『On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcast』のカバーアート

On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcast

On The Ledge - your Ontario politics podcast

著者： Dave Trafford and iContact Productions
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このコンテンツについて

 The Ledge, n: slang for the legislature. Mostly used by members of the legislative press gallery.
On the Ledge posts weekly when the Ontario Legislature is sitting. But there have been times when we've had to "recall" the Ledge for an emergency session to address pressing matters of Ontario politics when Queen's Park isn't sitting!

Our OTL team includes former Ontario Premier, Kathleen Wynne, former Progressive Conservative Leader, (and Wynne's erstwhile parliamentary sparring partner), Tim Hudak, Queen's Park broadcast commentator Keith Leslie, John Wright, our veteran pollster and co-founding host, and Dave Trafford, Chief Executive Producer at Story Studio Network.Copyright D. Trafford 政治・政府 政治学
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  • "Routine Audit" of SDF Recipient leads to an OPP inquiry

    "Routine Audit" of SDF Recipient leads to an OPP inquiry
    2025/11/13
    Host: Dave Trafford
    Guests:
    • Tim Hudak – Partner, Counsel Public Affairs; former Ontario PC Leader
    • Keith Leslie – Political Commentator, CH Television
    • Kathleen Wynne – Former Premier of Ontario

    On 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 province’s revelation that a 2023 forensic audit uncovered accounting “irregularities,” now referred to the OPP, and what this means for Labour Minister David Piccini and Premier Ford’s cabinet stability.

    The group then unpacks the Fall Economic Statement, debating the government’s messaging around deficits, tariffs, and investments — and whether Ontario's spending priorities fail to address critical pressures in education, post-secondary institutions, and climate policy. A detailed discussion follows on the province’s renewed push for a $9.1-million feasibility study for a 401 tunnel, alongside broader questions about the Ring of Fire, Indigenous partnerships, and the massive infrastructure challenges facing Northern Ontario.

    Rounding out the episode, the panel tackles the Ford government’s moves on education governance and conservation authorities. With Bill 33 centralizing power the roundtable questions transparency, local accountability, and the government’s growing pattern of sidelining community-based institutions.

    Chapters & Timecodes
    00:00 – Introduction & Neil Young’s 80th Birthday
    Lighthearted opening, birthdays, and memories.

    03:15 – Skills Development Fund Scandal Escalates
    Audit “irregularities,” OPP referral, political fallout, and cabinet risks.

    10:00 – Fall Economic Statement & Ontario’s Fiscal Outlook
    Deficits, tariffs, spending priorities, and sector impacts.

    18:35 – 401 Tunnel Feasibility & Major Infrastructure Projects
    $9.1M study, withheld earlier reports, and unrealized investments.

    24:40 – Ring of Fire, Indigenous Partnerships & Northern Development
    Economic potential, social challenges, road access, and equity stakes.

    41:00 – Education Governance, Streaming Bans & Bill 33
    School board powers, parental access, centralization of authority.

    47:00 – Conservation Authorities & Local Decision-Making
    Cuts from 36 to 7 authorities, mandate concerns, process questions.

    54:00 – Closing Notes & What’s Ahead at Queen’s Park

    TRANSCRIPT

    You can watch this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)

    Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X

    And you can leave us a voice comment here!

    For more information go to Dave's website.
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    57 分
  • Mark Carney's Big Spend and Doug Ford's Political Poll Dance

    Mark Carney's Big Spend and Doug Ford's Political Poll Dance
    2025/11/07
    Host: Dave Trafford
    Guests: Kathleen Wynne (former Ontario Premier), Tim Hudak (Partner, Counsel Public Affairs; former Ontario PC Leader), Keith Leslie (Political Analyst, CHCH), John Wright (CEO, Canada Pulse Insights)

    In this week’s episode, Dave Trafford and the On The Ledge panel unpack the political and policy fallout from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first federal budget—and the Ford government’s deepening Skills Development Fund scandal.

    Kathleen Wynne argues that Carney’s budget, while understated, delivers transformative long-term investments in infrastructure and economic development.

    Tim Hudak says the budget “shows trees, but no forest,” lacking a unifying vision for the post-tariff economy.

    Keith Leslie calls it a gamble on private-sector confidence, while John Wright warns the government’s narrative is missing “a political bone” to connect with struggling Canadians.

    Then, the panel reacts to The Trillium’s explosive reporting on the Skills Development Fund—a $10-million grant linked to a venue now licensed as a strip club.

    Journalist guests Jessica Smith Cross and Charlie Pinkerton explain how their investigative work exposed a pattern of questionable grants and Tory-connected recipients. The group debates Minister David Piccini’s future, Premier Ford’s handling of the controversy, and the broader question of accountability and cronyism at Queen’s Park.

    From the budget’s muted ambitions to a political scandal with burlesque undertones, this episode captures an Ontario government under siege—caught between defending its process and salvaging its credibility.

    Chapters & Timecodes
    00:00 – Introduction & Panel Welcome
    02:00 – Reactions to the Carney Budget
    14:00 – Ottawa vs. Queen’s Park: Competing Narratives
    33:00 – The Floor Crossing Fallout
    43:00 – The Skills Development Fund Scandal: The Trillium’s Reporting
    1:08:00 – Political Consequences & Closing Thoughts

    You can watch this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!)

    Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X

    And you can leave us a voice comment here!

    For more information go to Dave's website.
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    1 時間 16 分
  • Poking the Bear - the Reagan Anti-tariff Ad and Ottawa’s Silence

    Poking the Bear - the Reagan Anti-tariff Ad and Ottawa’s Silence
    2025/10/30
    October 29, 2025
    Host: Dave Trafford
    Guests: Kathleen Wynne, John Wright, Keith Leslie
    Featured Interview: Neil Hetherington, CEO, Daily Bread Food Bank


    In this wide-ranging roundtable, Dave Trafford is joined by former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne, pollster John Wright, and journalist Keith Leslie to unpack a week of political turbulence—from Premier Doug Ford’s Reagan-themed U.S. trade ad and the resulting tariff tantrum from Washington, to the Ontario government’s omnibus legislation blitz at Queen’s Park.

    The panel explores how Ford’s “Captain Canada” messaging has inflamed an already volatile Canada–U.S. trade climate and whether Ottawa and Queen’s Park are working from the same playbook. Wynne argues for federal-provincial coordination; Wright warns about “freelancing premiers”; and Leslie questions the political wisdom of running ads that “poke the bear” during the World Series.

    Later, the discussion turns to Ontario’s new omnibus bills—from scrapping speed cameras to raising political donation limits—provoking questions about transparency, committee work, and the government’s appetite for real debate.

    In the second half, Dave sits down with Neil Hetherington of the Daily Bread Food Bank to dissect this year’s Who’s Hungry report: food-bank visits in Toronto have hit 4.1 million, a 340 percent increase since 2019, with one in ten Torontonians relying on food banks. The panel weighs policy failures, stagnant wages, and corporate responsibility amid record profits.
    They close by reflecting on poverty as an economic indicator and the political will required to address it—while predicting that both trade tensions and food insecurity will worsen before they improve.

    Chapters
    00:00 – Introduction – Dave sets the agenda: trade, tariffs, legislation, and hunger
    02:00 – Ford’s U.S. ad and the tariff fallout
    09:45 – Ottawa’s silence and the coordination gap
    20:00 – Inside Queen’s Park: Omnibus politics and missed debate
    37:00 – Neil Hetherington on Toronto’s hunger crisis
    53:00 – Policy, poverty, and political accountability
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    1 時間 5 分
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