decided to make more room for it here!You can watch OR...
2022-09-0611 minNOW and NEXTIt's On The Ledge Friday!Here's our weekly Roundtable on Ontario politics with Sabrina Nanji, Keith Leslie, John Wright and Dave Trafford. On The Ledge will go "daily" as soon as the Lt. Governor dissolves the assembly and that's expected to officially happen on Wednesday! SO, the Daily Brief will be all about the WRIT RACE to election day on June 2nd.You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and XAnd you can leave us a voice comment here!For more...
2022-05-0236 minNOW and NEXTHappy Birthday to us! Story Studio Network is a year old today!It all started with a text message asking for a "quick call" and Story Studio Network was the outcome. Twelve months later, we've gone from one podcast series and three team members to 14 shows and a stable of major market talent. Our clients have proven podcasting is a great addition to their branding and marketing strategies. The power of podcasting allows them to tell their stories in their voice. On today's edition of the Daily Brief, Jamie Nickerson and Erin Trafford join to talk about our startup rocket ride and where we're heading!You can watch OR listen...
2022-04-2027 minNOW and NEXTHave you worked coffee meetings back into your work calendar?We are finally starting to step out into the light a little more with each passing week. We're still being cautious, many people choosing to continue wearing masks in larger gatherings. And that's not a bad thing. And it's also good for our psyche and good for the economy. We were at a large trade show on the weekend in Toronto and it was as busy as I would have expected in the "before times". The only obvious differences were, you had to buy a ticket that specified your arrival time and about half of the people at the show...
2022-04-1321 minNOW and NEXTToday on the DAILY BRIEF: Why Meaning MattersHappy Sunday and welcome to this bonus edition of the Daily Brief. Today we feature another one of the shows we're producing at Story Studio Network. Why Meaning Matters is well into season 2 and in this episode we explore the future of cannabis consumption. Host Erin Trafford, MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge bridge the connections between sleep and pain to cannabis. They explore the use of cannabis for managing inflammation, how it interacts with other supplements, and how it’s being used on a daily basis for general health and wellbeing.Yo...
2022-03-1315 minNOW and NEXTToday on the Daily Brief: The Words of War.As we make a turn into week number three of the Russian war in Ukraine, the battles are being waged on the ground, in cyber space and in the media. Today, we're joined by Bob Reid at Broadway Strategy & Communications, and Erin Trafford, Co-founder and Chief Executive Producer at Story Studio Network to talk about the role and responsibility of journalism and media organizations to "get it right". And is this an opportunity for mainstream news to regain trust among media consumers?You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)
2022-03-0926 minNOW and NEXTIf we're making judgement calls about Rogan on Spotify, what about the convicted criminals who are also selling their wares on the platform?On this edition of the Daily Brief, Story Studio Network co-founder, Erin Trafford applauds the call for Spotify to reasses its values but what about other content being sold and promoted on the platform by convicted criminals? And is this movement going to focus on Apple and Google, et al? And the FREEDOM CONVOY in Ottawa proves you're free to be a racist, free to spread misinformation, free to desecrate the National War Memorial. Erin wonders whether this "freedom movement" in Canada and the United States will eventually refect the sectarian "Troubles" that crippled Ireland fifty years ago. Y...
2022-01-3119 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastWhat kind of Canada will we vote for on September 20th?This federal campaign has been dominated by wedge issues, personal attacks, and a disaster of a debate. Where is the vision? Where is the deep discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing Canada? Scott White, CEO and Editor in Chief at The Conversation Canada, joins John Wright and Dave Trafford in this edition of The WRIT Race.You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and XAnd you can leave us a voice comment here!For more...
2021-09-1327 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastPolitical parties approach women to run so they can check a box.Erin Trafford and Amanda Galbraith join us for this special edition of The Writ Race to talk about the role women should be playing in Canadian politics. And we also explore the idea that Rural Canada is increasingly being left out of the political discussion in this country. You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and XAnd you can leave us a voice comment here!For more information go to Dave's website.
2021-09-0222 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastGetting to know Erin O'TooleSussex Strategy co-founder, Brett James joins John Wright and Dave Trafford in the DAY 9 edition of The WRIT Race. In this episode we talk about everything from Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole's efforts to ingratiate himself to Canadian voters, even if that risks criticism from the right-leaning element of the party's core to the effect of digital campaigns. And we close by remembering Rolling Stones legend, Charlie Watts.You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and XAnd you...
2021-08-2432 min
On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastWrit Race Day 8 LIVE STREAM with Dave Trafford and John WrightICYMI: John Wright and Dave Trafford did the LIVE STREAM video version of the WRIT Race on Monday afternoon. Here's the audio from the show, if that suits you better. Otherwise, we'd encourage you to check out the YouTube show here. We're also broadcasting on Dave's Facebook page. We plan to do the video version every Monday over the course of the campaign and on Election Night. On Day 8, the Liberals get their hands slapped by Twitter for manipulating an Erin O'Toole video.You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to...
2021-08-2422 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastHow are provincial politics affecting the federal election game plans?Today on The WRIT Race - the daily #cndpoli #podcast, John Wright and Dave Trafford are joined by Keith Leslie and Erin Trafford, who offer up insights into what happened in the #NovaScotia election. Also, will the federal Liberal party be able to resist running against Doug Ford @fordnation in Ontario? And we highlight a Master Class by Sean O'Shea at Global News Toronto on how-to-hold -political-parties-accountable. You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and XAnd you can l...
2021-08-2027 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastIs it realistic to think federal parties can have national election platforms?Today on The WRIT Race daily #podcast, John Wright and Dave Trafford ponder whether there can be such a thing as a national election platform when the needs of Canadians in Atlanta Canada are different from the issues faced in the prairies and the territories. Also, how will mail-in voting/voter turnout affect the outcome in some key ridings on election day?You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and XAnd you can leave us a voice comment...
2021-08-1920 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastCould the Friday Dump at Queen's Park be a Cabinet Shuffle announcement?This week on the podcast with John Wright, Keith Leslie and Dave Trafford, the province is on the verge of blowing through its vaccination targets, (will the Ford government accelerate plans to open the economy?), the NDP is the first out of the gate with campaign ads, the Tories have named their platform build team, AND.. Oh ya, while we're recoding the show, Keith gets a text telling us we may have a cabinet shuffle by the end of business on Friday!You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)
2021-06-1828 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastWe're BACK! Just in time for the 3rd wave of COVID-19In this Back to the Ledge episode of On The Ledge, John Wright, Keith Leslie and Dave Trafford dive in on the latest COVID-19 developments at Queen's Park, the Ford government's Greenbelt expansion plan (that includes the construction of Highway 413??). We also note that Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath has the distinction of being the longest serving leader of a major political party in Canada. But a year from the next provincial campaign, it appears she and the NDP are on track to slide back to third party status.You can watch OR listen to this episode on...
2021-02-1923 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOntario Premier Doug Ford: COVID messaging is clear. REALLY?Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pushing back on criticism of his government's COVID-19 communications and public health guidance. Ford says "I don't think the guidelines can be any clearer." Really?? In this week's episode of On the Ledge, John Wright, Keith Leslie and Dave Trafford are joined by Melissa Lantsman. Melissa's not only the VP at Enterprise, she was the Tory war room director during the last provincial election campaign. She says the Ford government is running out of chances to get the story straight. "Confusing public health advice across every single jurisdiction is undermining public trust. We need to...
2020-10-2126 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastWe're Back!The Ontario legislature is back in business and so is our podcast, On The Ledge. Getting kids back to school this week was akin to building an aircraft in-flight. Class sizes are larger than expected. Teachers are still learning who, what and where they're teaching. And dozens of bus routes have been cancelled because of a driver shortage. John Wright is Executive Vice President of Maru/Blue Public Opinion. Keith Leslie is political commentator at CHCH News and the Hamilton Spectator. And Dave Trafford is the Executive Producer of iContact Productions and host of the Weekend Morning Show on Newstalk 1010...
2020-09-1625 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastA 2019 Wrap with Special Guests John Michael McGrath and Steve PaikinThis is our 62nd episode of @OnTheLedgePcast and our final show for 2019. Our usual suspects, John Wright, Keith Leslie and Dave Trafford are here along with special guests John Michael McGrath and Steve Paikin from TVO's @theAgenda. John Michael and Steve also produce and host the #OnPoli podcast. Their show gets down in the weeds - whereas On The Ledge gets down in the mud! We will take a hiatus for a few weeks while the legislature takes its Christmas/winter break. So be sure to subscribe to the podcast. That way you won't miss a thing! Merry Christmas! Happy...
2019-12-1647 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge EXTRA - Is LEADERSHIP the Real Ballot Question in Canada's Federal Election?This is a special EXTRA edition of On the Ledge. John Wright, Keith Leslie and Dave Trafford explore the question of leadership as an underlying ballot question in Canada's federal election. There are several provincial and regional issues that have surfaced during the federal campaign but they have only been "used to divide" Canadians rather than viewed as matters that require federal attention and leadership. There has been a presumption that this campaign was a referendum on Premier Doug Ford's leadership in Ontario. But considering the way the polls have developed, it's apparent that this election may well be a...
2019-10-2116 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastFord stays out of sight while Scheer and Kenney campaign in OntarioJustin Trudeau barely gets through a stump speech or a Q&A with media without mentioning Doug Ford's name multiple times. He accuses the Ontario premier of taking care of his rich pals and cutting essential services intended to support the most vulnerable. Trudeau says a Scheer government in Ottawa would do the same or worse. The strategy is fairly transparent. The Liberals are not only linking Andrew Scheer to an unpopular premier, they're baiting Ford to engage in the federal campaign. But try as they may, the Trudeau Liberals have not been able to draw Ontario Premier Doug Ford...
2019-10-1526 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge Week 41 - Remembering David CaplanIn this episode, co-hosts John Wright, Keith Leslie and Dave Trafford remember former Ontario cabinet minister David Caplan. Caplan died following a fire in his North York home on July 24th, 2019. Caplan had served in a number of portfolios, including Minister of Health, in Premier Dalton McGuinty's government at Queen's Park. Otherwise, it was a fairly quiet week for the Doug Ford government. Normally, quiet wouldn't be newsworthy but, as noted in this space over the past few months, quiet weeks have been a rarity at Queen's Park - so that makes it unusual and unusual is always newsworthy:)
2019-07-2830 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge Week 34This week mark's the first anniversary of Doug Ford's election as Premier of Ontario. And for all the tumult we've seen, the ON THE LEDGE crew gave the PC government a "B" for it's first twelve months on the job.The premier held a session ending news conference with his entire cabinet in attendance and Ford made it clear they'll be busy during the four month recess from the legislature. John Wright, Keith Leslie and Dave Trafford are joined in episode by Amanda Galbraith - a Principal at Navigator. You can watch OR listen to this episode on ou...
2019-06-0823 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge - Week 31It's the Victoria Day edition of On The Ledge. It's worth noting, Queen's Park, home of the Ontario Legislature, is Queen Victoria's Park. In this episode, the week ends with a flurry of "good news stories" for the Ford Tories. CH political analyst Keith Leslie, Dart Insights and Communications CEO John Wright and iContact Productions' Dave Trafford think it may be good news for MPPs who will be in their ridings for a constituency week.You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram...
2019-05-1821 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge - Week 24In this episode, Keith Leslie, John Wright and Dave Trafford go deep on Subways;) The Ford government has made it clear the province will not only control the design, planning and building of subways in Toronto, it wants significant changes to projects that have already started.You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and XAnd you can leave us a voice comment here!For more information go to Dave's website.
2019-04-0327 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge Week 22Everybody's back to work, back to business and back to school now that March Break has wrapped up in Ontario. But while the kids were out of class, Queen's Park spent most of its time and energy talking about Education. Keith Leslie, John Wright and Dave Trafford also wade back into the Autism Program. It's time for the province to make it a health care priority. It doesn't belong in 'Community Services'You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X
2019-03-1827 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge - Week 21Here we are into the March Break in Ontario. It means the Ledge isn't sitting this week, but there's plenty to talk about - including whether the Ford government will be able to keep its campaign promise that "no jobs will be lost" as they wrestle with the provincial deficit. Budge day is April 11! Former Queen's Park CP Bureau Chief Keith Leslie and iContact Productions Executive Producer Dave Trafford dig in on the issues.You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn...
2019-03-1124 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge - Week 20Healthcare and Education are the two big ticket items in any provincial budget and they were front and centre this week at Queen's Park. Dart Insights CEO John Wright, Keith Leslie, former Queen's Park CP Bureau Chief Keith Leslie and iContact Productions Executive Producer Dave Trafford dig in on some of the files that made the headlines. But they also wonder two things - will Finance Minister Vic Fideli's spring budget actually be an omnibus bill that touches on all of the key issues we've seen addressed by the Ford government AND what kind of fallout could the SNC-Lavalin scandal...
2019-03-0327 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge - Week 19It has been a LONG WINTER'S NIGHT since the Ontario legislature took it's Christmas break. But we're back! Dart Insights CEO John Wright, Keith Leslie, former Queen's Park CP Bureau Chief Keith Leslie and iContact Productions Executive Producer Dave Trafford are back with On the Ledge.You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and XAnd you can leave us a voice comment here!For more information go to Dave's website.
2019-02-2630 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge LIVE on Newstalk 1010 in Toronto - Week 18Here's our 2018 year end offering! We've assembled the On The Ledge panel, Queen's Park Commentator and former Canadian Press Bureau Chief, Keith Leslie, John Wright, CEO Insight at Dart Insight and Communications, and Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions, to take a look back on what happened at the Park and a look ahead to what we can expect in the coming year.You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and XAnd you can leave us a...
2019-01-0414 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge Week 14More Ontario government announcements made "for the people", including welfare reforms and musings about future public transit plans. But who are "the people" benefiting? Even in the wake of the provincial economic update, it's becoming increasingly difficult to determine exactly what the Ford government stands for. John Wright, Keith Leslie and Dave Trafford say it all comes down to a failure to communicate. You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and XAnd you can leave us a voice c...
2018-11-2621 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn the Ledge - Week 6It's earlier than expected, but Queen's Park is back and some would say 'with a vengence'. Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions, John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications, and veteran Queen's Park journalist, Keith Leslie take their weekly look at Ontario politics from their perch "On the Ledge". The Ontario Superior Court ruling that overturned BILL 5...has been met with brute constitutional force. Premier Ford came out swinging - determined to ensure that his agenda is not going to be fussed or tinkered with by an unelected judge. The premier has invoked section 33 of the...
2018-09-1724 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge - Week 5The summer session at Queen's Park has wrapped up after five busy, if not chaotic weeks that include a long laundry list of legislative tasks accomplished by the new provincial government led by rookie MPP Doug Ford. Premier Ford faces New Democratic Leader Andrea Horwath as the leader of the Official Opposition in the legislature. They may be barely 'two sword lengths' apart in the House, but they are miles apart on what they think is best for the province. Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions, John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications, and veteran Queen's...
2018-08-2024 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge - Week 4The Writ Race has been run and Ontarians elected a new Progressive Conservative majority government on June 7, 2018 - led by rookie MPP Doug Ford. Premier Ford faces New Democratic Leader Andrea Horwath as the leader of the Official Opposition in the legislature. They may be barely 'two sword lengths' apart in the House, but they are miles apart on what they think is best for the province. Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions, John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications, and veteran Queen's Park journalist, Keith Leslie take a weekly look at Ontario politics from their...
2018-08-1028 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge - Week 3The Writ Race has been run and Ontarians elected a new Progressive Conservative majority government on June 7, 2018 - led by rookie MPP Doug Ford. Premier Ford faces New Democratic Leader Andrea Horwath as the leader of the Official Opposition in the legislature. They may be barely 'two sword lengths' apart in the House, but they are miles apart on what they think is best for the province. Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions, John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications, and veteran Queen's Park journalist, Keith Leslie take a weekly look at Ontario politics from their...
2018-08-0324 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge - Week 2The Writ Race has been run and Ontarians elected a new Progressive Conservative majority government on June 7, 2018 - led by rookie MPP Doug Ford. Premier Ford faces New Democratic Leader Andrea Horwath as the leader of the Official Opposition in the legislature. They may be barely 'two sword lengths' apart in the House, but they are miles apart on what they think is best for the province. Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions, John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications, and veteran Queen's Park journalist, Keith Leslie take a weekly look at Ontario politics from their...
2018-07-2724 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastOn The Ledge - Week 1The Writ Race has been run and Ontarians elected a new Progressive Conservative majority government on June 7, 2018 - led by rookie MPP Doug Ford. Premier Ford faces New Democratic Leader Andrea Horwath as the leader of the Official Opposition in the legislature. They may be barely 'two sword lengths' apart in the House, but they are miles apart on what they think is best for the province. Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions, John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications, and veteran Queen's Park journalist, Keith Leslie take a weekly look at Ontario politics from their...
2018-07-2021 min
On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race June 7, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? ELECTION DAY:It's ALL OVER! Ontario is officially FordNation. Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives won a majority government with 40% of the popular vote. As expected Andrea Horwath's NDP forms the Official Opposition and the Kathleen Wynne's Liberals were reduced to single digits in the l...
2018-06-0211 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race June 6, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 29:There is a certain breathlessness about this final day on the campaign trail prior to voting day. Each of the party leaders playing the game trying to rallying the troops to 'get the vote out'. I compared this campaign to a marathon. Kathleen Wynne s...
2018-06-0221 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race June 5, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 28: It's hard to see how the NDP can win this election. One day left in the campaign and Andrea Horwath's New Democrats remain tied with Doug Ford's PC's in the popular vote but those numbers break in favour of a Tory majority. The question i...
2018-06-0227 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race June 4, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 27: The public is still catching up to the Liberal bombshell that was dropped on DAY 25. But the campaigns are reacting. Kathleen Wynne is focusing her attention on Toronto ridings - trying to prop up incumbents in the 416. Andrea Horwath's NDP bus made 5 stops through t...
2018-06-0213 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race June 3, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 26:It's the first day of full campaigning following Kathleen Wynne's unprecedented election tactic - conceding that she as the incumbent Premier of the province will not form the next government in Ontario. In this episode, we're joined by Bob Richardson, Senior Counsel, National Public R...
2018-06-0220 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race June 2, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 25: Okay! Nobody saw that coming. Liberal leaders Kathleen Wynne admits her party's not going to win the June 7 election and the best she can hope is that voters will elect a handful of Liberals to keep the new government, under Doug Ford or Andrea H...
2018-06-0214 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race June 1, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 24: June 1st marks the beginning of Pride Month in Toronto yet, Doug Ford seems un-prepared when asked whether he will march in the Pride Parade at the end of the month. It could be a problem for him OR a decided strategy by his c...
2018-06-0214 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 31, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 23:One week until ELECTION DAY in Ontario and the only thing that appears clear is that the Liberals are highly unlikely to extend their 15 years in office at Queen's Park. This is a campaign that has essentially be driven by two things: 1) Personalities and 2) P...
2018-06-0118 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 30, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 22: No sooner did we sign off from our last episode wondering aloud if or when Doug Ford's PCs would release a "plan" that resembled a platform than the party hit the send button on a package of promises. We've heard most of it. Some o...
2018-05-3116 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 29, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 21: A tentative day on the hustings in Ontario. None of the major parties has made any aggressive post-debate move to shore up about a third of the likely voters who haven't yet settled on a choice. Social media and conventional media discussion today still r...
2018-05-3017 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 28, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 20: It was feisty, it was frustrating, if not infuriating if you were hoping for some real debate and discussion of the issues facing the province. The Ontario Leaders' Debate was highlighted by hyperbole and histrionics. The format only served to reinforce the notion that p...
2018-05-2919 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 27, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 19: This is a special edition of The Writ Race, featuring pre-debate analysis from John Wright, Tony Chapman of Tony Chapman Reactions, and Tim Hudak, the former leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. I had the opportunity to talk to all three on my m...
2018-05-2725 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 26, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 18: How are the media managing their coverage of Ontario Election 2018? We sit down with two newsroom managers to talk about the challenges and opportunities to tell the story of this historic campaign. Kym Geddes is the News Director at Newstalk 1010 in Toronto. Tim Richards i...
2018-05-2720 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race - Part 2 - May 25, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 17: Three polls hit the media today and each of them suggests the NDP is making gains at the expense of Liberals and PCs. But a deeper dive on the numbers based on CBC reporting says the New Democrats may be well ahead in popular v...
2018-05-2616 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race - Part 1 - May 25, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 17: Okay. I know it looks like we missed a day on the trail...and we did, but only because John Wright tangled with a dog and ended up with a K-9 bite! The headline reads: POLLSTER BITTEN BY DOG. The good news for John i...
2018-05-2614 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 23, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 15: Another day another poll telling us the NDP and the PCs are neck and neck across the province. As John Wright points out, the final outcome will depend on where the 'vote is thick' for either party. At this point, there still appears to b...
2018-05-2421 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 22, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 14: This election is Doug Ford's to lose and he's getting closer and closer to doing just that. The latest Ipsos poll done for Global News suggests it's a dead heat between the PCs and the NDP. Compare that to the Ipsos number released the d...
2018-05-2315 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 21, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 13: The polls say this Ontario election is coming down to Ford vs. Horwath. Listening closely, and both the PCs and the NDP are battling over the same voter. Ford's "for the little guy" left behind by elites and tone deaf government that wastes hard e...
2018-05-2215 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 20, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? Day 12: The latest Abacus Poll shows the collapse of the Liberal vote and the NDP is within the margin of error of Doug Ford's PCs. It's Game On! and the game is clearly an NDP - PC showdown with 17 days to election day in Ontario. I...
2018-05-2115 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 19, 2017Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? Day 11: NDP Leader Andrea Horwath slaps Kathleen Wynne with her gauntlet then throws it down in front of Doug Ford. Horwath says Wynne is not a factor in this election. It's down to her and Doug Ford.You can watch OR listen to t...
2018-05-2114 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 18, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? Day 10: More than a third of the way through Ontario Election 2018! And it looks like the Ballot Question is "Do you want change" and the resounding answer is "HELL YA!". The problem here is voting for 'change' is a dangerous thing. It avoids or ignores i...
2018-05-1920 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 17, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? DAY 9: More accusations of scandal levelled at the PCs. But John Wright points out, the Tories have dealt with each one quickly. The Premier tried to call out insurance companies for basing auto premiums on where drivers live. The problem is, it opened her up t...
2018-05-1820 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 16, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? Day 8: The Liberals are calling out the Tories for two controversial candidates but that seems to be helping the NDP. Doug Ford's PCs commit to cutting 10 cents off the price at the gas pumps but can't/won't say how they'll make up the $1 billion gap i...
2018-05-1716 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 15, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? Day 7: Here we are at the quarter turn in this election race and the latest Ipsos polling reinforces what Dave and John have been saying the past few days. This has quickly turned in to a race between the NDP and the PCs. Doug Ford's T...
2018-05-1615 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 14, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? Day 6: The Liberals and the NDP tripped over their own messages today and ended up having to respond to the media's agenda. Ford was on message but still isn't ready to cost out his promises. The primary motivation for the large majority of voters is...
2018-05-1516 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 13, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? Day 5: Do the math. Andrea Horwath's NDP may have momentum in Ontario Election 2018 but does she have enough racetrack to overtake Doug Ford's PCs?You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)Follow D...
2018-05-1416 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 12, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? Day 4: Is this already shaping up as a run off between the Andrea Horwath's NDP and Doug Ford's PCs? A new poll is suggesting an "anti-Ford" movement is gaining some momentum.You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (B...
2018-05-1409 minOn The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcastThe Writ Race May 11, 2018Thirty days. Thirty podcasts! Dave Trafford, Executive Producer of iContact Productions and John Wright, CEO - Insight of Dart Insight and Communications take a daily swipe at the Ontario campaign until election day on June 7th. They chase the race and follow the leaders. What should you expect? What didn't you expect in this campaign? Day 3. PC leaders Doug Ford still like's Premier Wynne's smile and NDP leader Andrea Horwath was in her stomping grounds during today's debate on Northern Ontario issues.You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)
2018-05-1215 min